MTCC Africa > UN Ocean Conference | Side-Event

UN Ocean Conference | Side-Event

Location

Committee Room, Lisbon, Portugal

Date & Time

29th June 2022 - 29th June 2022 05:30 PM - 06:45 PM

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MTCC Africa will be at the UN Ocean Conference – Lisbon, Portugal | 27 June to 1 July 2022.

Introduction
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from the maritime shipping industry are expected to increase globally. Developing countries, which greatly rely on international shipping for carriage of their trade, are expected, alongside the global shipping industry, to improve energy efficiency in their shipping sectors for sustainable development.

In the year 2013, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted Resolution (MEPC.229(65)) on the Promotion of Technical Co-operation and Transfer of Technology relating to the Improvement of Energy Efficiency of Ships. This Resolution made it a requirement to provide technical assistance to developing countries in areas of capacity building and demonstrable pilot projects towards improving energy efficiency in the maritime sector with the additional co-benefit of a low-carbon future. It was thus deemed imperative to ensure that there are sufficient capacity-building initiatives in Africa for climate mitigation in the maritime and shipping industry, promoting and strengthening sustainable ocean economies.

The Initial IMO GHG strategy adopted during the IMO Assembly in November 2020, commits and sets the road map toward the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. The Strategy included a special focus on capacity building and technical cooperation as crucial components toward the successful implementation of the ambitious outputs. The Strategy also recognised that MTCC Africa is well placed to play a major role in ensuring a “low carbon emissions” future in the maritime shipping industry.

Background on MTCCs/MTCC Africa and IMO CARES

The MTCC Africa is part of the Global MTCC Network (GMN), an initiative initially funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the IMO, Department of Partnerships and Projects. The GMN project, formally titled “Capacity Building for Climate Change Mitigation in the Maritime Shipping Industry”, establishes and unites Maritime Technologies Cooperation Centres (MTCCs) from five regions into one global network. These regions include Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific. MTCC Africa has a unique role to play, being the only of its kind in the continent and the region. This is in regard to climate change mitigation from the effects of maritime transport. MTCC Africa is, therefore, determined to assist developing countries, Small Island Developing States and the Least Developed States in Africa to build momentum towards low/zero emissions and the use of energy-efficient technologies in shipping.

In embracing our mandate, the MTCC Africa takes note that in 2016, developing countries accounted for more than 60% of global outbound/exports loaded, more than 40% of vessel ownership and about 80% of vessel registration. This has a direct effect on the economies of the countries in the African region through revenue generation and employment opportunities. In this regard, MTCC Africa seeks to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnerships for sustainable development with the target goal being working towards low/zero emissions in shipping in the global arena.

MTCC-Africa has engaged the region in a variety of demonstrable Pilot Projects that promote capacity building for climate change mitigation in the maritime shipping industry. Practical emphasis is placed in the Pilot Projects namely:

  1. Uptake of port energy-efficient technologies and operations,
  2. Fuel consumption and emissions data collection and reporting.
  3. Pilot study on quantification of emissions within the Port limits in the Port of Mombasa.

To complement the regional engagement of MTCC Africa, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a shared blueprint for prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action in a global partnership.

The IMO CARES (Coordinated Actions to Reduce Emissions from Shipping) is a project in its preparatory stage, with the objective that by the end of 2022, it should result in a proposal for a large-scale, global project, which can accelerate the demonstration of green technologies and their deployment globally in a manner that facilitates blue economic growth in developing regions. This is with an aim to build on existing knowledge, R&D centres, efforts and projects, by linking them up under one framework of cooperation. Among the SDGs, SDG 13 (Climate Action) is central to IMO CARES, but the work of IMO and IMO CARES can also be linked to other SDGs i.e.

  1. SDG 14 – Life Below Water
  2. SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
  3. SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  4. SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals

Background on the UN Ocean Conference

UN Ocean Conference will focus on SDG14-specific targets and 8 interactive dialogue themes:

  • Promoting and strengthening sustainable ocean-based economies, in particular for small island developing States and least developed countries;
  • Leveraging interlinkages between Sustainable Development Goal 14 and other Goals toward the implementation of the 2030 Agenda
  • Addressing marine pollution;
  • Managing, protecting, conserving and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems;
  • Minimizing and addressing ocean acidification, deoxygenation and ocean warming;
  • Making fisheries sustainable and providing access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets;
  • Increasing scientific knowledge and developing research capacity and transfer of marine technology;
  • Enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; and

In our quest to facilitate regional cooperation and promote maritime decarbonization for blue economic growth, MTCC Africa will host a side event co-lead by the Government of Kenya and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in Lisbon, Portugal on 29th June 2022 during the UN Ocean Conference. This side event will take place on the 3rd day of the UN Oceans Conference.

The Objectives of the Side Event

The aim of the event, for which this concept note is developed, is to highlight:

  1. The importance of maritime industry for a sustainable, ocean-based economy;
  2. The successes and lessons learnt of MTCCs (focus MTCC Africa)/need for MTCC Africa sustainability and scalability;
  3. The necessity to strengthen efforts globally to exchange knowledge about existing new green technologies and support their deployment (IMO CARES);

Expected Outcomes

  1. MTCC Africa targets to generate the capacity to provide innovative solutions in curbing GHG emissions by the maritime shipping industry through capacity building and sharing of technical expertise and innovative ways to reduce the carbon emission in the sector.
  2. Promotion of the long-term goal of the initial IMO GHG strategy and widespread implementation of Marpol Annex VI in the African region, through ratification and adoption of the regulations.
  3. Identification of development opportunities related to shipping’s decarbonization and finding ways to actively pursue these aspects.
  4. To ensure that there is a focus on the identification of barriers and opportunities for maritime energy efficiency technologies in the developing world.
  5. Promotion of regional cooperation and maritime decarbonization in order to strengthen ocean-based economies in the African region.

Panelists and moderators

Moderator: Lydia Ngugi, MTCC Africa Head

Key Note Address

  • Amb. Nancy Karigithu, Principal Secretary, State Department for Shipping and Maritime and Special Envoy for Maritime and Blue Economy, Kenya
  • Arsenio Dominguez, Director, Marine Environment Division – IMO
  • Essam Al Ammari, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the IMO

Panelists:

  • Jose Matheickal, Chief of the Department of Partnerships and Projects, International Maritime Organization (IMO)
  • Dr Al-Hamndou Dorsouma, Ag. Director, Climate Change and Green Growth Department,
    African Development Bank Group (AFDB)
  • Dr Pacifica Ogola, Director – Climate Change Directorate, Kenya
  • Gavin Allwright, Secretary of International Windship Association (IWSA)
  • Eduardo João dos Santos Ramos, Senior Analyst Green Mare Services
  • Luke Samba, Marine Engineer at Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) and MTCC Africa Expert

Organizers: MTCC Africa will host a side event in collaboration with the Government of Kenya and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in Lisbon, Portugal on the 29th June 2022 during the UN Ocean Conference at the Altice Arena, Committee Room from 1730Hrs to 1845Hrs.

Program will be availed soon 

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