30th November 2011 19:47 GMT
Helping ports reduce their carbon footprint
The Port of Los Angeles has announced that it has introduced a tool to assess global warming at port facilities.
The port has worked with technical experts and other ports worldwide to develop a Carbon Calculator for ports which estimates greenhouse gas emissions from their operations in an effort for ports to explore reduction strategies.
According to a press release, ports can use the free Carbon Calculator to to compute the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from sources associated with their operations, including port-specific sources such as cargo handling equipment and harbour craft.
The Calculator’s Reduced Emissions Scenarios feature will allow ports to develop strategies on how best to reduce their carbon footprint.
The calculator is a software package that lets ports estimate their existing carbon dioxide emissions from direct, port-owned sources such as fleet vehicles, cranes, harbour craft and cargo handling equipment, and also indirect sources such as electricity purchased for the port-owned buildings and operation.
“The Carbon Calculator is a powerful tool to help each port chart its own course toward reducing greenhouse gases,” said Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, who also serves as President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH). “A consistent methodology among ports will help us assess our global impact.”
The Carbon Calculator is a project of the World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI) – an IAPH collaboration which was launched in 2008.
The initiative is dedicated to identifying and promoting effective, sustainable practices and strategies for ports and harbors to improve air quality while remaining vital economic engines.
The Port of Los Angeles is one of 59 WPCI members and has taken the lead in developing the calculator.
Samantha Cacnio, Vancouver News Desk, 30th November 2011 19:47 GMT
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How come Hong Kong does not publish this kind of data ?
http://www.portoflosangeles.org/environment/studies_reports.asp