Sulphur Directive, Short Sea Shipping and Corporate Social Responsibility in a EU Context

Abstract

When considering the beneficial aspects and dynamics of shipping, it is stated as being, statistically, the least environmentally damaging mode of transport (IMO Marine Environment Policy 2008; Mitropoulos 2007). Whilst this acknowledgment is derived from quantitative research analysis (Whitelegg 1993; Hecht 1997; IMO Marine Environment Policy 2008, p. 1), maritime transport is not completely free from negative externalities and may pose a threat to fragile marine ecosystems and to those who value and depend on the sea (Lindén et al. 2007). Although regulation of maritime transport continues to progress with a proactive approach from IMO and sometimes driven by initiatives from the European Union, it is observed that since the early 1960s the focus has shifted to air pollution, more specifically to air emissions. At the request of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Ministers held a conference in 1965 and set up a Committee of Experts to examine the possibilities to “convene a European Convention on Air pollution” (Gillespie 2005, p. 191). This led to the 1968 Declaration of Principles of Air Pollution (Gillespie 2005) adopted by the Ministers’ Deputies on the 8th of March 1968 (Resolution (68) 4). Subsequently, the Council of Europe adopted resolution 70 (11) in 1970 and declared that a restriction is desirable to limit altogether the concentration of sources of emissions of air pollutants, irrespective of their source (Gillespie 2005). Parallel to regional efforts, the international effort to control air pollution commenced in 1968 when the World Meteorological Organization provided the framework for a global network to monitor atmospheric chemical components related to climate change and environmental issues (Kiss and Shelton 2007). Although air pollution is not considered a major environmental consequence of shipping, emissions from ocean-going vessels while in port can nevertheless, be of great concern due to the fact that they are more likely to affect the population of adjacent coastal areas (Hecht 1997). These ocean-going vessels are said to contribute significantly to global emissions of inter alia SO2, and it is projected that by 2020, the contributions of ship emissions to the European Union NOx and SOx inventories will exceed all other emission sources in the European Union nations (Friedrich et al. 2007, p. 31, Commission of the European Communities 2005). It is, therefore, important to analyse pertinent European Union legislation on SO2 emission against the backdrop of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and examine how the voluntary aspect of CSR functions under emission reduction strategies that are “strict compliance” in nature.