Rich and poor nations clash over proposed shipping emissions levy to fund climate action
Poor countries accused wealthy and powerful economies of stalling efforts to reduce shipping emissions and rejecting a climate levy that could help vulnerable nations cope with worsening climate impacts.
Fiona Harvey reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- Nations are negotiating a deal at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to decarbonize the shipping industry over the next 25 years, a sector responsible for more than 2% of global emissions.
- Small island nations support a proposed emissions levy on ships to fund climate action in poorer countries, but powerful countries including China, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia oppose it, citing consumer price concerns.
- The European Union, though nominally supportive, may push for a diluted version of the levy, while the U.S. is not obstructing the talks, which could set binding global standards on shipping emissions for the first time.
Key quote:
“[Our levy proposal] ensures that the cost of pollution is borne by those responsible. By placing a levy directly on emissions, we uphold the principles of fairness, accountability and climate justice, ensuring no country is left behind in the transition to a cleaner future.”
— Simon Kofe, minister for transport, Tuvalu
Why this matters:
The international shipping industry — responsible for moving about 90% of the world’s trade — has a greenhouse gas emissions footprint greater than that of Germany. Most ships still run on heavy fuel oil, one of the dirtiest fossil fuels in use, emitting massive amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, and other pollutants as they crisscross the oceans. Yet for decades, this sector has largely sailed beneath the radar of climate regulation. That may now be changing. If passed, the proposed global carbon levy would mark a significant departure from the industry's long-standing exemption from international climate accountability. The outcome could reshape how global trade pays its environmental tab.
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