?In a landmark decision, major shipping nations have agreed to implement the first global fee on greenhouse gas emissions from ships. Agreed upon by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), it introduces a $100 fee per ton of emissions above established thresholds, starting in 2027. The initiative aims to generate up to $13 billion, with funds transitioning to cleaner shipping technologies, reward low-emission vessels, and assist developing nations in adopting sustainable practices.
While some environmental groups hailed the decision as a historic step, others criticized it as insufficient, arguing that it may allow companies to pay for emissions rather than actively reducing them. The United States abstained from the negotiations, citing economic concerns. The fee structure emerged as a compromise between a flat levy favored by Pacific island nations and a credit trading model supported by countries like China and Brazil. ?
Emma Fenton, senior director for climate diplomacy at a U.K.-based climate change nonprofit, Opportunity Green said the measure actually opens the door for a scenario where ships can pay to pollute instead of decarbonize, because it could be cheaper to simply absorb the fee than to make changes to reduce emissions, like switching fuels.
The Marine Environment Protection Committee, which is part of the IMO, has been in meetings all week in London and finalized its decision Friday. A major issue during the meetings was the way the fee would be charged. More than 60 countries entered the negotiations pushing for a simple tax charged per metric ton of emissions. They were led by Pacific island nations, whose very existence is threatened by climate change.
Sources: https://www.opb.org/article/2025/04/11/greenhouse-gas-tax-shipping/
https://time.com/7276725/meeting-on-shipping-emissions-could-prompt-world-first-global-carbon-tax/