Shipping emissions levy shelved as countries bow to US pressure

US Pressure Leads to Emissions Levy Postponement

In a move that has left climate advocates underwhelmed, countries meeting in London at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) headquarters have put on hold plans for a global shipping emissions levy, citing "bullying" and "intimidation" from US officials. The decision, which was intended to be a rubber-stamping of the proposed measure, marked a significant victory for powerful fossil fuel states like Saudi Arabia.

The US had been using its considerable diplomatic muscle to pressure other countries into rejecting the plan, which would have charged shipowners a small fee on carbon emissions produced by their vessels. The country's efforts were deemed "aggressive and destructive" by climate experts, with many accusing them of trying to block global cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The measure was initially passed in April, but its future had been hanging in the balance as countries debated whether to stick with it or delay it. In a vote that was ultimately decided by the US's relentless pressure campaign, 57 countries voted to postpone the plan for a year, while 49 countries opposed it outright and 21 abstained.

The postponement has been welcomed by fossil fuel states, which had threatened tariffs, penalties, and visa revocations if their allies supported the measure. However, climate experts have expressed frustration at the decision, arguing that it will delay progress on reducing carbon emissions from shipping and exacerbate the climate crisis.

Shipping is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, with estimates suggesting that the industry's carbon footprint could rise to 10% of total emissions by mid-century if left unchecked. The IMO has been working on various plans to reduce these emissions for over two decades, but progress has been slow.

The postponement has also sparked concerns about how revenues from the proposed levy will be allocated. While some experts have suggested that most of the money would remain within the shipping industry, with companies using it to upgrade their vessels and move to lower-carbon fuels, others have argued that this would be a missed opportunity for poor countries to access much-needed funding to cope with the impacts of climate change.

As the decision to postpone the emissions levy was announced, climate advocates were left feeling underwhelmed. "This is unacceptable given the urgency we face in light of accelerating climate change," said Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's climate minister. Anaïs Rios of the green campaigning organisation Seas at Risk added that the decision had been made in response to the US's aggressive lobbying campaign and warned that countries must now rally behind the plan if they want to avoid further delays.

The postponement has also cast a shadow over future talks on climate change, with experts warning that the IMO's ability to deliver on its commitments will be tested at the upcoming Cop30 UN climate summit in Brazil.

can't believe what just happened countries are more worried about pleasing the US than tackling climate change they're basically saying 'we don't care enough about our planet' it's so frustrating when people with the power to make a difference hold back progress for their own interests shipping emissions are through the roof and yet we're still not doing enough about it

come on, 57 countries just got played by the US . all those years of negotiations and now it's just a big ol' cop-out. fossil fuel states must've had something sweet talkin' to get them to back outta this one... like, who needs climate action when you can have a free pass to pollute ? the us is basically saying "we don't wanna play nice" and everyone else just caved. it's like they say, don't rock the boat or something... meanwhile, the planet is still gonna be in a world of trouble

just read about the US delaying global shipping emissions levy thought it was gonna make progress but now we're back to square one what's going on? can't let fossil fuel states get away with this don't they know climate change is a thing? anyway, 57 countries say hold on a sec for a year... meanwhile, carbon emissions are still rising and it's getting harder to keep up the good fight might as well just give up now

I'm totally on board with this decision ... wait, no I'm not ... actually, yeah I am ... but only if we can make it more palatable for fossil fuel states ... or maybe less so ... hold up, let me rethink that . What's the real issue here? Is it just about politics and backroom deals? Or is there actual progress being made on reducing emissions? I'm torn between feeling frustrated at the delay and acknowledging the complexity of global diplomacy ... and then again, maybe we should just focus on getting some revenue from those emissions levies to help vulnerable countries . But what if it's a waste of time and resources? Ugh, I'm all over the map

I'm really disappointed with this outcome . I mean, come on! We're already facing huge problems with climate change and now we're putting off a plan that could've made a real difference? It's like we're just giving up on the whole idea of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. And what about all those poor countries who are struggling to cope with the impacts of climate change? They need funding and support, not just talk .

And let's be honest, it's pretty clear that the US was playing a major role in trying to block this plan . I don't get why other countries can't stand up for what they believe in and say no to the US if they want to. It's like we're living in some kind of climate change nightmare .

I know some people might say that the levy would've been too expensive or that it wouldn't have made a big enough difference, but I think that's just an excuse . We need to start taking action now and not putting everything off for later. The future of our planet is at stake here!

man i'm so disappointed the us is just bullying other countries into not taking action on climate change it's like they're trying to control everything and stifle progress this whole thing with the emissions levy was supposed to be a step forward but now it's just been pushed aside for now anyway its only going to get worse if we don't start making some serious changes

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke

the us is really doing everyone's job for them i mean come on 57 countries can't even make a decision without americans breathing down their necks it's like they're trying to hold back progress on climate change all that fuss about bullying and intimidation just so they don't have to pay a little more for carbon emissions what's the point of international cooperation if you're just gonna veto everyone else's decisions

I'm not surprised by this turn of events. The US just played a masterclass in negotiating, using their weight and influence to get what they want. The idea that countries are 'bullied' or 'intimidated' into backing down is just a nice way of saying the US didn't want to pay its fair share for reducing emissions... again. It's not exactly rocket science, but it seems like some folks need reminding that power and money can get you pretty far in the world.

ugh what a bummer - I was really hoping for some progress on reducing emissions from shipping, but now it looks like we're going to be stuck in neutral for another year . The US's tactics were super aggressive and bullying, imo . Climate experts are right, this is a huge delay for the planet and it's not fair to poor countries who need that funding to cope with climate change .

I'm also kinda curious how revenues from the levy will be allocated - some say they'll just get sucked back into the shipping industry , which wouldn't be super helpful. Can we pls get some solid action on this ASAP?

This is what I thought of the decision ... The US is basically trying to bully other countries into not taking care of their own planet, and it's working... kind of . They're using their economic power to pressure others into doing the dirty work for them. It's like they're saying, "Hey, you don't have to do anything about climate change, just let us handle it." That's not how international cooperation is supposed to work.

And now, because of this delay, we'll likely see more emissions and a bigger climate crisis on our hands... which just goes to show that the US is more concerned with protecting its own fossil fuel interests than it is with saving the planet . I mean, what's the point of even having an International Maritime Organisation if they're not going to take action on something as critical as shipping emissions? The UN needs to get back to basics and start making some real changes... we can't afford to wait around for countries to figure things out...