The Port of Rotterdam Authority has responded to a demand letter from Advocates for the Future, reaffirming its commitment to achieving a climate-neutral port by 2050 while declining to force companies to limit fossil fuel activities in Rotterdam.
The Authority stated that such a measure would not align with current European and Dutch climate policy, falls outside its institutional role, and would represent an ineffective approach to reducing global CO2 emissions.
The Authority expressed concern that ceasing fossil fuel activities specifically in Rotterdam could carry significant consequences, including risks to energy security of supply and the competitive position of European industry.
It argued that restricting legal, government-permitted activities in a single port would primarily produce a displacement effect, shifting emissions elsewhere rather than reducing them globally, while simultaneously damaging Rotterdam’s economic position and, by extension, that of the Netherlands and Europe.
The Authority emphasised its social responsibility to contribute to the objectives of the Paris Agreement, noting that becoming climate neutral and circular is one of four strategic priorities in its corporate strategy, with CO2 reduction playing a significant role in its decision-making and project execution.
As an organisation founded to strengthen Rotterdam’s port and industrial position in the interests of the Netherlands and Europe, the Authority’s role centres on leasing sites and developing infrastructure, through which it has worked for years to encourage emissions reductions by attracting sustainable companies and building the necessary low-carbon infrastructure.
The Authority noted that decisions on the pace and method of greenhouse gas reduction rest with governments, requiring complex deliberation across factors including security of supply, energy affordability, strategic independence and industrial competitiveness, alongside emissions reduction itself.
It pointed out that European and Dutch legislation, including the EU Emissions Trading System, is designed to reduce emissions under uniform conditions without prescribing the cessation of fossil fuel activities for specific regions or companies.
With the municipality of Rotterdam and the Dutch state as its two shareholders, the Authority operates within established political decision-making and policy frameworks, and stated that banning legally permitted activities would exceed its mandated authority.
