On day three of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting, International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states went forward with the proposals on the table for mid-term measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping with debate going into extra time with no defined results from all the discussions at the virtual summit. A preference was given by a majority of nations to market-based measures and to a fuel standard.
The discussion on market-based measures mainly concerned establishing a carbon levy on shipping emissions, with countries in favour of a carbon levy – in particular or as part of a basket of measures – included the EU27, Canada, Japan, Liberia and Pacific Islands countries.
Countries against a carbon levy were familiar names such as Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Argentina, China and Russia, most of whom also shot down calls for a zero-emissions resolution earlier in the week.
Among proposals discussed was the International Chamber of Shipping’s $5bn decarbonisation R&D fund as well as the the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands plan to set a carbon levy at $100 per tonne of CO2.
A proposal for a low-greenhouse gas fuel standard was put forward by the EU. Countries in favour of a fuel standard included the EU27, Japan and Canada, with countries against including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, South Africa and Russia
The negotiations on mid-term measures will now move to the an intersessional working group, which will meet in 2022.
