Since 2023, Djibouti and since this spring Gabon, have been sovereignly applying the polluter-pays principle to CO₂ emissions from vessels calling at their ports. These Sovereign Carbon Initiatives apply carbon accounting standards defined by the industry and internationally recognized. They are governed by Africa Sovereign Carbon Registry Foundation.
Yet, these initiatives are facing growing opposition from certain shipowners’ associations, even as these same associations are promoting, through the International Maritime Organization, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲-𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐦.
⚖️ This 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬, who on the international stage proclaim ambitious climate commitments and support for emerging countries, yet locally in Africa deny the continent’s legitimacy to establish sovereign measures to mitigate the industry’s environmental impact.
And this, despite the fact that these mechanisms fall within the framework of the Paris Agreement (in particular Article 6.8.b) and are fully recognized and accepted when applied in Europe (EU ETS).
🌍 Sovereign Carbon Initiatives are in fact developed with a 𝐩𝐫𝐨-𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡, and Africa Sovereign Carbon Registry Foundation 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐌𝐎’𝐬 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥, 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
👉🏽 While the IMO has yet to clarify how revenues collected will be redistributed to emerging countries, and its proposal for a global carbon levy would not come into effect, at best before 2028–2030, the Foundation is calling for action on the African continent now.
𝐈𝐭 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲.
💡 Article from Le Marin by Thibaud TEILLARD