35 ports have now registered to take part in the '2008 C40 World Ports Climate Conference', which will be held on 9, 10 and 11 July in Rotterdam. They include most major world ports. They were invited to come and discuss ways of reducing the greenhouse effect and improving the air quality in ports.
Conference director, Pieter Struijs, is pleased that the International Association for Ports and Harbors (IAPH) was prepared to monitor follow-up agreements made at the conference. "A sustainable reduction in C02 emissions calls for a long-term approach. The conference is an important step on the road to this. Cooperation is needed for the long haul. That’s why I am pleased that the IAPH is willing to take over the initiative."
The conference director is not striving to establish stringent agreements between the ports: "Clean and sustainable are relative concepts. Even in California they have different ideas on environmental pollution than in Texas. The organisation isn’t trying, therefore, to make a joint stand, but wants to appeal to each participant separately. It is calling for measures to be taken to reduce CO2 emissions, but within the context of the individual situation and responsibilities."
The conference is linked to the Rotterdam Climate Initiative. This is the ambitious climate programme in which the municipality of Rotterdam and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are working together to substantially reduce CO2 emissions. This initiative is an expression of Rotterdam’s ambition to halve CO2 emissions on its territory by 2025, in comparison with 1990.
Conference director, Pieter Struijs, is pleased that the International Association for Ports and Harbors (IAPH) was prepared to monitor follow-up agreements made at the conference. "A sustainable reduction in C02 emissions calls for a long-term approach. The conference is an important step on the road to this. Cooperation is needed for the long haul. That’s why I am pleased that the IAPH is willing to take over the initiative."
The conference director is not striving to establish stringent agreements between the ports: "Clean and sustainable are relative concepts. Even in California they have different ideas on environmental pollution than in Texas. The organisation isn’t trying, therefore, to make a joint stand, but wants to appeal to each participant separately. It is calling for measures to be taken to reduce CO2 emissions, but within the context of the individual situation and responsibilities."
The conference is linked to the Rotterdam Climate Initiative. This is the ambitious climate programme in which the municipality of Rotterdam and the Port of Rotterdam Authority are working together to substantially reduce CO2 emissions. This initiative is an expression of Rotterdam’s ambition to halve CO2 emissions on its territory by 2025, in comparison with 1990.