Climate action

In 2018, shipping emitted 1,056 million tonnes of CO₂, accounting for about 2.89% of the total global anthropogenic CO₂ emissions for that year, estimated the Fourth IMO GHG Study 2020. Under a voyage-based allocation method, the share of international shipping represented 740 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2018. In 2050, shipping emissions could be between 90 and 130% of 2008 emissions, according to a series of long-term business-as-usual scenarios.

IMO is actively engaged in a global approach to further enhancing ship's energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions from ships, while providing technical cooperation and capacity-building activities.

Since 2009, growth in CO₂ emissions from maritime transport has been decoupled from the continuous increase in seaborne trade volume. IMO action aims to make ships more energy efficient and eliminate total shipping emissions.