No time to waste: IMO must tackle black carbon emissions in the Arctic

Black carbon contributes a fifth of all global shipping emissions. It comes mainly from heavy fuel oil (HFO) used by ships, which is the world’s most polluting and hazardous fuel. In the Arctic, fishing boats, oil tankers and cargo ships are the biggest black carbon emitters. And as the number of these vessels increases in Arctic waters, black carbon emissions are having a significant impact on both the environment and human health.

Black carbon emissions result in heating in the atmosphere and when black carbon particles land on snow and ice, they absorb sunlight and increase temperatures. This accelerates local warming by contributing to snow and ice melt. For humans, exposure to black carbon pollution increases the risks of breathing difficulties, heart problems and lung disease.

Addressing the negative effects of black carbon

From April 24 to 28, 2023, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UN body that governs shipping, will gather in London, England, for the 10th session of the Pollution, Prevention and Response Subcommittee. One of the key items on the agenda will be reducing black carbon emissions impacting the Arctic. The question is whether these discussions will lead to measures to effectively eliminate these emissions—before it is too late.

For more than a decade, the IMO has been discussing how to reduce black carbon emissions from ships impacting the Arctic. It has also acknowledged their damaging effects on vulnerable Arctic ecosystems and Indigenous communities. But these discussions have not resulted in concrete action—and black carbon emission levels have continued to climb.

According to new findings released by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the amount of black carbon emitted within the Arctic doubled between 2015 and 2021. This jump can be attributed to an increase in shipping traffic in Arctic waters.

Taking concrete steps to eliminate emissions

Given the rapidly increasing levels of black carbon emissions in the Arctic, what can be done to move quickly from talks to effective actions?

The first step is to ban HFO. This extremely hazardous and polluting fuel is the main source of black carbon and both environmental and Indigenous groups have advocated for years to make the Arctic an HFO-free zone.

In June 2021, the IMO announced a ban on the use and transportation of HFO in the Arctic, which will come into effect July 1, 2024. Yet this measure currently has several loopholes that will be left unaddressed until 2029. Until these loopholes are closed, the ban will only apply to 30 per cent of ships carrying HFO and 16 per cent of those using the fuel in Arctic waters. Meanwhile, current trends in Arctic shipping suggest that black carbon emissions will only continue to climb.

The Clean Arctic Alliance, made up of 20 environmental NGOs working in the Arctic region, is proposing the IMO introduce two measures that could be implemented immediately.

The first would be to mandate that all ships operating in the region switch from HFO to cleaner-burning distillate fuels. This regulation alone would reduce black carbon emissions by 50 to 80 per cent. In addition, implementing Arctic Emission Control Areas that enforce strict emissions-reduction measures would help to reduce sulphur oxides and particular matter, including black carbon. Once ships have moved to cleaner distillate fuels the use of particulate filters can be considered which would reduce black carbon emissions by over 90 percent.

One of the other key areas that must be addressed is the geographic scope of any black carbon regulations. The current Arctic boundaries used by the IMO’s Polar Code were originally introduced as a way to identify hazardous conditions and address safety for ships operating in icy waters. But the IMO’s geographic definition is too narrow and as it only covers 22 per cent of vessels going in and out of the Arctic region. According to the ICTT’s findings, the Polar Code definition only captures 27 per cent of black carbon emissions being produced by ships travelling in the Arctic.

Working together to eliminate hazardous emissions

Since black carbon particles can travel significant distances in the atmosphere from where they are emitted, the definition of the “Arctic” used in regulations should be expanded to include emissions both within and near Arctic waters. This broader definition would align with that used in the Arctic Council’s Arctic Human Development Report. Alternatively, all waters north of 60° North may be a simpler and suitable definition to address the need to reduce black carbon emissions in the Arctic.

The time has come for the IMO to introduce immediate, effective measures to eliminate black carbon emissions throughout the entire region. Governments, especially those of Arctic Nations, can also voluntarily adopt these measures. Given the international nature of trade and ship traffic in Arctic waters, all countries have a responsibility to eliminate hazardous black carbon emissions—so that we can protect the Arctic and the species and people that call it home.