Why Climate Activists want Cruise Ships Banned? The Cursed Condition called Climate Change

As activists target cruise ships

Stopping cruise ships, Credit, The Nation

Every day, fifty-eight-year-old Chantal Rouet bedroom window opens on a chunk of Marseille's sprawling port. Through the open window, Rouet spies gargantuan floating hotels, more than 1,000 feet long and 100 feet high cruise ships, static in the dry Mediterranean air. Ever since she began living in the neighborhood of L'Estaque in 1991, Rouet had been tormented by the gargantuan floating cruise ships through headaches and nausea, but in June 2020, she decided to take action.

Lukas Vollmy works in the health sector and owns a wine shop in Marseille, and she is very much aware of the large cruise ships in the city's sprawling port. She had been oppressed by the port for long through headache from the pollution brought by the ships, so she embarked on an action to do something about the situation.

Lucie enjoyed Marseille, France's second largest city, but the awareness of the city's big port distracts her. While the port  accommodates 10,000 cruise ships, handles 79 million tonnes of goods per year, and plays an important part on the city's economy, Lucie doesn't feel happy with it over the discomfort brought by the ships. The  place had suffocated her for long, and she vowed to take a stand towards changes.

One idea unifies Rouet, Vollmy, and Lucie - doing something about the cruise ships at the port. Rouet took action in 2020 by draping a banner on a bridge overlooking a train track, with a message: 'In Marseille, breathing kills.' Vollmy and Lucie made a move on June 17 this year by joining activists with Stop Croisieres to demonstrate against the existence of cruise ships.

Carbon dioxide emissions from cruise ships visiting European ports such as Rouet's Marseille in 2022 reached the equivalent of emissions from 50,000 flights between Paris to New York, nearly a 17 percent rise from 2019, according to a study.

Although container ships account for 60 percent of all pollution from ocean-going vessel emissions, cruise ships like Vollmy's hated ones burned up to ten times more fuel while berthed than small container ships, since their engine persists to operate their jacuzzi and galley equipment.

According to another report, the 218 operational cruise ships in Europe released 509 tonnes of sulphur oxide in 2022, a rise from the 465 tonnes in 2019, a figure that reached the equivalent of the quantity produced by a billion cars or 4.4 times more than all the cars in the continent.

The emissions of dangerous gases such as sulphur oxide and carbon dioxide formed the basis for why Rouet, Vollmy, Lucie, and members of Stop Croisieres demonstrated against cruise ships in Marseille and wanted them to banned globally.

The global cruise ship market market size could reach USD 15.10 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 11 percent during the forecast period from 2022 to 2028, meaning Rouet could experience an increased emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide through rising activity in the sector going forwards.

The revenue in the cruise ship market  could reach USD 25.14 billion by the end of 2023, and with an expected growth rate of 9.29 percent between 2023 to 2027, the projected market volume could hit USD35.87 billion by 2027, another indication that Vollmy might suffer more from the cruise ships.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise ship industry could exceed its pre-Covid record highs in terms of passengers and revenues and grow to 12 percent above pre-pandemic levels, a pointer that Lucie could endure more troubles.

Since the cruise ship industry could expand in the next few years, activists such as Rouet, Vollmy, and Lucie know it could lead to the worsening of the climate change crisis, through the increased emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, so  they have to join others in protesting against the existence of cruise ships. 

To stop people like Rouet from protesting in the future, the use of cruise ships should undergo a reduction. Vollmy  could be halted from the campaign against cruise ships through reuse of the ships. The same thing with Lucie. Another advantage comes from the reuse and reduction and recycling of cruise ships - mankind takes another step to cope with the climate crisis.

Five Top Solar Energy Products Creators can Explore

Solar panels, Credit, Britannica

(1) Solar Panels: Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are the most common solar energy product. High-efficiency panels like those made by SunPower, LG, and Panasonic are popular choices.

The global Solar Panel Market could reach a value of USD 264 billion by 2030, from USD 152.1 billion in 2022, at a compound annual growth rate of 8.20 percent over the forecast period 2022-2028.

(2) Solar Inverters: Inverters like those from SolarEdge, Enphase, and SMA are critical for converting the DC electricity generated by solar panels into AC electricity for home use.

The solar PV inverters market size could grow from USD.13.06 billion in 2023 to USD 16.46 billion by 2028at CAGR of 4.73 percent in the forecast period of 2023-2028.

(3) Solar Batteries: Battery storage systems like Tesla Powerwall, LG Chem, and sonnen are used to store excess energy generated during the day for use at night or during power outages. 

The global solar energy storage battery market got valued at YSD 3.43 billion in 2022, but with a compound annual growth rate of 24.2 percent, it could grow from USD 4.40 in 2023 to USD 20.1 billion by 2030.

(4) Solar Water Heaters: Solar thermal systems by companies like Rheem and A.O. Smith use solar energy to heat water for residential and commercial use.

The global solar water heater market is worth USD 3105.5 million in 2022 and is predicted to reach USD 4445.7 million by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.2 percent.

(5) Solar Charge Controllers: These control the voltage and current from solar panels to batteries to prevent overcharging. Products from companies like Morningstar and Renogy are popular.

The solar energy charge controller market size reached $1.8 billion in 2021, but it is predicted to be valued $3.4 by 2031, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 6.6 percent from 2022 to 2031.

What to Eat

Thai vegan food, Credit, The Spruce Eat