Positive climate stories in September
September has been a busy month at Opportunity Green. We have filed greenwashing claims over cruise companies’ advertising of fossil-LNG and attended a landmark Tribunal to protect our oceans. But it’s not all about us – read on to hear about our best climate stories this month…
1. Cruise companies rattled by Opportunity Green’s LNG greenwashing claims
Last week, Opportunity Green filed a series of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) against some of the biggest international cruise companies to try to put an end to their apparent LNG greenwashing, which we believe is potentially misleading consumers.
Alongside the complaints, we also published a report, (Un)Sustainable from Ship to Shore, highlighting the systemic nature of the cruise industry’s apparently misleading advertising. The report included claims by some of the biggest international cruise companies such as Carnival, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Costa Cruises.
“We’re really pleased our action has already started a much-need conversation about the legitimacy of LNG as a climate solution, not only by cruise companies but in shipping more generally,” explains our Chief Strategy and Impact Officer and Legal Director, Carly Hicks.
“We’re delighted that P&O Cruises have taken down their LNG advertising and are hopeful that a positive ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority might encourage other worldwide companies like Carnival to rethink their net zero strategies.”
TradeWinds article, featuring our Chief Strategy and Impact Officer and Legal Director, Carly Hicks, as well as Carnival’s Chief Maritime Officer.
2. Voices of small island states heard at international tribunal
Last month, our Legal Officer, Isabela Keuschnigg attended landmark hearings before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg, Germany.
Isa heard compelling testimony from the Prime Ministers of some of the small island states the worst affected by climate change, as well as leading scientists and legal experts. Here, she explains what happened in more detail:
"We were especially pleased that the necessity of considering emissions from shipping was highlighted in the hearings. Now we really want to see confirmation from the Tribunal that the law of the sea obliges States to address ship pollution in line with the Paris Agreement 1.5°C temperature goal. Anything less will be a historic opportunity missed," says Isa.
Read Isa’s blog to get the full lowdown on what happened at the hearings.
3. Flagship roadmap keeps the path to 1.5°C open
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has set out a landmark roadmap detailing how a global pathway to 1.5°C global warming is still within reach.
The IEA’s 2023 Net Zero Roadmap says that driving greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s energy sector to net zero and limiting global warming to 1.5°C remains possible due to the record growth of key clean energy technologies. However, to get there we need a rapid increase in many areas, and we need bold action this decade.
It’s especially positive to see that the roadmap recognises the importance of adopting an equitable transition that takes different national circumstances into account. For example, it outlines how advanced economies should reach net zero sooner to allow emerging and developing economies more time.
“The good news is we know what we need to do – and how to do it,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “But we also have a very clear message: strong international cooperation is crucial to success. Governments need to separate climate from geopolitics, given the scale of the challenge at hand.”
4. Six young people taking on 32 nations in historic climate case
A group of six young people – the youngest just 11 and up to the age of 24 – are taking 32 nations to court over their “inadequate” policies on climate change.
Having witnessed wildfires in their home country of Portugal, the group of young people – all from the same family – are taking matters into their own hands.
Eleven-year-old Mariana Agostinho, her brother, sister and cousins, went to the grand chamber of the European court of human rights where they faced 86 lawyers from 32 nations, making it the world’s largest climate legal action.
According to The Guardian, they argued that “the failure of governments to act is in breach of their human rights: their right to life, their right to be free from inhuman or degrading treatment, their right to privacy and family life and their right to be free from discrimination”.
As a result, they were asking for a binding ruling from the judges to ensure the countries rapidly reduce their emissions.
“A court room is an intimidating environment even for experienced lawyers, so to see a group of young people – one as young as 11 – taking on world leaders in court is just incredible,” says our Legal Manager David Kay. “Climate change will affect future generations disproportionately and our actions – or inactions – today will have enormous consequences for their future. These young people are being let down by political and corporate leaders around the world and have had to turn to the courts to be heard. We owe them more.”
“It’s expected that the judges will rule on the claims in a few months’ time. Regardless of the outcome, cases like this allow young people to be heard on a global scale and show governments that the next generation of voters expect – and need – climate change to be at the top of their agendas.”
5. The flight cap at Schiphol airport is going ahead
Back in July, we blogged about how The Dutch Court of Appeal has given the green light to the Dutch Government’s proposal to reduce flight numbers at Schiphol Airport Amsterdam.
The proposal included a plan to reduce flight numbers at Schiphol next year from 500,000 to 460,000. The decision to approve the plans has been met with fierce opposition from airline industry groups, who argued that it would harm their business and have a wider effect on the Netherlands. The Dutch airline KLM said that the cap was “incomprehensible”.
So it was great news to hear that the Dutch government is pressing ahead with the plans, despite this heavy industry backlash. Not only that, but flights will be capped at 452,500 per year – 9.5% below 2019 levels and lower than a previous proposal of 460,000.
In the absence of proper decarbonisation, we expect to start seeing more regulations like this to limit aviation's growth. And, we hope that this bold move by the Dutch Government will put pressure on other governments to take action on airport expansion.
What positive climate stories have lifted your spirits this month? Share it with us on Twitter or LinkedIn and we’ll help to spread the word.
