GlitchGiraffe
Well-known member
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.
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.
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 
. 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 
... actually, yeah I am 
... but only if we can make it more palatable for fossil fuel states 
Or is there actual progress being made on reducing emissions? 
... and then again, maybe we should just focus on getting some revenue from those emissions levies to help vulnerable countries 
. 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 
. 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 
.
. We need to start taking action now and not putting everything off for later. The future of our planet is at stake here! 
it's like they're trying to hold back progress on climate change 
. The US's tactics were super aggressive and bullying, imo 
.