US groups fight to cut ships’ emissions
Environmental groups in America are petitioning to use the power of the EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, to act on the high carbon emitting shipping industry, according to the New York Times. The industry is responsible for 3 to 5% of global emissions, more than all but six countries worldwide.
“In the new petitions, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown and the environmental groups argue that a Supreme Court decision last year opened the door for the E.P.A. to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. They are asking the agency to do the same for emissions from large marine engines. “In terms of the law, E.P.A. can act” in territorial waters, Mr. Brown said.
The idea of unilateral regulation of an international industry drew quick criticism.
Joe Angelo, the deputy managing director of Intertanko, a group representing independent tanker operators, said the best approach was “to reduce emissions worldwide — universally — not just unilateral action in the United States or the European Union.” ”
The EPA could only enforce the reduction in US waters anyway, but apparently it is not too difficult to reduce the emissions from the massive machines: simply by reducing their cruising speed by 20% would reduce emissions by half, according to an article in NPR. The “bunker fuel” they use is a dirty byproduct left over by refinaries after producing gasoline and diesel. They say that switching to a cleaner fuel would also help reduce pollution tremendously. So why are large ships let off the hook worldwide so easily?