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A Nice Tailwind: The EU’s Goal Achievement at the IMO Initial Strategy

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  • Joseph Earsom

    (Institute of Political Science Louvain-Europe, University of Louvain (UCLouvain), Belgium)

  • Tom Delreux

    (Institute of Political Science Louvain-Europe, University of Louvain (UCLouvain), Belgium)

Abstract

In April 2018, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reached agreement on its Initial Strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping. The Initial Strategy was a success for the EU, as it achieved its long-term objective of reaching an international agreement on greening shipping. However, several factors call into question whether the “success” was the result of the role played by the EU. Using process-tracing, we provide insight into the factors and the mechanism that led the EU to achieve its objective with the Initial Strategy. The article finds that the EU’s goal achievement was the result of a mechanism triggered by (1) its overarching objective for action in the IMO on emissions in international shipping; (2) an entrepreneurial coalition partner; and (3) mounting momentum for action in the IMO. While the EU, including through its member states, played an important role in the negotiations, it only did so relatively late in the process, building on the successful work of the Shipping High Ambition Coalition. Based on this case study, we note implications not only for the proposed aspects of the European Green Deal related to greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, but also our understanding of the EU as an international (climate) actor.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph Earsom & Tom Delreux, 2021. "A Nice Tailwind: The EU’s Goal Achievement at the IMO Initial Strategy," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(3), pages 401-411.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:poango:v:9:y:2021:i:3:p:401-411
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aslak Brun, 2016. "Conference Diplomacy: The Making of the Paris Agreement," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 4(3), pages 115-123.
    2. Harilaos N. Psaraftis & Christos A. Kontovas, 2020. "Influence and transparency at the IMO: the name of the game," Maritime Economics & Logistics, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association of Maritime Economists (IAME), vol. 22(2), pages 151-172, June.
    3. Mary Dobbs & Viviane Gravey & Ludivine Petetin, 2021. "Driving the European Green Deal in Turbulent Times," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(3), pages 316-326.
    4. René Taudal Poulsen & Stefano Ponte & Judith van Leeuwen & Nishatabbas Rehmatulla, 2021. "The Potential and Limits of Environmental Disclosure Regulation: A Global Value Chain Perspective Applied to Tanker Shipping," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 21(2), pages 99-120, Spring.
    5. Lisanne Groen, 2019. "Explaining European Union effectiveness (goal achievement) in the Convention on Biological Diversity: the importance of diplomatic engagement," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 69-87, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Claire Dupont & Diarmuid Torney, 2021. "European Union Climate Governance and the European Green Deal in Turbulent Times," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(3), pages 312-315.
    2. Jennifer Baumann, 2023. "Shifting to Sustainable Shipping: Actors and Power Shifts in Shipping Emissions in the IMO," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-16, August.
    3. Jørgen Wettestad & Lars H. Gulbrandsen, 2022. "On the Process of Including Shipping in EU Emissions Trading: Multi-Level Reinforcement Revisited," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(1), pages 246-255.

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