By
Alex Smith |
Carnival Corporation has shared its sustainability goals for 2030 and its future aspirations, which include a commitment to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2050.
The cruise company, which achieved its 2020 sustainability goals a year ahead of schedule, has set new goals and aspirations incorporating six key focus areas that align with some of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. These include climate action; circular economy; sustainable tourism; health and well-being; diversity, equity and inclusion; and biodiversity and conservation.
"At Carnival Corporation, our highest responsibility and top priorities are always compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the people in the communities we touch and serve, and our shipboard and shoreside personnel," said Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation. "The 2030 goals and our aspirations for 2050 are an important next step in our sustainability journey and support our efforts to establish a path to zero-emission cruising over time."
Carnival has released new goals for two of these focus areas, climate action and circular economy. Targets for climate action include a 40 per cent reduction in carbon rate per available lower berth day by 2030, an expansion of the company’s alternative fuel strategy, a 50 per cent reduction in absolute air emissions of particulate matter by 2030 and an increase of fleetwide shore power connection capability to at least 60 per cent of the fleet. By 2050, the company aims to achieve net carbon-neutral operations.
New goals focusing on the circular economy, meanwhile, include a 30 per cent reduction in single-use plastic items by 2022 and 50 per cent by 2030, and similar reductions in food waste over the same time. The corporation also plans to increase of fleetwide coverage of advanced wastewater treatment systems to at least 75 per cent by 2030 and build zero-emission ships by 2050.
Additional 2030 sustainability goals and 2050 aspirations covering all six focus areas will be detailed in Carnival’s 2020 Sustainability Report, which will be issued later this summer.