Why Arctic ministers must go further than the IMO’s weak heavy fuel oil ban

Why Arctic ministers must go further than the IMO’s weak heavy fuel oil ban

The Arctic Council Ministerial provides a unique opportunity for foreign ministers to demonstrate global leadership by committing to rapid, Arctic-wide elimination of heavy fuel oil, and to immediate reduction in black carbon emissions from shipping. These commitments can be enshrined in the 2021 Reykjavik Declaration, to be issued at the conclusion of the meeting.

Infographic: Heavy Fuel Oil Spills - Case Studies of a Global Problem

Why Arctic Countries Must Go Further Than the IMO’s Weak Arctic Heavy Fuel Oil Ban

The IMO is on the cusp of missing a crucial opportunity to protect the Arctic – it has a last chance this June when the Arctic HFO ban is due to be adopted. IMO member states – particularly the Arctic nations – must stand up for the Arctic and its people and its wildlife by taking action to strengthen the Arctic HFO ban ahead of its adoption, and bring it into effect sooner than 2029.

The sinking of the Erika

The Erika Heavy Fuel Oil Spill – 20 Years On

‘The anniversary of the Erika HFO spill serves as a stark reminder of the need for urgent action to protect the Arctic from HFO spills, while the recent evidence from fuel oil spills demonstrates that only a few hundred tonnes of HFO could easily lead to an ecological disaster in the Arctic,’ argues Dr Sian Prior