The 2030 Breakthrough
Zero emission fuels make up 5% of international shipping’s energy demand
Why fuels? Tracking progressWhy fuels?
Shipping transports around 80% of global trade and accounts for 3% of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, from the combustion of fossil fuels. Under business as usual, emissions may increase by half by 2050. To set international shipping on an ambitious, zero emission trajectory aligned to 1.5C, the sector must transition away from using fossil fuels supported by the necessary infrastructure for scalable zero emission energy sources including production, distribution, storage and bunkering.
Shipping is still in the emergence phase of the transition and we need at least 5% of a scalable zero emission fuel by 2030 to enable rapid scaling and mass adoption in the diffusion phase. This helps mobilize commitment and action across all stakeholders for example:
- Energy companies have greater confidence in demand when planning green fuel development projects
- Cargo owners can be mobilized to pay a premium for zero emission fuels on a corresponding percent of their freight
- Investors can quantify the amount of investment needed across the value chain
- Shipping companies can plan investments in new builds and retrofits
- Regulators can be called on to ensure a level playing field is in place to enable the transition

Who’s tracking our overall progress?
The first report tracking progress and climate action in the shipping sector was published in September 2022 by UMAS and the UN Climate Change High Level Champions, supported by the Getting to Zero Coalition and funded by Lloyd’s Register.
THE UN CLIMATE CHANGE HIGH°LEVEL CHAMPIONS UMAS GTZ LLOYD'S REGISTERFURTHER READING
Discover more about our actions and initiatives, and other ways shipping is racing to net zero
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