Global South climate advocates stress urgency for a strong carbon levy on maritime shipping
Read how activists join Pacific Environment at the UN International Maritime Organization’s conference.
Experts detail devastating consequences of cruise ship and ocean going vessel scrubber use
Co-hosts and experts from Pacific Environment, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and Alaska Community Action on Toxics held an hour-long webinar on scrubber pollution and what can be done to end it, followed by a Q&A session.
Amazon’s U.S. transportation pollution surges since company announced ‘Climate Pledge’ five years ago
SEATTLE (Traditional Puget Sound Salish and Duwamish Lands) — Since Amazon announced its “Climate Pledge” initiative to reduce emissions in September of 2019, the company continued to expand its U.S. shipping and deliveries pollution – and today, a joint investigation by Stand.earth Research Group (SRG), the Clean Mobility Collective (CMC), and the Ship it Zero … Read more
Alaska Conservation Foundation Announces 2024 Conservation Achievement Awardees
ANCHORAGE – Alaska Conservation Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Alaska Conservation Achievement Awards. These awards recognize the remarkable achievements of individuals and organizations committed to protecting Alaska’s wild landscapes, natural resources and unique ways of life. Each year, Alaska Conservation Foundation celebrates the tireless efforts of these community members who … Read more
Ship Pollution: From Air to Ocean
A policy paper released today by Pacific Environment reveals that there is a huge body of scientific work and studies that show that Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (ECGS) – otherwise known as scrubbers – are detrimental to the marine environment, wildlife and people’s health. Read the paper. “Ship pollution: From air to ocean. The science … Read more
Pacific Environment applauds US’ stronger stance on Global Plastics Treaty
WASHINGTON, DC, August 16, 2024 — Pacific Environment applauds the Biden administration shifting its position to take a stronger stance on the Global Plastics Treaty, including signaling an openness to including legally binding measures to reduce global plastic production. The United States had previously held a position that capping plastic production should be left to … Read more
Port of Seattle becomes first U.S. port to require 100% of cruise vessels to use shore power
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
Legal Petition to Interior Department Urges Climate Analysis, Phasedown of Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline
ANCHORAGE, Alaska— Several environmental groups filed a legal petition today asking the Department of the Interior for a new analysis of the climate damage and other harms related to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. The petition also calls for a plan to phase down the pipeline’s operations. The Center for Biological Diversity, Pacific Environment, Sovereign Iñupiat … 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
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
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
On the heels of COP28, Alaska Climate Alliance Proposes Action Plan for a Regenerative Economy
It’s time for Alaska to accelerate the transition to a prosperous future beyond fossil fuels Anchorage, AK (January 8, 2023) – The Alaska Climate Alliance (ACA) today released LEARNING TO THRIVE: Alaska’s next economy in a warming world, a visionary economic roadmap for a sustainable and prosperous future on the heel of COP28 where decision … Read more
Pacific Environment Announces New Executive Director
Pacific Environment welcomes Shannon Wright as its new Executive Director, effective Jan. 2, 2024. Ms. Wright’s background in international campaigning and her proven track record as a non-profit leader make her the perfect fit for Pacific Environment, an organization with a 30-year history of work supporting and partnering with communities and cultures to protect natural … Read more
INC-3 fails to produce significant advancements for the Global Plastics Treaty
The third meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) for a global agreement to end plastic pollution concluded yesterday at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi. Despite a clear mandate, Member States failed to reach an agreement on a revised treaty draft and also failed to agree on priorities for intersessional work ahead of INC-4, despite … 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
Global shipping can halve emissions without impacting trade, study finds ahead of key UN decision
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