Pacific nations are gearing up to present key submissions to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as part of their strategic efforts to ensure a just and equitable transition in the decarbonisation of international shipping. Maria Sahib, Co-Director of the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST), emphasized the necessity for the IMO to align with international environmental law principles, particularly as recent court rulings unequivocally classify greenhouse gas emissions as pollution under international law.
The 6PAC+ alliance, which includes Pacific nations such as Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, and several others, is preparing a series of submissions to underscore the imperative that nations heavily impacted by climate change, particularly small island states, are not sidelined in this maritime transition. These submissions will be sent to the IMO this week, with pivotal meetings scheduled for October in London, where member states will debate the adoption of the Net Zero Framework — a set of measures aimed at significantly reducing global shipping emissions.
A critical aspect of the discussions revolves around whether the new framework will successfully align with the Paris Agreement’s target of maintaining global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Additionally, discussions will address how revenue from a proposed Net Zero Fund will be governed, particularly ensuring benefits for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries, aside from wealthier economies.
The importance of the Pacific region in these discussions was underscored by the recent opening of the IMO’s first Regional Presence Office in Suva, as remarked by Secretary-General Arsenio Domínguez. This move is seen as a testament to the IMO’s dedication to collaborating closely with Pacific nations.
The urgency of these submissions reflects a broader, coordinated effort by Pacific countries, who are increasingly joining forces with Caribbean and African nations under initiatives like the 6PAC+ alliance. This collective has been vocal in calling for robust regulations against shipping emissions, including supporting a greenhouse gas pricing mechanism starting at $150 per tonne. This mechanism aims to accelerate emissions reductions while ensuring funds raised support vulnerable nations in their transition to sustainable maritime practices.
In the lead-up to these critical discussions, the advocacy from Pacific and other small island states continues to highlight the existential threats they face from climate change, underscoring a shared mission to enact meaningful reform in the global shipping industry. Their concerted efforts seek not just to safeguard their own futures but to set a sustainable precedent for environmental governance on a global scale. This united front offers a glimmer of hope for achieving impactful international climate action.
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