Washington: In a significant diplomatic move, the United States has threatened to impose visa restrictions and sanctions on United Nations member nations that vote in favor of a proposal by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the global shipping industry. This sector is responsible for about 3% of global emissions and manages around 80% of world trade.
The IMO's Net-Zero Framework seeks to establish a global regulatory structure to decarbonize international shipping. While large container carriers support such a framework, citing the need for coordinated action on climate change, many major oil tanker companies have expressed serious concerns.
In response, top U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, collectively condemned the proposal, claiming it could harm economic interests and impose an unapproved global tax regime. The U.S. is threatening retaliatory measures such as visa restrictions, sanctions on officials backing this climate plan, and potentially denying port access to ships from nations that vote for the proposal.
Supporters of the IMO plan argue that global regulation is essential to avoid fragmented national policies and effectively tackle emissions. The outcome of the upcoming UN vote will be closely watched, as it could have significant implications for international climate policy and global trade.