LONDON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- The International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on Friday to establish an intersessional working group on ship greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to address concerns over its net-zero emissions framework.
Nearly 100 delegations took the floor during the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84), held from April 27 to May 1 at the organization's headquarters in London, to present their views on the adoption of so-called "mid-term measures" to curb GHG emissions from ships, collectively referred to as the IMO Net-Zero Framework, with multiple proposals tabled on how to advance negotiations.
According to a press release of the meeting, two sessions of the intersessional working group are provisionally scheduled for Sept. 1-4 and Nov. 23-27, 2026, respectively. An expert workshop will also be held on "chain of custody" models, which track fuel origin and movement across the supply chain to ensure emissions are properly traced and verified.
The intersessional work will focus on addressing concerns related to the IMO Net-Zero Framework, while driving broader convergence on a global measure ahead of MEPC 85, scheduled from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 this year, the press release said.
Divergences remain among member states, particularly over whether to impose charges on ships exceeding emission limits. Some countries, including the United States, have explicitly opposed market-based measures such as so-called "carbon taxes."
The Second Extraordinary Session of the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee, which postponed the vote on the Net-Zero Framework by one year in October 2025, is scheduled to resume on Dec. 4 this year, subject to discussions at MEPC 85, according to the press release. ■