Press Release

‘Fossils of the Day’ award for aviation and shipping bodies at COP 21

December 2, 2015

The presentation of the satirical Fossil of the Day award today in Paris to the UN bodies responsible for regulating international aviation and shipping emissions is just recognition of their totally inadequate contributions to fighting climate change, green group Transport & Environment has said. Emissions from planes and ships are the elephants in the climate talks room as they remain the only sectors of the international economy not being required to submit reduction pledges.

Climate Action Network announced the award after the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) failed to pledge any emissions cuts at the Paris climate conference. ICAO had been mandated at its 2013 Assembly to begin work on a post-2020 target, yet it arrived in Paris with nothing to show. Its target of carbon-neutral growth by 2020 is far below what is required to contribute fairly to the 2 degree warming limit. International aviation and shipping have CO₂ emissions equal to UK and Germany respectively.

Andrew Murphy, aviation and shipping officer at T&E, said: “Emissions from the aviation and shipping sectors are the elephants in the room. Any deal in Paris must require ICAO and IMO to set emission reduction targets and measures for ships and planes, otherwise the efforts of all the parties to the Paris Agreement to meet the 2 degree target will be derailed.”

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