Article Summary
The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority has unveiled details of an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2040, which will significantly enhance inhabitants’ health and the quality of the air.
Working with technical experts from UK headquartered Tunley Environmental, and thanks to funding from the state of Michigan, it established that operations across the port region were responsible for 27,869 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, and that urgent action was needed.
“The maritime industry is responsible for 3% of global emissions, and it’s growing. We must work to convert from fossil fuels to zero-emission power sources in our ships, port equipment and trucks by 2040 in order to avoid catastrophic effects of climate change. But we’re not just concerned about 2040. The steps we’re announcing will have an immediate impact on air quality and will improve the lives of residents in our community,” said Mark Schrupp, port authority executive director.
Raquel Garcia, executive director of Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision, the plan’s community engagement partner, agreed. “Southwest Detroit and downriver communities have some of the highest asthma rates in the country. The plans announced—like converting to biodiesel fuel immediately—will improve the quality of the air we breathe.”
Dr Robert Moorcroft, who led the year-long project for Tunley Environmental, gave credit to terminal operators who voluntarily shared data and information about their operations. This collaboration was essential to developing an accurate assessment of carbon emissions and for identifying strategies to reduce emissions going forward.
“We have been pleasantly surprised by the way the business community has gotten behind the plan,” said Moorcroft. “There is genuine and strong support for the plan, which convinces me that we will meet our goals.”
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