California can lead the world to reduce emissions from ocean cargo ships, lower climate impacts, and improve air quality around ports

Two reports co-released today by Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California Berkeley and Energy & Environmental Research Associates delve into policy changes and technology to decarbonize ocean going vessels. Non-profit Pacific Environment commissioned these reports. This set of reports seeks to inform stakeholders and policymakers on potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and … Read more

Pacific Environment’s Monthly Newsletter

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

California can lead the world to reduce emissions from ocean cargo ships, lower climate impacts, and improve air quality around ports

BERKELEY, Calif. (May 21, 2024) — Two reports co-released today by Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California Berkeley and Energy & Environmental Research Associates delve into policy changes and technology to decarbonize ocean going vessels. Non-profit Pacific Environment commissioned these reports. This set of reports seeks to inform stakeholders and policymakers on potential … Read more

Battery Ships In The Yangtze River Basin

Since President Xi Jinping solemnly announced the “3060” carbon target at the general debate of the 75th United Nations General Assembly on September 22, 2020, the shipping industry in China has been moving towards the goal of creating low-carbon fuel supply, building a modern value chain, and achieving high-quality growth. Changjiang River Administration of Navigational … Read more

Biden Administration Sets National Goal of Zero-Emissions Freight Sector Including Maritime

On April 24, the Biden administration announced its first-ever national goal to transition the U.S. to a zero-emissions freight sector (i.e., truck, rail, aviation, and maritime), as well as a commitment to develop a national zero-emissions freight strategy. The whole-of-government strategy includes new federal funding, continued engagement with stakeholders on zero-emissions freight infrastructure and forthcoming … Read more

Pacific Environment’s Monthly Newsletter

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

Pacific Environment and Ulsan Port Authority Sign MOU to Accelerate Zero-Emission Shipping and Ports Between US and Republic of Korea

SINGAPORE (April 16, 2024) – During Singapore Maritime Week 2024, Pacific Environment and the Ulsan Port Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining a vision of multi-year collaboration to accelerate zero-emission shipping and ports in the Republic of Korea, within Asia, across transpacific and global corridors. The MOU Signing Ceremony occurred during a joint … Read more

MEPC81: Support For Pricing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Shipping Grows But Important Pieces Of Puzzle Still Missing

London, 22 March, 2024 — As this week’s meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81, March 18-22) winds down, the Clean Shipping Coalition welcomed the growing support for a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions levy, but warned that IMO member states must also maintain focus on other key issues such as … Read more

EPA: Approve life-saving protections and safeguard California’s health and air quality!

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

Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe signs first-ever pledge towards a fossil-free Antioch

Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe made a world-leading commitment to reject public investments in new, renewed, fossil fuel infrastructure in Antioch and steer the city toward timely climate mitigation and resilience. “I’ve promised to address climate change head on,” said Mayor Lamar Hernadez-Thorpe. “We’ve ended oil and gas drilling in Antioch and, today, following a historic atmospheric river caused by … Read more

With an Executive Order President Biden can take meaningful action to eliminate shipping emissions and advance environmental justice

WASHINGTON, DC [September 28, 2023] — In a letter sent to President Biden on World Maritime Day, 45 organizations called for an Executive Order to decarbonize maritime shipping. The Biden administration has already made significant commitments to eliminate emissions from the shipping industry, as well as to accelerate the development of zero-emission fuels and technologies … Read more

Pacific Environment Applauds Gov. Newsom’s Action on Fossil Fuels

NEW YORK (September 20, 2023) — Today, in front of the United National Climate Ambition Summit hosted by UN Secretary-General, Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted California’s climate action and called out the oil and gas industry for their “continued lies.” Today’s remarks echo the message sent by the State of California’s lawsuit filed on September 16, … Read more

UN agrees on a new climate plan for global shipping, but not 1.5°C aligned

Civil society groups are deeply concerned by the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) failure to firmly align global shipping with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature-warming limit, at the 80th Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting (MEPC 80) this week. The IMO’s 175 member states failed to agree on absolute emission reduction targets for 2030 and 2040, … Read more

Last chance to prevent shipping breach of Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature limit

Civil society groups are deeply concerned about developments at the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) climate negotiations this week (ISWG-GHG-15), in particular regarding the 2030 and 2040 climate targets that are necessary to put global shipping on a 1.5°C-aligned transition and ensure an equitable transition. The IMO’s 175 member states must urgently listen to climate … Read more

Fuel Production Stakeholders Call for Ambitious Shipping Decarbonisation Policies

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

UN climate deal for shipping will fail without ambitious 2030 goal

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

New Year, New Wins

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

Our Top 7 of 2022

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

Go hard and early: UN’s historic opportunity to act on shipping

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