Last week saw the IMO finalise and adopt the Revised 2023 IMO GHG Strategy after two weeks of intense and emotional negotiations amongst member states and international organisations at ISWG-GHG 15 and MEPC 80. Despite significant divergence over the levels of ambition, member states demonstrated a willingness to compromise to deliver a strategy for the international maritime sector and to showcase to the wider public a strong commitment to reducing GHG emissions and efforts to combating climate change. As a result, the committee agreed to ‘peak GHG emissions from international shipping as soon as possible and to reach net-zero GHG emissions by, or around 2050’. On the interim checkpoints, delegations agreed on a need for 2030 and 2040 targets to measure progress towards the long-term goal and agreed to reduce GHG emissions by 20%, striving for 30%, by 2030, and by 70%, striving for 80%, by 2040. An additional target for the uptake of zero or near-zero GHG emission technologies and fuels to represent at least 5%, striving for 10%, of the energy used by international shipping by 2030 also achieved wide support. To accelerate the uptake of new fuels and technologies, the committee discussed the basket of candidate mid-term GHG reduction measures to develop further in the next phase of the work plan. Although there was agreement for combined technical and economic elements, a lack of consensus on a potential levy-based economic instrument resulted in the Committee agreeing to initiate a comprehensive impact assessment of the feasibility of the candidate measures, taking into account potential disproportionate negative impacts on states, to facilitate decision making at the next session. The next meeting of ISWG-GHG 16 and MEPC 81 will take place next year from 15 to 19 April and 22 to 26 April, respectively. If you would like to download a copy of the summaries made for IAPH members by IAPH’s policy and IMO liaison officer Rhona Macdonald, click here for ISWG-GHG 15 and click here for MEPC 80.
MEPC 80 plenary last week at the IMO headquarters as delegates reach a historic agreement
