The United States won its last-ditch effort to block an international carbon tax on the shipping industry, delaying a vote on the proposal by one full year. [emphasis, links added]
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz confirmed Friday morning that the Trump administration forced the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to delay voting on whether to adopt the measure, also known as the net-zero framework.
“Huge push by @SecRubio and the State Dept team,” Waltz said in a post to X.
“Strong diplomacy that put American business and consumers first WON THE DAY over an ideological carbon tax from the UN and EU,” he continued.
The motion to delay the vote on the measure was reportedly put forward by Singapore on Friday and called to a vote by Saudi Arabia, which was aligned with the Trump administration in its efforts to block the framework.
Fifty-seven countries voted in favor of delaying the adoption vote, and 49 voted against. There were 21 abstentions.
Delaying the vote comes as a shock, as many member states of the IMO, a London-based specialized agency within the U.N., were confident there were enough votes to adopt the measure as international maritime law.
Earlier in the week, the IMO also confirmed to the Washington Examiner that a drafting group has been established to prepare the final text of the revised MARPOL Annex VI 2025, regulations within the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, that would include the framework.
The Trump administration has attempted to block the adoption of the international carbon tax for months, with President Donald Trump escalating pressure Thursday afternoon.
“I am outraged that the International Maritime Organization is voting in London this week to pass a global Carbon Tax,” Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social.
“The United States will NOT stand for this Global Green New Scam Tax on Shipping, and will not adhere to it in any way, shape, or form.”
The net-zero framework needed a two-thirds majority vote in favor to pass as an amendment to the maritime treaty.
Members of the IMO initially voted to approve the framework and carbon tax in April, agreeing to charge shipping companies for greenhouse gas emissions released by their vessels if they exceed a certain threshold.
Read rest at Washington Examiner
