Black Carbon and Shipping Regulations
Context:
Recent efforts at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to impose strict regulations on shipping emissions—specifically targeting Black Carbon—have faced a major setback due to geopolitical opposition.
The proposal to levy "carbon fees" on shipping has been postponed, largely driven by lobbying from the US administration
What is Black Carbon?
Black carbon is a tiny particle that forms from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels or biomass, such as wood or waste.
It is the sooty black material emitted from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired power plants, and other sources that burn fossil fuel.
When Black Carbon from ships settles on snow and ice, it darkens the surface.
This reduces the Albedo (reflectivity) of the ice, causing it to absorb more sunlight and melt faster.
Unlike Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which stays in the atmosphere for centuries, Black Carbon is a Short-Lived Climate Pollutant.
This means reducing it would have an immediate positive impact on slowing down global warming, especially in the Arctic.
Black carbon not solely a climate issue but also a major health threat.
Black carbon can penetrate deep into the lungs and facilitate the transport of toxic compounds into the bloodstream
Role of Black carbon in climate warming
Black carbon contributes significantly to warming
unlike gases like CH4 or CO2, BC is an aerosol—a solid particle suspended in air
Rather than lingering for years or centuries like other greenhouse gases, black carbon settles out of the atmosphere quickly through rain or by gravity, remaining in the air for only 4 to 12 days.
Black Carbon also indirectly contributes to warming by altering cloud properties and decreasing the albedo, or reflectivity, of the surfaces it lands on
Global warming potential (GWP) of other climate pollutants:
CO2 can last for hundreds to thousands of years
CH4 remains for around a decade.
Black carbon – 4 to 12 days
The Failed IMO Proposal:
The IMO was expected to adopt new regulations imposing carbon fees on the shipping industry.
The goal was to financially pressure companies into adopting cleaner fuels and electrifying their fleets to reduce pollution in the fragile Arctic ecosystem.
The US administration, which has termed climate change a "con job," lobbied nations to vote "no."
Consequently, the measure has been postponed for a year, leaving the regulation of Arctic pollution uncertain.
The Iceland Case:
Even Arctic nations like Iceland, known for green technology (geothermal/carbon capture), are struggling to regulate shipping.
The fishing industry resists these regulations due to the high cost of cleaner fuels.