Time is running out. Seven of the nine planetary boundaries have already been breached – and ports can play a decisive role in turning the tide. Realigning ports with ecological limits is urgent, necessary, and a matter of strategic self-interest.

One Planet Port’s new Policy Brief equips policymakers in Europe and Rotterdam with the frameworks and tools to make better decisions – for current and future generations.

Because current policy is falling short. At European, Dutch and local levels in Rotterdam, far too little is being done to prevent ecological breakdown. Nitrogen pollution, ocean acidification, novel entities, land use and biodiversity loss are blind spots that demand decisive action – to monitor and scale down harmful activities across the value chains that ports facilitate.

With the planetary boundaries as its compass, this Brief sets out five concrete policy recommendations and three mindset shifts needed to drive port transformation. It builds on One Planet Port’s Vision Report and was developed in collaboration with the PortCityFutures network (Leiden-Delft-Erasmus universities) – channeling academic knowledge on port city territories towards policy impact and economic transformation.

This is the first in a series. We welcome feedback and look forward to discussing our recommendations with port decisionmakers, policymakers, citizens, NGOs and researchers.

Download the Policy Brief here: OPP_Policy_briefing_Vision_Report

Reach out to maelle.salzinger@oneplanetport.org