Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Accord is a blow to global ambitions to curb CO2 emissions – but the move is unlikely to impact the current IMO efforts underway to reduce the shipping sector's CO2 footprint, says Chairman Esben Poulsson of the International Chamber of Shipping, ICS.

And the association calls on the IMO to continue its work towards the goals set out so far, Poulsson tells ShippingWatch.

He adds that the withdrawal is also unlikely to create an imbalance between US-flagged carriers and other commercial fleets, as the US fleet trading internationally is "relatively small."

US President Donald Trump has in the first months since taking office rolled back virtually all of the policies introduced by his predecessor Barack Obama to ensure that the US meets its pledge of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent – to 28 percent below 2005 levels ahead of 2025.

The move to withdraw entirely from the Paris Accord was met with renewed pledges by, among others, the European Union and China to pres forward with the work to cut back CO2 emissions.

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