Why shipping’s net zero consensus is about to become a political bargaining chip
Directional political signalling offers no guarantee of immediate action inside the International Maritime Organization. While states may be jostling for position to accelerate shipping’s decarbonisation timeline to net zero by 2050, a solid agreement is unlikely at next month’s MEPC77 meeting
With EU states now pushing for net zero by 2050 there are now 45 states that could theoretically command a majority inside the IMO next month, but political bargaining and battles yet to come are likely to see such ambitions deferred until a more detailed revision of IMO’s strategy is agreed