Earth Equity News

World Ports Commit to Reduce Emissions.ClimateBiz, July 15, 2008. "Fifty-five ports from around the world agreed to cut carbon dioxide emissions and boost air quality with the endorsement of the World Ports Climate Declaration [PDF, 6 pp]. The ports lent their support to the initiative last week at the C40 World Ports Climate Conference held in Rotterdam. Now, under the direction of the International Association of Ports and Harbours, they will explore ways of addressing emissions, including work on developing carbon footprints and a global indexing system that can be used to reward clean chips and punish polluters. Ports for container ships are one of the largest sources of emissions and pollution in the U.S., according to a study released earlier this year. The U.N. International Maritime Organization estimates that shipping is responsible for 3.5 percent of emissions worldwide. The shipping industry, however, is not included in the Kyoto Protocol."