International maritime transport and climate policy

The contribution of international maritime transport to anthropogenic climate change has so far attracted little attention. This may be expected to change in the near future due to both ongoing research and the political processs. The present article looks at the relevant trends in international maritime transport and discusses both the greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and the possible repercussions of climate change on shipping. It concludes with an overview of policies and measures that should be implemented to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from shipping in a cost-efficient way.