What does going "green” actually mean? For the global shipping industry, it’s a potentially fraught question.
Three-and-a-half years ago, shipping — which carries more than 80% of world trade — underwent a seismic change: the cheap, dirty marine fuel it had long relied on was banned and less-polluting alternatives hit the market. The new rule would slash ships’ sulfur emissions, curbing acid rain and preventing hundreds of thousands of premature deaths thanks to cleaner air.
Yet some scientists have linked that same regulation to warmer ocean temperatures, which can ultimately kill marine life, help melt sea ice and lead to stronger hurricanes. But establishing, and quantifying, cause and effect isn’t always easy when it comes to the climate. There are lots of factors that can impact ocean temperature.