International Community Collaborates to Advance Shipping Industry Toward Net Zero

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency responsible for regulating global shipping, today concluded the 81^st meeting of its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81). Negotiations between Member States focused on a package of mid-term measures – including a global fuel standard and a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism – to decarbonize the shipping industry in line with the Paris Agreement. The next six months will be crucial for country delegates, as they will now work according to the IMO Net-Zero Framework to sort out the details for each measure. These measures must be adopted in 2025 and are to come into effect in 2027.

“We are encouraged to see progress toward climate proofing global trade. With growing support for a universal greenhouse gas price, country delegates at the International Maritime Organization must now develop the right policy details to incentivize shipping decarbonization. This, combined with a fuel standard that accounts for the full lifecycle of marine fuels and a way to accelerate investment in cleaner fuels and technologies, will ensure the success of a just and equitable transition for the industry.”

• Panos Spiliotis, EU Transport Senior Manager, Global Shipping and IMO delegation lead at Environmental Defense Fund.

As a consultative member of the IMO, Environmental Defense Fund is committed to making the Organization’s short-term and mid-term measures a success to decarbonize shipping. Our work centers on bringing scientific knowledge and research to advance international collaboration and ensure a just and equitable transition, while supporting a thriving shipping sector. By bringing relevant scientific knowledge and research to IMO, serving as a trusted advisor to Member States and working with industry partners, EDF strives to ensure policies and projects appropriately protect the climate, human health and the environment.