Seven young climate activists from countries disproportionately impacted by climate change will join Pacific Environment in London to advocate for zero-emission maritime shipping, including a global levy, at the United Nations International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting September 30 to October 4. Activists will be available for interviews throughout the week.
The activists will be the first climate youth voices to participate in any IMO talks and are bringing a specific message to the 175 participatory nations: the IMO’s decisions on climate action directly impacts human lives and livelihoods.
A panel discussion facilitated by Pacific Environment at 1:00PM BST on Oct. 4 at the IMO London Headquarters (4 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7SR, UK) will allow the advocates to share the hopes and challenges of local communities experiencing shipping’s climate impacts.
With millions of people currently suffering the impacts of climate change, caused in no small part by the fossil-fueled shipping industry, the youth delegation’s presence will bring the lived experiences of people on the frontlines to the rooms of the IMO and speak for those whose future will be shaped by the IMO decisions.
The activists are:
Abigael Kima, Kenya
Marcelo Rocha, Brazil
Nicole Morson, Dominica
Olumide Idowu, Nigeria
Shania Scotland, Dominica
Teresa Lifuka-Drecala, Tuvalu
The young advocates echo the concerns and the call to action from the frontline nations experiencing the impacts of climate change in proposing a levy of $150/ton of greenhouse gases. A carbon levy is necessary to achieve the IMO’s commitment to decarbonize global shipping by 2050 in an equitable way. The IMO is currently in discussions to create some form of emission pricing by April 2025, and the upcoming talks will consider important details of this policy.
The message is clear: Governments need to do their job to adopt a meaningful levy of at least $150 that accounts for the challenges people and the planet are up against and enable financial structures that help low-income countries to adapt, transition and build resilience against the climate crisis in shipping and beyond.
James Gamble, Senior Director of Pacific Environment’s Arctic Program:
“It’s vitally important that the IMO hears from communities experiencing the impacts of climate change. Pacific Environment is proud to partner with these climate activists and share their stories and their calls for action. It’s time that shipping companies pay their fair share for the climate impacts of their unfettered pollution.”
Source: Pacific Environment