UNFCC Climate Report delivers a message of hope stating 1.5 is within reach if immediate action is taken ZESTAs “SHIP ZERO 26” COP Event is the solution for shipping
Glasgow
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August 15, 2021 10:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time
The Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs) sees the UNFCC Climate report as a message of hope and believes the authors have made it abundantly clear that it is possible to avert climate catastrophe by pursuing the “very low emissions scenario” within the next two decades. As reported, there are no other options; it is global society’s obligation to act now with “drastic, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gases to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees”, because it can.
ZESTAs is nailing their colours to the mast by starting at true zero with their unprecedented “SHIP ZERO – Charging to True Zero” workshop 1-3 November coinciding with COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland. ZESTAs’ SHIP ZERO workshop will be the first ever shipping event to align with the IPCC “very low emissions scenario”, by not contemplating the use of fossil fuels or any GHG emitting fuel or technology.
“The simple truth is the time for discussion is past – nothing remains but for us to act. Whatever your beliefs, whatever your passions, whatever your politics, insuring that we, as a society are no longer contributing to the end of life as we know it is imperative. This century is about reckoning – the morals, purpose and goals of society must align with the common good in every aspect of life. Sustainability is not just a goal but a social imperative that transcends our societies and presents us with both opportunities and obligations – future societies will either praise us or damn us for our actions today” observed Brent Perry, CEO, Sterling PlanB, Chair of ZESTAs Board of Directors.
Only truly zero GHG emissions systems, solutions and technologies will be considered at this workshop. ZESTAs states that the technology to achieve true zero in all sectors of shipping exists today but that weak or misaligned policies and lack of finance are preventing these technologies from upscaling, achieving economies of scale and penetrating the wider market.
“We need to stop throwing the ball out to 2050 and investing in half measures that won’t get us where we need to be. We need to invest in true zero now, upscale and shoot for 2030. If we don’t, we have no chance of stopping warming anywhere near 1.5. The IPCC report clearly states we’ve got a shot. We need to take that shot and act now to change policy and finance, allowing zero emissions ship technologies to get to market before 2030” said Madadh MacLaine, ZESTAs Secretary General
The SHIP ZERO workshop will feature highly technical presentations, followed by discussions and brainstorming sessions, bringing together shipping stakeholders from; innovation, policy, finance, infrastructure, energy, and the wider shipping sector to combine solutions into an actionable road map.
“Our intention is that the outcome of SHIP ZERO is an action plan, a navigational chart to true zero with waypoints based on realizable actions, available technologies, and implementable policies that will keep warming below 1.5 degrees” MacLaine continued.
The SHIP ZERO workshop will demonstrate that marinized battery and hydrogen systems are market ready at multi megawatt scales, and that wind propulsion is being installed across the world fleet to delivers significant emissions reductions today.
“Wind propulsion uses the power of the wind as a direct renewable energy source and is available everywhere at sea. Any energy taken from wind directly on ships by modern sail technology does not burden the infrastructure that ultimately will be powered by wave, sun and wind, reducing the renewable energy required to produce clean fuels. Wind assisted technology therefore makes all other technologies more feasible. ‘The answer my friends, is blowing in the wind’!” stated Frank Nieuwenhuis, eConowind, ZESTAs Board of Directors, Advisor
More good news is that renewable energy and green hydrogen production infrastructure are being rolled out across the globe. From Scotland to Chile, from the United Arab Emirates to Monaco, governments are creating strategies that will achieve a price for green hydrogen that can compete with fossil fuels by the end of the decade.
“If shipping is looking for that silver bullet, ZESTAs has a fully loaded chamber and we’re ready to fire” said MacLaine.
In light of the "code red for humanity", declared by United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres in his response to the IPCC report, ZESTAs calls on governments and regulators to acknowledge that fully developed market ready zero emissions ship technologies exist by creating the policy frameworks necessary for these technologies to have a fighting chance of competing against incumbent fossil fuel technologies and achieve market availability before 2030.
“I urge the governments of the world and each person living today to go “all in” – shift away from polluting activities and scale up climate solutions that deliver as close to zero emissions as possible. We still have the opportunity to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Governments can change policies to support this goal. As individuals we can make changes in our lives directly and speak with our votes to ensure our governments are not watered down by misrepresentative interests that are not focussed on climate management.” Brent Perry, CEO, Sterling PlanB
For additional information on SHIP ZERO 26, go to https://zestas.org/ship-zero/.
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