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May 15, 2009
ESPO Releases Policy Statement Which Emphasizes Support for WPCI
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) underlined its endorsement of the World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI) and its projects in a policy statement released May 15, 2009.
ESPO promised to promote the implementation of the World Ports Climate Declaration articles and WPCI projects, contributing to the European Union goal of reducing the European carbon footprint by 20 percent in 2020 and facilitating the exchange of information within the WPCI network.
The statement, intended to address reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in ports, acknowledges the responsibility of port authorities to reduce those emissions, and notes the significance of climate change for society.
The statement also stresses that ports must prepare to adapt to eventual future changes in climate. To reach these goals, the policy identifies the five main areas where ports can address the issue of global climate change.
- Calculating a port’s CO2 footprint
ESPO endorses the development of the WPCI project on carbon footprint calculation.
- Reducing CO2 emissions from port operations and development
ESPO promotes CO2 reduction measures for terminal operations and cargo handling, co-siting, development of sustainable nautical services, improvement of energy efficiency in buildings and including sustainability criteria when concluding or prolonging terminal lease agreements or concessions.
- Reducing CO2 emissions by promoting usage of renewable energy
ESPO encourages its members to use renewable energy where possible for port operations.
- Reducing CO2 emissions of areas adjoining ports
ESPO promotes the development of efficient and innovative logistics to reduce emissions from interior areas adjoining the ports by endorsing the development of the WPCI project on these areas of heavy transport.
- Reducing CO2 emissions of ocean-going shipping
ESPO endorses the technical development of shore side electricity and environmental shipping index but believes that their use should be left at the discretion of each port authority.
ESPO urges the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to accelerate the incorporation of best practices for CO2 reduction into IMO treaties and to swiftly adopt current proposals to amend MARPOL Annex VI.
See the entire policy statement