Climate strategist Joojin Kim spent years convincing banks across South Korea to stop funding coal, and it worked. Now he's aiming that same playbook at a new target: maritime shipping, a hidden engine of the global economy — and one of the world's dirtiest industries. He breaks down how the whole system converges in one place and why redirecting finance could transform it into a driver of a clean economy worldwide. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.)

How to clean up the world's dirtiest industry

Maritime shipping, often overlooked, is a major source of global emissions, rivaling the sixth largest country in greenhouse gas output. Crude oil, gas, and steel—three climate problems—intersect in this industry, with South Korea building 70 percent of LNG ships. Redirecting finance away from fossil fuel shipping can unlock rapid emissions cuts and trigger a domino effect for clean fuel and steel. By 2032, this approach could slash up to 2.2 gigatons of emissions annually, nearly matching a year of the European Union’s output.

Turning Shipping From Climate Culprit Into Clean Economy Catalyst

Maritime shipping, if counted as a nation, would be the world’s sixth largest greenhouse gas emitter, largely fueled and constructed by fossil fuels. Most global shipbuilding and finance is concentrated in East Asia, with South Korea producing 70 percent of LNG carrier ships. By shifting finance and regulation away from polluting vessels and toward clean alternatives, the industry could transform from a driver of emissions into a catalyst for global decarbonization. Strategic action here could cut up to 2.2 gigatons of emissions annually, nearly matching the yearly emissions of the entire European Union.