Read the following passage carefully:
The international shipping sector accounts for approximately three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet its governance remains fragmented across multilateral maritime conventions and unilateral port-state regulations. While recent international agreements advocate for the adoption of low-carbon synthetic fuels, the infrastructure transitions required at commercial ports present a profound economic bottleneck. Global transshipment hubs, primarily concentrated in developing nations, face prohibitive capital expenditures to install green bunkering systems, risk stranding existing fossil-fuel assets, and fear competitive displacement if neighboring ports delay compliance. Consequently, top-down emission reduction mandates, if unsupported by equitable climate financing mechanisms, threaten to exacerbate regional trade disparities rather than accelerate global decarbonization. Market-based measures, such as carbon levies on marine fuels, are frequently proposed as solutions; however, unless revenues are explicitly earmarked to subsidize port infrastructure in lower-income maritime states, market signals alone will incentivize carriers to re-route vessels through non-compliant regional ports. True decarbonization of maritime supply chains therefore hinges not merely on technological breakthroughs in vessel propulsion, but on restructuring international maritime governance to integrate targeted financial transfers and synchronized infrastructure investments across global trading corridors.
Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?
- Effective maritime decarbonization requires international governance to pair emission mandates with equitable financial support for port infrastructure, preventing regional trade disparities and vessel re-routing.Answer
- BGlobal transshipment hubs in developing nations are reluctant to adopt low-carbon synthetic fuels primarily because neighboring ports consistently delay regulatory compliance.
- CEnforcing strict carbon tariffs on all international maritime carriers at destination ports is the most efficient market mechanism to achieve zero-emission shipping globally.
- DTop-down environmental regulations inherently fail in maritime logistics, proving that market-based carbon levies are the only viable tool for global climate governance.