Eftestol-Wilhelmsson, Ellen; Sankari, Suvi --- "Nudging a behavioural change in maritime carriage of goods - the role of information" [2019] ELECD 1651; in Chuah, Jason (ed), "Research Handbook on Maritime Law and Regulation" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019) 170

Book Title: Research Handbook on Maritime Law and Regulation

Editor(s): Chuah, Jason

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Section: Chapter 7

Section Title: Nudging a behavioural change in maritime carriage of goods – the role of information

Author(s): Eftestøl-Wilhelmsson, Ellen; Sankari, Suvi

Number of pages: 16

Abstract/Description:

The purpose of this chapter is to examine how the maritime transport industry can be nudged in the direction of more environmental carriage, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We argue that in addition to new technical solutions, clean/green-tech, emissions can also be mitigated through an overall shift in the behaviour of the transport industry. This chapter examines the regulatory means already in place regarding GHG emissions from maritime carriage of goods and questions the idea that there is a lack of information on emissions produced by the transport industry. Relying on behavioural insight, this existing emissions information should, however, be utilized in several different ways in order for it to act as a nudge towards choosing more environmentally friendly alternatives for carriage of cargo: to directly influence the choices of shippers or freight forwarders as well as indirectly influence them through better informed end consumers of products carried. These nudges, if successful, would in turn affect the behaviour of the maritime transport industry. Hence, focusing on the carriage of cargo, we explore some ways in which the information on GHG emissions could be integrated into the regulatory framework concerning the maritime transport industry and product labelling. The core idea of this chapter is hence to outline and analyse the potential of combining the information that is already collected on account of environmental regulation with behavioural insight to mitigate emissions of maritime carriage of cargo.