The United States has officially withdrawn its support for the proposed global carbon tax framework by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) during the 84th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 84). This decision, announced by US Department of State spokesperson Tommy Pigott, reflects the Trump administration's 'America First' foreign policy, which opposes the Net-Zero Framework (NZF) as a 'fundamentally flawed proposal'. The NZF aimed to impose a global carbon tax on consumers and shipping companies, which the US argued would adversely affect American interests.

In response to this withdrawal, the US has formed a coalition with Saudi Arabia, Liberia, Panama, and Argentina to advocate for alternative proposals. The IMO has agreed to establish a working group to examine these alternatives, which represent over 30% of global shipping tonnage. This shift indicates a weakening of support for the original NZF and a move towards what the US describes as 'pragmatic solutions' for global shipping emissions policy.

The IMO's Net-Zero Framework, part of its 2023 greenhouse gas strategy, was designed to align the maritime sector with long-term climate goals through binding measures to reduce emissions. It included a global fuel standard and a pricing mechanism to incentivize emissions reduction. However, the US's withdrawal signifies a significant setback for this climate initiative, which sought to unify carbon pricing in global shipping.