How WIRED’s recent piece on the solution to plastic pollution circumvents the emerging science on plastic and public health. WIRED’s article, “The Cure for Disposable Plastic Crap Is Here—and It’s Loony,” highlights the urgent and daunting task of tackling plastic pollution, but completely misses the point that the solution to the plastic problem is actually … Read more
This month, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Headquarters was packed with about 100 clean air advocates in attendance, who erupted in cheers as the South Coast AQMD’s governing board voted unanimously to adopt the Railyard Indirect Source Rule (ISR). A big win for clean air, the facility-based measure aims to reduce harmful … Read more
July 15th is Arctic Sea Ice Day, an opportunity to draw attention to the rapid decline of sea ice and wildlife habitat. According to the nonprofit Polar Bear International, “The Arctic is now warming nearly four times as fast as the rest of the planet, causing the sea ice to melt. Sea ice is crucial … Read more
SEATTLE, Washington — The Port of Seattle became the first port in the nation to independently require that 100% of all cruise vessels homeported in Seattle be shore power capable and utilize shore power. The order passed by the Port of Seattle Commission yesterday takes effect in the 2027 cruise season, three years before the … Read more
Welcome to the May 2024 edition of Pacific Environment’s new monthly e-newsletter! This is an opportunity to highlight some of our work and share our victories for communities, climate, and wildlife. Ports for People In Los Angeles, a demand for clean air and healthy portside neighborhoods Pacific Environment, in tandem with members of T.H.E. Impact … Read more
Welcome to the April 2024 edition of Pacific Environment’s new monthly e-newsletter! This is an opportunity to highlight some of our work and share victories for communities, climate, and wildlife. Plastics Earth Day: Planet vs. Plastics It is the 54th celebration of Earth Day and this year’s theme of Planet vs. Plastics is important to … Read more
In a victory for people and climate, the California Air Resources Board amended the Commercial Harbor Craft Rule in 2022, setting the first zero-emissions mandate for ferries in the U.S and requiring cleaner engine upgrades for tugboats and other regulated vessels. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has yet to approve these lifesaving amendments. … Read more
By Xuan Thi Quach, Vietnam Country Director Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya, from the third round of United Nations negotiations for a Global Plastic Treaty. There are many challenges to achieving a strong treaty, but today I feel optimistic. I am here alongside hundreds of other plastic activists from around the world. We are united in our … Read more
The global shipping industry can reduce emissions by nearly 50% by the end of the decade, according to a new study by CE Delft. These findings come as the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) is about to reach an agreement on climate targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships in July. Civil society groups call on … Read more
A group of fuel production stakeholders, including H2Carrier and MAN Energy Solutions, today joined Environmental Defense Fund in support for the full decarbonisation of the shipping industry by 2050. The companies call on International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member States to develop policies that incentivize the production and adoption of sustainable fuels, and to adopt ambitious interim targets … Read more
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) agreement on shipping climate targets expected next month could be the starting gun for the radical climate action our planet desperately needs. Civil society groups are calling on the IMO member states to urgently support halving climate pollution from ships by 2030 and reaching zero-emission by 2040, at the Intersessional Working Group on Greenhouse … Read more
Paris, France (June 2, 2023) – The second meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) for a global agreement to end plastic pollution concluded today at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, with civil society organizations appealing to governments not to allow the use of dilatory tactics and procedural questions to set back progress and lower … Read more
In honor of International Plastic Free Day and ahead of the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, Pacific Environment has released a report that underscores the serious threats of plastic pollution, and presents a new global model showing how the plastics and petrochemical industries will need to change in order to stay within the 1.5 degree Celsius … Read more
U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel Tuesday continued to tout the benefits of the proposed North Slope-to-tidewater gas pipeline and LNG export project, contrary to the Biden administration’s commitment to align its actions with a 1.5 °C pathway. Ambassador Emanuel took the stage during Governor Dunleavy’s Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. “To push the Alaska gas … Read more
Happy New Year from all of us at Pacific Environment! Last year, we tackled everything from bubble tea sold in throw-away plastic containers to false, fossil-fueled promises in the shipping industry. We’re working across communities and oceans to build people power and protect our planet. And, we’re ready to do it all over again in … Read more
We had a great year with many important wins. But none of this would have been possible without our supporters. This support helps Pacific Environment collaborate with brave grassroots leaders to fight climate change, defend the oceans, protect wildlife, build just societies and move beyond fossil fuels toward a green economy. Our teams coordinate ambitious … Read more
The stage is set for the UN to finally call time on greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping, following a week of climate talks at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London. While the IMO failed to adopt a concrete shipping decarbonisation target for shipping this week, there was widespread support for eliminating the industry’s … Read more
My proudest moment last winter was when allies and I were able to thwart attempts by multinational companies to avoid responsibility for plastic pollution in communities and our oceans. We had just convinced top national policymakers to include strong provisions to curb plastic pollution in a new version of Vietnam’s environmental laws. These included single-use plastic bans and … Read more
This week’s round of technical talks at the UN’s maritime regulator showed countries are prepared to phase out shipping emissions by 2050. More crucially, support appears to be building for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to also adopt an ambitious 2030 interim target for cutting emissions from ships. On the question of strengthening the 2050 … Read more
Today, California’s chief climate and air pollution regulator released a report on the status of the state’s world-first regulation to end in-port pollution from fossil fuel vessels. The report by California Air Resources Board (CARB) shows the continued success of the state’s in-port pollution regulation in protecting California port and coastal communities from significant … Read more