A recent report reveals that Carnival, the world’s largest cruise line company, emitted more carbon dioxide in Europe in 2023 than the city of Glasgow, which has a population of 620,700. The analysis, conducted by the Transport and Environment (T&E) campaign group and shared with media, identifies Carnival as the most climate-polluting cruise company in Europe, followed by MSC and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Carnival’s Europe-bound ships generated 2.55 million tonnes of CO2 last year, surpassing Glasgow’s 2021 emissions of 2.43 million tonnes. MSC emitted 1.4 million tonnes, while Norwegian Cruise Line recorded 0.84 million tonnes. T&E based its findings on official carbon emissions data required by EU law from vessels operating within the European Economic Area. Jacob Armstrong, shipping policy manager at T&E, pointed out that larger fleets and ships exacerbate emissions, adding, “Bigger isn’t better when it comes to emissions.”
The cruise industry, one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors, has seen a surge in the number and size of vessels, growing from 21 ships in the 1970s to 515 today. T&E research highlights that the size of the world’s largest cruise ships has doubled since 2000.
In 2023, Carnival earned a $1.95 billion profit after pandemic-induced losses in previous years, with 12.5 million passengers traveling on its 92 ships. However, environmental advocacy groups have raised concerns about the industry’s ecological impact. Friends of the Earth (FoE) ranked Carnival and its subsidiaries lowest among 21 cruise lines in its 2024 “cruise ship report card,” citing issues like air and water pollution, sewage treatment, and lack of transparency. Five of Carnival’s nine lines, including Costa Cruises and P&O Cruises, received an F grade overall.
One significant criticism revolves around Carnival’s use of “scrubbers,” which convert air pollution into toxic water pollution while enabling ships to burn dirtier, cheaper fuels. Marcie Keever, ocean and vessels program director at FoE, noted that scrubbers and insufficient shore power infrastructure contributed to the low grades. In contrast, Hurtigruten and Disney Cruise Line earned higher marks for avoiding scrubbers, utilizing shore power, and maintaining greater transparency.
Carnival defended its environmental efforts, claiming a reduction in total greenhouse gas emissions from 10.9 million tonnes in 2011 to 9.65 million tonnes in 2023 and committing to cutting emissions per passenger-equivalent by 40% by 2026. MSC and Norwegian Cruise Line also highlighted their progress, citing improved fuel efficiency and emission reduction targets.
While some companies are making strides in sustainability, critics emphasize that the cruise industry must accelerate its transition to cleaner technologies to mitigate its environmental impact.
