LONDON: As preparations gather pace for the next round of negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in September, governments are being urged to uphold the existing IMO Net-Zero Framework (NZF) and resist proposals that could dilute its effectiveness in driving the decarbonisation of international shipping.
According to climate advocacy organisation Opportunity Green, recently circulated legal proposals seeking amendments to the Framework could undermine the landmark agreement reached by IMO Member States by weakening the economic incentives needed to accelerate the transition to zero-emission fuels. The organisation warns that such changes could also significantly reduce contributions to the Net-Zero Fund, designed to assist developing countries in achieving a fair and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.
The Net-Zero Framework, which emerged from years of complex negotiations, is widely regarded as a carefully balanced compromise between ambitious climate action and political practicality. Opportunity Green cautions that reopening the agreed text risks upsetting the consensus painstakingly achieved by governments.
Among the proposals under discussion is an amendment submitted by Liberia, which would replace mandatory remedial payments with greater reliance on a market-based Surplus Unit trading system. Opportunity Green argues that this approach would weaken the Framework’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while eliminating a reliable source of climate finance intended to strengthen resilience, build capacity, and support maritime decarbonisation efforts in developing nations.
The organisation further highlights that without clear and predictable financial incentives, investments may continue flowing towards higher-emitting fuel options such as fossil-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) and certain biofuels instead of accelerating the production and adoption of genuinely zero-emission marine fuels. Such a shift, it says, could hinder the achievement of the IMO’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas Strategy, undermine efforts to keep global warming within the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement, and make it more difficult for countries to meet their international climate commitments.
Opportunity Green maintains that preserving the Net-Zero Framework in its current form would provide the regulatory certainty necessary to unlock investments, expand the availability of zero-emission fuels, and create a stable platform for future climate ambition. In contrast, reopening the Framework’s core provisions could prolong policy uncertainty, weaken investor confidence, and delay the shipping industry’s transition to cleaner energy.
In a recent briefing issued to IMO Member States, Opportunity Green called on governments to support adoption of the Net-Zero Framework as originally approved, describing it as an important milestone rather than the final destination for shipping decarbonisation. While acknowledging that additional measures and deeper emissions reductions will be required in the future, the organisation stressed that the Framework provides a strong foundation for further climate action while establishing an important new source of climate finance for developing countries.
Sapphire Ross, Policy Officer at Opportunity Green, said the Net-Zero Framework represents a landmark achievement in multilateral climate negotiations and an important step towards implementing the “polluter pays” principle in international shipping. She noted that the Framework ensures those responsible for emissions contribute towards supporting developing countries that have contributed the least to climate change but are among the most vulnerable to its impacts. Ross urged governments to safeguard the agreement and reject attempts to weaken its core economic mechanisms.
Em Fenton, Senior Director at Opportunity Green, described the Net-Zero Framework as the only credible proposal currently available that fully aligns with the IMO’s 2023 climate strategy. Fenton warned that adopting a diluted alternative would undermine support for climate-vulnerable nations and weaken the spirit of international cooperation that underpins multilateral climate action. She called on governments to demonstrate the same commitment shown when the Framework was originally agreed and to support its formal adoption later this year.
The outcome of the September IMO negotiations is expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of global maritime decarbonisation and determining how the international shipping sector contributes to achieving global climate goals.
