I Introductory Remarks1

Green economy and global commitment to GHG (greenhouse gas) emission reduction are interrelated and uncontested policy goals, ranking first in the international agenda. No one would ever dare to doubt the need for action to address climate change, in order to protect the future of our children and the preservation of our planet. Among other industries, the issue also concerns shipping (and will strongly continue to do so for years to come), as maritime transport is nowadays widely “conceived” as one of the planet’s major polluters. Indeed, the last decade shipping has been brought under the spotlight, as a factor continuing to exert pressure on the environment due to the considerable consumption of fossil fuels.