Poor Nations Accuse Rich Countries of Breaking Shipping Pledges: Is Net Zero at Risk?

Poor countries accused the rich countries of backing off from their climate commitments ahead of the discussions at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) happening between April 7 to April11 to finalise details of a deal to decarbonise shipping over the next 25 years.

The agreement, upon finalisation, would require all ships to pay a small charge depending on the greenhouse gases they emit. The funds raised from the charge will be used to fund poor countries to help them take action against climate change. However, rich countries like China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia oppose the levy and others including the EU may favour diluting it, reported The Guardian.

According to a 2023 International Energy Agency (IEA) report, international shipping accounts for over 2% global energy energy-related greenhouse gas emissions which urgently requires legally binding measures for directing the maritime shipping sector onto a trajectory consistent with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 (NZE) Scenario, which requires an almost 15% reduction in emissions from 2022 to 2030.

The Guardian reported that poor countries do not have high hopes from the negotiations which, in their perspective, is already falling apart. Addressing the alliance of Pacific and Caribbean small island states, Ambassador Albon Ishoda from the Marshall Islands, told The Guardian that rich nations and large developing countries were “backsliding” on previous promises.

Challenges to Net Zero

The current dependency on fossil fuels has led to fuel combustion in maritime operations accounting for over 80% of the total shipping life cycle emissions, according to a 2023 report by World Economic Forum. Bulk carriers, oil tankers and container ships are responsible for 65% of these emissions.

According IMO targets, absolute emissions need to be reduced by at least 20% by 2030 and at least 70% by 2040 compared to 2008. Shipping emissions continue to exceed the 2008 benchmark based on past trends.