Peace Boat reveals unprecedented “Ecoship” at COP21

Taking one step further toward setting an enormously important global precedent, Peace Boat recently unveiled its plans to create the world’s “greenest” cruise ship, a project that may herald technological innovations to the shipping world while setting new environmental standards. Called the Ecoship, Peace Boat plans to take its inaugural voyage in 2020 with this groundbreaking, originally designed vessel.

Peace Boat made the announcement at the 21^st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21/CMP11), which France has been hosting in Paris over the last two weeks. International negotiations and conferences thus far have been aiming to contain the Earth’s atmospheric climate change to within a differential of 2° Celsius, and unsurprisingly, maritime trade has been pushed to the forefront of the global CO₂ emission agenda as a result of the world’s vast trade network. Through the Ecoship project, Peace Boat is singlehandedly establishing change in the shipping industry, while addressing the issue of global warming.

In April of 2014, Peace Boat assembled a team of maritime experts in Hamburg, Germany to draft an initial design for the Ecoship. The diverse group of engineers, architects and mariners involved in the project created an innovative masterpiece that includes an aerodynamic hull for improved fuel efficiency, a closed-loop water system that repurposes wastewater, and sails fitted with solar panels. At the cutting edge of the Ecoship’s capabilities is the zero water discharge/reduced air emissions system that will recycle wastewater, prevent litter from being dumped in the sea, and will emit zero nitrogen oxides or sulfur oxides. This system will cut two-fifths of the CO₂ emissions that standard cruise ships discharge.

The Ecoship signals a new future for the shipping industry, one that synthesizes sustainability, green technology, and efficiency. And for Peace Boat, the Ecoship will serve as an inspiring home for the “international floating village” the organization creates through its triannual global voyages for peace.

For more information on Peace Boat’s Ecoship Project, visit the website. 

This post was created and published by Shalini Singh (Peace Boat US Intern).

International Petition: Prime Minister Abe – Save Japan’s Peace Constitution!

Today, the Global Article 9 Campaign has launched an international petition to ask Prime Minister Abe not to amend Japan’s Peace clause.

This initiative seeks to highlight the global support for war-renouncing Article 9 and to contribute to ensuring that global voices in support of Japan’s peace constitution are heard in the lead up to the July 21 elections of the Upper House of the Diet, as several parties, notably Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, have made constitutional revision a priority as part of their electoral platform.

The petition’s key message includes:
– the support for Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and opposition to the push to amend it;
– a call to the Prime Minister and his administration to nurture Japan as a peaceful nation rather than choose the path of militarism;
– and an appeal to listen to the growing international movement that recognizes the value of Japan’s peace clause as a peace mechanism, as an ideal to which people aspire and as a model to follow.

About the Global Article 9 Campaign
Launched in 2005 by a coalition of civil society organizations in Japan, the Global Article 9 Campaign seeks not only to locally protect Article 9; it also acts to educate people around the world about existing international peace mechanisms such as Japan’s Constitution and encourage governments to work towards disarmament, demilitarization and a culture of peace.

In recent years, a strong international network of NGOs and individuals, including Nobel Peace Laureates and key international figures, has formed in support of the campaign. This growing international movement and support makes clear that the world values Article 9 as an ideal to which all people aspire, and as a model to follow.

For the petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/prime-minister-shinzo-abe-save-japan-s-peace-constitution
About the Global Article 9 Campaign: http://www.article-9.org

For enquiries, contact: Peace Boat (Secretariat of the Global Article 9 Campaign)
Kawasaki Akira Kawasaki@peaceboat.gr.jp +81 (0)90 8310 5370
Meri Joyce Meri@peaceboat.gr.jp +81 (0)80 3457 9714

Download this press release as a PDF here.
Download the petition here as a PDF.
Japanese language information can be seen here

This post was created and published by Michelle (Intern from Peace Boat US)