Despite ships being by far the most efficient form of transport, there is growing concern about climate change, the environmental state of the world's oceans and the air quality close to major shipping routes and ports which has led to ever more stringent legislation on emissions to both sea and air.
President Barack Obama's administration will spend 2015 taking on energy controversies from fracking to smog, from interstate air pollution to coal-burning power plants - and in December, his negotiators will head to Paris to try to reach a global agreement on climate change. In between all that, he just might make a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline.
Cost remains the top driver of sustainability management initiatives, followed by regulations and investor/stakeholder pressure, according to Ecova's second annual survey, 2015 Energy and Sustainability Predictions: Findings from Leading Professionals.
Development of clean alternative energy resources has been growing in Canada and contributing significant employment opportunities. However, a new clean energy industry report has concluded that the federal government is ignoring those resources in favor of fossil fuels.
Shipping emissions in ports are substantial, accounting for 18 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, 0.4 million tonnes of NOx, 0.2 million of SOx and 0.03 million tonnes of PM10 in 2011, according to an International Transport Forum's report. Around 85 percent of emissions come from containerships and tankers. Containerships have short port stays, but high emissions during these stays.
Fred P. Hochberg, chairman of the U.S. Export-Import Bank signed a memorandum of understanding with Chairman K.S. Popli of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) to explore options for utilizing up to $1bn to finance the sale of U.S. clean energy exports to India.
Replenish Bottling LLC has launched a sustainable product line that has the potential to change how many water-based consumer products are designed, manufactured and sold. The packaging technology can be found in a new line of concentrate household cleaning and personal care items sold under the CleanPath brand.
New York-based Natural Resources Defense Council has released a report on air pollution in China citing shipping as a major contributor and recommending the introduction of emission control areas.
Boeing and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) have opened a demonstration facility that will turn waste cooking oil, commonly referred to as "gutter oil" in China, into sustainable aviation biofuel. The two companies estimate that 500 million gallons (1.8 billion liters) of biofuel could be made annually in China from used cooking oil.