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Environmental organization Seas at Risk has said that the conclusions reached at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP 15) should be seen as a green light for the EU to push ahead with an emissions trading scheme for ships visiting EU ports.

The eco-group said in a statement "In 1997 the Kyoto Protocol handed responsibility for emissions from international shipping to the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) but in the 12 years that followed not one single binding measure has been agreed. Emissions from international shipping have grown by more than 85% since 1990, and if left unchecked are projected to double or triple by 2050. Studies show that there is a huge potential for the industry to reduce its emissions but it will not do so on its own and without a financial incentive.

"It was hoped that the Copenhagen summit would provide guidance to IMO on targets, scope and the use of finance raised by the sector, so that measures for shipping could be fast tracked in 2010. Instead the outcome of the meeting has nothing new to say on these key issues and does nothing to resolve the conflict between the UNFCCC’s principle that only developed states should make emission cuts and the IMO’s traditional approach of treating all ships equally.

Seas at Risk added: "Global measures agreed through the UNFCCC or IMO are preferable to avoid carbon leakage and maintain a level playing field for the industry, but future work on global measures at IMO is now likely to be hindered by the same disputes that have held up progress for the last 12 years.

"The failure in Copenhagen makes it clear that the only way to address this fast growing source of emissions in the short-term is via regional measures, and the EU should now get on with its plans for including shipping in an EU emissions trading scheme," Seas at Risk concludes.

In October 2009, The Council of the European Union agreed on plans to set a target of reducing emissions for the maritime sector by 20 percent on 2005 levels by 2020.

In a document entitled "Council Conclusions on EU position for the Copenhagen Climate Conference (7-18 December 2009)", the European Union provides details of the conclusions reached duing the 2968th Environment Countil Meeting in Luxembourg on 21st October.

In the document, which was presented at the climate change meeting in Copenhagen as a basis for negotiating a global agreement, the EU Council said "Global emission reduction targets for international aviation and maritime transport, consistent with a global reduction path towards meeting the 2°C objective, should be incorporated into a Copenhagen agreement and Parties should commit to work through ICAO and IMO to enable an agreement that does not lead to competitive distortions or carbon leakage, that is agreed in 2010 and approved by 2011.

The document added "For negotiating purposes at COP 15, global reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation and maritime transport should be set by UNFCCC to -10 per cent for the aviation sector and to -20 per cent for the maritime sector below 2005 levels by 2020 to be implemented globally in a manner that ensures a level playing field."