The International Maritime Organization (IMO) concluded its latest round of climate negotiations without reaching a consensus on critical measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the global shipping industry, falling short of the climate targets under the IMO’s own 2023 GHG Strategy.
The closed-door talks, held during the 83rd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), ended in a stalemate late April 10, with key member states unable to compromise proposed carbon pricing mechanisms and emissions targets.
The difficulty reaching consensus led to a very rare vote on April 11 on moving the measures forward, which showed that a majority of member states did favor sending them to the next MEPC meeting for adoption.
Jamie Yates, Climate Policy Analyst, Pacific Environment, said in a statement: “If maritime shipping was a country, it would be the sixth-largest polluter and its emissions are growing.
“This is a significant moment where the International Maritime Organization has delivered targets but failed to meet its own ambition on delivering a just and equitable transition and properly incentivizing sustainable long-term fuel and technology solutions.
“We remain committed to advocating for the needed emissions reductions and revenues to address the harms that climate vulnerable countries will increasingly face.”
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