Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports

This policy brief by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines how U.S. ports are addressing climate change through mitigation strategies to reduce emissions and adaptation measures to increase resilience against sea level rise and extreme weather.

• 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, including emissions from vessels, cargo equipment, and vehicles.
• Electrification of port machinery reduces both 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 allows berthed ships to shut off engines, potentially reducing air pollution from these vessels by up to 98 percent. The Port of Los Angeles has installed 79 such hookups, the most of any port globally.
• California's updated 'At-Berth' regulation requires 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 Savannah using lighting controls to reduce energy consumption by 60 percent.
• Adaptation strategies include both 'gray infrastructure' (like concrete barrier walls at the Port of Long Beach) and nature-based solutions (such as the 40 acres of mangroves restored by the Port of Miami) to protect against flooding and sea level rise.
• Dredged material is being reused for coastal restoration, such as the Maryland Port Administration's use of material to restore Poplar Island, though dredging can cause environmental harm, including widespread coral death 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} }