Decarbonising Africa’s Maritime Transport
Africa’s maritime trade continues to grow exponentially. However, in light of the climate change crisis and the continent’s vulnerability, deliberations on decarbonizing Africa’s maritime transport have emerged.
During the Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Nairobi, Kenya, a key focus point of the?Nairobi Declaration was the urgent need to “accelerate all efforts to reduce emissions to align with goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.”
Further, world leaders were urged to support and rally behind the proposed global carbon tax on fossil fuel trade and maritime transport.
During the summit, the “Creating Sustainable Pathways in Africa” session sought to realize eco-friendly shipping and economic growth by reducing carbon emissions. During this discussion, experts explored strategies for aligning green shipping and hydrogen markets to accelerate decarbonisation.
Africa’s abundant natural resources can position it as a potential exemplar for eco-friendly shipping. The 2023 UNCTAD Economic Development in Africa report confirms Africa’s substantial reserves of essential minerals critical to the global energy transition.
Furthermore, the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) underscores the pivotal contribution of these “transition metals” to Africa’s decarbonization endeavors.
Africa’s Maritime Transport Sector Outlook
Maritime transport is the lifeblood of global trade and the world economy, handling over 80 percent of international goods.
Likewise, in Africa’s maritime transport sector holds a crucial role in economic development and international trade. Maritime transport offers one of the most efficient and cost-effective shipping methods.
As per the UNEP report on Africa’s Business Environment Outlook, Africa’s maritime transport sector contributes three percent to global trade, amounting to $22 billion in 2018. Estimates show it will grow to $48 billion by 2063 due to strategic investments in ports, shipping, technology, and maritime education.
Indeed, the maritime sector heavily relies on fossil fuels, contributing 2.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It annually emits approximately one billion metric tonnes of greenhouse gases.
This is equivalent to two-thirds of Africa’s total emissions, significantly contributing to global warming. However, due to its international nature, it must be on record in national contributions data.
During the ACS, however, African nations were encouraged to integrate strategies for decarbonising maritime activities into their national contributions. This inclusion would facilitate the transition toward maritime decarbonization.
Unfortunately, this absence has hindered investments in essential projects such as green ports and national single-window systems, which are crucial for reducing carbon emissions in the shipping industry.
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Financing climate resilience
Keynote speakers at the ACS proposed several crucial approaches, including a just transition, establishing green transport corridors, investing in eco-friendly shipping technologies, and developing and enforcing global regulations and policies.
The absence of well-defined maritime policies and regulations has prevented specific African ports from accessing climate resilience financing offered by international lenders, according to the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA) secretariat.
Shadrack Mwandime, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Shipping and Maritime Affairs, emphasized that Africa, while contributing less than 4 percent of greenhouse gases (GHGs), disproportionately faces the consequences of climate change.
He asserted Africa’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, particularly within the maritime sector, and stressed the importance of directing resources toward research institutions to drive innovation in green maritime technologies, ultimately contributing to job creation.
In 2020, a World Bank report titled “Allocating Carbon Revenues from Shipping” estimated that approximately 1.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) were discharged.
This equates to roughly 3 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This figure surpasses the emissions of the world’s fifth-largest GHG-emitting nation.
The 2022 UNCTAD Review on Maritime Transport also emphasizes the industry’s urgent need to enhance its resilience in future crises and climate change.
The report highlights the importance for ports, shipping companies, and transportation operators to curtail emissions and protect fair competition.
Ultimately, this ensures that the maritime transport sector remains robust in the face of upcoming challenges.
Also Read:?Africa’s carbon credit market.
Decarbonising the shipping business
“We must change course, and we must do it now. To prepare for the future, we need shipping and supply chains to be more efficient, resilient, and far greener,” noted UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspa.
Kenya has played a central role in this endeavor, hosting two significant events focused on Africa’s maritime sector: the 6th Maritime Administration Conference and General Assembly and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Conference on Low-Carbon Shipping in Africa, both held in Mombasa in May 2023.
These events aimed to expedite the process of decarbonising shipping activities in Africa. The IMO, the global shipping regulatory body, collaborated with the Association of African Maritime Administrators to explore sustainable approaches to achieving low-carbon shipping in Africa.