The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, will represent the organization at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22, 2024. This annual event will bring together world leaders and around 40,000 delegates from governments, civil society, and the private sector to address climate change.
The maritime sector, under the 2023 IMO Strategy, has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. At COP 29, Dominguez will present the latest updates on this strategy and ongoing discussions about binding economic and technical measures aimed at decarbonizing shipping.
Dominguez’s participation underscores the importance of collaboration with the energy and financial sectors, as well as cargo owners, highlighting shipping’s critical role in global trade and the energy transition.
Ahead of COP 29, the IMO submitted a report to the UNFCCC’s SBSTA 61 outlining progress in maritime climate action. This report references the September/October 2024 outcomes from the 82nd session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 82). Key discussions included proposed mid-term measures like a global GHG emissions pricing system and a marine fuel standard, resulting in a draft legal text titled the “IMO Net-Zero Framework.” The goal is to adopt these measures by 2025 and implement them by 2027.
At COP28 in Dubai, notable advancements included new green shipping corridors and the formation of the Zero Emission Port Alliance (ZEPA), aimed at cutting emissions from port equipment. Over 30 leaders committed to promoting renewable hydrogen-based fuels to advance decarbonization.
The conferences underscore a key theme: the need for cross-sectoral collaboration to tackle transport decarbonization and achieve wider sustainability goals.