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 Ocean Conservation and Tourism Alliance International Council of Cruise Lines and Conservation International Announce Joint Initiative Washington, DC—The International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) and Conservation International (CI) today announced a joint initiative to protect biodiversity in top cruise destinations and promote industry practices that minimize the cruise industry's environmental impact. "We could not have a better partner. Conservation International has a long history of working with business to pioneer conservation solutions that are scientifically, economically and culturally sound," said Michael Crye, president of ICCL. "Our vision is to work with leaders in the tourism industry and demonstrate how the industry and conservation community can work together to produce mutually beneficial results. The goal is to not only protect the places tourists visit but also maximize positive contributions to conservation in high biodiversity areas where the cruise industry operates," said Glenn Prickett, senior vice president of Conservation International and executive director of the Center for Environmental Leadership in Business. "We are encouraged the industry shares our vision." The ICCL, which represents fifteen of the world's leading cruise lines, has committed $850,000 to the initiative and its supporting projects. Conservation International has matched this contribution with an investment of $250,000. Of the initial areas of work, AWP research and development has been a strong focus for the industry for several years. Combined efforts have resulted in rapid technological advancements and the installation of several prototypes on more than 20 ships—at a cost of $50 million. These systems, while capable of meeting high standards for treatment, are still in the early stages of application for general use. The industry is committed to continuing to invest in improved AWP systems, and installing those systems on its ships. CI will work with the industry and system manufacturers to expedite the process. The Alliance's focus on tourism and biodiversity issues is important because approximately 70 percent of cruise destinations are in the biodiversity hotspots, including the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Mexico, the Panama Canal Zone, and the South Pacific. A preponderance of species diversity is found exclusively within the earth's 25 biodiversity hotspots, which combined cover a very small percentage of the Earth's land surface. Each biodiversity hotspot has already lost the majority of its original species habitat, and the remainder faces imminent threat of further destruction. Today's partnership formalizes a relationship that began two years ago. In 2001, CI began working with member lines when it was researching the industry's overall performance and its past and future challenges. CI released its interim report, A Shifting Tide: Environmental Challenges and Cruise Industry Responses, in 2003. About the organizations: ICCL represents the interests of 15 passenger cruise lines that call on major ports in the United States and abroad. Member lines include Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruise Line N.V., Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line Ltd., Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Orient Lines, Princess Cruises, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Royal Olympia Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Windstar Cruises. These vessels account for approximately 90 percent of the North American cruise line industry.
Conservation International’s Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (CELB) provides a new forum for collaboration between the private sector and the environmental community. Created in partnership with Conservation International (CI) and the Ford Motor Company, CELB operates as a division of CI and is governed by a distinct executive board of leaders from the business and environmental communities-engaging the private sector worldwide in creating solutions to critical global environmental problems in which industry plays a defining role. For further information about CELB, please visit celb.org. 
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MEDIA CONTACT Julian Teixeira CELB [email protected] 202-912-1454 ONLINE NEWSROOM MATERIALS • OCTA Factsheet with Science Panel (PDF) • Interview with Michael Crye, President of ICCL (PDF) • "A Shifting Tide" Interim Summary Cruise Report (PDF) |
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