It was meant to be the week when the global shipping sector was put on a definitive course to a net zero future.

Delegates from around the world arrived in London for a special meeting of the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)  which was to finally ratify the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework (NZF).

The Framework had been agreed in April and this week it was set to receive its finally approval with the global shipping sector then given a clear timetable for the industry’s move to net zero operations.

However, from the outset of the week’s discussions storm clouds were gathering. There was talk that powerful nations were combining to look to derail the framework.

The United States has been a vocal opponent to the impact of climate change and the efforts to combat global warming, with the Trump administration withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and pushing for an increase in its domestic fossil fuel production.

It has also warned that maritime vessels which use alternative fuels are likely to be prohibited from US ports in the future.

It is little surprise then that the US is said to be looking at ways in which its can stall or even halt progress of the NZF.

They have been joined by Saudi Arabia, both of which have said they would like to see a fundamental change in the way in which the rules which would allow the IMO to adopt the new framework.

They have pushed for the IMO to ignore its well established tacit acceptance process, and shift to the explicit acceptance system, which would require two thirds of government to specifically and individually accept the rules.

Tacit acceptance , which has been the system used by the IMO for over 50 years, simply sees new rules automatically come into force after 10 months once they are adopted unless there is an overwhelming number of nations which object.

The explicit acceptance system has been previously used but overwhelmingly sees such schemes fail to reach the required two thirds, with many saying at best it would see the NZF delayed for years and at worse would quite simply consign the framework to failure.

It has left today’s vote to adopt the NZF hanging by a thread. China which had voted for the framework earlier this week is also thought to be lobbying for a move to explicit acceptance and some accuse Saudi Arabia of funding delegates from smaller nations to attend the meeting to bolster their voting bloc.

However there remains a significant number of nation’s which have voiced their resistance to the move to shift the system warning it would cripple the IMO’s ability to make any decisions whatsoever in future.

At a time when new warnings over the level of CO2 emissions are issued almost weekly and given the maritime sector’s role as one of the biggest business emitters the events of today on London’s South Bank will have a profound impact on the world’s efforts to combat climate impacts.

Jon Guy, Editor,

Emerging Risks