John Kerry, US President Joe Biden's chief envoy on climate matters, is set to pledge support for the International Maritime Organization’s moves to decarbonise shipping.
IMO diplomatic sources told TradeWinds that Kerry will signal US support for international shipping emissions regulation in a keynote speech to be delivered on 20 April at an event hosted by the Friends of the Ocean and Climate.
The IMO has set the goal of achieving a 30% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, and halving shipping emissions by 2050, relative to 2008 levels.
The event, called “How ocean-based solutions contribute to net zero”, is sponsored by the United Nations Foundation.
Kerry's speech will come two days before Biden hosts 40 world leaders under his virtual Leader’s Summit on Climate.
“Speakers will demonstrate their commitment to ambitious ocean climate action and highlight how they are leveraging ocean-based solutions—including scaling up offshore renewable energy, reducing emissions from shipping, and protecting and restoring blue carbon ecosystems—to help eliminate carbon pollution,” said Friends of the Ocean and Climate.
The speech also comes shortly after Kerry recently struck a landmark deal with China to cooperate on climate change.
Although the details of Kerry’s upcoming speech have not been released, IMO diplomatic sources told TradeWinds they expect a major shift in US policy toward the regulator's decarbonisation programme.
Under former president Donald Trump’s administration, the US delegation to the IMO showed little interest in contributing toward developing regulation to dramatically reduce shipping emissions.
However, the US is a hugely influential member of the IMO. Governments that have been progressive on decarbonisation are hoping that the positive participation of the US will now help to speed up decision-making.
