Amazon.com Inc and IKEA are among commercial users of container shipping that will switch to carbon-free marine fuels by 2040, in a new initiative aimed at accelerating decarbonisation in the maritime sector.
With around 90% of global trade moved by sea, shipping accounts for almost 3% of the planet's CO2 emissions and the sector is under increasing scrutiny to become cleaner.
The initiative, developed by the non-profit Aspen Institute and with nine signatories including Unilever and Michelin, sets a goal for companies to only purchase shipping services powered by scalable, zero-carbon fuels by 2040.
“The time to act is now,” Edgar Blanco, Amazon’s director of net zero carbon, said Tuesday.
Elisabeth Munck af Rosenschöld, Head of Sustainability and Supply Chain Operations at IKEA Group, said that collaborative work is crucial to developing fuel solutions for maritime transport.
“The voice of cargo owners is important as we are one of the stakeholders in enabling the transformation of the industry,” he told Reuters. “We are not willing to automatically pay a premium for sustainability, but we are willing to collaborate and co-create the solutions and share the necessary investments.”
A surge in demand for retail goods due to COVID-19 restrictions has led to record container shipping rates in recent months.
Unilever logistics chief Michelle Grose said shipping accounts for 15% of the group's total greenhouse gas emissions footprint.
“By signalling our combined commitment to zero-emission shipping, we are confident that we will accelerate the transition at the pace and scale needed,” he said.
Environmental groups in the Ship It Zero coalition said the announced commitments were “historic, but too weak” and urged signatories to switch entirely to zero-emission ships by 2030.
“If major retail brands really want to do their part on climate change, they need to be on a course correction now, not 19 years from now,” said Kendra Ulrich of environmental group Stand.earth, a member of Ship It Zero, which calls on major shipping companies to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030.
Source: Reuters
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