COP31: Seas At Risk is calling for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)

At the COP31 conference, environmental group Seas At Risk is urging world leaders to take immediate action to cut greenhouse gas and black carbon emissions in order to safeguard marine ecosystems and hasten a fair shift away from fossil fuels in global shipping. Recent studies, including the UNEP Emissions Gap Report, indicate that surpassing the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C warming limit is unavoidable.

The ocean plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change, absorbing roughly 90% of the additional heat trapped by greenhouse gases, but this comes at a significant cost: ocean warming, marine heatwaves, acidification, and increased pressure on marine biodiversity. Even if global temperatures return to 1.5 degrees after temporarily surpassing it, some marine damage could be permanent.

COP31 must focus on concrete action rather than mere ambitions. Governments must convert their pledges into tangible emission cuts across all sectors, including shipping.

Every increment of temperature rise poses a threat to the ocean. Marine ecosystems like coral reefs, polar seas, and coastal communities are among the first to face mounting risks due to rising temperatures in the ocean and atmosphere. Seas At Risk is demanding accelerated efforts to slash GHG emissions and drastically reduce emissions of methane and black carbon, rather than depending on carbon removal, which is insufficient and cannot be scaled up. The group advocates for:

- A maritime sector that adopts clean fuels and technologies such as wind propulsion

- A rapid reduction in super pollutants like methane and black carbon, responsible for up to 1600 times more warming and harming the Arctic

- A robust ocean that combats climate change, absorbs carbon, shields coastlines, sustains marine life, and stabilizes weather patterns

- Financial aid, technology, and international support for small island nations, coastal communities, and low-income countries

The International Maritime Organization's Net-Zero Framework presents a vital opportunity for shipping climate action. This framework, approved by IMO Member States in April 2025, aims to establish global measures to lower GHG emissions from ships, including fuel intensity standards and an economic mechanism. Implementation could spur the transition to cleaner energy in shipping, enhance investment certainty, and foster international cooperation.

However, the framework is awaiting adoption and remains subject to political debate. Seas At Risk is calling for a comprehensive, effective, and equitable IMO Net-Zero Framework, one that achieves genuine emission reductions and provides a dedicated fund to assist countries and communities facing disproportionate transition costs and the highest climate impacts.

Anais Rios, Senior Shipping Policy Officer at Seas At Risk, emphasized, "Every fraction of a degree of warming risks severe and irreversible harm to our ocean and its ecosystems. At COP31, world leaders must convert promises into action and eliminate fossil fuels from all sectors, including shipping, to protect the ocean that safeguards us from climate change."