CLIA said member lines have jointly agreed to target a 40%
reduction in their rate of carbon emissions by 2030.
The base year for measuring progress toward the goal will be
2008.
Emissions rates will be calculated based on total carbon
emissions, total ship berths and total distance traveled.
CLIA represents 51 cruise lines and 95% of industry
capacity.
"Today's announcement is a tribute to cross-industry
collaboration and a shared commitment to environmental sustainability,"
said Arnold Donald, global CLIA chairman and CEO of Carnival Corp. "We
aspire to the International Maritime Organization's vision of a carbon-free
shipping industry by the end of the century."
CLIA said the reduction will be fueled by "innovative
technologies for energy efficiency in ship design and propulsion." It pointed to the launch this month of the
AIDAnova, the first cruise ship powered by liquid natural gas.
"While LNG ships principally address pollution, there
is a corresponding benefit for carbon emissions reduction," CLIA said.
Carbon dioxide, produced by burning many fuels, is a
greenhouse gas identified as a source of undesirable climate change.