100 MW Solar Plant to be Put Into Operation Near Samarkand

11.05.2021

solar_panels_solarni_paneli_solar_energy_solarna_energija — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mariana Proenca)

The government of Uzbekistan’s plans to develop 8 GW of solar and wind capacity by 2030 have received a major boost following the approval of an EUR 87.4 million financing package jointly organised by, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European investment Bank (EIB) and PROPARCO, a subsidiary of Agence Française de Développement. The funds will be used to construct and put into operation a 100 MW photovoltaic solar power plant near the city of Samarkand.

The package will be provided to project developer Tutly Solar LLC, which is fully owned by Total Eren, a leading France-based independent power producer (IPP) from renewable energy sources (mainly solar and wind), active globally. It will consist of an EIB loan of EUR 43.7 million and two loans of approximately EUR 21.8 million each from the EBRD and PROPARCO.

This is one of the first private-sector renewable energy projects in the country. It will help diversify the energy mix, which is currently dominated by fossil fuel-fired power stations, and increase generation capacity and the reliability of supply to address growing demand for electricity. Once implemented, the project will help reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 160,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent and generate an additional 270 GWh of electricity for thousands of inhabitants of Central Asia’s most populated country.

The project will thus contribute to priorities identified in the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; and climate action.

After the commissioning, the electricity produced by Tutly Solar will be sold to the operator, National Electric Networks of Uzbekistan, through a 25-year power-purchasing agreement. The project, which involves Total Eren as one of the first Independent Power Producers in the country, will develop Uzbekistan’s huge solar potential.

“PROPARCO is pleased to contribute to financing the Tutly solar power plant, a unique project developed by Total Eren and our first project in the renewable energy sector of Uzbekistan. This financing is fully in line with AFD Group’s ‘100 per cent Paris Agreement’ commitment,” said Anne Gautier, head of PROPARCO’s Power and Digital Division for this region.

EBRD Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group, Nandita Parshad commented: “We are very proud to co-finance this landmark project conceived by Total Eren. It is contributing to Uzbekistan’s long-term decarbonisation strategy, which is being developed jointly with the EBRD and is designed to achieve carbon neutrality of the power sector by 2050, as well as to align development of the country’s power sector with commitments under the Paris Agreement.”

Teresa Czerwińska, Vice-President at EIB, Responsible for operations in Uzbekistan, stated: “With Climate Action at the heart of the EIB investment activities, we are proud to support development of Tutly solar plant in Uzbekistan. The plant will make an important contribution to both country’s sustainable economic and social development, and allow Uzbekistan to reinforce the global fight against the climate change. This makes Tutly an investment in local economic development and the future of our planet. I am grateful to our partners from the European Union, the EBRD and Total Eren for the far-sighted partnership for a safe and prosperous future of Uzbekistan, Central Asia and the world.”

Laurence Juin, EVP and CFO of Total Eren, stated: “We are pleased to have successfully finalised the financing of our first solar project in Uzbekistan, and I would like to thank the Uzbek authorities and our lenders, the EIB, the EBRD and Proparco, for their support, as well as our teams in Tashkent and Paris for their hard work. Total Eren is proud to be one of the first independent power producers to develop, build, and finance a solar project in Uzbekistan to supply the population with low-carbon electricity and help reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels. We are eager to commission the Tutly solar farm and to develop other renewable energy projects in Uzbekistan and in the region.”

Source: EBRD

How Solar Power is Helping a Community and Jaguars

11.05.2021

In ancient times, jaguars roaming the southeast jungles of Mexico symbolized power. The Mayas considered them sacred animals with links to the underworld due to their nocturnal habits.

Today, Mexico is home to an estimated 4.000 jaguars. At risk of extinction, this population faces threats from poaching, injuries from vehicle collisions, loss of habitat due to agricultural expansion, and human-wildlife conflict.

With former jaguar habitat converted to livestock ranches, jaguars, faced with diminishing food sources, began preying on livestock and other domestic animals. In turn, livestock producers increasingly retaliated against the jaguars. At least seven jaguars were killed in the last three years in La Palizada, a small town in Campeche in southeastern Mexico that is mostly dedicated to livestock production.

One night last February, a jaguar attacked a foal on the Las Piedras ranch in La Palizada. Areas with no electricity, like Las Piedras, are more vulnerable to livestock loss, allowing jaguars to enter ranches at night under the cover of darkness. It was the third attack at the property in three months. Foreman Guillermo Aguirre Rochol and other ranch workers were increasingly worried that the jaguar would attack other farm animals on the ranch.

Solar power and protection

Aguirre contacted WWF-Mexico’s field officer and biologist Fernando Contreras, who previously helped communities manage conflicts with jaguars, pumas, and coyotes in southeast Mexico. To help prevent further attacks on Aguirre’s ranch, WWF-Mexico and the NGO Animal Karma helped install a solar powered electric fence around Las Piedras, which emits a low voltage electric shock if the jaguar touches it. Immediately, the Aguirre family felt safer and experienced no further attacks since its installation.

Beyond reduced jaguar attacks, the fence brought electricity to the ranch for the very first time. And the solar energy used to power the fence also means minimal impact to the environment.

“This is the first electric fence installed in the area to help prevent conflicts between ranchers and jaguars and is part of WWF-Mexico’s project to ensure the protection of the jaguar population in the Maya Forest,” said Contreras. “Sometimes, nature conservation becomes much more, the jaguar also brought light into the family home—light for the kids to study, for the family to spend quality time together, and improve their well-being.”

Losses and livelihoods

Contreras also helped Aguirre prepare an incident report of the attack to the Livestock Insurance Fund, a national insurance program that covers livestock owners’ economic losses from predator attacks. The Fund further helps reduce retaliation against predators like jaguars because ranchers will not receive compensation if they kill the predator. Contreras explains that 22 jaguars have been identified in the area where the ranch is located. This is the largest population of jaguars found between the Mexican states of Chiapas, Yucatan and Campeche.

WWF has been a leader in building a continental movement to reconnect and bring jaguar numbers back, while ensuring local communities have access to their livelihoods. Together, we are helping to reverse the dramatic loss of Latin-American biodiversity and build a more sustainable future.

Source: WWF

Global Assessment: Urgent Steps Must be Taken to Reduce Methane Emissions this Decade

10.05.2021

landscape-zagađenje-vazduh — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

A Global Methane Assessment released today by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that human-caused methane emissions can be reduced by up to 45 percent this decade. Such reductions would avoid nearly 0.3°C of global warming by 2045 and would be consistent with keeping the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (1.5˚C) within reach.

The assessment, for the first time, integrates the climate and air pollution costs and benefits from methane mitigation. Because methane is a key ingredient in the formation of ground-level ozone (smog), a powerful climate forcer and dangerous air pollutant, a 45 percent reduction would prevent 260 000 premature deaths, 775 000 asthma-related hospital visits, 73 billion hours of lost labour from extreme heat, and 25 million tonnes of crop losses annually.

“Cutting methane is the strongest lever we have to slow climate change over the next 25 years and complements necessary efforts to reduce carbon dioxide. The benefits to society, economies, and the environment are numerous and far outweigh the cost. We need international cooperation to urgently reduce methane emissions as much as possible this decade” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

Rick Duke, Senior Advisor to the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change, said: “Methane accounts for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions and, now that the world is acting to phase down hydrofluorocarbons through the Montreal Protocol, it is by far the top priority short-lived climate pollutant that we need to tackle to keep 1.5˚C within reach. The United States is committed to driving down methane emissions both at home and globally—through measures like research and development, standards to control fossil and landfill methane, and incentives to address agricultural methane. We look forward to continued partnership with the CCAC on this crucial climate priority.”

“The Global Methane Assessment only increases the urgency of acting on methane emissions. Although it is difficult to influence extra-European Union upstream methane emissions in the oil and gas sector, we must not sit idle in this regard. An ambitious roadmap starting with measurement and reporting duties but outlining requirements for future import permits would push international action. We must tackle emissions not only from the energy sector, but also from landfills, agriculture, and abandoned coal mines. Setting aside dedicated funds for these super-emitters will be well-invested money on the path to reach our climate targets in 2030” said Jutta Paulus, Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA.

Kadri Simson, European Union Commissioner for Energy, said: “Building on the EU methane strategy last October, this UN report highlights just how damaging methane emissions can be, and the need to take concerted action at international level.”

The need for action is urgent. Human-caused methane emissions are increasing faster than any time since record keeping began in the 1980s. Despite a COVID-19 induced economic slowdown in 2020 that prevented another record year for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the amount of methane in the atmosphere shot up to record levels according to data recently released by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ).

This is a concern because methane is a an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, responsible for about 30 percent of warming since pre-industrial times. The good news is that unlike CO2 which stays in the atmosphere for 100s of years, methane starts breaking down quickly, with most of it gone after a decade. This means cutting methane emissions now can rapidly reduce the rate of warming in the near-term.

The report notes that most human-caused methane emissions come from three sectors: fossil fuels, waste, and agriculture. In the fossil fuel sector, oil and gas extraction, processing, and distribution account for 23 percent, and coal mining accounts for 12 percent of emissions. In the waste sector, landfills and wastewater make up about 20 percent of emissions. In the agricultural sector, livestock emissions from manure and enteric fermentation represent roughly 32 percent, and rice cultivation 8 percent of emissions.

The assessment identifies measures that specifically target methane. By implementing these readily available solutions methane emissions can be reduced by 30 percent by 2030. Most are in the fossil fuel sector where it is relatively easily to locate and fix methane leaks and reduce venting. There are also targeted measures that can be used in the waste and agriculture sectors.

Roughly 60 percent of these targeted measures are low cost and 50 percent of those have negative costs, meaning companies make money from taking action. The greatest potential for negative costs is in the oil and gas industry where preventing leaks and capturing methane adds to revenue instead of releasing the gas into the atmosphere.

But targeted measures alone are not enough. Additional measures that do not specifically target methane, like a shift to renewable energy, residential and commercial energy efficiency, and a reduction in food loss and waste, can reduce methane emissions by a further 15 percent by 2030. These additional measures are not necessarily harder or slower than targeted measures. Some of them may be much faster to implement, and all of them will produce multiple benefits.

Drew Shindell, who chaired the assessment for the CCAC, and is Professor of Climate Science at Duke University, said urgent steps must be taken to reduce methane emissions this decade.

“To achieve global climate goals, we must reduce methane emissions while also urgently reducing carbon dioxide emissions,” Dr Shindell said. “The good news is that most of the required actions bring not only climate benefits but also health and financial benefits, and all the technology needed is already available.”

The assessment was compiled by an international team of scientists using state-of-the-art composition and climate models and policy analyses from four leading research centres to create the most comprehensive benefits and costs analysis of methane mitigation options assembled to date. The assessment analyses national level impacts for every country and regional mitigation potential to help policy makers assess global and local costs, which sectors to target, and the effects of methane reductions.

The assessment found that the mitigation potential varies between countries and regions. The largest potential in Europe and India is in the waste sector. In China it is from coal production followed by livestock, while in Africa it is from livestock followed by oil and gas. In the Asia-Pacific region, excluding China and India, it is coal and waste, and in the Middle East, North America and Russia/Former Soviet Union it is from oil and gas. In Latin America it is from the livestock subsector.

There is growing government ambition to do more to reduce methane. In October 2020, the European Commission adopted the European Union Methane Strategy that outlines measures to cut methane emissions in Europe and internationally.

On April 29, the U.S. Senate passed a bi-partisan vote to reinstate Obama-era regulations to control leaks from oil and gas wells. It requires companies to monitor, plug and capture methane from new drilling sites.

During President Joe Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate on April 22 – 23, leaders called for reductions in methane.

President Vladimir Putin, Russia, called for global action on methane saying, “we must take into account absolutely every cause of global warming” and “it would be extremely important to develop broad and effective international cooperation in the calculation and monitoring of all polluting emissions into the atmosphere.”

President Emmanuel Macron of France said: “[It is] important for all of us to start the fight to reduce methane emissions.” Argentina’s President, Alberto Fernández, also stressed “a plan to reduce methane emissions”. Vietnam’s President, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, said Vietnam plans to reduce methane emissions from agriculture by 10 percent by 2030.

At the Summit, energy ministries from the U.S., Canada, Norway, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia – which represent 40 percent of global oil and gas production – established the cooperative Net Zero Producers Forum to create pragmatic net-zero strategies, including methane abatement.

Source: UNEP

Adidas Releases Recyclable Sneaker For The Circular Economy

09.05.2021

fashion-2697009_1280 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Sebastian Pociecha)

The fashion industry has been coming under fire in recent years for its environmental impact. Not only does the industry have a large carbon footprint, but many of the materials it uses are damaging for ocean environments.

Sustainability has become a key concern for conscious consumers, and this has been having a knock-on effect on brands. Adidas has already made efforts to address its environmental impact by using recycled PET plastic in its products, and now it has made another step forward by releasing its first totally recyclable shoe.

The shoe was launched as part of Adidas’ recent Ultraboost release that was timed to coincide with Earth Week and is called Made to be Remade. The idea behind the sneaker is that it forms part of a circular economy. It’s made with materials and technology that enable the shoes to be returned to Adidas at the end of their life, after which they will be remade into a new pair of shoes or product, hence the Made to be Remade moniker.

The way in which the shoes are returned to Adidas is actually pretty nifty — on the tongue of each pair there is a QR code. When scanned with a smartphone, it launches a digital experience where the return process can be accessed and managed.

Adidas is touting these shoes as part of its continued efforts to bring an end to plastic waste and reduce the plastic pollution of the oceans. It also has an ongoing collaboration with Parley where it uses reclaimed ocean plastic in the shoe design.

While Adidas should be given a level of respect for making efforts to bring a level of responsibility to the manufacture of its shoes, we would like to see this same approach applied to all of its products.

Rather than just enabling one type of shoes to be remade as part of a circular economy, it would be revolutionary if all of its shoes offered the same experience. Let’s hope this is the way of the future, and that Adidas is leading the charge.

Author: Jonny Tiernan

Source: Clean Technica

Clean Energy Demand For Critical Minerals Set to Soar as the World Pursues Net Zero Goals

08.05.2021

wind-turbine-vetro-vetropark — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Supplies of critical minerals essential for key clean energy technologies like electric vehicles and wind turbines need to pick up sharply over the coming decades to meet the world’s climate goals, creating potential energy security hazards that governments must act now to address, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency.

The special report, The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions, is the most comprehensive global study to date on the central importance of minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements in a secure and rapid transformation of the global energy sector. Building on the IEA’s longstanding leadership role in energy security, the report recommends six key areas of action for policy makers to ensure that critical minerals enable an accelerated transition to clean energy rather than becoming a bottleneck.

“Today, the data shows a looming mismatch between the world’s strengthened climate ambitions and the availability of critical minerals that are essential to realising those ambitions,” said Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA. “The challenges are not insurmountable, but governments must give clear signals about how they plan to turn their climate pledges into action. By acting now and acting together, they can significantly reduce the risks of price volatility and supply disruptions.

“Left unaddressed, these potential vulnerabilities could make global progress towards a clean energy future slower and more costly – and therefore hamper international efforts to tackle climate change,” Dr Birol said. “This is what energy security looks like in the 21st century, and the IEA is fully committed to helping governments ensure that these hazards don’t derail the global drive to accelerate energy transitions.”

The special report, part of the IEA’s flagship World Energy Outlook series, underscores that the mineral requirements of an energy system powered by clean energy technologies differ profoundly from one that runs on fossil fuels. A typical electric car requires six times the mineral inputs of a conventional car, and an onshore wind plant requires nine times more mineral resources than a similarly sized gas-fired power plant.

Demand outlooks and supply vulnerabilities vary widely by mineral, but the energy sector’s overall needs for critical minerals could increase by as much as six times by 2040, depending on how rapidly governments act to reduce emissions. Not only is this a massive increase in absolute terms, but as the costs of technologies fall, mineral inputs will account for an increasingly important part of the value of key components, making their overall costs more vulnerable to potential mineral price swings.

The commercial importance of these minerals also grow rapidly: today’s revenue from coal production is ten times larger than from energy transition minerals. However, in climate-driven scenarios, these positions are reversed well before 2040.

To produce the report, the IEA built on its detailed, technology-rich energy modelling tools to establish a unique database showing future mineral requirements under varying scenarios that span a range of levels of climate action and 11 different technology evolution pathways. In climate-driven scenarios, mineral demand for use in batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage is a major force, growing at least thirty times to 2040. The rise of low-carbon power generation to meet climate goals also means a tripling of mineral demand from this sector by 2040. Wind takes the lead, bolstered by material-intensive offshore wind. Solar PV follows closely, due to the sheer volume of capacity that is added. The expansion of electricity networks also requires a huge amount of copper and aluminium.

Unlike oil – a commodity produced around the world and traded in liquid markets – production and processing of many minerals such as lithium, cobalt and some rare earth elements are highly concentrated in a handful of countries, with the top three producers accounting for more than 75 percent of supplies. Complex and sometimes opaque supply chains also increase the risks that could arise from physical disruptions, trade restrictions or other developments in major producing countries. In addition, while there is no shortage of resources, the quality of available deposits is declining as the most immediately accessible resources are exploited. Producers also face the necessity of stricter environmental and social standards.

The IEA report provides six key recommendations for policy makers to foster stable supplies of critical minerals to support accelerated clean energy transitions. These include the need for governments to lay out their long-term commitments for emission reductions, which would provide the confidence needed for suppliers to invest in and expand mineral production. Governments should also promote technological advances, scale up recycling to relieve pressure on primary supplies, maintain high environmental and social standards, and strengthen international collaboration between producers and consumers.

Source: IEA

Updated 30-year Reference Period Reflects Changing Climate

07.05.2021

sun-sunce-klimatske-promene — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The U.S. Nationaceanic and Atmospheric Administration has updated the U.S. Climate Normals to the 1991-2020 baseline period to provide a most recent baseline for climate information and services to climate-sensitive sectors and a standard reference to compare variations in temperature, precipitation etc to the 30-year average.

The move is in line with a World Meteorological Organization recommendation that the 30-year standard reference periods should be updated every decade in order to better reflect the the changing climate and its influence on our day-to-day weather experience.

Until the end of 2020, the most current and widely used standard reference period for calculating climate normals was the 30-year period 1981-2010. WMO’s recent Services Commission meeting recommended that the new 30-year baseline, 1991-2020, should be adopted globally and pledged support to Members to help them update their figures. Many countries in Europe have already switched to the new baseline.

Rising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases are changing the Earth’s climate much faster than before. As a result, decision-makers in climate-sensitive sectors and industries such as water management, energy, agriculture and viticulture may be basing important decisions on information that may be out of date.

Thus, it is necessary to update the climate normals for operational services for decision-making, for example for as forecasts of peak energy load and recommendations on crop selection and planting times.

However, for the purposes of historical comparison and climate change monitoring, WMO still recommends the continuation of the 1961-1990 period for the computation and tracking global climate anomalies relative to a fixed and common reference period.

For the purpose of Paris Agreement on climate change and its temperature targets, WMO also uses the pre-industrial era as the baseline for tracking global temperature increase in its annual State of the Global Climate report. Thus, the average global temperature in 2020 was about 1.2 °C above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) level.

“The decadal update is the equivalent of the Census for those who use the data,” said NOAA.

Today’s increasingly powerful computers and climate data management systems make it much easier to conduct more frequent updates, which involve analyzing massive amounts of climate data. Another advantage of decadal updates is that they will make it possible to incorporate data from newly established weather stations into the normals more rapidly.

As anticipated, changes have occurred in averages since the last ten-year update, according to NOAA. An upward shift in temperature averages is evident.

“The influence of long-term global warming is obvious: the earliest map in the series has the most widespread and darkest blues, and the most recent map has the most widespread and darkest reds. Today, the normal annual temperatures across the country are warmer than the 20th-century average virtually everywhere. From 1901-1930, the annual average temperature was mostly colder than the 20th-century average,” according to a NOAA news blog explaining the changes.

Warming is not ubiquitous across the contiguous U.S. in either geographic space or time of year. Changes vary from season-to-season and month-to-month.

For instance, the north-central U.S. Temperature Normals—for those in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest—have cooled from 1981–2010 to 1991–2020, especially in the spring. The South and Southwest are considerably warmer. Normals were also generally warmer across the West and along the East Coast. Precipitation-wise, the Southwest was drier; wetter averages emerged in the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains, especially the Southeast in the spring.

Source: WMO

Which Green Actions Really Reduce Climate Emissions?

06.05.2021

If you think recycling as much as possible is the best way to cut your carbon footprint – think again. It’s actually a fair way down the list.

Having fewer children is one of the most effective actions in reducing future greenhouse gas emissions – but this is not widely understood, a new survey finds.

In its Perils of Perception survey, market research firm Ipsos finds that misperceptions are rife about the most effective climate actions.

“Across markets, people on average underestimate the most impactful climate actions they can take, and overestimate the least impactful ones,” Ipsos says.

The survey is a useful reminder of how our perceptions can differ from reality, without advocating that the actions with the biggest impact are appropriate for everyone.

Impact analysis

For example, recycling as much as possible would only save 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per year.

But having one child fewer would save 58.6 tonnes of future carbon emissions – ranking it number one of nine climate impact actions in the survey. Only 11 percent of people correctly identified this as being among the most effective actions.

The second most impactful climate action in the list is not having a car – which would save 2.4 tonnes of carbon each year. Just 17 percent of respondents saw this as a top priority in curbing their emissions.

The third best way to cut your carbon footprint is avoiding one long-distance flight lasting six hours or more, which would save 1.6 tonnes of carbon a year. 21 percent of people surveyed saw this as a carbon-cutting opportunity.

59 percent of the people surveyed believed recycling would be the best way to reduce their carbon footprint, but this action is ranked 7th out of the nine actions for people living in one of the world’s richer countries.

Using only renewable energy ranked fourth for climate impact. Replacing a typical car with an electric or hybrid vehicle – ranked fifth – was also perceived to be a top three action for climate impact.

Carbon ranking

Asked what five other actions might appear in a top 30 list of ways of reducing our personal impact on climate change, similar trends emerged.

“Actions such as buying products with less packaging and buying fewer or more durable items are overestimated compared with refurbishing homes for energy efficiency,” Ipsos says.

“Going plant-based makes more of a difference to your carbon footprint than eating locally produced food, but the public guess this is the other way around,” it adds.

Fleeing climate disasters

The proportion of people displaced as a result of climate and weather-related disasters such as hurricanes, storms and flooding was also under-estimated.

Forty three percent believe more people are displaced by conflict than climate. In fact, two-thirds – 67 percent – of new displacements in the first six months of 2020 were caused by climate and weather.

Ipsos surveyed more than 21,000 adults in 30 markets including the US, China, India, Malaysia, Argentina and Spain.

Source: World Economic Forum

Solar Power + Bees = Extra Benefit For Massachusetts

05.05.2021

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Sungrow Emea)

A solar power company, Navisun, has just added a couple of solar projects to a special new “pollinator-friendly” solar initiative it has launched in Massachusetts. Furthermore, the projects qualified as pollinator-friendly facilities in the Massachusetts SMART Program, which I’ll explain in a moment.

Navisun is focused on small utility-scale solar farms and community solar farms. It co-develops, acquires, owns, and operates the solar projects. The two it has just completed, one of which is a community solar farm, are fairly small projects, totaling 3,8 MW of solar power, but the company is just getting rolling and it intends to build and operate many more.

“Navisun’s pollinator-friendly expertise, developed through these projects, will also enable it to implement pollinator habitats in all applicable future solar projects through its new pollinator program,” the company writes.

The new projects — which are in Orange and Sheffield, Massachusetts — are expected to create enough electricity to power approximately 600 homes a year.

Navisun notes that it realized it could help the world even beyond the benefits of solar power it brings to the table. The company explained that it is now intent on reversing “the loss of essential pollinator habitats” and boosting food security.

“Navisun worked closely with expert ecologists to initiate its new pollinator program. Navisun’s program was established in large part because environmental stressors, such as land development and pesticides, have caused the number of bee colonies per hectare to decline by 90 percent since 1962 among U.S. crops that require bee pollination. This is a critical issue, as insects such as bees and butterflies are responsible for pollinating nearly 75 percent of all crops consumed by humans. As Navisun continues to expand its project portfolio, the growth of its pollinator-friendly expertise will enable it to implement pollinator habitats in all applicable future projects, which will in turn directly support farmers, food production and the environment.”

This leadership has awarded the solar company recognition beyond the power sector. It received “pollinator-friendly certificates” from the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst Clean Energy Extension for these solar projects in Orange and Sheffield, Massachusetts. That meant that they also qualified for “adder” designation under the Massachusetts SMART Program.

“Navisun is one of the first companies to apply for and receive the recent adder to the Massachusetts SMART Program. In order to be certified as a pollinator-friendly facility, site grounds must be prepared and maintained to promote native meadow habitats under and around solar panels. Among many requirements, achieving the UMass certification includes planting native flowering herbs and shrubs, desisting from using insecticide or fungicide, maintaining bee nesting habitats, and providing safe passageways along with project fencing for small wildlife.

Project partner and Chairwoman of the Sheffield municipal government’s Board of Selectmen Rene Wood shared, “Speaking as a private citizen and Sheffield’s Select Board Chair, I am delighted this award has been given to Navisun for pollinator-friendly actions at their Home Road solar array. Sheffield is a Right-to-Farm community; In 2020, the Board adopted a pollinator-friendly policy to support the Agricultural Commission and residents. This award furthers our town-wide efforts and recognizes the critical role pollinators hold in our food production and well-being.”

Author: Zachary Shanan

Source: Clean Technica

Global Electric Car Sales Set for Further Strong Growth After 40 percent Rise in 2020

05.05.2021

punjenje_električnih_automobila — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Markus Spiske)

New IEA report sees major expansion in electric vehicle adoption this decade, which could accelerate further if governments implement policies aimed at reaching net zero goals.

The global auto industry suffered a punishing year in 2020 because of the major shock of Covid-19, but the electric car market bucked the wider trend with growth of over 40 percent and is on track for a decade of strong expansion, according to a new report published today by the International Energy Agency.

The IEA’s Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2021 finds that despite the pandemic setting off a cascade of economic recessions, a record 3 million new electric cars were registered in 2020, a 41 percent increase from the previous year. By comparison, the global automobile market contracted 16 percent in 2020. Electric cars’ strong momentum has continued into this year, with sales in the first quarter of 2021 reaching nearly two and half times their level in the same period a year earlier.

Last year’s increase brought the number of electric cars on the world’s roads to more than 10 million, with another roughly 1 million electric vans, heavy trucks and buses. For the first time last year, Europe overtook China as the centre of the global electric car market. Electric car registrations in Europe more than doubled to 1.4 million, while in China they increased 9 percent to 1.2 million.

“While they can’t do the job alone, electric vehicles have an indispensable role to play in reaching net-zero emissions worldwide,” said Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA. “Current sales trends are very encouraging, but our shared climate and energy goals call for even faster market uptake. Governments should now be doing the essential groundwork to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles by using economic recovery packages to invest in battery manufacturing and the development of widespread and reliable charging infrastructure.”

Electric vehicles are set for significant growth over the coming decade, the new IEA report finds. Based on current trends and policies, it projects the number of electric cars, vans, heavy trucks and buses on the road worldwide to reach 145 million by 2030. But the global fleet could reach 230 million if governments accelerate efforts to reach international climate and energy goals, as outlined in the IEA’s Sustainable Development Scenario.

And if governments around the world pull together to pursue the even more ambitious goal of reaching net-zero emissions globally by 2050, the global electric vehicle fleet would grow even bigger. More details on the implications of this pathway for electric vehicles and the broader transport sector will appear in the IEA’s special report, Net Zero in 2050: A roadmap for the global energy system, which will be released on 18 May.

Consumer spending on electric cars increased another 50 percent last year to reach USD 120 billion. At the same time, government support measures stood at USD 14 billion, the fifth year in a row in which they have fallen as a share of total spending. Even if government subsidies remain important for spurring the uptake of electric vehicles, this suggests sales are increasingly being driven more by consumer choice.

Automakers offered 370 electric car models in 2020, a 40 percent year-on-year increase. Eighteen of the 20 largest automakers have announced intentions to further increase the number of available models and boost production of electric light-duty vehicles. These automakers account for 90 percent of all global auto sales.

The Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2021 notes that governments helped buffer electric cars from 2020’s downturn by extending existing policy and fiscal support, and augment them with stimulus measures in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Leading countries also promoted the competitive position of electric vehicles by strengthening fuel economy and emissions standards, and redoubled their support for developing battery technology and deploying charging station infrastructure.

The report emphasises that the shift of the road transport sector towards electric vehicles extends well beyond cars. The most electrified road transport mode today is two- and three-wheeled vehicles – such as motorcycles and mopeds – with more than 25 million units sold, the bulk of them in Asia. Urban buses have also electrified rapidly. And heavy trucks are a segment where electric models and sales have only recently begun to grow strongly, as battery performance have improved and driving ranges have lengthened.

Electric vehicles have a key role to play in tackling emissions. On a “well-to-wheel” basis, their net contribution to reducing emissions, already evident today, will grow in tandem with the pace at which electricity generation decarbonises. This highlights the need for policy makers to think about global clean energy transitions holistically across sectors to ensure that progress in one area is not being undermined by shortcomings in another.

Source: IEA

Winning Combination in Cyprus

04.05.2021

rock - stena - more - obala — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The sunniest country in this part of the world, with only a couple of dozen cloudy days throughout a year, is situated at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. Its beauty, rich history, charming beaches and number of resorts attract many tourists worldwide. If your guess was Cyprus, you got it right.

Still, this lovely island in the Mediterranean Sea has already been paying the price for its only until recently propitious geographical position. The citizens are facing severe effects of climate change, droughts and water shortages, and challenges in adopting the circular economy principles.

The ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Serbia Demetrios Theophylactou was talking to our journalist, revealing if their Government was succeeding in finding the right mix of solutions for climate change adaptation.

EP In 2020, the annual temperature reached 20.6°C compared to 17.2°C from 1960-1970. How is Cyprus handling the rising temperature and its effect?

Demetrios Theophylactou Immediate adaptation measures to reduce the vulnerability of natural and socio-economic systems in response to climate change are in order. Likewise, longer-term strategies are being calibrated despite the complex nature of the implementation. Numerous studies have demonstrated that immediate action is imperative, as the cost of climate change will be even higher if no action is taken. Cyprus is already witnessing severe adverse effects of climate change; therefore it has set in place a National Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. In this context, Cyprus is compelled to address climate change at the regional level. To this end, we have launched a specific initiative to pool together national action plans from Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East countries to strengthen regional coordination and cooperation. Indeed, a detailed work programme has been developed, consisting of two distinct components: a scientific and an intergovernmental component.

In focus:

EP The total of 340 days of sun a year in Cyprus certainly contributes to great tourism. However, the island is also drought-stricken, and water has always been a valuable commodity. How does your Government deals with water demands when there is huge pressure on water resources?

Demetrios Theophylactou Water scarcity has always been a major challenge for Cyprus, which is among the EU Member States with the least available water per capita. As an island with a semi-arid climate and limited water resources, which depend mainly on rainfall, Cyprus faces additional challenges compared to mainland countries and is more vulnerable to climate change. To address the problem and improve the reliability of water sources for domestic and irrigation uses, the optimum use of non-conventional water resources, such as desalination and water reuse are being promoted. Recycled water is a growing and stable resource. Effective water demand management is also one of Cyprus’ priorities as it is a fundamental condition for the exercise and application of a sustainable water policy. Various measures aimed at further improving the good practices for water consumption and reuse are being implemented. One of the measures applied is the water pricing policy. Incentive water pricing based on metering, volumetric pricing and rising block tariffs has been in place for many years.

EP Thanks to the discovery of Hydrocarbons in Cyprus’s waters and the massive discovery of the Zohr gas field in the Egyptian waters, which is very close to the Cypriot acreages, a lot of attention has been drawn internationally. The oil and gas sector continues to develop. Will that put at risk the climate agenda priorities?

Demetrios Theophylactou Indeed, the gas discoveries in the Eastern Mediterranean region in the last decade have attracted a lot of attention to the Eastern Mediterranean region and hydrocarbons exploration activities have intensified. Even though the pandemic had a negative impact on the oil and gas industry worldwide, these discoveries are expected to be developed sooner or later. At first glance, they appear not to be in line with the priorities of the climate agenda. That is not the full picture. The objectives of the climate agenda for Energy Transition cannot be achieved overnight. Besides, significant investments and new technologies are needed. In brief, a transition period is necessary whereby a “bridge-fuel” is necessary; everyone agrees that this is natural gas. We do know that natural gas is used in hydrogen production, which is expected to have a leading role in Energy Transition. In certain sectors, such as transport, the energy transition will be more difficult and slower. Natural gas can play a vital role, as it is undoubtedly the most environmentally friendly conventional fuel.

Interview by: Tamara Zjačić

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

When Mushrooms and Packaging Cross Paths

03.05.2021

To the discovery of this material that riveted attention, the team of the White Lemur company has taken the back road. Before plunging themselves into innovations, they had been designing solutions for promotional products and packaging.

They realized there was a need for green materials, especially for those that can replace plastic and polystyrene in its many variants. Independently, at the same time, they had started another project of mushroom production that has pharmaceutical effects. Among the team who was developing a new product made from mushroom, was Nikola Stanojević, already experienced young man in the world of start-ups who graduated from the Biological Faculty in Belgrade.

He says that in that process of the IMUMIN supplement production they came upon a certain form of “waste” which, having been treated under specific conditions and in a particular way, can have identical performances as expanded polystyrene, e.g. Styrofoam. That result was the beginning of the SOMA project, developed in the White Lemur company, and the aim was to create technology for the production of that material, to check if some other material has similar qualities, as well as to find and test all possible uses and set up products made of this material.

In focus:

While Nikola was attending the Academy for the circular economy at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, the instructor helped them analyze the matter stream and pollution source. Therefore, they realized that the use of Styrofoam, as a single-use packaging material, is one of the main sources of microplastics, due to the fact that Styrofoam is not degradable and recyclable.

It is either burnt that causes green gas emission or disposed at landfills, where it decays leaving plenty of microplastic. Putting this information into perspective along with the fact that agricultural waste is also burnt every year, which causes enormous pollution especially in the autumn, the team decided that their first goal would be to make an efficient, cheap and green replacement for single-use packaging made from Styrofoam. It seems like the support they got at the Academy for the circular economy was very important for their future growth.

They managed to give the form and purpose to their idea in terms of what exactly their products could be, where and how these products could have the biggest and most significant effect on environment, and how to fit them into complex industry and systems that are already in operation.

To sum up, they used the agricultural waste and biological organism to produce new biotic material, and, according to Nikola, to “grow” products which will be natural and won’t make waste or pollution.

“Biosporin is a fascinating and versatile material. Essentially, it is biotic material, namely material of biological origin, which makes it fall into the same category as wood, leather and rubber, and has an equally wide range of potential uses. It comprises of cellulose and lignin fibers from agricultural and industrial waste, and chitin fibers produced by mushrooms”, explains Nikola and adds that depending on the raw material (kinds of waste) that goes in, and conditions of growth or processing after production, Biosporin can have a broad range of properties such as softness-hardness, roughness-smoothness, shock absorption, visual quality, whereas the range of quality almost the same as in plastic materials can be attained by manipulating the density of chitin fiber.

Prepared by: Tamara Zjacic

This article was published in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SMART CITIES, december 2020 – february, 2021.

The Western Balkans on the Road to Clean Energy With the Strong Support Of the EBRD

02.05.2021

sheep_windpark_windtubines_vetrenjače_vetroelektrana_ovce — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The Platform to Support Energy Transition in the Coal Regions of the Western Balkans and Ukraine was launched by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank, the European College, the Energy Community Secretariat, the European Commission and the Polish government. At the first meeting of the Platform, it was agreed that they would join efforts to enable the transition from coal to a low-carbon and climate-resistant future in the Western Balkans and Ukraine.

The Platform initiative was launched in September 2019, after the Western Balkans’ countries committed to increasing the share of clean energy in the Joint Declaration from Podgorica adopted in February 2019. In November 2017, Ukraine expressed a similar wish through its Strategy for the Development of Low Emissions until 2050. The EBRD’s Green Economy Transition (GET) Strategy 2021-2025 aims to increase the Bank’s green funding to more than half of its annual business by 2020 while striving to help the countries in which it operates building low-carbon economies.

In line with the Paris Agreement and the GET approach, the EBRD’s Fair Transition Initiative, launched this year, with the idea of ensuring that the benefits of the transition to a green economy are available to all while protecting vulnerable countries, regions and people. It is based on the EBRD’s expertise on investing in a green economy focusing on economic inclusion.

In focus:

The reason for the conversation with Harry Boyd-Carpenter, Director and Head of Energy of the Sustainable Infrastructure Group (EMEA) at the EBRD was the abovementioned, the first meeting of the Platform where many questions were raised, but also many answers that give us hope major changes in the coming years in the Western Balkans.

EP How will the EBRD, the World Bank, the Secretariat of the European Community, and the European Commission support the Western Balkans and Ukraine’s energy transition?

Harry Boyd-Carpenter Together we have launched a Platform that should help develop strategies and projects to initiate a timely transition in regions currently heavily dependent on coal. Participants in this Platform will work together to provide knowledge on transition planning and preparation. The Platform will also make it easier to find financial funds for projects and help identify and implement pilot projects that support these regions’ decarbonization goals. The EBRD will coordinate funding, including securing its funding, as needed, for transition projects and programs. The initiative is based on the concepts of inclusion, stakeholder engagement and equitable transition. It seeks to encourage broad consultation and dialogue between groups from the state, regional and local authorities, the coal industry, civil society, trade unions and social partners, and academic institutions.

EP What does the transition process look like and which countries should we look up to?

Harry Boyd-Carpenter From our experience, we have identified several key lessons to support countries transitioning from coal to cleaner fuels. Activities that precede any shutdown of the coal industry must be strategically planned with all stakeholder’s engagement and dialogue. Local engagement in activities and projects should be promoted in cooperation with the state level of government and the private sector. Efficient public institutions with strong capacities are key to the successful implementation of the transition, then new economic opportunities and opportunities that are likely to come from the developing sector, including but not limited to those related to the green economy, and new jobs in tourism and agriculture. It is also necessary to implement programs for retraining workers and to strengthen new skills to be able to find new jobs, while taking care to ensure equal opportunities for all, including women and vulnerable groups. Finally, investments that contribute to building sustainable physical and digital infrastructure are important for fostering economic opportunities.

Interview by: Jovana Canic

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SMART CITIES, december 2020 – february 2021.

CEEFOR A Decade Of Successful Business

01.05.2021

A well-coordinated team of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development ( CEEFOR) with more than 20 experts with many years of work experience is ready to help each client to the maximum. Mechanical, electrical, civil engineering, technology, architecture, traffic and fire protection engineers, economic and financial experts, translators and philologists are at your disposal for all questions.

CEEFOR has extensive experience in sustainable development and energy efficiency and offers clients consulting and design services in renewable energy sources. The company’s main focus is to reduce energy consumption through the implementation of energy efficiency measures, which has the effect of reducing costs and the negative impact of harmful gases that cause the greenhouse effect.

CEEFOR provides well-tailored technical support to investors and banks and technical support for the establishment and placement of dedicated credit lines for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.

In focus:

CEEFOR OFFERS CLIENTS

–Conducting preliminary, short and detailed energy audits (energy audits),

–Preparation of feasibility studies related to energy technologies and technologies related to the field of energy efficiency improvement,

–Preparation of feasibility studies with conceptual solutions,

–Development of projects for obtaining permits and construction projects for the construction and use of renewable energy sources,

–Consulting and obtaining all conditions, consents and permits for RES as well as the preparation of all types of project documentation (preliminary, general, main design and project of the constructed facility),

–Consulting in the field of preparation and introduction of energy management systems in industrial companies and at the local level (municipalities and cities),

–Development of business plans, investment studies and/or financial and economic analyzes,

–Information technologies in the field of energy savings and implementation of technologies that have a positive effect on the environment.

Reliable experts of the company are there for all your questions and doubts, and they are always ready to work together to find the best solution tailored to your requirements and capabilities.

The list of CEEFOR clients is getting richer every day, maybe you are next on the list.

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SMART CITIES, december 2020 – february 2021.

The Newspaper Today, Pencil Tomorrow

30.04.2021

Irena Stevanović - NewPen — Foto: Irena Stevanović

One film encouraged a married couple from Smederevska Palanka to change their business. It gave them the idea to step out of the hospitality industry into production based on the principles of the circular economy, in the very branch of production where there is no competition at all. This is a story about the NewPen company, an unusual story about pens and crayons that, as things stand, will be in the hands of children around the world.

Dragan Marković is a co-owner of the NewPen company, which creates stationery from recycled materials and old newspapers. His business beginnings are not at all reminiscent of the direction in which his career is currently moving. After ten years of working in the hospitality industry, he and his wife decided to dedicate the future to production.

“We did not want to start one of the businesses that there are too many on the Serbian market. We were waiting for the right idea to implement. One night we watched the movie ‘The Strange Life of Timothy Green’, and that was it! In the film, one of the main characters works in a pencil factory that is slowly shutting down. However, he comes up with the fantastic idea of making pencils from leaves instead of wood. It soon dawned on me that no one in our country produces pens. There used to be a Pencil Factory Zagreb (TOZ), but no one has been interested in this type of production since then. The question just came up: why not give it a try? That’s how we created Newspaper Pencils or NewPen for short”, explains Dragan.

In focus:

The first step involved analysis. Dragan researched what kind of machines and accompanying equipment are needed to make classic wooden pencils. During that research, he came across a story about pens from old newspapers and recycled paper in China. That was a crucial moment.

“The very idea of producing something new on the European market, with the added convenience of meeting environmental standards, was enough to start the process of procuring the equipment and raw materials needed to start the business. It took us more than a year to find a good supplier of machinery and graphite. The first samples we received from China discouraged us a little because the pens were wrapped in cellophane, which would automatically mean that the product is not 100 per cent environmentally friendly. However, through daily conversations, we managed to reach a solution that would meet our criteria”, Dragan remembers the beginnings and adds that one company sent them quality testing of laboratory products and laboratory tests of their products together with the necessary certificates – such as EN71 (European standard for the safety of toys, because crayons belong to toys) and REACH (European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) which are required both in our country and the countries of the European Union for the safety of being an organic product.

When asked how their company differs from others in this branch, Dragan said they are the only ones who produce graphite pencils and crayons in Serbia. Everyone else imports them.

“When you see pens made of old newspapers and recycled paper, you know that they are our products because no company in Europe produces them. This way of producing pencils and crayons puts the protection of the environment in the forefront by preserving forests (no wood is used, no trees are cut down, which slows down the global warming process and no waste is created), recycling material (recycled material is used in the production process) and re-using recycled newsprint, which is now re-used in pencil”, Dragan introduces us to the applied principles of circular economy and points out that each pen is handmade.

Interview by: Jovana Canic

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine SMART CITIES, december 2020 – february 2021.

Time to Decarbonize Transport for a Green, Resilient and Inclusive Recovery

29.04.2021

highway_autoput_transport_saobraćaj — Photo-illutration: Pixabay

At a time when we face enormous challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is heartening to see the world mobilizing as never before to tackle the looming crisis of global warming. From renewable energy to carbon markets to sustainable agriculture, countries are taking steps to address emissions and enhance resilience. The international development community is also stepping up.

In 2020, the World Bank Group reached its highest ever level of climate financing, at 21,4 billion dollars, and we recently announced our plan to align all-new World Bank operations with the Paris Agreement by July 2023.

But despite all the positive momentum, there is one area in particular that requires urgent action: transport. Without decarbonizing transport, no scenario for achieving the 1,5-degree climate goal is feasible, and there we are currently heading in the wrong direction. The global transport sector emits around 24 percent of the world’s total energy-related carbon emissions, and this is expected to grow by 60 percent by 2050.

There are various aspects of transport that pose challenges for a low carbon transition. It is highly decentralized, spanning rail, road, air, and maritime. Human behavior plays a large role in travel demand patterns and is difficult to manage. Most importantly, many countries, especially in the developing world, lack policy instruments and investments to address the climate impact of the transport sector.

The pressing need to address transport’s many challenges brought some of the most important partners to the World Bank Group Spring Meetings last week. Transport is one key area where transformational action is needed under the Bank Group’s green, resilient, and inclusive development (GRID) approach , which framed discussions at the Meetings.

One central obstacle is that transport lacks global instruments to create, test, nurture, coordinate, and scale-up solutions. To develop solutions at scale, the World Bank, other multilateral development banks, bilateral development agencies, and the private sector will need to come together and leverage their resources.

This is why we have launched the Global Facility to Decarbonize Transport (GFDT), a major multi-donor trust fund that is wholly focused on solving the transport decarbonization issue, and tackle related challenges from access to safety. It aims to make transport decarbonization the catalyzer that will help improve lives, create opportunities—especially for the poor, women, and girls—and boost country competitiveness. This can be accomplished by expanding the horizon for cooperation and coordination, as well as leveraging resources and influencing investments at a global level.

The synergies are strong: Bus Rapid Transit systems take cars off the roads, increase access to mobility, and are an important part of many country national climate targets or NDCs; safe transport and lower speeds allow cities to open spaces for walking and biking; better regulation of used car exports to developing countries—which in some cases represent over 90 percent of national fleets—can significantly reduce emissions, pollution and save lives with safer cars; and investing in e-mobility and other emerging technologies can help increase the competitiveness of cities and countries.

Author: Mari Elka Pangestu

Source: World Bank

Collaborative Partnership on Forests Calls for Halt to Deforestation

29.04.2021

posečena-šuma — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

A group of 15 international organizations working on forestry today issued a joint statement highlighting the need to halt the destruction of the world’s forests.

The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) comprises UN agencies including the UN Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Development Programme, the World Bank Group, and the four Rio Conventions.

In the joint statement released on the sidelines of the 16th Session of the UN Forum on Forests at UN Headquarters, the CPF outlined the impacts of deforestation as well as the opportunities and actions required to reverse it.

“Forests are a source of sustainable livelihoods, prosperity, and resilience, and it is incumbent upon all of us in the forest sector to work together to halt deforestation and increase the world’s forest area,” said Mette Løyche Wilkie, Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and Director, Forestry Division, FAO. “Today we affirm our collective commitment to support the call of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to turn the tide on deforestation.”

Deforestation and forest degradation continue at alarming rates, and are increasing in Africa. Since 1990, an estimated 420 million hectares of forest has been lost through deforestation globally, and 10 million hectares continues to be lost each year.

Deforestation and other land-use activities meanwhile account for 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“To deliver on the Paris Agreement we must utilize the full potential of forests,” said Susan Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division at UN Environment Programme..

The CPF statement outlines how the COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional pressure on forest resources and may result in a significant increase in deforestation. Healthy forests are essential to building back better and are also key in decreasing the risk of future zoonotic diseases, according to the statement.

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Jamie Morris)

The CPF sets out the challenges and the opportunities involved in halting deforestation, noting that it needs action beyond the forest sector – including by transforming agriculture and food systems to address the main driver of deforestation: the conversion of forests to agricultural land.

“2021 can be the year to make peace with nature if we increase ambition and identify opportunities for quantum shifts in scale of funding and result,” said Gardner.

“Feeding a growing world population and halting or even reversing deforestation are not mutually exclusive,” said Wilkie. “We can achieve both through a range of actions, including more balanced land-use planning, restoring the productivity of degraded agricultural lands, stepping up public and private sector commitments to zero deforestation, and reducing food loss and waste.”

While important public and private commitments to deforestation have been made, the CPF explains that implementation is lagging and needs to be accelerated if the goals are to be met. Progress on legal timber production and trade and strong forest governance are equally critical.

Ending deforestation is essential to confront the “quadruple planetary emergency”, of a climate crisis, a nature crisis, an inequality crisis and a global health crisis, according to the CPF statement.

The statement aims to build momentum for forests ahead of the upcoming launch of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration on World Environment Day (5 June) and the UN Climate Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow later this year.

The CPF’s mission is to promote sustainable management of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end. The Partnership is the driving force for the international forest agenda, providing technical and policy guidance and driving a coherent effort to meet global forest goals.

Source: UNEP

1...122123124...408 Page 123 of 408

More:

More:

More:

More:

More:

Source: IEA

More:

More:

More:

More:

In focus:

In focus:

In focus:

In focus:

In focus:

More:

More:

Newsletter

Calendar of events

2025 June

Events for 30 June

Events for 1 July

Events for 2 July

Events for 3 July

Events for 4 July

Events for 5 July

Events for 6 July

Events for 7 July

Events for 8 July

Events for 9 July

Events for 10 July

Events for 11 July

Events for 12 July

Events for 13 July

Events for 14 July

Events for 15 July

Events for 16 July

Events for 17 July

Events for 18 July

Events for 19 July

Events for 20 July

Events for 21 July

Events for 22 July

Events for 23 July

Events for 24 July

Events for 25 July

Events for 26 July

Events for 27 July

Events for 28 July

Events for 29 July

Events for 30 July

WRITE US