Evaluating the Efficacy of Sustainability Initiatives in the Canadian Port Sector

Jennifer L. MacNeil, Michelle Adams and Tony R. Walker
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Jennifer L. MacNeil: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
Michelle Adams: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
Tony R. Walker: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Maritime ports are critical nodes in the Canadian resource-based economy that can have significant environmental impacts near coastal communities and marine ecosystems. To address these impacts, Canadian Port Authorities (CPAs) assess their environmental performance using the Green Marine Environmental Program (GMEP). Reliance on this program necessitates its evaluation as an effective initiative to address sustainability in its broader context. An analysis was performed to identify links between United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) targets relevant to the Canadian Port Sector and GMEP performance indicators. Results indicate that there are significant gaps in the GMEP, with only 14 of 36 relevant SDG targets directly linked to the program. Findings suggest either an expansion of the GMEP to incorporate these broader sustainability goals, or the development and inclusion of a new framework for CPAs to bridge gaps between the GMEP and SDG targets to improve sustainability in their maritime port operations.

Keywords: maritime ports; sustainability initiatives; port sustainability; environmental performance; Green Marine (GM); United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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