The International Maritime Organization knows that the shipping industry needs to change course to address the climate crisis. By committing to the Initial Greenhouse Gas Strategy in 2018, which requires the shipping industry to reduce emissions by 50% by 2050, it formally recognized this. Such a declaration, despite being forged through difficult negotiations and missing the level of ambitions of many member states and NGOs, was broadly welcomed. Since then, there have been several agreements on the short-term measures. These measures have attracted their own share of criticism for lack of ambition or through lack of effective enforcement or implementation mechanisms. The EU countries have been an engaged and active part of this process, but that has not stopped them from considering action under their regional banner, in particular the recent inclusion of shipping within their Emissions Trading System.
