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Svalbard grant to AECO will go to reduce expedition cruise emissions

The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators received 600,000 Norwegian kronor ($56,157) from Svalbard Environmental Fund toward reducing emissions from the expedition cruise industry.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

April 25, 2023

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

'Even though our industry is not a major contributor on a global scale, it's still our responsibility to mitigate our impact,' said Melissa Nacke, AECO’s head of operations, who manages the association's climate change project. 'Since we operate where climate change is happening three times as fast as the global average, we also see the impact of it so profoundly.'

Members will commit to emissions reduction targets

The funding will be used to develop a climate strategy that commits AECO members to emissions reduction targets with guidance on how to meet them. The strategy will also involve members in greenhouse gas audits.

'We are in the early stages of this project that aims for net zero emissions from the expedition cruise industry and this funding is a great help for us to continue to promote the practice of environmentally responsible private‐sector travel,' AECO Executive Director Frigg Jørgensen said.

First stage: Members' survey

The project's first stage will include a survey to gather information from expedition cruise operators on their current emissions and reduction goals. The results will help AECO get a better understanding of the current status of members’ climate action efforts and identify what could accelerate the industry’s collective approach to climate change.

A total of 9m Norwegian kroner from Svalbard Environmental Fund was handed out to 27 projects among 44 applicants. The fund is supported by the environmental fee that all visitors to Svalbard pay.

Read more about:

Svalbarddecarbonization

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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