IMO’s Crucial Moment: How Shipping Finally Started Tackling Climate Change - CleanTechnica

The article centers on a conversation with Tristan Smith, a maritime decarbonization expert and director of UMAS, discussing recent progress by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in addressing climate change through shipping. Smith’s background in defense engineering shifted toward maritime decarbonization about 15 years ago, leading him to work extensively on policy, technology, and corporate behavior related to reducing shipping emissions. His leadership in the 2014 IMO greenhouse gas study helped establish credibility and influence within the IMO, enabling him to advise member states on climate policy for shipping. Smith explains the distinction between domestic and international shipping emissions, noting that domestic emissions fall under individual countries’ jurisdiction and are included in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the UNFCCC. In contrast, international shipping emissions—occurring on the high seas—are regulated by the IMO. These emissions are significant, estimated at about one gigaton of CO₂ equivalent annually, with operational CO₂ alone around 700 million tons. The