Long-planned charge on greenhouse gas emissions postponed as Trump officials accused of intimidation tactics
Under intense pressure from Donald Trump’s government, countries have postponed plans to force shipowners to start paying for the damage they do to the climate.
US officials were accused of “bullying” and “intimidation”, as nations met in London for what should have been the rubber-stamping of a decision made months ago to place a small levy on the greenhouse gases from global shipping.
Instead, after four days of intense wrangling, the US efforts appeared to pay off in a decisive vote late on Friday afternoon at the International Maritime Organisation headquarters in London.
A majority of countries present voted to put the plans for an emissions pricing mechanism on hold for a year. While this means the measure survives, and could still be imposed, it also gives the US and its allies – including Russia, Saudi Arabia and other petrostates – an opportunity to step up their pressure on other countries to ditch the charge.
