The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) says a carbon tax of $25 per tonne proposed by the OECD International Transport Forum (ITF) is three times higher than shore industries in developed nations.
ICS said it questioned why shipping should accept the tax, which was part of an “ambitious package” on emissions proposed by the ITF in a policy brief earlier this week.
It noted the proposed $25 per tonne tax would be almost three times higher than that paid by shore based industries in the developed world, while about 70% of the global merchant fleet is registered in UNFCCC ‘non-Annex I’ developing countries.
“While shipping may currently have CO2 emissions comparable to a major OECD economy, it is inappropriate for the ITF to propose that the industry should be treated like an OECD economy,” said ICS secretary general, Peter Hinchliffe.
ICS noted the industry had already reduced its total CO2 emissions by more than 10% from 2007- 2012 and CO2 per tonne-mile by around 20% from 2005 – 2015 and was therefore on course for carbon neutral growth.
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