Bridging the Climate and Maritime Legal Regimes: The imo’s 2018 Climate Strategy as an Erga Omnes Obligation

Abstract Scholarship and practice before the European Court of Justice indicate that international organizations can unilaterally bind themselves under law. This article evaluates whether International Maritime Organization did so with its 2018 ‘Strategy’ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. After first identifying source imo ’s mandate regulate shipping treaty obligations do so, it finds has institutional competence itself respect function purpose regulating vessel-source pollution. It further imposed on an erga omnes obligation mitigate climate change in order meet Paris Agreement’s global warming limitation goals. The reflects implications these findings for law generally.