8c. Memo
2024 International Agenda Adoption
COMMISSION AGENDA MEMORANDUM Item No. 8c ACTION ITEM Date of Meeting February 27, 2024 DATE: February 16, 2024 TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director FROM: Melissa Parks, Government Relations Policy Analyst SUBJECT: 2024 International Agenda Adoption ACTION REQUESTED Commission approval of the Port’s 2024 international policy agenda, and direction for the Executive Director to authorize staff to engage in advocacy efforts to support implementation of these policy priorities. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Port of Seattle Commissioners, executive team members, and internal subject-matter experts are engaging internationally to build relationships, share the opportunities and challenges of operating maritime and aviation gateways, and advocate in support of Port goals that are beyond our direct authority. This draft memo establishes the Port’s international policy priorities, highlighting work underway and emerging opportunities, to enhance transparency and guide our engagement for 2024. Driven by the Century Agenda, the Port is working to achieve ambitious goals that maintain Puget Sound as a premier international gateway for commerce and tourism that benefits the region while ensuring equity, sustainability, and quality of life for our region’s residents. While the Port can upgrade and modify our facilities, we have limited control over the commercial aircraft and maritime vessels that utilize our gateway. We need international standards to fully achieve these goals and others. The global climate crisis and energy transition are both significant, complex challenges as well as opportunities. Knowing what is ahead for the future of our industries will create opportunities for innovative business development and sustainability initiatives. As a leader in sustainability the Port can utilize our local action and investments to demonstrate global leadership and influence international outcomes. Success of these international priorities will be through highlighting the Port’s continued local investments as well as engagement with international ports, the United States Government, industry associations, private industry, and non-governmental organizations. Template revised January 10, 2019. COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8c Page 2 of 4 Meeting Date: February 27, 2024 2024 INTERNATIONAL POLICY PRIORITIES Promote Transparency, Collaboration, and Consistency Encourage transparency and broad engagement in developing globally consistent standards and policies for aviation and maritime industries to promote public awareness, industry alignment, and certainty for planning and effective implementation. Coordinate with The Northwest Seaport Alliance on international maritime engagement. Promote collaboration, share best practices and challenges, and foster relationships to develop comprehensive solutions to complex global issues and help achieve our goals by engaging in key international forums such as the International Civilian Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Climate Conference of Parties; with international partners including our sister ports, particularly, Busan, Kobe, Rotterdam, and Singapore; and industry associations and non-government organizations including Airports Council International, International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), and Getting to Zero Coalition. Promote Equity, Environmental Justice, and Sustainable Development Promote the adoption of principles and values that commit organizations to equity, environmental justice, and sustainable development, as well as committing to engage communities most impacted by industries associated with port operations. Advocate for policies, programs, projects, and investments that advance equity and support environmental and economic justice and implements the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Solutions need to be co-developed with and center the experiences and voices of the communities most impacted. Addressing Climate Change and Reducing Air Emissions Support robust and immediate climate action, policies, and initiatives, like the Paris Agreement and Clydebank Declaration, that demonstrate ambitious, feasible, and equitable approaches to mitigate climate changing factors and prepare for climate impacts. Encourage international organizations to incorporate environmental justice principles into its climate policy that are people-centered, developed with impacted communities, and seeks mitigation as well as better quality of life for communities who are experiencing the burden of climate change. Support decision making based on science, quantitative and qualitative data, and that considers lived experiences; progress reporting; and information sharing on global climate impacts and mitigation and adaptation strategies relevant to the Port, King County, or the Pacific Northwest. Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting). COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8c Page 3 of 4 Meeting Date: February 27, 2024 Monitor developments of standards for safe handling and storage of emerging alternative aviation and maritime fuels, such as hydrogen and methanol, at the ICAO and IMO. Provide input on issues that could impact worker and community safety and airport and seaport operations. Support ICAO implementation of policy instruments, including the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme (CORSIA), to achieve net zero aviation emissions by 2050 and encourage investments that accelerate the uptake and supply of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. (1) Monitor developments related to emissions and other aviation environmental impacts within the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) that assists the ICAO Council in formulating new policies and adopting new Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) related to emissions, and more generally to aviation environmental impact. Support the IMO’s development of policies to reduce climate and air pollution emissions from commercial shipping by 2050 including: (1) Global maritime fuel standard that reduces the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions in fuel over time and meets sustainability criteria. (2) Economic measures that create a level playing field globally and incentivizes the supply and use of low and zero emission maritime fuels. (3) Just Transition policy that works to equitably distribute gains, and reduces the risk to, developing countries in the transition to low and zero emission fuels. Encourage knowledge sharing between Green Shipping Corridors and their international partners to accelerate supply and uptake of low and zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and maximize participation by ports and ships. Engage the U.S federal government and other international governing bodies in these conversations. Contribute to efforts coordinated by IAPH to standardize shore power connections and power distribution differences to increase interoperability between ports and ships and increase connection rates. Monitor development of international standards for offshore wind and other alternative energy developments; and encourage collaboration in standards between governments and leading international developers to reduce barriers to deployment. Support the development of offshore wind and alternative energy supply chains that prioritize low greenhouse gas emissions, economic development, and social equity. Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting). COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8c Page 4 of 4 Meeting Date: February 27, 2024 Reducing Aviation and Maritime Noise Monitor and support developments to reduce noise from commercial aircraft by the ICAO Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), including through aircraft technology and airport operational best practices. Support the IMO’s voluntary guidelines to reduce underwater radiated noise from ships and share experiences and outcomes from the Port of Seattle’s efforts to help inform uptake and use of the guidelines. Improving Water Quality/Marine Health Monitor the IMO’s development of standards for the discharge of wash water from exhaust gas cleaning systems and the use of risk and impact assessments to inform decisions about restrictions or limits to wash water discharge. Encourage awareness of, and actions to reduce, ocean acidification impacts to global marine ecosystems, communities, and associated industries. Share Port research on local, nature-based carbon remediation including kelp and eelgrass enhancement, with international partners through the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification. Combat and Reduce Human Trafficking Monitor and encourage efforts at ICAO, the IMO, and other international organizations we engage with to increase awareness of and combat human trafficking in aviation and maritime industries and share the Port’s experience with implementing the national awareness campaign. Highlight the Port’s public-private partnership with local organizations to combat human trafficking. Support Sustainable Tourism Support the Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s best practices that balance the environmental, social, cultural, and economic aspects of tourism and share the Port’s, and our Washington tourism partners’, sustainable and inclusive tourism best practices. ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING (1) Presentation slides PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS February 13, 2024 – Commission briefing on the draft 2024 International Policy Agenda Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).
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