Describing itself as the “sea-faring sister of Extinction Rebellion”, Ocean Rebellion said it aimed to push the UN to take firmer action against the drivers of “marine emergencies” including over-fishing, deep-sea mining and greenhouse gas emissions. In the immediate term, the new Oceans Rebellion offshoot group plans to target the cruise industry, arguing that “the climate impact of shipping is mushrooming” and the average cruise liner pumps out three times more climate pollution per person for every mile travelled than the equivalent flight. The global shipping sector as whole is estimated to be responsible for around three per cent of total emissions.
The first target was a cruise ship The World, which claims to be “the largest residential cruise ship on the planet”. Currently moored in Falmouth Harbour in Cornwall, Ocean Rebellion have promised “an escalating series of actions” against the luxury liner, which it has accused of pumping out “ten times more greenhouse gases per person per mile than a jumbo jet”.
The World contested its characterisation by Ocean Rebellion, stating it was “a clean class vessel that conforms to industry best practices regarding emissions, water treatment, sewage plant and waste management systems. It operates on low sulphur, the cleanest marine fuel available and has a Zero Discharge to Sea policy – no solid garbage of any kind is released to sea, even when permitted by international pollution regulations.”
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