Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports

The document examines the dual role of U.S. ports as both significant emitters of greenhouse gases and vulnerable infrastructure facing climate threats like sea level rise. It details mitigation strategies, including electrification of machinery and shore powering for ships, and adaptation methods, such as nature-based shoreline protection and improved stormwater management. The brief highlights specific initiatives at ports in California, Georgia, and Florida, while noting the importance of federal resources like the EPA Ports Initiative in supporting these transitions.

• The three largest U.S. ports—Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York and New Jersey—emitted more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2019, contributing to significant local air pollution that disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color.
• Electrification of port equipment significantly reduces emissions and costs; for example, electric cranes can lower carbon dioxide emissions by 60 to 80 percent and reduce repair costs by 30 percent compared to diesel versions.
• Shore powering, which allows berthed ships to shut off engines, can reduce air pollution from those ships by up to 98 percent. California's updated regulations require all vessels entering its ports to use shore power or approved emission control technologies, which is estimated to reduce cancer risk for communities near the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Richmond by 55 percent.
• Ports are adopting renewable energy and efficiency measures, such as the Port of Los Angeles installing solar panels to meet one-sixth of its total power demand and the Port of Miami using LEED-certified structures and white reflective roofing for passive cooling.
• Adaptation strategies include both 'gray infrastructure' (like concrete barrier walls at the Port of Long Beach) and nature-based solutions, such as the Port of Miami's restoration of 40 acres of mangroves and the Port of Portland's use of rain gardens and vegetated swales.
• Dredged material is being repurposed for coastal restoration, such as the Maryland Port Administration's use of material to restore Poplar Island in the Chesapeake Bay, though dredging can cause ecological damage, as seen in the widespread coral death resulting from dredging at the Port of Miami.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2022). Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports. https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_Climate_Adaptation_Mitigation_Ports_2022.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports. 2022. https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_Climate_Adaptation_Mitigation_Ports_2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports |date=February 2022 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_Climate_Adaptation_Mitigation_Ports_2022.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2022climate, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2022}, month = feb, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/IssueBrief_Climate_Adaptation_Mitigation_Ports_2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }