Shipping sustainability: exploring the regulatory landscape of black carbon

Abstract

Climate change is here, and the consequences are devastating. As the world continues to tackle this challenge, there have been increasing emphasis on regulating and mitigating Black Carbon emissions. Over the last two decades, an accumulating body of evidence indicates that Black Carbon emissions are key contributors to climate change. Moreover, Black Carbon emissions can also be particularly damaging to human health and agriculture. Black Carbon has a short atmospheric lifetime which suggests that the results of Black Carbon emissions reduction can be enjoyed almost immediately. Hence, there is immense value in regulating and reducing Black Carbon emissions.

This paper provides a summary of the regulatory landscape surrounding Black Carbon emissions by thoroughly reviewing existing Black Carbon emissions strategies. It also presents the perspectives from industry professionals on some of the challenges in mitigating Black Carbon emissions. Finally, this paper seeks to provide recommendation on potential strategies to mitigate the harmful effects of Black carbon.