Ports for People charts a community-driven transition to zero emissions in shipping

Pacific Environment’s Ports for People campaign tackles global shipping’s significant climate impact by empowering port communities to lead a shift toward zero-emission solutions, creating healthier, more sustainable economic opportunities. As a Bright Spot, they exemplify a reimagination of why and how heavy industries function.

With under a decade to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, the global shipping industry remains a major yet often-overlooked contributor, emitting over a billion metric tons of CO₂ annually—more than all U.S. coal plants combined.

Pacific Environment’s local-to-global Ports for People campaign tackles this pressing challenge by empowering frontline port communities to lead the shift toward zero-emission solutions and environmentally-friendly economic development. By addressing pollution at its source, Ports for People reimagines ports as hubs of sustainable industry and community health.

What makes Ports for People unique within the shipping industry?

Ports for People marks a significant shift from traditional clean shipping advocacy, which often focuses on regulatory approaches within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)’s framework. The campaign focuses on direct advocacy with local communities, frontline groups and local environmental justice groups to influence climate shipping policy, aligning their expertise and community- driven innovation with scientific insights.

This community-driven model extends beyond advocacy. Pacific Environment collaborates with over 150 grassroots and Indigenous organisations across the Pacific Rim, elevating the voices of those most affected by shipping pollution. This effort is characterised by nuanced, resource-intensive commitments to build trusting relationships with local leaders, ensuring its success in new regions.

Initially focused on North America’s West Coast, Ports for People has since expanded into East Asia, showcasing a scalable approach to creating a global network of zero-emission ports and fostering community resilience against pollution.

"It's strategic to place people at the center of this transition because it’s going to take people power to achieve a truly just, zero-emission shipping future. That's why Pacific Environment invests in grassroots leaders who are directly affected by shipping and port pollution. We support these leaders in developing policy solutions from the ground up and in mobilizing their communities to demand change."

—Erika Thi Patterson, Senior Director, Pacific Environment’s Climate Campaign

How does Ports for People change the way the shipping industry works?

Shipping pollution is a significant yet often considered factor in global climate change, accelerating ocean acidification and affecting millions who live near ports with dangerous air pollutants. This unchecked pollution thus far has not only threatened ocean health, but has resulted in 260,000 premature deaths, millions of cancer cases, and hundreds of millions of childhood asthma cases globally, with communities in Los Angeles and Long Beach in the United States facing an eight-year lower life expectancy than the country average.

By addressing these critical issues, Ports for People offers a community-centered solution that not only mitigates environmental harm but also fosters public health and equity. It is a transformative model, actively bridging local voices with science-backed action and ultimately setting a precedent for global port management that centers environmental justice.

What could the future of shipping look like if Ports for People became the norm?

If Ports for People scales globally, ports around the world would cease to serve as "gas stations" for fossil fuel-dependent ships and instead, transition to hubs powered by renewable energy and advanced clean fuels. They would become a network of “green corridors”, with shipping routes restricted to clean-fuel vessels.

In this scenario, major port cities would no longer be “sacrifice zones” disproportionately impacting underprivileged communities. Instead, they would thrive as clean, healthy places, protecting vulnerable marine species and providing career opportunities in renewable energy and green logistics. A fossil fuel-free shipping industry would also contribute to global climate targets, positioning these clean ports as critical pillars in a sustainable global economy.

Questions to consider:

How can local communities play a more active role in influencing industries that affect their environment and health?

What measures/structures need to be challenged to create new spaces for dialogues amongst actors such as the shipping industry and communities impacted by their actions?

Meet the Bright Spots

A Forum for the Future initiative, in partnership with The Earthshot Prize, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and Trane Technologies, the Future of Sustainability: Reimagining the Way the World Works is showcasing the social and climate initiatives shaping a better future, today.

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