International Transport Workers' Federation

• BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Nov. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The St. Kitts Tourism Authority is pleased to announce the milestone airlift route from New York (JFK) to St. Kitts (SKB) that took its maiden flight today, November 2, 2023.
• Prior to the inaugural flight's take-off, JetBlue and the St. Kitts Tourism Authority hosted an event at Terminal 5 in JFK that featured Caribbean-inspired food and beverages, island-themed decorations, and remarks from the JetBlue and comments from St. Kitts' Minister of Tourism, acknowledging the milestone of this highly anticipated airlift route.
• "The St. Kitts team has much to celebrate following the inaugural JetBlue flight and events at JFK," said Ellison "Tommy" Thompson, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority.
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• A revised strategy to reduce global shipping emissions has emerged from two weeks of intense talks in London.
• It marks a significant increase in the industry’s climate ambition.

We calculate the strategy will require cuts in emissions per ship of up to 60% by 2030 and as much as 91% by 2040. This means the days of fossil-fuelled ships are numbered.

Edging closer to limiting warming to 1.5℃

• The industry should do its fair share in keeping global warming below 1.5℃.
• The revised strategy’s targets are not as high as those called for by the science and the most ambitious governments.
• Climate Action Tracker’s most recent analysis concluded the “highly insufficient” initial strategy put shipping on a pathway consistent with 3-4℃ of warming.
• This shows the revised strategy still does not align global shipping with the emission-reduction pathway needed to avoid more than 1.5℃ of warming.

What are the strategy’s key elements?

• It’s big enough for the giant container ship Ever Given to steam through.
• Importantly, though, IMO member states agreed to set targets for emissions on a “well-to-wake” basis, covering emissions from both fuel production and combustion.
• Being required to achieve these reductions will fundamentally and rapidly change the sector’s technology and energy supply chains.
• As a result of these political differences, more work needs to be done to resolve the specifics of the emissions pricing mechanism.
• Read more:
  Marshall Islands, a nation at the heart of global shipping, fights for climate justice

Strategy is still a work in progress

• Pressure from Pacific Island states and increased public scrutiny forced IMO member states to commit to higher levels of ambition than many had wanted to accept.
• Continued pressure will be needed, though, to ensure the measures adopted deliver on the ambition of the IMO strategy.
• In sum, the revised strategy is a modest win, but the battle is far from over.

• Available year-round, these direct flights will offer seamless travel experiences to and from New York and St. Kitts.
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• With the introduction of the new JetBlue route, St. Kitts will now have year-round service from New York (JFK), London (Gatwick), and Miami.
• Visitors are reminded to regularly check the St. Kitts Tourism Authority website ( www.visitstkitts.com )  for updates and information.

• Were this to be adopted, seafarer supply countries that take early action are likely to reap significant socio-economic benefits.
• Africa is well positioned to be a green seafarer hub, explains South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Occupational Health & Safety and Maritime Welfare Manager, Sibusiso Rantsoabe.
• African maritime leaders must act now to ensure that their workforces are primed for shipping’s green transition,” she states.
• Sturla Henriksen, Special Advisor, Ocean, UN Global Compact, says: “Shipping’s green transition brings with it opportunities for thousands of high-quality, green jobs.