Cargoshell reduces CO2 emissions
One of the most important challenges the world faces – and according to many, the most important –is to reduce CO2 emissions. For a long time scientists have been issuing warnings about the consequences, but climate change through CO2 emissions has only been an accepted part of the agenda since Al Gore’s impressive film An Inconvenient Truth came out. The film is not undisputed and in a number of areas it does not hold up to scientific review, but overall we have to take seriously Al Gore’s story and the threat he warns us about.

Cargoshell heralds a new life cycle for the container, thanks to a concept that is more in tune with present and future requirements in the domain of the environment and environmental legislation. The municipality of Rotterdam supports initiatives that are oriented to reducing CO2 emissions. The Rotterdam Climate Initiative (RCI) regards Cargoshell as a promising initiative. RCI is an ambitious climate programme in which four organisations, with Ruud Lubbers as ambassador-in-chief, have entered into a unique partnership: the municipality of Rotterdam, Havenbedrijf Rotterdam NV, DCMR Milieudienst Rijnmond and Deltalinqs. The objective of the RCI is 50% fewer CO2 emissions in 2025 than in 1990, to prepare for climate change and to strengthen the Rotterdam economy.



Enthusiastic reaction of Havenbedrijf Rotterdam
Havenbedrijf Rotterdam (Port Authority of Rotterdam) conducts an active policy of reducing negative environmental effects and encouraging market parties also to conduct a progressive environmental policy. From this viewpoint the Port Authority is enthusiastic about the potential of Cargoshell. In a discussion with Hans Smits, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port Authority, it was agreed that measures are to be taken to encourage market parties to introduce Cargoshells as soon as possible after the claims regarding the environmental and financial benefits have been verified. This also fits in with the aim of ‘greening’ the business activities in the port (and particularly the activities in the Second Maasvlakte).

Without appropriate measures a climate catastrophe is inevitable
Since the year 2000 global emissions of CO2 have risen four times more quickly than in the preceding decades (the credit crunch will cause the increase to level off a little, but nothing can yet be said about the long-term effects of the financial crisis on CO2 emissions – positive or negative). It is food for thought that the people most worried by this are the leading climate researchers (Schneider, Crutzen and Hansen). If we do not succeed in reducing CO2 emissions drastically by effective measures, we are heading for a climate catastrophe.

IPCC and KNMI: the climate is changing
Climate observations in recent years are a cause of great concern. For instance, the European Environment Agency reported in Copenhagen that Europe is warming up increasingly quickly. The Alpine glaciers are melting in double-quick time. They have decreased in size by two thirds since 1850. Meteorological institutes such as the KNMI (Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute) confirm that this is not merely coincidence, but a result of a changing climate. Estimates of the rise in the sea level have been revised upwards as well. According to a recent estimate the rise in the year 2100 will be 80 cm, but the figure could be as much as two metres. This is almost double the estimate of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – the official United Nations organisation that analyses the risks of climate change). Moreover, the temperature is rising more quickly than was expected on the basis of models: 0.33ºC since 1990. This figure is also twice as large as the IPCC’s estimate. Another cause for unease is that more and more climatologists are warning of abrupt climate changes as a result of the approach of a point of no return. This could put an end to the relative stability of the climate in the past 10,000 years.

Necessary CO2 reduction: governments are gradually setting more CO2 requirements
How should we proceed from now on? People all over the world agree that reducing CO2 emissions is essential. The EU has set itself the target of reducing emissions by 20% by the year 2020. Measures will be formulated at international, national, regional and local government level to reduce CO2 emissions. However, negotiators were unable to reach a decision at the international climate conferences in Bali and Copenhagen.

A new climate treaty is to be concluded at the climate summit that is to be held in 2010 in the Mexican city of Cancún. Every country that signs this treaty commits itself to taking measures. The demands made on all the parties will become ever stricter as we confronted with the effects of climate change.