Home >> News >>  CHIDA Meetings

World Organization of Dredging Associations Statement on the Decarbonization of the Dredging Industry

Time:2022-06-17 Views:

Dredging is essential to maintaining and improving our quality of life, economic well-being, and ecosystem health. This is achieved through creating and maintaining marine and freshwater infrastructure, contributing to climate mitigation and adaptation/resilience, ensuring the reliability of supply chains, providing minerals and construction materials, supporting sustainable offshore energy production  and enhancing the environment.

The World Organization of Dredging Associations (WODA) endorses the significance and necessity of the 2015 UN Paris Climate Change Agreement and the 2015 UN Sustainability Goals to achieve a better and more sustainable future. Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases through decarbonization by all sectors is central to achieving the objectives of both UN agreements. The dredging industry recognizes that this includesimmediate action by all those involved indredging and marine construction.

 Given its broad membership covering a wide range of stakeholders, WODA would like to leverage its unique position to expedite carbon reduction of  dredging. WODA’s ambition is to attain dredging carbon reduction through enhanced communication, mutual trust, and cooperation within the dredging community. -Thisincludes project owners, dredging companies, designers and builders of dredging vessels and their suppliers, as well consultants and academia, small and large.  -.  

 

Members of WODA are committed to:

 

1. Increasing dredging project energy efficiency,  reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions.  ;

2. Leveraging technology and dredging knowledge to promote the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources.  ;

3. Advancing innovation, dredging knowledge, and best practices and sharing these within and outside the dredging community;

4. Engaging with stakeholders and partners to find optimal efficiency for effective solutions considering economic, societal, and  environment conditions..

5. Providing objective sources of relevant knowledge and experience to ensure that decision making pertaining to decarbonization of dredging is based on sound technical and scientific knowledge. This includes furthering the objectives of climate mitigation and adaptation.  

 

Members of WODA recognize that:

1. A combination of measures is needed since there is no single action  that leads to achieving UN greenhouse gas emission goals.  .

2. An integrated, holistic approach to carbon management should be sought that includes:

o Design and implementation of dredging projects;

o Optimization of dredging processes;

o Innovations in the design of dredging vessels, and equipment, and;

o Use of sediment to support carbon sequestration opportunities.

3. An effective way to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases is to reduce the use of fossil fuel consumption.  A switch to low-carbon alternative fuels will be an important component of any reduction goals

4. The Life-Cycle approach to assessing both the short-term and long-term impacts of dredging projects should be used to develop realistic methodology for dredging decarbonization

5. Creating, restoring, and enhancing carbon sinks such as natural habitats, wetlands and marshes is an essential element of dredging’s contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases in the global atmosphere. Dredged sediments must be considered a significant element in the attainment of these activities. .

6. Flexible, evidence-based, science-informed and globally aligned frameworks are crucial for the timely and efficient implementation of innovative solutions that contribute to global climate change objectives.

 

 


Polite Laboyrie
Chairman of the WODA Board of Directors
President of CEDA
19 May 2022
Copenhagen, Denmark