After a vote initiated by Saudi Arabia, the UN's maritime organization IMO announces that the meeting in London is being postponed – for a year.
”Another huge victory” for the US President Donald Trump, writes the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X.
A ”regrettable” delay, says a spokesperson for the EU. The Union remains however ”firmly determined” to continue its work to get an agreement in place.
Support transformation
IMO agreed in April on a new agreement with binding requirements to reduce shipping's greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. According to the proposal, those who do not follow the guidelines will have to pay an annual fee for each ton of greenhouse gas emitted that exceeds the set targets.
The money from the penalty fees is intended to be used to ”reward” green technologies for zero or near zero emissions and to support developing countries in their transformation.
In April, a majority – including the EU, Brazil, China, India, and Japan – voted for the agreement. 16 countries, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, voted against.
The agreement was reached after the US had left the negotiations. The country dismisses all proposals that ”impose” fees on American ships based on emissions or fuel use.
Trump has threatened
At Friday's meeting, the idea was that member states would vote on the introduction of the carbon tax from 2029. Instead, it became a vote – and decision – to postpone the meeting to the future.
In a post on his social media platform, Donald Trump expressed his anger over the vote on Thursday and urged other countries to ”show support for the US” and vote no. The US has also threatened with sanctions against countries that support the proposal, according to several media outlets.
Shipping accounts for around 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
