Transcript
The Marshall Islands is home to the world's second biggest ship registry, and it has been at the forefront of efforts to lobby for carbon emissions reductions in the industry.
Its Environment minister David Paul says the decision is historic for island states vulnerable to climate change.
"So I am extremely proud that the Marshall Islands and all of the other vulnerable island countries, or other vulnerable countries of the world - they they can feel a lot safer then they were yesterday because of the deal that was done."
David Paul says while there is a lot of work to be done, his country will carry a lot of momentum from the decision.
"I think the momentum that we carry from these discussions and these meetings today are going to be far more instrumental and be able to give us as guides as we move forward, as we continue to raise ambition [and] targets to de-carbonise the entire global economy by 2050."
Earlier, the Pacific nations had been pushing for their IMO's commitment to a reduction target of 70-100 percent.
Vanuatu's representative at the IMO meeting, Laurent Parenté, says while his country supports the agreement, he hoped it would go further.
"The strategy that we have come up with is obviously not to the satisfaction of many of us, but it's the best we could do and it is therefore what this delegation will support as the initial strategy that will, no doubt evolve to what's higher ambitions in the very near future."
A scientific and technical advisor at the University of the South Pacific, Peter Nuttall, says island nations need to be proactive in promoting changes in shipping.
"This is the initial strategy, the final strategy isn't due until 2023. And the debate becomes increasingly technical. What technologies, what instruments, what market-based measures, operational measures, technology, you know new-build. So it's going to be very difficult, but the Pacific must maintain a consolidated participation throughout the process over the next five years."
Dr Nuttall says the Pacific can take a leading in role in the modernisation of global shipping.
"What is undeniable about that agreement that was reached last week is that there is about to be a revolution in shipping. We saw this revolution happen when sails changed to coal. We saw it again when coal changed to oil. We've seen it with the change in LNG and with nuclear power."
He says this is the opportunity for the Pacific to re-equip the shipping fleet with modern vessels that are appropriate to our small island conditions.
