October 2024 Newsletter: Amazon’s climate pollution, plus youth advocates for clean shipping in London
Welcome to the October 2024 edition of Pacific Environment’s monthly e-newsletter! This is an opportunity to highlight some of our work and share our victories for communities, climate and wildlife.
JUMP AHEAD
- Is Amazon failing on its maritime decarbonization commitments?
- Pacific Environment hosts youth climate advocates from Global South countries at international shipping negotiations in London
- Shrinking sea ice accelerates global warming as black carbon continues to escape regulation
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must approve California’s request for the life-saving protections
- Promoting recycling without a systems change that unlocks drastic reduction of plastics is merely greenwashing
SHIP IT ZERO
Is Amazon failing on its maritime decarbonization commitments?
Ship It Zero’s new maritime decarbonization progress report shows Amazon at risk of failure since its last report card grade of ‘D’
As Amazon raced to kick off the holiday season with its two-day Prime Day member events on Oct. 8 and 9, Pacific Environment’s Ship It Zero campaign is again sounding the alarm about the harms caused by Amazon’s ever-increasing fossil-fueled deliveries with the launch of the Ship It Zero 2024 Amazon Decarbonization Progress Report. This month, Amazon’s 2024 Progress Report shows the company is “at risk of failure” when it comes to its climate commitments.
The progress report follows last year’s Ship It Zero 2023 Report Card, where Amazon was among the poorest performing retailers and earned a “D” in its climate progress. In fact, in the five years since making its own Climate Pledge, Amazon’s maritime emissions saw a 26% increase, demonstrating that the company’s track record on addressing maritime shipping emissions remained unchanged and has arguably worsened.
Explore the full progress report Read the press releaseMARINE
Pacific Environment hosts youth climate advocates from Global South countries at international shipping negotiations in London
Frontline nations experiencing the impacts of climate change called for a levy of $150/ton of greenhouse gases
In London, the United Nations International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 82nd Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) recently concluded, marking a significant gathering to discuss the regulation of maritime shipping.
For the first time in the history of IMO talks, youth climate advocates participated, making their voices heard on a global stage. Pacific Environment hosted a side event on Friday, Oct. 4, where six climate advocates had the opportunity to meet with IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez. They made it clear to the head of the IMO that decisions made by the organization impact real people and real communities, especially in countries disproportionately hit hardest by climate change, including their home countries of Brazil, Dominica, Kenya, Nigeria and Tuvalu.
Learn more about our workARCTIC
Shrinking sea ice accelerates global warming as black carbon continues to escape regulation
Kay Brown, Arctic Policy Director at Pacific Environment, recently published an opinion article in Norway’s High North News about how black carbon — primarily produced from incomplete fossil fuel combustion — is a “key driver of sea ice loss and a major contributor to climate heating.”
The strongest light-absorbing component of particulate matter, its impact is especially magnified in the Arctic. Sea ice helps cool the earth by reflecting sunlight and reducing its absorption. Recently published science found that sea ice loss and the reduction in sea ice reflectivity has been significantly compromised, and the impact is more significant than assumed by most climate models.
The Arctic sea ice’s reflective effect has dropped 24% since 1980, and its cooling effect is about 20% weaker in recent years than the 1980s.
Read the full op-ed
TAKE ACTION IN CALIFORNIA
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must approve California’s request for the life-saving protections
Sign our petition to urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve California’s request for the life-saving protections provided by the California Air Resources Board’s updated Commercial Harbor Craft Rule.
In a victory for people and climate, the California Air Resources Board amended the Commercial Harbor Craft Rule in 2022, setting the first zero-emissions mandate for ferries in the U.S and requiring cleaner engine upgrades for tugboats and other regulated vessels. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has yet to approve these lifesaving amendments.
Sign the petitionPLASTICS
Promoting recycling without a systems change that unlocks drastic reduction of plastics is merely greenwashing
Xuan Quach, Pacific Environment’s Vietnam Country Director, has more than 20 years of working experience with the governmental agencies of Vietnam in the field of natural resources and environment. She recently published an opinion article in The Diplomat — the premiere international current affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific region — about the problem of plastics and what governments and corporations should do to stem the plastics tide.
It’s challenging to stop the tide of plastic waste.
Consumers have adapted to use plastics as big companies use these in the name of convenience and affordability, facilitated by government subsidies, credit schemes, and an enabling free market system that discounts negative externalities in the form of plastic pollution. Meanwhile, manufacturers and consumer brands bring products to market claiming to meet consumer needs. And so, year after year, plastic production grows, and plastic waste continually pollutes the environment, unintentionally and intentionally, until we reach the point where we are now in a global plastic pollution crisis.
Read the full op-ed
