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Sports for Nature Initiative Shaping Focus on Biodiversity in Sports and the Olympic Movement

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Braden Collum)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mike Swigunski)

As Paris celebrates with the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, behind the scenes, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Paris 2024 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Paris 2024) have committed to take action to protect nature.

This is the first Games to take place since the establishment of Sports for Nature (S4N) – a joint initiative of IUCN, the IOC, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.

Yesterday, on the eve of the Opening Ceremony, some 500 Heads of State, government representatives, sports bodies and civil society actors came together for a summit in support of the Paris Agreement for Sport and Sustainable Development. This agreement, composed of ten commitments, includes a call to mobilise action by joining the Sports for Nature (S4N) initiative.

S4N aims to deliver transformative action for the environement, by 2030 and beyond, by enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration. It provides a game plan for sporting events — at all levels — to accelerate action and inspire others to protect nature.

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The event was hosted in the French capital by President Emmanuel Macron and the President of the IOC, Thomas Bach on Thursday evening. It made clear their determination to ensure that sport contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and their broader commitment to use sport to inspire future generations. The inclusion of S4N enshrines protections for nature as an important part of this Games’ legacy, helping to shape future sporting events.

“We are honoured that the Sports for Nature initiative was recognised as part of the Paris Agreement for Sport and Sustainable Development. The Sports for Nature initiative puts nature and biodiversity at the heart of the sports agenda. Its inclusion in the plans for the Olympic Games, and its resulting legacy, will help to inspire action on biodiversity for generations to come”, said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General.

Dr Aguilar also serves on the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission, an advisory body providing expertise on the development and promotion of sustainability practices throughout the Olympic movement.

The IOC and Paris 2024 are among many high-profile sporting bodies who are signatories of the S4N Framework. Together they have put nature on the agenda of the Olympic and Paralympic Games preparation, its organisation and its legacy.

Source: IUCN

United Hands Make the Planet Greener

Photo: Little Cleaning Bears
Photo: Little Cleaning Bears

The strength and will that a person carries inside of them is most strongly manifested in the difficult moments that life brings. The first days of the coronavirus pandemic prompted us to change certain lifestyle habits. People experienced more free time differently. For Perica Štefan, the pandemic made it impossible for him to do his job, but at the same time, it made him realize that free time is his most valuable resource. During a walk in the forest with his little sister, he noticed that the hustle and bustle of everyday life prevented us from paying attention to the fact that nature was filled with rubbish. A day after the forest stroll, he invited his sister and cousin to join him, and together, they collected the scattered rubbish. The small village of Nova Kapela, not far from Slavonski Brod, was the location that was first cleaned during the pandemic, which ultimately continued to develop into broader campaigns not long after. Symbolically, on Earth Day, they shared clips from these cleaning campaigns with their Facebook friends and invited them to join them. After returning to Zagreb, Perica began to receive the support of only the people Symbolically, on Earth Day, they shared clips from these cleaning campaigns with their Facebook friends and invited them to join them. After returning to Zagreb, Perica began to receive the support of only the people closest to him until the media picked up his story. Four years later, more than 1,700 people who participated in cleaning campaigns with him at least once now make up the Little Cleaning Bears community (Čisteći Medvjedići, in Croatian language), of which Perica is the founder and president.

Although the group was initially met with apprehension, this did not stop them from continuing to do what they had been doing. On the contrary, it encouraged them to continue with even bigger confidence. Perica says that continuity proved to be the most important factor, which is why they have implemented more than 400 cleaning campaigns so far. They received tremendous support and logistical help from municipalities, cities, communal services, and others; without their help, it would not have been possible to transport and store the collected waste. Through time and as their story developed, the first sponsors and companies that wanted to cooperate with them began to emerge, which financially facilitated the purchase of the necessary equipment needed for the cleaning campaigns. Also, the group established cooperation with numerous organizations, schools, kindergartens, and bookstores, while new messages and ideas relating to future cleaning actions spring up daily.

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More extensive cleaning campaigns are organized almost every weekend throughout Croatia. Still, it should be noted that numerous clean-ups have also been carried out in other countries, from Georgia to Cyprus, through Tunisia and Gibraltar, to Greece and Estonia. According to Perica, a particularly satisfying segment of these campaigns, which was the initial idea, is that people in different places gather almost spontaneously and on their own initiative, with children often joining in. Although it is a joy to see a large number of people responding, Perica says that the best campaigns are carried out by up to 20 people, where there is no need to coordinate much. Still, the campaign itself, in the end, turns into socializing and the opportunity to chat with everyone.

In addition to the cleaning campaigns they carry out, Little Cleaning Bears also focuses on educating children in kindergartens and schools, which have expressed a growing interest. However, everything still mainly rests on the enthusiasm shown by individual educators, Perica says, adding that such education should be systematically organized and not depend on inspired individuals to implement it.

Throw the cigarette butt in the bin – 100,000 cigarette butts

In March this year, the Little Cleaning Bears community celebrated its fourth birthday, but it also marked the success of the campaign launched in September of last year – Throw the Cigarette Butt in the Bin. Once the symbolic 100,000 cigarette butts were collected, they were used to make the inscription THROW THE CIGARETTE BUTT IN THE BIN, which was displayed in Ban Jelačić Square in Zagreb and attracted a lot of interest. Many Croatian media outlets covered this campaign. Only recently, Little Cleaning Bears received the Green Butterfly Award for this campaign, which was awarded by Resolution Earth, an environmental project launched by Večernji List newspaper.

Prepared by Katarina Vuinac

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURE CONSERVATION.

As Landscapes Heal, Nepal’s Most Iconic Animals Stage a Comeback

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The tiger that leapt on Bhadai Tharu in the forests of Nepal took the sight from his left eye with a swipe of a paw. But it also helped the community leader understand that people must leave room for nature while pursuing economic development.

“The tiger attacked me because I went to his home. Otherwise, it never attacks humans,” says Tharu, who leads anti-poaching patrols in a forest in the Terai region, a stronghold of the big cats in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Terai is rich in wildlife. But it is also home to nearly eight million people who rely on its forests for everything from timber to medicine, and have cleared large areas for farming. That has led to environmental degradation, and put rhinos and elephants, as well as tigers, on the list of endangered species.

But in recent years, those pressures have eased under the Terai Arc Landscapes initiative. This government-led effort is helping to protect and restore Terai’s forests, reversing the loss of Nepal’s rich biodiversity and enhancing the benefits of intact ecosystems for the region’s people.

Launched in 2001, the initiative has secured habitat for threatened species including the greater one-horned rhinoceros and the Asian elephant as well as the royal Bengal tiger. A key element is the restoration of seven corridors to connect more strictly protected areas, including wildlife refuges in neighbouring India.

The corridors programme, with its measures to reduce human-wildlife conflict and support rural economies, was recently recognized as a United Nations World Restoration Flagship. Presented as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the award showcases outstanding undertakings to restore ecosystems for the sake of both people and wildlife.

“The transboundary Terai Arc Landscape serves not only as a biological hotspot. It also serves as a true testament to the effectiveness of the landscape approach of conservation,” says Birendra Prasad Mahato, Minister of Forests and Environment of Nepal. “We are incredibly grateful for this recognition from the UN and are encouraged to continue tackling existing and new challenges faced by our forests, wildlife and communities.”

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Himalayan hotspot

The Terai Arc Landscape initiative is reviving a biodiversity hotspot that covers 2.47 million hectares and is home to 7.5 million people. Many of its rural areas, especially those outside Nepal’s national parks, had been seriously degraded as a result of deforestation, fragmentation, encroachment and poaching.

Nature has quickly rebounded, capturing carbon, storing water and increasing the resilience of human and wildlife populations in the face of climate change. Camera traps and radio collars have helped detect tigers, elephants, rhinos, leopards, hyenas and many other species shuttling between previously isolated protected areas. These movements are helping to maintain genetic diversity and reduce the risk of extinction. Nepal’s tiger population has tripled, rising from 121 in 2009 to 355 in 2022, according to the latest national survey.

“The Terai Arc Landscape initiative does not protect nature by pulling people out of it but by bringing people and nature closer together,” says Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

“After decades of uncontrolled exploitation and degradation, resources are now urgently needed to rebuild that connection and restore vital ecosystems. This is key to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and rampant pollution,” Andersen says.

Source: UNEP

Sustainable Development Must Be More Than Just an Empty Phrase

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (jaromir-kavan)
Photo: Courtesy of Marina Mijić

Sustainable development is a phrase used today by all companies in their reports and an excellent backdrop for PR stories. However, sustainability is often used only as an empty phrase, and companies are not serious about dealing with it strategically and systematically. This can become a severe global problem because our planet and humanity’s survival depend on concrete, sustainable business results.

As a concept, sustainability was first used extensively in the business context in the late 20th and early 21st century, when the harmful effects of industry on the environment and society became increasingly obvious. International standards ISO 14001 for environmental protection management and ISO 26000 for corporate social responsibility have become widely accepted. Sustainable development was first implemented in industries that had the greatest impact on the natural environment and society, such as energy, mining, agriculture, construction, textile, and automotive. They were the first to look for solutions to reduce negative environmental impacts. However, our interlocutor does not work in any of these heavy industries; rather, she is a banker. There are several reasons why we are talking to her, and all of us are required to engage.

The path to sustainability is demanding – but there is no alternative

We spoke with Marina Mijić, Head of the Sustainable Development Department at ProCredit Bank, about the motives and ways the banking sector is involved in the global movement of sustainable business strategies. ProCredit Bank is considered a pioneer among financial institutions as it has approached sustainability with full understanding and responsibility and has set goals.

“ProCredit Bank has had sustainable banking as its development focus for over two decades. What does this mean in practice? It means that we have adapted all work processes to sustainable practices – from online banking and strictly controlled consumption of energy and all other resources in our daily work to measuring CO2 emissions, financing sustainable and green projects, and implementing restrictive investment policies towards clients who have not set sustainable goals or started with the green transition. We are the first bank in Serbia to have the Sustainable Development Department. We have hired engineers, environmental specialists and economists who provide advisory and partner support to clients when they decide to change their business to green. Banks today are much more than just banks. We are not just finance providers, but we also give the direction in which the country’s economy should move and shed light on various impacts such an economy will have on the environment and people”, Ms Mijić says.

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The bank has been recently validated by the international SBTi initiative, which testifies to the ambitious and strictly defined sustainability goals of the ProCredit banking group.

The bank has determined its short-term goals for reducing harmful emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, and the ProCredit Group is approaching them decisively.

To compare, 500 large global companies did not pass this validation, which speaks volumes about the high standards that ProCredit sets for itself and its clients. Marina Mijić adds that this road is demanding and complex, but there is no alternative.

Humanity is the central figure of sustainability

Photo: ProCredit Bank

Regarding sustainability, most people think of the Green Agenda and the measures companies implement to protect the environment. However, human beings are actually at the center of the concept of sustainability.

This statement is true in two respects. First, humans create and manage sustainable practices. The planet’s survival depends exclusively on humanity’s awareness and commitment to solving the problems of pollution, high gas emissions, and energy efficiency. Everything is in mankind’s hands.

On the other hand, sustainable business implies taking care of people equally by providing healthy and stimulating working conditions, open and transparent communication with them, developing employee skills and know-how to fulfil their working potential and providing equal rights for everyone within the company.

Sustainability also implies taking care of people from the immediate and broader social community, especially social groups that require a specific approach to providing financial services.

The importance of mankind for the sustainable future of business and even the planet itself is evidenced by a very interesting point of view that Marina Mijić shared with us: “The world is obsessed with artificial intelligence and all that it can do instead of man. After the initial fascination, AI started to scare us. In such an atmosphere of AI dominance, companies are becoming increasingly focused on people, their feelings, motivation, and work/life balance, as well as creating stimulating programmes for their comprehensive development. The sustainability model is humane in its essence, which means that it seriously counts on people”.

ProCredit Bank

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURE CONSERVATION.

Latin America and the Caribbean Launch First Regional Eco-Labeling Programme

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Regulatory, standardization, and accreditation bodies from Latin America and the Caribbean today announced the successful legal constitution of the Environmental Alliance of America, which hosts the first regional eco-labeling programme, representing a significant step toward harmonizing and promoting eco-labeling efforts.

The initiative – supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) through funding from Germany – aims to drive sustainable trade and enable better-informed consumer choices for more than 450 million people. Its legal constitution follows a 2023 Ministerial Decision from the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean that underscored the region’s commitment to eco-labeling through the Environmental Alliance of America.

“This initiative is crucial for connecting with producers and consumers about the environmental impact of the products they buy through clear and reliable information. Our collective effort to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution heavily depends on changing production practices and consumer behaviors,” said Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of the Industry and Economy Division at UNEP. “The Alliance addresses a crucial gap, empowering consumers, businesses, and public procurement actors to make better-informed decisions across high-impact product categories, ranging from food to air conditioners and plastic products.”

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Representatives from the governments of Colombia, Ecuador and Costa Rica emphasized that under the Alliance, each product must meet specific criteria to obtain the eco-label, ensuring that consumers receive trustworthy information about the way in which the product was manufactured. This empowers consumers to make informed and responsible purchasing decisions, leading to a change in production practices and the quality of productions. This also leads companies to reduce long-term operational costs and business risks, while also contributing to the strengthening of local economies and the creation of green jobs.

“By providing a harmonized approach to eco-labeling, countries within the region are creating a powerful tool to align actions across borders, facilitating the trade of sustainable products and promoting the region’s economic integration”, said Juan Bello, UNEP’s Regional Director and Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.

To support this effort, Germany has provided initial funding through the EcoAdvance project. Dr. Ulf D. Jaeckel, Head of Division at the German Federal Ministry and co-lead of the Consumer Information Programme of the 10YFP, expressed his support: “We congratulate the Alliance and hope that the regional eco-label will be recognized for its credibility among consumers and its ability to set ambitious standards for products and services. We are proud to have contributed and to collaborate with UNEP and partners to facilitate the establishment of the eco-label for Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Source: UNEP

Artificial Womb for the Recovery of Endangered Shark Species

Foto ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo: Youtube screenshot / Oceanrch

I have always thought of scientists as real-life wizards, making possible what was once only in the realm of science fiction. This belief was reaffirmed by researchers at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, who—get this—created an artificial womb that allows premature sharks to develop to full term.

The focus here is on the Short-tail Lanternsharks, small predators inhabiting parts of the Indian Ocean. Only 46 cm long, these mysterious sharks live at great depths and glow in the dark. Many species of lantern sharks remain insufficiently studied. However, these tiny sharks often get accidentally caught in nets, and conscientious fishermen strive to return them to the ocean or quickly care for them in an aquarium.

Thus, the Okinawa aquarium came into possession of Short-tail Lanternsharks. They noticed that embryos in the mother’s womb remain alive for a certain time, even if the mother has died. These sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning the female gives birth to live young instead of laying eggs. However, if a pup is born prematurely, its inability to regulate salt levels in contact with seawater leads to death within a few hours.

To help premature pups develop to full term, Japanese scientists developed an artificial womb that mimics conditions in the mother’s womb. In their scientific paper published in the journal Frontiers in Fish Science, the researchers explain how they achieved conditions similar to those in the female’s womb—by filtering water in specially made tanks to enrich it with oxygen and using UV light for disinfection.

Despite these efforts, the experiments faced a high mortality rate of embryos, prompting scientists to search for the cause. Although the embryos fully developed, they died shortly after contact with salt water. Consequently, scientists adopted the method of gradually mixing artificial amniotic fluid with salt water, similar to how the short-tail lantern shark female prepares for birth.

The latest attempt finally brought success! Out of 33 embryos, three survived and can now be seen happily swimming as adults in the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.

This amazing experiment provides hope for the recovery of other endangered species that can avoid extinction only with the help of science. Scientists have already mastered the skill of artificial insemination, and it seems that artificial wombs will further facilitate and accelerate the repopulation of critically endangered species. Moreover, progress in the development of artificial wombs is an important step towards creating a womb for premature human babies, adding even greater significance to the Japanese scientists’ experiment.

Let’s hope that science will always be at the service of both humans and animals, as is the case here.

Milena Maglovski

Global coal demand is set to remain broadly flat through 2025

Photo illustration: Pixabay
Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Bence Balla-Schottner)

Global coal demand is set to remain broadly unchanged in both 2024 and 2025 as surging electricity demand in some major economies offsets the impacts of a gradual recovery in hydropower and the rapid expansion of solar and wind, according to the IEA’s latest update on coal market trends worldwide.

The world’s use of coal rose by 2.6 percent in 2023 to reach an all-time high, driven by strong growth in China and India, the two largest coal consumers globally, the IEA’s Coal Mid-Year Update finds. While coal demand grew in both the electricity and industrial sectors, the main driver was the use of coal to fill the gap created by low hydropower output and rapidly rising electricity demand.

In China, which accounts for more than half of global coal consumption, electricity generation from hydropower has been recovering in 2024 from last year’s exceptionally low levels. This, alongside the continued rapid deployment of solar and wind, is significantly slowing down the growth in coal use in 2024. But another major annual increase in China’s electricity demand, forecast at 6.5 percent in 2024, makes a decline in the country’s coal consumption unlikely. In India, coal demand growth is set to decelerate in the second half of 2024 as weather conditions return to seasonal averages. In the first half of the year, India’s coal consumption rose sharply as a result of low hydropower output and a massive increase in electricity demand due to extreme heatwaves and strong economic growth.

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Coal demand in Europe is continuing on the downward trend that began in the late 2000s, largely due to emissions reduction efforts in power generation. After having fallen by more than 25 percent in 2023, coal power generation in the European Union is forecast to drop by almost as much again this year. Coal use has also been contracting significantly in the United States in recent years, but stronger electricity demand and less switching from coal to natural gas threaten to slow this trend in 2024. Japan and Korea continue to reduce their reliance on coal, although at a slower pace than Europe.

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Dominik Vanyi)

“Our analysis shows that global coal demand is likely to remain broadly flat through 2025, based on today’s policy settings and market trends,” said Keisuke Sadamori, IEA Director of Energy Markets and Security. “The continued rapid deployment of solar and wind, combined with the recovery of hydropower in China, is putting significant pressure on coal use. But the electricity sector is the main driver of global coal demand, and electricity consumption is growing very strongly in several major economies. Without such rapid growth in electricity demand, we would be seeing a decline in global coal use this year. And the structural trends at work mean that global coal demand is set to reach a turning point and start declining soon.”

On the supply side, global coal production is expected to decrease slightly in 2024 after steady growth the year before. In 2024, coal production in China is moderating after two years of staggering growth. In India, the push to boost coal production continues, with a supply increase of around 10 percent expected in 2024. In advanced economies, coal production is in decline, broadly reflecting demand.

The report finds that trade volumes are at the highest levels ever seen despite the collapse of imports in Europe and the decline in imports in Northeast Asia (Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei) since 2017. However, other countries are stepping in to take up available supply. In 2024, Vietnam is set to become the fifth largest coal importer, surpassing Chinese Taipei. Imports to China and India remain at all-time highs.

Despite declining domestic production in China in the first half of this year, tighter sanctions on Russian producers and disruptions in a few exporting countries, the global coal market is well supplied, according to the report. With more stable natural gas prices than in recent years, coal prices remained range-bound in the first half of 2024. They have returned to levels last seen before the global energy crisis but remain elevated due to inflationary pressures.

Source: IEA

Plant a Flower, Embellish the World

Photo: Ekoeksplozija team
Photo: Ekoeksplozija team

The Eco Explosion project is an inspiring story about a student company that was formed at the Mija Stanimirović Electrical Engineering School in Niš, where the idea of ecological transformation of the local community gradually developed. It all started with the competition of student companies launched by Junior Achievement Serbia, where a team of enthusiasts achieved great success and turned their love for ecology into a practical and sustainable project.

The student company, like any other, has its own people in management positions – Ognjen Marjanović is the company director, Petar Cvetković the finance director, Petra Mitrović the production director, Mihajlo Dinić the graphic designer and Jana Kostić the marketing director and our interlocutor, who explained to us what ecological bombs were and how they help to preserve the environment.

Eco Explosion produces eco-bombs – seedlings enriched with soil, humus, seeds of selected plants and special absorbent sand called the secret ingredient, as it plays a crucial role in preserving the readiness of seeds for germination. The sand  actually  helps the eco-bombs keep their shape and absorb all the moisture so that the seeds cannot germinate until they come into contact with water. The bomb-making process, which takes place in the school’s Makers Lab, involves mixing ingredients and forming balls that are then dried for 24-48 hours, allowing the team to produce large quantities of their “invention” in a relatively short period.

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Everyone will be able to buy eco-bombs on modified devices that will be placed all over Niš, while the team hopes that in the future, the devices will be distributed in other Serbian cities. The devices are very easy to use and attract the attention and interest of both children and adults. All that is required is 50 dinars to buy a token, which is inserted into the device after purchase. The user then pushes the lever several times and gets their eco-bomb ready for planting.

Photo: Ekoeksplozija team

Although the purchasing process is simple, the students still encounter challenges along the way. Some of the challenges included the safety and operation of the machines that would be installed and distribute their product, as well as the formulation of the recipe for the innovative eco-bombs. Financial challenges are also common with such initiatives. However, Eco Explosion managed to stand out thanks to the support of the local community, the media and especially the Vožd Karađorđe scouts, who recognized the value and potential of this project.

“Up until now, we have purchased all the ingredients and all the consumables ourselves with the money we would collect at school bazaars. Our school, other students, and teachers supported us by buying various decorations, sweets, and gifts that we sold at the school. In this way, we raised enough money to invest in the company and realize our idea. If we hadn’t participated in the bazaar, we don’t know how we would have managed to collect the money. We believe that finances are exactly what is stopping young people from implementing their ideas”, Jana explains.

Prepared by Milica Vučković

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURE CONSERVATION.

Regional Fora Aim to Increase Country Ambition Ahead of Next Round of Climate Plans

Photo-illustration: Freepik (jcomp)
Photo-illustration: Freepik (user6702303)

As record temperatures and unprecedented impacts of climate change continue to affect billions of people across the planet, the United Nations and partners have announced a series of regional meetings aimed at increasing ambition in the next round of climate pledges under the Paris Agreement.

In 2025, countries are required to submit new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These plans are known as NDCs 3.0. In these NDCs, countries are encouraged to set 2035 ambitious, economy-wide emission reduction targets that align with limiting global warming to 1.5°C and increase resilience to climate impacts.

“To provide climate justice for all and preserve a livable planet, greenhouse gas emissions must fall dramatically and efforts to adapt to climate impacts must be stepped up,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “However, greenhouse gas emissions are not falling, global temperatures are hitting new highs and vulnerable populations are suffering. NDCs 3.0 must match the moment we face and be far more ambitious.”

To help countries shape the next round of their climate pledges under the Paris Agreement, UNEP, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the NDC Partnership, in collaboration with the UNFCCC Secretariat (UN Climate Change), are organizing NDCs 3.0 Regional Fora.

“Parties have agreed to the ratchet mechanism under Paris because it’s a powerful tool for progress and they recognize the importance of staying proactive in the face of climate change,” said Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “We cannot afford to be stagnant: submitting new Nationally Determined Contributions is not just a reporting requirement, but a vital commitment to safeguarding our planet’s future for future generations. The NDCs 3.0 Regional Fora will support all Parties to deliver on their commitments.”

The schedule for the NDCs 3.0 Regional Fora taking place in 2024 has been set as follows:

  • Regional Forum for the Pacific, from 12 to 16 August 2024 hosted by the government of Samoa in Apia
  • Regional Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, from 27 to 29 August 2024 hosted by the government of Colombia in Bogota
  • Regional for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, from 3 to 5 September hosted by the government of Türkiye in Istanbul
  • Regional Forum for the Middle East and North Africa, from 23 to 25 September 2024 hosted by the government of Tunisia in Tunis
  • Regional Forum for Asia, from 30 September to 2 October in Bangkok, Thailand
  • Regional Forum for Africa, from 7 to 9 October 2024 hosted by the government of Rwanda in Kigali

These Fora will be closed-doors events, targeting government officials responsible for NDCs revisions from all countries in each region. Inclusivity and equal-representation will be ensured through the invitation of selected resources spokespeople from youth and other under-represented and marginalized groups.

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What NDCs 3.0 need to achieve

UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2023 found that current NDCs put the world on track for a global temperature rise of 2.5-2.9°C. While emissions are projected to stabilize after 2030, they still don’t decline rapidly enough to meet scientific targets according to the 2023 NDC Synthesis Report. For a 1.5°C pathway, reductions to global greenhouse gas emissions of 42 per cent are needed by 2030.

Photo-illustration: Freepik (freepik)

Meanwhile, UNEP’s Adaptation Gap Report 2023 found that the adaptation finance gap is US$194-366 billion per year. Urgent country-driven adaptation, backed by appropriate finance, is urgently needed.

The Fora will use insights from COP28 and the Global Stocktake to focus on mitigation options, adaptation solutions and inclusion of super pollutants (short-lived non-CO2 pollutants), such as methane and black carbon in the NDCs.

Participants, invited from government ministries engaged in NDC development and implementation, will engage in peer-learning, explore innovative financing models and share how to develop policy roadmaps that lead to implementation. The Fora will be a place to discuss how ambitious sectoral targets can lead to transformational change and investment plans.

Climate change is also a major driver of nature and biodiversity loss, with nature loss driving climate change. The sources of climate change are often the same as the sources of pollution and waste, hence the crises are interlinked and the solutions should be integrated.

The Fora will then encourage countries to consider the co-benefits of climate action and share examples on how to align climate targets with other international commitments on nature, pollution and sustainable development in their NDCs.

NDCs 3.0 Regional Fora will be organized in collaboration with other partners,  including the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the United Nations REDD programme, and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), as well as regional partners including the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the United Nations Economic, Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) and the Asian Development Bank.

Source: UNEP

New Law to Make Products on the EU Market More Sustainable

Foto: Unsplash (Becca McHaffie)
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

An EU law has come into force that will enable the setting of ecodesign requirements and information for almost all categories of physical goods that come onto the EU market. The new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation builds on the existing Ecodesign Directive, which currently only covers energy-related products. It aims to significantly improve the circularity, energy performance and other environmental sustainability aspects of products placed on the EU market.

Ecodesign concerns the integration of environmental considerations into all stages of product development. It is crucial, in a world where there is such a high demand for efficient and sustainable products as a way of reducing energy and resource consumption.

The EU has long been active in this area. You may recognise the energy label that comes on your washing machine or fridge, for example, which we have thanks to the EU. But environmental sustainability is about more than just energy efficiency. With the passing of the regulation, a sustainable product will have to display one or more of the following characteristics: uses less energy, lasts longer, can be easily repaired, parts can be easily disassembled and put to further use, contains fewer substances of concern, can be easily recycled, contains more recycled content, has a lower carbon and environmental footprint over its lifecycle.

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The Regulation also introduces measures to ban the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear and opens a way to extend similar bans on other sectors, if evidence shows they are needed. Companies will also be required to publicly disclose on their websites annual information, such as the number and weight of products they discarded, as well as the reasons for doing so. Finally, it also enables mandatory Green Public Procurement criteria to spend public funding in a more sustainable direction. Public authorities in the EU in fact spend around 1.8 trillion euros purchasing works, goods and services.

With this new law, the EU looks to build on its long track record of delivering benefits to businesses, consumers and the environment. After all, in 2021 alone, the impact of the current ecodesign measures, covering 31 product groups, saved EUR 120 billion in energy expenditure for EU consumers and led to a 10 per cent lower annual energy consumption by the products in scope.

Source: European Commission

Key Enablers to Triple Renewables by 2030: Policy and Regulations

Photo-illustration: Pixabay (Skitterphoto)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mariana Proença)

The UAE Consensus agreed at COP28 to triple global renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency gains by 2030 requires countries to overcome structural barriers impeding the energy transitions progress. The World Energy Transitions Outlook by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) identifies these barriers and the key enablers that create conducive conditions for an accelerated transition.

Siloed policy making is one of the barriers identified. It has been hindering the systemic shifts required in energy policy and planning. Policy makers play a crucial role in supporting the shifts by adapting market structures, eliminating distorting fossil fuel subsidies and establishing effective carbon pricing mechanisms. Turning the COP28 pledge into reality and increasing renewable power capacity dramatically in these remaining 7 years to 11.2 Terawatts thus calls for urgent policy interventions.

Forty-one out of 51 IRENA members that participated in a survey conducted in preparation for the next Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submission echoed the need to improve policies and regulations to advance the energy transitions. Following the UAE Consensus, countries are to consider the tripling renewables target for their next NDCs submission while reflecting their different starting points and national contexts.

The Members’ responses are in line with IRENA’s recommendations for policy makers to meet the new challenges and current needs by:

  • Placing the energy transition at the core of national economic/development strategies.
  • Aligning sector/cross-sector policies to promote renewable deployment and other transition-related solutions.
  • Adapting policies and measures to market realities.
  • Adjusting policies to support renewables industry (e.g. auction ceiling prices more reflective of true costs).

In the above-mentioned survey, Members also highlighted the necessity to have various policy and regulatory options. Following these, 33 countries mentioned carbon pricing instruments and/or Paris Agreement Article 6 market mechanisms, while 32 of them included electric mobility policies and regulations.

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Latest assessment shows that current commitments and targets are not sufficient to decarbonise the transport sector as required by the Paris Agreement. Of the 140 countries that had submitted second-round of NDCs in August 2023; 23 countries have set a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target for transport, 135 countries have set targets for transport that do not include explicit GHG emissions reduction targets, while 92 countries’ Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies submissions include climate mitigation actions for transport.

An upcoming IRENA report underscores the leading role of policies for the transition of road transport. Countries are urged to set ambitious electric vehicles (EV) targets and clear timeline aligned with the Paris Agreement to phase out fossil fuel use in road transport, sending signals to investors and carmakers. Policies that improve the systemic efficiency of transport activity and travel behaviour are needed.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Maxim Hopman)

Electric vehicles and charging infrastructures will need to play a major role in driving an accelerated transition. Apart from electrification, three areas in policy making are discussed as measures to decarbonise the transport sector; avoid (unnecessary motorised transport), shift (to more efficient modes), and improve (vehicle efficiency). The avoid-shift-improve framework is helpful for exploring all potential decarbonisation policies, but the categories should not be thought of as mutually exclusive.

The decarbonisation of road transport will require implementing a number of policies to promote energy efficiency and the use of renewables, which helps drive the demand for more renewables deployment. Electric two and three wheelers have the potential to offer a cost-effective option for road transport decarbonisation in developing countries. They can bring multiple environmental and socio-economic benefits to local communities. Policies would need to incentivise innovative business models and address barriers related to costs, battery and safety.

But as IRENA’s analysis has demonstrated, successful policy making cannot be restricted to a single sector. The energy transition that will lead to the fulfilment of the tripling renewables pledge is one that is experienced as just and equitable across different sectors, communities, countries and regions. This implies that policy making must be embedded in, or linked to, efforts to narrow the vast inequities between rich and poor, make economies more sustainable, and mitigate the climate crisis.

Source: IRENA

EU hits Chinese biodiesel with anti-dumping measures

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (markus-winkler)

The European Commission announced today that it will impose anti-dumping tariffs of up to 36.4 percent on biodiesel imports from China. This is a step in the right direction for limiting imports of dubious used cooking oil (UCO) biofuels, says T&E. But tariffs alone will not be enough to prevent fraudulently mislabeled palm oil from entering the European market, says the group.

Over the past two years, the European biofuels market has been flooded with UCO imports from China, causing a collapse in the market price from around €2,250 per tonne to €1,100. A recent study by T&E showed that collection in China is as much as 30 percent cheaper than in Europe. Inherent problems with verification and certification mean that much of the UCO entering Europe may also be fraudulently labelled palm oil, a cheap feedstock heavily linked with deforestation.

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The EU currently imports more than 80 percent of its UCO, with China alone accounting for 60 percent of these imports.

Cian Delaney, biofuels campaigner at T&E, said: “Europe is completely overreliant on unverifiable used cooking oil from distant countries, like China. Restrictions on imports from China are a step in the right direction, however, anti-dumping tariffs alone won’t be enough to tackle UCO fraud. Without a complete overhaul of the certification process, the EU will continue to play out a game of whack-a-mole as fraudsters from other countries will simply fill the gap.The EU needs to stop incentivising unverifiable, imported waste oils and move away from an industry-led verification system towards more stringent regulation.”

Source: T&E

Global Electricity Demand Set to Rise Strongly this Year and Next, Reflecting its Expanding Role in Energy Systems Around the World

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Matthew Henry)
Photo-illustration: Freepik (BiZkettE1)

The world’s demand for electricity is rising at its fastest rate in years, driven by robust economic growth, intense heatwaves and increasing uptake of technologies that run on electricity such as EVs and heat pumps, according to a new report by the IEA. At the same time, renewables continue their rapid ascent, with solar PV on course to set new records.

Global electricity demand is forecast to grow by around 4 per cent in 2024, up from 2.5 per cent in 2023, the IEA’s Electricity Mid-Year Update finds. This would represent the highest annual growth rate since 2007, excluding the exceptional rebounds seen in the wake of the global financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. The strong increase in global electricity consumption is set to continue into 2025, with growth around 4 per cent again, according to the report.

Renewable sources of electricity are also set to expand rapidly this year and next, with their share of global electricity supply forecast to rise from 30 per cent in 2023 to 35 per cent in 2025. The amount of electricity generated by renewables worldwide in 2025 is forecast to eclipse the amount generated by coal for the first time. Solar PV alone is expected to meet roughly half of the growth in global electricity demand over 2024 and 2025 – with solar and wind combined meeting as much as three-quarters of the growth.

Despite the sharp increases in renewables, global power generation from coal is unlikely to decline this year due to the strong growth in demand, especially in China and India, according to the report. As a result, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the global power sector are plateauing, with a slight increase in 2024 followed by a decline in 2025. However, considerable uncertainties remain: Chinese hydropower production recovered strongly in the first half of 2024 from its 2023 low. If this upward trend continues in the second half of the year, it could curb coal-fired power generation and result in a slight decline in global power sector emissions in 2024.

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Some of the world’s major economies are registering particularly strong increases in electricity consumption. Demand in India is expected to surge by a massive 8 per cent this year, driven by strong economic activity and powerful heatwaves. China is also set to see significant demand growth of more than 6 per cent, as a result of robust activity in the services industries and various industrial sectors, including the manufacturing of clean energy technologies.

After declining in 2023 amid mild weather, electricity demand in the United States is forecast to rebound this year by 3 per cent amid steady economic growth, rising demand for cooling and an expanding data centre sector. By contrast, the European Union will see a more modest recovery in electricity demand, with growth forecast at 1.7 per cent, following two consecutive years of contraction amid the impacts of the energy crisis.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Grahame Jenkins)

In many parts of the world, increasing use of air-conditioning will remain a significant driver of electricity demand. Multiple regions faced intense heatwaves in the first half of 2024, which elevated demand and put electricity systems under strain, the report finds.

“Growth in global electricity demand this year and next is set to be among the fastest in the past two decades, highlighting the growing role of electricity in our economies as well as the impacts of severe heatwaves,” said Keisuke Sadamori, IEA Director of Energy Markets and Security. “It’s encouraging to see clean energy’s share of the electricity mix continuing to rise, but this needs to happen at a much faster rate to meet international energy and climate goals. At the same time, it’s crucial to expand and reinforce grids to provide citizens with secure and reliable electricity supply – and to implement higher energy efficiency standards to reduce the impacts of increased cooling demand on power systems.”

With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the electricity demand of data centres is drawing increased attention, underscoring the need for more reliable data and better stocktaking measures. The report highlights the wide range of uncertainties concerning the electricity demand of data centres, including the pace of deployment, the diverse and expanding uses of AI, and the potential for energy efficiency improvements. Better collection of electricity consumption data of the data centre sector will be essential to identify past developments correctly and to better understand future trends.

The IEA has been a frontrunner in studying the links between the energy sector and digitalisation. To explore the opportunities and challenges ahead, the IEA has launched a major new initiative: Energy for AI & AI for Energy. As part of this initiative, the IEA will consult with governments, industry, researchers and civil society experts. A major milestone will be the Global Conference on Energy and AI, taking place in Paris on 5 December 2024.

Source: IEA

Green Projects of Serbian Scientists – Biopesticides for Protection of Trees From Deadly Pests

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo: Team of scientists on the project PestFreeTree

The spongy moth is one of the most dangerous forest pests in Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa. This invasive pest can weaken and destroy trees by defoliating, i.e. destroying the leaves. A spongy moth larva can eat up to one square meter of foliage per day. During their infestation, which usually occurs at regular intervals of three to five years, complete loss of foliage can occur over a wide geographic area.

From 1862 to 2018, there were 18 infestations of spongy moths in Serbia, some of which had the proportions of a natural disaster, such as those that occurred from 1995 to 1998, when spongy moths were found on over 500,000 hectares of forests and orchards. Another serious threat to forests and crops comes from various species of Phytophthora that attack plant roots. Phytophthora species are oomycetes, relatives of algae and fungi-like organisms. Phytophthora many plant species. Billions of euros are spent annually to alleviate the consequences of these diseases. In addition to the direct economic damages, there are far greater environmental damages, which are difficult to calculate.

IN FOCUS:

A team of scientists from the Materials Department of the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research and the Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, headed by Goran Branković PhD, scientific advisor at the Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, under the auspices of the PestFreeTree project, deals with the integral protection of woody plant species by applying ecologically acceptable biopesticides against pests that attack the leaves (spongy moths) and the root (phytophthora).

PestFreeTree, a project financed by the Republic of Serbia Science Fund as part of the Green Program of Science and Business Cooperation, focuses on the development of new natural and environmentally friendly biopesticides that can be used in forests, parks, nurseries, and orchards and thus protect the environment from unwanted pests, as well as soil, water and air pollution caused using conventional pesticides. The project’s goals align with the relevant European Commission strategy, which, in June 2022, called for a 50 per cent reduction in the use of chemical pesticides by 2030.

Our solution is based on the recent patent that was developed initially for active packaging. Still, the exact mechanism of encapsulating active components in a biopolymer matrix can be applied to biopesticide formulations. All active components will be essential oils and plant extracts that exhibit repellent or have lethal effects on targeted pests.

Prepared by PestFreeTree project team 

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURE CONSERVATION.

Energy Week Western Balkans 2024: A Premier Opportunity for International Energy Stakeholders

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (moritz-lange)
Foto: Energy Week Western Balkans

Energy Week Western Balkans 2024 will take place on October 9-10 in Montenegro. This prestigious event is set to be the most influential gathering for the renewable energy sector in the Western Balkans.

The Energy Week will bring together over 250 decision-makers, including state authorities, regulators, and private sector leaders from the WB6 countries and Croatia. With more than 45 renowned speakers and extensive networking opportunities, this event is designed to foster collaboration and drive the region’s green transition.

The agenda will cover critical topics such as regional integration, the shift from coal to renewables, grid resilience, market challenges, and financing options. Attendees will gain actionable insights and have the opportunity to engage in facilitated B2B interactions.

Join Energy Week Western Balkans 2024 and benefit from a 15 per cent discount exclusively for our members. Please use the code EWWB24_AHK when registering here.

Find more information here.

Source: Energy Week Western Balkans

MT-KOMEX built the first power plant in the European union

Photo: MT-KOMEX
Photo: MT-KOMEX

The company MT-KOMEX built a photovoltaic power plant in Sisak-Moslavina County in Croatia. For the first time, the company worked within the borders of the European Union, thus expanding its operations outside the territory of the Republic of Serbia. The project is located in the city of Novska, and it is a solar power plant on the roofs of buildings, with a total power of 280 kW AC and 340,625 kWp, for the investor Thermo Stone d.o.o. Novska. The construction of the solar power plant was completed in March of this year and put into operation.

Regarding equipment, the panels on the roofs are oriented southwest and northeast, with a slope that follows the roof line. This time, the company opted for Luxor Solar 545 Wp panels, inverters from Fronius and construction from K2 Systems for pitched roofs made of TR sheet.

The electricity produced on the roofs will be used exclusively for their own needs and will not be sent to the distribution network.

As the company was operating within the borders of the European Union for the first time, it is interesting to point out the differences and challenges they faced. However, there are no drastic variations in business.

IN FOCUS:

Procedures and regulations

The works were carried out based on the prepared Main Project of electric power installations and the Electric Power Approval (EES) of the Croatian Electricity Company (HEP). The requirements and conditions of the EES had to be respected, and certain studies, one of which was the Study on the impact on the electric power network, also had to be carried out.

The procedure for building a power plant in Serbia is very similar. To begin with, Croatian Electricity Company is a counterpart to EPS, while EES is similar to UPP—Conditions for design and connection. The only difference is the slight difference in the aforementioned Study that needs to be prepared.

Photo: MT-KOMEX

Essentially, both EES and UPP documents are necessary when planning, designing and implementing infrastructure projects and certain permits, such as connecting the facility to the power grid. Therefore, their goals coincide, while the terminology is the biggest difference.

When simpler projects are carried out without a building permit, there is the key challenges was actually the export of equipment, where export customs clearance from Serbia and import customs clearance for Croatia were done.

MT-KOMEX is an expert and reliable partner in the construction of solar power plants. During many years of business, the company has built and delivered equipment for more than 200 solar power plants on the ground and on roofs, the total installed power of which is more than 120 MW.

The professional team of the MT-KOMEX company is ready to provide clients with full support in all phases of the project at any time, from the development stage to the preparation of documentation for technical acceptance and obtaining a use permit on a turnkey basis.

Prepared my: Milica Vučković

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURE CONSERVATION.

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