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10/21/2025, 10:43:13 PM
With Saudi Arabia securing a tiny majority in favour of postponing the proceedings for a year, the MEPC came to an unimpressive close on Friday, leaving the UN organisation's climate work in limbo.
Remarkably, the future of shipping decarbonisation remains uncertain after the International Maritime Organisation voted on Friday to postpone the emergency meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee for a year.
Following a vote requested by Saudi Arabia, nations voted 57-49 in favour of the delay. Eight nations did not attend, while another 21—including Greece and Cyprus—abstained.
While China, Russia, and major oil exporting nations voted in favour of the delay, EU nations voted against it. To prevail, the Yes side required 54 votes out of 106.
One of numerous late attempts on Friday morning to postpone the anticipated crucial vote on adopting the Net-Zero Framework was the proposal to adjourn the meeting.
The NZF MARPOL amendment itself was to be adopted after a vote on amending the adoption rules.
Citing the degree of disagreement on carbon pricing, Saudi Arabia, which has vigorously fought to abolish the price, demanded a delay.
However, Brazil, which had pushed for the NZF vote to be held as soon as possible, claimed that the deferral amounted to “saying no to the measures” because all the NZF's dates would have to be changed.
Notably, next week's IMO intersessional meeting on greenhouse gas emissions will still take place, giving delegates a chance to continue discussing the specifics of the NZF.
Meanwhile, shipowners with fleets that need to be renewed are left in a state of uncertainty as the delay casts doubt on the viability of green shipping investments.
IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez advised delegates not to celebrate the result, as he emphasised there were no winners or losers.
Besides, Dominguez urged the team to learn from the outcome, reach a consensus, and restart negotiations in a year. He exhorted them to be nice and kind to each other.
The Climate Action Crossroads: Harmony vs. Disunity
At the crowded London conference on Friday morning, chaos from the previous evening descended into farce as delegates were unclear about what they were being asked to vote on and in what sequence.
According to Singapore, the IMO required additional time to think about the NZF. It stated that “we are at an important crossroads, choosing between unity and division.”
Given the deep divisions among those calling for climate change action, it is uncertain if the additional year will significantly alter the negotiation positions of nations.
At the Shipping Training Courses in Dubai, delegates study the Net-Zero Framework and concentrate on climate science, GHG accounting, technical measures, transition plans, finance, offsets, sector-specific regulations, operational, governance, and reporting aspects of reaching net-zero emissions.
Further, the outcome disappointed Thomas Kazakos, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping. “Industry needs clarity to be able to make the investments needed to decarbonise the maritime sector,” he stated.
According to Faig Abbasov, head of shipping at Transport & Environment, the result indicated “a clear desire to clean up the shipping industry, even in the face of US bullying,” but it also meant additional uncertainty.
“The world cannot let intimidation and vested interests dictate the pace of climate action,” he stated.
“After years of negotiation and broad international support, today's outcome represents a lost opportunity for the world to take collective, decisive action on one of the hardest-to-abate sectors,” remarked Australian mining corporation Fortescue.
