BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — Belize has assumed a leadership role on behalf of a block of Caribbean countries that are members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), ensuring the region’s unified voice is heard in the ongoing negotiations on maritime climate regulation.

“This leadership is made possible through the Caribbean Shipping Lanes Project, housed at the Shridath Ramphal Centre of the University of the West Indies, with support from the United Nations Foundation,” the Belize Port Authority (BPA) said in a statement.

The BPA said that it recently participated in two critical international climate meetings convened by the IMO, namely, the 19th Session of the Intercessional Working Group on the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 19) and the 83rd Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) that were held in the United Kingdom.

The statement said that Belize has assumed a leadership role on behalf of a block of Caribbean IMO member states and that the country’s active participation in IMO negotiations reinforces its national commitment to sustainable maritime governance and its strategic interest in addressing the global climate crisis.

As the United Nations’ specialised agency for international shipping, the IMO adopted a Revised Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Strategy in July 2023. This strategy outlines more ambitious targets for reducing emissions from international shipping, intending to reach net-zero emissions around 2050.

The BPA said that the negotiations underway focus on implementing a “basket of candidate mid-term GHG measures” that include a technical measure focusing on a Global Fuel Intensity Standard, which would require ships to progressively shift toward low and zero-carbon fuels, as well as an economic measure with a potential global GHG pricing mechanism, such as a levy or emissions trading scheme, which would assign a cost to carbon emissions from ships.

“These measures are expected to have far-reaching implications for global shipping, trade and port operations, making it crucial for countries like Belize to voice our concerns. The Belize delegation continues to engage in bilateral meetings with key international partners to advocate for the needs of small island developing states (SIDS) and least developed countries (LDCs), ensuring that the realities of our region are not overlooked,” the BPA said.

It said Belize’s presence at these sessions “underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring that our national interests and those of the wider Caribbean region are actively represented and defended in international climate policymaking”.

“As the maritime sector transitions toward decarbonisation, Belize will continue to play a proactive role in shaping equitable policies that support sustainable development and safeguard the livelihoods of our people,” the BPA statement added.