The NWPCAS is a unique and groundbreaking collaboration. When the Strategy was first adopted in 2008, it was the first international collaboration of its kind in the port community. The four Ports work together on air and GHG emission reduction for several reasons:
- Shared airshed: The Ports are all located within the Georgia Basin-Puget Sound Airshed, so activities that produce air pollutant emissions at any port can impact air quality throughout the airshed;
- Efficient use of resources: Through this collaboration the four Ports are able to pool ideas and resources to save time and money, reduce duplication of effort, and accomplish more together;
- Common ground on clean air and climate action: The collaborative framework of the NWPCAS allows the Ports to create a relatively "level playing field" on clean air and climate action and investments across the Northwest, while continuing to compete in the commercial arena;
- Stronger market signal: The four Ports can do more by working together than through working alone. Collaboration within the NWPCAS and setting goals shared across four ports sends a stronger market signal and creates a larger market to spur development and deployment of clean fuels and technologies in the Northwest;
- Stronger voice: Similarly, through working together, the four Ports have the opportunity to speak with a common voice, which can be more impactful when advocating for policy change at the international level.
