Shipping and aviation are two of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, as they currently account for around 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, there is a growing urgency to decarbonize these sectors in order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and avoid catastrophic climate change impacts.

To transition to a zero-carbon shipping industry, a combination of technological solutions, operational improvements, and efficiency enhancements will be required. By 2030, between 5% to 17% of shipping fuel needs to be zero-emission to stay on track for 1.5-degree Celsius target. By 2050, between 87% to 100% of shipping fuel needs to be zero-emission. Green hydrogen and ammonia, which can be produced using renewable electricity, are considered the most promising fuels for decarbonizing shipping. Synthetic fuels made from electricity, hydrogen, and captured carbon may also play a role, while batteries could be useful for short-distance trips. Pilot projects will play a crucial role in demonstrating technical feasibility and commercial viability. As of 2022, over 200 pilot projects were underway.

For aviation, zero-emission solutions are also emerging, such as sustainable aviation fuels made from green hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide or sustainably sourced biomass. However, in 2022, biomass-derived sustainable aviation fuels were the only commercially available zero-emission solution. The share of these fuels needs to increase from less than 0.1% now to 13% to 18% by 2030 and 78% to 100% by 2050, supported by policy incentives.

It is crucial that zero-emission fuels are not derived from unsustainable biomass sources, such as food crops, as this could lead to food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and carbon sequestration challenges. To achieve these goals, a significant scaling up of investment and policy support will be required.

Furthermore, the shipping and aviation sectors will need to adopt operational and efficiency improvements, such as optimizing shipping routes, improving vessel and aircraft design, and adopting digital technologies to reduce energy consumption. Policies such as carbon pricing, emissions standards, and regulatory frameworks will also be necessary to incentivize decarbonization efforts and hold the industry accountable for their emissions.

Transitioning to a zero-carbon shipping and aviation industry will not be easy, but it is necessary to combat climate change. It will require a collaborative effort from governments, industry leaders, investors, and consumers to support the development of new technologies, pilot projects, and policies that will enable a sustainable future.