Analyzing the Impact of the Climate Emergency on Shipping through Analogical Interpretation of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract A profound apprehension across the scientific and political landscape on the increasing severity of the adverse effects of climate change has provoked a rethink on tackling the challenges. These challenges have questioned the status quo on current governance arrangements and its relevance in addressing extant environmental exigencies. Besides the urgent need to reduce anthropogenic emissions and the swiftly intensifying trajectory of global warming, there is also the urgent need to adapt to the consequences of the changing climate due to its impact on societal well-being. The quest for societal behaviors to remain in sync with a rapidly changing environment has propelled scholarly exploration in the direction of the climate emergency. However, as the issue of the climate emergency in shipping is largely unexplored, research into understanding of the phenomenon is an essential prerequisite. The article uses experiences gained from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global shipping as a tool to address the governance of climate emergencies in global shipping. This goal is achieved through the application of expert opinion in analogical mapping which lays the foundation for the knowledge interpretation. The results of the analysis confirmed the existence of structure similarities between pandemics and the climate emergency through attribute variables that are common to both phenomena.