Air
pollution from sulphur oxides (SOx) emitted from ships has substantially
dropped over in recent years, the European Commission said on April 16, citing
a new compliance report.
According
to the Commission, the positive trend is the result of joint efforts by the
Member States and the maritime industry to implement EU rules under the Sulphur
Directive on adopting cleaner fuel.
EU
mechanisms to technically and financially support the Member States to reduce
emissions were an important factor in compliance.
Since 2015,
stricter limits for the designated ‘Sulphur Oxides Emissions Control Areas’ of
the North and Baltic seas have more than halved emissions, while the overall
economic impact on the sector remained minimal.
“Environmental
rules deliver and protect our citizens’ quality of life when all sides involved
work together to correctly apply them,” Environment, Fisheries and Maritime
Affairs Commissioner Karmenu Vella said. “The shared commitment by the Member
States, industries, and the maritime community as a whole is paying off. People
living in and around protected sea areas can breathe cleaner and healthier air.
We have successfully preserved the level playing field for industry,” Vella
added.
The report
comes days after a landmark agreement at the International Maritime
Organisation on a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
international shipping by at least 50% by 2050.
Both
accords illustrate the Commission’s commitment to the goals of the Paris
Agreement and to a Europe that protects cleaner air for its citizens, the
Commission said, adding that exhaust gases from ships are a significant source
of emissions and have a major impact on citizens’ health and the environment.
https://www.neweurope.eu/article/eu-action-reduces-pollution-shipping-report-shows/