Environment
Maritime Aquarium Among Two Dozen Aquariums Pledging to Continue Work to Achieve Carbon Neutrality
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The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and 23 other leading U.S. aquariums, as members of the Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) , on Friday announced the first steps in achieving their long-term goal of carbon neutrality. — an announcement from The Maritime Aquarium
Fittingly on Earth Day, the aquariums are pledging to evaluate and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, a major cause of a warming planet and global climate change. “We have no choice but to undertake fast and drastic action on a global scale to reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere if we want to enjoy the planet as we have known it for thousands of years,,” said Jason Patlis, president and CEO of The Maritime Aquarium, “and it is the responsibility of The Maritime Aquarium, as one of the foremost aquariums in the nation, to lead by example and join the nation’s other top aquariums in committing to a path that will lead us to a carbon neutral future.”
Within a year, with a long-term goal of achieving climate neutrality, the 24 aquariums will assess the amount of CO2 emissions that their operations create, either directly from on-site, owned sources, or indirectly from – for example – the electricity, heating or cooling that they purchase. They’ll also determine additional priority reductions from such emission sources as purchased goods and services, business travel, employee commuting and waste disposal. By April 2024, the aquariums will develop individual emissions-reduction plans, with timelines for completion.