Carnival reveals 2030 sustainability goals

World’s largest cruise company Carnival Corporation has announced its initial set of 2030 sustainability goals.

As disclosed, the company has established new sustainability goals for 2030 and aspirations for 2050, while the 2020 sustainability goals are achieved a year ahead of schedule. The new goals are incorporating six key focus areas that specifically align with some of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The sustainability areas incorporate:

• climate action,
• circular economy (waste reduction),
• sustainable tourism,
• health and well-being,
• diversity,
• equity and inclusion (DEI),
• and biodiversity and conservation.

To further strengthen its environmental, social and governance performance, the cruise company has set a goal of reducing its carbon rate across all its cruise brands by 40% by 2030. Furthermore, looking towards 2050, the company is aiming to achieve net carbon neutral operations.

Carnival also committed to the following:

• Achieve a 40% reduction in carbon rate per available lower berth day by 2030, relative to a 2008 baseline.
• Confirmation that the company peaked its absolute carbon emissions in 2011, despite an approximately 20% capacity increase between 2011 and today with an additional 19% capacity increase on order, and a commitment to continue to reduce emissions over time, and identify a pathway to decarbonization.
• Deliver a 50% reduction in absolute air emissions of particulate matter by 2030 relative to a 2015 baseline, despite an over 10% capacity increase since 2015 and the additional 19% capacity increase on order.

As informed, the company has also set more near-term goals for its circular economy including a 50% reduction in single-use plastic items by the end of 2021, and 30% per capita food waste reduction by 2022 and 50% by 2030. It also aims to install advanced waste water treatment Systems on 75% its entire fleet of ships by 2030.

Part of the strategy for decarbonization includes alternative fuels strategy across its liquefied natural gas (LNG) program and battery, fuel cell and biofuel capabilities.

“Our new 2030 sustainability goals demonstrate our ongoing commitment to ingraining sustainability in all aspects of our operations across our nine brands, while providing us clear, measurable targets and metrics to improve our performance and overall efficiency across our shoreside and shipboard operations,” Bill Burke, chief maritime officer for Carnival Corporation commented.

Carnival also noted that it will have a total of 11 LNG-fueled next-generation cruise ships joining through 2025, representing nearly 20% of its total capacity, including four ships already in operation. One of the ships, LNG-powered Mardi Gras, was delivered to Carnival six months ago.

Moreover, it has implemented broad initiatives to optimize onboard energy use, hull designs and coatings to reduce fuel consumption by minimizing frictional drag, as well as to promote the use of shore power, enabling ships to use shoreside electric power where available while in port.

In the end, the company revealed that it will detail additional 2030 sustainability goals and 2050 aspirations covering of these six focus areas in its 2020 Sustainability Report which is to be issued later this summer.