As a meeting on the climate impacts of global shipping closed today at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Clean Shipping Coalition welcomed broad support by member states for the Net-Zero Framework (NZF) - the UN shipping body’s long negotiated compromise climate agreement, criticised attempts by a minority of states to undermine it with ‘alternative proposals’ and called for its adoption at December’s Marine Environment Protect Committee.
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“The Net-Zero framework remains intact, despite pressure from a minority of detractors seeking to undermine climate action by the shipping sector, and must be adopted without further delay”, said Clean Shipping Coalition President Lukas Leppert. “Alternative proposals to the Net-Zero Framework are neither necessary nor useful - the IMO has already committed to a strategy, approved a regulatory framework that can deliver it, and scheduled its adoption for later in the year. While not entirely aligned with the levels of ambition in the IMO 2023 GHG Strategy, the NZF is a long-negotiated compromise that brings together a multitude of interests and positions and is supported by a broad majority. We consider the NZF an important step forward and one that can be built on to become more progressive in the future.”
“Many of the new proposals seem intent on unravelling this existing compromise, not to find a better agreement, but to appease a minority position by reducing ambition”, said Leppert. "None of the outstanding concerns are grave enough that they justify reworking the framework. The NZF ‘as is’ includes all the critically necessary elements required for the decarbonisation of the maritime sector in line with the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy in a just and equitable manner. Open issues can and should be addressed solely within the implementing guidelines."
“In order to fulfil the goals of the GHG Strategy and to protect our global climate, we urge the IMO and all its member states to stay true to their ambition and the compromise achieved and instead of reopening it, adopt the Net-Zero Framework ‘as is’ at MEPC 85 in December”, Leppert added.
The shipping sector makes up 2-3% of global greenhouse gas emissions - pumping 1 billion tonnes of GHGs into the atmosphere every year, comparable to the world’s fifth biggest emitting country, Japan. The IMO has committed to achieving its GHG Strategy goal, including its long-term goal of decarbonisation by 2050, its interim targets of a 30% reduction in absolute emissions by 2030 and 80% by 2040, and its commitment to a just and equitable transition.
Approved during MEPC 83 in 2025, the NZF includes a “global fuel standard” (GFS), which requires ship operators to gradually decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by shipping fuels - or pay penalties. The framework also introduces a mechanism that puts a price on a portion of greenhouse gases ships emit, giving the industry a clear financial incentive to reduce emissions in line with the global fuel standard. See also: IMO paper on the NZF - MEPC 85/3/8: Consideration and Adoption of Amendments to Mandatory Instruments: Amendments to MARPOL Annex VI.
“The curve of increasingly stringent required annual reductions in the greenhouse gas intensity of shipping fuels is a critical component of the NZF, and it is already insufficient to reach the reduction goals set in the 2023 GHG Strategy”, said Delaine McCullough, Shipping Program Director at Ocean Conservancy. “Weaker short-term targets will favour short-term solutions, instead of setting the clear market signal that is needed to drive investments in zero- and near-zero fuels and technologies. That is why member states must hold the line on no weakening of this powerful component of the NZF.”
“The maritime sector requires a clear regulatory signal for the transition to allow a global level playing field as well as planning security for the ramp-up of sustainable solutions”, said Sönke Diesener, Senior Policy Officer Maritime Transport at NABU. “The industry has voiced its support for the IMO Net-Zero Framework in the past and should continue to. The NZF is set up to accommodate different levels of technical readiness and fuel availability to enable reliable investment signals for the industry.”
“This week’s meeting included submissions that advantage methane-based fuels such as LNG and biomethane, potentially locking in methane - a potent super pollutant - for many years to come and preventing the adoption of truly zero-emissions fuels and a decarbonisation pathway in line with the IMO’s own ambitions”, said Andrew Dumbrille, Co-Director, Equal Routes. “The IMO Life Cycle GHG Assessment guidelines must account for biodiversity and human rights impacts and avoid false accounting methods which would reward fuels for reductions that were never actually achieved.”
“A just transition cannot happen alone”, said Anaïs Rios, Senior Shipping Policy Officer at Seas At Risk. “Many of the countries most exposed to the impacts of climate change are those with the least financial capacity to shoulder the costs of the transition. Without a central fund, the IMO has no credible way to ensure that they are not left behind. Member states agreed in 2023 that shipping's transition must be just and equitable. Reopening the question of whether the finance to deliver the transition is needed risks unravelling the commitment. Countries should not waste precious negotiating time reopening questions that have already been answered. The task is now to make the transition work for everyone.”
“Financial rewards are also required to accelerate the uptake of true zero- and near-zero emission fuels and technologies”, said Alex Springer, Interim Shipping Director at T&E. “This is even more pressing if aspects like the GFI trajectory are weakened. A direct contribution scheme would be a poor substitute for a well-organised and transparent fund, putting resources out of reach of the most vulnerable countries, and providing no certainty for first movers.”