IMO Secretary-General Opens 2nd Session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee

Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez delivered opening remarks at IMO headquarters in London, as the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meets to discuss the adoption of global regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping (October 14-17).

Full text below of the speech delivered on Tuesday, October 14, 2025:

"Good morning distinguished delegates, welcome to this second Extra-ordinary session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee.

You are all well aware of the special importance of this week to the work of IMO.

As per the usual practice in this Organization, you have been intensely debating and carefully listening to each other’s proposals on how to best translate the strategic objectives of the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy into binding regulations for quite a number of sessions. This process has been inclusive and thorough.

Priorities and concerns have been duly considered in the final design of the IMO Net-Zero Framework, which was approved at your last session.

I am aware that some of you may find the outcome not climate ambitious enough, and would have liked to see steeper reduction curves to effectively contribute to reducing global warming. Others, believe that the GFI reduction requirements are overly stringent and