“We want to ensure the International Maritime Organization is in alignment with principles of international environmental law, and advances a just and equitable transition in the decarbonization of international shipping.”
That's the message from Maria Sahib, Co-Director of the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST), as Pacific nations prepare key submissions to the International Maritime Organization this week.
Sahib says the Pacific is drawing strength from recent international court rulings that clearly state greenhouse gas emissions are pollution under international law.
“6PAC+ nations have a series of submissions that are being finalised with our scientific and legal experts to make sure that our countries, which bear the brunt of climate impacts, are not left behind in maritime transition by developed nations.”
The International Maritime Organization headquarters in London, where Pacific nations will be gearing up for negotiations later this month. Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport
The 6PAC+ alliance includes Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
The submissions are due this Friday, 5 September, ahead of decisive negotiations in October. At that meeting in London, IMO member states will be asked to adopt the much-anticipated Net Zero Framework, a package of measures to slash emissions from global shipping — one of the world's biggest polluting sectors.
At stake is whether the Net Zero Framework sets a genuine pathway for shipping to align with the Paris Agreement's 1.5 degree target — and whether the revenues from a new Net Zero Fund will be governed in ways that deliver for SIDS and Least Developed Countries, not just for richer economies.
The Secretary-General of the IMO, Arsenio Domínguez, reinforced the Pacific's importance when he visited Suva last month to open the organization's first ever Regional Presence Office in the Pacific. Speaking at the inauguration, he told delegates:
“The Pacific may be distant from London, but your commitment is clear. This office reflects IMO's commitment to working with you.”
After Friday's deadline, countries have until 12 September to co-sponsor submissions. From there, the proposals will be compiled for discussion at the intersessional working group later next month, before a full report is tabled at the next Marine Environment Protection Committee in early 2026.
What is MCST?
The Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST) is an RMI government-owned center of excellence providing high level technical advice to RMI and other Pacific Island countries on matters of greenhouse gases (GHG) reductions from international shipping. MCST are knowledge partners with international institutes across the globe.
What is the IMO?
The IMO is a United Nations agency responsible for regulating international shipping. Shipping makes up nearly 3% (1.2 to 1.3 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent) of global GHG emissions. If shipping were a country, it would be the sixth biggest emitter in the world.
While sectors like aviation and energy have started reducing their climate impact, shipping remains largely unregulated in terms of GHG emissions.
What is Just and Equitable Transition (JET)
A Just and Equitable Transition must ensure the clean shipping transition includes the most vulnerable and leaves no one behind. It demands targeted investment, technological inclusivity, and procedural fairness – enabling Small Island Developing State (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDC) to lead and thrive, not just survive.
What is 6PAC+ and ACP+?
6PAC+ is an alliance of frontline climate states pushing for climate justice in international shipping. It began with six Pacific Island countries (Kiribati, Fiji, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu) and now includes more Pacific nations (Nauru, Palau, and Vanuatu) and allies across Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Due to the alliance growing, often the term ACP+ is used.
Origins of 6PAC
This Pacific-led movement started over a decade ago with Tony de Brum, the late Foreign Minister of the RMI. In 2015, he stood before the IMO and called on it to align with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C climate goal.
Since then, Pacific countries have built alliances, commissioned research, and stayed in the fight to reduce shipping emissions — a fight that is now gaining global momentum.
Source: 6PAC+