The United States successfully prevented the implementation of a global levy on shipping emissions as an international maritime conference concluded on Friday without enacting any regulations. Major maritime nations had been discussing the adoption of rules to transition the shipping industry away from fossil fuels to reduce emissions. However, President Donald Trump, along with Saudi Arabia and other countries, opposed any global taxation on shipping emissions.
The U.S. had issued threats of retaliation against countries supporting the levy. President Trump used his social media platform, Truth Social, to urge nations to vote against the measure at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) headquarters in London. The IMO, a United Nations agency that oversees international shipping, faced a call from Saudi Arabia to adjourn the meeting for a year, which was supported by more than half of the participating countries.
Ralph Regenvanu, the climate change minister of Vanuatu, expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision, emphasizing the urgency in addressing climate change. The proposed green shipping regulations would have marked the first instance of a global charge on greenhouse gas emissions from ships, which predominantly rely on heavy fuel oil that emits carbon dioxide and other pollutants during combustion.
The delay in adopting the regulations has left the shipping industry in limbo, despite a clear global intent to improve environmental standards in the sector. Shipping emissions have increased in recent years, accounting for around three percent of the total global emissions due to escalating trade activities and the extensive use of fossil fuels by vessels for long-distance cargo transport.
The IMO member states had previously reached an agreement on a regulatory framework to facilitate the adoption of the “Net-Zero Framework” during the London meeting. The postponement of this process poses a risk to the ambitious goals of the framework, according to climate change experts. The regulations aimed to showcase the efficacy of international collaboration in achieving significant progress towards global climate objectives.
The proposed regulations included a marine fuel standard to progressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping fuels and the introduction of a pricing mechanism imposing charges for exceeding emission limits. The IMO has set a target for the shipping sector to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by around 2050 and promote the wider use of zero or low-emission fuels.
Advocates for environmental protection in the shipping industry emphasized the importance of countries supporting the regulations and returning with a stronger positive vote in the future. They stressed the urgency of addressing climate change and ensuring a sustainable future for the planet and the shipping industry.