Shipping group backs carbon tax plan

Forum debates how to help poor nations fight climate change

Adapted from an Associated Press article by Arthur Max

DURBAN, South Africa--International climate negotiators were at odds Tuesday on how to raise billion of dollars to help poor countries cope wih global warming. A major shipping group is willing to help, endorsing a proposal for a carbon tax on vessels carrying the world's trade.

Putting the final touches on what's known as the Green Climate Fund is a top issue at the 192-party U.N. climate conference that was in its second day Tuesday, and one of the keys of a strategy to contain greenhouse gas emissions and keep global warming within manageable limits.

The two-week conference is to finalize a plan on managing climate finances, due to scale up to $100 billion annually by 2020.

The International Chamber or Shipping, representing about 80 percent of the world's merchant marine, teamed with aid groups Oxfam and WWF International to urge the conference to adopt guidelines for a levy on carbon emissions by ships.

Details of any levy would be worked out by the International Maritime Organization, the U.N. agency regulating international shipping, the aid groups and the chamber said in a joint statement.

About 50,000 cargo ships carry 90 percent of world trade, and most ships are powered by heavily polluting oil. In July, the U.N. maritime organization decided that new cargo vessels must meet energy efficient standards and cut pollution.