Concerns and regulatory focus on sustainability and the impact of GHG and other emissions on the environment have impacted us and may in the future have material impacts on our business and operating results. Sustainability, environmental and emissions-related regulatory activity and developments that require us to reduce our emissions, which includes EU and UK regulations and the IMO Strategy, have impacted us and may in the future have a material impact on our business and financial results by requiring us to make capital investments in new equipment or technologies, pay for emission allowances, purchase carbon offset credits, or otherwise incur additional costs or take additional actions related to our emissions. Such activity has impacted and may continue to impact us indirectly by increasing our operating costs, including fuel costs. Regulatory developments may also result in the inability to operate ships that do not meet certain standards, impact the resale value of our ships in the future, restrict or limit our access to certain destinations and/or countries or impact our freedom to operate. Regulatory efforts, both internationally and in the U.S., are evolving and we cannot determine what final regulations will be enacted, modified, reversed or whether there will be international alignment or divergence of such efforts, or what their ultimate impact on our business will be. Refer to XVIII. Governmental and Other Regulations for additional discussion of recent developments related to Maritime Regulations, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and EU and UK Regulations.
Our business has faced and may in the future continue to face increased scrutiny from our guests, our team members, the investment community, media (including social media), governments, regulators, destinations and other parties related to our sustainability and environmental activities. If our sustainability practices do not meet, are adverse to, or are perceived to diverge from the expectations of our guests, team members, investors or other stakeholders, the demand for cruising, our reputation, our ability to attract or retain team members as well as our attractiveness as an investment could be negatively impacted. In addition, some environmental focused groups have and may continue to generate negative publicity regarding the environmental impact of the cruise industry and are advocating for more stringent oversight and regulation of our industry, including ship emissions while the ship is docked and at sea. At the same time, we may also face negative impacts from those who do not support sustainability-related initiatives or concerns or disagree with our actual or perceived initiatives or positions, or lack of thereof, on various sustainability, environmental, political, social, governance, or other issues. Evolving views among consumers about the impact of GHG and other emissions on the environment may also lead to changes in consumer preferences.