The European Union countries decided on Friday to continue pushing for a “global” price on CO2 emissions from shipping in U.N. discussions next week. This could lead to another clash with the United States. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) decided to delay the climate plan for a year last year after the Trump Administration strongly opposed it and threatened to impose sanctions and visa restriction on delegates that supported it.
According to the EU’s negotiating positions for next week’s IMO discussions, which was seen by?, this hasn’t stopped European countries from trying to revive the plan.
The document stated that EU countries would “oppose any attempt” to prevent climate measures being discussed at the meeting.
The document stated that EU countries would ‘consider changes to their original carbon pricing plan, if it helps garner support. Some EU officials, however, said that they were not optimistic about any climate deal, due to the strong opposition of the U.S.
At the October meeting, 57 countries, including China and other major shipping states, such as Liberia, voted for a delay in the carbon price, while 49 hoped to reach a deal.
Supporters included European nations, Brazil and small island countries susceptible to climate change.
A coalition including the top three ship registries in the world, Liberia and the Marshall Islands, as well as oil tanker companies such Saudi Arabia’s Bahri, urged IMO members to consider ‘alternatives’ to the original carbon price plan at their meeting next week.
In a press release, the IMO said that “support for the framework has ‘continued to erode'” since last year’s IMO meeting.
The IMO vote last year divided the EU as Greece and Cyprus – both home to significant shipping?industries – broke ranks and voted against the EU’s climate proposal.
Officials said that Greece, Malta, and Italy refused to support the new EU position on negotiating, which had been passed by an increased majority of EU member states. (Reporting and editing by Kirby Donovan, Jonathan Saul and Kate Abnett)
(source: Reuters)
