Trump Administration Slams UN Climate Framework as a Carbon Tax

The Trump administration on Tuesday rejected a draft framework agreed to by the UN to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, panning the regulations as a “global carbon tax.”

“Whatever its stated goals, the proposed framework is effectively a global carbon tax on Americans levied by an unaccountable UN organization,” a joint statement from the State Department and the Departments of Commerce, Energy, and Transportation read. “These fuel standards would conveniently benefit China by requiring the use of expensive fuels unavailable at global scale.”

The International Maritime Organization, a UN agency tasked with ensuring the safety of the shipping industry and preventing shipping pollution, in April approved net zero regulations for global shipping. Under the framework, ships would be required to comply with a fuel standard to reduce their greenhouse fuel intensity. The regulations would also create a fund to collect money from emitting ships.

• The revenue would then be distributed to low-emitting ships, and to research to help vulnerable nations impacted by climate change.
• The statement from the US comes as members of the IMO are poised to consider formal adoption of the framework in October. The Trump administration argued the drafted rules would penalize American companies for failing to adhere to unattainable emissions standards.
• “The Trump Administration unequivocally rejects this proposal before the IMO and will not tolerate any action that increases costs for our citizens, energy providers, shipping companies and their customers, or tourists,” it concluded.