25 January 2016: Environmental non-government organizations (NGOs) and the cruise industry are collaborating to restore and protect the world’s oceans. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (RCL) announced a five-year partnership to support global ocean conservation, reduce RCL’s environmental footprint, and raise awareness about ocean conservation among RCL passengers. The Carnival Corporation participated in The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) two-day Mapping Ocean Wealth Forum, as part of the company’s support to TNC’s ocean conservation efforts.

WWF and RCL announced their partnership at an event in Donsol, the Philippines, where WWF implements a community-based ecotourism program. Speaking at the event, WWF-US President, Carter Roberts, explained the WWF-RCL initiative centers on two core concepts: “first, committing to specific and measurable targets to reduce carbon emissions, increase sustainable sourcing and build destination stewardship; and second, comprehensively engaging their millions of travelers to learn about the ocean and then act to help save it.” RCL Chief Executive Officer, Richard Fain, said the new “partnership aligns all of us at RCL with WWF’s mission to conserve the world’s oceans.”

As part of their partnership, WWF and RCL developed carbon emission and sustainable seafood targets and plan to announce additional targets on destination stewardship by June 20, 2016. The carbon emissions target aims to reduce RCL’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 35% by 2020. On sustainable seafood, RCL aims to, inter alia: source 90% of wild-caught seafood by volume from marine stewardship council (MSC) certified sustainable fisheries; source 75% of farmed seafood by volume from aquaculture stewardship council (ASC) certified farms in North America and Europe; and set traceability goals with targets to obtain MSC and ASC chain of custody. Fain committed RCL to begin implementing targets immediately.

RCL will support WWF’s ocean conservation work through a US$5 million contribution. RCL also made a US$200,000 donation to WWF Philippines to support its work in Donsol.

Similarly, Carnival Corporation has provided support to TNC, including US$2.5 million to support TNC’s Mapping Ocean Wealth work and other marine protection activities, such as building coral nurseries in the Caribbean and installing reef enhancement structures to support future coral growth and fish habitat in Grenada.

The Mapping Ocean Wealth Forum highlighted research on protecting coral reefs, mangroves and coasts and enhancing the ocean’s carbon sequestration potential. The Forum is part of the Mapping Ocean Wealth Initiative, which aims to generate knowledge about how and where ocean benefits are produced and to map these areas, with the broader goal of providing evidence to support investments in ocean conservation, restoration and management, and economic development.

Carnival Corporation’s collaboration with TNC is part of the company’s efforts to protect the environment. In 2015, Carnival announced 10, 2020 Sustainability Goals, including targets on reducing GHG and other emissions, increasing water efficiency, reducing waste production, and developing sustainable supply chains. [WWF Press Release] [Mapping Ocean Wealth Website] [MSC Website] [ASC Website] [IISD RS Sources]