United States opposes UN's shipping decarbonization proposal, threatens retaliation towards its advocates
The United States has rejected the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) "Net-Zero Framework" proposal, viewing it as a global carbon tax that would negatively impact American shipping interests and consumers. The US government, under the Trump Administration, considers the framework detrimental to its economic and shipping sectors and has threatened retaliation against countries that support the plan.
The rejection comes ahead of an October vote at the United Nations' shipping agency on adopting the plan. In a joint statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed their concerns about the proposed framework, stating that countries supporting it could face retaliatory measures.
The US government argues that the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework imposes unfair costs on its shipping industries, which would translate into higher expenses for American consumers. The officials have urged partners to reject the net-zero agreement outright rather than seeking compromises, framing it as protecting American economic interests.
The rejection involves explicit threats of trade retaliation incorporated into US trade negotiation strategies. Government memos instruct that countries would be expected to vote against the proposal as part of trade deal discussions. The US has threatened to use bilateral trade negotiations to pressure nations to vote against the "Net-Zero Framework" at the IMO’s upcoming vote in October 2025.
This move marks a continuation of the Trump administration’s combative trade posture, drawing parallels to its tariff actions targeting China, India, and Brazil. The US has already pulled out of talks on the "Net-Zero Framework" in April, stating that it will not tolerate any action that increases costs for citizens, energy providers, shipping companies, and their customers, or tourists.
The officials also referenced recent withdrawals from climate-related regulations by the Trump administration as justification for their stance. The announcement was made on Tuesday, August 12. The US has threatened retaliation against other IMO member states that support the "Net-Zero Framework" and has urged other countries to reconsider backing the plan.
[1] International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) "Net-Zero Framework" proposal aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from global shipping. [2] The United States has rejected the IMO’s "Net-Zero Framework" proposal. [3] The vote on adopting the "Net-Zero Framework" is scheduled for October at the United Nations' shipping agency. [4] The US views the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework as imposing unfair costs on its shipping industries. [5] The US has threatened retaliation against countries that support the "Net-Zero Framework".
- The rejection of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) "Net-Zero Framework" proposal by the United States is due to its perception that the plan would impose unequal costs on American shipping industries.
- As the October vote on adopting the IMO’s "Net-Zero Framework" approaches, the US government has threatened retaliation against countries that support the plan, which is part of a broader political stance on policy-and-legislation and war-and-conflicts.
