China has urged poorer countries to oppose a levy on shipping emissions and stronger targets for decarbonising one of the world’s most polluting industries, criticising wealthy nations for setting “unrealistic” goals with “significant” financial costs.Beijing distributed a “diplomatic note” to developing nations as they prepared for a critical meeting at the UN’s International Maritime Organization in July, according to four people present at IMO discussions. The lobbying effort comes days after France rallied 22 allies behind a shipping emissions levy.
China warned that “an overly ambitious emission reduction target will seriously impede the sustainable development of international shipping, significantly increase the cost of the supply chain and will adversely impede the recovery of the global economy”, according to a document seen by the Financial Times.
It added: “Developed countries are pushing the IMO to reach unrealistic visions and levels of ambition. [They are advocating] a flat [levy that] will lead to a significant increase in maritime transport costs.” Wealthy nations have not agreed a price for the emissions levy.