Ports need to be part of ‘green deal’

Talk of a ‘Green Deal’ in the European Parliament has prompted a call to recognise the role that ports can play in policymaking.

In a speech to Members of the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen, new president of the European Commission, said she is committed to delivering –in her first 100 days– a European Green Deal able to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.

Following the speech, FEPORT stated: “European ports should not be conceived as ordinary assets but as advanced platforms/laboratories where both EU climate and industrial policies can reconcile and embody EU priorities for the future.”

It said that if awareness among member states and EU institutions becomes significant and a Green Deal implemented then it could offer Europe a chance to move away from fragmented policymaking and encourage European port stakeholders to be in favour of a sustainable use of public resources.

Unclear so far

According to FEPORT, Ms Von der Leyen’s plan already contains about 20 different policy proposals, spanning from the creation of a Sustainable Europe Investment Plan, to the introduction of a carbon border tax as well as the partial transformation of the European Investment Bank into a climate bank and the adoption of a new industrial policy for Europe.

MEP Bas Eickhout recently mentioned that “the EU must adopt an ambitious industrial policy aligned with its climate agenda by investing in clean technologies and introducing a carbon tariff at the EU’s external border in order to protect industries against environmental dumping.”

“If this is part of the Green Deal, then this would probably be one of the best news that many sectors in the EU are waiting for,” said FEPORT, adding it will be important to combine industrial and climate policies.

It stated that it will also be essential to use the potential of digitalisation to implement smart, seamless and sustainable operations in the transport logistics sector and create jobs that will make the best use of human creativity and capacity to innovate.
Source: Port Strategy