Politization and Geopolitics in the IMO

As the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has expanded its mandate over time to adress emisions issues in shipping, it has attracted increasing scrutiny, particularly due to the growing politicization of climate governance. At the same time, the broader geopolitical environment has become more challenging for institutions of global governance. This research examines the actors and policymaking processes within the IMO over time to analyze how the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions has reshaped the work of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and contributed to heightened politicization within the organization. It further focuses on the collapse of the Net Zero Framework, which was approved at MEPC 83 in April 2025 but subsequently adjourned for one year at an extraordinary session held only six months later. The study argues that shifting geopolitical dynamics have altered the policymaking process not only through climate-related disagreements, but also by reshaping coalition alignments and challenging established norms of diplomatic negotiation within what has traditionally been a technical organization. The data is sourced from ethnographic research, interviews and supplemented with other reporting by primary and secondary sources.