Ocean Renewables: Powering the Blue Economy

19.04.2022

sunset-vetroelektrane — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Fredrik Öhlander)

Offshore renewables can play a key role in harnessing the benefits of the blue economy for sustainable development in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), said IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera, at the Our Oceans conference held in the western Pacific nation of Palau.

Aimed at highlighting the plight of nations on the frontline of climate change as they grapple with rising sea levels, the two-day conference with over 500 delegates from more than 80 nations taking part, including co-host John Kerry, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

Speaking at a high-level panel discussion themed Creating Sustainable Blue Economies, Mr. La Camera said for SIDS and other vulnerable island nations, the development of the ocean economy holds considerable promise. “Offshore renewables can benefit all sectors of the economy, including tourism, shipping, aquaculture, agriculture, and water desalination,” he added.

Upscaling offshore renewables, including wind, wave, and tidal energy, may also bring major benefits for small island nations in terms of climate change mitigation as well as reduce dependency on fossil fuels imports, Mr. La Camera pointed out.

“Offshore energy systems are well suited to be located near aquaculture farms, as these often consist of a floating structure that is commonly tethered to the seafloor, which could be directly integrated into the aquaculture system,” he added, citing successful case studies from France and Scotland. Presenting the key highlights from IRENA’s recently launched World Energy Transitions Outlook 2022, Mr. La Camera stressed the urgency for strong climate action and the need to accelerate the deployment of renewables.

“The 1.5℃ goal is going to vanish soon if we do not dramatically change the way we do business. We need to urgently work toward replacing coal with renewables and increase the deployment of renewables by three times every year. We see renewable energy providing 65 per cent of the total electricity supply by 2030, respectively from over 25% in 2018,” he said.

Many small island nations have demonstrated an increasing interest in harnessing the opportunities of ocean energy technologies in the recent past. “We see more and more islands across the Caribbean and the Pacific developing strategies and conducting feasibility studies to integrate offshore renewables in their national energy plans. There has never been a better time for renewable energy deployment and development to drive the ocean economy of SIDS, in an achievable and sustainable manner,” he added.

Source: IRENA

The UN Biodiversity Conference: The Road to a Bold New Agreement for Nature

18.04.2022

Healthy, biodiverse ecosystems sustain life on Earth by providing air, water and other essential elements. From forests to farmlands to oceans, the planet’s ecosystems are the basis of resources, services and industries.

Despite the value nature provides, it is being degraded at catastrophic rates. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), 75 percent of the Earth’s land and 66 percent of its oceans have been altered by human activity and many essential ecosystem services are eroding. The rate of global change in nature over the past 50 years is unprecedented in human history.

Nature loss has far-reaching consequences. Damaged ecosystems exacerbate climate change by releasing carbon instead of storing it. Rampant development is putting animals and humans in closer contact increasing the risk of diseases like COVID-19 to spread. A recent United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report found that about 60 percent of human infections are estimated to have an animal origin.

To address these issues, government leaders from around the world will convene in Kunming, China later this year for the UN Biodiversity Conference (also known as the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP-15). They are set to agree upon new goals for nature through the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

“This year’s UN Biodiversity Conference is an opportunity to strike a landmark agreement to guide global actions through 2030 to achieve a nature-positive world, one where society halts and reverses the loss of biodiversity. The world needs to take concrete steps to shift our unsustainable consumption and production patterns to ones that allow both people and the planet to thrive,” said Doreen Robinson, UNEP’s Head of Biodiversity and Land.

In the lead up to the event, negotiators met in Geneva, Switzerland for two weeks in March. While a final agreement will not be adopted until world leaders reconvene later this year in Kunming, the Geneva meetings were critical for negotiations on establishing goals and targets that will end up in the final agreement and for supporting the enabling conditions to implement the framework, including financial resources, capacity building, monitoring and accountability systems and other areas.

We spoke to Robinson, who attended the Geneva meetings on behalf of UNEP, about the key elements needed to ensure a robust Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

Adopting an ambitious agreement for nature action

First and foremost, the conference later this year needs to culminate in countries finalizing negotiations and adopting an inclusive post-2020 framework. The current draft framework includes 21 action targets to be completed by 2030.

Effective protection of lands and oceans

A successful agreement would include effective conservation and management of more of our land, inland waters and oceans. The draft framework currently includes a target to conserve and protect significant areas of land and sea globally. Such targets are only meaningful when they are backed by capacity and resources to implement.

Sustainable use and equitable benefit sharing

Biodiversity sustains all life on earth. Humanity needs to integrate sustainability with economic development and ensure the sustainable use of nature, as well as improvements in equitable sharing of benefits, which can provide strong incentives for conservation while continuing to provide for the well-being of people.

Protecting and restoring ecosystems

Humanity is using the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to maintain our way of life and ecosystems cannot keep up. Preventing large-scale ecosystem collapse and nature loss will require restoration as well as conservation efforts. Target 2 of the draft agreement aims to ensure a significant portion of degraded ecosystems are under restoration.

Engaging all actors

The wellbeing of the planet depends on everyone coming together for nature, including the private sector, civil society, indigenous peoples, local communities and individuals. The participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in decision-making processes related to nature is especially important, as well as the engagement of women, girls and youth.

Closing the finance gap and aligning financial flows

According to UNEP’s State of Finance for Nature Report, the world needs to close a USD 4.1 trillion financing gap in nature by 2050. The current G20 investments in nature amount only to USD 133 billion. The world must close the financing gap, align trillions of dollars in financial flows with nature, and ensure that nature enters into economic and financial decision making.

Delivering the post-2020 framework

Urgent action will be needed to implement the framework at the scale required. An ambitious agreement should include an equally robust implementation plan. Commitments will need to be backed by policy and legislation. Financing, capacity building and technical support for nature will need to be ramped up significantly.

Source: UNEP

GGF And MF Banka Boost Green Finance in Bosnia and Herzegovina

18.04.2022

bosnia_and_herzegovina_nature_priroda_zelenilo_pogled_view — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The Green for Growth Fund (GGF) has formed a new partnership with MF Banka in Bosnia and Herzegovina to expand access to green finance for small, and medium enterprises (SMEs). A senior loan of 5 million euros will be on-lent by the bank to businesses that want to implement energy efficiency and resource efficiency measures, as well as small scale renewable energy projects.

MF Banka is part of Mikrofin Group, which has been a GGF partner since 2018. MF Banka plays an important role in serving the lower SME market segment, and with its extensive network and vast experience in financing energy and resource efficiency measures, the bank is well positioned to offer diverse green products to its large client base. This investment will be used predominantly to finance energy efficiency measures in manufacturing, specifically wood processing and food processing, construction, as well as transport.

“We are proud of this new partnership with MF Banka as we believe it will strengthen our outreach amongst SMEs and corporate clients in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while simultaneously advancing our mission to boost energy efficiency and renewable energy across the region”, said GGF Chairman Olaf Zymelka.

“We are aware of the impact of energy efficiency on the environment, but we know that the intensity of its implementation directly depends on financial precondition. Thanks to the GGF, which recognized MF Bank as a reliable partner, we will have the opportunity to provide more favorable and affordable ‘green’ loans for most of our SME clients,” said Bojan Luburic, President of Management Board MF Bank.

About the GGF

The Green for Growth Fund invests in measures designed to cut energy use and CO2 emissions, and improve resource efficiency in 19 markets across Southeast Europe, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Moldova, the Middle East and North Africa. The fund provides such financing directly to renewable energy projects, corporates and municipalities or indirectly via selected financial institutions. The GGF’s Technical Assistance Facility maximizes the fund’s investment impact through support for capacity building at local financial institutions and partners.

The GGF was initiated as a public-private partnership in December 2009 by Germany’s KfW Development Bank and the European Investment Bank, with financial support from the European Commission, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Austrian Development Bank (OeEB).

The fund’s growing investor base comprises donor agencies, international financial institutions and institutional private investors, including the International Finance Corporation, the Dutch development bank FMO, and the German ethical bank GLS. The GGF is advised by Finance in Motion GmbH. MACS Energy & Water GmbH, Frankfurt am Main acts as the technical advisor.

Source: Green For Growth Fund

Speed Up Green Transition to Break From Russian Fossil Fuels, Say 11 EU Countries

17.04.2022

oil-802209_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Europe must speed up the rollout of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to eleven EU countries.

The invasion of Ukraine put a spotlight on Europe’s dependency on Russian fossil fuel, particularly gas, and has led to calls for the EU to quickly decrease its reliance on its hostile neighbour.

“We need a swift transition to renewable energy, as an affordable and secure energy source that will contribute to shield consumers from price hikes as a consequence of import dependency,” according to a joint statement signed by Austria, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Latvia, the Netherlands, Sweden and Slovenia.

There are also concerns about how much money Europe sends Russia in return for energy supplies. Since the war broke out, the EU has sent 35 billion euros to Russia for its energy compared to 1 billion euros for Ukraine’s defence, Europe’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said this week.

To reduce Europe’s dependency on Russian fossil fuels and meet the EU’s climate goals, the 11 countries call on their fellow leaders to “be bold” and “move ahead with determination with the green transition”.

“The EU has shown historic unity and taken decisive action in response to Russia’s aggressive behaviour,” reads the joint statement.

“We must maintain the same unity and determination in order to become independent of Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible through accelerating the green transition towards climate neutrality in the EU by 2050 at the latest,” it continues.

They call on EU leaders to unite in their negotiations on the Fit for 55 package, tabled in July to reform Europe’s climate policy and ensure “an ambitious and swift implementation of it”.

This includes creating an “open and interconnected market-driven EU internal energy market” to minimise price shocks in the EU from supply disruptions and a strong emissions trading scheme.

“This is key to making the EU fit for energy independence of Russian fossil fuels and the only way we can address the climate crisis, respond to aggressive Russian behaviour, and ensure a clean, reliable and cheap independent EU energy supply for the future,” according to the joint statement.

The 11 countries add that Europe should avoid locking itself into fossil fuels and remain on track for net-zero emissions in 2050.

This has been a concern as Europe looks for short term alternatives to Russian gas, like liquified natural gas (LNG) from the US. There has been a call to build up Europe’s LNG infrastructure, drawing criticism from environmental groups.

Source: EURACTIV.com

EBRD Lends EUR 20 Million to Upgrade Bosnia’s Electricity Transmission Grid

16.04.2022

električna energija - struja — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Fre Sonneveld)

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is lending EUR 20 million to Elektroprenos-Elektroprijenos (also known as TransCo), Bosnia and Herzegovina’s transmission system operator, for the modernisation and upgrading of its core telecommunications systems.

This will help TransCo improve the efficiency and management of its electricity substations and distribution systems, leading to reduced grid electricity losses, improved system reliability, and increased readiness for integrating additional intermittent renewable energy capacity, thereby resulting in lower carbon emissions in the Country.

“The project’s digital element is an important part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s drive towards decarbonising its energy system,” said Mark Bowman, EBRD Vice-President, Policy and Partnerships, who was present at the signing in Sarajevo. “The project is also expected to be a step forward towards the improved integration of Western Balkans regional electricity markets, helping improve the cross-border trade and allocation of electricity transmission capacity via the optimised management of the transmission network.” The loan agreements were signed by Manuela Naessl, EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The country is looking to increase the share of renewable energy in its generation mix before 2030, and is currently going through a legislative and consultative process on how to deliver on climate commitments, which include climate neutrality by 2050 and 33.2 percent greenhouse gas reduction by 2030.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s transmission grid infrastructure urgently needs investment to allow it to absorb increased quantities of intermittent renewables and make it capable of meeting the Paris Agreement’s goals on limiting global warming to 1.5C by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

This project forms a key part of TransCo’s long-term capital investment plan for 2022-2028, and will enable the company to make full use of its supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system.

A leading climate investor, the EBRD aims to align all its operations with the goals of the Paris Agreement by 2023 and make more than half its investments green by 2025.

The EBRD has worked extensively in Bosnia and Herzegovina to support restructuring and expansion of the local private sector, forging closer linkages with wider regional markets and promoting more efficient and sustainable use of resources. The EBRD has invested EUR 2.78 billion in 193 projects in the country.

Source: EBRD

IEA: Global natural gas demand set to decline slightly in 2022

15.04.2022

appliance-gas — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay (PublicDomainPictures)

The world’s demand for natural gas is set to decline slightly in 2022. as a result of higher prices and market disruptions caused by war in Ukraine, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest quarterly update.

The expected small contraction in global gas demand compares with the IEA’s earlier forecast of one per cent growth in the previous quarterly update published in January. The downward revision to the forecast amounts to 50 billion cubic meters, the equivalent of about half of last year’s US liquefied natural gas exports. Global natural gas consumption grew by 4.5 per cent in 2021.

War in Ukraine has added further pressure and uncertainty to an already tight natural gas market, especially in Europe. While there are no legal restrictions on importing Russian natural gas to the European Union at this point, the war has pushed EU governments to seek to reduce their dependence on Russian fossil fuel imports as quickly as possible. The IEA published a 10-Point Plan on 3 March outlining a suite of measures to reduce the volume of Russian gas imports into Europe by over a third within a year while remaining consistent with the EU’s climate ambitions.

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Spot gas prices have soared to record highs as Europe’s push for more diversified natural gas supply has intensified demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes, with some being diverted away from Asia. Average spot LNG prices in Asia during the 2021-22 heating season were more than four times their five-year average. In Europe, spot LNG prices were five times their five-year average, in spite of a mild winter.

The prices were also boosted by Russia’s moves, even before war in Ukraine, to drastically reduce short-term gas sales to Europe, which had left European storage levels 17 per cent below their five-year average at the start of the European heating season.

Source: IEA

Record Heat Sends Sea Ice Into Retreat, Worrying Scientists

15.04.2022

antarctica-led — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Roxanne Desgagnes)

The recent collapse of a 1,100km2 ice shelf in Antarctica came at a time of record high temperatures and is a symptom of a planet in a climate crisis, experts say.

The Conger ice shelf, which cleaved away from the eastern side of Antarctica in March, is the latest victim of rising temperatures at the Earth’s poles. Experts say as the polar regions warm, more ice is likely to melt, potentially pushing up sea levels and inundating coastal communities.

“The current concentration of greenhouse gasses is higher than at any time in human history. It’s a very worrying signal,” said Pascal Peduzzi, Director of the Global Resource Information Database (GRID) – Geneva. GRID-Geneva is a partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment and the University of Geneva.

The temperature at Vostok Weather Station in the central part of Antarctica in March normally averages -53°C. But between March 16 and March 20, around the time the ice shelf is believed to have collapsed, the temperature was on average 35°C warmer, hitting a balmy-for-Antarctica -18°C on March 17. The heat wave is part of a warming trend being recorded globally.

Satellite imagery, which dates back five decades, shows sea ice at both poles is in retreat. On February 21, 2022, Antarctic sea ice, which has until recently been stable, reached its minimum since measurements began in 1979.

The situation is much more dramatic at the opposite side of the planet. Forty years ago sea ice in the Arctic was typically three to four meters thick. Today, it is around 1.5 metres, according to a recent UNEP report, the Foresight Brief. Thinner ice and more open water lead to increased absorption of sunlight and increased melting in summer. Since 1979 around 50 percent of summer sea ice coverage has been lost.

“There has been a significant sea ice loss, especially in the last 20 years,” said Tore Furevik, a Director at the Nansen Environment and Remote Sensing Centre and a co-author of the Foresights Brief. “Sea ice loss indicates a climate that is getting warmer and warmer and is not in balance. The only way to stop this trend is to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.”

Melting sea ice leads to changes in the marine ecosystem, ocean circulation and weather events. In both the Arctic and Antarctica, warmer ocean water contributes to the melting of ice sheets. While Arctic melting doesn’t lead to a significant rise in sea levels, as the ice is already in the water, melting of Greenland or Antarctic ice will as it sits on land.

Key to curbing melting sea ice and ice sheets is mitigating climate change and keeping temperature rises in line with the Paris Agreement. As part of the pact, Member States committed to limiting global warming to well below 2°C, and preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. If the world meets its current climate-related pledges, the planet will still warm by at least 2.7°C, warns UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report by the end of the century, while the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report indicates that the median global warming will be 3.2°C by 2100.

“We need to take the climate crisis more seriously,” said Peduzzi, “We have less than eight years to cut our emissions by half. This is not going to happen without a major reconfiguration of all the main sectors.”

UNEP has proposed what it calls a Six-Sector Solution to the climate crisis. It focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a half-dozen industries: energy, industry, agriculture and food, forests and land use, transport, buildings and cities. The report outlines how these six sectors can deliver more than 30Gt of emissions reductions and help to keep temperature rise in line with the Paris Agreement.

The United Nations has also released the ActNow campaign, which guides people on the individual choices they can make to limit global warming and reduce climate change.

In March 2022, UNEP launched an updated version of its data, information and knowledge platform called the World Environment Situation Room. There is a dedicated module on climate change, which includes daily updated graphs on the extent of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice. The webpage also highlights temperature anomalies and has a vast amount of data explaining and monitoring climate change.

This month, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said “that we are on a fast track to climate disaster.”

Peduzzi finds there is apathy around climate change as often people don’t realize the massive impact that each degree of warming can have on the planet. He said: “At 1.5°C, sea level rise is contained to 48 cm. At 3°C, sea level would rise by seven metres and marine ecosystems may collapse. At 4°C experts don’t see how adaptation would be possible.”

Source: UNEP

Energy and Climate Committee Discusses Way Forward for 2030 Targets

14.04.2022

solar-solarna-elektrana — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Andreas Gucklhorn)

The 8th Energy and Climate Committee met on 12 April in Vienna, in the presence of the EU Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson. The meeting provided an opportunity for Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Energy Community Contracting Parties to discuss the process for setting 2030 energy and climate targets. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia, Zorana Mihajlović, received the Committee’s endorsement as co-chair, joining in this role previously appointed Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna.

In her remarks, Commissioner Simson underlined the importance that the European Union places on working closely with the Energy Community in order to tackle shared energy challenges. “Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has highlighted our common vulnerabilities when it comes to security of supply and underlined the need to reduce the dependence on Russian fossil fuels. Ultimately, the best remedy is the clean energy transition, which will not only make our energy systems greener, but also more autonomous. The adoption of ambitious 2030 energy and climate targets is important for putting the Energy Community members on this path.”

In the first session, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna, Ministers underlined that the Energy and Climate Committee should play an important role in advancing the process of target negotiations. The Informal Ministerial Council in early July is expected to take stock of the outcome of negotiations that have reached a final stage among the Parties. The Ministerial Council at the end of 2022 is foreseen to adopt the decision on the targets.

During the second part of the meeting, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, Zorana Mihajlović, participants exchanged views on measures to address high energy prices. The ministers reflected on ways to act in a coordinated way and demonstrate solidarity both among Contracting Parties but also with EU Member States. The discussions addressed a number of EU measures for security of supply to be possibly extended to Energy Community Contracting Parties.

Source: Energy Community

The Green Shade of Black Gold

13.04.2022

When we mention NIS, the first thing that comes to mind for most consumers is the production and sale of fuel. However, over the past decade, the domestic oil industry has also been involved in the energy transition.

Namely, in 2012, NIS defined a strategy of growing from an oil company into an energy holding company within which the expansion of the company’s activities in the field of electricity generation began. What did that entail? Certainly, a stronger orientation towards more environmentally friendly projects and more rational use of energy.

This already happened in 2013. when NIS started its cogeneration program – specifically, mini power plants with a total maximum power of 14 MW were built at eight locations in Serbia. In these power plants, in which the company has invested over 20 million euros, thermal energy and electricity are produced from gas, which, due to its lower quality, used to be flared:

“More efficient use of gas resources has contributed to higher energy efficiency with a significant environmental impact. The produced energy is used for the needs of the company, and a part is placed on the free market”, NIS states, noting that the realization of this project enabled the company to enter electricity trading operations, first in Serbia and then on the regional market.

In focus:

From oil to electricity

In addition to cogeneration, NIS is in the process of completion of the most important investment in the segment of electricity generation, which is the TE-TO Pančevo power plant that is being built by the company together with the Russian Gazprom Energoholding. The value of the project is about 180 million euros, while the installed capacity of the plant is up to 200 MW.

As a key player in the domestic market of petroleum products, NIS, following modern energy trends, also introduced the possibility of charging electrically powered cars at its petrol stations:

“Our petrol stations are part of the charge&Go network of electric chargers. Drivers of electric cars can charge them at some of our highway GAZPROM petrol stations – Velika Plana-right, Stari Banovci, Novi Sad 16 and Sokolići 1, which is also the first petrol station on Miloš Veliki Highway. In addition, this service will soon be provided at the latest NIS facility, Zmaj 1 in Belgrade, as well as at the Krnješevci petrol station, on the Belgrade-Zagreb highway”, it is said by NIS.

Higher quantities of cleaner gas

As early as 2016, NIS put into operation the amine gas treatment plant at Elemir, which enabled a significant improvement in the quality of domestic natural gas, as well as an increase in the volume of its production. What is more, the operation of this plant, in which NIS has invested more than EUR 30 million, has significant environmental effects, because the processing method completely prevents carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, thus reducing the “greenhouse” effect.

The Elemir plant is the first HiPACT (High Pressure Acidgas Capture Technology) plant in Europe, and this technology is considered one of the most efficient in the world among the existing methods in the gas treatment process.

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine ELECTROMOBILITY.

Clean air saves lives!

13.04.2022

Air pollution increases the risk of pneumonia. This is one of the leading causes of death among children under five years.

By signing the #GreenAgenda, WB countries will have access to non-refundable grants that the EU committed for measures to reduce air pollution.

The countries of the region need to adopt concrete and immediate policies to reduce air pollution, including a gradual phase-out of coal, the introduction of carbon tax and the use of renewable energy sources.

WB needs to act now for clean air!

Act now, join the #BalkansUnitedForCleanAir regional campaign!

European Fund for the Balkans AirCare – Air Quality App Eko forum Zenica RERI BOŠ Policy Lab Ekološki Pokret Ozon sbunker truAktiv Environmental and Territorial Management Institute.

Source: Balkans United For Clean Air

Renewables Take Lion’s Share of Global Power Additions in 2021

12.04.2022

solar_power_plant_solarna_elektrana — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Priscilla Du Preez)

Renewable energy continued to expand steadily and well above the long-term trend, with share in total capacity expansion reaching a new record of 81 percent last year.

New data released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that renewable energy continued to grow and gain momentum despite global uncertainties. By the end of 2021, global renewable generation capacity amounted to 3 064 Gigawatt (GW), increasing the stock of renewable power by 9.1 percent.

Although hydropower accounted for the largest share of the global total renewable generation capacity with 1 230 GW, IRENA’s Renewable Capacity Statistics 2022 shows that solar and wind continued to dominate new generating capacity. Together, both technologies contributed 88 percent to the share of all new renewable capacity in 2021. Solar capacity led with a 19 percent increase, followed by wind energy, which increased its generating capacity by 13 percent.

“This continued progress is another testament of renewable energy’s resilience. Its strong performance last year represents more opportunities for countries to reap renewables’ multiple socio-economic benefits. However, despite the encouraging global trend, our new World Energy Transitions Outlook shows that the energy transition is far from being fast or widespread enough to avert the dire consequences of climate change,” says IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera.

“Our current energy crisis also adds to the evidence that the world can no longer rely on fossil fuels to meet its energy demand. Money directed to fossil fuel power plants yields unrewarding results, both for the survival of a nation and the planet. Renewable power should become the norm across the globe. We must mobilise the political will to accelerate the 1.5°C pathway.”

To achieve climate goals, renewables must grow at a faster pace than energy demand. However, many countries have not reached this point yet, despite significantly increasing the use of renewables for electricity generation.

Sixty percent of the new capacity in 2021 was added in Asia, resulting in a total of 1.46 Terawatt (TW) of renewable capacity by 2021. China was the biggest contributor, adding 121 GW to the continent’s new capacity. Europe and North America—led by the USA—took second and third places respectively, with the former adding 39 GW, and the latter 38 GW. Renewable energy capacity grew by 3.9 percent in Africa and 3.3 percent in Central America and the Caribbean. Despite representing steady growth, the pace in both regions is much slower than the global average, indicating the need for stronger international cooperation to optimise electricity markets and drive massive investments in those regions.

Source: IRENA

Clearing Landmines on the Road to Sustainable Development

12.04.2022

1_C4dC3F9cGj79Ix6bzE4i2Q — Photo: UNDP Cambodia

When peace returned to Cambodia after decades of war, people uprooted by the conflict went back to their villages and farms. Moeurng Phan was among them. By 1993, her village of Veal Vong in the north-west of the country had begun to welcome back its former residents.

“Life was very difficult,” said Moeurng Phan. She worked with her nephew on their farm despite the risks: the village was surrounded by 17 minefields with a combined size of over 121 football fields. “We had to reclaim our land, or we would have nothing,” she said.

Her nephew hit an anti-tank mine while driving a tractor and was killed. “I could do nothing for him. I was deeply shocked. I couldn’t eat for weeks,” she said. Forty-nine people have been killed or injured by unexploded mines in the small village.

With support from UNDP, the government, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority, and the Cambodian Mine Action Centre began to clear the contaminated land. “We started clearing mines in 2004,” said Noum Chhayroum of the Mine Action Planning Unit in Veal Vong. “We found 398 landmines, 32 anti-tank mines and 229 other explosives.”

Free from landmines

The last contaminated field in Veal Vong was cleared in 2019. “There has been a big change in the last few years,” said Morn’Mon, Deputy Village Chief. “Many people now have tractors. There are drying facilities for corn. There is animal farming. We can market our produce.”

UNDP began its work on mine action in Cambodia 30 years ago. Through partnership and the joint effort of the government, the national authority, armed forces, and mine action operators, 2,300 square kilometres of land have been cleared, 4 million unexploded ordnances destroyed and 7.5 million people in the country have benefited.

“Anti-personnel mines and explosive remnants of war have caused widespread fear and suffering to individuals, families and communities, significantly impacting the nation’s development prospects,” said Alissar Chaker, UNDP Resident Representative for Cambodia.

Read the full story HERE.

Source: UNDP

100-percent Green Power: BMW Group to use Sustainably Produced Aluminium Wheels From 2024

11.04.2022

The BMW Group is stepping up its activities in the field of sustainability and will use cast aluminium wheels produced with 100-percent green power for its BMW and MINI brands from 2024 onwards. For the BMW Group, this is another step towards its goal of creating the most sustainable supply chain in the automotive industry. The transition applies, in particular, to the energy-intensive electrolysis used in producing aluminium and to the wheel-casting process. To this end, corresponding agreements have been reached with all BMW Group wheel suppliers.

Up until now, wheels have accounted for about five percent of supply chain CO2 emissions. Transitioning to more sustainable production that relies on green power will reduce these emissions by more than half. The BMW Group procures about 10 million light-alloy wheels per year; 95 percent of these are made from cast aluminium.

CO2 savings of up to 500,000 tonnes per year

Through independent audits, the BMW Group can ensure conscious and sustainable use of aluminium by its contracted producers, saving up to 500,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. “Green power is one of the biggest levers for reducing CO2 emissions in our supply chain. We have already signed more than 400 contracts with our suppliers, including suppliers of wheels and aluminium, requiring them to use green power,” says Joachim Post, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network.

Aluminium has good recycling properties, making it easier to melt down old wheels as part of the circular economy. This eliminates the need for energy-intensive electrolysis to produce the primary raw material. At the same time, the secondary raw material must also meet the BMW Group’s premium requirements for quality, design, safety and mechanical properties.

MINI pioneers use of sustainable light-alloy cast wheels

MINI will become a pioneer in this field in 2023, when it will begin using light-alloy cast wheels made from 70-percent secondary aluminium in the new generation of the MINI Countryman. The combination of 100-percent green power for production and 70-percent secondary raw material content can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80 percent, compared to conventional manufacturing processes.

Certification by Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)

The BMW Group has been actively involved for many years in international initiatives focused on standardising raw material extraction. These include the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), an international non-profit organisation supported by environmental and industrial associations, NGOs, aluminium producers and processing companies. The BMW Group welcomes the fact that many of its aluminium wheel suppliers have already joined ASI and are making an important contribution to creating an environmentally and socially responsible aluminium value chain in this way.

ASI already certified the light metal foundry at BMW Group Plant Landshut in December 2019 for its sustainable use of aluminium, confirming that it handles aluminium consciously and responsibly.

Systematic implementation of sustainability goals

Transitioning to 100-percent green power for production of cast aluminium wheels is another step towards reducing CO2 emissions in the BMW Group supplier network. The aim is to reduce emissions throughout the supply chain by 20 percent from 2019 levels by 2030. Systematically increasing the percentage of secondary aluminium through this process makes a further contribution to sustainability, in line with the principles of the circular economy the BMW Group aspires to.

Since 2021, the BMW Group has sourced aluminium from the United Arab Emirates manufactured exclusively using electricity obtained from solar power. The aluminium produced in Dubai is processed in the light metal foundry at BMW Group Plant Landshut, where it is used to manufacture body and drive train components. The 43,000 tonnes of solar aluminium sourced in this way supply almost half the annual requirements of the Landshut light metal foundry.

Source: BMW Group

Energy Security: Commission Hosts First Meeting of EU Energy Purchase Platform to Secure Supply of Gas, LNG and Hydrogen

11.04.2022

factory-gas-ulje-industrija — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

In order to secure the EU’s energy supply at affordable prices in the current geopolitical context and to phase out dependency on Russian gas, the European Commission has established with the Member States an EU Platform for the common purchase of gas, LNG and hydrogen.

As agreed by the Heads of State and Government in the European Council on 25 March, it will be a voluntary coordination mechanism, bringing together the Commission and the Member States, supporting the purchase of gas and hydrogen for the Union, by making optimal use of the collective political and market weight of the EU.

The Platform will help ensuring security of supply, in particular for the refilling of gas storage facilities in time for next winter, in line with the Commission’s proposal presented on 23 March. It will also see to an optimal use of existing gas infrastructure. In addition, it will enhance long-term cooperation with key supply partners, extending also to hydrogen and renewables, possibly through Memoranda of Understanding.

“It is abundantly clear that the European Union is too dependent on Russia for our energy needs. The answer lies in renewable energy and, in the more immediate term, diversification of supply. Through the EU Energy Purchase Platform Member States can now work together on purchasing gas from other suppliers and developing an international market for hydrogen, to the benefit of all countries. For the EU, replacing gas imports from Russia will help to end our over-dependence and provide much needed room to manoeuvre”, said Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal.

The EU Energy platform will ensure cooperation in areas where it is more effective to act in a coordinated way at EU level rather than at national level. These areas include:

Demand pooling: The Platform will work with Member State representatives to maximise leverage to attract reliable supplies from global markets and at stable prices that reflect the predictability and the size of the common EU market. This will allow moving, when appropriate, towards joint purchases.
Efficient use of EU gas infrastructure: the Platform will coordinate actions to maximise Liquefied Natural Gas imports absorption, comply with gas storage obligations and ensure security of gas supply. It will also help identifying additional infrastructure needs, suitable to cater for future hydrogen use.
International outreach: Considering the need to secure significant volumes of non-Russian gas already in 2022 and the global market tightness, the EU Energy Purchase Platform will also coordinate and reinforce EU’s international outreach to gas partners and markets. This will include the main LNG exporting and importing countries with a view to define and agree on potential arrangements for diversification, including towards hydrogen. This work will take account of partners’ supply capacities, long-term contracts and existing as well as planned interconnections and storage infrastructure in the EU. The recently announced EU–US Joint Statement on European Energy Security is a guiding example.

Source: European Commission

Six Things to Know About Forests and Your Health

10.04.2022

forest-šuma-priroda — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Forests are indispensable to human health: Their protection, management, and restoration support disease regulation, nutrition, and more. But what exactly is the science behind forests and human health? And why is the connection so essential?

Through extensive investigation, WWF uncovered ample evidence that forests provide, prevent, and heal. Public health and forests are entwined—at the local, regional, and global scale.

In the new report The Vitality of Forests, WWF examined five categories of interactions between forests and human health: noncommunicable diseases, environmental exposure (pollution), food and nutrition, physical hazards, and infectious diseases. With climate change exacerbating many of these categories, the report also highlights the important role forests play in the resilience of human health to climate change.

1. Forests reduce risks associated with some major noncommunicable diseases.

Each year, 41 million people die from noncommunicable diseases. These are noninfectious diseases that cannot be transmitted between people and include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and mental health issues. Noncommunicable diseases are the fastest-growing and largest health burden globally, and 77 per cent of deaths from noncommunicable diseases are in low- and middle-income countries. Exposure to forests may reduce some of the factors that elevate the risks of noncommunicable diseases, and human stress hormones—such as cortisol, progesterone, and adrenaline—respond significantly when a person spends time in a forest.

2. Forests clean air and water and reduce the risks of infectious and noncommunicable diseases.

In 2015, air pollution (ambient and household) accounted for 6.5 million deaths, with noncommunicable diseases accounting for most of the disease burden. By filtering pollutants from air and water, forests help reduce the threats of pollution-related infectious diseases and noncommunicable diseases, including diarrheal disease, cancers, and respiratory diseases.

Conserving or restoring upstream tree cover is critical for the health and well-being of children around the globe. Diarrheal disease is the second-leading cause of death and the leading cause of malnutrition in children aged under five years worldwide. Research demonstrates that upstream tree cover is associated with a lower prevalence of diarrheal disease (linked to water pollution) in children downstream. A 30 per cent increase in upstream tree cover is linked to a 4 per cent reduction in the probability of diarrheal disease—similar to the effects of an improved sanitation facility.

3. Forests positively impact nutrition and food security.

Forests can offer a nutritional safety net. Each year, 3.1 million children worldwide die from undernutrition while those that survive with poor nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life often suffer lifelong health, social, and financial challenges. Children with adequate nutrition will have improved cognitive and physical development as well as lower risk of morbidity and mortality.

4. Forests can protect people from the impacts of disasters.

Between 1996 and 2015, 1.3 million deaths were directly attributed to disasters or hazards such as wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat. As the planet faces a rise in extreme heat—affecting 1.7 billion people between 1983 and 2016—the cooling potential of forests is essential in battling the direct risk of heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke but also the impact that excessive heat has on exacerbating respiratory and chronic cardiovascular conditions.

5. Forests mediate the emergence and spread of zoonotic infectious diseases and are our first line of defense against new infectious diseases.

Nearly one in three outbreaks of new and emerging diseases are linked to land-use change, including deforestation. Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death in low-income countries and the leading cause of death of children aged under five years globally. For Ebola, the relative importance of forest loss was found to be greater than 60 per cent independent of other factors.

Intact forest landscapes allow animals the habitat they require to maintain distinct populations and limit the ability of infectious diseases to spread among and between species. Forest loss and degradation concentrates animal populations, which has led to the emergence of novel infectious diseases that can have dramatic impacts on people and society.

6. Forests help mitigate climate change and its adverse health effects.

Importantly, the role climate change plays in human health is woven throughout this report. We know that our exposure to physical hazards like heat and more severe storms and floods will increase and the habitat of common vectors of infectious diseases like mosquitoes and ticks will expand. We also know the nutritional content of staple foods will decrease as CO2 in our atmosphere increases. And we know that people are more vulnerable to climate change if their health is already compromised. For each of these impacts, forests represent an indispensable solution to mitigating and adapting to climate change while also supporting the health and well-being of people.

Source: WWF

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