GeelongPort has become the first port in Australia to achieve Climate Active carbon neutral certification for its business operations.
Reaching carbon neutrality was one of the long-term objectives in GeelongPort’s 20-year Environment Strategy released in 2019. GeelongPort is delivering on this objective by sourcing renewable energy and offsetting all residual carbon emissions.
GeelongPort CEO Brett Winter is thrilled that GeelongPort has become the first port in Australia to be Climate Active carbon neutral certified for its business operations.
”At GeelongPort we acknowledge that climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing communities globally, and we are committed to doing everything we can to reduce our impact,” he said.
”We know we have a long way to go but it is important we start investing in renewable energy and carbon offsets now while we continue investigating and developing longer term decarbonisation initiatives, including future clean energy opportunities”.
Climate Active is a rigorous, government-backed carbon neutral certification which includes an independent audit and encourages businesses to drive voluntary climate action.
Climate Active’s Katrina Maguire said, ‘It is exciting to have GeelongPort as the first port in Australia to become Climate Active carbon neutral certified for its business operations and to know they are doing their bit to drive voluntary action.’
GeelongPort is committed to becoming Australia’s most sustainable bulk port. As an infrastructure asset and key regional gateway for Australia’s supply chains, GeelongPort is playing a key leadership role in responding to the impacts of climate change, helping to transform Victoria’s supply chains toward a clean energy future.
Geelongport is Victoria’s second-largest port, with trade connections across Australia and the world that support the agriculture, construction, energy and tourism sectors.
As Victoria’s premier bulk port and a major driver of Victoria’s economy, GeelongPort handles more than 12 million tonnes of cargo and 600 vessel visits per year.
GeelongPort has made a voluntary commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and is doing its part to reduce its scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2018 base year and to measure and reduce scope 3 emissions. This target is consistent with greenhouse gas emission reductions required to limit warming to 1.5°C.
GeelongPort is doing what it can now while investing in longer term decarbonisation initiatives. In 2020-21 GeelongPort is sourcing renewable energy for some of its electricity needs and will soon have 100 per cent of its electricity sourced from renewable energy. It is also investing in climate action projects in Australia and around the world that are providing economic/social/environmental benefits to communities, as well as reducing emissions.
Climate Active is an ongoing partnership between the Australian Government and Australian businesses to drive voluntary climate action.
Climate Active certification is awarded to businesses and organisations that have credibly reached a state of achieving net zero emissions, otherwise known as carbon neutrality. This means that the activities associated with running a business or producing a particular product have no net negative impact on the climate.
GeelongPort is an associate member of Shipping Australia.
Commenting on this achievement, Shipping Australia CEO Melwyn Noronha, exclaimed: “Wonderful! This is a wonderful achievement! Congratulations to the whole team at GeelongPort in achieving carbon neutrality!”
Find out more about GeelongPort’s achievement: https://geelongport.com.au/hseq/environment/climate-active-carbon-neutral/
