IMO Net-Zero Framework: MEPC 84 Advances Negotiations Amid Political Headwinds
Two intersessional meetings have also been scheduled, September 1 – 4 and November 23 – 27, ahead of MEPC 85, which are designed to track fuel origin and movement across the supply chain to ensure that emissions are properly traced and verified. The second extraordinary session of the MEPC is scheduled to resume on December 4, 2026, immediately following MEPC 85. Whether the NZF proceeds as-is is subject to discussions at the intersessional meetings and MEPC 85.
JEANNE M. GRASSO Partner
HOLLI B. PACKER Associate
The International Maritime Organization’ s(“ IMO”) Marine Environmental Protection Committee(“ MEPC”) held its 84th session(“ MEPC 84”) in London from April 27 to May 1, 2026. The session concluded with a commitment to rebuild consensus on global shipping emissions and proposed IMO Net-Zero Framework(“ NZF”), even as the framework faced significant political opposition from the United States and several other Member States.
Background: The IMO Net-Zero Framework The NZF is the centerpiece of the IMO’ s mediumterm greenhouse gas(“ GHG”) reduction measure, which is intended to be formalized as a new Chapter 5 of MARPOL Annex VI. Its primary objective is to achieve net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050. The NZF was presented for adoption in October 2025, but the extraordinary session of the MEPC held that month was adjourned without action following significant opposition from several Member States. The IMO was then scheduled to reconvene in April 2026, at MEPC 84, to allow additional time for Member States to build consensus.
MEPC 84 Outcomes Despite sustained pressure leading up to MEPC 84, the NZF ultimately survived the session unchanged. The MEPC agreed to establish an intersessional Working Group to resolve outstanding concerns on the NZF ahead of MEPC 85, which is scheduled to take place from November 30 to December 3, 2026. Notably, Member States will be permitted to submit new amendments and adjustments to the NZF draft that was previously approved.
Opposition: A Call to End the NZF Entirely or to Find a Solution MEPC 84 took place against the backdrop of a forceful submission from the United States in opposition to the NZF, filed on March 16, 2026, calling on the IMO to end consideration of the NZF entirely. The United States argued that the current NZF proposal would promote expensive and unavailable fuels while undermining the reliability of existing fleets and global trade.
The United States argued that the current NZF proposal would promote expensive and unavailable fuels while undermining the reliability of existing fleets and global trade.
Rather than the NZF, the United States called for an energy-all approach that does not restrict any fuel type, arguing that proposals should not limit conventional crude or diesel, liquefied natural gas, nuclear, biomass-based fuels, or any other type of marine propulsion technology. The United States also argued that regulations should avoid mandates and ensure the reliability of the existing fleet to prevent disruption to global trade.
The latest move follows early U. S. intervention at IMO talks in 2025, when a U. S.-led group pushed to delay adoption of the NZF and the Trump administration threatened retaliatory measures against countries supporting the proposal.
The United States was not alone in its opposition. A coalition of oil-producing nations( including Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Russia, Somalia, and
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