The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 79) of the International Maritime organization (IMO) has made progress towards revising the Initial IMO GHG Strategy, working towards adopting a strengthened revised Strategy in mid-2023 at MEPC 80.

"I note and welcome the progress made on these matters. It cannot be stressed enough how crucial it is that we keep the momentum and deliver an ambitious and fair, revised IMO GHG Strategy at MEPC 80 next year," said IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, at the close of the MEPC 79 session, which met 12-16 December at IMO Headquarters in London. 

"We cannot take our foot off the accelerator, at this moment in time, the cooperation and dialogue that is the trademark of IMO, and not least this Committee, will be more important than ever in delivering on what is expected of us to address climate change, but also biodiversity loss and marine pollution," said Mr. Lim.

The work on revising the IMO GHG Strategy took place in an intersessional group, (ISWG-GHG 13), which met 5-9 December 2022, and in the Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships, which met during the MEPC 79 session. 

The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to: adopt a revised IMO GHG Strategy, in all its elements including with a strengthened level of ambition by MEPC 80; continue its work on identifying the candidate GHG reduction measures to be developed in priority as part of a basket of measures consisting of both technical and economic elements by MEPC 80 in accordance with the Work plan; and undertake a comprehensive impact assessment of the basket of candidate measures ahead of their adoption in accordance with the Work plan and the revised Procedure for assessing impacts on States.

MEPC 80 (3-7 July 2023) is expected to adopt the revised IMO Strategy for Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.

Source：IMO