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This briefing note from the International Institute for Sustainable Development outlines the barriers to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies in international aviation and maritime shipping and provides recommendations for taxation and emissions levies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a level playing field across transport modes.

This report by the Africa Policy Research Institute analyzes the economic implications of a proposed International Maritime Organization (IMO) shipping carbon levy on African states. Using the GTAP-E model, the study finds that such a levy would generally reduce GDP and household incomes across Africa, increase global food prices, and exacerbate existing freight cost imbalances. The report advocates for an equitable transition where revenues are redistributed as direct grants to climate-vulnerable nations for out-of-sector projects like renewable energy and resilient agriculture.

This RMI report provides a roadmap for decarbonizing shipping fuels at Washington ports, aiming for catalyst deployment by 2030 and full decarbonization of ocean-going vessels by 2050 through the use of e-fuels and biofuels.

This report by the African Future Policies Hub, APRI, and LSE assesses the economic impacts of a proposed global shipping carbon tax on African states. Using a CGE model and a case study of Ghana, the authors find that while GDP impacts are limited, a shipping levy would increase commodity prices, reduce household incomes, and exacerbate existing freight cost imbalances for African nations. The report recommends that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopt measures that allow for the redistribution of revenues as direct grants to climate-vulnerable countries for out-of-sector mitigation and resilience projects.

This briefing by RMI discusses the role of non-state actors in narrowing the 'ambition gap' between current global emissions trajectories and the 1.5°C goal. It argues that while national pledges are currently insufficient, 'ambition loops'—cycles of leadership and followership among businesses, investors, and cities—can accelerate the adoption of climate solutions through collective action and positive feedback mechanisms.

Nissen Kaiun issued a JPY2.8bn green loan on June 26, 2019, to fund the installation of exhaust gas scrubbers on its fleet to comply with 2020 IMO regulations. This represents the first green loan in Japan and the first green product in the country in 2019 dedicated exclusively to waste projects.

This fact sheet from the Climate Bonds Initiative details a JPY 5 billion green bond issued by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines on August 30, 2018, to finance low-emission shipping technologies and vessels.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative analyzes the first green bond issued in the shipping sector by Japan's Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) on 24 May 2018. While the bond finances lower-emission LNG-fuelled ships, the author argues that LNG is an incremental improvement that fails to meet the steep decarbonization trajectories required by the Paris Agreement and the IMO's 2030 targets.

NYK – Nippon Yusen Kaisha issued a JPY10bn green bond on 24 May 2018 to finance LNG-fuelled ships and related emission-reduction technologies. While the Climate Bonds Initiative included the bond in its database, it noted that LNG alone is insufficient for required emission cuts and emphasized the need for fuel efficiency optimisation and future-proofing vessels for renewable fuels to avoid fossil fuel lock-in.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines the environmental impact of international shipping and evaluates various technological and operational strategies to improve energy efficiency and reduce particulate emissions, particularly in the Arctic.

This 2010 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute explores pathways for the United Kingdom to achieve a zero-carbon transport system by 2050. It compares a Business-as-usual (BAU) scenario with a Maximum Impact (MI) scenario, quantifying the potential CO2 reductions from spatial planning, fiscal measures, behavioural changes, and technological shifts across road, rail, aviation, and shipping sectors.