Shipping emissions debate grows as campaigners push for earlier carbon trading changes
A coalition of environmental and transport organisations has urged the British government to bring forward plans to include international shipping in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme from 2028 to 2027, arguing that faster action would align the country more closely with European Union climate policy and accelerate investment in cleaner maritime technology.
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The call was made in a joint letter coordinated by Transport and Environment, Europe’s leading advocates for clean transport and energy, and signed by several environmental and clean transport groups.
The letter says delaying implementation until 2028 would postpone economic and environmental benefits, including closer alignment with the European Union’s emissions trading system, which already covers international shipping emissions. Campaigners estimate that introducing the changes a year earlier could raise around £574m in additional revenue for green maritime investment.
The organisations said the money could help fund cleaner fuels, shore-side electricity systems in ports and infrastructure upgrades needed to support lower-emission shipping. The letter also links the issue to energy security and supply chain resilience, arguing that reducing dependence on fossil fuels could strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the British maritime sector.
The debate forms part of a wider expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, which was introduced in 2021 after Brexit and currently applies to sectors including power generation, aviation and heavy industry. The government has already confirmed that domestic maritime emissions will enter the scheme from July 2026, covering larger vessels operating between British ports and while docked in the United Kingdom.
The government is also consulting on extending the system to international shipping voyages connected to British ports. The European Union began phasing shipping into its own emissions trading system in 2024, while global negotiations on carbon pricing measures for shipping are continuing through the International Maritime Organization.
The UK Chamber of Shipping supports climate goals but says clearer guidance and greater investment support is needed to deliver the transition effectively. It also warns that the timetable for expanding the scheme could increase costs for operators and passengers before sufficient low-carbon fuel supplies and port infrastructure are available.