IAPH attends ISWG-GHG 19 as milestone decision looms

The IMO is on the brink of a milestone decision ahead of next week’s 83rd meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83). That meeting will see member states engage in negotiations that will reshape the future of international shipping, agreeing on measures to drive GHG emission reductions. This week, IAPH attended the Intersessional Working Group on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 19), at which work took place to finalise the draft legal text of the IMO Net Zero Framework, ready for further discussion and adoption at MEPC 83. Currently, delegations remain divided on the key building blocks of the technical and economic measures. Intense deliberations can be expected at MEPC 83 during the push towards consensus. On the content of the framework, several delegations noted the efforts of Singapore to build convergence with their bridging proposal, which outlines a dual-layered revenue system. This would apply a price on carbon in a more limited manner through the trading of units based on a tiered system, while ensuring a degree of predictability and stability in revenue collection to reward ships using zero- or near-zero fuels and technologies (ZNZs) and to distribute revenue among member states to ensure a just and equitable transition. Further discussion is also required on the definition of ZNZs, the eligibility of various fuels as the sector transitions towards net-zero, the pricing of units, and how the money generated will be distributed to support investment in the required infrastructure and capacity-building initiatives. On the latter topic, IAPH has submitted a paper calling for an ambitious economic instrument and for a proportion of the revenues generated to be allocated to land- and port-based infrastructure, particularly in developing countries, small island states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs). IAPH will be in attendance at MEPC 83 alongside colleagues from the Port of Seattle and will issue a report to members on the outcomes once a decision has been finalised.