Carnival Corporation Progresses its Sustainability Goals

Carnival Corporation has released its 14th annual sustainability report detailing how it achieved several 2030 environmental goals well in advance.

The company is producing 10+% less absolute GHG emissions today than in 2011, its peak historical year, despite increasing capacity by roughly 30% since that time. Tracking toward its 2030 goal four years ahead of schedule, the company formally committed to reducing its GHG intensity by at least 20% by 2026 (versus 2019 levels; measured on a lower berth capacity basis). The company expects this performance to put it ahead of the IMO's 2030 carbon intensity reduction timeline.

Recording a 68% reduction in absolute particulate matter emissions (versus the 2015 baseline), the company continued accelerating well beyond its 2030 goal to reduce particulate matter emissions by 50%.

Carnival now leads the industry with 64% of its fleet shore power-capable, meaning it has twice as many ships able to “plug in” than there are ports equipped to provide shore power. The company is now working closely with port authorities worldwide to foster increased adoption of this important technology.

Achieving a 38% reduction in food waste per person (versus the 2019 baseline), the company came within two percentage points of reaching its 2025 goal to reduce food waste by 40% and continues efforts toward achieving its 50% food reduction goal by 2030.

As of 2023, Carnival had cut down enormously on single-use items and plastics, eliminating approximately 500 million single-use items from the fleet by the end of last year (compared to 2018) – outpacing its 2030 50% reduction goal, which it initially surpassed in 2021.

Finishing 2023 just a few points shy of its 2030 goal to outfit 75% of its fleet capacity with advanced waste water treatment systems, the company had completed installation of systems covering 70% of its fleet capacity, purifying even more water used onboard to municipal-water quality before releasing it back to nature.

Carnival is also committed to inclusivity across its diverse global team of 160,000 strong, and fostering a positive workplace environment for all employees. As part of its sustainability strategy, it is also focused on promoting sustainable tourism and creating shared value, mutual growth and goodwill with its destination partners and the local communities it visits.

“Thanks to our 160,000 remarkable team members who show up every day with passion and dedication, 2023 was a year of significant accomplishments across the board,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO and chief climate officer for Carnival Corporation. “We achieved record-breaking financial performance, welcomed three stunning new ships, expanded our global presence to over 800 incredible destinations and communities, and delivered unforgettable happiness to 12.5 million guests by providing them with extraordinary cruise vacations.”

Weinstein continued: “We also demonstrated our continued commitment to leading the way in making cruising more sustainable, marked by amazing progress toward reaching – and in many cases, exceeding – our vital 2030 environmental performance targets. Since we’re so aggressively tracking toward all our 2030 sustainability goals, we’re evaluating new interim targets along our pursuit of net zero GHG emissions by 2050.”