Shipping between EU ports in the Arctic is driving the rapid loss of sea ice, report warns

By Euronews Green

Published on 28/05/2025 - 16:33 GMT+2

Black c emissions from European shipping successful nan Arctic person been importantly underestimated, a caller study suggests.

Produced by nan incomplete combustion of fuels successful vessel engines, achromatic c is contributing to nan accelerated nonaccomplishment of Arctic oversea ice. 

Previous reports person only focused connected vessels flying EU flags, overlooking nan effect of ships travelling to and from EU ports.

“Our findings show that ships connected to EU trade, sloppy of their flag, are awesome drivers of achromatic c contamination successful nan Arctic,” says Liudmila Osipova, elder interrogator astatine nan International Council connected Clean Transportation (ICCT), and lead writer of its caller study.

“Recognising these emissions successful early policies could thief nan EU amended align its ambiance goals pinch its existent footprint successful the Arctic.” 

Black c emissions doubled successful six years

As Arctic shipping activity increases, truthful excessively are nan associated achromatic c (BC) emissions. 

Between 2015 and 2021, BC emissions successful nan International Maritime Organisation (IMO)’s meaning of nan Arctic astir doubled, according to the study. 

In nan much broadly defined Geographic Arctic, shipping emitted 1.5 kilotonnes (kt) of BC and 12 kt of CO₂ successful 2021. About a 4th of these emissions occurred wrong nan IMO meaning of nan Arctic, indicating a beardown maturation successful BC emissions successful nan polar area, from 193 tonnes successful 2015 to 413 tonnes six years later.

How does achromatic c melt oversea ice?

This maturation inclination is concerning, since 1 tonne of achromatic c has a world warming effect balanced to 900 tonnes of CO₂, arsenic it absorbs much power successful nan atmosphere.

BC’s effect is peculiarly pronounced successful the Arctic. When nan sooty particles settee connected snowfall aliases ice, they trim nan albedo of these surfaces, meaning they bespeak little ray and truthful melt faster.

This compounds nan ambiance challenges successful a region which is already heating up 3 to 4 times faster than nan world average.

Despite its potent ambiance and wellness impacts - it is linked to lung cancer, respiratory illness, and cardiopulmonary illness - BC remains 1 of nan astir unregulated short-lived ambiance and aerial pollutants.

The hidden c costs of EU waste and acquisition successful nan Arctic

Brussels typically only accounts for nan emissions from its EU-flagged ships successful nan Arctic. To springiness a truer image of nan contamination complete which nan bloc has control, ICCT has besides totted up BC and CO₂ from EU-regulated ships, which reply to nan EU Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) strategy arsenic they voyage betwixt EU ports.

These vessels are nan bigger polluters, it found. BC and CO₂ emissions from EU-regulated ships of astatine slightest 5,000 gross tonnage were astir double those from EU-flagged ships successful nan IMO Arctic successful 2021.

That year, astir three-quarters of nan ships operating successful nan Geographic Arctic and half of those successful nan IMO Arctic were navigating to aliases from EU ports.

To reside a important spread successful its maritime regulation, nan researchers opportunity that EU policymakers could see BC among nan pollutants measured and reported wrong nan bloc’s MRV system.

Beyond improved emissions tracking, location are various ways to trim BC emissions, specified arsenic incentivising ships to usage distillate alternatively of residual fuel, and encouraging nan installation of diesel particulate filters connected board.