The ABC Radio Australia's Pacific Beat captures the juncture of IMO's progress on shipping industries carbon emissions strategy ahead of the UNFCCC (26th COP) in Glasgow.

The IMO points to a recently adopted energy efficiency rating system for ships as an example it is taking the issue seriously.

"Much like you would see an efficiency rating on a refrigerator and what that will do is rate each ship ... and if ships are rated too low they have to develop an action plan to correct that," Mr Kenney said.

Dr Nuttall doesn't think the new rating system will do much to cut emissions.

"We're talking one to three per cent overall savings ... we're not keeping up with the rise in emissions let alone peaking and dropping off," he said.    Read here.