IMO Member States Advance Work on Net Zero Framework Despite Delay in Formal Adoption

As the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 20) concluded its session in London this week, the Clean Shipping Coalition (CSC) commended International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states for maintaining momentum on the Net Zero Framework (NZF), despite the decision last week to delay its formal adoption by one year.

Constructive Progress Amid Delay

“While last week’s IMO decision to delay its Net Zero Framework was unwelcome, let’s be clear — this is just a postponement and not the end of the NZF,” said Delaine McCullough, President of the Clean Shipping Coalition. “During this week’s ISWG meeting, IMO member states have constructively engaged in preparing the guidelines that will be necessary once the NZF is adopted. This indicates broad support for the NZF and that progress can still be made on preparing for implementation.”

The Net Zero Framework forms part of the IMO’s broader GHG Strategy, aimed at reducing emissions from international shipping. The NZF includes two key mechanisms — a Global Fuel Standard (GFS), which would progressively limit the GHG intensity of marine fuels, and a pricing mechanism for greenhouse gas emissions to incentivize adoption of low-carbon fuels and technologies.

Opportunities for Interim Action

According to John Maggs, CSC Representative at the IMO, the delay does not prevent member states from taking immediate steps.
“IMO member states also don’t have to wait a year for the NZF to tackle shipping’s contribution to the climate crisis,” he said. “At the IMO’s MEPC 84 meeting in April 2026, they will get a chance to slash GHG emissions and the cost of the energy transition by strengthening the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), the IMO’s cornerstone energy efficiency measure. By transforming the CII into an energy efficiency powerhouse, the IMO and its member states can quickly get shipping climate action back on course.”

Focus on Implementation Guidelines

Dr Alison Shaw, IMO Manager at Transport & Environment, emphasised that the week’s negotiations were productive despite uncertainty over the framework’s adoption timeline.
“While adoption of the IMO Net-Zero Framework was paused last week, negotiations this week advanced on the implementation guidelines nonetheless,” Shaw said. “The framework’s success will hinge on strong, coherent guidance that both incentivizes long-term green e-fuel production and use, and safeguards against unsustainable fuels with uncaptured environmental impacts.”

She noted that many member states acknowledged the need for robust standards and environmental safeguards, although uncertainty about the timing of adoption remained a backdrop to discussions.

Broader Considerations of Environmental and Social Impacts

Andrew Dumbrille, Co-Founder and Director of Equal Routes, highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to sustainability.
“This week’s meeting signaled that IMO member states will inevitably need to account more comprehensively for not only potential environmental harms but also human, health, social, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and community well-being across the full well-to-wake marine fuels energy pathway,” he said. “Despite the implementation delay of the IMO’s GHG framework, work continues in earnest to create a just and equitable path for the shipping sector to meet its 2050 net zero ambitions.”

Wind Propulsion and Emerging Technologies

Anaïs Rios, Senior Shipping Policy Officer at Seas At Risk, noted renewed attention to wind propulsion technologies during the IMO discussions.
“Wind propulsion is back in the spotlight at the IMO this week, with countries voicing support and industry data strengthening the case,” Rios said. “The Net Zero Framework may be delayed but the work hasn’t stopped, and when adoption comes next year, implementation can be quick. Governments must now ensure that these guidelines enable a global scale-up of wind propulsion — one of the few solutions that cuts fuel bills, slashes emissions, and keeps shipping competitive. The technology is here; now the rules need to catch up.”

Building Consensus on Clear and Science-Based Guidelines

Jenny Helle, Expert on Decarbonisation of Aviation and Shipping at Carbon Market Watch, stressed the need for continued ambition in maritime climate policy.
“The global shift toward cleaner shipping fuels and technologies is already happening,” Helle said. “Scaling back ambition at this critical moment would risk slowing the momentum needed to achieve meaningful progress in maritime decarbonisation. This week, the IMO member states have shown support for the development of clear, enforceable, and science-based guidelines, robust life-cycle emissions accounting, a reward scheme for clean fuels and technologies, as well as revenue distribution to support the transition in small island developing states and least developed countries.”

Outlook

Despite the postponement of the Net Zero Framework’s formal adoption, this week’s discussions demonstrated continued cooperation among IMO member states. The ongoing technical and policy work on fuel standards, carbon pricing, and energy efficiency measures signals sustained international engagement toward aligning the shipping sector with global climate objectives.