Air pollution in ports: a human rights issue 

Port-related pollution is a huge climate and health concern, with predictions that shipping could become the leading source of harmful air pollution in Europe’s coastal cities by 2030. But it is also a human rights issue, with far-reaching legal consequences for states and companies that fail to act.

Background 

Ports are vital hubs for global trade, but they are also hotspots for air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. From Rotterdam to Southampton, air pollution is a systemic issue in European ports, causing premature deaths, worsening climate change, and harm to ecosystems.  

Communities living in and around ports face heightened risks to their health, wellbeing, and environment, with the burden falling most heavily on vulnerable groups. 

What’s in the briefing?  

Our latest legal briefing explores how port-related pollution is not just an environmental or climate concern – it is a human rights issue. Drawing on international, European, and national law, the paper shows how states, public authorities and companies are obliged to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from ports. As attribution science and litigation advance, port authorities, shipping companies, and investors face growing legal, financial, and reputational risks if they fail to act. 

Key insights from the briefing: 

• Human rights require clean air: States have a duty to protect people from air pollution, including from port activities. 

• Accountability extends to private actors: Courts are increasingly willing to hold companies responsible for human rights harms linked to pollution. 

• Monitoring matters: Failure to measure and disclose emissions near ports may itself be a breach of human rights obligations. 

• Legal risks are real: Communities, NGOs, and regulators are turning to litigation and other legal tools to challenge inadequate action on pollution, which could extend to pollution in ports. 

• LNG is a false solution: Fossil LNG consists primarily of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas which is over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Despite its potential for reducing levels of air pollutants, LNG remains an environmentally harmful fuel with devastating effects for the climate. 

• Shipping pollution is on the rise: shipping could become the leading source of harmful air pollution in Europe’s coastal cities by 2030. 

Our recommendations 

To meet legal obligations and protect communities, port stakeholders must: 

• Establish robust air quality monitoring in and around ports 

• Guarantee public access to information on pollution and health risks 

• Phase out high-polluting fuels and avoid false solutions such as LNG 

• Invest in shore-side electricity and other proven clean technologies 

• Prioritise protection for communities most affected by pollution 

• Ensure appropriate remedies, including compensation, are available and accessible