Heat wave after heat wave, fire after fire, ice melting after ice melting and now with sea heat intensifying, there is no doubt that we are entering an era of perma-crises that follow each other…COVID 19 has shown how vulnerable we are and how dependent EU countries are when it comes to some strategic supplies. But not only…

We are also heading for a disaster and the scenario already makes the headlines these last months: climate urgency has started and if all countries do not take radical measures, images of fires, floods and drought that we see spreading in Portugal, France, Mexico, Pakistan, the US, and Africa will become a recurrent and appalling routine…

People are anxious and their anxiety also concerns the impact of the economic crisis, inflation, recession, unemployment, competition with non-EU countries and last but not least war in Europe….

European industries and citizens are by majority convinced that the leadership role the EU is playing for climate is meaningful and the right thing to do but they are also worried by the fact that the EU cannot solve the problems alone.

Will the measures in the EU be sufficient to stop the frightening spiral regarding climate crisis? Should the EU intensify its diplomatic efforts to call for more efforts from all countries? Have Member States taken concrete measures to cut gas use voluntarily by 15% amid uncertain supplies from Russia due to the war in Ukraine? Should European households and businesses learn lessons from Japan on how to cope with energy shortages? How can the EU prepare and be equipped to tackle crises more effectively? How can the EU preserve the competitiveness of businesses while taking strong measures to reduce the impact of human and industrial activities on climate? Many uncertainties are weighing…

Port actors are all “hands on deck” and aware of the necessity to save energy while ensuring that supply chains continue to function and deliver. However, more leadership and commitments from governments are needed to avoid that the temptation of the “race to the bottom” in terms of EU environmental ambition prevails… We need to lower transport greenhouse gas emissions significantly as soon as possible. There is no time to waste…
Source: Feport