Socio-economic impacts of maritime GHG emission control measures on sustainable development in SIDS: Insights from a systematic literature review

Abstract

Maritime transportation and other port-related services directly or indirectly contribute to the social and economic growth of the economy. Small Island Developing States (SIDS), due to their geographic isolation, depend heavily on maritime transport to support various aspects of their livelihoods and trade, including food and energy security, disaster response, and sustainable development among others. However, mitigating GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from maritime transport continues to be a major challenge. The ambition in the 2023 IMO Strategy on the reduction of GHG emissions from ships includes net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by or around, i.e., close to, 2050 compared to 2008 levels. Maritime shipping must implement a range of short-, mid-, and long-term measures to achieve decarbonization ambitions. While the impact of these measures on overall maritime transport costs is still emerging, it is crucial to examine their implications for the sustainable development of developing economies, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) examining the social and economic impact of maritime GHG emission control measures on sustainable development. The review reveals a lack of research on the social implications of maritime decarbonization measures for developing countries, especially SIDS. The study identifies the need for a comprehensive assessment of maritime GHG emissions reduction measures against all sustainable development goals (SDGs) to identify existing trade-offs for strategic integration. The respective national action plans (NAP) and maritime transport policy must anticipate these implications. Enhancing the intersectoral collaboration may uncover opportunities to advance SDGs and address complex sustainability challenges within SIDS. In addition, by addressing the identified research gap policymakers can make more informed choices and benefit from the policy framework that will foster innovative pathways.