In the battle against global warming, the fumes from jet engines and car tailpipes appear to get all the attention. But another major source of greenhouse gases is going almost entirely unregulated.
The freighters that bring food and trade goods to US consumers now produce one-twentieth of global greenhouse gases - almost as much as America's trucks and cars, and twice as much as the world's airliners. To make matters worse, scientists say emissions could rise 75 percent in the next 15 years.
With ocean traffic not covered by Kyoto, the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been working to curb greenhouse-gas emissions for years. So far, though, its efforts have been scuppered by opposition from the shipping lobby - and from countries like Panama and Liberia, which make big profits registering commercial ships.
Shamefully, the IMO has even failed to implement rules on conventional pollution: As things stand, the world's 90,000 ocean freighters remain free to belch ozone-busting gases and carcinogenic smog into the air above the world's waterways.
With international regulatory efforts stuck in the doldrums, America is uniquely placed to force the industry's hand. The world's cargo carriers need access to American markets; if the US pushes through unilateral reforms, companies will have little choice but to comply.
Unsurprisingly, though, America's enfeebled Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proven reluctant to take action. So this week, a coalition of environmental groups issued a formal petition that could ultimately force the government's hand.
Read more here: http://www.plentymag.com/blogs/political/2007/10/time_to_clean_up_shipping.php
