ESPO Pushes Decarbonisation in EU Ports
In the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO)’s annual conference entitled “Ports in a changing Climate, a Changing world” Alvaro Rodriguez, high level Climate Reality representative, inspired the audience with an eye opening presentation on the impacts of climate change and a positive message showing that solutions, the new zero-carbon technologies, are within reach.
His opening was followed by contributions and sharing of best practices of different stakeholders. These debates highlighted that ports are technology takers and require new technology to be available to make their contribution to decarbonisation.
"Technology is not an end in itself but a means to address real needs of people and environment," said Mrs Violeta Bulc, EU Commissioner for Transport.
European Commissioner for transport, Violeta Bulc, set the scene of conference roundtable by highlighting the Commission’s priorities for the maritime year: competitiveness, digitalisation and decarbonisation.
She launched the European Ports Forum as a place to advise the Commission and to define and start joint initiatives. This was followed by a debate between Commissioner Bulc and MEP Knut Fleckenstein and different port executives on EU policy for ports, the need for investments in ports, on the role of a port authority and on the on-going mergers between European ports.
"Ports can set incentives for greening the maritime fleet through their port charges," Mrs Violeta Bulc, EU Commissioner for Transport suggested.
