COP 29 Side Event:Decarbonising Transport: Policies and Strategies For Aviation, Maritime and Land

IMO, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) held a side event at COP 29: Decarbonising Transport: Policies and Strategies For Aviation, Maritime and Land. 

The side event outlined the ambitions of the three pillars of transport in the United Nations: maritime, air and inland transport; with the aim of achieving sustainable transport and mobility, including low and zero carbon mobility in coordination with the fuel and energy supply systems. 

The event took place on 20 November 2024 during the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29), that was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 November 2024 to 22 November 2024.

IMO participated in the conference to showcase its commitment to reduce GHG emissions from shipping and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez reminded participants that international shipping carries more than 80% of international trade and has already improved its energy efficiency performance by over 20% since the first IMO climate regulations came into force.

"I wish to highlight just one aspect which I think is key in achieving ambitious strategies in all transport modes – the need for abundant, safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable fuels and energy sources," Mr. Dominguez said. "While the end-fuels may vary across different transport sectors, we can work together to scale up the demand, and thereby boost the production and supply of zero- and near-zero fuels." The IMO Strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, adopted in 2023, provides the global framework for action in the shipping sector.

According to the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), inland transport contributes more than 72% of global energy-related CO2 emissions in the transport sector, with 69% stemming from road transport. Aviation is responsible for approximately 2.4% of total anthropogenic emissions of CO2 on an annual basis, whereas estimated total emissions from maritime transport correspond to 2–3%. 

The event at COP29 highlighted the recent progress made by UNECE, ICAO and IMO in addressing the impact of their transport sectors on climate change, as well as showcased how their Member States and key stakeholders are contributing to actions necessary to achieve carbon neutrality.