The greenhouse gas emissions of shipping are considerable. They would need to halve by 2050 for attaining the goal of keeping global warming within a 2°C pathway. Instead, they are set to rise substantially. The industry needs to act.

• Current measures will mitigate ship emissions to some extent, mainly through better energy efficiency of ships.
• Lower speeds, higher utilisation, better ship designs and alternative energy sources can further reduce ship emissions. 
• Sectoral and institutional complexities must be overcome to create impact.
• A target for shipping emissions, an action plan for implementation and a carbon tax for shipping, the receipts of which could feed into the Green Climate Fund are needed.