Aug 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. on Tuesday rejected the "Net-Zero Framework" proposal by the International Maritime Organisation, which is aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions from the international shipping sector, and threatened measures against countries that support it.
Ahead of a crucial United Nations vote at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a group of Trump administration officials has announced the U.S. will oppose a net-zero proposal for the shipping industry. The administration framed this as a move to protect American citizens and businesses from higher costs, and explicitly threatened to retaliate against other nations that support the measure. This stance is part of a broader pattern of the U.S. withdrawing from international climate agreements and using tariffs to influence global policy.
The proposed net-zero framework aims to address the significant carbon dioxide emissions from the global shipping industry, which accounts for the majority of the world's trade. While the U.S. has exited talks and is urging others to reconsider, many other major nations, including China, Brazil, and EU countries, voted in favour of the measure. Furthermore, many large shipping companies have already committed to net-zero goals by 2050, and several industry groups support the legislation, often calling for incentives like a carbon levy on polluting fuels.
The upcoming IMO vote in October will require a two-thirds majority to adopt the binding regulations. The U.S. position puts it at odds with both the environmental goals of the international community and the evolving practices of the shipping industry itself, which is under growing pressure from environmentalists and investors to take concrete climate action. This divergence extends beyond shipping, as the U.S. simultaneously resists binding caps in parallel negotiations for a global plastic pollution treaty.
