Global shipping emissions plan at risk after US warning

October 14, 2025 (MLN): A groundbreaking United Nations plan to cut global shipping emissions is at risk after the United States threatened to impose sanctions on countries supporting the initiative, raising fears of a major setback in maritime decarbonisation efforts.

The Net Zero Framework (NZF), developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), aims to make the shipping industry responsible for nearly 3% of global CO₂ emissions fully carbon neutral by 2050.

The plan, already approved by a majority of IMO members in April, is scheduled for formal adoption on Friday in London. It would require ships to progressively reduce their emissions starting in 2028 or face financial penalties.

However, the Trump administration issued a sharp warning last week, saying Washington “unequivocally rejects” the framework and would take punitive actions against countries that vote in favor.

In a joint statement, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and top diplomat Marco Rubio said measures could include visa bans, port access restrictions, and commercial penalties targeting compliant states.

The sudden US opposition has shaken confidence among delegates ahead of the IMO meeting. While the European Union, Britain, Brazil, China, India, and Japan have reaffirmed their support, diplomats fear the threat of US retaliation could sway smaller nations “more sensitive to American influence.”

A European official told AFP that although optimism remains, “the vote will be tighter than before, with a higher risk of abstentions.” The IMO, which usually operates by consensus, has already ruled out that approach for the upcoming session.

If adopted, the NZF would establish the first-ever global carbon pricing system for ships, charging levies on emissions that exceed defined thresholds.

The collected funds would reward low emission vessels and assist climate vulnerable countries in transitioning to cleaner energy.

The plan’s enforcement mechanism would allow IMO members to inspect and detain non-compliant ships, making evasion difficult even for non-signatory countries such as the United States.

Philippine maritime workers the largest contingent in the global shipping workforce and Caribbean island nations dependent on US cruise tourism could face heavy fallout if Washington follows through on its threats.

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez declined to respond directly to the US statement but said he remained “very confident” about the outcome of the NZF vote.

Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has rolled back several environmental regulations and denounced climate change as a “scam,” reigniting global concern over America’s retreat from international climate cooperation.

The confrontation at the IMO emphasizFes growing geopolitical divisions over the future of green shipping, with the US move threatening to derail what could have been a historic milestone in the fight against global warming.

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