The physical and regulatory effects of climate change and a global transition to a low carbon economy could have a negative impact on our operations and could require adapting our fleet and business to potential changes in governmental requirements, customer preferences and our customer base, and could also require engaging with existing and potential customers and suppliers to develop or implement solutions designed to reduce or to decarbonize oil and gas operations or to advance renewable and other alternative energy sources. Scientific studies have suggested that emissions of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, may be contributing to warming of the earth's atmosphere and other climatic changes. In response to such studies, the issue of climate change and the effect of greenhouse gas emissions, in particular emissions from fossil fuels, is attracting increasing attention worldwide; and there are a number of political and technological initiatives aimed at reducing the use of hydrocarbons.
We are aware of the increasing focus of local, state, regional, national and international regulatory bodies on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change issues. For example, legislation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and reporting obligations with respect thereto have periodically been introduced in the U.S. Congress or proposed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and such legislation and reporting obligations may be proposed or adopted in the future. On March 6, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission adopted final rules that will require a registrant to disclose, among other things: material climate-related risks; activities to mitigate or adapt to such risks; information about the registrant's board of directors' oversight of climate-related risks and management's role in managing material climate-related risks; and information on any climate-related targets or goals that are material to the registrant's business, results of operations, or financial condition. However, the SEC voluntarily stayed implementation of the final rules pending completion of judicial review; and we cannot predict whether the Trump Administration may seek to overturn the final rules.
Additionally, the United States has been a member of the "Paris Agreement" that requires member countries to review and "represent a progression" in their intended nationally determined greenhouse gas contributions, which set many new goals, including greenhouse gas emission reduction goals every five years, with the next review occurring in 2025; however, on January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing (i) submittal of a formal notification of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and (ii) the U.S. to consider withdrawal from such agreement and obligations thereunder to be effective immediately. In December 2023, the international community, including over 190 governments, gathered in Dubai at COP28 and announced a new climate deal that calls on countries to ratchet up action on climate, including actions towards tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency improvements at a global level, before 2030 and ultimately to reduce carbon emissions and transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems to achieve "net zero" by 2050. More recently, however, on January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an executive order that initiated the process to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, mandated ending the United States' financial commitments under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and revoked the U.S. International Climate Finance Plan. In addition to the executive order mentioned above, as of January 25, 2025, the Trump Administration had issued a series of executive orders that signal a shift in the United States' energy and climate change policies. Among other directives, such executive orders: (i) direct federal agencies to identify and exercise emergency authorities to facilitate conventional energy production, transportation and refining, and call for the use of emergency regulations to expedite energy infrastructure projects; (ii) promote energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters; (iii) mandate a review of existing regulations that may burden domestic energy development; and (iv) pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the "Inflation Reduction Act") and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It is not possible to predict the impact of the Trump Administration on these climate and energy initiatives at this time. While the Trump Administration may seek to reverse some or all of the initiatives advanced by the Biden Administration, it is unknown whether such reversals will ultimately be successful, and these or additional changes in the future could impact our business and operations, and those of our customers.
With respect to the shipping and offshore drilling industries, in particular, governing bodies have, from time to time, put in place regulatory frameworks and measures, and may in the future propose and adopt others, that materially burden, limit or prohibit shipping or offshore drilling operations in certain areas. For example, a number of countries, the EU and the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (the "IMO") have adopted, or are considering the adoption of, regulatory frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the shipping industry, such as requiring ships (including rigs and drillships) to comply with IMO and EU regulations relating to the collection and reporting of data relating to greenhouse gas emissions. In April 2018, the IMO adopted an initial strategy to, among other things, reduce the 2008 level of greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping industry by 50% by the year 2050. In July 2023, the IMO adopted a revised strategy that (i) includes as a goal attaining net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by or around 2050, (ii) promotes the uptake of alternative zero and near-zero greenhouse gas emissions technologies, fuels and/or energy sources by 2030, and (iii) identifies as indicative checkpoints a level of ambition at least a 20% reduction, compared to 2008, in total annual greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping by 2030, and at least a 70% reduction by 2040, striving for reductions of 30% by 2030 and 80% by 2040. In furtherance of the IMO's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, in October 2024, the IMO announced proposed regulations scheduled for adoption in late 2025 focused on enhancing the energy efficiency of ships. The IMO also is discussing proposals to (i) set a global marine fuel standard providing for a phased reduction of the greenhouse gas intensity of marine fuel and (ii) establish a marine greenhouse gas pricing mechanism. In January 2025, the International Chamber of Shipping joined with 47 governments in the submission of proposed language to the IMO for a pricing mechanism that, commencing in 2028, would require shipping companies engaged in international voyages to make contributions to a new "IMO GHG Strategy Implementation Fund" based on annual greenhouse gas emission levels.
It is not possible at this time to predict the timing and effect of climate change or the extent and contents of any additional greenhouse gas legislation, regulations or other measures, including with respect to the shipping or offshore drilling industries, specifically, or the oil and gas industry, generally, adopted at the international, national, regional, state or local levels. However, more aggressive efforts by governments and non-governmental organizations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have occurred and may continue based on long-term trends, the findings set forth in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's special report and the announcements made at COP28. Any passage of climate control legislation or other regulatory initiatives by the IMO, the EU, the United States or other jurisdictions in which we operate, or any treaty or agreement adopted at the international level, such as the Kyoto Protocol or Glasgow Climate Pact, that restricts or imposes a fee on emissions of greenhouse gases or implements more robust greenhouse gas emission and climate-related reporting and disclosure obligations, could (i) require us to make significant financial expenditures, including the installation of new emission controls, the acquisition of allowances or payment of taxes related to our greenhouse gases, or the implementation and administration of a greenhouse gas emissions program, (ii) increase our costs to operate and maintain our assets, and (iii) negatively affect the demand for our customers' products and, accordingly, our services, none of which we are able to predict with certainty at this time. Any such legislation, regulations, reporting and disclosure obligations or other measures could have a significant adverse financial and operational impact on our business and operations.
Moreover, certain government and regulatory authorities have enacted, and are expected to continue to enact, laws and regulations that mandate or provide economic incentives for the development of technologies and sources of energy other than oil and gas, such as wind and solar. Such legislation incentivizes the development, use and investment in these technologies and alternative energy sources and could accelerate the shift away from traditional oil and gas. The amendment or modification of existing laws and regulations or the adoption of new laws and regulations curtailing or further regulating exploratory or developmental drilling and production of oil and gas could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results or financial condition if we are unable to recover or pass through a significant level of our costs or are required to change our practices related to complying with climate change regulatory requirements imposed on us. Future earnings may be negatively affected by compliance with any such new legislation or regulations.
Further, to the extent financial markets view climate change and greenhouse gas emissions as a financial risk, this could negatively impact our cost of or access to capital. Parties concerned about the potential effects of climate change have directed, and may in the future direct, their attention at sources of funding for energy companies, which has resulted, and may in the future result, in certain financial institutions, funds and other sources of capital, restricting or eliminating their investment in or lending to oil and gas activities.
Beyond regulatory and financial impacts, the projected severe effects of climate change, including severe weather, such as hurricanes, monsoons and other catastrophic storms, have the potential to directly affect our facilities, drilling units and operations and those of our customers and suppliers, which could result in more frequent and severe disruptions to our business and those of our customers and suppliers, increased costs to repair damaged facilities or drilling units or maintain or resume operations, and increased insurance costs. Additionally, the increasing attention to the risks of climate change has resulted in an increased possibility of litigation or investigations brought by public and private entities against oil and gas companies in connection with their greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, we or our customers may become subject to court orders compelling a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions or requiring mitigation of the effects of climate change.