The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has unveiled its target to reduce carbon emissions across all facilities and become net-zero by 2031.
The Roadmap to Net Zero focuses on 100% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions directly controlled by Massport-owned facilities, equipment, and purchased electricity, with continued influence in areas the Authority does not control.
The plan outlines the steps Massport will take to reduce emissions within the decade, directly benefitting neighboring communities and further preparing the Authority for the impacts of climate change.
“Massport is committed to working with our surrounding communities to reduce our impacts to the environment, while remaining focused on supporting the region’s economy,” said Massport Board Chairman, Lew Evangelidis, who added, “Massport’s Roadmap to Net Zero aligns with the Commonwealth’s climate goals.”
Massport’s plan for its net-zero targets:
- Improving energy efficiency in buildings through design standards and operational controls
- Transitioning to clean fuel sources such as renewable electricity, renewable natural gas, etc.
- Generating as much renewable energy as possible on-site, and make off-site renewable energy purchases
- Acquiring renewable energy credits, renewable identification numbers, and carbon offsets as a transition strategy, for the fossil fuel sources that cannot be reduced, electrified or switched to renewable energy in the near-term
- Implementing all remaining facility-specific initiatives identified to ultimately reach net zero.
“The pandemic gave us an opportunity to rethink the way we do business going forward, and we are now on the path to Net Zero,” said Massport CEO, Lisa Wieland, who went on to point out, “This is a real commitment, with aggressive goals, tied to real actions that will take us to Net Zero by 2031, which also happens to be Massport’s 75th anniversary.”
For any areas where emissions cannot be reduced to zero, Massport will invest in carbon offsets to reach the target. The Authority expects to be Net Zero without offsets by 2040. Carbon offsets are investments in GHG-reducing projects, such as a solar farm, that diminish the impact of an organization’s own GHG emissions. Massport’s aim would be to purchase offsets that benefit local projects within the Commonwealth.
