By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas may abstain from voting on the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) proposed Net Zero Framework amid threats of retaliation from the United States.

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said the government has already written to the IMO requesting that the vote be postponed, warning that if it goes ahead, The Bahamas will likely withhold support.

His comments follow a warning from the Trump administration, issued through the US Department of State, outlining five measures it plans to take against countries that vote in favour of the Net Zero Framework. Washington has described the plan as one that places “unduly or unfairly burdens” on the United States and its citizens, arguing it would harm American shipping and commercial interests by imposing stricter emissions standards.

The Bahamas, one of the world’s largest ship registries and a long-standing member of the IMO, wields influence in global maritime regulation.

The IMO’s Net Zero Framework seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Supporters view the plan as critical to global climate goals, while opponents, led by US conservatives, argue that it could drive up shipping costs and disadvantage maritime economies reliant on fossil fuel transport.