JAPAN has joined calls to make shipping carbon neutral by 2050.

It will support a proposal by Norway, the US, UK, and Costa Rica for the International Maritime Organization to increase its ambition and bring the regulator into line with other bodies pledging net-zero emissions by 2050.

Japanese transport minister Tetsuo Saito, who announced the move, said Japan would also promote the development and demonstration of zero-emissions ships, such as those fuelled by hydrogen or ammonia, to realise the target.

The proposal will go before the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting on November 22-26.

The proposed change would come as part of the 2023 revision of the IMO’s 2018 greenhouse gas strategy, which has a current target of halving shipping’s emissions by 2050 on 2008 levels.

“Today, as a current and future leader in the global shipping field, the Japanese shipping industry has committed itself to the challenge of 2050 net-zero GHG,” said Japanese Shipowners’ Association president Junichiro Ikeda, adding the challenge for industries included developing and supplying zero-emissions fuels globally.

“Co-operation with a wide range of stakeholders will be indispensable to resolve these issues,” he said.

Japan has increased its own 2030 climate target to a 46% cut on 2013 levels by 2030.

Various countries have increased their climate targets ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland next week.

The outcome of the conference is expected to increase pressure on the IMO to reflect greater climate ambition, but observers have said the MEPC meeting alone is unlikely to lead to sweeping change.