An extraordinary meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) ended in a major setback for global climate action after delegates voted to adjourn proceedings for one year. The session was intended to be the final step for ratifying the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework, which included the world’s first global carbon price for the shipping industry.
Stalemate on Global Carbon Price
The most significant outcome of the turbulent four-day meeting was the decision to adjourn the extraordinary session of the MEPC for a full year.
- This procedural move effectively blocked the adoption of the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework, which shipping was expected to ratify and, in doing so, become the first industry to adopt a global carbon pricing mechanism.
- The adjournment decision was carried by a vote of 57 countries in favor, 49 against, and 21 abstaining, demonstrating the deep division among member states.
- The vote to delay indefinitely pushes the earliest possible entry into force of the global regulatory framework from 2027 to 2028 or later.
Opposition and Political Hurdles
Despite prior confidence that the framework had sufficient support, a determined effort by certain nations successfully thwarted its adoption.
- The opposition was notably led by the United States and Saudi Arabia, alongside a bloc of other oil-producing and oil-exporting nations.
- The framework, which includes a global fuel standard and a global GHG emissions pricing mechanism, was criticized by opponents as an illegitimate international tax that would impose undue economic burdens and unfairly penalize certain fuel options.
- The opposition group successfully used procedural challenges, including a vote on adjournment called for by Saudi Arabia, to secure the delay.
Future of Climate Leadership
The stalemate casts doubt on the United Nations body’s ability to lead global climate action for the shipping sector.
- The delay creates significant uncertainty for the maritime industry, which requires regulatory clarity to make multi-billion dollar investment decisions in decarbonization technologies and green fuels.
- Industry bodies have expressed regret over the postponement, warning that it increases the risk of a fragmented regulatory landscape, where regional measures (like the EU’s Emissions Trading System) may expand, undermining the goal of a single, global standard.
- Despite the setback, the Intersessional Working Group will continue its work on the detailed guidelines for implementing the Net-Zero Framework in the interim year, keeping the plan formally alive for a potential adoption vote in October 2026.
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Source: Lloyd’s List
