Energy Community Summer School helps its participants in shaping the energy transition

27.08.2021

The fifth edition of the Energy Community Summer School kicked off on 21 August at the premises of the Energy Community in Vienna.

Taught over the course of one week at Vienna University, the Summer School will help empowering a new generation of energy and climate professionals to engage in the energy sectors in transition. Joining the group of forty postgraduate students and young professionals, five journalists from the region will receive a specialized training on energy journalism organized by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

“The energy transition and the challenges of decarbonisation in a wider sense can only be met with holistic solutions. Given the accelerated pace of policy development in the EU, it is essential to keep the Energy Community included and make the transition to a carbon-free Europe together. Our goal is to make the summer school an experience for interdisciplinary learning that inspires students on their life-long journey in the world of energy and helps them creating networks”, said Dirk Buschle, Deputy Director of the Energy Community Secretariat, while welcoming the participants.

The project is organized by the Energy Community Secretariat in cooperation with the Visegrad Fund and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Dialogue Southeast Europe (FES-SOE). Polis University, Tirana; Comenius University Bratislava; Jagiellonian University, Krakow; Masaryk University, Brno and REKK, Budapest act as project partners since 2016. The Summer School is managed by Adrian Jasimi of the Secretariat.

Source: Energy Community

Rapid Shift to Evolving Renewable Energy Technologies Poses New Waste Challenge for Europe

26.08.2021

vetropark_vetrogeneratori — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Anna Jiménez Calaf)

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Science In Hd)

A rapid transition to renewable energy is necessary if Europe is to achieve its climate objectives. Developing the infrastructure to enable this change will require substantial resources and generate large volumes of waste as equipment reaches the end of its service life. Applying circular economy principles in this sector provides a win-win approach to address both these issues, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing released today.

Introducing measures such as stronger eco-design requirements, increased emphasis on repair and upgrading, and material-specific recycling targets will address the waste and resource challenges and underpin the sustainability of renewable energy. The briefing ‘Emerging waste streams’ highlights that there is a unique opportunity for the European Union to anticipate this change and to introduce policies which apply circular economy principles to this emerging sector from an early stage.

Key messages:

1. Waste arising from the development and use of renewable energy infrastructure is resource-rich and includes rare earth elements as well as other valuable materials such as steel, copper and glass.

2. The fast pace of technological development means that equipment can be subject to relatively rapid obsolescence and can generate complex waste streams, thus presenting technical and logistical challenges for managing this infrastructure at the end-of-life stage.

3. Recovering materials and reintroducing them into the production cycle faces challenges: complex logistics (high volumes and material often needing to be recovered from remote locations); design that does not consider end of life or recyclability; and the presence of hazardous substances.

4. Policy makers and industry can address the waste and resource challenges associated with the shift to renewable energy technologies through circular economy approaches such as eco-design, material-specific recycling targets and extended producer responsibility schemes.

Source: EEA

Green Capital in 10 year

25.08.2021

topličin venac-Beograd — Photo: Cabinet of the Mayor of Belgrade

The development of rail transport, purchase of electric buses and trams, construction of water waste treatment facility, thermal rehabilitation of buildings, introduction of public bicycle system, bicycle trails expansion, building 10,000 m² of green walls and a 10 percent increase of wood areas, those are some of the essential plans which need an investment of 5,2 billion euros so that Belgrade could reach European standards of the Green City in 10 years. We asked the Mayor of Belgrade, Prof. Zoran Radojičić, Ph.D., about this and other plans and activities of Belgrade, which will bring the Serbian capital in line with the goals of the Western Balkans Green Agenda.

EP: The countries in the region, Serbia included, have signed the Western Balkans Green Agenda, therefore took an obligation to introduce measures to prevent climate change and pollution, clean energy development, and circular economy. Has Belgrade made the strategy for Green City development, and what are its priorities?

Zoran Radojičić: The Belgrade City Assembly has adopted, in the last session, a few critical strategic documents and action plans which deal with the very same questions. First, I would mention The Action Plan for Green City, which we have prepared with the support of The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Government of Japan. The main goal of this plan is air quality enhancement. To achieve that, we have set four priority sectors that contribute to air quality enhancement. Those are introducing renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, wastewater and waste treatment, urban planning, mobility, greening, and climate change. In addition, this plan has laid down the projects for the development of rail transport, purchase of electric buses and trams, construction of water waste treatment facility, thermal rehabilitation of the buildings, the introduction of public bicycle system, expansion of cycle lanes network, construction of 10,000 m² green walls and enlargement of areas covered by woods by 10 percent in Belgrade. According to the estimation, we need an investment of 5,2 billion EUR over ten years so that Belgrade could reach European standards for Green City.

EP: In proportion to some researches, more than half of Belgradians think the biggest problem of their capital is air pollution. Have you established what mostly pollutes the air in Belgrade and how to resolve this problem long-term? Have we set a goal, for example, for how much we should reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030?

Zoran Radojičić: We have also adopted The 2030 Air Quality Plan, with Short-term and Long-term Action Plans. According to the experts’ analysis, the traffic throughout the year is the constant source of pollution. During the winter, the biggest polluters are individual furnaces, which amount to around 200,000 pcs. The Short-term Action Plan implies the response to increased air pollution. That means we will intensify public transport in the city to prompt citizens not to use their cars and we will regulate traffic thoroughly to prevent bottlenecks and traffic jams. The Long-term measures refer mainly to completing the Belgrade ring road that will enable us to eliminate the transit transport from the heart of the capital. Next, there is the construction of the subway system, development of rail transport, transition to electric and gas buses, and expansion of cycle lanes. Furthermore, we take seriously investments in energy efficiency in buildings, privately or publicly owned, as much as the completion of the program for the shutting down of incinerators and connection to the district heating system and gas line, and the additional greening of the city. The question of greenhouse gas emission reduction is of high importance, particularly in combating climate change. Upon signing the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in 2018, we have committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent and making an action plan for sustainable climate and energy. This plan is rather ambitious but can turn our vision of Belgrade as a green and sustainable city into reality by making a joint effort to implement this plan.

In focus:

EP: Belgrade is the only European capital that releases wastewater into the Danube. In contrast, the third of the capital’s population isn’t connected to the sewage system. Instead, it is bound to use septic tanks whose contents are discharged directly into the rivers. What project under The Green Agenda framework could help remediate the dire state of rivers, and what has The City of Belgrade done concerning this matter so far?

Zoran Radojičić: The City of Belgrade, unfortunately, hasn’t come to the ultimate solution for the sewage and wastewater treatment system. Still, the great news is that we work continuously on solving this decades-old problem. The project preparation is underway, and the construction of the Veliko selo wastewater facility is expected to start in the fall. This facility will collect wastewater from the old Belgrade’s central part, southern (Sremčica, Železnik, Banovo brdo), and western part (Novi Beograd, Zemun). The project will be implemented in two stages, and the facility will be stretched across around 97 ha. The first stage includes the construction of the missing infrastructure, the new sewage pumping station Ušće-Nova, and the reconstruction of the Mostar pumping station. In the second stage, the wastewater treatment is based on a primary and secondary treatment to separate sludge in primary tanks. In contrast, nitrogen and phosphorus will be eliminated in advanced procedures based on activated charcoal. The investment value for the Veliko selo wastewater treatment facility is 271 million EUR. This project is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of construction, transport and infrastructure, and the China Machinery Engineering Corporation. Upon the facility construction, almost 80 percent of communal wastewater will be treated before discharge into rivers. The remaining 20 percent of wastewater will be treated in the wastewater facilities in Ostružnica, Batajnica, and Grocka, whose construction has been funded by the City of Belgrade. As for the building of the missing sewage infrastructure, which the EIB credit line has financed, the project implementation in underway for the sewage construction on the Danube left bank, in the settlements of Borča, Ovča, Kotež, and Krnjača.

EP: Circular economy is one of the European Green Deal goals. The most crucial instrument of the circular economy is recycling. Belgrade doesn’t have enough recycling garbage cans to start with, so our citizens could fully adopt this behavior model, let alone a sufficient number of cans to completely use this type of waste as a resource. What are the fundamental bases for the development of a circular economy in our capital?

Zoran Radojičić: For a circular economy to be adopted, it is necessary to establish an efficient system of primary waste separation, which is determined as a priority goal by the new Local waste management plan 2021-2030 envisaged. The new plan entails placing green islands and underground garbage cans to collect recyclable waste in the city center. The containers for collecting separated waste will be positioned in other parts of the city. At the moment, there are around 730 underground garbage bins for recyclables separation, and it is planned to get additional 300 bins by the end of the year. Across the city parts with individual housing, there are garbage cans for primary waste separation used by around 27,000 households, and this year we will give away additional 25,000 garbage cans. There is a plan to build another seven recycling centers and four transfer stations where the waste will be delivered before being sent to further treatment. The goal is to take only recyclable waste to the Vinča landfill. Also, we want to increase the household recycling rate to 25 percent by the end of 2025 and 35 percent by 2030. One of the goals until 2028 is to reduce the quantity of biodegradable waste disposed to 75 percent compared to the amount from 2008. Also, we want to completely harmonize goals for collecting and recycling packaging waste by 2028 following the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.

Prepared by: Nevena Đukić

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine WATER RESOURCES.

Climate change made floods in Western Europe more likely

25.08.2021

poplava — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Chris Gallagher)

Climate change has made extreme rainfall events similar to those that led to last month’s floods in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg between 1,2 and 9 times more likely to happen, according to a rapid attribution study by an international team of climate scientists, which also found that such downpours in the region are now 3-19 percent heavier because of human-caused warming.

The results reinforce the conclusions of the new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which said there is now unequivocal evidence that humans are warming the planet’s climate and human-caused climate change is the main driver of changes in weather extremes. The report found that, as temperatures rise, Western and Central Europe will be exposed to increasing extreme rainfall and flooding.

Extreme rainfall hit parts of Western Europe from 12-15 July. More than 90mm fell over a single day around the Ahr and Erft rivers in Germany, far more than previous records. The resulting floods killed at least 220 people in Belgium and Germany.

“This event demonstrates once again in 2021. that extremes breaking observed records by far, exacerbated by climate change, can strike anywhere, induce huge damages and cause fatalities. Western Europe’s local and national authorities need to be aware of the increasing risks from extreme precipitation to be better prepared for potential future events,” said Dr. Frank Kreienkamp, Head of the Regional Climate Office Potsdam, Deutscher Wetterdienst (German weather service).

The study was conducted by 39 researchers as part of the World Weather Attribution group, including scientists from universities and national meteorological and hydrological agencies in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the US and the UK. This international collaboration analyses and communicates the possible influence of climate change on extreme weather events, such as storms, extreme rainfall, heatwaves, cold spells, and droughts.

You can read the whole report HERE.

Source: World Meteorological Organzation

How Solar Water Heaters Industry Benefits the Local Economy

24.08.2021

water-heater-solarni-bojler — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Heating and cooling account for nearly half of global final energy consumption, but most of the energy use is currently generated from fossil fuels. With the declining costs of renewable energy, solar has become especially attractive for water heating. Just like other renewable energy technologies, solar water heaters have a role to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs, improve healthcare and communications, and drive local commerce through the market and industry they build at the local level.

The case for local industries is especially pertinent in the time of COVID-19, when countries experience disruptions in the supply of materials and workforce, and domestic supply chains have proved to be very essential for the economies. Policies are therefore crucial to strengthen local industries, consequently expanding benefits along all segments of value chains by leveraging local capacities to create domestic value.

Solar water heaters are a mature technology that has been successfully deployed in several countries for more than 30 years, mostly in the residential sector, providing an affordable solution for many households. It is assumed that a four-member household uses about 300 litres of hot water per day. Given that heating water accounts for about 18 percent of household energy use on average, and that demand for hot water is growing with household incomes, the decarbonisation of water heating in particular becomes a key element of the on-going energy transition.

In its latest addition to the Leveraging Local Capacity series, IRENA examines beyond the environmental benefits of solar water heaters by outlining the ample opportunities for the creation of local socio-economic value presented by the domestic solar water heaters industry. The Renewable Energy Benefits: Leveraging Local Capacity for Solar Water Heaters examines the kinds of jobs created and suggests ways for policymakers to build on existing solar water heaters industry.

Project planning for solar water heaters takes place in the households. As solar water heating involves a relatively simple technology, local manufacturers in most countries—often small to medium enterprises—can produce, install, and maintain the systems themselves. The potential to create value mostly lies in the following phases of the value chain: manufacturing, wholesale distribution, sales and installation, as well as operation and maintenance. Some of the technology’s main components—such as the collector, the pump, or the storage tank—can be manufactured locally, thus creating local jobs.

The skills needed to manufacture, install, and maintain a solar thermal system are easily transferable from occupations in manufacturing, construction, and plumbing. The manufacturing, planning, installation, and decommissioning of small-scale solar water heater systems for 10,000 single-family households requires more than 460,000 person-days, and the labour requirements vary across the value chain. Complete assessment of the human resources requirement for the entire value chain can be seen in the figure below.

Domestic value creation can be maximised by leveraging and enhancing capabilities in existing industries along the value chain, or developing them through policies and measures that stimulate demand for solar water heaters and later enhance capacity along the value chain. To further drive domestic solar water heaters industry, policy makers can implement the following measures:

1. Setting ambitious targets for the number of systems, collector surface or thermal capacity.

2. Issuing obligations and mandates to install solar water heaters.

3. Providing financial incentives such as grants, low-interest loans, and tax incentives.

4. Setting technical standards for product quality through certifications and warranties.

5. Implementing appropriate training and retraining programmes for the proper, efficient, and safe installation and maintenance of solar water heaters.

In addition, initial measures to enhance consumer awareness of solar water heaters benefits are key to overcoming non-economic barriers. The environmental benefits are clear; reduced greenhouse emissions lead to a climate-safe world and improved healthcare. But if the public understands how the technology also benefits them economically, a competitive market will be created, starting at the local level and scaled up to national level.

Source: IRENA

UNESCO MAB Programme Relaunches the Network on Mountainous Regions

23.08.2021

priroda_planine — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (v2osk)

In an effort to improve the protection of mountainous ecosystems and the livelihoods of mountain communities, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is relaunching its World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves(WNMBR).

Ahead of MAB’s International Co-ordinating Council to take place in Abuja, Nigeria, in September 2021, the MAB Secretariat has called upon Member States to nominate mountain biosphere reserves to operate as Technical Secretariats, which will become global hubs of expertise on mountain science coordinating the network’s activities.

The launch of the WNMBR follows a recommendation laid down by the Lima Action Plan, MAB’s roadmap for 2016-2025, and builds on previous work studying global changes in mountain regions that began in the 1980s. This network will join other specialised MAB thematic networks, such as the World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserve (WNICBR).

The objectives of the network and its Technical Secretariats will be to foster scientific research between mountain biosphere reserves worldwide and allow for exchanges between local communities on topics such as forest management, agro-pasturalism and eco-tourism. This network will also act as a stepping stone for nominations of new mountain biosphere reserves.

The deadline for the submission of biosphere reserves/institutions for the function of Technical Secretariats of this Network until 10 September 2021.

Source: UNESCO

New report shows impacts of climate change and extreme weather in Latin America and Caribbean

23.08.2021

climate-change-2241061__340 — Photo illustration: Pixabay

Climate change and extreme weather are threatening human health and safety, food, water and energy security and the environment in Latin America and the Caribbean. The impacts span the entire region, including Andean peaks, mighty river basins and low-lying islands, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It flags concerns about fires and the loss of forests which are a vital carbon sink.

The “State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020″ provides a snapshot of the effects of increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, storms and retreating glaciers. It includes transboundary analyses, such as of the drought of the South American Pantanal and the intense hurricane season in Central America-Caribbean. It provides a detailed regional breakdown of worsening global climate change indicators.

The report and an accompanying story map show how marine life, coastal ecosystems and the human communities that depend on them, particularly in Small Island Developing States, are facing increasing threats from ocean acidification and heat and rising sea levels.

The report was released at a high-level conference on 17 August, “Working together for weather, climate and water resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean” under the auspices of WMO, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), and the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

It follows the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science basis, which said that temperatures in the region have increased more than the global average and are likely to continue to do so. It also projected changing precipitation patterns, more sea level rise, coastal flooding and marine heatwaves.

“Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is among the regions most challenged by extreme hydro- meteorological events. This was highlighted in 2020 by the death and devastation from Hurricane Eta and Iota in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and the intense drought and unusual fire season in the Pantanal region of Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. Notable impacts included water and energy-related shortages, agricultural losses, displacement and compromised health and safety, all compounding challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.

You can read the whole report HERE.

Source: WMO

Australia can Expect More Floods, Droughts and Fires

22.08.2021

drought-dry-suva zemlja — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

According to the recent IPCC report, Australia can look forward to more floods, more droughts, more fires, and worse — drier conditions, which means more droughts, more fires, and when it does rain, more floods. While the weather presenters on the news prattle about the wonderful sunny days, the farmers off the coast pray for rain.

The majority of Australians live in big cities on the coast. They are quite insulated from the extreme weather (unless you are up in the deep north where they have cyclone season every year). The biggest effect the drought has is when the beef and vegetable prices go up!

Out west where the food is produced, it is much more dramatic — crops dying in the fields, beasts trapped in the mud at the almost dry waterholes, or floating down the newly minted rivers when it floods.

If you take a drive from Brisbane out through Toowoomba (125 km), then Chinchilla (290 km), Roma (480 km), and Charleville (750 km), you can see the country change and become drier and drier. Between Brisbane and Toowoomba, it is market gardens that grow all our vegetables. From Toowoomba to Chinchilla, it is wheat and then cattle. Out past Roma, it is drought-resistant cattle and sheep. A bit further from Charleville, it is desert.

The further away from the coast you went, the less rain. You could have a property that had 3 good years in 5, or if you had the wrong spot, only one good year in 5. A sheep farmer in Quilpie (200 km west of Charleville) explained how crazy his dogs went when it finally rained after 7 years of drought — they had never seen, smelled, or felt it before. And these were the good times.

Source: Clean Technica

How to Decarbonize Heavy-Duty Transport and Make it Affordable

21.08.2021

highway-kamion — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The race to decarbonize transportation is on, attested to by a global wave of commitments to electrify government and corporate fleets.

However, heavy-duty trucking presents a special challenge. While it constitutes only 1 percent of total fleet vehicles, it is responsible for a disproportionate 25 percent share of global road emissions.

Now is the time to eradicate that 25 percent, by joining together as vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure providers and governments to make heavy-duty electric trucking affordable, easy, and sustainable. Technology has made great strides, but barriers remain.

Addressing the real factors behind electric vehicle emissions

Heated debates have surrounded the sustainability of electric vehicles. The evidence is in, and it boils down to three emissions factors: car production; fuel transfer vs battery production (well-to-tank); driving emissions. In the chart below, it is evident that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are more sustainable than conventional cars overall – ICEs (internal combustion engines – and continue to become more sustainable.

It’s also clear that the greatest factor in BEV emissions is not the batteries, but rather the electricity used to charge them. So, our race to decarbonize transportation depends on our success in decarbonizing the electrical grid.

Of course, the cleanest kilowatt is the one never produced. The numbers from Transport and Environment show that electric trucks are already more energy-efficient than diesel trucks. The chart below also shows that if the power grid included only renewable electricity, electric trucks would operate with zero emissions, while using less than half the energy of diesel trucks.

Making electric trucks affordable

Despite the growing sustainability advantage, the initial capital expenditure to purchase electric trucks and perceived cost of operation have been deterrents to logistics companies operating on slim margins.

Since fuel is an enormous cost factor for long-haul trucks covering 160,000 km annually, energy efficiency plays a major role in reducing operational costs. And while BEV batteries are already 85 percent cheaper than 10 years ago, by 2030 battery costs will drop another 50 percent. At that point, according to the CEO Alliance’s HDT Truck Charging Final Report, published in April 2021, native design electric trucks will reach an economic tipping point, becoming 12 percent cheaper to purchase and operate than diesel trucks.

Providing range security

Range anxiety is another common deterrent to electrifying fleets, even though both the vehicles and charging stations are capable of delivering long range driving security.

In fact, by 2025, increased battery density will allow a 40-tonne truck to drive 400 km on a single charge. Of course, that assumes the status quo – a battery that fits into a conventional truck head. Most analysts expect BEV-native truck heads with bigger batteries to appear in the next five years, making the average long-haul trip of around 800 km possible on a single charge.

Charging technology is also much faster. It once took 2.5 hours to charge a heavy-duty electric truck. With fast chargers, charging is done over a standard compulsory break (45 minutes for every 4.5 hours of driving). By the end of the year, new megawatt charging stations will make it possible to charge even faster, providing greater capacity for charging hubs.

Digitalization and web-enabled connectivity also make charging stations more sustainable and reliable than before, allowing operators to control stations remotely, optimize energy usage and conduct routine maintenance to keep them up and running 24/7.

Universal standards

If the vehicles and charging technologies are mature, reliable, and affordable, and policymakers in the EU, US, China and many other countries are stepping up with ambitious new fleet conversion targets, why don’t we see more electric trucks on the road?

Well, first movers like Norway, Iceland and Sweden are well underway to electrifying transport nationwide, thanks to well-orchestrated roadmaps that bring together vehicle manufacturers, infrastructure providers and authorities. But once trucks cross the border, the charging infrastructure is no longer guaranteed.

Removing range anxiety for long-hauls also depends on finding compatible fast charging stations in the right places at the right times. Universal standards for both technology and regulation have been elusive in other global sustainability efforts. We can’t afford that for long-haul, heavy-duty electric trucking. Open software protocols and connection interfaces for both vehicles and chargers are critical to ensuring compatibility between vehicles and charging stations and facilitating hassle-free, long-haul driving.

Public funding and incentives

International public funding will also be an important tool in overcoming border barriers. Europe’s NextGenerationEU programme, for example, will dedicate 25 percent of its EUR 750 billion recovery budget to decarbonization projects, with sustainable infrastructure and electric transport topping its priorities. The CEO Alliance for heavy-duty vehicle charging has recommended allocating EUR 9 billion of that funding to constructing a strategic EV charging network, with 8,000 chargers along nine highways in the Trans-European Transport Network, and another 20,000 chargers at 11 regional hubs, guaranteeing a seamless essential European freight route.

In addition, stricter CO2 standards, clear carbon pricing for fuels, CAPEX support, tax rebates, and road toll discounts would help create economies of scale and a clear market rationale for fleet operators.

Stepping on the accelerator in the transportation climate race

Norway is on track to become the first nation to convert entirely to electrified transport, spearheaded by an ambitious national target of cutting its CO2 emissions by 55 percent from 1990 to 2030, and selling only zero-emission cars by 2025. Those policies are supported by incentives for EV drivers, purchasing tax exemptions, reduced tolls and ferry tickets. The country has also invested in a strategic network of high-powered fast chargers.

This gives a company like Norwegian grocer ASKO the confidence to set its own ambitious goal of electrifying its 600-truck fleet by 2026.

It’s time to make Norway the rule, not the exception. We have the technology, global public recognition of the climate crisis, and governments ready to act. We have everything we need. Let’s step on the accelerator in the transport climate race and work together to electrify heavy-duty transport now.

Source: World Economic Forum

Seven Things you Should Know About Household Air Pollution

20.08.2021

vazduh_dim_dimnjak_krov — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Every year, nearly 4 million people die prematurely from indoor air pollution. Many succumb to diseases linked to inhaling smoke from kerosene, wood and charcoal fires, which are commonly used in the developing world for cooking and heating.

To help raise awareness about indoor air pollution, the United Nations launched last year the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies. With this year’s event just around the corner, here are seven things you should know about household air pollutants.

They are terrible for human health

Tens of millions of people become sick, injured, or burnt from using fuel in their living spaces. Household air pollution causes stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and other deadly ailments.

The burning of unclean fuels, like coal, releases large quantities of dangerous pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter (PM). In households with open burning and unvented solid fuel stoves, particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (PM2.5) can exceed WHO-recommended levels by up to 100 times.

And the impact of indoor air pollution extends beyond the home, contributing to almost 500,000 of the premature deaths attributed to outdoor air pollution every year.

Dirty household fuels are disastrous for the environment

Household combustion is the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide and a major component of particulate matter. It also produces an estimated quarter of all black carbon, or soot emissions, which, according to the World Health Organization, have a per-unit warming capacity 460 – 1,500 times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

When they interact with outdoor air pollutants, household combustion emissions contribute to the formation of ground level ozone – a short-lived climate pollutant that decreases crop yields and affects local weather patterns.

Affordable, reliable energy can help reduce indoor air pollution

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 envisages “access to affordable, reliable and modern energy for all by 2030.” The global adoption of clean household energy – including low-emission stoves, heating and lighting – could save millions of lives.

It would also help to reduce biodiversity loss caused by using wood for fuel, decelerate forest degradation, reduce carbon dioxide emissions from biomass, and lower emissions of black carbon, methane and carbon monoxide. In fact, since black carbon particles only remain in the air for a week or less (versus carbon dioxide, which can remain for more than a century) reducing their emission is an important way to decelerate climate change in the near-term.

To date, however, there remains a dearth of access to affordable, clean energy options.

Household air pollution entrenches poverty and inequality

In more than 155 countries, a healthy environment is recognized as a constitutional right. Obligations related to clean air are implicit in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The 2030 Agenda is based on the premise that no one should be left behind.

Nonetheless, there are still 3 billion people using unsafe fuels in their homes; and they are typically among the world’s poorest.

Access to clean cooking fuels and technologies is increasing by just 1 percent a year.

Women and girls suffer most from indoor air pollution

Those who spend more time indoors, including women and children, are disproportionately affected by household air pollution. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to kerosene cooking and lighting explosions. And close to half of all pneumonia deaths among children under five are a consequence of the soot they inhale at home.

Those who rely on unclean fuels are both the most vulnerable to noncommunicable diseases and the least able to cover the costs of sickness, associated healthcare costs, and lost work hours.

Exposure to pollutants can also affect the brain, causing developmental delays, behavioural problems, and even lower IQ in children.

According to one World Health Organization analysis, girls in households that rely on unclean fuels lose 15 to 30 hours each week gathering wood or water – meaning that they are disadvantaged both in comparison to households that have access to clean fuels, as well as their male counterparts.

Countries can cut pollution-related deaths through investments and legislation

Household air pollution can be reduced by phasing out the use of unprocessed coal and kerosene in homes; adopting cleaner fuels, like biogas, ethanol and liquified petroleum gas; moving toward renewable energy sources wherever possible; developing safe, efficient household technologies; and ensuring proper ventilation.

Increasing access to clean household fuels and technology is an effective way to reduce poverty, sickness and death, particularly in developing countries and among vulnerable groups. The uptake of clean household fuels and new technology can also slow forest degradation and loss of habitat while combating climate change.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is devoted to reducing air pollution

The UNEP-hosted Climate and Clean Air Coalition prioritizes the adoption of clean household fuels and technologies as a way to mitigate short-lived climate pollutants, improve air quality, and realize environmental, social and economic benefits.

The coalition’s Household Energy Initiative raises awareness about the relationship between climate change; advocates for donor support to clean, low-energy cooking, heating, and lighting activities; and promotes solutions that reduce black carbon and other emissions.

Source: UNEP

Mediterranean Gripped by Extreme Heat, With New Reported Temperature Record

19.08.2021

tromboli-Italija-Sicilija — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The World Meteorological Organization is seeking to verify a reported temperature of 48.8°C (119.8°F) in Sicily, Italy, on 11 August 2021 and to establish whether this is a new temperature record for continental Europe.

The observation was made by a weather station administered by a regional agro-meteorological network rather than Italy’s national meteorological service. It occurred during an intense heatwave in Italy, Spain and parts of North Africa.

According to the WMO Weather and Climate Extremes Archive, the current verified record of highest maximum temperature for continental Europe is 48.0°C (118.4°F) and was set in Athens on 10 July 1977.

“WMO is actively looking into this observation but at this time we cannot yet confirm or deny its validity,” said WMO Weather and Climate Extremes rapporteur Prof. Randall Cerveny.

“Climate change and temperature increase has spurred a surge in reports of record weather and climate extremes, especially for heat. We have to make sure that these records are verified for the sake of scientific understanding and accuracy,” said Prof. Cerveny, who oversees WMO’s Weather and Climate Extremes Archive of official records.

WMO has established a “rapid response” team of climate experts who analyze these purported new records. This will provide initial guidance to global media and the general public prior to a formal in-depth investigation, which often takes many months. Verification of maximum temperature records is important because it helps us to build up a picture of the weather and climate.

The intense heat in Italy, Spain and North Africa follows an extreme heatwave – accompanied by devastating wildfires in Greece and Turkey – earlier in the month.

August is typically hot and dry in the Mediterranean region. However, the temperatures witnessed this summer are extreme and are typical of what we expect from climate change.

“Currently, there is a large area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere affecting much of the Mediterranean, as well as northern Africa. This high-pressure system leads to a sinking motion in the atmosphere which compresses the air and then heats it up – in what is sometimes referred to as a heat dome. Additionally, under a high-pressure system, winds tend to be light, so the heat does not dissipate, and this further contributes to conditions getting warmer and warmer, and combining with the summer heat from the sun, » said Bob Stefanski, head of Applied Climate Services at WMO.

As the heatwave continues, it is possible that further national records could be broken in the coming days, including for Spain, where the current record is 47.3C in Cordoba in 2003. Tunisia has also reportedly seen records broken.

There is also a high wildfire threat, which could result in the rapid spread of new fires and limit containment activities of existing fires. Therefore, the extreme hot temperatures and smoke will increase the health risks for the most vulnerable (elderly persons and infants). An additional complication is due to COVID-19 since many cities do have heat-health measures in place such as indoor cooling centers but measures such as wearing masks and social distancing still need to be taken.

The summer of 2021 has seen intense – and in some cases unprecedented heat in parts of the Northern hemisphere, including a temperature of 49.6°C in British Columbia, Canada. The heat in North America has been accompanied by wildfires, aggravated by drought in Western USA.

Climate Change

The newly released Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC states that with climate change, we have been observing more frequent and severe high temperature events, and this will continue to do in the future.

A regional IPCC fact sheet for Europe states that “The frequency and intensity of hot extremes, including marine heatwaves, have increased in recent decades and are projected to keep increasing regardless of the greenhouse gas emissions scenario. Critical thresholds relevant for ecosystems and humans are projected to be exceeded for global warming of 2°C and higher (high confidence).”

The temperature in the Mediterranean area – both in Europe and North Africa – has increased by more than the global average.

The IPCC stated that, for the European Mediterranean, there will be a “Projected combination of climatic impact-driver changes (warming, temperature extremes, increase in droughts and aridity, precipitation decrease, increase in fire weather, mean and extreme sea levels, snow cover decrease, and wind speed decrease) by mid-century and at global warming of at least 2°C and above (high confidence).

For the North African Mediterranean, the IPCC projects decreases in mean precipitation, increases in fire weather conditions and decreases in mean wind speed, as well as observed and projected increases in aridity, meteorological, hydrological and agricultural and ecological droughts.

Experts cannot say exactly when these records will be broken but Europe will need to prepare for the eventuality of further records being broken with temperatures above 50C being possible in Europe in future.

Source: WMO

Evaluate, Anticipate and Act!

18.08.2021

lisbon-Portugal — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo: Courtesy of Maria Virgínia Mendes da Silva Pina

These are three major principles of Portugal’s Air Strategy, one of many adopted by the government of this country to mitigate climate change consequences and safeguard the environment. We talked to the Ambassador of Portugal to Serbia about renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and Portugal’s green inventions that can be applied in our country.

Portugal has taken the six-month presidency of the EU Council in January, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. It didn’t interfere with their resolution to be an example of protecting the environment and offer a crucial contribution to the European leadership in combating climate change. The pandemic effects served only as an additional incentive on their path. The Ambassador of Portugal to Serbia, Maria Virginia Mendes da Silva Pina says that our future resilience depends on how successfully we recover from this crisis. It is time for Europe’s green and digital recovery. Portugal’s experience will be precious, as they expect a significant rise in temperature by the end of the 21 century. So, they will be closing all coal-fired power plants by the end of this year and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030.

EP: According to the last year (2020) EPI ranking, Portugal has been at 27th place. So what are the major environmental challenges Portugal faces today?

Maria Virgínia Mendes da Silva Pina: Right now, I would say that facing the pandemic impact is our main challenge. But it will not get in the way of improving the response to the challenges in the environment, as the two are intertwined. In fact, our future resilience will depend on achieving a successful and sustainable recovery. This objective reflects one of the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the promotion of Europe’s recovery, leveraged by the climate and digital transitions, that will be developed along the Green Europe action line, in which Portugal wants to act as an example contributing to Europe’s leadership in climate action, having, as an essential main goal, the approval of the First European Climate Law.

In focus:

Portugal will focus on implementing both an efficient circular economy and well-designed public policies for assuring energy transition to undercut the dependence on fossil fuels and continue the efforts to reduce C02 emissions. This also means adopting strategies of mitigation and adaptation to climate change and addressing the loss of biodiversity, as it is also a challenge that worries us. Last but not least, let me stress a most important topic for Portugal: the preservation and sustainable use of the resources of oceans and seas and the development of the blue economy.

EP: In accordance with the World Health Organization’s guidelines, the air quality in Portugal is considered safe. But available data indicates that Estarreja, Almada, Faro, and Lisbon can experience high levels of air pollution. What are Portugal’s primary air pollution sources, and how do you cope with them?

Maria Virgínia Mendes da Silva Pina: According to the State of the Environment Report, transport, industrial, and energy production are Portugal’s most extensive air pollutants. These sectors release some of the most seriously harmful compounds to human health, ecosystems, and materials into the atmosphere. The geographical areas environmental policies that contribute to the fulfillment of national and international objectives and commitments, namely those related to climate change, water resources, waste and the conservation of nature and biodiversity.

The first program is PART (Public Transport Tariff Reduction Support Program), a financial support program designed to fight negative externalities associated with mobility, namely congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, energy consumption, and social exclusion, and to reduce public transport costs by attracting passengers. The PART supports the Transport Authorities mentioned in the question are extremely urban or industrial, which means their air quality is more influenced by the above pollution problems.

Nevertheless, things are changing. For example, the most pollutant compounds in the Portuguese atmosphere have decreased approximately 38 percent since 1990. and Portugal’s National Air Strategy (ENAR2020) aims to improve air quality, protect human health, the quality of life of citizens, and the preservation of ecosystems, based on three axes: “Evaluate,” “Anticipate” and “Act.” The measures that are recommended within the ENAR 2020 framework are, therefore, thought out to achieve the air quality objectives proposed in the Clean Air Program for Europe and contribute to the Green Growth Commitment, in line with the national instruments of climate policy so that we can expect further improvement in that chapter.

EP: What are the original Portugal green inventions you are proud of in the last few years?

Maria Virgínia Mendes da Silva Pina: I would stress two programs, supported by our Ministry of Environment and Climatic Action (MAAC), that we can classify as “green examples” and that can be pursued in other countries, launched within the scope of our Environmental Fund, a financial tool created in 2016, an essential instrument for environmental policies that contribute to the fulfillment of national and international objectives and commitments, namely those related to climate change, water resources, waste and the conservation of nature and biodiversity.

The first program is PART (Public Transport Tariff Reduction Support Program), a financial support program designed to fight negative externalities associated with mobility, namely congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, energy consumption, and social exclusion, and to reduce public transport costs by attracting passengers. The PART supports the Transport Authorities with an annual budget, which allows them to operate better tariffs while adjusting its offer. PART also intends to be a tool for territorial cohesion by creating a financing model that guarantees equity between the Metropolitan Areas of Lisbon and Porto and the rest of the territory.

The second one, the Support Program to more Sustainable Buildings, implemented in 2020, aims to ensure interventions in buildings aiming at their sustainability and energy rehabilitation and can be considered a measure that has a potential multiplier effect on the economy, generating employment and wealth at the local and national level. This Program finances, throughout Portugal, all the interventions in buildings built up to 2006 that promote rehabilitation, decarbonization, energy efficiency, water efficiency, and circular economy, contributing to the improvement of the energy and their environmental performance.

EP: How is climate change affecting the life of Portuguese people and the whole Portugal environment?

Maria Virgínia Mendes da Silva Pina: All scenarios predict a significant increase in average temperature in Portugal until the end of the 21st century, together with an increase in the frequency and intensity of heat waves, that can generate droughts, increased risk of forest fires, with the alteration of land use and occupation capacities.

Considering this scenario, Portugal adopted two national strategies. First, the National Adaptation to Climate Change Strategy (ENAAC2020) envisions a country adapted to the effects of climate change by implementing a solution based on technical-scientific knowledge and good practices. Second, ENAAC 2020 defines an organizational model where coordination between the various sectors and stakeholders is promoted, pursuing priorities in thematic areas and considering the three objectives of the strategy: improvement of the level of knowledge about climate change; implementation of adaptation measures, and promotion of integration of adaptation in sectoral policies.

Second, the National Program for Adaptation to Climate Change (P-3AC) that complements and systematizes the work carried out in the context of the ENAAC 2020 and develops its second objective, the implementation adaptation measures, and that is thought out to cover several steps such as prevention of rural fires; conservation and improvement of soil fertility; efficient use of water; resilience of ecosystems; prevention of heat waves; diseases, pests, and invasive species; flood protection; coastal protection, without forgetting training, awareness, and tools for adaptation.

Interview by: Jovana Canić

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine WATER RESOURCES.

Australia In The Race For Green Hydrogen

18.08.2021

hydrogen-hidrogen — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

There is a green gold rush going on in Australia at the moment. Billions in investment is flowing into the production of green hydrogen.

The plans include massive wind and solar farms. And I am not suggesting it is for use in cars. It will mainly be for our export partners in Asia, particularly Japan, which is pushing for a hydrogen-powered economy.

Although the vast majority of current hydrogen is grey, produced from fracked natural gas, this will be green and some of the current fossil fuel incumbents will be caught with their pants down.

Let’s start with Western Australia.

In the Pilbara, 36 billion dollars is being invested to create the Asian Renewable Hub. Not only will they use solar and wind, but they are also planning to manufacture wind turbines on site. This is cost effective because of the huge distances involved in transporting the massive steel structures. The nearest port is 250 km away. The plan is to produce over 10 million tons of it a year using the power generated by 1743 wind turbines and 25 million solar panels. It is at least a 10 year project. They are going to need a large water source also.

A 94 billion dollars energy hub is being proposed for the Nullarbor (no trees) Plain. The same companies that are behind the Pilbara project are expecting to produce 50 GW of wind and solar power to make 3,5 million tonnes a year of green hydrogen for the export of 20 million tonnes of green ammonia. The traditional owners of the land, the Mirning people, will also hold a stake creating a brighter future for their young people.

Source: Clean Technica

Toxic Blaze: The True Cost of Crop Burning

17.08.2021

požar-njiva-paljenje — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

People around the world are bracing for what has become known as the season of smog. With autumn around the corner, many countries are entering the agricultural crop burning season, where farmers burn their fields to make way for a new crop, sending up plumes of toxic smoke.

These large areas of agricultural lands set ablaze every year are contributing to the air pollution that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), kills 7 million people a year including 650,000 children.

“Improving the quality of the air we breathe is absolutely necessary to our health and well-being,” says Helena Molin Valdés, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-hosted Climate and Clean Air Coalition Secretariat. “It is also critical to food security, climate action, responsible production and consumption – and fundamental to equality. In fact, we can’t talk about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development unless we are serious about air quality.”

Black carbon

Many farmers consider agricultural burning the most effective and cost-efficient way to clear land, fertilize soil and prepare it for new plantation. However, these blazes and the wildfires that spread from them are the world’s largest source of black carbon, a threat both to human and environmental health.

Black carbon is a component of PM2.5, a microscopic pollutant that penetrates deep into the lungs and bloodstream. PM2.5 increases the risk of dying from heart and lung disease, stroke and some cancers, causing millions of people to perish prematurely every year. In children, PM2.5 can also cause psychological and behavioural problems. In older people, it is associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease and dementia. And because air pollution compromises respiratory health, it may also increase vulnerability to COVID-19.

Black carbon is also a short-lived climate pollutant, meaning that, although it exists only for a few days or weeks, its impact on global warming is 460–1,500 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

A better way

Ironically, far from stimulating growth, agricultural burning actually reduces water retention and soil fertility by 25 to 30 percent, and thus requires farmers to invest in expensive fertilizers and irrigation systems to compensate. Black carbon can also modify rainfall patterns, especially the Asian monsoon, disrupting the weather events necessary to support agriculture.

“Burned lands actually have lower fertility and higher erosion rates, requiring farmers to overcompensate with fertilizer,” says Pam Pearson, Director of the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative, which has worked with farmers globally to introduce fire-free cultivation.

“The no-burn alternatives, such as incorporating stubble back into fields or even planting right through the stubble, almost always save the farmer money.”

Pearson notes that changing the long-established habit of burning agricultural waste will require education, awareness-raising and capacity-building for farmers. It is a lofty undertaking, but the impacts would be considerable and far-reaching. Reducing air pollution from farms in Northern India, for example, could prevent increased flooding and drought caused by black carbon accelerating the melting of Himalayan ice and glaciers – a life-changing outcome to the billions who depend on rivers fed by those mountains.

Worldwide effort

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition works in countries and with regional networks to promote alternatives to field burning. In India, for example, it provides farmers with information and assistance to access alternatives to crop fires, using satellites to monitor fires and track their impact, supporting policy interventions, subsidizing farmers and ultimately turning agricultural waste into a resource.

In Punjab, the coalition and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are looking at ways to turn the crop residue that would otherwise be burnt into a renewable fuel source. Creating a circular economy for such waste provides farmers with more income and reduces air pollution.

Countries around the world are working to reduce air pollution. That drive will be front and centre on 7 September, the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, which is designed to spur global action against dangerous particulates.

With an eye on global warming and food security, a project called the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture is mainstreaming farming into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The next round is to take place at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), this year.

Source: UNEP

Biodiversity leaders at UNDP recommend framework for monitoring ecosystem integrity

16.08.2021

lynx-ris-mačka-animal — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Improving ecosystem integrity is essential to ensuring human and planetary wellbeing. Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are working to adopt a consistent and accurate method to define and measure ecosystem integrity.

In the new paper recently published in Conservation Letters, “Towards monitoring forest ecosystem integrity within the Post-2020 biodiversity framework”, scientists and biodiversity experts from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and eight other leading institutions share a pathway to fill this critical gap.

While ecological integrity often goes undefined, this new joint paper establishes a quantifiable definition for it, delineating ecological integrity as a measure of the structure, function and composition of an ecosystem compared to pre-industrial levels.

Then, building from metrics, such as the Global Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network’s (GEO BON) Essential Biodiversity Variables, the authors recommend eight key indicators to evaluate ecological integrity, indexing vital markers such as deforestation, species habitat, biodiversity loss or ecosystem resilience. The paper demonstrates how advances in earth observations can be harnessed to track these metrics, providing a clearer picture of the earth’s valuable ecosystems and a way to measure progress towards our biodiversity goals.

Signatory countries to the CBD are in the process of developing the Post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF), formulating targets that will guide action for nature over the next three decades. Like the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the current draft of the Post-2020 GBF emphasizes the importance of increasing ecological integrity but does not define the term nor standardize methods to measure it.

If operationalized, the paper’s recommendations could enable Parties to the CBD to better evaluate, manage, and report on their progress towards reaching the 2030 biodiversity targets.

Source: UNDP

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