Driven by Pacific leadership, the International Maritime Organisation is on the brink of making history with binding regulations to phase out fossil fuel use in global shipping.
At a press conference hosted by the 6PAC+ alliance at the IMO in London, Ministers from Fiji, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, as well as Marshall Islands Special Envoy for Maritime Decarbonisation, Albon Ishoda asserted that an ambitious outcome is in reach.
Delivering the opening speech, Ambassador Ishoda reminded delegates and press that MEPC 83 is a defining moment for the future of international shipping, and for climate:
“The 1.5°C target is not a negotiating position – it is a survival threshold. And the decisions that we take here in London will determine whether it is possible. Right now, it still is. ”
Representing the 6PAC+ alliance, Ambassador Ishoda reaffirmed that the support is strong for a global GHG emissions pricing mechanism that covers 100 percent of emissions from the first tonne, with a minimum starting price of US$150 per tonne.
Simon Kofe, Tuvalu’s Minister for Transport, Energy, Communications and Innovation, said:
“The ultimate outcome we want is one that is supported by all members. I hope we can appeal to everyone’s better conscience. The solution we are seeking is for humanity, not just for ourselves.”
Pacific, Caribbean and African representatives, as well as the UK and some Latin American states, are united in fighting for a GHG price to drive rapid emissions reduction and incentivise the uptake of zero-emission fuels. The revenue it generates must enable a Just and Equitable Transition — especially for those least responsible for this crisis.
Minister Ralph Revenganu of Vanuatu said: For countries like Vanuatu … we see the UNFCCC isn’t moving fast enough – and this is the great opportunity. If this is adopted here, it will be a game changer for climate. It would be the first industry-wide measure adopted by a multilateral UN organisation with much more teeth than we could get in the UNFCCC process.
In 2023, IMO member states agreed to reach net zero by or around 2050, as well as 2030 and 2040 decarbonisation targets. In his opening address IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez described the meeting as “a pivotal moment in our collective efforts to address climate change”. Fiji’s Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau said: “We have travelled very far to come to these meetings with the expectation that we will get an outcome.”
Ambassador Ishoda acknowledged recent progress in the negotiations but warned that any final outcome must uphold the integrity of science and the interests of vulnerable states. “If the Working Group Chair sidelines our key priorities, we are prepared to act accordingly,” Ishoda said. “We did not come to London to rubber-stamp a diluted compromise.”
He strongly rejected proposals that would weaken the environmental integrity of the measure, such as emissions exemptions, credit trading schemes, or vague revenue pledges. “We want to send a signal to the world and the market that the IMO is ready to put in place the regulations necessary for zero to near zero fuels. It’s a strong red line for us – credit trading should not happen in the decarbonisation pathway.”.
