IMO Environmental Meetings Conclude with Much to Look Forward to in the Months to Come

This week, members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) concluded the 76th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, and agreed to start considering measures that would directly address shipping’s carbon emissions and support the deployment of sustainable alternative fuels. The proposal for a carbon price from the Marshall Islands and the Solomon Islands will be taken forward at the IMO intersessional meeting in October. The integral issue of how to account for the lifecycle of alternative fuels for shipping, which has been delayed for too long at the IMO, will be tackled in September. In addition, the IMO states agreed to suspend discussions of a counter-productive proposal on R&D support which would only use up valuable IMO resources. 

“There is a lot to look forward from the IMO to in the months to come, although the lack of ambition on short term measures and on black carbon means that the impact of future measures must be even bolder and implemented quicker to reduce maritime shipping emissions at the scale needed. The world must meet the temperature goals set by the Paris Agreement in order to prevent a climate catastrophe. The IMO meetings later this year are a great and timely opportunity for the Member States to step up and bring concrete, ambitious solutions to reduce the shipping industry’s climate impacts.” 

• Aoife O’Leary, Director, International Climate, Environmental Defense Fund.