Performance trends of environmental management in European ports

Abstract

This paper presents the current status and trends over time in the environmental situation of European ports, based on the results of a wide representation of EcoPorts members (90 ports). All the information presented in this research comes from the Self-Diagnosis Method (SDM), a concise checklist managed by European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO), against which ports can self-assess their environmental management. The results provide data on a total number of 54 indicators, being the existence of an inventory of environmental legislation the indicator with the highest implementation (96,7%), followed by the existence of an environmental policy (95,7%). Waste is the environmental issue that is being more monitored by ports. Air quality continues as the top environmental priority, followed by energy consumption and noise. It is interesting to highlight the growing awareness of Climate change among ports as well as the increasing implementation of green initiatives in ports.

Keywords: Environmental management; Environmental performance; Port management; Sustainable development.