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Climate change generates impacts on coastal areas due to sea-level rise and potential modifications in wave and storm surge patterns. Since harbours are located in littoral areas, they will experience different impacts associated to such processes. In this paper, the effects of climate change on port berthing areas in terms of operability are quantified. The study is focused on the ports of the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean Sea) and analyses the loss of operability due to the reduction of freeboard in berthing structures and the potential variation in agitation within these harbours during the 21st century, considering two different climate scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) and two-time horizons (2045 and 2100). In addition, adaptation measures to address such impacts are proposed and their cost estimated. The results indicate that climate change will not generate significant changes in wave agitation due to negligible variations in wave patterns under future scenarios. On the contrary, sea-level rise will cause huge increases of inoperability for berthing structures due to insufficient freeboard: 10.5% under RCP4.5 or 20.5% under RCP8.5 in 2045, increasing to 57.1% (RCP4.5) and even 83.2% (RCP8.5) in 2100.

For Pacific islands like Palau, Tuvalu and Kiribati, the implications of climate change are clear - and devastating. Already, these governments have begun to plan for a future in which entire populations have to relocate as their islands vanish under the rising sea. But climate change also threatens ways of life in subtler ways, leaving families around the world to work out for themselves how to cope.

A group of researchers based at Oxford University's Climate Processes Group has used novel methods of analysing satellite data to more accurately quantify the effect of human aerosol emissions on climate change. The results are published today in the journal Nature.

To significantly reduce sulfur oxides emissions from fossil fuel-powered ships, reduce air pollution in ports and slow ocean acidification, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has imposed the new 0.50%m/m limit (reduced from 3.50%m/m in the past) on sulphur in ships' fuel oil. This has given rise to a host of issues regarding fuel replenishment operations, safe operation management, maritime regulation, and coordinated governance of air and climate. In response to ocean acidification and climate change, regulations on the use of low-sulfur oil or alternative fuels by ships greatly reduce sulfur oxide emissions, but have no significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, the refining process for low-sulfur fuels and the use of the gas cleaning system on ships both increase energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. To ensure the decarbonization process of shipping industry, there is an urgent need for a conceptual change in global ocean governance so as to promote the coordinated governance of air pollution and climate change. China's conception of "a maritime community with a shared future" provides a new model for global ocean governance. The Chinese government has formulated regulations at different levels to promote the coordinated management of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Regarding supervision of sulfur oxide emissions from ships, this study proposes to build a multi-department collaborative supervision mechanism from marine fuel life cycle to enhance sulfur oxide monitoring and risk control capabilities. Specific measures of the proposed supervision mechanism include: the joint supervision of compliant fuel supply, the compliant fuel information disclosure platform, a joint law enforcement mechanism for atmospheric pollution, the ability of intelligent ship exhaust monitoring, and the construction of port power infrastructure.

Emission trading is an efficient measure to combat climate change, which is one of the biggest threats to the international community and human health. The shipping industry has previously been considered an energy-saving industry but the growth rate of its emissions far exceeds that of other industries. On 10 May 2023, the EU enacted Regulation (EU) 2023/957, which officially included the shipping industry in the EU-ETS. Therefore, this may lead to investor-state disputes regarding emission trading in the marine industry due to the conflicts between the obligation to combat climate change and the obligation to protect investments of the host states. This has resulted in the breaching of International Investment Agreements. In this context, this study aimed to propose practical recommendations for global marine market practitioners to avoid the potential risks of disputes by reflecting on the existing practice regarding climate change-related investor-state dispute resolutions and identifying the trends and problems of the current dispute resolution mechanism. These included inconsistency in the review standard, inconsistency in the review scope, and broad interpretation by the tribunal. Finally, this study proposed that by setting public purpose and exception clauses in the preambles of the International Investment Agreements and incorporating the specific obligations of the foreign investors and the regulatory power of the hosting states in the drafting stage, the potential risks for disputes regarding the new EU directive in the global marine industry could be effectively reduced.

Shipping cash may help fund climate: draft.

EU's top shipping nations named and shamed in new climate action ranking.

China's 'Belt and Road' risks Paris climate goals: analysis.

Worried About the Climate? Skip That Cruise.

Report: Climate-Driven Speed Limits Would Also Benefit Whales.

Panama marks 20 years in charge of canal, faces climate threat.

International shipping and aviation will have to cap their greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) soon for the world to meet the ambitious goals laid down in the Paris Climate Change Agreement, participants at a side event at the Bonn climate change conference heard today.

European parliament calls for shipping to be included in COP21 climate deal.

Climate talks eye revenue from shipping.

A warming climate is opening up new shipping routes through the Arctic Ocean as summer sea ice shrinks. Developing technologies allow mega-ships unprecedented in size and cargo to take to the seas. North America is increasingly exporting oil, shifting global trade patterns.

Fonte des glaces et climat, que se trame-t-il en Antarctique ?

Climate change call for action signed by 34 shipping industry leaders.

IMO agrees new climate plan for shipping.

Shipping Giants May Miss Climate Targets.

Climate change and global shipping: One of the dirtiest industries is trying to clean up its act.