Ministerial Declaration on zero emission shipping routes between the Nordic countries

We, the Nordic Ministers for the Environment and Climate from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland:

We, the Nordic Ministers for Climate and the Environment from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland:

Recall the vision of the Nordic cooperation to become the most sustainable and integrated region in the world;

Recognize the need to undertake major efforts in accelerating the green transition of the transport sector, minimizing impact on climate and environment, including efforts relating to fossil-free transport, which also includes decarbonisation of the Nordic shipping sector, transporting people and goods to, from and between our countries;

Recall the Paris Agreement temperature goal and the reaffirmation of COP 26 to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s adoption of the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships in 2018 and the ongoing work to revise the strategy, including its emission targets by 2023;

Recall also the Declaration on Zero Emission Shipping by 2050 adopted at COP 26, where signatories committed to strengthen global efforts to achieve zero emissions from international shipping by 2050, including at IMO;

Recall further the Clydebank Declaration adopted at COP 26 where signatories collectively committed to pursue efforts to support the establishment of at least 6 green corridors, meaning zero emission maritime routes between two (or more) ports, by the middle of this decade;

Note with great concern the findings from the Fourth IMO Greenhouse Gas Study 2020, which estimates that if no further action is taken, international shipping emissions are expected to represent 90% to 130% of 2008 emission levels by 2050;

Agree that a global availability of clean maritime fuels, zero-emission vessels, alternative propulsion systems, and the availability of landside infrastructure to support these, is imperative for a rapid transition to clean international shipping;

Agree also on the benefits of Nordic cooperation taking a leading role in transitioning the shipping sector inter alia through supporting decarbonizing most of the extensive Nordic ferry transport by 2030;

Further agree to support the establishment of zero emission shipping routes for ferry transport between the Nordic countries, and

Decide to establish a pilot project to identify such routes and interested actors from the shipping industry to enter into partnerships to realize zero emission shipping on the identified routes. The pilot project should create conducive conditions for gaining experience with clean maritime fuels.

Espen Barth Eide 

Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway

Annika Strandhäll

Minister for Climate and the Environmental, Sweden

Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson

Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, Iceland

Lea Wermelin 

Minister for Environment, Denmark

Emma Kari

Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland

Kalistat Lund

Minister for Agriculture, Self-Sufficiency, Energy and Environment, Greenland

Magnus Rasmussen

Ministry of Environment, Industry and Trade, Faroe Islands

Alfons Röblom

Minister, Åland