IMO, Korea to support GHG reduction in developing countries

Four-year partnership will support GHG reduction training in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

The Republic of Korea and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have signed an agreement to establish a training program to support developing States to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping. This will facilitate the implementation of candidate measures to be adopted by IMO and the development of national action plans to reduce GHG emissions from the shipping and ports sectors.

This four-year program, Sustainable Maritime Transport Training Program (GHG-SMART), will be funded through an allocation of US$2.5 million under the existing MoU between IMO and the Republic of Korea on the Republic of Korea’s contribution to the Delivering Strategy and Reform – Voyage Together Trust Fund.

The GHG-SMART will focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). It will help them to develop their capacity to achieve the goals set out in the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.

The IMO strategy envisages reducing total annual GHG emissions from ships by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008, meaning a reduction in carbon intensity for individual ships and a move to new technologies and low/zero carbon fuels. A number of specific measures are under consideration to achieve the ambitious targets.

The GHG-SMART will support SIDS and LDCs to address gaps in technologies and policies, by building knowledge and capacity in those countries to identify ways to effectively implement measures contained in the IMO Strategy. This would be complemented by support and training to develop and implement National Action Plans.

It is widely recognized that national action plans may facilitate the implementation of IMO-adopted measures in the national context and support the achievement of international commitments through national action.

Training packages will be developed to cover a range of activities, including analysis and review of current policies, update on IMO regulations, how to develop national action plans, training of trainers to implement specific measures such as data collection, sharing of information and best practices.

The training will also facilitate transfer and uptake of energy efficient technologies, filling gaps in technology and policies between developed countries and the LDCs and SIDS.