HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Friday described the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) decision to postpone a vote on cutting maritime emissions as a "missed opportunity."

"It's a missed opportunity for member states to place the shipping sector on a clear and credible path towards net-zero emissions," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, adding that the "shipping sector, central to our global economy, is responsible for about 3% of global emissions."

"So, the decarbonization of that sector is critical," he noted.

When asked about reports that US President Donald Trump threatened sanctions against countries supporting goals for net-zero emissions, Dujarric said, "We've seen reports, this decision to postpone, not to take action, it's not the end of the road, but obviously, the ball has been kicked down the field, quite a bit."

He noted that the outcome reflects "a decision by member states after deliberations."

After the Trump administration's lobbying efforts to persuade nations to oppose the initiative, the IMO, a UN body that sets global maritime transport regulations, postponed its Friday vote on a Net-Zero Framework (NZF) — a policy that would impose an international levy on shipping emissions to reduce carbon output.

The carbon tax is designed to help address the issue of excessive carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming and pose a threat to human life on Earth.