UN’s stealth carbon tax on shipping: A direct hit to American wallets
04/03/2025 / By Willow Tohi
The IMO (a UN body) plans to impose a carbon tax of 19 to 150 per ton of CO2 emissions from shipping fuel, which could double fuel costs for cargo ships — raising prices for consumers on essentials like food, fuel and clothing.
As the world’s largest importer, the U.S. would bear the heaviest burden, worsening inflation and hitting working-class families hardest.
The 2023 IMO GHG Strategy, backed by the Biden administration, aims for “net-zero” shipping by 2050. The Trump administration must block it by withdrawing support, refusing enforcement and requiring Senate approval for any UN tax.
The EU may pivot to cap-and-trade instead, while China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia oppose the tax, citing higher consumer costs. China has threatened to leave the IMO if the tax passes.
The tax reflects a pattern of UN climate policies (e.g., Kyoto, Paris Accords) harming economic growth. Critics argue it’s about control, not climate, and would set a dangerous precedent for UN overreach without congressional input.
https://www.pollution.news/2025-04-03-un-stealth-carbon-tax-shipping-hit-american-wallets.html
