Overview

• On August 12, Secretaries Rubio, Lutnick, Wright and Duffy issued a joint statement formally rejecting the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework as an unfair global carbon tax
• The administration argued the framework’s tiered per-ton fees and new fuel standards would raise energy and transportation costs for American consumers and bar U.S. LNG and biofuel options
• The IMO package cleared a simple-majority vote in April (63 in favour, 16 opposed) but now needs a two-thirds majority of ratifying states in October to be adopted
• Proposed fees start at $100 per ton of CO₂ above the lowest baseline and $380 for higher emission tiers, with the framework projected to generate about $40 billion by 2030 and cut shipping emissions by roughly 8% that year
• The United States withdrew from negotiations in April and cautioned member states that backing the framework could prompt retaliatory trade or regulatory measures