The UK has become the first country to include international shipping, along with aviation, in its national carbon budget under domestic climate laws.
The move is part of a pledge by the government to achieve a 78% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We want to continue to raise the bar on tackling climate change, and that’s why we’re setting the most ambitious target to cut emissions in the world.
“The UK will be home to pioneering businesses, new technologies and green innovation as we make progress to net-zero emissions, laying the foundations for decades of economic growth in a way that creates thousands of jobs."
However, the government has not said if it will include shipping in its emissions trading scheme. Many countries have opted not to include shipping in national targets because the international nature of the business runs the risk of double counting carbon emissions.
The UK statement comes a day ahead of US President Joe Biden’s climate summit. The UK is also hosting the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference.
The UK’s target is more ambitious than that of the International Maritime Organization, which is aiming to cut shipping’s carbon intensity by 40% by 2030 and its total emissions by 50% by 2050 compared to 2008 levels.
The UK move could be viewed as going against the IMO’s attempts to come to a global consensus on emissions reduction.
The IMO is set to review its carbon reduction targets in 2023 and green groups are hopeful the UK move could possibly encourage member states to be more ambitious.
"This move calls the years-old bluff of the industry that national action somehow messes up everything at the IMO, or prevents action at the IMO," a green lobbyist told TradeWinds.
"I think this move massively supports and encourages action at the IMO, and encourages other countries to move in a similar direction."
UK Chamber of Shipping chief executive Bob Sanguinetti welcomed the government's move.
“The UK Chamber of Shipping is committed to helping reduce emissions across our sector. Shipping is the most carbon-efficient way of transporting goods and is part of the solution in supporting the UK to achieve its ambitious new targets,” he said.
“We support the UK government as they look to tackle climate change and look forward to getting more details on how international shipping will be included in the UK Carbon Budget.”
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