Eleventh-hour decisions

摘要

Pollution from ships presents a problem for port cities, coastal areas and also the open seas-but its impact is highly underestimated. Politicians, economy and society pay more attention to CO_2, though emissions like sulphur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx), paniculate matter (PM) and black carbon (BC) have just as major an impact on climate and environment as on human health. On 1 January 2015shipsoperating in the Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAs) of North East Atlantic and the Baltic Sea have to reduce the sulphur content of fuel down to 0.1 %. Although this is still 100 times more than the limit for diesel driven trucks or cars on European streets, the upcoming regulation is a significant improvement.