This week sees the start of COP25 in Madrid, the UN Climate Change Conference which runs until December 13. With fisheries and aquaculture supporting 10-12% of the global population, marine ecosystems and coastal areas are at the very top of the agenda, and this naturally brings ocean shipping into the debate from the start of the discussions.
One major line to sign up to the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, is maritime transport and logistics outfit CMA CGM, owner of one of the top four container shipping lines in the world. The company recently received Gold Recognition Level’ for the fifth consecutive year from sustainability rating group EcoVadis.
The Global Compact is a United Nations initiative that aims to mobilise business and civil society around the promotion and practical implementation of sustainable development goals. It is the largest international voluntary initiative for sustainable development, with more than 13,000 participants in 170 countries.
As part of the Global Compact, CMA CGM will adhere to the Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business, which is the technical network dedicated to marine issues, as well as to the Sustainable Ocean Principles, a set of nine principles for the preservation of the oceans. CMA CGM says it will be able to bring its expertise acquired through its concrete initiatives and thus place on the agenda of the Global Compact work programme various issues likely to accelerate the energy transition of industry and strengthen ocean protection.
The French company says that so far its environmental initiatives have enabled it to reduce its CO2 emissions per container transported by 50% between 2005 and 2015, whilst it has also set a new reduction target of an additional 30% by 2025.
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