Green corridors & ships get attention at COP27

Hello from Egypt, where we’re on the ground at the U.N. Climate Conference, or COP27 — the world’s most important climate summit — to support crucial new efforts to end port and ship pollution Thanks to your support and the hard work of our team, allies, and partners, we are driving solutions to end ship … Read more

The New Climate Denial

This piece is excerpted from a speech given by Pacific Environment’s Executive Director Alex Levinson at the World Ocean Forum in Korea. My colleagues from Pacific Environment and I are very pleased to be with you all today, at this gathering of international ocean leaders. This is my first time in Busan. A city that … Read more

West Coast Governors Newsom, Inslee, Brown and B.C. Premier Horgan’s Climate Partnership Sets Sights on Port Electrification and Maritime Decarbonization

San Francisco, Calif. (October 6, 2022) – California Governor Newsom, Oregon Governor Brown, Washington Governor Inslee, and British Columbia Premier Hogan signed a new Statement of Cooperation (SOC), including a new initiative to pursue zero-carbon shipping and to decarbonize port equipment and operations. The U.S. West Coast states and B.C. have some of the world’s … Read more

Climate Advocates, Community Groups: Target Shipping Commitment Step in the Right Direction, But Not Enough

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (September 22, 2022) – Global retail giant Target joined other big retailers, including Amazon and IKEA, in a landmark commitment to move its products off of fossil-fueled ocean cargo ships by 2040 as part of the Aspen Institute’s Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels initiative. Environmental organizations with the Ship It … Read more

Ports Playbook for Zero-Emission Shipping

The Ports Playbook for Zero-Emission Shipping focuses on three main tracks: commitments, policy, and progress. These tracks lay out nine actions that will end port pollution, accelerate the market for zero-emissions technologies, reward first movers and ensure reliable access to zero-emissions infrastructure and fuels. The 9-point playbook calls on ports to take the following actions: … Read more

Pacific Environment Calls on President Biden to Deliver Climate Emergency Executive Order, End Fossil Fuel Expansion

Washington, DC (August 12, 2022) — Congress passed a historic reconciliation package with key climate provisions (170 yeas to 123 nays). The Inflation Reduction Act is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 41% by 2030 from the U.S.’s 2005 baseline.   Pacific Environment calls for President Biden to deliver on his promise … Read more

Ship It Zero Resolution Passes Long Beach City Council 

LONG BEACH – Yesterday evening, the Long Beach City Council unanimously passed a Ship It Zero Resolution 6-0. Long Beach City Councilmember Cindy Allen introduced the resolution on Earth Day, calling on Long Beach’s top maritime importers to commit to making all port calls to the San Pedro Port Complex, which includes the Port of … Read more

State Department Announces Green Corridor Ocean Shipping Initiative

The State Department announced the United States’ vision and commitment to green shipping corridors yesterday. The department said, “The United States envisions green shipping corridors as maritime routes that showcase low- and zero-emission lifecycle fuels and technologies with the ambition to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions across all aspects of the corridor in support of … Read more

As port partnership launches for green shipping corridors in Europe, advocates call for Pacific Ports Green Corridors Initiative

The Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has joined with the port authorities of Hamburg, Gdynia, Roenne, Rotterdam, and Tallinn, to create a European Green Corridors Network to advance the Clydebank Declaration for Clean Shipping Corridors announced last November at COP26. According to Splash247, the project backers “…will demonstrate the early commercialisation of … Read more

Walmart’s Dirty Shipping Problem

On Thursday, March 31, the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) is offering a tour to the Houston Ship Channel, Tour 7, “From the Fenceline to the Frontline: The Battle Against Environmental Racism in Houston’s Ship Channel.” According to the agenda, attendees will tour the Houston Ship Channel, a highly industrialized area of refineries and chemical … Read more

Pacific Environment Calls on Biden Administration for a Zero Emission Ship Standard, Protection for Port Communities

On March 1, President Biden mentioned port modernization and environmental justice in his State of the Union address, saying “We’ll create good jobs for millions of Americans, modernizing roads, airports, ports, and waterways all across America. And we’ll do it all to withstand the devastating effects of the climate crisis and promote environmental justice.” He … Read more

Advocates Welcome Ports of Los Angeles, Shanghai Announcement of First Transpacific Green Shipping Corridor Commitment 

LOS ANGELES (January 31, 2022) – The Port of Los Angeles, Port of Shanghai, and C40 Cities have announced that they will work with industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the movement of cargo throughout the 2020s, including a goal to “begin” transitioning to zero-carbon fueled ships by 2030 to cut emissions from one of the world’s busiest cargo routes.  … Read more

Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council Adopts Ship It Zero Resolution

SAN PEDRO (January 13, 2022) – The Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council became the first community within the Los Angeles area to adopt a motion supporting Ship It Zero, which has called for 100% zero-emission shipping by 2030. The Port of Los Angeles, one of the busiest top ports in the U.S., is partially located within San Pedro. The Los Angeles area receives 40% of … Read more

Our Top 5 of 2021

In 2021, Pacific Environment partnered with community leaders to fight climate change, protect the oceans, build just societies, and move beyond fossil fuels toward a green economy. I’m proud of the historical wins we and local activists achieved this year. And I hope you are, too, because we couldn’t do what we do without the … Read more

Inuit Partners Gain First-ever Seat at UN Shipping Body

What a week. Between the world’s premier UN Climate Conference “COP26” and the global shipping crisis, Team Pacific Environment has been hard at work. What’s more, Indigenous partners just won a first-ever seat at the United Nations’ shipping body! Earlier this week, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) became the first Indigenous Organization to gain International … Read more

Biden-Harris administration ports and waterways plan ignores pollution, renewable energy sources for ocean shipping

WASHINGTON (November 10, 2021) – Just this morning, we welcomed Secretary Buttigieg’s role in launching the Clydebank Declaration for Clean Shipping Corridors at COP26.  As a major climate advocate, this is why we are shocked and disappointed that his agency’s port plan so deeply missed the mark. Earlier this week, ICYMI, the Biden-Harris administration released … Read more

COP26: Ship It Zero coalition welcomes Amazon participation in First Movers Coalition

Today at COP26, Amazon joined the White House’s First Movers Coalition, a public-private partnership launched by U.S. President Joe Biden and the World Economic Forum to commercialize emerging technologies essential to decarbonizing heavy industries, including ocean shipping. Climate and shipping experts with environmental advocacy groups Stand.earth and Pacific Environment, which lead the Ship It Zero … Read more