1,000 signatures reached
To: Carnival Corporation
Port Pollution Crisis in Southampton
This petition demands that Carnival Corporation retrofit all current and future vessels for shore-side electricity, thereby cutting their Southampton Port emissions to zero and contributing to a sustainable, low carbon economy and a healthier city.
Why is this important?
Southampton is the number one cruise terminal in Northern Europe welcoming two million passengers every year on 500 vessels. 85% of the UK cruise market is based in Southampton, which is the only port capable of receiving such large vessels.
In June 2019, sustainable transport group Transport & Environment revealed that in 2017, Carnival Corporation & PLC, the world’s largest cruise operator, emitted nearly 10 times more sulphur oxide around European coasts than all 260+ million European cars. Southampton is in the top four of Europe’s most polluted ports.
Cruise ship emissions include sulphur oxide, which forms sulphate aerosols and fine particles that harm human health, cause acid rain, and acidify the seas. Additionally, cruise ships are emitting poisonous nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide.
Carnival’s cruise ships are being powered 97% by fossil fuel. The cruise company has committed to building nine Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered ships by 2025 to add to the two already in its fleet. But powering ships with the, albeit cleaner, natural gas has its own environmental risks. Spills at shipyards during refuelling or on board release methane, an explosive greenhouse gas, 30 times worse for the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Additionally, LNG is often obtained through fracking.
The World Health Organisation has named Southampton as one of the most polluted cities in the UK. Southampton City Council estimates that 23% of the air pollution in the city comes from the port.
Public Health England’s Strategic Plan (2016 to 2020) identifies reducing the health impacts of local air pollution as a priority. In depth research analysis by Transport and Environment shows a direct link between docked cruise ship pollution and illnesses such as childhood asthma, cardio vascular disease, lung cancer, and cardiopulmonary conditions.
The Association of British Ports Southampton hopes, by 2020, to be the first UK ‘smart port’, which will enable all shipside activity to reach zero emissions. Carnival is apparently not willing to make the shift voluntarily, so we need the government to step in and mandate zero emission standards.
According to Carnival’s Sustainability Report (2016), the company currently purchases 0.1% of electricity globally for dockside power. The company refuses to adapt to shore-side electricity, instead opting to keep engines running continuously whilst in port.
Please sign this petition to demand that Carnival Corporation retrofit all current and future vessels for shore-side electricity, thereby cutting Southampton Port emissions to zero and contributing to a sustainable, low carbon economy and a healthier city.
In June 2019, sustainable transport group Transport & Environment revealed that in 2017, Carnival Corporation & PLC, the world’s largest cruise operator, emitted nearly 10 times more sulphur oxide around European coasts than all 260+ million European cars. Southampton is in the top four of Europe’s most polluted ports.
Cruise ship emissions include sulphur oxide, which forms sulphate aerosols and fine particles that harm human health, cause acid rain, and acidify the seas. Additionally, cruise ships are emitting poisonous nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide.
Carnival’s cruise ships are being powered 97% by fossil fuel. The cruise company has committed to building nine Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered ships by 2025 to add to the two already in its fleet. But powering ships with the, albeit cleaner, natural gas has its own environmental risks. Spills at shipyards during refuelling or on board release methane, an explosive greenhouse gas, 30 times worse for the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Additionally, LNG is often obtained through fracking.
The World Health Organisation has named Southampton as one of the most polluted cities in the UK. Southampton City Council estimates that 23% of the air pollution in the city comes from the port.
Public Health England’s Strategic Plan (2016 to 2020) identifies reducing the health impacts of local air pollution as a priority. In depth research analysis by Transport and Environment shows a direct link between docked cruise ship pollution and illnesses such as childhood asthma, cardio vascular disease, lung cancer, and cardiopulmonary conditions.
The Association of British Ports Southampton hopes, by 2020, to be the first UK ‘smart port’, which will enable all shipside activity to reach zero emissions. Carnival is apparently not willing to make the shift voluntarily, so we need the government to step in and mandate zero emission standards.
According to Carnival’s Sustainability Report (2016), the company currently purchases 0.1% of electricity globally for dockside power. The company refuses to adapt to shore-side electricity, instead opting to keep engines running continuously whilst in port.
Please sign this petition to demand that Carnival Corporation retrofit all current and future vessels for shore-side electricity, thereby cutting Southampton Port emissions to zero and contributing to a sustainable, low carbon economy and a healthier city.
