MEPC 77 failed to revise its emissions reduction strategy for 2050, as further revision of the target will not take place until 2023. Commenting on the development, the Clean Shipping Coalition noted that the outcome of the climate talks “is yet another blow to any efforts to start reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ocean shipping.”
To remind, most of the 175 IMO member states have publicly supported the need for zero emissions or carbon neutral shipping by 2050.
However, there was not majority support at MEPC77 to adopt the Pacific Islands resolution along these lines, with Brazil, Russia, China, and others opposing the proposal and the EU27, and Norway preferring instead to raise ambition only when the initial GHG Strategy is reviewed in two years’ time.
As for Clean Shipping Coalition, it said that it welcomes the support of more countries for a “zero emissions” by 2050 goal, versus a smaller group of countries in favour of “net zero” by 2050. However, John Maggs, Clean Shipping Coalition, said that:
Ambition at the IMO has again been held hostage by a small group of countries hell bent on rendering the organisation impotent on the most pressing issue of our age. There was a clear and substantial majority in the room for greater climate ambition but Russia, Saudi Arabia and others ensured that the IMO again failed to move the dial on ship climate action
On the same wavelength, Faig Abbasov, Transport & Environment, noted that when it comes to mandatory measures on green shipping fuels, “the can has been kicked down the road to 2022 without any commitment to speed up their adoption.”
The blockers have caused dangerous delays to almost every item on the agenda. After 2 years of deferrals, the urgent topic of plastic pollution from shipping was given barely an hour for discussion with every item deferred to the following year. The problem here is a systemic one
added Lucy Gilliam, Seas at Risk.
What is more, MEPC 77 did not also reach a decision on the 5 billion dollar R&D fund, with ICS Secretary General, Guy Platten, commenting that:
The message from the industry at COP26 was clear; time is running out and we must do everything in our power to decarbonise now. Industry will continue to press IMO to act as the importance of addressing climate change is too great to give up on
