NGOs criticise IMO’s letter to the EU

A group of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with observer status at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has heavily criticised IMO’s head’s claims that including shipping in the EU Emission Trading System (EU-ETS) could undermine efforts to reduce global shipping greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In a letter to IMO’s secretary-general Kitack Lim, the Clean Shipping Coalition (CSC) said that it did not think it was appropriate for Lim in his role as head of “an essentially unelected body” to interfere in the EU internal democratic process.

“The decision to include shipping in the EU ETS was taken by the European Parliament, whose members are directly elected by European citizens and therefore have direct legitimacy in EU policy-making,” the CSC said.