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Making Friends With Plastic Trash for a Better Planet

Photo: Maciej Sudra, via UNEP
Photo: Maciej Sudra, via UNEP

With eight million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean ever year, innovation is critical to find new approaches to waste management, especially as the world looks to build back better after COVID-19.

A group of students in Kenya took on this challenge and created “Plastiki Rafiki” (Swahili for ‘Friendly Plastic’) – an initiative that is making plastic waste work for the economy and the ocean.

In 2017, Kenya’s government enforced a landmark ban on single-use plastic bags, a big step towards slasing plastic pollution. Three years later, however, the fight is far from over. Flip-flops, plastic straws, and food wrappers are amongst the discarded items that overwhelm Kenya’s shores and threaten coastal life. Some plastic are be re-used, reduced and recycled, but a great deal of plastic waste that is collected often ends up in landfills, where it is incinerated- resulting in dangerous levels of air pollution.

The students from the International School of Kenya, who launched ‘Plastiki Rafiki’, believe that through innovation, education, and creativity, plastic trash can be transformed into useful products.

Photo: Maciej Sudra, via UNEP

‘We can show the value of plastic. It’s not just rubbish – you can make something with it,’ said Maciej Sudra, the school’s engineering teacher.

Plastiki Rafiki started in 2018 as a school club that explored engineering solutions to global challenges. Using open source blueprints from organizations such as Precious Plastic, they adapted machines like plastic shredders so that they could be easily manufactured in Kenya. The students now also learn how to design and sell their own products from recycled plastic, from skateboards to toy bats and balls. Profits are used towards setting up grassroots plastic recycling workshop, so the initiative can be replicated in other areas by local communities.

Many of the products can be traced directly to where the waste was collected. For example, when the students were climbing Mount Kenya, they collected rubbish along the way, and brought it back to be made into products. Giving consumers information about the origin of their product raises awareness of the plastic pollution problem across the country. They are also reminded that though single-use plastic is used once, it can continue to pollute areas of natural beauty for many years.

In February 2019, the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Clean Seas campaign teamed up with another innovation to address plastic pollution – Flipflopi. Flipflopi is a nine metre dhow boat made entirely from plastic waste. It voyaged from Lamu to Zanzibar to spread awareness about the way that plastic can be repurposed into a useful material. This awareness is sparking action. This World Environment Day (June 5) the Kenyan government announced that single use plastics would be banned in protected areas across the country.

Photo: Maciej Sudra, via UNEP

In March 2021, Plastiki Rafiki will join Flipflopi’s Lake Victoria voyage, working with lakeside communities and fishing villages to create useful products like fishing equipment and sailing tools from plastic waste. They will also run workshops to teach community members how to collect and transform plastic waste. Through this initiative, Plastiki Rafiki hopes that the plastic pollution that currently hinders the local economy can positively contribute to it.

In the future, Plastiki Rafiki hopes to run off-grid recycling projects to empower communities who may not have access to electricity but do have access to plastic waste. These initiatives will use techniques such as bicycle powered shredders and biogas compressors with seaweed as the fueling agent.

UNEP’s Head of Advocacy, Atif Butt said, “Plastiki Rafiki and Flipflopi demonstrate the importance of creative thinking when solving environmental challenges. Through innovative approaches that take into account social context, plastic pollution can be transformed into a useful material that benefits local communities and the planet.”

Source: UNEP

Protection of Seagrasses Key to Building Resilience to Climate Change, Disasters

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Seagrass meadows can be a powerful nature-based climate solution and help sustain communities hard-hit by stressors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, but these important ecosystems continue to decline. The importance of seagrasses is highlighted in a new report, Out of the Blue: The Value of Seagrasses to the Environment and to People, released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) together with GRID-Arendal  and the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC).

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Seagrass meadows are among the most common coastal habitats on Earth, covering more than 300,000 km2 in at least 159 countries. They nurture fish populations, weaken storm surges, and provide numerous other services to coastal communities. Seagrass ecosystems are biologically rich and highly productive, providing valuable nursery habitats to more than 20 per cent of the world’s largest 25 fisheries. They can filter pathogens, bacteria, and pollution out of seawater, and are home to endangered and charismatic species such as dugongs, seahorses, and sea turtles.

But an estimated 7 per cent of seagrass habitat is being lost worldwide each year, and at least 22 of the world’s 72 seagrass species are in decline. Since the late 19th century, almost 30 per cent of known seagrass area across the globe has been lost. The main threats to seagrass meadows include urban, industrial, and agricultural run-off, coastal development, dredging, unregulated fishing and boating activities, and climate change.

The report, launched on World Oceans Day, finds that seagrass ecosystems play an outsized role in combatting the climate crisis. Though they cover only 0.1 per cent of the ocean floor, these meadows are highly efficient carbon sinks, storing up to 18 per cent of the world’s oceanic carbon. Countries aiming to do their part under the Paris Agreement can include seagrass protection and restoration in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to help reduce the amount of heat-trapping carbon in our atmosphere.

“Maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems – which provide food and livelihoods to hundreds of millions of people, support rich biodiversity, and constitute one of the planet’s most efficient stores of carbon – is important for healthy marine life and for healthy people around the world,” said Susan Gardner, Director of Ecosystems Division. “Seagrasses represent powerful nature-based solutions to the climate challenge and sustainable development.”

As the global community works to build back better and strengthen economies and societies in the wake of the devastation wrought by this pandemic, preserving and restoring seagrass ecosystems can be a highly effective way to protect food chains and create jobs in industries such as fishing and tourism.

The well-being of human communities all around the globe is closely tied to the health of seagrass meadows. In Tanzania, a decline in seagrass was found to have a negative impact on the livelihoods of women who collect invertebrates, such as clams, sea snails and sea urchins, from seagrass meadows. In the North Atlantic, seagrass provides critical habitat to juvenile Atlantic cod, a major commercial species that is fished by fleets from more than a dozen nations. Seagrasses are also part of the cultural fabric of many island communities. For example, in the Solomon Islands, fishers twist seagrass leaves together and shout to seagrass spirits for good luck.

“Seagrasses are the super ecosystems of our oceans, providing an incredible range of benefits to people around the world. Yet, while their flashier counterparts attract more attention, they remain among the most unheralded aquatic environments on Earth. The Out of the Blue report showcases the many ways that seagrasses help people thrive and sustain the healthy natural environment that we all depend on,” said Dr. Maria Potouroglou, seagrass scientist at GRID-Arendal and lead editor of the report.

Despite their importance, new data suggest that seagrasses are among the least protected coastal habitats. Only 26 per cent of recorded seagrass meadows fall within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) compared with 40 per cent of coral reefs and 43 per cent of mangroves.

“Seagrasses can help us solve our biggest environmental challenges. They purify water, they protect us from storms, they provide food to hundreds of millions of people, they support rich biodiversity, and they efficiently store carbon. In light of everything, seagrasses do for people and nature, protecting and restoring them is vital”, said Ronald Jumeau, Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador for Climate Change, Republic of Seychelles.

Conserving and restoring seagrass meadows can contribute to achieving as many as 10 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Source: UNEP

Vattenfall Gives Green Light to World’s Largest Offshore Wind Project

Foto-ilustracija: Vattenfall
Photo: Vattenfall

With its installed capacity of 1,500 MW, the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm will be the largest of its kind worldwide, when fully operational in 2023. It will have a renewable electricity output equivalent to the annual consumption of over two million Dutch households.

Vattenfall was awarded permits for the construction of Hollandse Kust Zuid after winning two subsidy-free tender rounds in 2018 and 2019. The two projects have been combined into one wind farm to optimise the process.

A key element in solving climate change is to electrify transportation, heating and industry processes with the help of fossil free electricity.

“The Hollandse Kust Zuid project underlines our commitment to supply the Netherlands and Europe with fossil free electricity. In addition, the investment decision shows that our determination to deliver on our goal to enable fossil free living within one generation remains firm despite the COVID19 pandemic”, says Magnus Hall, CEO of Vattenfall.

Photo-illustration: Vattenfall

In 2023, Hollandse Kust Zuid will provide a third of the total installed offshore wind capacity in the Netherlands, making a major contribution to the Dutch Government’s renewable energy targets.

“Hollandse Kust Zuid will not only provide fossil free and affordable electricity to our private and business customers. It’s also a large infrastructure investment that creates significant economic activity and employment in times of economic uncertainty. Thanks to good cooperation with our national and international partners, we are well prepared to take the next step in realising this milestone project”, says Gunnar Groebler, Senior Vice-President and Head of Business Area Wind in Vattenfall.

Both the construction, which will be initiated offshore in 2021, and operation of the wind farm and its service facility will offer significant regional business opportunities and long term high quality employment.

Vattenfall has partnered with the following suppliers:

  • Siemens Gamesa for turbine manufacturing and partial installation
  • Dutch based Sif Group for foundation manufacturing
  • Dutch based TKF for inter-array cable systems manufacturing
  • Prysmian for inter-array cable systems manufacturing
  • Subsea 7 for foundation and inter-array cable systems installation
  • Swire Blue Ocean for turbine installation.

Facts about Hollandse Kust Zuid

  • Installed capacity will be 1.500 MW, making it the largest offshore wind farm worldwide
  • Electricity production can cover the annual consumption of over two million Dutch households.
  • The wind farm will consist of 140 turbines of 11 MW installed offshore for the first time.
  • The maritime space between turbines will be open to passage and co-use following government regulations.
  • Operations and maintenance will take place from Vattenfall’s new, state-of-the-art service facility in the Port of IJmuiden.
  • The wind farm will be connected to two offshore substations operated by Dutch TSO TenneT.

Source: Vattenfall

Greening the Entertainment Industry Is Music to Our Ears

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Maxime BHM)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Maxime BHM)

How were you planning to spend summer this year? Seeing your favourite band under a moonlit sky? Dancing at your beloved bar? Going to a festival with friends? Unfortunately, COVID-19 has made all those impossible. Like with other industries, the live music sector has been hard hit, as concerts and festivals are postponed because of social distancing measures and artists forced to take their gigs online.

But it’s not all bad. Virtual concerts can be a more sustainable way of enjoying music as the entertainment industry consumes an enormous amount of energy and concert-goers produce tons of waste. As shows leave the arena and enter the livestream, the music world is transforming the industry. In a post-pandemic world, this raises questions about what entertainment itself could be as we work to build back better.

The music industry began addressing its environmental footprint even before COVID-19. UNEP partner REVERB – a nonprofit organization that unites with musicians, festivals, and venues to green the concert industry – was founded on the belief that music has the ability to make people feel, care, and act. From eliminating single-use water bottles at live music events to sourcing local food and sustainable biodiesel, they take practical and impactful steps to green the industry.

To reduce their environmental footprint, REVERB has launched initiatives like #RockNRefill, a partnership with reusable water bottle maker Nalgene. The initiative has eliminated the use of more than 2.4 million single-use bottles at concerts throughout North America since 2013.

They have also started a campaign to address greenhouse gas emissions related to the music industry. Known as unCHANGEit, the program empowers all members of the music community to reduce their carbon footprint and then neutralize whatever they can’t reduce by funding greenhouse gas-fighting projects around the world. The campaign looks at all aspects of live music’s carbon footprint including artist and fan travel, venue energy use, and much more.

“REVERB has been working with music-makers and music-lovers for over 15 years to make concerts and touring more sustainable, reduce their environmental footprint, and rally millions of fans to take action for the planet” said Lauren Sullivan, REVERB Co-Founder and Co-Director. “We know that climate change is the most pressing issue of our time and we believe the music community can be – and through REVERB’s unCHANGEit campaign, will be – a leading force in addressing these problems and creating real, positive change for the future.”

The nonprofit also works with musicians to educate and engage their fans on environmental issues. Through Action Villages at concerts, festivals, and venues, REVERB provides a platform for fans to connect with environmental partners like UNEP. In these spaces, individuals can learn more about helping the planet and take actions such as UNEP’s #CleanSeas pledge, which was promoted at UNEP’s kickoff REVERB partnership concert tour with Fleetwood Mac in 2019.

UNEP’s North American Goodwill Ambassadors, including Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews Band, are also in on the action. With the support of REVERB, Dave Matthews Band eliminated over 121 million pounds of CO2 and 478,000 single-use plastic water bottles from their tours.

Now, the nonprofit is facilitating events online, including Après Ski music performances supporting frontline healthcare workers; a sustainable cooking series called Quarantine Kitchen; and virtual roundtable discussions on issues such as illegal logging with Goodwill Ambassador Stefan Lessard from Dave Matthews Band.

As we work to build back better post-pandemic, industries everywhere should be looking to green their practices. REVERB and the surge of virtual concerts show us that sustainable change in the entertainment industry is not only possible, but already happening.

Source: UNEP

Renewable Energy Boost Projected to Create 19,000 More Jobs in Australia by 2025

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Science in HD)

This is the kind of boom we want to read about. A boom in jobs, but not only jobs, careers, and not only careers, but careers that mean preservation of resources and societal sustainability. Everywhere, the lookout for sustainable careers is merging with sustainability ecologically.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Science in HD)

Australia has done quite well in the renewable energy transition, but it could do much more. The Clean Energy Council just released the largest study of current and projected employment in the renewable energy industry in Australia, Clean Energy At Work (PDF). The opportunity is large.

The study found that employment in the sector could increase from over 25,000 people today to 44,000 people by 2025. That is a boom.

The majority of those jobs would be outside of cities, places needing jobs the most. The Clean Energy At Work report projects 70% of renewable energy jobs in rural and regional areas in 2035.

“Clean Energy At Work shows the enormous job creation opportunity from renewable energy in Australia,” said Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton. “It’s clear that these renewable energy jobs can have an enormous positive impact on regional communities and should be a clear priority for government as part of the COVID-19 economic response.”

“It’s been recognized for some time now that Australia has developed a two-speed economy that has been detrimental to those living in regional and rural areas,” said Mr Thornton. “It’s vital that there is a focus on creating job opportunities outside our metropolitan centres and clean energy can deliver, allowing all Australians to benefit.”

However, you can’t just expect the people of a neglected region to be ready to install big renewable energy projects. Clean Energy Council agrees. “It is, therefore, a crucial time to take stock of industry and workforce needs and undertake critical skills forecasting to understand whether training systems can address potential skills shortages.”

The last 3 years set numerous new records in renewable energy. However, normal was never equitable, or ecologically sound. Coming out of the pandemic and not going backwards to a normal that did not work for many is now a global conversation. It’s a shared dream. Clean Energy Council is working for more job equality and commitment. It is not only about the installation and construction jobs, which come and go. The wind industry offers essential, needed, permanent roles that will provide some people with sustainable, permanent careers. Clean Energy At Work reveals that by 2035, as the industry grows in scale, as many as half of the jobs could be in operation and maintenance, especially in the wind sector.

“These have the potential to be ongoing, highly skilled and stable – avoiding the boom and bust of construction cycles,” explained Mr Thornton. “The Clean Energy Council has a strong focus on raising standards for workers and communities and maintaining integrity within the industry while accelerating the uptake of clean energy. The next step is about minimizing skills shortages and creating secure, ongoing and sustainable jobs in the industry. We haven’t always got this right. However, this is something we’re now working with our members and stakeholders to address.”

Clean Energy Council acknowledges the importance of the public sector, of political leaders, for this to work. “The role of government is essential in establishing a robust and secure renewable energy workforce. Without addressing the barriers and ensuring a strong policy landscape in support of the renewables industry, 11,000 jobs could be lost over the next decade.”

Author: Cynthia Shanan

Source: Clean Technica

The Oil & Gas Industry Doesn’t Have a Bright Future

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The oil and gas industry has been in a recession, effectively since the global financial crisis 11 years ago. Each year, production volumes have increased by more than global demand, meaning that the market has been in decline, with lower prices for crude oil and natural gas the natural result.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Over this period, the narrative has been dominated by the massive increases in US shale oil and gas production, which transformed the US to become the largest global producer of both energy sources. In the background, the traditional market leaders, Saudi Arabia and Russia, have been outmaneuvered, but they are now scheming to take back control of the oil market from the US. The coronavirus pandemic provides the perfect backdrop for this fight.

These extraordinary times will host this global power struggle. We are at best in a deep recession and at worst on the verge of a global depression, with the tipping factor being a pandemic virus that most people did not predict or think possible. We have not seen such a collapse in demand for oil in our working lives. What COVID-19 has done is stop a large part of the world from traveling, which is having a massive impact on oil demand. For Q2 2020, the decline could be over 20m barrels per day  (circa 20% of total demand), and although this drop may prove temporary, it will probably take many years before oil demand gets back to 2019 levels.

But will it?

I do not expect to see a rapid recovery in demand for oil going forward. We may well witness a seismic shift for the oil industry. There are other headwinds for oil demand beyond the coronavirus.

The driving force for oil demand for the past 100 years has been the internal combustion engine. But this demand is close to peaking because we have entered an era in which highly efficient electric drives can offer not only lower overall operating costs, but they can also offer environmental advantages which are politically and socially desirable.

At the same time, we see less need to burn oil and diesel to generate electricity, given the emergence of high-performance battery and other lower cost power generation alternatives.

In addition, a whole series of technology improvements, particularly around power electronics and hybridization are driving energy efficiency, and thus improved fuel consumption, in our motor vehicles. Then there is the environmental impact with the burning of oil and the use of oil in plastics which end up polluting our rivers and seas. These practices are becoming politically unacceptable, particularly with millennials. They all make the case for a weak oil outlook over the foreseeable future. The Saudis and the Russians know this.

It is inevitable that Saudi Arabia and Russia will continue their battle to wrest control of the global oil market back from the United States. The words of Igor Sechin, the CEO of Rosneft, Russia’s biggest oil producer, ring in my ear:

“If you give up market share, you will never get it back.”

Sechin was a major critic of Russia and Saudi Arabia backed 2016 Vienna Alliance which temporarily stabilized global oil markets. OPEC members and other major non-OPEC producing countries (or OPEC+ as it is currently known) signed the accord and agreed to reduce production. The agreement initially stabilized a falling oil price, but it also provided conditions that allowed the United States to become the largest oil producer in the world. The Saudis and Russians will not make this mistake again.

In my opinion, the recent spat between the Russians and Saudis over an oil price cut was nothing more than a maneuver to gain compromises from the United States. The US government cannot force its private companies to reduce oil production, which is why they are not a signatory to the latest OPEC+ agreement to cut global oil production by 9.7m barrels a day. But the US can do other things. The US can remove sanctions on Russia and look the other way while construction of the Nord Steam 2 gas pipeline into Germany is completed. I suspect that such concessions have already been offered to both Russia and Saudi Arabia, but these issues are battles within a war where the prize is control of the global oil market.

The fundamental objective of Russia and Saudi Arabia is to regain market share in a phase in which the outlook is for weak demand. I call this market consolidation, like what we have seen in consumer products, luxury goods, food, and the automobile industries. We are surrounded by industries which are controlled by a handful of players and I believe this will be the outlook for oil in the years to come.

The US has had the advantage of being a global power with considerable soft and hard power. But US power has arguably peaked, and they now have fewer options. Of course, they can impose tariffs on oil imports, in an effort to safeguard their domestic oil and gas industry. But is that really going to make a difference?

Russia and Saudi Arabia, due to the nature of their oil fields, have production costs much lower than most other countries, and especially lower than US shale producers. The longer the oil price remains around $30/bbl., the more that oil producers across the world will stop pumping as they are not able to generate positive cash flow. And if these businesses close, they are less likely to open again given future risks.

I believe that oil prices will remain weak in the coming quarters and that it will be increasingly difficult for OPEC+ to maintain consensus within the group. I also believe that the recently announced OPEC+ agreement may be at best a temporary truce or may at worst may be a Trojan horse which enables the Russians and Saudis to regain control of a weakening oil market. We live in interesting times!

Author: Gerard Reid

Source: Clean Technica

What COVID-19 Means for Ecotourism

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Sutirta Budiman)

For decades, ecotourism has helped to conserve nature and protect endangered species. COVID-19 and the subsequent closure of ecotourism sites has had an indelible impact on wildlife and the communities that protect it.

Photo: United Nations Great Apes Survival Partnership Programme

Johannes Refisch is a United Nations Programme Manager and Coordinator, who oversees the Great Apes Survival Partnership. In this interview, he explains the dilemma faced by ecotourism and how the industry might change to accommodate a post-COVID-19 reality.

What exactly do we mean when we talk about ecotourism?

According to the International Ecotourism Society, ecotourism is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” By limiting the number of visitors, hotels and other tourist infrastructure, ecotourism minimizes human impact on the environment and builds environmental and cultural awareness and respect.

Local communities benefit through employment, business opportunities and social projects; and ecotourism also contributes significantly to national economies. In 2017, for example, Rwanda received 1.5 million international travelers. Renowned for its mountain ranges, volcanoes and numerous wildlife species–including great apes–the country’s parks alone welcomed 94,000 visitors, generating a revenue of $18.7 million.

How has the spread of COVID-19 affected ecotourism, to date?

Great ape tourism sites were closed relatively early in the crisis because of the risk that humans could transmit COVID-19 to great apes. Since then, most borders have been closed, and international travel has come to a stand-still.

This has even affected areas without great apes, cutting off their source of income. Many protected areas use the income generated from tourism to fund law enforcement, biomonitoring and staff salaries. It has now been three months without tourism revenue, bringing many protected areas into a financial crisis. The release of staff and suspension of law enforcement can easily lead to an increase in poaching and encroachment–first because there is little law enforcement; second because community members have lost their income and have few other alternatives.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Wade Lambert)

Primate sanctuaries and rescue centers are also affected. Although they are closed for tourism, they still have to feed the animals; they cannot just stop operations. A number of sanctuaries/rehabilitation centers in Indonesia have release and reintroduction programmes for orangutans, but reintroductions are currently not recommended because of the disease risk. And at the same time, they have to accommodate new animals, pushing them to the edge of their capacity.

It is urgent that that the international community establishes emergency funds to offset the loss of revenue from tourism. There are already some initiatives such as the call for proposals from the Lion’s Share initiative, to support communities that are highly dependent on income from tourism; or the SOS African Wildlife initiative, which responds to COVID-19 related threats.

With regard to great ape tourism­–which allows humans into natural habitats and in close proximity to wild animals–what are the prospects for re-opening sites in the future? 

This is a very complex and difficult question. On one hand, many sites need the income from tourism; it is their business model. On the other hand, a COVID-19 outbreak in a habituated great ape group would  threaten the viability of that business model–and could have disastrous effects.

We do not know whether there will be new waves of COVID-19 infections. And we have neither a vaccine nor a cure. The fact that great apes are so closely related to humans gives us hope that once there is a vaccine or cure for humans, it might also work for great apes, or could be developed to do so in a relatively short period of time.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Wade Lambert)

The Primate Specialist Group, Section on Great Apes, and the Wildlife Health Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature suggest best practices for great ape disease control and tourism; and implementation of these guidelines is one step.

In a post-COVID-19 future, how might we expect ecotourism to change?

Digital solutions are scenario, like this initiative to promote virtual ecotourism.  The potential income will not compensate for the lost income from a visitor who is paying US$1,500 for a single gorilla tracking permit in Rwanda, but it demonstrates that we can find new ways of doing things. Other initiatives try to engage the gaming industry. The Internet of Elephants, a collaborative social enterprise working towards a stronger connection between people and wild animals has partnered with the Borneo Nature Foundation and the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project to design Wildeverse, an augmented reality game featuring gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans.

How does UNEP support wildlife tourism?

The people who live with wildlife sometimes bear the negative impacts, such as the destructions of their harvest by wild animals; so it is important that these people also receive economic benefits. A lot of wildlife lives outside government-managed protected areas therefore it is important that the local communities that live with wildlife land owners–whether communities or private land owners–see the value in protecting wildlife. UNEP has been supporting community engagement in wildlife conservation and tourism. As an example, the Great Apes Survival Partnership Programme–with funding from the Spanish Government–supported the Lossi Interzone in the Republic of Congo, to establish the first gorilla tracking programme in a community-managed area in Africa.

For more information, please contact Johannes Refisch, Great Apes Survival Partnership Programme Manager and Coordinator: johannes.refisch@unep.org

Learn more about the Great Apes Survival Partnership Programme here.

Source: UNEP

Back in the Saddle

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Travis Yewell)

The COVID-19 pandemic has limited our movement and activities. Recreational sports around the world have been thrown into a deep freeze, shuttering everything from tennis clubs to weekend football leagues.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Travis Yewell)

But one diversion that remains pandemic-approved: cycling. The World Health Organization has recommended it both as a mode of transport and as a way of staying healthy during the global crisis.

With World Bicycle Day set for 3 June 2020, now is a good time to take stock of the benefits of the bicycle both for staying healthy and as a sustainable mode of transport during (and after) the global crisis.

Many governments are looking for ways to ease lockdown measures while providing recreational opportunities to people living in cities. With the current need to maintain physical distances, bicycle use has gained popularity and filled the gap left by limitations on public transport.

Bikes are an affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally friendly means of transportation and are being recognized as a key component of post COVID-19 ‘green recovery’. The Municipality of Milan for example, will transform 35 kilometers of streets into cycling and walking space as restrictions are lifted.

Cycling contributes to healthy, livable cities as it not only prevents pollution, but also keeps people physically active.

This World Bicycle Day, the UN encourages governments to improve road safety and better integrate the needs of cyclists into the design of transport infrastructure. Measures to safeguard pedestrians and cyclists are a key part of building the urban spaces of tomorrow.

UNEP’s Share the Road Programme helps governments and stakeholders in developing countries to move away from prioritizing the car-driving minority and towards investing in infrastructure for the majority: those who walk and cycle. Millions of people around the world use a bicycle as their primary means of transportation, either as choice riders or captive riders. For the latter, it is essential that their needs are better incorporated into policy and transport infrastructure investments.

World Bicycle Day is a celebration of this instrument of zero emissions mobility and connectivity.  It is an opportunity to come together to maximize the potential of the bicycle.

Source: UNEP

Renewables Increasingly Beat Even Cheapest Coal Competitors on Cost

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mariana Proenca)

Renewable power is increasingly cheaper than any new electricity capacity based on fossil fuels, a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) published yesterday finds. Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2019 shows that more than half of the renewable capacity added in 2019 achieved lower power costs than the cheapest new coal plants.

Photo: IRENA

The report highlights that new renewable power generation projects now increasingly undercut existing coal-fired plants. On average, new solar photovoltaic (PV) and onshore wind power cost less than keeping many existing coal plants in operation, and auction results show this trend accelerating – reinforcing the case to phase-out coal entirely. Next year, up to 1 200 gigawatts (GW) of existing coal capacity could cost more to operate than the cost of new utility-scale solar PV, the report shows.

Replacing the costliest 500 GW of coal with solar PV and onshore wind next year would cut power system costs by up to USD 23 billion every year and reduce annual emissions by around 1.8 gigatons (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2), equivalent to 5% of total global CO2 emissions in 2019. It would also yield an investment stimulus of USD 940 billion, which is equal to around 1% of global GDP.

“We have reached an important turning point in the energy transition. The case for new and much of the existing coal power generation, is both environmentally and economically unjustifiable,” said Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA. “Renewable energy is increasingly the cheapest source of new electricity, offering tremendous potential to stimulate the global economy and get people back to work. Renewable investments are stable, cost-effective and attractive offering consistent and predictable returns while delivering benefits to the wider economy.

“A global recovery strategy must be a green strategy,” La Camera added. “Renewables offer a way to align short-term policy action with medium- and long-term energy and climate goals.  Renewables must be the backbone of national efforts to restart economies in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. With the right policies in place, falling renewable power costs, can shift markets and contribute greatly towards a green recovery.”

Renewable electricity costs have fallen sharply over the past decade, driven by improving technologies, economies of scale, increasingly competitive supply chains and growing developer experience. Since 2010, utility-scale solar PV power has shown the sharpest cost decline at 82%, followed by concentrating solar power (CSP) at 47%, onshore wind at 39% and offshore wind at 29%.

Costs for solar and wind power technologies also continued to fall year-on-year. Electricity costs from utility-scale solar PV fell 13% in 2019, reaching a global average of 6.8 cents (USD 0.068) per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Onshore and offshore wind both declined about 9%, reaching USD 0.053/kWh and USD 0.115/kWh, respectively.

Recent auctions and power purchase agreements (PPAs) show the downward trend continuing for new projects are commissioned in 2020 and beyond. Solar PV prices based on competitive procurement could average USD 0.039/kWh for projects commissioned in 2021, down 42% compared to 2019 and more than one-fifth less than the cheapest fossil-fuel competitor namely coal-fired plants. Record-low auction prices for solar PV in Abu Dhabi and Dubai (UAE), Chile, Ethiopia, Mexico, Peru and Saudi Arabia confirm that values as low as USD 0.03/kWh are already possible.

For the first time, IRENA’s annual report also looks at investment value in relation to falling generation costs. The same amount of money invested in renewable power today produces more new capacity than it would have a decade ago. In 2019, twice as much renewable power generation capacity was commissioned than in 2010 but required only 18% more investment.

Read the full report Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2019

See the interactive infographic on How Falling Costs Make Renewables a Cost-effective Investment

Source: IRENA

Come Rain or Shine May the CEEFOR-ce Be With You

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Gaelle Marcel)

According to the Institute for Energy Research, demand for fossil fuels globally skyrocketed during 2018, triggering a consequent increase in carbon dioxide emissions, despite the significant share of renewables in the planet’s energy mix. Increased demand for energy is attributed, among other things, to weather conditions that forced the population 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 heating the space during the winter days – and at the same time its cooling during summer

For users who want to save both their own financial resources and the environment from the negative impact, heat pumps are an excellent option. They work on the principle of “reverse refrigerator” and they “extract” the accumulated heat from air, groundwater or soil, and increase it. That way, a large amount of energy of relatively low-temperature becomes high-temperature energy.

The main advantage of heat pumps over the competition in the market for heating and cooling appliances is that the facilities equipped with heat pumps receive much more energy compared to the costs. The system is powered by electricity and generates between 3.5 and 6 kW of thermal energy per kilowatt consumed.

Investment costs for heat pumps

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

We contacted the experts of the partner company CEEFOR (Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development) 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 houses.

The price of the recommended 9 kW heat pump is approximately € 1,700 in our country. 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 euros.

The heat pump recommended to us, according to the engineers’ calculations, would generate 3.5 kW of thermal energy per each kilowatt consumed.

The payback period depends on the energy class of the household, as well as the way it was previously heated.

The company engineers calculated your annual heating costs during a heating season of 180 days if you live in an average isolated home already of previously mentioned square footage. It mostly depends on current costs how much it pays off to install a heat pump.

The fastest return on investment for a heat pump installation will be achieved by those households that are heated with propane-butane gas and electricity, considering the current situation in the market. In eight or thirteen years they will be “in the black”. There is also a possibility of shortening the repayment period of the investment – the heat pump installation through programming device operation during the lower tariff – 0.04 €/kWh. In this case, the total amount of your bills in the heating season will be 102.86 €. The payback period will be shortened to 7 years if you use propane-butane gas for heating, or 11 years if you use electricity.

However, as other energy sources skyrocket as well, it is a matter of time before our table in attachment becomes “outdated” – and your repayment period if you use pellets for heating, for example, shortens drastically.

In focus:

Other benefits of heat pumps

Of course, saving is just one of the motives for the energy transition of households, so additional benefits of heat pumps should not be neglected.

Quiet, fully automated 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.

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 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.

Prepared by: Jelena Kozbasic

This article was published in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURAL RESOURCES, march – may, 2020

Good Health is an Environmental Right

Photo-illustation: Pixabay
Photo-illustation: Pixabay

The COVID-19 crisis is a reminder of the intimate relationship between humans, animals and the environment.

There are several human rights related to the environment- these are our environmental rights. Without clean, safe, healthy and sustainable ecosystems, numerous human rights cannot be fulfilled. The right to health; in addition to being a universally recognized human right, is intertwined with ecosystem health. Good health is a human and environmental right.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that if we want our ecosystems to take care of us, we need to take care of them.  On average, one new infectious disease emerges in humans every four months- 75 percent of these infections emanate from animals. These zoonotic diseases can spill over to humans when we destroy habitats and trade illegally in wildlife, increasing our exposure to pathogens.

Zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 are one of the many ways in which the environment impacts human health.

Air pollution, for instance,  kills over 6 million people each year. Airborne pollutants from cookstoves, coal-fired power plants, vehicles, industries, wildfires, and dust storms cause a significant portion of global deaths from strokes, lung cancer, heart attacks and respiratory diseases. Air pollution has been shown to exacerbate COVID-19 deaths.

Every day, 4,000 children die  from diseases caused by polluted water and inadequate sanitation, whilst toxins present in crops and livestock can accumulate in human bodies if ingested. Freshwater, marine, coastal, land and soil resources are devastated by pollution from municipal, industrial and agricultural waste; wastewater and nutrient run-off; power generation; heavy industry; and automobiles. This harm to natural resources subsequently adversely impacts public health.

Humans use over 100,000 different chemical elements and compounds including lead, mercury, cadmium and persistent organic pollutants. If not managed properly, chemicals can severely harm human health, causing acute poisoning, cancers, birth defects, neurological disorders, hormone disruption and other illnesses.

Whilst pollution has decreased during the ongoing pandemic, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), warned against viewing this as an environmental win. “Visible, positive impacts are but temporary, because they come on the back of tragic economic slowdown and human distress,” she said.

Confinement is not a solution to the world’s environmental problems: sustainable consumption and production is.

Along with scaling up sustainable consumption and production, and turning to nature-based solutions, the world’s COVID-19 recovery plan should incorporate a rights-based approach to tackle pollution. By using a human rights perspective to decide, apply and evaluate plans and activities, we can beat pollution whilst we re-build following the COVID-19 crisis. Fulfilling the human rights obligations related to the environment ensures that people and planet thrive as one.

Since environmental and human health are mutually reinforcing, relaxing environmental governance undermines efforts to counter the current pandemic. Bolstering and defending our economies is a priority in these debilitating times, reducing environmental protections is ultimately counter-productive to bettering public health.

By promoting sound management of hazardous medical and chemical waste, encouraging global stewardship of nature and biodiversity, UNEP is committed to supporting countries through the COVID-19 crisis and into a resilient and sustainable future as laid out by the Sustainable Development Goals. Promoting the realisation of environmental rights is an important part of this work.

Source: UNEP

How a Lagoon Became a Frontline Defence Against Climate Change

Photo: UNEP/Lisa Murray

When Albert Pati moved closer to the sea to open a beach bar overlooking the Mediterranean in Albania, he never imagined that the sea would also be moving closer to him, now eroding the soil around his restaurant floor.

Photo: UNEP/Lisa Murray

Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, families and businesses around the Adriatic Sea were faced with a serious threat.  One of the countries hardest-hit by coastal erosion in Europe, almost a third of Albania’s 427 km coastline is being eroded by violent waves. And the challenge is accelerating at an alarming speed due to climate-induced storm surges and rising sea levels.

“One time I was driving my children to school when the sea came in front of me and flooded the car,” explains Pati. “If the coast is not protected, then God save us.”

In Lezha District, where Pati’s business operates, nuclear bunkers built in the 70s during Albania’s communist era are now lost under the sea, the barely perceptible roofs only just emerging above water.

“The damages have been extraordinary,” laments Pati. “Our fishing deck was completely wiped out in a storm. But who to complain to about these things?”

COVID-19 came as a second blow. Prior to the outbreak, tourism contributed 15 percent of Albania’s GDP, employing more than 90,000 people. But with travel having ground to a halt for nearly two months, tourism in Lezha district has been severely impacted.

Nature provides solutions

To adapt to the changing climate in Lezha District, the government of Albania is turning to a solution as old as the sea itself: Nature.

Photo: UNEP/Lisa Murray

Covering around 4,000 hectares, the Kune-Vain Lagoon system is a biodiversity wonder, home to around 200 bird species, and an ecological corridor for birds on their migration routes. BirdLife International designated the region an ‘Important Bird Area’ of global significance.

The lagoon doesn’t only serve wildlife, but also people, by acting as a natural barrier against coastal erosion, protecting towns and villages– like Pati’s – from flooding.

Walking along a narrow aisle of sand dune – the sea on one side and the lagoon on the other – Pati explains: “Where we stand now is a protection for the villages and for the town, because if water covers this ground, the sea will get to the inner part of the lagoon and flow into the town.”

If this roughly 30-metre-wide corridor of sand succumbs to erosion, the lagoon will vanish and there will be nothing to stop the sea destroying the coast.

With support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the government of Albania is now reforesting and replanting 2,000 metres along this strip of sand dune. By restoring the vegetation, the project seeks to bind together the soil, strengthening the lagoon’s ability to withstand erosion. The restoration activities are selecting indigenous tree species that are both flood and salt tolerant to ensure long-term survival.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ateupQpGGgE

Ecosystem-based adaptation

This approach of using natural solutions to withstand the impacts of climate change is known as ecosystem-based adaptation – in essence, look after nature and it will look after you.

“Ecosystem-based adaptation protects people from climate change, but also gives space for nature to breathe,” says Atifa Kassam, UNEP’s Programme Officer for the restoration project. “Citizens from all over Albania come to see the Kune-Vain Lagoon. By harnessing the lagoon to help people be resilient to climate change, we can preserve the vital ecotourism industry that keeps nearby towns afloat.”

With over 90 percent of lockdown measures imposed by the Albanian government to prevent the spread of coronavirus now eased, taking measures like this to protect local tourism as it recovers is critical.

Photo: UNEP/Marcus Nield

Ecosystem-based adaptation approaches to flooding are also often cheaper than concrete options like seawalls. A study of 52 different sites found that coastal habitats were two to five times more cost-effective at lowering wave heights than engineered structures.

Custodians of nature

The GEF-backed project is training local communities and Albanian government staff on ecosystem-based adaptation, improving the capacity of policymakers to address climate change by using nature. It is also engaging students through hands-on learning, and facilitating studies of PhD and Masters students as they analyse the impacts of the ecosystem-based adaptation at Kune-Vain Lagoon.

The approach is also taking root locally.

At his beach bar, Pati points to the trees he’s planted on his private land to protect it from storms. “I’ve chosen this tree because it’s very strong and resistant,” he says, pointing to a tree that botanists call fraxinus ornus. “It grows easily and isn’t harmed by insects.”

Source: UNEP

COVID-19 Intensifies the Urgency to Expand Sustainable Energy Solutions Worldwide

Photo: IRENA

Despite accelerated progress over the past decade, the world will fall short of ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030 unless efforts are scaled up significantly, reveals the new Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report released recently by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Photo: IRENA

According to the report, significant progress had been made on various aspects of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 prior to the start of the COVID-19 crisis. This includes a notable reduction in the number of people worldwide lacking access to electricity, strong uptake of renewable energy for electricity generation, and improvements in energy efficiency. Despite these advances, global efforts remain insufficient to reach the key targets of SDG 7 by 2030.

“Renewable energy is key to achieving SDG 7 and building resilient, equitable and sustainable economies in a post COVID-19 world. Now more than ever is the time for bold international cooperation to bridge the energy access gap and place sustainable energy at the heart of economic stimulus and recovery measures. IRENA is committed to scale up action with its global membership and partners to channel investment and guide policy intervention in pursuit of sustainable development for all humankind,” said Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The number of people without access to electricity declined from 1.2 billion in 2010 to 789 million in 2018, however, under policies that were either in place or planned before the start of the COVID-19 crisis, an estimated 620 million people would still lack access in 2030, 85 percent of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. SDG 7 calls for universal energy access by 2030.

Other important elements of the goal also continue to be off track. Almost 3 billion people remained without access to clean cooking in 2017, mainly in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Largely stagnant progress since 2010 leads to millions of deaths each year from breathing cooking smoke. The share of renewable energy in the global energy mix is only inching up gradually, despite the rapid growth of wind and solar power in electricity generation. An acceleration of renewables across all sectors is required to move closer to reaching the SDG 7 target, with advances in heating and transport currently lagging far behind their potential. Following strong progress on global energy efficiency between 2015 and 2016, the pace has slackened. The rate of improvement needs to speed up dramatically, from 1.7 percent in 2017 to at least 3 percent in coming years.

Accelerating the pace of progress in all regions and sectors will require stronger political commitment, long-term energy planning, increased public and private financing, and adequate policy and fiscal incentives to spur faster deployment of new technologies An increased emphasis on “leaving no one behind” is required, given the large proportion of the population without access in remote, rural, poorer and vulnerable communities. The 2020 report introduces tracking on a new indicator, 7.A.1, on international financial flows to developing countries in support of clean and renewable energy. Although total flows have doubled since 2010, reaching $21.4 billion in 2017, only 12 percent reached the least-developed countries, which are the furthest from achieving the various SDG 7 targets.

The five custodian agencies of the report were designated by the UN Statistical Commission to compile and verify country data, along with regional and global aggregates, in relation to the progress in achieving the SDG 7 goals. The report presents policymakers and development partners with global, regional and country-level data to inform decisions and identify priorities for a sustainable recovery from COVID-19 that scales up affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy. This collaborative work highlights once more the importance of reliable data to inform policy-making as well as the opportunity to enhance data quality through international cooperation to further strengthen national capacities. The report has been transmitted by SDG 7 custodian agencies to the United Nations Secretary-General to inform the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’s annual review.

Key highlights on SDG7 targets

Please note that the report’s findings are based on international compilations of official national-level data up to 2018 while also drawing on analysis of recent trends and policies related to SDG 7 targets.

Access to electricity: Since 2010, more than a billion people have gained access to electricity. As a result, 90 percent of the planet’s population was connected in 2018. Yet 789 million people still live without electricity and despite accelerated progress in recent years, the SDG target of universal access by 2030 appears unlikely to be met, especially if the COVID-19 pandemic seriously disrupts electrification efforts. Regional disparities persist. Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia are approaching universal access but Sub-Saharan Africa lags behind, accounting for 70 percent of the global deficit. Several large access-deficit countries in the region have electrification growth rates that are not keeping up with population growth. Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have the largest deficits, with 85 million and 68 million unelectrified people, respectively. India has the third largest deficit with 64 million unelectrified people, although its rate of electrification outpaces population growth. Among the 20 countries with the largest access deficits, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Uganda showed the greatest improvement since 2010, thanks to annual electrification growth rates in excess of 3.5 percentage points, driven largely by a comprehensive approach that combined grid, mini grid and off-grid solar electrification.

Clean cooking: Almost three billion people remained without access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking, residing mainly in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the 2010 to 2018 period, progress has remained largely stagnant, with the rate of increase in access to clean cooking even decelerating since 2012 in some countries, falling behind population growth. The top 20 countries lacking access to clean cooking accounted for 82 percent of the global population without access between 2014 and 2018. This lack of clean cooking access continues to have serious gender, health, and climate consequences that affect not only the achievement of SDG target 7.1, but also the progress towards several other related SDGs. Under current and planned policies, 2.3 billion people would still be deprived of access to clean cooking fuels and technologies in 2030. The COVID 19 pandemic is likely to swell the toll of prolonged exposure of women and children to household air pollution caused by mainly using raw coal, kerosene or traditional uses of biomass for cooking. Without prompt action, the world will fall short of the universal cooking access goal by almost 30 percent. Greater access to clean cooking was achieved largely in two regions of Asia. From 2010 to 2018, in Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia the numbers of people lacking access fell from one billion to 0.8 billion. Central Asia and Southern Asia also saw improved access to clean cooking, in these regions the number of people without access dropped from 1.11 billion to 1.0 billion.

Renewables: The share of renewables in the global energy mix reached 17.3 percent of final energy consumption in 2017, up from 17.2 percent in 2016 and 16.3 percent in 2010. Renewables consumption (+2.5 percent in 2017) is growing faster than global energy consumption (+1.8 percent in 2017), continuing a trend in evidence since 2011. Most of the growth in renewables has occurred in the electricity sector, thanks to the rapid expansion of wind and solar power that has been enabled by sustained policy support and falling costs. Meanwhile, the use of renewables in heating and transport is lagging. An acceleration of renewables across all sectors will be needed to achieve SDG target 7.2. The full impact of the COVID-19 crisis on renewables is yet to become clear. Disruption to supply chains and other areas risks delaying deployments of wind and solar PV. The growth of electricity generation from renewables appears to have slowed down as a result of the pandemic, according to the available data. But they so far appear to be holding up much better than other major fuels such as coal and natural gas.

Energy efficiency: Global primary energy intensity – an important indicator of how heavily the world’s economic activity uses energy – improved by 1.7 percent in 2017. That is better than the 1.3 percent average rate of progress between 1990 and 2010 but still well below the original target rate of 2.6 percent and a marked slowdown from the previous two years. Specific metrics on energy intensity in different sectors indicate that improvements have been fastest in the industry and passenger transport sectors, exceeding 2 percent since 2010. In the services and residential sectors, they have averaged between 1.5 percent and 2 percent. Freight transport and agriculture have lagged slightly behind. Achieving SDG target 7.3 for energy efficiency will require the overall pace of improvement to accelerate significantly to around 3 percent a year between 2017 and 2030. But preliminary estimates suggest that the rate remained well below that level in 2018 and 2019, making an even more substantial increase in the coming years necessary to reach the SDG 7 target.

International financial flows: International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean and renewable energy doubled since 2010, reaching $21.4 billion in 2017. These flows mask important disparities with only 12 percent of flows in 2017 reaching those most in need (least developed countries and small island developing states). To accelerate renewable energy deployment in developing countries, there is a need for enhanced international cooperation that includes stronger public and private engagement, to drive an increase of financial flows to those most in need – even more so in a post-COVID-19 world.

This is the sixth edition of this report, formerly known as the Global Tracking Framework. The preparatory work of this year’s edition was chaired by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Funding for the report was provided by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP).

Source: IRENA

New Dates Agreed for COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Adam Marikar)

The Bureau of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), with the UK and its Italian partners, agreed yesterday new dates for the COP26 UN climate conference, which will now take place between 1 and 12 November 2021 in Glasgow.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Adam Marikar)

The agreement followed consultation with UNFCCC members, delivery partners and the international climate community. The conference was originally set to take place in November 2020, but had been postponed due to COVID-19.

In the run up to November 2021, the UK as hosts will continue to work with all involved to increase climate action, build resilience and lower emissions. The new date will also allow the UK and its Italian partners to harness our incoming G7 and G20 presidencies in driving climate ambition.

The decision on the new date comes as the UK Government announces that over 25 experts in multiple global sectors will be advising the COP26 Presidency.

The Friends of COP bring expertise from countries across six continents, including France, Barbados, Chad, Australia, India and Peru. They will advise the UK Government and inspire action from their sectors ahead of the conference.

The Friends of COP include Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Climate Action, Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles and Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation.

COP26 President and Secretary of State for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, said: “While we rightly focus on fighting the immediate crisis of the Coronavirus, we must not lose sight of the huge challenges of climate change. With the new dates for COP26 now agreed we are working with our international partners on an ambitious roadmap for global climate action between now and November 2021. The steps we take to rebuild our economies will have a profound impact on our societies’ future sustainability, resilience and wellbeing and COP26 can be a moment where the world unites behind a clean resilient recovery. Everyone will need to raise their ambitions to tackle climate change and the expertise of the Friends of COP will be important in helping boost climate action across the globe.”

Italian Minister for the Environment, Land and Sea Protection, Sergio Costa, said: “I am glad that consultations with Parties have made it possible to collectively and quickly agree new dates for COP26. The new dates mean the conference will be at a time when the Covid-19 tragedy will be behind us and we will be able to ensure inclusiveness, for us a fundamental prerequisite for an ambitious COP26 based on global commitment to action. Between now and November 2021 we will take advantage of every international opportunity to increase ambition and mobilization, also harnessing the G20 under the Italian Presidency and the G7 under the British Presidency.”

Carolina Schmidt Zaldívar, COP25 President and Minister of Environment of Chile said: “It is very important that we continue to push for climate action, and having quickly agreed on new dates for COP26 is a sign of this commitment. While the subsidiary body sessions (SB52) were also postponed 4-12 October 2020, the work of the Parties and stakeholders will continue through virtual meetings such as the upcoming ‘June Momentum’. The urgency with which governments and the way in which countries promote recovery from the post-COVID-19 crisis will directly affect the other serious global crisis we are experiencing: global warming and climate change crisis. That is why we will continue to strongly mobilize all actors. We need more ambition to reduce emissions, to build resilience and to cooperate with each other.”

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, said: “Our efforts to address climate change and COVID-19 are not mutually exclusive. If done right, the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis can steer us to a more inclusive and sustainable climate path. We honour those who we have lost by working with renewed commitment and continuing to demonstrate leadership and determination in addressing climate change, and building a safe, clean, just and resilient world.”

Source: Gov.uk

Opatija Will Host the Leading International Gas Conference in Southeast Europe

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The jubilee 35th edition of the International Scientific & Expert Meeting of Gas Professionals will open its doors on the 21st of October, 2020 traditionally in Opatija, Croatia.

Photo: Croatian Gas Association

During three days of the event 600 delegates, representing more than 200 companies and institutions, 60 respected speakers, and 45 exhibitors from more than 20 countries will attend the event. Prominent gas event organized by Croatian Gas Association, member of the International Gas Union (IGU) and Croatian Gas Center Ltd. is under the high auspices of the Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Ministry of Construction and Physical Planning, the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Crafts, the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia and the Croatian Hydrocarbon Agency.

The Conference will cover 12 thematic sessions, several interactive panel discussions, and a poster session on topics covering the entire natural gas chain, the application of new technologies, as well as key challenges that will determine the development of the natural gas market in the near future. The invited lectures will present the key environmental and economic role of natural gas as an integral part of a sustainable global energy system. The importance of natural gas as a geopolitical factor in the energy transition, the significance of strategic gas projects and the potential of natural gas to become the leading energy source in consumption in the world by 2050 will be emphasized.

In the second topic of the conference, the emphasis will be on the key policy recommendations to ensure a modern regulatory framework that is fit for the purpose to support the transition to a cost-efficient and carbon-neutral energy system. An important part of the upcoming event will be the presentation of several professional papers about the history, current development, and prospects of the future development of natural gas exploration and production projects in the Republic of Croatia.

The conference will show the current development and prospects of the future course of the strategic gas infrastructure development in Croatia and Europe, such as the construction of Zlobin-Omisalj, the new main gas pipeline that will provide the shipment of natural gas from the planned LNG terminal on the island of Krk to the transport system of the Republic of Croatia. More interesting presentations will present the application of smart technologies in gas and energy systems, innovations, and transfer of technologies and their role in the gas and energy industry. An interesting panel discussion on the current situation and trends of the natural gas market and future challenges will be held.

Due to the great interest of energy entities, an interesting workshop on the current topic of energy efficiency obligation scheme will be held as a part of the jubilee conference and will include an introductory presentation by an expert from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy and a panel discussion on the same topic.

Against the backdrop of the major shifts happening in energy markets dynamics, the workshop “Introduction to Fundamental Gas Modelling with PLEXOS” will focus on the European and regional gas supply and demand, drivers for emerging market changes (economic, technological and other) and will provide an insight into how these can be addressed with the adoption and use of PLEXOS Integrated Energy modelling platform in the region.

Photo: Croatian Gas Association

Since the great potential of expanding the use of natural gas is precisely in the transport sector, the conference will also discuss the importance and role of LNG in the road and maritime transport and green transport infrastructure and technology. Numerous experts will present papers on the issues of natural gas distribution and consumption from the point of view of efficiency and security of the gas system, as well as other current topics from the gas and energy industry. New developments in the legislation and technical regulations and rules of the profession for the safe and efficient use of gas and their practical application will be an important topic at the upcoming event. There will also be a poster session presenting the papers of experts from different energy sectors.

The Congress is involved in the Professional Ongoing Training Program of the Croatian Gas Association (CGA) and provides the participants with about 20 hours of professional lectures on topics related to gas, the energy industry, fundamentals of technical regulations, as well as thermo-engineering systems and facilities.

The conference will be followed by the gas equipment and technology exhibition which will bring together about 45 local and foreign exhibitors, mainly manufacturers and dealers of gas equipment, as well as many other renowned companies which will present their advanced technical solutions for the gas and energy industry.

Sponsorship of this established gas event provides a unique opportunity for companies to strengthen their position, show their expertise, and new technical solutions that are needed to overcome the challenges of the gas industry.

Targeted topics and reputable speakers represent a combination of science, education, profession, and business entities that actively participate in the gas industry.

Mobile application available before the opening ceremony and networking events in Opatija will secure enough time for interactive networking and new business opportunities.

SECURE YOUR PLACE ON TIME!

Register online now – https://susret.hsup.hr/en/registration-of-participants/

More information is available HERE and by phone at +385 (0) 6189-590/593.

Source: Croatian Gas Association

Green, Green Grass of Sombor

Photo: Cabinet of Mayor of Sombor

It is not just the hackberries and yew trees that are the green symbol of Sombor given that the environmental standards and clean technology are also being more and more applied in the industry and communal life in this town. How far ahead the Sombor citizens are regarding the strategy of sustainable development and how it affects their life, as well as the Sombor’s tourism and economic potential, we are discussing with the Mayor of Sombor Dusanka Golubovic

Everyone who visits Sombor remembers this city by its greenery. Still, those who spend a little more time in the company of Somborians will realise that when it comes to lifestyle and environmental protection, the residents of this municipality think green. So does their city administration, led by the Mayor Dusanka Golubovic, from whom we learn firsthand what the priorities of this municipality are in terms of ecology, how to maintain the public order, as well as keep the water, land and air clean. Also, we learn the significance of the project of producing electricity from the wastewater, which is nearly being finalised, and what the expectations of the regional waste management centre are which is about to be built in Sombor.

EP: With the length of 120 kilometres of tree-lined alleys and more than 18,000 trees, they say, that Sombor is the greenest city in the country and Europe. Is that officially true?

Dusanka Golubovic: The data you provide is accurate, but unfortunately, there are no official records of the greenest city in Serbia. What we claim with certainty is that everyone who visits Sombor remembers our town by its greenery. The most common species of trees in the tree alleys is the honeysuckle, known among Somborians as bođoš, which was brought to our city as early as 1903. It was planted as a medium for combating dust, as its rugged leaf collects dust from the air, but also as a means for combating excess water since this terrain was once a wetland. For the same reason, the centuries-old yew survived here, besides the ones in Kalemegdan which are the only other ones still in existence in Serbia. Besides the hackberry and yew, there are significant numbers of maple, elm, birch, wild chestnut and other woody species in Sombor’s alleys and parks. Many trees are over a hundred years old and have reached their maximum lifespan, so they need to be rejuvenated. Over the last year alone, we have removed 493 trees and planted 952.

EP: Is that much greenery also followed by green standards in the environment, public order and the economy? Do you belong to a few local governments that have a strategy for improving the quality of the environment, and what are your priorities?

Dusanka Golubovic: The City of Sombor has a Sustainable Development Strategy for the period 2014-2020, and the creation of a new one is underway this year. It shows that the priority is a better quality of the environment, and it will be implemented through specific goals such as the reduction of harmful links between the environmental pressures and the health of the local population; the improvement of the ambient air quality; the effective management of the risks of endangering the human health and environmental pollution. Also, we have been performing the monitoring of the surface and groundwaters for many years now, since 2018, the monitoring of air quality, as well as the noise pollution monitoring, and earlier this year we adopted the regulations concerning the control of the soil. In accordance with the Air Protection Law, we have drawn up a short-term action plan for the air protection in Sombor’s territory for the period of 2020-2023, which has been forwarded to the Ministry of Environmental Protection for their approval. What we consider to be one of our principal activities is a regular education of school children to raise their awareness of the need for environmental protection

EP: Who are currently the biggest polluters in Sombor and how much are the green standards implemented in the business of the companies and manufacturers in your municipality?

Dusanka Golubovic: We are currently in the process of data collection for the year 2019, which will be published on the city’s official website probably after March 31st, which is a deadline for the polluters to submit their reports to the competent department of the City’s Administration. However, it can be said that in the City of Sombor, the biggest problem is the Veterinary Institution “Proteinka” with the emission of unpleasant odours that are sometimes felt throughout the city. The final solution of the “Proteinka” problem is what we all expect from the Ministry of Agriculture in the near future. On the other hand, we also have an example of good practice so we can mention the plant of the company “Agroplus”, which is the first bio-gas power plant built in West Backa district, which obtains biogas from manure and green waste. This company has built a facility based on German technology adjacent to their farm in Svetozar Miletic, where they obtained a singular production unit from which 1.2 MW of electricity is supplied to the Serbian power network. Besides, we have an announcement of an investor who already operates in our territory and who shares our opinion about the necessity of the introduction of solar sources for obtaining energy, that they are preparing for an investment in solar panels in a capacity that will exceed their needs. The surplus of the generated electricity will be available to the Serbian power network.

In focus:

Photo: Cabinet of Mayor of Sombor

EP: Not only are you the first and one of the few municipalities in Serbia that acquired a wastewater treatment plant, but you also announced last year that the electricity generation from the wastewater would be starting soon. Is this process completed?

Dusanka Golubovic: The Sombor’s PUC “Vodokanal” has a long tradition in the process of collection, drainage and treatment of wastewater. The first wastewater treatment plant was put into operation in 1964, while the wastewater treatment plant built in 1986 is still in operation today and has a much higher capacity. The purifier is developed based on a waterline (with a primary and secondary purification) and a sludge line, which is also composed of anaerobic conversion of biogas. The biogas from the plant has been used to heat the technological process and the buildings within the plant. To utilise the biogas completely, the plan is to use it to power the gas generator that is part of the IPA Serbia-Croatia Cross-Border Cooperation Project. From an economic point of view, we expect significant savings here.

In addition to the gas generator, the technical documentation for the project of the future solar power plant at the wastewater facility has also been prepared. By using renewable energy sources, “Vodokanal” will strive to achieve full energy independence at the wastewater facility in the future. The installation of the gas generator is the first stage in the process of obtaining electricity from biogas, and this phase has been completed. The second phase contemplates the use of new raw material in addition to the sewage sludge already in use, which is maize silage. The gas generator with the inlet basket has been entirely built with a new transformer station, and we foresee the construction of the switchgear which has been contracted. It represents the link between the wastewater treatment plant and the electricity buyer – EPS. The switchgear is planned to be completed by early summer.

Interview by: Tamara Zjacic

Read the whole Interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURAL RESOURCES, march – may, 2020

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