Home Blog Page 134

New Record for Antarctic Continent Reported

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Bryan Goff)

The Argentine research base, Esperanza, on the northern tip of the Antarctic peninsula, set a new record temperature of 18.3°C on 6 February, beating the former record of 17.5°C on 24 March 2015, according to Argentina’s national meteorological service (SMN).

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (James Eades)

A committee for WMO’s Weather and Climate Extremes Archive will now verify whether  this indeed is a new record for the Antarctic continent, which is defined as the main continental landmass.

“Everything we have seen thus far indicates a likely legitimate record but we will of course begin a formal evaluation of the record once we have full data from SMN and on the meteorological conditions surrounding the event. The record appears to be likely associated (in the short term) with what we call a regional “foehn” event over the area:  a rapid warming of air coming down a slope/mountain,” according to WMO’s Weather and Climate Extremes rapporteur, Randall Cerveny.

Verification of this maximum temperature record is important because it helps us to build up a picture of the weather and climate in one of Earth’s final frontiers.” The Antarctic, like the Arctic, is poorly covered in terms of weather observations and forecasts, even though both play an important role in driving climate and ocean patterns and in sea level rise.

The record for the Antarctic region – that is, everywhere south of 60 degrees latitude – is 19.8C, taken on Signy Island in January 1982.

The Antarctic Peninsula (the northwest tip near to South America) is among the fastest warming regions of the planet, almost 3°C over the last 50 years.  The amount of ice lost annually from the Antarctic ice sheet increased at least six-fold between 1979 and 2017. Most of the ice loss takes place by melting of the ice shelves from below, due to incursions of relatively warm ocean water, especially in west Antarctica and to a lesser extent along the peninsula and in east Antarctica.

Spanning 14 million km2 (roughly twice the size of Australia), the Antarctic is cold, windy and dry. The average annual temperature ranges from about −10°C on the Antarctic coast to −60°C at the highest parts of the interior. Its immense ice sheet is up to 4.8km thick and contains 90% of the world’s fresh water, enough to raise sea level by around 60 metres were it all to melt.

Source: WHO

EU Launches New Forest Information System to Improve Knowledge on Forests and Woodlands

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Amid a need for more accurate, up-to-date and harmonised data and monitoring on Europe’s valuable woodlands, the European Environment Agency and the European Commission launched a new Forest Information System for Europe (FISE) which aims to become Europe’s knowledge hub to monitor the state, health and sustainability of Europe’s many forests.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The FISE web portal will provide tailor-made information products to key users including national, EU and international policymakers, experts working in the forest industry, forest owners and conservationists, as well as scientists and researchers. Data will be collected, analysed and made available from across Europe, including EEA Member States, plus the six cooperating countries from the West Balkan region. It is the first common database on forest information in Europe. The aim is to facilitate expert knowledge sharing, research and innovation through the FISE platform, helping users better understand the complex changes and challenges facing forest ecosystems and their management. The platform will underpin the European Green Deal and the development of the expected new EU forest and biodiversity strategies. The portal was launched at the International Conference on forests for biodiversity and climate (4-5 February 2020) in Brussels, Belgium.

“The European Environment Agency is pleased to play its part in the creation of this important new knowledge tool. FISE will help us to improve the health and resilience of our forests, which play a vital role in protecting our biodiversity and in mitigating climate change,” said Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director.

Forests face increased pressures

Forests and other wooded land cover more than 40 % of Europe, making it one of the most forest-rich regions in the world. In addition to providing lumber and wood products, our forests are home to many ecosystems, which have multiple functions and are home to a major part of Europe’s biodiversity. Their ecosystem services contribute to our health and well-being.

Forests also act as an important stopgap to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Although forests are increasingly seen as a major carbon sink, current management practices to increase this function are not always in line with the needs to ensure high biodiversity in woodland ecosystems. In addition to an increased demand for forest-based products like timber, forests and their ecosystems continue to face air and water pollution, urban sprawl, landscape fragmentation, habitat and biodiversity loss. Moreover, the impacts of climate change, which has led to more fires, pests and extreme weather, including droughts and storms, are putting forests under increased pressure.

A growing number of EU and national policies draw on, or affect directly and indirectly, Europe’s forests, including their ecosystems. Forests are addressed across a range of environment, climate and sectoral policies in the EU and also features in the European Green Deal. Forestsalso impact many policy areas meant to use forest resources sustainably and protect biodiversity, ecosystems, species and habitats.

Work on FISE will be phased up over the coming years and will cover five priority themes for forest information on forest basic data (cover and types, species), bioeconomy, nature and biodiversity, climate change mitigation and forest health and resilience.

FISE partnership

The Forest Information System for Europe is a partnership between the European Commission services and the EEA, drawing on the preparatory work already done by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). The EEA will manage the FISE web portal and will collect and analyse the data coming from national data centres via the European Environment Information and Observation Network, in collaboration with the JRC. FISE will also draw data and information from the EU’s Earth observation and monitoring programme Copernicus.

Source: EEA

This Is What We Can Really Do About Climate Change, Says New Report

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Patrick Hendry)

It’s not too late to stop climate change. According to new research, decarbonizing fast enough to stabilize the climate and fast-track the planet to net-zero rests on all of us changing how we think and act – and doing it fast.

The report, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States (PNAS), identifies six “tipping dynamics”, or interventions, that could act as catalysts to bring about rapid societal and technological change towards a sustainable future.

The study highlights the importance of intervening to make fossil fuels less economically – and morally – attractive. A step-change of this kind could bring about tipping points that divert investment and consumer demand away from fossil fuels towards more sustainable energy sources. It says this can be done by:

  • Removing fossil-fuel subsidies and boosting incentives to move to decentralized energy systems and make clean energy production and storage systems more economically competitive;
  • Encouraging financial markets to divest of assets linked to fossil fuels, to divert investment towards less-polluting technologies, leaving investors keen to avoid the prospect of holding ‘stranded assets’ tied to fossil fuels;
  • Building sustainable cities powered by renewable energy;
  • Revealing the “moral implications” of fossil fuels;
  • Disclosing greenhouse gas emissions information;
  • Strengthening climate education and engagement.
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Patrick Hendry)

While awareness of the climate emergency is growing, global efforts to reduce carbon emissions are not moving fast enough to avoid irreversible damage to the planet.

Moving from the fossil fuels that drive global warming to cleaner energy sources, such as wind or solar power, is at the heart of global efforts to decarbonize. Yet emissions from power generation continue to increase.

Carbon dioxide emissions from the energy sector have more than doubled since the 1970s and remain on an upward trajectory.

Once we reach a point where sustainable energy generates higher financial returns than coal and oil, the world should reach the critical mass needed to halt increasing CO2 emissions levels, and begin to reverse the trend.

Think again

But building a business case for clean energy is only one part of the challenge. The study also identifies the importance of changing social values and behaviour.

Progress in combating climate change rests on converting awareness of the problem into action, so the transition to a carbon-free lifestyle is made easy for the global population to achieve.

For this to happen, a new world view is needed that embraces a climate-friendly and sustainable stance, which demands a fundamental overhaul of existing social, political and economic norms. And this new perception needs to be contagious so it is adopted globally.

The paper’s authors suggest greater transparency could produce tipping points that change what’s considered normal or acceptable, by revealing the moral implications of fossil fuels and disclosing greenhouse gas emissions information. At the same time strengthening climate education and engagement among the global population.

Climate action was a key theme at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020 in Davos. Klaus Schwab, the Forum’s Founder and Executive Chairman, and the heads of Bank of America and Royal DSM, sent a letter to all summit participants asking companies and investors to make a commitment to act on climate change, which is more urgently needed than ever before. The Forum’s ongoing work on climate change includes Mission Possible, a platform to help industries make the transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The climate challenges facing the planet transcend national boundaries, requiring urgent action from policy-makers, businesses, organizations and communities to speed up the transition to a net-zero future.

Source: WEF

Trees in the City – Plaudits for Sustainable Urban Forestry Trailblazers

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Juan Davila)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation announced the first cities to be recognized under the Tree Cities of the World programme, designed to help create more resilient and sustainable cities.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Juan Davila)

Among the first-movers were capital cities such as Ljubljana, Quito, Paris, Yerevan, major metropolitan areas including New York, San Francisco and Toronto, and a host of smaller centers such as Bradford in the United Kingdom, Thunder Bay in Canada, Tempe, Arizona and Mantova, Italy, where the worldwide initiative was launched in 2018.

“We congratulate the first cities to be recognized,” said  Hiroto Mitsugi, Assistant Director-General, FAO Forestry Department. “Together, the mayors of these Tree Cities form a new global network of urban forestry leaders that share the same values for city trees and forests. We are proud to recognize these cities for their actions toward healthier, greener places to live.”

“We applaud all of the cities that have earned Tree City designation,” said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day Foundation. “They are leaders when it comes to planning and managing their urban forests. Many of the cities being recognized have gone above and beyond to use trees as part of their green infrastructure. This distinction is a celebration of their creativity and sustainability in creating healthier communities.”

A total of 59 cities have earned the international designation. The complete list of recognized communities is available here.

More than 100 other cities have pledged to participate – and to meet the five core standards – and are expected to qualify in the future.

In addition to promoting the efficient management of urban tree resources, the Tree Cities of the World programme also aims to create an international network of cities, facilitating the sharing of knowledge and good practices towards the sustainable management of urban forests and green spaces.

Sustainable Development Goal 11 calls for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and more sustainable.

Cities occupy just three percent of the planet’s surface, but they are home to nearly 60 percent of the world’s population who consume 75 percent of natural resources. Anticipated urbanization trends make sustainable land-use planning even more important. Trees, for example, can reduce noise, protect water sources, prevent soil erosion and reduce energy costs for air conditioning and heating. They can enhance people’s health and well-being, as well as offering aesthetic pleasure and a physical marker of seasonality.

Source: FAO

Aiming for Healthier and Greener Belgrade

Photo: Grad Beograd
Photo: Private archive of Zoran Radojicic

If all the citizens of Belgrade, as their Mayor, walked every day, used public transport more, and planted some trees when the opportunity arises, perhaps our capital would already be a bit cleaner and the air healthier. Of course, to give up the comfort of private cars, it is necessary to have more buses on the streets, to have the subway built as soon as possible and to have such traffic infrastructure that we can safely and massively use bicycles as a means of transport. Naturally, we do not want to be worried about how polluted the air we breathe during the heating season is, that we want to drink quality water always, have our rivers clean and our city packed with parks and greenery. We spoke to the Mayor, Prof Zoran Radojicic PhD, about how far we are from such an image of Belgrade and what the City does to become a green capital. The Mayor has recently launched the challenge Tree for Belgrade with the idea of planting as many trees as possible in the capital so that by 2025 we can meet the goal of having 25 per cent of the urban part of the capital green.

EP: Belgrade has recently ranked as one of the cities with the most polluted air in the world, and an increase in concentration of toxic particles is yet expected in the heating season. There is an application on the City’s website where Belgrade citizens can monitor the air quality and receive recommendations in the event of pollution, but what has the City done so far regarding short-term and long-term measures to fundamentally tackle this problem?

Zoran Radojicic: The City of Belgrade has been implementing an Air Quality Plan that includes measures and actions to reduce the largest sources of pollution. Since 2016, when this Plan came into force, the City has invested more than 300 million dinars, and within this plan, the most significant measures taken were the reduction of the number of individual combustion chambers, the improvement of the performance in thermal power plants and the expansion of the district heating network. We are implementing a program for shutting down boiler rooms in public buildings by connecting them to the district heating system and the natural gas distribution system. The district heating system in Belgrade includes 65 per cent of primary and almost 85 per cent of secondary schools, as well as about 75 per cent of kindergartens. Since 2012, 17 boiler rooms have been shut down in primary and pre-school institutions, and those facilities have been connected to the district heating system. The plan is to continue shutting down boiler rooms in public buildings. For the time being, our priorities are schools, and later health care institutions and other public facilities. As a part of this Plan, to improve air quality, we have expanded pedestrian zones and raised public awareness of the importance of being informed about air quality through the application you mentioned – BEOEKO.

By purchasing 244 new buses by the end of the year, GSP will have 85 per cent of the fleet with Euro 5 and Euro 6 standard engines. Likewise, in the next year, funds are allocated for the purchase of another 100 articulated buses, 40 trolleybuses and 10 electric buses. With these moves, the structure of the bus subsystem will be significantly improved in terms of the exhaust emission itself, which will have a positive effect on air quality. The Forestry Strategy of the City of Belgrade should not be forgotten either, which is a direct implementation of measures aimed at reducing air pollution, but also adapting to climate change and protecting soil from erosion. All of these measures will improve air quality in Belgrade, but we all know that this is a key project to tackle the issue of exhaust emissions originating from traffic and traffic jams.

In focus:

EP: What measures can be taken to reduce the number of private vehicles in the wider center and to enable Belgrade citizens to use public transport more?

Zoran Radojicic: Next year we will start building the metro, which will be a revolutionary change in the way urban transport operates. According to our estimates, more people, between 25 and 30 per cent, will replace cars with the subway, which will reduce the number of cars downtown and allow people to travel more efficiently. I believe that by
modernizing the fleet, which I mentioned, we will be able to get citizens to use as much urban transport as possible, especially for shorter distances. Changes towards a greener capital cannot happen overnight, and the city’s urban plans and strategies have defined more walking and cycle paths in recent years, especially in the city center area, which you can see when walking downtown.

Photo: Jelena Kostic

EP: How to motivate the citizens of Belgrade to use a bike as a means of transport more? Bicycle tracks whose number in the city has increased are not stimulating enough.

Zoran Radojicic: As of February 2020, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan enters into force, and such a plan boasts all modern metropolises. The idea is that every road has a bike lane to create a real network. It is necessary for cyclists to be safe on the streets, and to make this possible, it is necessary to develop a functional cycle network. From 2017 to 2019, another 35 km of cycle paths were completed, which means that there are currently 100 km of paths in Belgrade. However, these tracks are mostly along rivers and are used for recreational purposes, which is highly complementary, but the culture of using a bicycle as a means of transport has not yet taken root. It is with the new Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan that we want to change that, and I am sure that the citizens of Belgrade will follow our idea and goal. Over the next four years, another 120 km of cycle tracks are planned, and the public bicycle system will encourage us to think more about the bike as a means of transportation.

EP: On the streets of Belgrade, there is an increasing number of electric scooters, which are banned in some metropolitan areas because they are too risky for safety, although they are a convenient environmental mode of transport. How does the City of Belgrade intend to regulate this type of transportation?

Zoran Radojicic: Electric scooters could be a part of the solution to the traffic problem in Belgrade, but only after the change in existing traffic regulations. Due to their enormous popularity, they are changing the traffic image of major European cities, including Belgrade. It is for this reason that there is a need to regulate them, especially in the field of security. It applies equally to pedestrians as well as to the users of electric scooters. I would point out that this is an ecological mode of transport, in line with our commitment to turning to the green hierarchy of transport which gives priority to pedestrians, cyclists and urban public transport, so that cars are used less.

EP: Many experts point out that a serious unifying strategy is required to implement adequate environmental measures and solutions in the capital earnestly. You stated last year that the City of Belgrade is working on developing a strategic plan that will deal with climate, energy and Belgrade as a green city. How far has this strategy gone?

Zoran Radojicic: I signed an agreement to join the Covenant of Mayors for climate and energy in 2018 and pledged to reduce the CO2 emissions by up to 40 per cent by 2030. Consequently, the City of Belgrade committed to developing the Green City Action Plan (GCAP) and the Sustainable Energy Development and Climate Change Action Plan (SECAP) within the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s Green City program. We are currently in the process of drafting these documents, we have put together a working group that together with eminent consultants in this area work on the development of an action plan, so I expect that by the end of 2020 we will adopt such a document. It will also focus on ways, concrete measures and solutions on how to adapt to climate change through reducing carbon dioxide emissions, increasing energy efficiency, using renewable energy sources and creating sustainable mobility in the city.

EP: How green is Belgrade now? Will we, by 2025, fulfill the plan, which the City has committed to, to have 25 per cent of green space in the urban part of the capital? As the Mayor, recently you launched the challenge Tree for Belgrade and invited organizations and companies to join it.

Photo: Grad Beograd

Zoran Radojicic: Currently 15 per cent of the territory of the City of Belgrade is covered with green space. For this ambitious but achievable goal, we need another 2.5 million seedlings by 2025. As a Mayor, since the beginning of my term, I have been in favour of a healthier and greener Belgrade. I started the challenge called Tree for Belgrade to join as many international organisations as possible, as well as socially responsible companies, in the fight for a healthier and greener Belgrade and planting as many trees as possible in our capital. Will and readiness to participate in this challenge were first shown by the German international organisation GIZ, planting 163 trees in Usce Park. I want to thank GIZ and Director Gerhard Zipel for supporting us to begin the Tree for Belgrade challenge, as well as for making it possible to achieve other sustainable development goals as soon as possible for the benefit of all our fellow citizens.

I also invite other international organisations, socially responsible companies to join this challenge and to plant as many trees as possible in Belgrade. The contact email is drvozabeograd@beograd.gov.rs. By planting in Belgrade, we have a positive effect on air quality, climate change, we lower temperatures during the summer, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the risk of flooding and landslides, noise levels and the effects of global warming. Trees and nature represent the green infrastructure of every city, which is why it is essential to preserve and restore it. PUC “Zelenilo Beograd” plants around 4,000 trees a year and 70,000 tree seedlings regularly. Planting is an integral part of the renovation and reconstruction of every park in Belgrade. We also maintain and restore natural resources such as Kosmaj, Avala, War Island and others. Belgrade is also launching the Generation Tree campaign – in 197 elementary schools, and each first grader will plant one tree in their schoolyard.

Interview by: Gordana Knezevic

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine  GRINNOVATIONS, December 2019 – February 2020.

European Union Continues to Phase-Down Its Use of Climate-Warming Fluorinated Gases

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The EEA report ‘Fluorinated greenhouse gases 2019’ assesses the data reported in 2019 by European companies on the production, import, export, destruction and feedstock use of F-gases until 2018. It looks at the progress made under both the ongoing EU-wide phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and the global HFC phase-down, which began in 2019 under the so-called Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

F-gases are synthetic chemicals used in everything from refrigerators, heat pumps to air conditioners. The EEA report also details the different amounts of F-gases supplied for various industrial applications. These are expressed both in physical amounts (in tonnes) and in ‘global warming amounts’, i.e. physical amounts weighted by the global warming potential of hydrofluorocarbon gases and measured in CO2-equivalent tonnes (CO2e).

Phase-down under the EU F-Gas Regulation

As F-gases contribute to climate change, phasing-down their use has become an important part of the EU’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become climate neutral. The F-gas Regulation aims at cutting the EU’s F-gas emissions by two-thirds by 2030 compared with 2014 levels.

The phase-down in the EU is being done through a system of annual quotas allocated to producers and importers. In 2018, the EU-wide quantity of HFCs placed on the market stayed below the overall market limit for the third year in a row, by 1%.

EU contribution to global phase-down

The EU’s HFC ‘consumption’ in 2018, as defined under the Montreal Protocol, was 46 % below the first limit set for the EU for 2019 under the Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment.

Other key findings:

In addition to reduced use and imports, a substitution is taking place in favour of less climate-harming F-gases:

  • The volume of total supply of F-gases in the EU was 14 % lower in 2018 than in 2017, and the overall warming effect decreased by 30 % (CO2e). Refrigeration and air conditioning continue to be key applications.
  • Total imports of F-gases to the EU in 2018 decreased by 7 % compared with 2017 (25 % if measured in CO2e). Most of this decrease is due to lower HFC imports, and the remainder is caused by decreases in imports of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs).
  • Fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions have been decreasing in the EU since 2015, after 15 years of uninterrupted annual increases. In 2017, total fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 2 %.

Source: EEA

Creating Energy and Fighting Waste in Yemen

Photo: UNEP

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is considered to be among the worst in the world. In 2019, 80 per cent of Yemen’s people were in need—an estimated 24 million people. The 2019 Humanitarian Needs Overview for Yemen report shows that 14.3 million people are classified as being in need, with around 3.2 million requiring treatment for acute malnutrition. That includes 2 million children under-five, and more than 1 million pregnant and lactating women.

Photo: UNEP

Basic services and the institutions that provide them are collapsing, making access to essential services very challenging.

Energy access is limited and expensive. Most people cook on wooden stoves and face indoor air pollution. With almost no organic waste treatment, unprecedented outbreaks of cholera have been triggered.

The country’s complex and tragic political military crisis have severe implications for its future, as well as that of the whole region. Yet despite the hardships, Omer Badokhon from Yemen set out to contribute to the livelihoods of his community. When he won the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Young Champion award in 2017, his idea was to design small-scale biogas plants that run on household waste to provide fuel.

This idea was to tackle the lack of waste treatment while providing a clean cooking fuel option for families in need. Despite enormous challenges, he has now created three biogas prototypes systems. These will be given to farmers to test and share their experiences. Next year, between five and ten systems will be distributed and shared in rural areas to receive even more feedback.

“Armed conflict significantly harms the environment and the communities that depend on natural resources,” said Muralee Thummarukudy, Operations Manager at UNEP’s Crisis Management Branch, reflecting on the achievements made by Badokhon despite the crisis.

“We must afford the environment the same level of protection as human rights. UNEP hopes to develop an environmental stress index to support integrated risk assessments and conflict early warnings. Building a digital ecosystem for the planet to map, monitor and mitigate environment, peace and security risks is one of the next priority investments and it will help improve the protection of human health, livelihoods and security,” he added.

Badokhon’s situation reflects the extreme difficulties of living in Yemen. “The situation in Yemen affects every aspect of my life and business. Internet is extremely slow, and logistics and travelling are very hard. Getting in and out of the country is complicated. On top of that, Yemeni banks are blocked, which makes money transfers very hard,” he said.

Badokhon has since established a non-governmental organization to help ease some of the challenges and receive support from local government, ministries and foreign partners. It also has enabled him to further network and work alongside other large organizations.

Now, he is part of a team conducting an assessment to gauge how many people are in need of energy and can benefit most from his biogas system. After the testing phase, more funds can be raised to increase scale and reach more people.

“We want to meet the needs of people while also taking care of our planet, but first we need to know how we can best do that. That’s why 2020 is the user feedback year,” said Badokhon.

Since winning the Young Champions of the Earth prize, Badokhon feels he had the chance to highlight the situation in his region, especially the daily challenges he continues to face. At the same time, he has had an opportunity to connect with influential decision makers in his country and region.

Today, Badokhon is one of the few well-known environmentalists in Yemen. He has met with influential leaders to advocate for environmental inclusion in their practices and policies.

He has actively participated in the World Entrepreneurs Forum in Bahrain, where he represented Yemen. He was also engaged in the Arab Entrepreneurship Rally, being one of the 21 promising start-ups in the Arab region and won US$50,000 in funding.

“Winning the Young Champions award has helped me build a strong network with the real decision makers in my country and region. One of the most important things that I got from this award is that it helped me increase my credibility, enabling me to communicate with high-level government officials.”

Badokhon would recommend everyone to apply for the Young Champions prize: “This planet, our planet, is dependent on young people who decide on the future. We must care about the challenges and environment damage. Applying for this award makes you, as youth, powerful. Your voice will be heard.”

Source: UNEP

GEF-FAO Fishery Project Makes Remarkable Progress in Protecting International Waters’ Biodiversity

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A five-year, $50-million Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded program rolled out by FAO and partners has made remarkable progress in protecting international waters’ biodiversity by rendering fishing in these waters less harmful to several marine species, including sea turtles and tuna.

The Common Oceans ABNJ Program focused on areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) – also called international waters – that cover 40 percent of the earth and comprise nearly 95 percent of the oceans’ volume.

“Keeping international waters healthy and preserving their rich biodiversity have long been a challenge for these marine areas that do not fall under the responsibility of any one country,” said Maria Helena Semedo, FAO’s Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources.

“The Program has brought together a broad and unique partnership to tackle this challenge by promoting the sustainable management of fishery resources and ecosystem-based practices, with some outstanding results. We hope to expand this initiative to continue safeguarding our marine biodiversity and contributing to the global goals and aspirations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework,” added Semedo.

The GEF-FAO Program’s achievements at a glance:

Eight out of 13 major commercial tuna stocks no longer experience overfishing

Between 2014 to 2019, the number of major tuna stocks experiencing overfishing went down from 13 to five. This means eight fish stocks are now being rebuilt to reach a healthy level.

To make this happen, the Common Oceans ABNJ Program brought together scientists and fishery managers to develop sustainable and transparent tuna harvest strategies and processes based on computer simulation exercises. This then helped them set and apply more sustainable tuna catch limits.

Every year, nearly 6 million tonnes of tuna species are fished worldwide. The annual value of the business is almost $12 billion. The strong demand, combined with the excessive number of fishing vessels, meant that tuna stocks were under immense pressure.

Bycatch and marine pollution reduced

Adjustments to fishing gear – such as placing the gillnets two metres deeper – as well as training in how to protect threatened species have helped save marine mammals, mainly dolphins and sea turtles.

For example, between 2013 to 2018, the mortality rate of marine mammals caught by Pakistani gillnet fisheries in the northern Arabian sea was reduced by 98 percent – from 12,000 in 2013 to less than 200 in 2018.

Bycatch reduction was also made possible thanks to an uptake in non-entangling and ocean-friendly fish aggregating devices – so-called FADs – that are used to attract fish.

Prior to the Program, there were no FAD-guidelines in place for the Atlantic, Indian, Eastern and Pacific or Western & Central Pacific Oceans. In 2019, all of them had FAD-guidelines.

The Program developed and tested non-entangling and ocean-friendly FAD-designs, and carried out workshops with over 2,500 fishers from 22 countries about bycatch mitigation techniques.

To bring down further plastic pollution at sea, studies are ongoing on the use of biodegradable materials for FADs.

Eighteen new vulnerable marine ecosystems established

Between 2014 and 2019, the Program helped to establish and protect vulnerable marine ecosystems in 18 new areas – home to deep-sea species such as corals and sponges. This means these areas have been closed to fishing.

Two of the sites are in the Pacific Ocean, five in the southern Indian Ocean, one in the Southern Pacific Ocean, seven in the international waters around Antarctica and three in the Mediterranean.

Raising awareness on ocean issues to strengthen decision-making

Sharing experiences, showcasing innovative solutions and gaining a deeper understanding of the complex issues at stake in international waters, the Program also established a group of ABNJ Regional Leaders.

Connecting representatives and decision-makers from 34 countries and across various sectors strengthened their ability to participate in the ongoing negotiations for a new international legally-binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).

The partnership behind the Program

FAO worked with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Bank, World Wide Fund (WWF), tuna and deep-sea Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, civil society, national governments, the private sector and non-governmental organizations – all in all over 60 partners – to roll out the GEF-funded Program.

To address the critical nexus between environment and sustainable food systems, GEF is an increasingly important partner for FAO with an emphasis on innovation, private sector and integrated systems-based solutions. Today, FAO manages a GEF portfolio worth nearly $900 million and representing over 190 projects in more than 130 countries.

Discussions are underway at the ABNJ Global Steering Committee Meeting (29-30 January) in Rome to extend the Program – all with the aim of continuing to strengthen governance in international waters and reinforce measures to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUU), and improve coordination amongst all those who have an interest in the sustainable use of the international waters.

Source: FAO

See the Sun’s Surface Move in ‘Unprecedented’ Detail

Photo: NSO/AURA/NSF

From our vantage point on Earth, the sun is often a miraculous sight, shining brightly on clear days and bathing the sky in vivid color as it rises and sets. This week, astronomers released stunningly detailed images of the sun’s surface—revealing that up close, the star is pretty spectacular, too.

Photo: NSO/AURA/NSF

As Alexandra Witze reports for Nature, these are the first images taken with the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, which sits atop Haleakala, a dormant volcano in Hawai‘i. The Inouye Solar Telescope is the most powerful solar telescope in the world, and according to the National Science Foundation (NSF), its images show the sun in “unprecedented” detail.

The celestial body looks like a bubbling expanse of golden kernels, which in fact represent plasma that covers the sun. The kernels—or “cell-like structures,” as the NSF puts it—are each about the size of Texas. Hot solar plasma rises up in the center of the cells and then cools, sinking down from the surface—“a process known as convection,” the NSF notes.

The sun is a constant swirl of violent activity, burning around 5 million tons of hydrogen fuel every second. That energy radiates into space, and the movement of the sun’s plasma “twists and tangles” solar magnetic fields, according to the NSF.

From 93 million miles away, we can’t see all this motion, but we sometimes feel its effects. For instance, coronal mass ejections from the sun shoot charged particles into space that can collide with the Earth’s atmosphere and disrupt satellites, telecommunications and navigation systems, and power grids. In 2017, a solar flare caused blackouts across a wide geographic area, including the Caribbean—where, in an unfortunate coincidence, Hurricane Irma was raging and emergency radio communications were knocked out.

Scientists hope that the Inouye Solar Telescope will help them gain a better understanding of “space weather,” a general term that refers to conditions on the sun, in the solar wind, and within Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere, according to NASA. The standard notification time for space weather is currently 48 minutes; experts want to extend that period to 48 hours, allowing for more time to secure infrastructure and satellites.

“On Earth, we can predict if it is going to rain pretty much anywhere in the world very accurately, and space weather just isn’t there yet,” says Matt Mountain, president of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, which manages the Inouye Solar Telescope. “Our predictions lag behind terrestrial weather by 50 years, if not more.”

The new telescope features a 13-foot mirror. More than seven miles of underground piping are required to cool the instrument as it collects solar heat. “The greater size of the mirror, abetted by adaptive optics that reduce atmospheric blurring, offers higher resolution,” explains Dennis Overbye of the New York Times. Engineers are still working to finish the telescope’s dome, according to Nature, and studies will begin “in earnest” this summer. With this powerful technology at their fingertips, scientists may be able to shed light on some of the sun’s more confounding secrets—like why the corona, or outer atmosphere of the sun, is millions of degrees hotter than its surface.

So while the new close-ups of the sun are fascinating, experts say the images represent just a tantalizing glimpse into the telescope’s capabilities.

“These first images are just the beginning,” claims David Boboltz, a program director in NSF’s Division of Astronomical Sciences. “The Inouye Solar Telescope will collect more information about our sun during the first five years of its lifetime than all the solar data gathered since Galileo first pointed a telescope at the sun in 1612.”

Source: Smithsonian Magazine

WHO Declares the New Coronavirus Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

Photo-illustration: Unsplash

The second meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the outbreak of novel coronavirus 2019 in the People’s Republic of China, with exportations to other countries, took place on Thursday, 30 January 2020, from 13:30 to 18:35 Geneva time (CEST). The Committee’s role is to give advice to the Director-General, who makes the final decision on the determination of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Committee also provides public health advice or suggests formal Temporary Recommendations as appropriate.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash

Proceedings of the meeting

The Director-General welcomed the Committee and thanked them for their support. He turned the meeting over to the Chair, Professor Didier Houssin.

Professor Houssin also welcomed the Committee and gave the floor to the Secretariat.

A representative of the department of compliance, risk management, and ethics briefed the Committee members on their roles and responsibilities.

Committee members were reminded of their duty of confidentiality and their responsibility to disclose personal, financial, or professional connections that might be seen to constitute a conflict of interest. Each member who was present was surveyed and no conflicts of interest were judged to be relevant to the meeting. There were no changes since the previous meeting.

The Chair then reviewed the agenda for the meeting and introduced the presenters.

Representatives of the Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China reported on the current situation and the public health measures being taken. There are now 7711 confirmed and 12167 suspected cases throughout the country. Of the confirmed cases, 1370 are severe and 170 people have died. 124 people have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

The WHO Secretariat provided an overview of the situation in other countries. There are now 83 cases in 18 countries. Of these, only 7 had no history of travel in China. There has been human-to-human transmission in 3 countries outside China. One of these cases is severe and there have been no deaths.

At its first meeting, the Committee expressed divergent views on whether this event constitutes a PHEIC or not. At that time, the advice was that the event did not constitute a PHEIC, but theCommittee members agreed on the urgency of the situation and suggested that the Committee should continue its meeting on the next day, when it reached the same conclusion.

This second meeting takes place in view of significant increases in numbers of cases and additional countries reporting confirmed cases.
Conclusions and advice

The Committee welcomed the leadership and political commitment of the very highest levels of Chinese government, their commitment to transparency, and the efforts made to investigate and contain the current outbreak. China quickly identified the virus and shared its sequence, so that other countries could diagnose it quickly and protect themselves, which has resulted in the rapid development of diagnostic tools.

The very strong measures the country has taken include daily contact with WHO and comprehensive multi-sectoral approaches to prevent further spread. It has also taken public health measures in other cities and provinces; is conducting studies on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, and sharing data and biological material. The country has also agreed to work with other countries who need their support. The measures China has taken are good not only for that country but also for the rest of the world.

The Committee acknowledged the leading role of WHO and its partners.

The Committee also acknowledged that there are still many unknowns, cases have now been reported in five WHO regions in one month, and human-to-human transmission has occurred outside Wuhan and outside China.

The Committee believes that it is still possible to interrupt virus spread, provided that countries put in place strong measures to detect disease early, isolate and treat cases, trace contacts, and promote social distancing measures commensurate with the risk. It is important to note that as the situation continues to evolve, so will the strategic goals and measures to prevent and reduce spread of the infection. The Committee agreed that the outbreak now meets the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and proposed the following advice to be issued as Temporary Recommendations.

The Committee emphasized that the declaration of a PHEIC should be seen in the spirit of support and appreciation for China, its people, and the actions China has taken on the frontlines of this outbreak, with transparency, and, it is to be hoped, with success. In line with the need for global solidarity, the Committee felt that a global coordinated effort is needed to enhance preparedness in other regions of the world that may need additional support for that.
Advice to WHO

The Committee welcomed a forthcoming WHO multidisciplinary technical mission to China, including national and local experts. The mission should review and support efforts to investigate the animal source of the outbreak, the clinical spectrum of the disease and its severity, the extent of human-to-human transmission in the community and in healthcare facilities, and efforts to control the outbreak. This mission will provide information to the international community to aid in understanding the situation and its impact and enable sharing of experience and successful measures.

The Committee wished to re-emphasize the importance of studying the possible source, to rule out hidden transmission and to inform risk management measures

The Committee also emphasized the need for enhanced surveillance in regions outside Hubei, including pathogen genomic sequencing, to understand whether local cycles of transmission are occurring.

WHO should continue to use its networks of technical experts to assess how best this outbreak can be contained globally.

WHO should provide intensified support for preparation and response, especially in vulnerable countries and regions.

Measures to ensure rapid development and access to potential vaccines, diagnostics, antiviral medicines and other therapeutics for low- and middle-income countries should be developed.

WHO should continue to provide all necessary technical and operational support to respond to this outbreak, including with its extensive networks of partners and collaborating institutions, to implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy, and to allow for the advancement of research and scientific developments in relation to this novel coronavirus.

WHO should continue to explore the advisability of creating an intermediate level of alert between the binary possibilities of PHEIC or no PHEIC, in a way that does not require reopening negotiations on the text of the IHR (2005).

WHO should timely review the situation with transparency and update its evidence-based recommendations.

The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available.

The Director-General declared that the outbreak of 2019-nCoV constitutes a PHEIC and accepted the Committee’s advice and issued this advice as Temporary Recommendations under the IHR.

To the People’s Republic of China

Continue to:

• Implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy to regularly inform the population on the evolution of the outbreak, the prevention and protection measures for the population, and the response measures taken for its containment.

• Enhance public health measures for containment of the current outbreak.

• Ensure the resilience of the health system and protect the health workforce.

• Enhance surveillance and active case finding across China.

• Collaborate with WHO and partners to conduct investigations to understand the epidemiology and the evolution of this outbreak and measures to contain it.

• Share relevant data on human cases.

• Continue to identify the zoonotic source of the outbreak, and particularly the potential for circulation with WHO as soon as it becomes available.

• Conduct exit screening at international airports and ports, with the aim of early detection of symptomatic travelers for further evaluation and treatment, while minimizing interference with international traffic.

To all countries

It is expected that further international exportation of cases may appear in any country. Thus, all countries should be prepared for containment, including active surveillance, early detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread of 2019-nCoVinfection, and to share full data with WHO. Technical advice is available on the WHO website.

Countries are reminded that they are legally required to share information with WHO under the IHR.

Any detection of 2019-nCoV in an animal (including information about the species, diagnostic tests, and relevant epidemiological information) should be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as an emerging disease.

Countries should place particular emphasis on reducing human infection, prevention of secondary transmission and international spread, and contributing to the international response though multi-sectoral communication and collaboration and active participation in increasing knowledge on the virus and the disease, as well as advancing research.

The Committee does not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available.

Countries must inform WHO about travel measures taken, as required by the IHR. Countries are cautioned against actions that promote stigma or discrimination, in line with the principles of Article 3 of the IHR.

The Committee asked the Director-General to provide further advice on these matters and, if necessary, to make new case-by-case recommendations, in view of this rapidly evolving situation.

To the global community

As this is a new coronavirus, and it has been previously shown that similar coronaviruses required substantial efforts to enable regular information sharing and research, the global community should continue to demonstrate solidarity and cooperation, in compliance with Article 44 of the IHR (2005), in supporting each other on the identification of the source of this new virus, its full potential for human-to-human transmission, preparedness for potential importation of cases, and research for developing necessary treatment.

Provide support to low- and middle-income countries to enable their response to this event, as well as to facilitate access to diagnostics, potential vaccines and therapeutics.

Under Article 43 of the IHR, States Parties implementing additional health measures that significantly interfere with international traffic (refusal of entry or departure of international travellers, baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods, and the like, or their delay, for more than 24 hours) are obliged to send to WHO the public health rationale and justification within 48 hours of their implementation. WHO will review the justification and may request countries to reconsider their measures. WHO is required to share with other States Parties the information about measures and the justification received.

The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months or earlier, at the discretion of the Director-General.

The Director-General thanked the Committee for its work.

Source: WHO

Improving Circular Economy Practices in the Construction Sector Key to Increasing Material Reuse

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The EEA briefing ‘Construction and demolition waste: challenges and opportunities in a circular economy,’ says more must be done in preventing or recycling the large amount of waste produced by the construction and demolition sector in Europe. Such waste, such as scrap metal, used cement or wood products, currently make up the largest waste stream in the European Union. At present, many of the material streams from demolition and renovation works are not suitable for reuse or high-grade recycling. This is stalling efforts in shifting to a circular economy. The briefing examines how circular economy-inspired actions can help achieve EU waste policy objectives, such as waste prevention and increasing the quantity and quality of recycling for the waste produced on building sites, while also reducing hazardous waste materials. The briefing is based on a report compiled by the EEA and the European Topic Centre on Waste and Materials in a Green Economy.

Photo: EEA

The briefing notes that construction and demolition waste totaled 374 million tonnes in the EU in 2016, excluding excavated soil. The high volume and nature of produced waste are challenging to manage, but also present a clear opportunity to implement sound waste management practices according to the circular economy principles. Besides, the construction sector is considered a priority sector according to the forthcoming European Commission circular economy action plan.

While EU countries are on track to meet the 70 % recovery target of 2020 with most countries already exceeding the target in 2016, the briefing says, closer scrutiny of waste management practices at national level shows that recovery of construction waste is largely based on low-value backfilling operations — using collected waste and rubble to fill holes on construction sites, and low-grade recovery such as using recycled and crushed cement or stones (aggregates) in road construction. The briefing notes that better waste prevention and higher and better quality recycling can be achieved if certain measures are followed to improve pricing, improve information on which materials are used in existing and new buildings and to improve users’ trust in the quality of using secondary materials like recycled aggregates. Circular economy-inspired actions, like improved information sharing on material properties, and better re-use of secondary raw materials can go a long way in increasing circularity in the sector.

Source: EEA

Nominate a Champion of Earth

Photo: UNEP (Tony Morrison)

Do you know a Champion of the Earth?

Nominations for 2020 open on 20 January 2020.

Every year, individuals, groups and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the protection and restoration of the environment are recognized in four categories:

  • Policy leadership
  • Inspiration and action
  • Entrepreneurial vision
  • Science and innovation
Photo: UNEP (Tony Morrison)

On selection process

Every year, Champions are selected from hundreds of nominees globally, submitted during a public nominating process. Once submitted, a team of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) staff research and prepare detailed profiles of each candidate, their achievements and qualifications. The profiles are reviewed by a broader group of UNEP experts before submission to a jury who select the laureates. In 2019, the jury consisted of five leaders of United Nations and other international organizations.

The 2020 nomination opens on 20 January 2020.

January 2020 – Submissions open. The criteria for selection are:

  • Impact – Have the nominee’s actions resulted in profound environmental gains or demonstrated significant potential for replication and scaling?
  • Novelty – Has the nominee done or achieved something new and innovative?
  • Power of the story – How compelling and inspiring is the nominee’s story?

March 2020 – Deadline for submissions. All nominations must be received by 20 March 2020, accompanied by appropriate supporting materials.

March 2020 – UN Environment Programme review. Winners are shortlisted and a team of UN Environment Programme staff reviews the list of nominees and prepares a shortlist to be submitted before a global jury.

May 2020 – Award laureates are chosen. A global jury comprised of high-profile individuals from different United Nations agencies and international organizations reviews the shortlist of nominations and selects their winning choice in each award category. Their decision is final.

October 2020 – Laureates are announced. Winners are disclosed publicly during a gala ceremony recognizing their achievement. The awards will be presented to this year’s laureates at a ceremony later this year.

Source: UNEP

The Growth of EV Charging Network

Photo: Energetski portal/Zana Sisic
Photo: Private archive of Dragan Buaca

According to the data coming from public and private companies, the number of delivered and installed chargers for electric vehicles is on the rise in Serbia. If this upward trend in the field of electric mobility continues, our country will be making gradual progress as to match other European countries which have come a long way in the expansion of EV chargers network and the number of electric vehicles on the roads.

Among renowned charger producers, and their solutions which digitally contain connecting and monitoring of EV chargers network, the Schneider Electric company stands out. This company creates interconnected technologies and solutions for energy and process management in a safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable manner, and the solutions in electromobility are precisely the field where Schneider Electric has a lot to offer.

In Serbia, this company has been working since 1997. As a part of their extensive portfolio of products and services, the chargers are an important segment of electromobility development at our market. We asked Dragan Buaca, the sales manager for commercial and industrial facilities at the Schneider Electric Srbija company, about the number of EVlink chargers installed at parking lots and streets throughout Europe and Serbia.

EP: Can you draw a parallel between the share at the market in France, and in Europe generally, and the one you have in the Balkans and Serbia?

Dragan Buaca: France is one of the most developed European countries in this field. The fact that organizations in France, such as Postal service, taxi and courier companies, public transport and other utility companies which owes vehicle fleet, recognized the advantages of electric cars. Studies show that transition to electric vehicles provides an opportunity for operational costs and maintenance reduction for up to 50 per cent.

Encouraged by this, owners of electric cars installed chargers for their use in private garages, whereas the city administration units put chargers at public space and commercial parking lots. The whole systems for electric car rental were established in the bigger cities. Today in Europe there are 100,000 EV charging stations. As much as 73 per cent of that sum is concentrated in four EU countries alone: Netherlands, Germany, France and Great Britain.

When it comes to the global electric car sale, the record-breaking year was 2016, and it has been projected that by 2025 every sixth car sold in the world will be those electrically powered. According to estimates, this will propel the number of EV chargers in Europe to reach 2 million by that time. As for Serbia and Montenegro, around 100 of EV chargers were hitherto installed.

In focus:

EP: Talking about chargers exploitation, could we implement some European experiences to the increase of the chargers network in Serbia?

Dragan Buaca: The expansion of electric cars sale in Europe entails the need for chargers installation. Norway serves as the best example of how strong that need is. In that country, electrically powered cars took a share of 30 per cent of all vehicles sold in 2018. There is a plan in Norway to completely phase out the sale of vehicles with an internal combustion engine by 2025 so that air pollution and CO2 emissions could be reduced as much as possible.

As for our country, that time is certainly coming. Encompassing innovative solution developed by Schneider Electric for optimization and chargers’ network management is called EcoStruxure, and it is one of the solving that we may expect to be applied soon in our region.

EP: How much did local companies embrace the potential in electromobility development?

Dragan Buaca: For the past couple of years, it is evident that an increasing number of companies have demonstrated an interest in charger installation. Public sector companies as much as privately owned enterprises install chargers to an expanding extent at their parking lots and garages.

EP: What companies specify as the principal motive for e-mobility implementation in their business?

Dragan Buaca: By and large, the motives are ecological awareness and need for environmental protection. On the other hand, investors want their clients who drive electric cars to enjoy fully in the comfort and amenity of recharging their vehicles while spending time at the investor’s facility.

EP: How to raise awareness on using new technologies, including electromobility, which is also one of the means for the GCG emission reduction?

Dragan Buaca: Our team is in contact with the clients on a daily basis. We are trying as much as we can to advocate a need for electric car use through seminars, conferences, presentation etc. Also, publishing texts like this one in specialized magazines and portals is a powerful way to raise awareness on the necessity of environmental protection, thus on the use of electric vehicles. Undoubtedly, the need
for optimized electricity consumption and challenges of producing green energy, which is attained by installing solar panels in combination with chargers, are some of the crucial reasons for investors to adopt an ecologically responsible attitude.

Photo: Energetski portal/Zana Sisic

EP: Apart from three chargers already installed, within the following phase, it was planned to install more chargers at the ZF company’s parking lot in Pancevo. How satisfied are you with cooperation and how do you expect this to impact other companies?

Dragan Buaca: In the second half of 2019, the ZF factory was extended and built up, and six new chargers were delivered and installed at the company’s parking lots. We are ever so satisfied and proud of this cooperation, both with the investor and the MT-KOMEX company, which is our service partner for EV charger integration. A particularly interesting solution is a canopy, built above the parking places, with solar panels for supplying EV chargers so that energy used for charging electric vehicles at his parking lot is 100 per cent green.

Sure enough, the ZF company as one of the global leaders in the field of solutions for the mobility of the future serves as a great example to other companies when it comes to raising environmental awareness and promotion of the need for electric car use and chargers installation in Serbia.

Interview by: Tamara Zjacic

This interview was published in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine  GRINNOVATIONS, December 2019 – February 2020.

Heat Pumps – What Savings They Make and How Much They Cost?

Photo: Wikipedia/Kristoferb

Advantages of heat pumps

Photo: Wikipedia/Kristoferb

The main advantage of heat pumps over the competition in the market for heating and cooling appliances is that facilities equipped with heat pumps receive much more energy compared to the costs. Namely, the system is powered by electricity and generates between 3.5 and 6 kW of thermal energy per kilowatt consumed. With rising prices for other energy products, the savings could be even more significant in the future!

According to some estimates, it reduces the cost of heating by 65 per cent, and furthermore, it is possible to program the heat pump operation during the lower tariff. Heat pumps are quiet, fully automatic and easy to operate.

Depending on the regime, they can be used both for heating and cooling, and their use in hot water preparation is increasingly being represented.

Read more:

On top of that, maintenance is unnecessary. Manufacturers emphasise that by introducing heat pumps, smoke, ash, heating with wood or coal, as well as “leakage” and condensation on the boilers, will sink into oblivion. There are no worries and additional expenses for connection, meters and tanks, and before winter, there is no need to stock up on any energy product. They have a long life expectancy.

With the application of adequate energy efficiency measures, the usefulness of heat pumps is further increased.

They also have a positive effect on air quality, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 50 per cent over petroleum-based heating.

Investment costs for heat pumps

We contacted the experts of the partner company CEEFOR asking how much it would cost us to heat – and cool – a 60 m2 house or apartment with a heat pump. They explained that in this situation, the most appropriate choice would be an air-to-water heat pump since water-to-water and ground-to-water are more suitable for larger buildings – private homes.

The price of the recommended 9 kW heat pump is approximately € 1,700 in our market. With the cost of installing a heat pump, installing underfloor heating and installing a hot water system and air conditioning, the total investment would reach € 7,000. The payback period depends on the energy class of the household, as well as how it was previously heated.

According to the engineers’ calculations, the heat pump that CEEFOR recommended, would generate 3.5 kW of heat per energy consumed. As we mentioned before that is the reason for its cost-effectiveness.

Jelena Kozbasic

A Deep Demonstration of a Circular, Regenerative and Low-Carbon Economy in Slovenia

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The Slovenian parliament passed a motion to adopt an EIT Climate-KIC-led proposal called “A Deep Demonstration of a Circular, Regenerative and Low-Carbon Economy in Slovenia” last November. The initiative is one of eight Deep Demonstrations launched by EIT Climate-KIC, which together offer a test bed environment for the ambitious, “1.5-consistent systems transitions” called for by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, activists, national and European policy.

According to the special report on 1.5°C by the IPCC, published in October 2018, our generation faces the challenge of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero within the next 20–30 years by changing almost every aspect of the ways humans currently live, work and play to avert catastrophic global temperature rise. This is an unprecedented challenge that will require deep and holistic transformations in every country.

The scientific and policy communities strongly agree that the current situation we are facing constitutes a climate emergency.  Continuing to innovate through gradual, incremental changes will not be enough. What is needed now is a fundamental transformation of economic, social and financial systems that will trigger exponential change in decarbonisation rates and strengthen climate resilience—what the IPCC Special Report calls, “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.

Slovenia’s ambition for a circular, regenerative and low-carbon economy

Slovenia needs a committed, ambitious and realistic climate policy and strategy in order to enable a healthy, sustainable and prosperous tomorrow for all Slovenes. Long-term strategic planning as pursued with the currently ongoing preparation of the country’s long-term climate strategy, is a key to ensure consistency and adequate ambition to meet the goals of the Paris agreement and transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. In this regard, moving away from traditional linear economic business models and transitioning to closed-loop systems has been defined by the Government of Slovenia as one of the country’s strategic development priorities and important building block of the carbon-neutral, prosperous and smart future.

The central role of circular economy in climate mitigation has been widely described (for example, in the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan) and its potential for emissions abatement is both substantial and economically attractive. A recent report by the expert consulting company Material Economics calculated that circular approaches could help to reduce CO2 emissions from materials production in the EU by almost 56 per cent by 2050. It can be assumed that this figure would be similar for the Slovenian economy and that shifting to more circular business models, production patterns and operational models will help to significantly reduce the country’s emissions.

As a cross-cutting topic, circular economy is closely tied to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and included in key national documents and strategies such as the “Vision for Slovenia in 2050”, the “Slovenian Development Strategy 2030” and Slovenia’s Smart Specialisation Strategy (S4) and will also enter into the country’s long-term climate strategy whose preparation is underway.

EIT KICs deliver a systemic approach to innovation

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and its Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) sit at the heart of the European Union’s innovation architecture. The EIT KICs are Europe’s (the world’s) largest open innovation partnerships aimed at societal challenges. Since their creation—and within the context of Horizon2020 and the EIT mission to foster knowledge triangle integration—the KICs have learned that ‘point’ and ‘incremental’ innovation are not fast or powerful enough to affect transformative change. This is particularly so in addressing the societal challenges around climate, sustainability and resource utilization.  As such, the KICs are delivering a systemic approach to innovation aimed at Europe’s (and Member States’ and regions’) toughest challenges, harnessing partners from the private, public, knowledge and third sectors, as well as cities and regions across the whole of Europe. Engaging people, as citizens and communities are central to this.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Amel Majanovic)

Within the context of Horizon Europe, a key part of the KICs’ mission is to maximise the innovation potential across the EU and focus on supporting Member States in their efforts to the boost their national research and innovation potential. Moreover, new synergies between Horizon Europe and Structural and Cohesion Funds promise to allow the KICs help countries and regions embrace innovation. The established nature of the KICs as pan-European excellence partnerships encompassing innovation, capacity building and entrepreneurship, the potential of mission-driven innovation in Horizon Europe provide scope for developing transformative collaborative initiatives more intimately with Member States and Regions.

In an unprecedented systemic effort, the key Slovenian government stakeholders and Ministries are exploring which activities should be directed by the Government and carried out by the stakeholders to develop an action plan to underpin the afore mentioned ambitions and help meet the country’s climate targets in the long run. EIT Climate-KIC and EIT RawMaterials are seeking to support this endeavor by proposing a systemic programme of work, co-designed with and directed towards Slovenian stakeholders.

Slovenia already has excellent institutions and companies ready to play a key role in taking forward the country’s vision to become a circular economy leader. Slovenia’s Strategic Research and Innovations Partnerships (SRIPs) and similar networks are clearly a key asset. They provide, alongside close liaison with the Government of Slovenia, a framework for collaboration and co-creation—with common purpose. Aside from the socio-technical detail of any work programme  the EIT KICs offer experience in engaging all strands of the quadruple helix, increased emphasis on citizen and community engagement and sharing the KICs’ experience of building complex pan-European open innovation organisations and translating this into institutional delivery capacity.

Deep Demonstrations as testbeds for systemic innovation

In that context, Deep Demonstrations (testbeds) are an initiative led by EIT Climate-KIC to foster the above described changes that we will need to see. These start with a demand-led approach, working with city authorities, regional bodies, governments or industry leaders committed to zero-net emissions, resilient futures. Through a system innovation approach, EIT Climate-KIC matches this demand with supply, bringing the full force of our innovation community to tackle multiple levers of change simultaneously through rapid experiments.

The programme defines systems innovation as innovation designed to engage self-transforming properties—they change in dynamic ways in response to different interventions—by  intervening on levers of change around financing models, policy and regulatory frameworks, perception and social norms, skills and capabilities, technologies, citizen participation and behaviour, business models, and production systems.

The Slovenia-KIC collaboration aims to reinforce and systemically link ongoing efforts in Slovenia—which are manifold. In a national-wide approach, it is directed towards a multitude of Slovenian stakeholders including local communities and applies a system-based approach to enable a process for decarbonizing Slovenia’s socio-economic system through circular economy principles. Between 2019 and 2022, a partnership with Slovenian authorities and stakeholders will be established to roll out a deep demonstration of rapid change to a circular, regenerative and low-carbon economy and society, building on key processes, policies and activities already underway.

In an unprecedented cross-sectoral and cross-disciplinary approach, the working plan seeks to marry different disciplines and work across boundaries, silos and departments. Its overall goal is to position Slovenia as a European leader in harnessing circularity to transform and decarbonise its economy while fostering a green economy and designing and promoting the smart and circular transition of local communities through a coordinated and coherent national approach based on international best practice. As a result, wellbeing and prosperity for all Slovenes will be advanced and secured for decades to come and greenhouse gas emissions significantly reduced to support Slovenia in reaching its targets.

The programme of work is focused on three pillars (see below) and aims at applying a system-based approach based in a platform model to enable a process for decarbonizing Slovenia’s socio-economic system through circular economy principles.

Three pillars for National Circular Economy Transition:

  • Smart and circular communities
  • Circular green development
  • Circular policy design and science

Systemic innovation will tackle material production and waste flows across key economic systems and value chains; training, education and capacity-building will create change agents and foster life-long learning as well as widely disseminate insights and good practices, while policy initiatives and experiments will ensure enabling conditions.

Activities will be structured across a set of intrinsically linked programmes, targeting the three major stakeholder groups of local communities, business, and policy-makers. All programmes will be anchored via a dedicated vehicle called the Slovenian Center for Smart and Circular Transition which serves as the beating heart and physical centre of the entire deep demonstration, bringing together the different stakeholders and opening up activities to the wider public.

Sectoral focused transition will take place across five key value chains for Slovenia (built environment, food, forestry, manufacturing, mobility) and will create value via project implementation and opportunity generation in local communities across Slovenia whilst building on existing collaborations and previous research and existing programmes and projects.

To unlock finance from different national, European and international sources, a dedicated work stream will focus on removing investment barriers to a circular, low-carbon economy. Ongoing monitoring, learning and evaluation as well as sense-making is underpinning the entire approach and a core element of all programmes.

Before the start of activities, a comprehensive resource flow map encompassing the flows of raw and intermediate materials, finished products, waste, energy, human resources, economic value as well as imports and exports, will be conducted that will form the backbone of any further activities. The programmes described in this proposal will synergistically work together to create systemic long-term impact and feed into one another. Wherever possible, existing programmes will be linked and new programmes will be connected to already locally ongoing activities, initiatives and projects with the aim to avoid duplication, enable synergies and build on existing stakeholder networks and platforms as well as step on learnings and best practices.

Slovenia on the European level will be able to showcase an increase in visibility as a circular economy leader with progressive and innovative community events designed to bring stakeholders together, ensure the dissemination of results and put Slovenia on the international circular economy map.

The main beneficiaries of this work will be Slovenian local communities, companies and stakeholders from across different sectors and value chains. Train-the-trainer workshops will be held locally to train Slovenian experts and expertise will remain in the country after the completion of the deep demonstration. KIC community expertise and additional local and European delivery partners will be brought into the activities on a case-by-case basis to ensure access to state-of-the-art knowledge and expertise.

For successful implementation of this deep demonstration, it is critically important to grant ownership of this deep demonstration and its action plans to all Slovenian citizens, be they community members, public servants, academics, entrepreneurs, students or policy makers, as a national effort is required to achieve the desired systemic change and empowerment must be provided to all stakeholders involved.

Impacts and results will be felt across the triple bottom line of social, environmental and financial impacts and materialise across all addressed three pillars as well the value chains mentioned. In addition to tangible and quantifiable impacts and results (greenhouse gas emissions avoided, revenue, investment attracted, services and products launched on the market, etc.), the different programmes will also have a range of additional, indirect effects and benefits via shifts in behaviours, mindsets and practices, thus creating the framework and conditions needed for systemic change.

The programme will activate and work broadly across national stakeholders, networks and communities, such as:

  • Local communities
  • Administration and civil servants
  • Students and young generations
  • Teachers and other change agents
  • Research and academia
  • Non-governmental and non-profit organisations
  • Chambers of Commerce and Industry, associations and other representations of interest
  • Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships (SRIPs)
  • Start-ups & SMEs (business owners)
  • Companies
  • Economic clusters

Transitions to a circular and low-carbon economy require critical structural and exponential changes that must occur both rapidly and on multiple fronts simultaneously to address climate change and can be achieved by focusing the efforts on systems innovation. In practice, system innovation can be defined as “an integrated and coordinated interventions in economic, political and social systems and along whole value chains through a portfolio of deliberate and connected innovation experiments (i.e. a portfolio approach)” (EIT Climate-KIC, 2019).

Source: Climate KIC

 

Fossil Fuels Have Economically and Environmentally Friendly Alternatives – Heat Pumps

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Winter came but even those who do not use coal, oil or gas for heating needn’t worry.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

According to the Institute for Energy Research, demand for fossil fuels, and especially gas, has skyrocketed in 2018, triggering a consequent increase in carbon dioxide emissions, despite the significant share of renewables in the planet’s energy mix.

The unexpectedly increased demand for energy is attributed, among other things, to weather conditions that have forced populations from different parts of the world to rely more on heating and cooling the premises. Coal, oil and gas certainly have their eco-friendly alternatives for heating the space during the winter days – and at the same time its cooling during the summer.

Even though it is said that love can warm you up and also cool you down, when we want to reconcile reaching the optimum temperature and reducing harmful emissions – it is not an effective solution. Heat pumps, on the other hand, are an excellent option for customers who want to save their financial resources and save the environment of negative impact. They operate on the principle of “reverse refrigerator” and “extract” the accumulated heat from the air, groundwater or soil and increase it.

In this way, a large amount of relatively low–temperature energy becomes high–temperature energy.

Types of heat pumps and the principle of operation

Depending on which of Earth’s unlimited “free” energy sources they use, heat pumps are divided into:

  • air–water;
  • water–water;
  • ground–water.

They all operate on the same principle of heat transfer from one place to another.

Photo: Wikipedia/Ilmari Karonen (1 – condenser, 2 – expansion valve, 3 – evaporator, 4 – compressor)

The main parts of heat pumps are evaporator, compressor, condenser and expansion valve.

Liquid gas enters the evaporator (3), where it evaporates in contact with outside temperatures. Then, in the form of gas, comes to the compressor (4) which compresses the it, thereby heating it to a temperature of up to 65 ° C. The gas then goes to the condenser (1) where it becomes liquid again and transfers heat through the exchanger to the heating water, then to the expansion valve (2) and the cycle starts over.

Jelena Kozbasic

1...133134135...385Page 134 of 385

Newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Calendar of events

2024 October

MO
TU
WE
TH
FR
SA
SU
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
Events for 31 October
No Events
Events for 1 November
No Events
Events for 2 November
No Events
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Events for 3 November
No Events
Events for 4 November
No Events
Events for 5 November
No Events
Events for 6 November
No Events
Events for 7 November
No Events
Events for 8 November
No Events
Events for 9 November
No Events
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Events for 10 November
No Events
Events for 11 November
No Events
Events for 12 November
No Events
Events for 13 November
No Events
Events for 14 November
No Events
Events for 15 November
No Events
Events for 16 November
No Events
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Events for 17 November
No Events
Events for 18 November
No Events
Events for 19 November
No Events
Events for 20 November
No Events
Events for 21 November
No Events
Events for 22 November
No Events
Events for 23 November
No Events
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
Events for 24 November
No Events
Events for 25 November
No Events
Events for 26 November
No Events
Events for 27 November
No Events
Events for 28 November
No Events
Events for 29 November
No Events

WRITE US

Office: Bulevar oslobođenja 103/3, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Monday–Friday: 09–17h
Phone/Fax: +381 (11) 396 23 59 info@energetskiportal.rs marketing@energetskiportal.rs

©2024 www.energetskiportal.com