The regulation of air pollution in shipping

Abstract

Air pollution is one of the many worldwide concerns faced by humankind, threatening the protection of the environment and human health alike. Infamous issues such as climate change, endangerment of species, depletion of resources, deficient immune systems and the emergence of respiratory diseases are all caused by sub-standard air quality. Certain pollutants naturally occur in the atmosphere and are recycled by nature itself. However, man-made machinery and transportation has led to an increase of pollutant emissions which would otherwise naturally occur minimally. One such contributor is the shipping industry which continuously emits these harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. However, there are many instruments adopted by bodies such as the EU and the International Maritime Organisation which impose mandatory limits on the number of pollutants emitted by sea-going vessels. Naturally, these obligations are praised by environmental activists and scientific experts as they share the common goal of mitigating air pollution and its adverse effects. However, certain legal obstacles and concerns are faced in the process of imposing these limits; ranging from the lack of compliance to the promotion of ‘greener’ fuel which in reality causes just as much harm. In this light, the dissertation will focus on analysing how air pollution in shipping is a concern that must not be overlooked and subsequently address which are the major instruments which aid in the battle against said concern. An analysis of the specific obligations imposed by these instruments is imperative as it paves the way for discussion on the obstacles and challenges faced in applying these obligations. The discussion of said concerns and obstacles requires the analysis of multiple studies and reports made by legal and scientific experts alike, highlighting the issues from a legal perspective. Through the identification of these concerns, a conclusion is reached, commenting on how effective these instruments are in face of the pressing damage caused by air pollution.