By Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Republic of Vanuatu
Vanuatu stands with the 6PAC+ alliance at the IMO that includes the Pacific, the Caribbean, Africa, and many SIDS and LDCs. We stand with those who refuse to let another decade slip by while emissions rise, while climate disasters intensify, while polluters walk away without consequence.
The time has come to prove that climate commitments are more than empty promises. This is not about words. It is about action. It is about survival.
For more than ten years, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has known exactly what must be done. It has long agreed that a market-based mechanism is necessary to cut emissions from global shipping. It has accepted that such a system must:
● Force the industry to shift to clean technologies
● Generate funds for climate adaptation and mitigation
● Prioritise support for developing nations
Yet after all these years, we are still waiting.
The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) levy is the only solution that delivers on these goals. It forces the biggest polluters to pay for the damage they have caused, generating billions to end shipping’s reliance on dirty fuels. This is not just about reducing emissions—it is about ensuring that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are not left stranded without the means to build a sustainable future. The industries that drove this crisis must now finance the transition.
For Vanuatu, this isn’t a theory. We know what these funds could mean—stronger seawalls, resilient infrastructure, food security programs, community-based solar and wind energy. This is not just policy; it’s about keeping our homes above water, keeping our people safe, keeping our cultures alive for generations to come.
The so-called “flex mechanism” being pushed as an alternative is nothing more than a smokescreen. It is riddled with loopholes, designed to let the biggest polluters off the hook. It shifts responsibility, delays real action, and ensures that the most vulnerable pay the price.
We have seen this before. Wealthy nations and powerful industries claim urgency while refusing to act. That is why Vanuatu took its fight to the International Court of Justice—because the climate crisis is not an accident. It is the direct result of choices made by the world’s biggest polluters.
At the IMO, the same principles apply. We will not allow this institution to become another forum where action is sacrificed for compromise, where profit is prioritized over people.
Any revenue raised from a levy must go directly to those most affected—SIDS, LDCs, and vulnerable communities on the front lines. The world cannot demand that we decarbonize while refusing to give us the tools to do so.
The questions before us are simple:
● Will the IMO stand for real action, or will it bow to industry pressure?
● Will it deliver a GHG levy that upholds fairness and equity?
● Or will it settle for yet another weak compromise?
Vanuatu, alongside our Pacific, Caribbean, and African allies, is clear:
● A universal, mandatory GHG levy must be the foundation of the IMO’s decarbonization plan.
● It must be fair, transparent, and effective, ensuring that revenues support those who need it most.
● It cannot be diluted with loopholes that allow polluters to evade their responsibility.
To those pushing for delays, we see you. We have heard your excuses before. But the world has changed. The time for stalling is over.
To those still undecided, history is watching. What happens at MEPC 83 will define whether the IMO is a leader in climate action—or a servant to industry interests.
We know there will be resistance. We have seen it before. But we have never been stronger. More than 50 countries now back this call. The Pacific has built momentum, strategy, and alliances that cannot be ignored.
To those negotiating at MEPC 83, know this: history will remember your decision.
We are not here to ask for permission to protect our future.
We are here to demand what is right. And we expect the world to do the same.
