Shipping decarbonisation and the IMO – a microcosm of multilateralism

This event will include a presentation from Prof Tristan Smith and remarks from discussant Dr Harry T Conway.

About the speakers

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.

Dr Harry T Conway is the Alternate Permanent Representative of Liberia and Chair of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) . The IMO 2023 GHG Strategy was unanimously adopted under his leadership at MEPC 80. He is a member of the International Quality Assessment Review Body (IQARB), an industry led initiative to ensure vessels meet required quality regulatory standards. He is the immediate past Chair of the Africa Maritime Advisory Group at the IMO, and one of the experts that drafted the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy for the African Union in 2014. He has formed part of the Liberia Delegation to IMO meetings since 2006. His PhD research interest is environmental politics with the 2015 UNFCCC Paris Agreement as focus. Dr Conway is an adjunct lecturer at the World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden; a guest lecturer to the Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom and a distinguished visiting lecturer to the International Maritime Law Institute special course on Marine Environment Protection, Malta. Dr Conway is a regular lead-speaker at many global international shipping conferences.

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