Shipping decarbonisation and the IMO – observations from a microcosm of multilateralism

About the speaker

Tristan Smith is Professor of Energy and Transport, co-leading the shipping and oceans group within The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources, UCL. After starting his career as an engineer and naval architect, Tristan has focused on research questions related to shipping decarbonisation for the last 15 years. This began with work on the technology pathways for the sector, but rapidly evolved to understanding the drivers of historic trends in international shipping as well as the potential transition levers with which a fundamental shift away from fossil fuel use might be incentivised. He has worked closely throughout that period with the International Maritime Organisation’s process, supporting the IMO, UNCTAD, member states and NGOs with science and analysis to advance policy relating to shipping GHG emissions.

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