LONG BEACH (September 13, 2021) — Today, President Biden landed in Sacramento and delivered remarks on his administration’s response to recent wildfires as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal and Build Back Better agenda to address our “nation’s resilience to climate change and extreme weather events.” These remarks were made before he boarded a flight to Long Beach, Calif. – our nation’s largest commercial seaport – which saw a record number of ships idling and spewing pollution outside of its port just this weekend.

Statement from Madeline Rose, Climate Campaign Director, Pacific Environment:

“In order for President Biden to stem the West’s wildfires and meet his climate goals, he must end the shipping industry’s dependence on fossil fuels. The ocean shipping industry emits an estimated 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, more than all coal plants in the U.S. combined . California ports are experiencing record breaking numbers of ships idling and spewing pollution outside of their ports in preparation for holiday restocking. We call on President Biden to commit to 100% zero-emission ocean shipping by 2035, end all new fossil fuel production and storage at ports, and act swiftly to protect communities that live around them from dirty air, asthma, and even premature death.”

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Contact: Gwen Dobbs, Pacific Environment, [email protected], 202-329-9295

Background information can be found in our latest report “U.S. Can Help Eliminate Fossil Fuels From the Shipping Industry by 2035.”

Pacific Environment is a global environmental organization that protects communities and wildlife of the Pacific Rim. We support community leaders to fight climate change, protect the oceans, build just societies, and move away from fossil fuels toward a green economy.