Queensland’s Ambitious Actions To Tackle Climate Change

08.08.2021

australian-flag — Photo - illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Science In Hd)

The Sunshine State has set some ambitious targets in its efforts to go renewable. The state government target is 50 percent by 2030. RenewEconomy’s live feed indicates that as of 12 noon, the state is living up to its nickname, with 30 percent of its electricity coming from the sun. Still in the pipeline are wind farms which will balance up the nighttime load.

The government is aiming for 30 percent reduction in emissions below the 2005 level and net zero by 2050. Queensland has Australia’s only publicly owned renewable energy company Clean Co. Note that the Federal government of Australia still has not committed to this net zero target.

Queenslanders enjoy the world’s longest network of electric vehicle chargers (codenamed QESH). Eighteen new chargers are due to open soon — these will be built in inland towns to encourage electro tourism, extending the length of the highway to 3,800 km.

I have sometimes wondered if there are more electric vehicle chargers than vehicles. I am assured by Transport Minister Mark Bailey that since 2017, vehicle numbers have grown 1,037 per cent — from 417 to 4,743. And that was to June 2021, just before the Tesla Model 3’s end-of-quarter rush.

Q Fleet, which manages the procurement of vehicles for use by the public service, is committed to doubling the EV fleet each year for four years. That would mean that they should have reached 144 vehicles by now. Unfortunately, they have only put 81 into service and these are mainly PHEVs. However, this is a rapidly changing field with several compelling BEVs coming into the Australian market this year.

Several years ago, Queensland tried to change the message on its vehicle license plates from “The Sunshine State” to “The Smart State.” It didn’t work then, maybe it will now.

Source: Clean Technica

Protecting the Paradise of Praslin Island, Seychelles

07.08.2021

praslin-sejšeli — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

For many locals and tourists, Praslin Island in Seychelles is synonymous with paradise. From the white sands of Anse Lazio, frequently voted as one of the top beaches in the world, to the endemic species of the jungle, to the colorful coral reefs in Curieuse Marine Park, Praslin is filled with both beauty and biodiversity.

But, as events at one site on the northwest side of the island demonstrate, this paradise is precarious.

The Plaine Hollandaise-Pasquière wetlands, which cover a combined 7 hectares, have been steadily degrading due to human activities. “Thirty to 40 years ago, forest fires burned the area, which caused degradation in the mountains,” explains Elvina Henriette of the Terrestrial Restoration Action Society of Seychelles (TRASS). “This degradation then causes soil to flow down into the wetlands.”

Not only does erosion allow invasive species to grow, threatening the biodiversity of the wetlands, it also prevents the wetland from performing its natural functions – like flood prevention. Roads and other infrastructure around Plaine Hollandaise are frequently at risk of flooding. Moreover, the excess soil gushes into the sea, turning the normally turquoise water red and covering coral reefs, sandbanks, and seagrass – the very attractions that make Curieuse Marine Park worthy of protection and a tourism attraction.

Reviving the wetlands

A project by TRASS, supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), aims to rehabilitate the wetland, starting with restoring the degraded foothills with anti-erosion measures. One idea for such a measure came from local residents, who had grown tired of the constant threat of floods. They helped gather and transport palm leaves to construct a physical barrier to stabilize the soil. They also placed coconut mats and blankets made of natural products, like coconut coir, a biodegradable textile, on steep slopes, trapping soil and allowing vegetation to take root.

Together with schoolchildren and the local community, the project is also working to restore the natural biodiversity of the wetlands by weeding out invasive plants and replacing them with native species. Some 5,000 seedlings have already been sown. These activities led to a startling discovery – the Sooglossid frog, an endangered species found only in Seychelles. Researchers had thought the frog only lived at altitudes above 100 metres, not at sea level where the wetlands lie, said Henriette. Other endemic or threatened species discovered in the wetlands include the Seychelles tree frog and the tiger chameleon. “This shows that the wetland is even more important to biodiversity than we originally thought,” said Henriette.

As a result of the project, a rehabilitated Plaine Hollandaise will help safeguard Seychelles’ unique and precious species. The restored wetland will also provide both economic security, by protecting the world-renowned coral reefs and beaches of Curieuse Marine Park, and physical security, by reducing the occurrence of floods.

Safeguarding coastal zones

The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility through the Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Protection of the Western Indian Ocean from Land-Based Sources and Activities, executed by the Nairobi Convention. This initiative helps reduce land-based stresses by protecting critical habitats, improving water quality, and managing river flows.

The Nairobi Convention, part of UNEP’s Regional Seas Programme, serves as a platform for governments, civil society and the private sector to work together for the sustainable management and use of the Western Indian Ocean’s marine and coastal environment.

It’s part of a bigger effort by UNEP to safeguard the world’s marine habitats and prevent what scientists warn is the looming extinction of up to 1 million species.

The Plaine Hollandaise project and others will help Seychelles ensure that the biodiversity hotspots and crucial marine and coastal ecosystems – which provide both food, employment, and storm protection – around its 115 islands continue to provide these ecosystem services.

The project is also designed to help Seychelles achieve its targets under Sustainable Development Goal 14, under which it committed to sustainably manage and protect its marine and coastal ecosystems, as well as future targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework, an ambitious plan to ensure that society is living in harmony with nature by 2050.

A rehabilitated Plaine Hollandaise would also be a key accomplishment during the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, a global push to revive natural spaces that began in June. Finally, with 90 percent of lowland wetlands in Seychelles being degraded, the project will have key lessons to share as partners work to restore other wetlands both within and outside the country, say participants.

Source: UNEP

The EU4Energy Governance Project Phase II Identifies Activities for the Next two years

06.08.2021

solar — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Sungrow Emea)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Jonny Clow)

The European Commission approved Work Programmes for three Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries – Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, which will be implemented in the framework of the EU4Energy Governance project.

The Work Programmes identify specific activities that will be implemented with the support of the European Union by the Energy Community Secretariat until the end of 2022. The targeted sectors are electricity and gas markets, energy efficiency and renewable energy. In order to better measure the impact of policy reforms, the Secretariat will develop and use additional implementation indicators.

The EU4Energy Phase II – Component 1 project will contribute to the development of sound legislative and regulatory frameworks for energy in order to support the region’s transition to clean energy and the liberalisation of the energy market. Through the project, the citizens of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine will benefit from enhanced energy security and transparency of energy markets, increasing the accessibility and affordability of energy. The project´s work on energy efficiency and renewable energy will also improve quality of life through emissions reductions.

EU Supports the Clean Energy Transition in Eastern Partnership Countries

The EU-funded EU4Energy project highlights the importance of collaboration and cooperation between the EU, implementing partners and beneficiary institutions in implementing reforms and bringing concrete benefits to citizens. The Programme will promote the engagement of EaP citizens in its activities and reforms through consultations and roundtables, as well as a series of campaigns to empower and engage citizens directly. A particular focus of the Programme will be on gender equality, emphasising the importance of women’s engagement in the energy sector and their potential to take on leadership roles.

The Work Programmes for the EU4Energy Governance Project are available on the Energy Community website.

Source: Energy Community

Support to Scale up Renovation of Private Residential Buildings and Cut Emissions

05.08.2021

Addressing a core issue in the effort to improve the use of energy in Lithuania, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is lending EUR 67.5 million to support an innovative scheme to scale up renovation of residential multi-apartment buildings – its largest direct investment in renovating privately owned buildings in the country.

Renovation of buildings is essential for the decarbonisation of economies. It was singled out in the European Green Deal as a key initiative to drive energy efficiency in the sector and deliver on climate objectives. To accelerate the pace of renovations, the European Commission recently launched the Renovation Wave Strategy, which aims to at least double renovation rates in the next ten years and ensure they lead to higher energy and resource efficiency.

The loan is expected to improve the energy performance of old residential buildings in Lithuania by a minimum of 40 percent and achieving a minimum energy performance class C. It supports an innovative approach to accelerating the pace of building renovation through a combination of long term debt financing, incentives, technical assistance and support for low income households. It also aims to benefit small and medium-sized buildings renovations enterprises (SMEs), which have been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, by offering revenue-generating opportunities.

The loan is provided to the Lithuanian Public Investment Development Agency (VIPA), a National Promotional Institution owned by the Ministry of Finance, and will be on-lent to the Apartment Building Renovation Fund (ABRF), an energy efficiency (“EE”) lending platform administered by VIPA. It follows a EUR 50 million EBRD loan in 2017 to VIPA for energy efficiency and rehabilitation investments in apartment buildings that contributed to average energy use reductions of 62 percent for homeowners’ associations.

“This is the EBRD’s first investment to tackle refurbishing multifamily apartment buildings at scale using a structured finance approach – a unique approach that we are trying to replicate in other countries,” said Nandita Parshad, Managing Director of the EBRD’s Sustainable Infrastructure group, at the signing.

“We look forward to a long-term partnership with the EBRD. The Apartment Building Renovation Fund managed by VIPA is designed to ensure stable financing of apartment building modernization projects, and this second EBRD loan helps us to continue to successfully implement this important goal for the Lithuanian people,” said Gvidas Dargužas, CEO of VIPA.

The EBRD aims to become a majority green bank by 2025. Within its Green Economy Transition (GET) approach, the Bank has committed to increase financing for the decarbonisation of buildings. By financing demand-side energy efficiency investments in residential apartment buildings, the project will help conserve energy, reduce carbon emissions and encourage the use of energy performance practices to generate energy efficiency gains at residential apartment buildings.

With buildings currently responsible for 39 percent of global carbon emissions, and building stock worldwide expected to double by 2050, their emissions levels need to be cut by 80-90 percent by mid-century to put the world on the path to limit global warming to 1.5 ºC.

Lithuania has a housing stock of some 38,000 apartment buildings, housing around 66 percent of the population, with approximately 35,000 built in the Soviet era. To date, only around 4 percent of apartment buildings have been renovated while the vast majority remains in urgent need of an upgrade to reduce energy consumption.

The EBRD is a major institutional investor in Lithuania. It has invested in more than 100 projects worth more than EUR 1 billion, 73 percent of them in the private sector.

Source: EBRD

Eco-Team Montenegro

04.08.2021

river-reka-crna-gora — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The British travel magazine Culture Trip ranked Montenegro on the list of the best sustainable destinations in 2021. That will surely attract a large number of tourists. While they enjoy the exceptional natural and cultural-historical assets of this neighboring country, an ecological team that called itself simply the Eco-team will continue to fight for an environment in which one day, as they say, a man will know how to live in harmony with nature, whether he is a visitor or a local. This NGO intends to achieve it primarily by advocating for the sustainable use of natural resources and reducing pollution. Milija Čabarkapa, executive director of the NGO Eco-team, says that they are implementing projects related to the protection of freshwater, focusing on the construction of small hydropower plants (SHPPs), the abolition of the socioeconomically unjustified system of incentives for electricity generation support and partnership with WWF Adria.

“We advocate implementing the concept of permanent protection of rivers of special biodiversity, landscape and cultural-historical significance. The Eco-team also implements projects in the field of energy and climate change, as well as public procurement in the field of the environment”.

Valuable members of the Eco-team cooperate with local communities and support them in the fight to protect rivers from the construction of SHPPs. Since they deal with public interest issues, citizens, media and institutions actively monitor their work, and thus, through direct and indirect communication, try to reach solutions in the public interest.

In focus:

“In 2020, we submitted four initiatives to the Constitutional Court regarding legal and by-law solutions for projects for the construction of small hydropower plants and approved incentives for them. For one company, any economic activity is justified where the social benefits are equal to or greater than the social costs, and an unacceptable situation is one in which the company has higher social costs than benefits, i.e. realizes economic, financial loss as in the case of SHPP”, explains Čabarkapa.

The fact that in the period from 2014 to 2018, more than 16 million euros of incentive funds were paid to privileged energy producers from SHPPs, which the citizens of Montenegro paid through electricity bills. The main incentive measures realized by electricity producers are subsidies for 12 years, guaranteed purchase of electricity and priority in taking over electricity into the energy system.

Čabarkapa says that in previous years, energy was purchased from privileged producers of electricity from SHPPs at a price that is from 61 percent to 2.14 times higher than prices on the international market, and directly to the detriment of Montenegrin citizens who for this reason have increased electricity bills.

The new Government faces a serious task of solving problems in the field of mini hydropower plants. They have promised to stop all SHPP projects, but there are many active concession agreements that the Government must terminate. With these contracts, a large number of SHPPs are planned on our rivers, which, if built, will permanently devastate watercourses. The water will end up in pipes, leaving local communities without water for basic living needs. Also, in Montenegro, there are several locations where work is underway. In some locations, locals blocked the works. For example, in the Kolasin villages of Bare Kraljske and Rečine, we have been protesting for several months against the construction of SHPPs on the rivers that flow through these places”, states Čabarkapa.

In December last year, WWF Adrija and Eco-team sent, on behalf of the residents of the village of Bare Kraljske in the municipality of Kolašin, a complaint to the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro regarding the work of the Government, Ministry of Economy and Basic State Prosecutor’s Office in Kolašin because of their relationship when it comes to SHPP projects.

Prepared by: Milica Radičević

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine CIRCULAR ECONOMY march 2021.-may 2021.

Norway At 84,7 percent Plugin EV Share In July – Mustang Mach-E Bestseller

04.08.2021

električni_automobil — Foto-ilustracija: Insplash (Eduardo Arcos)

Norway, the world’s leading country in the electric transport revolution, saw plugin electric vehicles take 84,7 percentof new auto sales in July 2021, up from 68,4 percent in July 2020.

This is a great result in the context of 2021’s favourite vehicle, the Tesla Model 3, not shipping in any significant volume in July. Diesels fell to a record low of 4,1 percent, and petrols scarcely faired better at 4,3 percent. The Ford Mustang Mach-E was July’s top seller.

With Norway’s year-to-date favourite BEV, the Tesla Model 3, not receiving any international shipment in July, last month’s runner up, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, was able to grab the top spot once more (following its initial win in May).

Smoothing out monthly ups and downs; the trailing 3 months have seen these top two BEVs almost neck-and-neck – with the Ford at 3562 units vs the Tesla’s 3704 units. This is a great result for the Ford newcomer, although arguably it may still be enjoying a short-lived honeymoon as a new model. Both vehicles’ results are limited by available supply volumes, and time will tell what the sustained market appetite might be for these models.

As the spectrum of BEV models (and price points) continues to broaden in Norway, the BEV share of the auto market will continue to inexorably climb towards 100 percent.

You can read the whole article HERE.

Source: Clean Technica

Ozone Research Managers Say no Room for Complacency on Ozone Layer Recovery

03.08.2021

ozone-layero-ozon — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Ozone experts from around the world have stressed the importance of systematic observations to monitor the state of the ozone layer and the presence of ozone-depleting substances, and to increase understanding of the impact of climate change on the Earth’s protective shield against harmful ultraviolet rays.

The stratospheric ozone layer is on the way to recovery thanks to actions taken under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. But there is no room for complacency, according to a meeting of Ozone Research Managers (ORM).

The five-day virtual meeting examined a number of new developments since the last meeting in 2017. These included the impact of rising surface temperatures in Polar regions on stratospheric ozone; unexpected emissions of a banned substance known as CFC-11; and international action to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases and damaging to the climate.

“Measurements of ozone, ozone-depleting substances and their replacements remain the cornerstone of stratospheric ozone research. These measurements are required to monitor the success of the Montreal Protocol, to assess new factors that can slow down ozone recovery and to support studies of ozone evolution in a changing climate, ” according to the ORM recommendations.

UNEP-WMO support

“We in the environmental movement are deeply proud of all that has been achieved through the Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol. And why is that? Quite simply because the Convention is an outstanding example of international cooperation for the environment guided by science,” UNEP Executive Director, Inger Andersen, said in an opening message.

WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas highlighted the need for continued vigilance and research into the interaction between ozone and climate change in view of the recent record-breaking ozone holes in both the Arctic and the Antarctic. These were due to a combination of the continuing presence of ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere and a strong, stable and cold polar vortex which kept the temperature of the ozone layer over the Arctic and Antarctica consistently cold, preventing the mixing of ozone depleted air above the Poles with ozone rich air from other latitudes.

“It’s very important to keep on running the research and the related observing systems, to close the data gaps and to ensure close linkages between science, observations and operational services,” said Prof. Taalas.

However, resource constraints – even before the COVID-19 pandemic disruption and restrictions – are posing a major challenge and there are mounting concerns about the gaps in the emissions monitoring system.

Overview

The meeting reviewed ongoing national and international research and monitoring programmes to ensure proper coordination of these programmes and identify gaps that need to be addressed, noting the need for more resources for ground-based stations, especially those which produce long-term records of ozone, trace gases and ultra-violet (UV) radiation. This would require considerable sustained funding and strong international cooperation and capacity development. Continued efforts are required to support long-term observational data sets including their resourcing.

A number of presentations and national reports emphasized that systematic atmospheric composition observations remain critical for monitoring and understanding long-term changes in the ozone layer, as well as changes in atmospheric composition, circulation, and climate. Continuing observations will be required for many decades for the verification of the ozone recovery from ozone depleting substances and to understand interactions with the changing climate.

The ORM recommendations were presented to a meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention on 28 July. The findings will also be used as input for the next WMO/UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion in 2022. The most recent assessment, in 2018, concluded that the ozone layer is on the path of recovery and to the potential return of the ozone values over Antarctica to pre-1980 levels by 2060.

The ORM adopted a number of key recommendations which will be put forward to the parties for discussion and adoption at the Thirty-third Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol due to be held online in October of this year.

RESEARCH NEEDS

The ORM11 recommended increased research to improve i) understanding of global emissions of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs), ii) hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and related gases, iii) stratospheric ozone – climate coupling, and iv) aviation, rockets and climate intervention.

The recent research into the unexpected CFC-11 emissions underlines the value of improved estimates of ODS emissions globally. To improve estimation calculations and atmospheric monitoring, the ORM recommends expanding the top-down emission capability to cover much more of the Earth’s surface, and refining the bottom-up emission estimates globally and regionally in conjunction with improved reporting of production.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): The emissions of ozone-friendly, but potent climate warming HFCs in the cooling sector (air conditioning and refrigeration) continue to increase. The Kigali Amendment, which came into force in 2019, limits the continued production and consumption of HFCs, contributing to climate protection. However, monitoring the continued evolution of HFCs requires global data gathering to ensure any climate gains to be made by the Amendment are maintained.

Stratospheric ozone – climate coupling: The future evolution of the stratospheric ozone layer will depend not just on the decline of ODS concentrations, but also on how climate will affect stratospheric temperatures and circulation and continue to support the need for better understanding of regional stratospheric ozone processes. While the tropics are a key area for chemistry-climate interactions, the future ozone changes in that area will depend on climate change. Similarly, recent changes in both the Antarctic and the Arctic stratosphere may reflect composition-climate interactions. Understanding the evolution in the Arctic is a key challenge. Future research should focus on understanding the role of climate change in the evolution of polar stratospheric ozone.

Aviation, rockets and climate interventions: There are several sources of gases and aerosols that cause concern in the context of ozone depletion. Some of those get into the atmosphere as a result of natural emissions from ocean and coastal regions, explosive volcanic eruptions and intense fires, while the anthropogenic sources include the emissions from proposed supersonic civil transport aircraft and rocket launches. Increasing space exploitation is projected to lead to increasing emissions associated with rocket launches creating temporary ozone holes at the launch sites. The other area of concern is related to climate intervention (geoengineering) proposals that consider injections of aerosol or aerosol precursors into the stratosphere to increase Earth’s reflectivity (albedo) and thereby reduce the absorption of solar energy and climate forcing.

Increased aerosol abundance and associated reactions on or in particles are likely to enhance global ozone depletion in processes similar to those that lead to polar ozone depletion.

SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATIONS

Reports and presentations made to the ORM stressed that atmospheric observations remain critical for monitoring and understanding long-term changes in the ozone layer, as well as changes in atmospheric composition, circulation, and climate. In order to verify the expected ozone recovery from ODSs and to understand interactions with changing climate, continuing observations of key trace gases, and UV radiation will be required for many decades.The ORM noted the need to increase resources for continuing ground-based stations, especially for stations producing long-term records of ozone, trace gases, and UV; ensuring that global and regional data is accurate; enhancing the monitoring of ongoing emissions on substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol; including the measurements of substances of interest to the Protocol.

GAPS IN THE GLOBAL COVERAGE OF ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

On consideration of a white paper prepared by the Scientific Assessment Panel and other experts, the ORM11 endorsed the paper for consideration at the combined twelfth meeting of the Convention of the Parties (part II) and the Thirty-third Meeting of the Parties in October, noting the importance of continued monitoring of controlled substances, the need to address gaps for early detection of emissions and their sources, as well as the sizeable, sustained funding this would require.

“These observations provide fundamental information to the Montreal Protocol parties to ensure ozone recovery continues and to minimize associated climate change. The steady decrease in the number of stations mainly in tropics and Southern Hemisphere, including profile measurements, is endangering the independent monitoring of trends and the capturing of unexpected events, as well as our ability to validate satellite data records”, ozone managers said.

DATA MANAGEMENT

The ORM11 re-emphasized the continuing need to develop centralized robust automated and timely data submissions. Urgent resources are also required to digitize and curate historical data for ozone, improve linkages among data centres, noting that funding agencies need to continue to recognize long-term archiving as a resource-intensive and critical part of measurement or modelling programmes.

CAPACITY BUILDING

The ORM11 also recommended that the Vienna Convention Trust Fund support activities for maintaining the quality of the global ozone-observing system; providing ongoing training opportunities for local station operators in developing countries, as well as support developing countries and countries with economies in transition with limited resources to expand their scientific capacity to allow them to participate actively in ozone research activities, including assessment activities under the Montreal Protocol.

Co-Chair Héctor R Estévez (Mexico) noted that “In the case of countries with emerging economies, it is necessary to establish and strengthen cadres in the training of professionals in atmospheric sciences, ranging from observers to researchers, and to establish collaborative relationships”.

Co-Chair Kenneth Jucks (USA) noted that “Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of online meetings, the ORM discussed successfully all of the issues in its original agenda. The recommendations will be forwarded to the Thirty-third Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in October this year for consideration by the parties and form the basis of meaningful decisions for implementation”.

Source: WMO

Cleantech Entrepreneurs Driving a Green Recovery in Barbados

03.08.2021

beach-pesak-more-plaža — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash ( Nick Karvounis)

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Eastern Caribbean island nation, famed for its beautiful landscapes, pristine white-sand beaches and temperate climate, attracted around a million tourists each year.

But with travel restrictions across the globe, tourism all but dried up, and the country’s economy has seen a dramatic downturn. It is estimated that, by the end of 2020, GDP had contracted by 18 percent, primarily due to a 71 percent decline in long-stay arrivals over the year.

In these times of instability, the Barbadian government is accelerating its efforts to diversify the economy and rebuild a more sustainable and resilient one. Apart from renewed activity in traditional sectors, the country aims to tap into the new value chains of the emerging global green and blue economy.

Barbados not only has ambitious plans to become the first carbon-free small island developing state by 2030, but also intends to become an export leader of cleantech products and services to the Caribbean and beyond.

In this context, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), is supporting the Government of Barbados with the establishment of BLOOM, the Caribbean’s first cleantech cluster.

Created as public-private partnership, the cluster provides shared resources and services, as well as a makerspace for companies and academia to work on joint projects, solutions and marketing. The cluster is hosted by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC), under the supervision of the Ministry of International Business and Industry.

The cluster’s sustainable, responsible and impactful approach to export development embraces the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a bedrock for developing Barbadian businesses.

Jari Aaltonen, manager of BLOOM, explains, “The BLOOM cleantech cluster is still a relatively new player in Barbados’ innovation ecosystem as it was launched in 2020 in the midst of a deep economic crisis. As of now, the cluster has 20 members including start-ups, government agencies, chambers and universities.”

The cluster has engaged young cleantech entrepreneurs from the University of West Indies for the incubation programme, offering them high-quality training, individual coaching and mentoring provided by local experts and partly by international training institutions like Coursera and the International Labour Organization. “This combination is the key for accelerated learning,” Aaltonen says.

You can read the whole article HERE.

Source: UNIDO

UNESCO Revises Its Climate Policy for First Time in More Than a Decade

02.08.2021

climate-change-dry-suva-zemlja-suša — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

At the 44th UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting, the World Heritage Convention’s governing body and its States Parties adopted a new climate policy—the first time they have done so in over a decade.

States Parties will have until September to edit the policy, which will then be submitted to the General Assembly of the World Heritage Convention, later this year. Also at the meeting, the Committee failed to heed recommendations to place Australia’s Great Barrier Reef on the “in danger” list due to degradation resulting from climate change.

Below is a statement by Adam Markham, deputy director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Markham is a co-author of the 2014 UCS report “National Landmarks at Risk: How Rising Seas, Floods, and Wildfires are Threating the United States’ Most Cherished Historic Sites” and lead author of the 2016 report “World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate,” which was published in partnership with UNESCO and the United Nations Environmental Program.

“Climate change is the fastest growing threat to World Heritage sites globally and no site is completely safe. UNESCO’s new climate policy will heed the latest science and will encourage risk assessments for all sites and actions to protect them from climate impacts. The new policy stresses the importance of countries meeting their commitments under the U.N.’s Paris Agreement by decreasing global warming emissions to a level that will not damage World Heritage sites, as well as providing new funding to help sites adapt to climate impacts that are unavoidable.

It also proposes that newly nominated sites undergo a similar process. Some site managers, including those in Scotland, Australia, Germany, Nigeria, and Tanzania, have already started this work through the implementation of the Climate Vulnerability Index—a methodology that could be utilized to rapidly assess climate risks to World Heritage sites in other member nations.

“Unfortunately, with Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, we already know climate change poses an existential threat to the health of this complex and diverse ecosystem. Warming waters driven by the burning of fossil fuels have led to multiple severe coral bleaching events in recent years, causing irreversible damage to some parts of the reef already. Despite that, the Committee placed politics over science by opting to keep the site off the in danger list after succumbing to an aggressive PR and lobbying campaign waged by the Australian government.

“From our triumphs to our failures, our traditions to our innovations, World Heritage sites tell the story of humankind. The loss of any one site, let alone many, to the growing climate crisis would be nothing short of catastrophic. Many World Heritage sites have already been damaged by climate change and many more are at risk. By ramping up protection efforts, countries can help stave off devastating changes to these irreplaceable and iconic sites around the world.”

Source: Union of Concerned Scientists

Hydrogen Can Reduce Reliance on Fossil Fuels and Support Green Transition

02.08.2021

hydrogen-hidrogen — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) are joining forces to promote the development and use of hydrogen in Ukraine.

The partners have signed an agreement to formalise their cooperation on low-carbon hydrogen and to develop hydrogen supply chains, a first of its kind accord.

The EBRD and GTSOU previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2020 that would provide a general framework to improve the environment for sustainable energy investments in Ukraine and reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions, in particular methane fugitive emissions, and air pollution.

The EBRD regions are characterised by a growing renewable energy industry, which is expected to continue adding value to the domestic economies and contribute to green transition. In certain countries, recent renewable energy electricity prices have fallen below USD 30/MWh – a level at which production of green hydrogen starts to become competitive with conventional fossil fuels.

The Bank recently launched a study on the potential for developing different segments of the hydrogen supply chain across many of the economies where it invests, including Ukraine.

Harry Boyd-Carpenter, EBRD Managing Director, Green Economy and Climate Action, said: “I am very pleased that the EBRD and GTSOU are cooperating to support each other’s activities regarding hydrogen. Ukraine relies heavily on fossil fuels across all sectors of its economy and hydrogen can represent a good alternative for decarbonisation, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Supporting the green transition of our economies is a key priority for the EBRD.”

Sergiy Makogon, CEO of GTSOU, said: “Hydrogen is one of the most promising energy sources, which will contribute significantly to energy decarbonisation and achieving sustainable development goals. The challenge therefore is to develop technology to scale up hydrogen use, to create the necessary conditions and infrastructure for its production, transportation and consumption. All this requires time, effort and cooperation by all stakeholders. We recognise the role of natural gas as one of the key energy sources and transition fuel on the path to carbon-free economy, which will remain significant for this transition period. As the operator of the gas transmission system, our task is now to prepare our infrastructure for the decarbonised energy markets of the future.”

“Green” hydrogen – made through the electrolysis of water powered by renewable energy – is widely seen as a promising clean fuel as it has no carbon footprint. In early July, the European Union put scaling up green hydrogen at the centre of Europe’s climate ambition, announcing plans to produce up to a million tonnes of the gas through facilities to be built in the next four years.

To date, the EBRD has invested nearly EUR 15 billion in close to 500 projects in Ukraine. Work is focused on assisting the country’s stabilisation and anchoring its reforms by increasing energy efficiency and energy security, unlocking agricultural and industrial potential, providing quality infrastructure and strengthening the financial sector.

Source: EBRD

In Cameroon, plastic pollution is making floods even deadlier

01.08.2021

pollution-plastika — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

My name is Nathalie Wamja and I am a Greenpeace volunteer based in Douala, Cameroon. I would like to tell you how plastic pollution is wreaking havoc in my community, and causing a lot of danger for the people in my community.

There are recurring floods in my city, Douala. Every year during the rainy season, we experience flooding of houses and shops, as well as pavements. All this affects the quality of water and our food, and has ruined many people’s lives as they lose their homes, livelihoods and even family members.

I wanted to understand why there were so many floods in Douala. I also wanted to know why the quality of our food has changed over the years. So I started to look for answers. And what I found by observing the ditches, drains and any place where water stagnated was the enormous quantity of plastic waste at any given point. Plastic waste was preventing water from circulating and draining off of our streets.

I was very shocked at the extent of the problem. But, how dependent we have become on single-use plastic in our daily lives made me understand how the problem occurred. If you walk around my neighbourhood, you will see plastic bottles flooding our gutters and plastic packaging used freely in our markets, even though they have been prohibited from importation.

Knowing how destructive plastic has been in my city has prompted me to make everyday a “ZERO plastic” day. I refuse single-use plastic and do whatever I can do to inspire others to do the same: suggesting tips to live plastic-free, and if possible present alternative packaging solutions like reusable bags.

You can read the whole article HERE.

Source: Greenpeace

Create the World’s First Electric Vehicle Emoji for World EV Day 2021

30.07.2021

EV Day founders ABB and Green.TV are issuing an “EVmoji” challenge to participants age 16 and younger to create an electric vehicle emoji. The winning design will be submitted to the Unicode Consortium – the consorti -um that finalizes and produces official emojis.

With passenger EV sales set to increase sharply in the next few years, rising from 3.1 million in 2020 to 14 million in 2025, World EV Day is inviting young people to create an EV emoji highlighting this exciting sustainable mobility future.

Because an official emoji representing EVs does not currently exist, ABB and Green.TV are issuing a challenge to the next generation of EV drivers to design what the companies are calling an EVmoji, the world’s first EV emoji icon.

Frank Muehlon, President of ABB’s E-mobility Division, comments: “World EV Day has become an important event to ABB as we continue to raise awareness around e-mobility and the value of enabling a low-carbon future. But just as importantly, we see this event as helping to engage the passion and creativity of the future generation of drivers.

“Launching an EV emoji challenge within the context of World EV Day offers the perfect opportunity to bring young people into the excitement and momentum around electric vehicles, long before they make purchasing decisions. We are calling creative kids everywhere to the electrifying world of EVs.”

The EVmoji challenge is open to entrants between the ages of 6 and 16. All EVmoji drawings, pictures or digital graphics must be posted publicly by August 20th via a personal or parent’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter with the hashtag #EVmoji.

The winner will be contacted by World EV Day representatives via Direct Message on the social account from which they entered the challenge. The winning design will be announced on World EV Day (September 9, 2021). For more information and a complete list of Terms and Conditions, please see https://www.worldevday.org/emoji-terms-and-conditions.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

Green.TV: Green.TV is the sustainability media company focused on campaigns, content and channels that communicate the shift to a sustainable way of working and living. www.green.tv

Source: ABB

Europe’s Q2 Diesel Share Hits Record Low As Plugin Share Doubles

30.07.2021

electric_car_električni_automobil — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Europe’s auto market saw diesel share fall below 20 percent for the first time in Q2 2021 from nearer 30 percent a year ago. Meanwhile plugin electric vehicle share more than doubled year-on-year to 16,9 percent in Q2.

This is our first report drawing on quarterly powertrain data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). The data region is EU + EFTA + UK and counts all passenger autos, with Q2 recording 3.405.804 total sales.

For those wanting more granular coverage, our regular monthly Europe reports include timely market share data for plugin electric vehicles, including detailed data on the best selling plugin models and brands. (Note that the monthly Europe report draws upon a slightly larger data region, including Ukraine and Turkey).

The ACEA quarterly data graphed above has the advantage of tracking the market share of all powertrain types, so we can see the entire market’s evolution over time. The quarterly resolution has a consolatory silver lining of smoothing the erratic month-by-month results of those automakers who mainly deliver at the end of each quarter (Tesla, for example).

Diesel In Decline, Electrification Gaining Fast

Europe’s diesel share of new sales dropped dramatically to 18,4 percent in Q2 2021, from 27,9 percent in Q2 2020. That’s a huge one-third cut in share over the course of 12 months. At this rate, diesel will be below 10 percent share in Europe by Q4 2022 or Q1 2023.

Plugin electric vehicle powertrains have more than doubled their market share over the past year, hitting 16,9 percent in Q2 2021, from 8,4 percent in Q2 2020. The combined plugin result of 16,9 percent was slightly weighted towards pure electrics (BEVs, totaling 289,625 sales) at 8,50 percent, with plugin hybrids (PHEVs, 284,940) contributing 8,37 percent. Both categories roughly doubled their share from a year ago.

You can read the whole article HERE.

Source: Clean Technica

Exchange Programme For Coal Regions to Share Experiences With Implementing Just Transition to Clean Energy

29.07.2021

ugalj — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Joey Harris)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Eduardo Jaeger)

Coal regions in the Western Balkans, Ukraine and the EU are invited to join an exchange programme to accelerate just local energy transitions. The programme is an opportunity for regions to start direct, one-to-one dialogues, connect with different stakeholders, learn from each other, and transfer knowledge. The exchange programme is part of the Initiative for coal regions in transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine, managed by the European Commission in cooperation with the Energy Community, the World Bank, EBRD, EIB, Poland’s National Fund for Environment Protection and Water Management and the College of Europe in Natolin.

Participating regions will be paired based on their interests and expertise, and will select topics relevant to coal phase-out to be explored in-depth. Priority will be given to forming pairs made up of one coal region from the Western Balkans or Ukraine and one coal region from the EU. However, this is flexible and needs-based.

All participating regions will benefit from funded study visits, knowledge exchange, and expert support. In addition to tailored expert support, regions will access advice from their peers through hands-on learning opportunities, and will gain access to tools and support to help them reflect on and evaluate their transitions so far, and map out their next steps. The programme is also a unique networking opportunity.

Interested applicants are invited to apply by 15 September 2021. Information on eligibility and application process is available at the programme’s webpage.

For more information, please contact exchangeWBUA@coalregions.eu.

Source: Energy Community

eVOC Serbia Project-For the Control of Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions

28.07.2021

heating_plant_toplana zagađenje — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Serbia is engaged in intensive preparation of its negotiating position for Chapter 27, dedicated to environment and climate. In the process of EU accession, one of the key points for our institutions is the Industrial Emissions Directive. To meet European standards in this field, we have received support from the Norwegian government to adopt and implement of legislation pertaining to volatile organic compounds (VOC), which is a constituent part of Chapter V of the aforementioned Directive. The eVOC Serbia Project is implemented by the Cleaner Production Centre of the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy in Belgrade. Volatile organic compounds are used in numerous production processes, says Geir Johansen, Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade. “We usually come into contact with these compounds when we use everyday products such as paints, furniture, packaging or dry-cleaned clothes.

”However, exposure to these materials is not significant, as their use is strictly regulated. Despite the fact that harmonization of the Serbian legislation with the EU legislation is still relatively low when it comes to VOC, VOC’s impact on air pollution is limited compared to other pollution sources. Still, these organic compounds may be hazardous for human and animal health, which is why it’s important to have a database of VOC operators that will include not only large companies but also small and medium enterprises that use these chemicals, without even being aware of it. Thanks to the eVOC Project, a digital database of VOC operators will be established for the first time in Serbia, notes Geir Johansen.

The Department for air protection and the ozone layer of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency are the competent authorities for implementing legislation in this field. The eVOC Serbia Project provides support to these authorities for the complete transposition of Chapter V of the Industrial Emissions Directive through updates and additions to the national legislation, identification of companies currently operating in Serbia, which are under the scope of the VOC legislation and by preparing the future electronic Register of VOC operators. Special attention has been paid to this tool, which will form a constituent part of the National Register of Pollution Sources. Through the Register, VOC operators will submit data and documents required by the Regulation in digital form. Another group of important stakeholders in this process are the local inspectors, as they play a key role in the implementation of the VOC Regulation. The Project includes the organization of specific training to increase the knowledge on volatile organic compounds emissions, industrial sectors that fall under the Regulation’s scope and the techniques to decrease VOC use and emissions.

In focus:

First and foremost, the inspectors will be trained to assess compliance with the Regulation requirements, specifically in terms of emission limit values for air emissions and the control of the annual solvent management plan. Local inspectors will have nine general and sector-specific training that will also include VOC operators. Within this training, they will visit four companies to perform on-site inspections. Chapter V of the Industrial Emissions Directive encompasses 20 industrial sectors, from printing to dry cleaning and coating. An annual threshold for solvent consumption has been prescribed for each sector. An operator falls under the Directive’s scope solely if their annual solvent consumption exceeds the threshold for their sector.

These thresholds, as well as all other provisions, have been transposed into the national legislation by the Regulation on the list of industrial installations and activities for which volatile organic compounds emissions are controlled, on the values of volatile organic compounds emissions at a certain solvent consumption and total emission limit values, as well as an emissions reduction scheme (“Official Gazette of the RS” no. 100/2011), which must be updated to completely transpose the aforementioned Chapter. Communication between the expert and general public is very important, so an Info Centre will be formed, to serve as a place to present informative materials, knowledge on volatile organic compounds, and on the legislation in this field. The eVOC Project will contribute to economic growth, competitiveness and capacity building in the field of environment protection, climate and energy, and it will be completed in December 2022.

Prepared by: Milica Radičević

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine CIRCULAR ECONOMY, march 2021 – may 2021.

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