About

Emissions from the shipping sector are significant, rising, and on a trajectory that is incompatible with the goals of the Paris Agreement. If shipping were a “country,” it would be the eighth largest emitter.

The United States and Norway are co-leading a Green Shipping Challenge to encourage countries, ports, companies, and other actors in the shipping value chain to come forward with concrete announcements at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Challenge, initially launched at COP27, will continue to help put the shipping sector on a path this decade that is aligned with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

On December 1, 2023, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry co-hosted a new round of over 50 new or updated announcements under the Green Shipping Challenge during the World Climate Action Summit of COP28; this year’s event was also co-hosted by Denmark and France highlight new facets of action under the Challenge.

The Green Shipping Challenge is intended to encourage countries, ports, companies, and other actors in the shipping value chain to come forward with concrete announcements that will help put the shipping sector on a pathway this decade that is aligned with the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Challenge promotes new announcements with respect to, inter alia:

Production / At Port

• Production of zero-emission fuels; demonstration / development of zero-emission bunkering and recharging capabilities; development of renewable energy infrastructure

At Sea:

• Demonstration / deployment of low- or zero-emission vessels; launch / advancement of green shipping corridors.

Policy Context

• Participation in initiatives such as the Clydebank Declaration, Declaration on Zero-Emission Shipping by 2050, First Movers Coalition shipping component, or Zero Emission Shipping Mission; national actions or action plans to reduce emissions from domestic shipping / vessels.

Just Transition of the Workforce in the Context of Maritime Decarbonization

• Upskilling and training for new zero or near-zero fuels and technologies, incorporating just transition considerations as part of maritime decarbonization plans, the establishment of technical cooperation partnerships or training centers.

Support Implementation of the IMO GHG Strategy in developing countries, in particular SIDS and LDCs

• Supporting the global implementation of the IMO’s 2023 GHG Strategy and participation within the IMO, including through voluntary donations to existing IMO programs which support developing countries, in particular SIDS and LDCs, such as the GreenVoyage 2050, GHG-SMART Programme, and Voluntary Multi-Donor Trust Fund for financial support to attend IMO GHG meetings, or new partnerships which accelerate the green transition of the energy and maritime value chain. Read more here on this page.

Progress on Existing Announcements

• Substantive updates to announcements made at COP27 or soon thereafter, in line with any key performance indicators submitted.

Participants in the Green Shipping Challenge will make at least one major announcement to spur the transition to green shipping.

News

Prime Minister Støre and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Kerry chaired the second event of the Green Shipping Challenge on 1 December 2023 at a high-level event during the World Climate Action Summit at COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Announcements may be found at GreenShippingChallenge.org/cop28.

Contact

Please reach out by email to request additional information or to express your interest in joining the Green Shipping Challenge.

To submit a potential announcement under the Green Shipping Challenge, please see the announcement submission form.