Page 6 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2019 publication

6 Spring 2019 European Energy Innovation
SUSTAINABLE SHIPPING

What does sustainable
shipping look like?

By Gesine Meissner, MEP (pictured)
The terms ‘sustainability’
and ‘shipping’ or ‘transport’ spring 2018, I addressed the technical know however, is that those plastics
inextricably remind us of feasibility of Hydrogen fuel as an are not entirely biodegradable and
greenhouse gas emissions, alternative for marine vessels, which that therefore the chance of plastic
should abate rising numbers of finding its way into our food chain
and consequently their way into our
our carbon footprint and oceanic emissions and greenhouse gasses. bodies, is more than just a minor
possibility.
pollution. We know that our oceans
In 2017, the Commission enhanced
have saved our hide more than once This contribution will address the its focus on plastic production and
use to work towards the 2030 goal
in absorbing our growing emissions. parallel to achieving viable and to ensure that all plastic packaging
is recyclable by 2030.1 In spring 2019,
The last United Nations Conference sustainable fuel alternatives for the European Parliament will go even
further by endorsing a continent wide
on Climate (COP) in Katowice calls for marine transport: adopting new ban on certain single use plastics.
With an estimation of an astounding
significant changes, but only confirms policies on plastic pollution and 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic
waste entering our oceans every year,
that we are far from achieving our marine litter in our oceans. The these steps are quite welcome and

goals set out in the Paris Agreement effects of micro plastics on our

of 2016 - let alone the United Nations oceans are largely unknown but its

Sustainable Development Goals influence and that of toxic waste

(SDGs) 14 and 14.1 against pollution on the ocean’s ability to absorb CO2
– because of political division, lack has already proven to interfere with

of investment and lack of a unified natural oceanic currents, which

approach. In my last contribution capture and release heat and cold

to European Energy Innovation of from our atmosphere. What we do

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