Posted on April, 11 2025

(LONDON, United Kingdom) 11 April 2025: Negotiations at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) concluded today with a first-of-its-kind deal aimed at putting the shipping sector on track to reach net zero by 2050. But the measures to meet this target fall short of what is needed to drive rapid emissions reductions.

The Paris climate agreement did not include mechanisms to control emissions from shipping – so this deal was aimed at bringing the sector in line with global climate goals, with the added regulatory powers of the IMO that can ensure targets are met. As shipping contributes 3% of global emissions – more than most individual countries – this outcome has the potential to have a significant impact on emissions and sets a precedent for other sectors.

However, the short to mid-term emission reduction targets and measures agreed do not provide confidence that they will deliver the pace of action and finance needed to align the sector with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5^oC, or meet the IMO’s own agreed emissions' reduction goals, according to WWF. 

Mark Lutes, WWF Senior Advisor, Global Climate Policy, said: “This is a groundbreaking moment for the shipping industry, which should signal a turning of the tide on greenhouse gases from global shipping. This is the first international agreement that puts an entire sector on a mandatory reduction pathway towards net zero. However, key aspects of this agreement fall short of what is needed and risk blowing the transition off course. To be confident of meeting the net zero by 2050 target, countries and the shipping industry will need to take full advantage of the incentives and signals in this deal to drive down emissions faster and direct the necessary finance for sustainable zero and near zero emission fuels and energy sources.” 

In addition to the greenhouse gas aspects of the agreement, there were also significant measures agreed to reduce harm to the marine environment, including establishing a new North East Atlantic Emission Control Area. This development represents an important step in reducing air pollution from ships and safeguarding both Arctic and North Atlantic ecosystems. 

In a further positive step, MEPC 83 also provisionally approved Peru’s proposals to designate the Nasca Ridge National Reserve and the Grau Tropical Sea National Reserve as Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs), which should help usher in new protective measures for the seascape.

Countries also brought new knowledge on tackling underwater noise from shipping–including a joint submission from Canada and WWF–and momentum is growing to address the risks posed by exhaust gas cleaning systems, or ‘scrubbers.’ New evidence presented this week highlighted the harmful impacts of scrubber discharges on human health and marine ecosystems, adding to mounting concerns about their widespread use. However, negotiations on the Carbon Intensity Indicator fell short of expectations, and missed the opportunity to deliver stronger measures to drive energy efficiency in the near term.

Sam Davin, WWF Head of Delegation at IMO MEPC 83, Senior Specialist, Marine Shipping and Conservation at  WWF-Canada, said: “This week’s deal on ship efficiency falls short of what’s needed to tackle the dual climate and biodiversity crises. This is a blow to climate-vulnerable communities and species, including in the Arctic, who simply cannot endure more delay. More efficient ships burn less fuel, produce less underwater noise, and can lower the risk of whale strikes. And while the targets agreed this week will bring some positive impact for marine protection, the reality is they remain far too modest — and time is running out. This weak outcome on energy efficiency now places even more pressure on IMO’s mid-term measures to deliver the emissions reductions needed to reach net-zero by or before 2050.”

Ends

CONTACT:

Robin Harvey rharvey@wwfint.org 
Or news@wwfint.org