MEDIA RELEASE

Majuro (Thursday, 25 MAY 20223)

Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands seek commitment from shipping for highest possible ambition in finalisation of the revised strategy on reduction of GHG emissions.

The 80th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (3 to 7 July 2023), must make critical decisions affecting the shipping sector, all member States and global efforts to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, including those related to equity. This is being seen by many experts as shipping’s watershed moment, the last chance for this large emitting sector to commit to a 1.5 aligned agenda.

With one last negotiating session left before IMO is scheduled to adopt a revised Strategy that will set the speed and trajectory of shipping decarbonization, this is the last opportunity for Pacific high ambition states to mark out the detail of what is needed for an equitable transition, one that does not leave the climate most vulnerable countries behind.

A coalition of Pacific high ambition states, nicknamed the “6PAC” has lodged two new submissions at IMO, setting out the proposed text the Strategy to keep 1.5 on the table. The Pacific alliance is promoting the highest ambition position, including proposals by Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands, supported by Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, for a significant increase in ambition commensurate with a 1.5 degree aligned transition that leaves no state behind.

The 6PAC has been responsible for advancing a position of ambitious policy measures, including a universal levy on all shipping emissions that the World Bank is valuing at some $60billion per annum, with the majority of revenues allocated to the priority needs of climate vulnerable states, in particular SIDS and LDCs.

The outcome of these negotiations will have long term and significant impacts on all Pacific States and economies, given our extreme reliance on international shipping and our high vulnerability to any increase in transport costs or security. But historically, few SIDS and LDCs have participated in IMO processes and we are heavily under-represented at the decision-making committee plenaries.

As the IMO draws close to the end of a 5-year negotiating process, there are clear signs the Pacific’s persistent advocacy is making an impact. The G7 leaders came out with a clear statement for the IMO to increase ambition in line with the Pacific calls. But the critical issue of how high to set the price on carbon and whether the significant revenues generated will be used to the benefit of the climate most vulnerable states is now in the balance. The Pacific’s new submissions set out a clear pathway for a shipping decarbonisation path that leaves no State behind.

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For further information and interviews please contact:

Mark Borg – mark.borg@sustainablemanagement.solutions

Posted on - 2023-06-12

MEDIA RELEASE

Majuro (Thursday, 1 June 20223)

The World Climate Industry Expo Leaders Summit hosted in the city of Busan by the Republic of South Korea was held on Saturday, 27 May at the Bexco Exhibition Center.

The summit invited high level participation from the Pacific and Caribbeans - Bahamas, Belize, Fiji, Tuvalu, RMI, Barbados, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, International Maritime Organization and GGGI. The theme for the summit was "Global Cooperation and Solidarity for the Fight against Climate Change" focusing on two main topics: Ocean Conservation in the face of Climate Change; and Carbon-Free Shipping toward a Greener Ocean.

Tuvalu and Marshall Islands presented in the second session: Carbon-Free Shipping toward a Greener Ocean. Tuvalu's Prime Minister Honorable Natano highlighted Tuvalu's efforts at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the need for global action in the shipping industry to reduce GHG emissions by 2050, calling on other member states to support the efforts made by members of 6PAC through their submissions to the IMO particularly on the levy proposal submitted by the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) and Solomon Islands.

RMI's Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Honorable Kitlang Kabua, in her remarks, highlighted the urgency to reduce GHG emissions in the shipping industry in line with the 1.5 pathway and noted that the upcoming MEPC80 meeting in July at the IMO would be vital in negotiating a revised GHG reduction strategy for the RMI and the Pacific. She stated that “the Marshall Islands will take responsibility, as one of the largest shipping registries in the world, to push for an agreement on a zero greenhouse gas emissions target for shipping by 2050 at the latest'', and that a universal greenhouse gas levy on international shipping would generate revenues that could help climate most vulnerable countries such as SIDS and LDCs respond to the rising impacts of climate change.

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For further information and interviews please contact:

Aileen Sefeti – aileensefeti@gmail.com

Posted on - 2023-05-31

This week a two-day experts workshop in London is considering the candidate mid-term GHG reduction measures ahead of the IMO confirming the revised Strategy for Shipping's GHG emissions reductions at MEPC80 in July.

The Pacific high ambition positioning on measures calls for combining a GHG Levy followed by a global fuel standard to ensure an Equitable, 1.5oC-aligned transition of International Shipping.

Aileen Sefeti led off the workshop with this presentation, setting out the 6PAC arguments for this combination to be included in the revised Strategy at MEPC80.

Posted on - 2023-05-25