Impending IMO summit ‘must slash shipping’s contribution to climate crisis’

Ahead of a hectic two weeks at the IMO, the Clean Shipping Coalition is calling for action from governments on three key fronts to ensure the sector slashes its climate heating impacts: 

-       ISWG-GHG-19 (Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions), which will try to reach agreement on a global fuel standard and greenhouse gas levy (two days, March 31- April 1)

-       The three-day ISWG-APEE 1 (Intersessional Working Group on Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency) will aim to revise and improve the functioning of the IMO’s carbon intensity indicator (CII) (April 2-4)

-       During MEPC 83 (April 7-11) - the IMO’s Marine Environment Protect Committee is scheduled to approve legal text on each of three issues detailed below. What they approve during MEPC 83 will then be adopted (the final stage) at an extraordinary session of MEPC in October 2025. 

“The coming two weeks at the IMO gives governments a crucial window to slash shipping’s climate heating greenhouse gas emissions”, said Delaine McCullough, Ocean Conservancy’s Shipping Emissions Policy Manager and President of the Clean Shipping Coalition.

“This means that IMO member states must secure agreements on ambitious energy efficiency measures - the Carbon Intensity Indicator, as well as enforceable fuel standards and a greenhouse gas levy, which together could dramatically reduce shipping’s contribution to heating the planet.”