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

Photo: Wikipedia/Kristoferb

Advantages of heat pumps

Photo: Wikipedia/Kristoferb

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

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

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

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

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

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

Investment costs for heat pumps

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

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

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

Jelena Kozbasic

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

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EIT KICs deliver a systemic approach to innovation

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

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Amel Majanovic)

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

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

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

Deep Demonstrations as testbeds for systemic innovation

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

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

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

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

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

Three pillars for National Circular Economy Transition:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: Climate KIC

 

Fossil Fuels Have Economically and Environmentally Friendly Alternatives – Heat Pumps

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

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

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

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

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

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

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

Types of heat pumps and the principle of operation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jelena Kozbasic

IRENA and UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry Cooperating on Renewable Energy

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Ainur Kamaev)

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Energy and Industry, to cooperate in the field of renewable energy and drive an accelerated shift to low-carbon energy sources.

Photo: IRENA

The MoU was signed in by IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera and Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Energy His Excellency Dr. Matar Hamed Al Neyadi in the presence of UAE Energy Minister His Excellency Suhail Al Mazrouei, during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

H.E. Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Industry, said that signing of the MoU with IRENA comes in line with UAE’s vision and the direction of the UAE’s wise leadership aimed at promoting sustainable development in the UAE, enhancing the use of renewable energy, as well as supporting and developing relevant policies and organisational frameworks.

H.E. Minister Mazrouei added that the MoU is aimed at promoting the exchange of  open data and allowing the UAE to learn new ideas and benefit from best practices in the field of renewable energy. He said these efforts are aimed at achieving the UAE Vision 2021 objective of creating a sustainable environment in the UAE.

IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said: “The case for renewable energy in the UAE and across the Gulf is unquestionable. Today, solar and wind are the country’s most cost-effective sources of new power generation – contributing to growth, economic diversification and sustainable development in the Emirates.”

“This agreement marks a further strengthening of the Agency’s close relationship with the UAE government as it charts a new course of energy leadership into the 21st century,” continued Mr. La Camera. “Together with the Ministry of Energy, IRENA will work to explore the full potential of the UAE’s vast and diversified energy resources.”

For his part, H.E. Dr. Matar Hamed Al-Neyadi, Undersecretary of the Ministry, said that the aim of this MoU is to organize and maximize cooperation between the Ministry and IRENA’s general secretariat in order to deliver benefits to both parties.

The agreement aims to strengthen and enhance cooperation and the existing business relationship between the UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry and IRENA to develop knowledge products, conduct analysis, exchange information and organize workshops on renewable energy.

Cooperation between the two parties includes the following:

  • The development of a UAE renewable energy road map, taking into account UAE’s characteristic demand for air-conditioning and associated technology;
  • Support with renewable energy dissemination policies, both current and planned, intended to support deployment of renewables;
  • Electrical interconnection and energy exchange plans and procedures intended to enhance integration of variable and renewable energy, as well as the impact of renewable energy on the stability of transmission networks together with possible technical and operational solutions in this regard.

Under the MoU the two partners will exchange quantitative information on data, statistics, costs, benefits and analytical information related to renewable energy technologies and policies. Best practice in financial instruments and regulatory measures including energy efficiency, market design, system flexibility and long-term planning for a high shares of renewable energy will also feature.

Source: IRENA

Oil and Gas Industry Needs to Step Up Climate Efforts Now

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Oil and gas companies are facing a critical challenge as the world increasingly shifts towards clean energy transitions. Fossil fuels drive the companies’ near-term returns, but failure to address growing calls to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could threaten their long-term social acceptability and profitability.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The oil and gas industry now needs to make clear what clean energy transitions mean for it – and what it can do to accelerate clean energy transitions.

Whatever path the world follows in its efforts to limit the rise in global temperatures, intensifying climate impacts will increase the pressure on all industries to find solutions. While some oil and gas companies have taken steps to support efforts to combat climate change, the industry as a whole could play a much more significant role through its engineering capabilities, financial resources and project-management expertise, according to the IEA’s Oil and Gas Industry in Energy Transitions report.

“No energy company will be unaffected by clean energy transitions,” said Dr Fatih Birol. “Every part of the industry needs to consider how to respond. Doing nothing is simply not an option.”

The landscape of the oil and gas industry is diverse, meaning there is no single strategic response but a variety of approaches depending on each company’s circumstances.

“The first immediate task for all parts of the industry is reducing the environmental footprint of their own operations,” Dr Birol said. “As of today, around 15% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions come from the process of getting oil and gas out of the ground and to consumers. A large part of these emissions can be brought down relatively quickly and easily.”

Reducing methane leaks to the atmosphere is the single most important and cost-effective way for the industry to bring down these emissions. But there are ample other opportunities to lower the emissions intensity of delivered oil and gas by eliminating routine flaring and integrating renewables and low-carbon electricity into new upstream and LNG developments.

“Also, with their extensive know-how and deep pockets, oil and gas companies can play a crucial role in accelerating deployment of key renewable options such as offshore wind, while also enabling some key capital-intensive clean energy technologies – such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage and hydrogen – to reach maturity,” Dr Birol added. “Without the industry’s input, these technologies may simply not achieve the scale needed for them to move the dial on emissions.”

Some oil and gas companies are diversifying their energy operations to include renewables and other low-carbon technologies. However, average investment by oil and gas companies in non-core areas has so far been limited to around 1% of total capital spending, with the largest outlays going to solar PV and wind. Some oil and gas companies have also diversified by acquiring existing non-core businesses – for example in electricity distribution, electric-vehicle charging, and batteries – while stepping up research and development activity. But overall, there are few signs of the large-scale change in capital allocation needed to put the world on a more sustainable path.

An essential task is to step up investment in the fuels – such as hydrogen, biomethane and advanced biofuels – that can deliver the energy system benefits of oil and gas without net carbon emissions. Within 10 years, these low-carbon fuels would need to account for around 15% of overall investment in fuel supply if the world is to get on course to tackle climate change. In the absence of low-carbon fuels, transitions become much harder and more expensive.

“The scale of the climate challenge requires a broad coalition encompassing governments, investors, companies and everyone else who is genuinely committed to reducing emissions,” said Dr Birol. “That effort requires the oil and gas industry to be firmly and fully on board.”

Low-carbon electricity will undoubtedly move to centre stage in the future energy mix. But investment in oil and gas projects will still be needed, even in rapid clean energy transitions. If investment in existing oil and gas fields were to stop completely, the decline in output would be around 8% per year. This is larger than any plausible fall in global demand, so investment in existing fields and some new ones remains part of the picture.

In some cases, company owners may favour sticking with a specialisation in oil and gas – possibly shifting more towards natural gas over time – for as long as these fuels are in demand and investment returns are sufficient. But these companies will also need to think through their strategic response to new and pervasive challenges. The stakes are particularly high for national oil companies charged with the stewardship of countries’ hydrocarbon resources – and for their government owners and host societies that typically rely heavily on the associated oil income.

National oil companies account for well over half of global production and an even larger share of reserves. Some are high performing, but many are poorly positioned to adapt to changing global energy dynamics. Global energy trends have prompted a number of countries to renew their commitment to reform and to diversify their economies, and fundamental changes to development models in many major resource holders look unavoidable. National oil companies can provide important elements of stability for economies during this process, if they are operating effectively and alert to the risks and opportunities.

Source: IEA

Decade of Action on the Sustainable Development Goals Is Under Way

Photo-illustration: Unsplash

The Sustainable Development Goals are known as the world’s blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that they are all achieved by 2030.

Five years into this ambitious undertaking, the Decade of Action on the Sustainable Development Goals signals a renewed commitment by the international community to accelerate action towards reaching the global goals.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) contributes to the Decade in various ways:

  • The environment underlies each of the 17 goals – from eliminating hunger to reducing inequalities to building sustainable communities around the world. UNEP works with peers around the UN System to help build countries’ capacities to track their progress towards the goals, aiming to ensure that the environment is integrated into all aspects of sustainable development.
  • UNEP tracks progress on the goals through resources such as the World Environment Situation Room, a dynamic knowledge platform designed to collect, process and share the world’s best environmental science and research, as well as the mass of new data from satellites, drones and citizen science. The platform includes critical tools to review progress towards the achievement of the goals.
  • UNEP’s Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment established a working group on data, analytics and artificial intelligence in March 2018. Through this group, UNEP has been working with a wide range of partners to evaluate how to better use data for monitoring the environment, including the goals. UNEP is also working with the global citizen science community to explore opportunities to better use new data to build a Digital Ecosystem for the Environment.
  • Through regular Foresight Briefs and an annual Frontiers report, UNEP identifies the most important emerging issues for the global environment, including those related to the implementation of the goals.
  • The Sustainable Development Goals Policy Briefs highlight hotspots of environmental change. The evidence provided builds on the scientific data and information hosted on the World Environment Situation Room and is complemented by stories from the regions.
  • UNEP provides technical guidance and support for environmental governance, developing coherent laws and policies and guiding countries in effectively implementing them. One example is the work on national biodiversity strategic action plans.
  • With 70 per cent of the world’s forests facing the threat of degradation, UNEP is helping to spearhead the call, alongside United Nations agencies and programmes, for all to focus on nature-positive agriculture; clean up supply chains; consume sustainably; partner with private sector; and put a price on carbon.
  • Nature-based solutions offer some of the best ways to achieve human well-being, address climate change and protect the planet. UNEP and partners are also leading the Decade on Ecosystems Restoration 2021–2030. The Decade aims to gather the science and best practices on ecosystems restoration and encourage action.
  • UNEP brings scientists and policymakers together every couple of years for the United Nations Environment Assembly. The theme for the next Assembly, slated for February 2021 is Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

We have 10 years to transform our world. Business as usual cannot and will not be business for tomorrow if we want to achieve the Goals.

Photo: UNEP

Leading in advocacy

UNEP and partners run international communications campaigns in support of the goals: Wild for Life, Breathelife and Clean Seas. UNEP also works with a dedicated team of Goodwill Ambassadors, Heroes and Patrons to spread the word about the importance of conserving and caring for the environment. UNEP also runs Champions of the Earth, an environmental awards programme to recognize ground-breaking environmental initiatives and achievements, and the people behind them.

What is UNEP doing to accelerate solutions?

One recent example is that UNEP and the Permanent Mission of Germany launched Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GO4SDGs) at the Sustainable Development Goals Summit in New York in September 2019 to boost efforts and solutions for the goals. It will reach policymakers, small-to-medium-size enterprises and youth. The broad demographic range aims to raise ambition for building inclusive and sustainable economies at all levels.

GO4SDGs will build on UNEP’s large body of scientific knowledge and disseminate it through existing partnerships and programmes such as the One Planet Network, the Partnership for Action on Green Economy, the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership, the International Trade Union Confederation’s Just Transition Centre and the UNEP Finance Initiative, ensuring a tailor-made and regional approach in addressing the differing needs in each global region. The initiative will also develop partnerships with organizations that work directly with businesses and the private sector to accelerate action, including the World Economic Forum.

Finance

The Measures Database released by UNEP and the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership shows a 106 per cent increase in green finance measures globally since 2015. We demonstrated impressive progress in the United Nations-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, where two months after 12 of the world’s largest pension funds and insurers committed to decarbonize their investments by 2050, total assets under management have doubled to almost US$3.9 trillion.

Source: UNEP

World’s Consumption of Materials Hits Record 100bn Tonnes a Year

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The amount of material consumed by humanity has passed 100bn tonnes every year, a report has revealed, but the proportion being recycled is falling.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The climate and wildlife emergencies are driven by the unsustainable extraction of fossil fuels, metals, building materials and trees. The report’s authors warn that treating the world’s resources as limitless is leading towards global disaster.

The materials used by the global economy have quadrupled since 1970, far faster than the population, which has doubled. In the last two years, consumption has jumped by more than 8% but the reuse of resources has fallen from 9.1% to 8.6%.

The report, by the Circle Economy thinktank, was launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It shows that, on average, every person on Earth uses more than 13 tonnes of materials per year. But the report also found that some nations are making steps towards circular economies in which renewable energy underpins systems where waste and pollution are reduced to zero.

“We risk global disaster if we continue to treat the world’s resources as if they are limitless,” said Harald Friedl, the chief executive of Circle Economy. “Governments must urgently adopt circular economy solutions if we want to achieve a high quality of life for close to 10bn people by mid-century without destabilising critical planetary processes.”

Marc de Wit, the report’s lead author, said: “We are still fuelling our growth in population and affluence by the extraction of virgin materials. We can’t do this indefinitely – our hunger for virgin material needs to be halted.”

The report found that 100.6bn tonnes of materials were consumed in 2017, the latest year for which data is available. Half of the total is sand, clay, gravel and cement used for building, along with the other minerals quarried to produce fertiliser. Coal, oil and gas make up 15% and metal ores 10%. The final quarter are the plants and trees used for food and fuel.

The lion’s share of the materials – 40% – is turned into housing. Other major categories include food, transport, healthcare, communications, and consumer goods such as clothes and furniture.

Almost a third of the annual materials remain in use after a year, such as buildings and vehicles. But 15% is emitted into the atmosphere as climate-heating gases and nearly a quarter is discarded into the environment, such as plastic in waterways and oceans. A third of the materials is treated as waste, mostly going to landfill and mining spoil heaps. Just 8.6% is recycled.

“This report sparks an alarm for all governments,” said Carolina Schmidt, Chile’s environment minister. “We need to deploy all the policies to really catalyse this transformation [to a circular economy].”

Cristianne Close of the conservation group WWF said: “The circular economy provides a framework for reducing our impacts, protecting ecosystems and living within the means of one planet.”

The report said increasing recycling can make economies more competitive, improve living conditions and help to meet emissions targets and avoid deforestation. It reported that 13 European countries have adopted circular economy roadmaps, including France, Germany and Spain, and that Colombia became the first Latin American country to launch a similar policy in 2019.

China’s ban on waste imports aims to encourage domestic recycling, the report said, but has also stimulated the development of circular economy strategies in Australia and other countries which previously exported their waste to China.

Janez Potočnik, a former European environment commissioner and the co-chair of the UN Environment Programme international resource panel, said the world needed to learn to do more with less and replace ownership with sharing, as is increasingly being seen with cars.

Source: Guardian

Innovation Is the Future of Serbia

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Alex Knight)
Photo: Private archive of Viktor Nedovic

What are the strategically important scientific projects supported and financed by the state with the view to preserve the environment, how are the scientific community and the economy connected, how are our scientists ranked in the world and how much do we share our experience in this field with others, are we in line with EU laws and standards when it comes to the development of science and technology and what EU funds do we use for these purposes, we spoke with Prof. Viktor Nedovic PhD, Assistant Minister in charge of International Cooperation and EU Integration at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

EP: To what extent is the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development strategically committed to developing indigenous scientific potential towards improving living conditions and environmental protection?

Viktor Nedovic: The Ministry finances numerous research projects through four different programs. For example, through integrated and interdisciplinary research program, in Serbia are implemented projects such as the research of agrobiodiversity and land m muse, monitoring and assessment of long-term exposure to environmental pollutants, development of a global system for continuous research and integrated ecosystem management, bioremediation and soil degradation research, research in climate change and their impact on the environment…

The things that are being developed are methods, sensors, and systems for monitoring water, air and soil quality, technologies for monitoring and protecting the environment from harmful chemical substances and radiation load, as well as research into the effects of ionizing and UV radiation in the field of medicine and environmental protection and monitoring of electromagnetic radiation of mobile telecommunication systems in the environment. Through the technological development program, projects are being implemented to study the impact of mining waste on water pollution, develop new bioecological materials for soil and water protection, improve sediment remediation technology for water protection, develop bio-sorbents for natural and wastewater treatment, develop methodologies and tools to protect the noise of urban areas, develop hydro information systems for monitoring and early warning of droughts, as well as projects for the reduction of air pollution from thermal power plants and systems for the removal of harmful components of smoke and the development of technologies for building non-pollution thermal and other power plants.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Ramón Salinero)

EP: The Ministry, through the Innovation Fund, implements programs that finance the development of innovation, with a particular focus on start-ups or mature companies. What is your experience with environmental innovation so far?

Viktor Nedovic: The Fund also encourages the cooperation of private companies and research organisations to jointly, with concerted efforts develop new, innovative products, services or technologies. As far as environmental projects are concerned, several projects have been supported so far. For example, one of them has developed a software application that offers an efficient system of environmental impact assessment or the development of a graphene acoustic camera for use on drones to record noise sources. Another example is a company that has developed a mushroom growing technology that is based on industrial-scale waste utilisation and energy minimisation. The fund also provided financial assistance through the Strawberry Energy Early Development Program, a start-up that is considered one of the pioneers in the field of renewable energy.

In focus:

EP: Recently, your ministry announced a call for co-financing joint projects of the scientific and research community and economy. What it is about?

Viktor Nedovic: On 10 October, the Innovation Fund launched a public call for grants for the development of innovative products, services and technologies through the Early Development Program and the Science and Economy Cooperation Program. Applications for both programs are submitted through the Innovation Fund’s portal by December 31, 2019. Within (the framework of) the Early Development Program, the Fund may allocate up to € 80,000 per project and micro and small businesses established in Serbia, with majority private domestic ownership and no older than five years, may apply for the program. For the first time since this call for proposals, teams can submit an application, which will be required to register a company only if their project is approved for funding.

Funding allocated by the Fund covers up to a maximum of 70 per cent of the total eligible costs of the project, whose duration is up to 12 months. The Science and Business Cooperation Program grants financial support of up to € 300,000 per project, and the beneficiaries are consortia made up of at least one private micro, small or medium-sized enterprise established in Serbia and one publicly accredited research organization. The support enables consortia to undertake joint projects to create high value products, services, technologies and technological processes through applied R&D. The means awarded by the Fund cover a maximum of 70 per cent of the total eligible project costs for micro and small enterprises, or 60 per cent for medium-sized enterprises. Projects can take up to 24 months. For this public call funds were provided in the amount of six million euros within the budget of the Republic of Serbia, from the division of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development.

EP: Where is our place in the world of science?

Viktor Nedovic: Our science has an excellent rating in the world, despite the fact that the appropriations for science are not at the level of the European average. Based on the global survey ranking conducted by SCImago Journal & Country Rank, in 2017, Serbia ranked 51st out of 230 countries. In terms of scientific production among Eastern European countries, Serbia ranks 8th out of 23 countries. The Ministry has taken significant steps towards a comprehensive reform of the scientific and research system.

Two very significant laws were passed in the past, Law on Science and Research (in July 2019) and Law on the Science Fund (in December 2018). Passing these laws is a key step in reforming the system for organisation and funding of science, which will create conditions for continuous development of scientific research and development activities in Serbia. This reform is accompanied by increased investment, as evidenced by the fact that funds were increased by 35.8 per cent from 2015 to 2019, and the continuous provision of support from IPA and other sources resumes. In addition to reforming the science funding system, the Ministry has done a great deal to rejuvenate the Serbian scientific community through the involvement of more than 1,100 young researchers in ongoing Ministry projects. Also, in terms of innovation, Serbia certainly shares experiences with other countries.

According to the latest Startup Genome report, Serbia is one of the growing innovation ecosystems in the field of information technology development, whose key advantage is high quality engineering staff. The Global Innovation Index (GII) measures the state and success of innovation in 126 countries. In the 2018 GII report, Serbia ranks 55th, an increase from 2017 when we were ranked 62nd. Of the 7 areas covered by the index, Serbia is best rated in terms of infrastructure (48th out of 126 countries) – primarily related to the development of information and communication technologies and environmental sustainability. On the other hand, the market of secondary sources of financing for fast-growing companies are at a very early stage of development and it is necessary to work on creating incentives for investors and venture capital funds, as well as to create a universal culture by disseminating knowledge through education and transfer of experience.

EP: To what extent are we in line with EU standards when it comes to the development of science and technology? What are some EU funds that we can use to develop these areas?

Viktor Nedovic: According to the EC report for 2019 on the state of the reform process of Chapter 25, the Republic of Serbia is at a good level of preparedness in the field of science and research. Participation in the Union programs is crucial for Serbia. As part of the research space, we have been offered numerous opportunities within Horizon 2020, Erazmus+ and other programs.

In Horizon 2020, according to the data from July this year, we have 393 participations in 274 projects, and we have contracted approximately € 91.4 million. In addition to the Mary Curie scholarships, the largest number of projects is in the field of food, energy and information technology. In addition, EU pre-accession IPA funds are available to us. By using these funds, we can, at the national  level, enhance the capacity of the scientific community and the innovation ecosystem.

In order to receive funding from the European Structural Funds, Member States and regions need to have an adopted Research Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation that would define decisions on development direction in this area. The process of developing the Smart Specialisation Strategy in Serbia started in early 2017. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology coordinates the process which includes all relevant institutions. The state already greatly assists the cooperation of economy and science through various programs, and by implementing the Smart Specialisation Strategy, a mechanism will be made where investments will have greater effects. The priority areas identified in this process are food for the future, information and telecommunications technologies, creative industries, machines and processes of the future. In the horizontal part, there are environmental protection, energy efficiency, digitalisation and some of the key technologies.

Photo: Private archive of Viktor Nedovic

EP: You are a full professor at the Faculty of Agriculture and for several years you have organised the Ecotrophelia of Serbia, a national competition in creating eco-innovative food solutions. What are our youngest scientists apt to?

Viktor Nedovic: The aim of the competition is to encourage student innovation, an eco-friendly approach, an entrepreneurial spirit, to encourage them and support them in creating their own companies. Student teams have a task to create brand-new food products and realise it from idea to final product. It is a real pleasure to see that enthusiasm of students, that energy, a lot of great ideas and the desire to embark on something new, to prove themselves, to start their own business. The competition is organised by the Serbian Association of Food Technologists. A significant partner is Science Technology Park Belgrade, which offered its services to students from the beginning for free, then USAID, UNDP and the company Design who all provided support for the national competition.

Interview by: Gordana Knezevic

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

Celanese Bio-Based Materials and Recycled Offerings Deliver Value to Businesses and Consumers

Photo: Unsplash / Adi Cohen

Bio-based materials create opportunity to offer products that maximize the value of natural resources

Photo: Print screen Celanese

DALLAS & DÜSSELDORF, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–$CE #Celanese–Advancements in the “Circular Economy” are creating opportunities for business value while at the same time achieving sustainability goals. Materials from Celanese (NYSE:CE) that are bio-based or contain recycled content are enabling manufacturers to consider new ways to meet these sustainability goals while at the same time delivering quality products to their customers.

“At Celanese, we strive to create opportunities to offer products and applications that protect our natural resources,” said Stefan Kutta, Vice President of EMEA Commercial Operations, Celanese. “Through our advancements in the development of recycled and bio-based polymer materials, we are able to contribute to the ‘Circular Economy’ where we can renew and restore materials at all phases of a product’s life cycle. This, in turn, creates value for our customers while reducing waste and environmental impact.”

In the area of recycled content products, select engineered materials from Celanese contain a percentage of recycled resins and are an environmentally-friendly alternative to prime resin grades. Celanese’s sourcing and manufacturing process enable resins with high consistency and performance. Celanese engineered materials including PA, PP, and PBT/PET allow manufacturers – including automotive, consumer appliances, and electrical/electronics – to achieve their recyclability goals while meeting performance requirements.

Additionally, Celanese ECOMID® recycled PA66 compounds contain high-quality, recycled polyamide fibers and textiles for an environmentally-friendly alternative to standard grades. These compounds, given their sourcing and manufacturing process, provide high lot-to-lot consistency to customers.

Apart from the resin grades containing recycled content, Celanese also provides bio-based polymer solutions. These products are based on PEFC certified wood pulp that is a quickly renewable, GMO-free resource. Clarifoil® cellulose acetate bio-films from Celanese, for instance, maximize the visual appeal of packaging while also providing optimal conditions for the contents inside. With the widest certified home compostable and bio-degradable films portfolio available, as well as a rich heritage in serving the premium packaging market, Clarifoil® offers sustainability combined with exceptional aesthetics that let products shine through.

Celanese offers these bio-based solutions in addition to the resin grades containing recycled content. These products are made of all or partial biological products, forestry materials, or renewable domestic agricultural materials, including plant or marine materials.

For more information about Celanese product offerings in the bio-based and recycled content categories, including the use of biodegradable acetate flake, Clarifoil® or Ecomid®, please visit the following websites and discover how Celanese can create business value while also meeting important environmental goals.

About Celanese

Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use the full breadth of Celanese’s global chemistry, technology and commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees, shareholders and the corporation. As we partner with our customers to solve their most critical business needs, they strive to make a positive impact on their communities and the world through The Celanese Foundation. Based in Dallas, Celanese employs approximately 7,700 employees worldwide and had 2018 net sales of $7.2 billion. For more information about Celanese Corporation and its product offerings, visit www.celanese.com or our blog at www.celaneseblog.com.

All registered trademarks are owned by Celanese International Corporation or its affiliates.

Forward-Looking Statements: This release may contain “forward-looking statements,” which include information concerning the company’s plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future revenues or performance, capital expenditures and other information that is not historical information. When used in this release, the words “outlook,” “forecast,” “estimates,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” and variations of such words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and beliefs and various assumptions. There can be no assurance that the company or its customers will realize these benefits or that these expectations will prove correct. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this release. Numerous factors, many of which are beyond the company’s control, could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed as forward-looking statements. Other risk factors include those that are discussed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which it is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances.

Ventas Earns Third Consecutive Nareit Health Care Leader in the Light Award

Photo: Print screen Ventas web site
Photo: Print screen Ventas web site

CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ventas, Inc. (NYSE: VTR) has earned the 2019 Nareit Health Care “Leader in the Light” award for a third consecutive year, recognizing the Company’s outstanding achievement in sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) practices. In addition, the Company was ranked “First Tier” in the 2019 CPA Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability. With a score of 87.1%, Ventas was the highest ranked Healthcare REIT on the Index, far outpacing the real estate industry average score of 23.2%.

“We thank Nareit and Zicklin for their meaningful recognitions and validation of Ventas’s deep commitment to responsible investment in our people, our performance and the planet,” said Robert F. Probst, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “Ventas’ sustainability and ESG efforts have been direct drivers of our long-term business success, and we have tremendous momentum as we continue to elevate our integrated corporate responsibility platform.”

Presented during the REITWorld 2019 Annual Conference in Los Angeles, CA, the Nareit Leader in the Light award celebrates sustainability and ESG leaders from nine major property sectors including health care, retail, office and residential. This marks the fourth time Ventas has received the award since the recognition became associated with the GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) Survey in 2012. Nareit is the worldwide representative voice for real estate investment trusts and publicly traded real estate companies with an interest in U.S. real estate and capital markets.

The 2019 CPA Zicklin Index benchmarks the political disclosure and accountability policies and practices for election-related spending of leading U.S. public companies. Developed by the Center for Political Accountability in conjunction with the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, the Index uses 24 metrics to assess companies’ policies and disclosure practices and has been published annual since 2011.

2019 has been another year of strong ESG progress. Ventas has bolstered its reputation as an industry leader with its inclusion in the 2019 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and publication of its second annual Corporate Sustainability Report. Ventas also remained on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index and maintained its position as GRESB’s highest performing healthcare REIT, the third consecutive year for both accomplishments.

Ventas, Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a leading real estate investment trust. Its diverse portfolio of approximately 1,200 assets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom consists of seniors housing communities, medical office buildings, life science and innovation centers, inpatient rehabilitation and long-term acute care facilities, health systems and skilled nursing facilities. Through its Lillibridge subsidiary, Ventas provides management, leasing, marketing, facility development and advisory services to highly rated hospitals and health systems throughout the United States. References to “Ventas” or the “Company” mean Ventas, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Ventas and Lillibridge can be found at www.ventasreit.com and www.lillibridge.com.

The Company routinely announces material information to investors and the marketplace using press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings, public conference calls, webcasts and the Company’s website at www.ventasreit.com/investor-relations. The information that the Company posts to its website may be deemed to be material. Accordingly, the Company encourages investors and others interested in the Company to routinely monitor and review the information that the Company posts on its website, in addition to following the Company’s press releases, Securities and Exchange Commission filings and public conference calls and webcasts.

 

Massive, Border-Spanning Campaign Needed to Combat Locust Upsurge in East Africa

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (David Clode)
Photo: Wikipedia/Christiaan Kooyman

Desert Locust swarms in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia – already unprecedented in their size and destructive potential – could swell exponentially and spill over into more countries in East Africa if efforts to deal with the voracious pest are not massively scaled up across the region, FAO warned today.

“This has become a situation of international dimensions that threatens the food security of the entire subregion. FAO is activating fast-track mechanisms that will allow us to move swiftly to support governments in mounting a collective campaign to deal with this crisis,” said FAO Director-General QU Dongyu.

“Authorities in the region have already jump-started control activities, but in view of the scale and urgency of the threat, additional financial backing from the international donor community is needed so they can access the tools and resources required to get the job done,” Qu said. “FAO stands ready to leverage our expertise and facilitate a coordinated regional response,” he added.

Potential for exponential expansion

Recent weather in East Africa has created conditions that favour rapid locust reproduction. Left unchecked, the numbers of crop-devouring insects there could grow 500 times by June.

Such swarms – potentially containing hundreds of millions of individual Desert Locusts — can move 150 kilometres a day, devastating rural livelihoods in their relentless drive to eat and reproduce. A Desert Locust devours its own weight in food per day – about two grams.

Swarms continue to pour into Kenya from Ethiopia and Somalia and are rapidly spreading to the centre of the country.

In Ethiopia, the insects are moving steadily south towards the Rift Valley, the country’s breadbasket.

Ethiopia and Somalia have not seen Desert Locust swarms of this scale in 25 years, while Kenya has not faced a locust threat of this magnitude in 70 years.

South Sudan and Uganda are not currently affected, but are at risk.

Facing an unprecedented threat

Photo: Wikipedia/CSIRO

FAO is providing forecasts, early warning and alerts on the timing, scale and location of invasions and breeding.

The speed of the pest’s spread and the size of the infestations are so far beyond the norm that they have stretched the capacities of local and national authorities to the limit.

Given the scale of the current swarms, aerial control is the only effective means to reduce the locust numbers.

Aerial operations need to be upscaled substantially and very quickly in Ethiopia and Kenya. In addition, “Alongside pest control activities our response must include efforts to restore people’s livelihoods,” said FAO’s Director-General. “Communities in Eastern Africa have already been impacted by extended droughts, which have eroded their capacities to grow food and make a living. We need to help them get back on their feet, once the locusts are gone,” Qu said.

At this stage and on basis of conservative estimates, FAO seeks $70 million to urgently support both pest control and livelihood protection operations in the three most affected countries.

Southwest Asia and Red Sea area also affected

In India, Iran and Pakistan numerous Desert Locust swarms have been present since June 2019 and have been breeding. Some of these swarms have migrated to southern Iran where recent heavy rains allowed them to lay eggs that could turn into swarms in spring 2020.

Egypt, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen are also seeing substantial breeding activity that could see locust bands expand into swarms in the coming months.

FAO is monitoring all situations closely, and is actively engaging with all countries facing Desert Locust threats to support their response activities.

Source: FAO

Humans Risk Living in an Empty World

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Ivan Bandura)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Mandy Choi)

Humanity will have given up on planet Earth if world leaders cannot reach an agreement this year to stop the mass extinction of wildlife and destruction of life-supporting ecosystems, the United Nation’s new biodiversity chief has warned.

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the acting executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, has implored governments to ensure 2020 is not just another “year of conferences” on the ongoing ecological destruction of the planet, urging countries to take definitive action on deforestation, pollution and the climate crisis.

The warning comes on the eve of the Davos World Economic Forum, where biodiversity loss has been highlighted as the third biggest risk to the world in terms of likelihood and severity this year, ahead of infectious diseases, terror attacks and interstate conflict.

The ongoing destruction of life-supporting ecosystems such as coral reefs and rainforests means humans risk living in an “empty world” with “catastrophic” consequences for society, according to Mrema, who is responsible for spearheading a Paris-style agreement for nature that will be negotiated this year.

“People’s lives depend on biodiversity in ways that are not always apparent or appreciated. Human health ultimately depends on ecosystem services: the availability of fresh water, fuel, food sources. All these are prerequisites for human health and livelihoods” she told the Guardian in her first major interview since taking up the role.

In May last year, the world’s leading scientists warned that nature is disappearing at a rate tens to hundreds of times higher than the average for the past 10 million years. Experts have previously warned that humans are driving the sixth mass extinction event in Earth’s history, cautioning there is a short time to act.

“Business, local communities, civil society, the youth, all of us led by governments must take action. We have been talking of action for many years. Really, we need transformative action to make a difference,” Mrema said.

Last week, the long-awaited draft of a Paris-style UN agreement on nature was published for the first time, calling for a commitment to protect at least 30% of the planet, controls on invasive species and pollution from plastic waste and excess nutrients to be reduced by 50%. The commitments in the draft text, which is expected to be adopted by governments in October at a crucial UN summit in the Chinese city of Kunming, have been kept intentionally modest after the failure of the international agreement on biodiversity conservation made for the previous decade.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Ray Rui)

Some campaigners have criticised the draft agreement, insisting that governments must do more to protect the planet. Mrema said she had hoped negotiators would create something more ambitious than the current proposal.

When asked what would happen if governments did not take sufficient action, Mrema said: “The risks will be major. One is that we will not have listened to the science and the evidence provided. Because we will not have listened, it means the global community will have said: let biodiversity loss continue, let people continue to die, let the degradation continue, deforestation continue, pollution continue, and we’ll have given up as an international community to save the planet.

Read more: Guardian

ABB and Volvo to Electrify Gothenburg’s City Streets

Photo: ElectriCity/ABB

Starting in 2020, 157 new Volvo electric buses will start trafficking the streets of Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille, powered by charging infrastructure solutions from market leading provider, ABB. This landmark announcement represents an important step towards achieving a sustainable public transport solution for the 180 million trips made by bus in the region each year.

Photo: ElectriCity/ABB

In line with the Swedish government’s vision that Sweden should be climate neutral by 2050, public transport company Västtrafik expects to have electrified all city traffic in Västra Götaland by 2030.

Volvo Buses and ABB are helping to realize that aim with the supply of 157 new electric buses and supporting charging infrastructure to bus operator Transdev.

With services scheduled to commence in December 2020, the new electrified lines will mean a total of 220 electric buses to transport Gothenburg’s residents and visitors by the end of the year.

“Volvo Buses is a leader in electromobility and solutions for sustainable public transport. Together with ABB and our partners, we have created a common holistic transport solution that will make public transport in Gothenburg quieter and emission-free”, says Håkan Agnevall, President, Volvo Buses. “The solution shows that electric buses are not only something for the future, but already today provide cities with public transport that is sustainable and financially viable.”

19 new high-power electric chargers will be installed during the second half of 2020 before the new buses go into operation, and another two stations are planned for the future.

The buses in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille will be charged by 450kW high power Panto Down chargers from ABB. A modular solution based on OppCharge, an open interface for direct current (DC) electric bus charging, the solution offers high-power charging via an automated rooftop connection. ABB will supply a complete solution that includes both the charging stations and all the necessary grid connection hardware via ABB’s cable distribution cabinets.

The buses will be recharged in just three to six minutes at charging stations along the routes. The high-power chargers, a part of ABB’s innovative ABB Ability™ offering of digital solutions and services across all business areas, delivers web-enabled connectivity that allows network operators to perform remote monitoring and configuration of charge points and also minimizes downtime and increases efficiency.

“The sustainable transformation of bus traffic in Gothenburg is an example of how ABB is pursuing its Mission to Zero, with the goal to develop innovations that will contribute to a zero-emission future. We have the products and solutions to deliver electricity from generation to the point of consumption in a safe, smart and sustainable way”, says Frank Muehlon, Head of ABB’s global business for E-mobility Infrastructure Solutions.

With room for 150 passengers and an 88 percent reduction in CO2 when transitioning to electricity, the new buses combine high passenger capacity with low environmental footprint.

ABB is a world leader in electric vehicle infrastructure, offering the full range of charging and electrification solutions for electric cars, electric and hybrid buses as well as for ships and railways. ABB entered the EV-charging market back in 2010, and today has sold more than 13,000 ABB DC fast chargers across over 80 countries. ABB recently received the Global E-mobility Leader 2019 award for its role in supporting the international adoption of sustainable transport solutions.

ABB offers products and services that provide a crucial contribution to increased sustainability in industry. More than half of ABB worldwide sales are generated with technology that contributes to the elimination of the causes of climate change. It is the goal of ABB within the scope of Mission to Zero to increase the sales share of solutions and systems for increased sustainability to 60 percent by the end of 2020.

Source: ABB

Huge ‘Hot Blob’ in Pacific Ocean Killed Nearly a Million Seabirds

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Frank McKenna)

A million seabirds died in less than a year as a result of a giant “blob” of hot ocean, according to new research.

Foto: Wikipedia/Duncan Wright

A study released by the University of Washington found the birds, called common murres, probably died of starvation between the summer of 2015 and the spring of 2016.

Most dead seabirds never wash ashore, so while 62,000 dead or dying murres were found along the coasts of Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California, researchers estimate the total number is closer to 1 million.

Alaska saw the most birds wash up. In Prince William Sound in southern Alaska, more than 4,500 bird carcasses were found every kilometer, or 0.62 miles.

The blob stems from a years-long severe marine heatwave, believed to be caused by an anticyclone weather system that first appeared in 2013. The weather phenomenon known as El Niño accelerated the warming temperatures beginning in 2015 and, by 2016, the rising heat resulted in water temperatures nearly 11F (6C) above average.

Anticyclones form when a mass of air cools, contracts and becomes more dense, increasing the weight of the atmosphere and the surface air pressure.

Heat maps at the time showed a huge red blob growing, spanning more than 380,000 sq miles (1m sq km). That’s nearly 1.5 times the size of Texas or four times the size of New Zealand.

The study found that the murres mostly likely starved to death. The seabird must eat half its body weight to survive, but food grew scarce amid intense competition from other creatures. Warming ocean waters gave fish such as salmon and halibut a metabolism boost, causing a fight for survival over the limited supply of smaller fish.

Researchers also uncovered other effects, including a vast bloom of harmful algae along the US west coast that cost fisheries millions of dollars in revenue. Other animals also died off, including sea lions, tufted puffins and baleen whales.

“Think of it as a run on the grocery stores at the same time that the delivery trucks to the stores stopped coming so often,” Julia Parrish, a co-author of the study and UW professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, said in a press release.

The murres’ population also took a hit. According to the study, a limited food supply resulted in reduced breeding colonies across the entire region. Between the 2015 and 2016 breeding seasons, more than 15 colonies did not produce a single chick. Researchers say those estimates could be low since they only monitor a quarter of all colonies.

The seabird has not replenished in numbers after the mass die-off.

“The magnitude and scale of this failure has no precedent,” said John Piatt, the lead researcher. “It was astonishing and alarming, and a red-flag warning about the tremendous impact sustained ocean warming can have on the marine ecosystem.”

Researchers cannot determine how long it will take for the population to rebound – or if it ever will.

“In light of predicted global warming trends and the associated likelihood of more frequent heatwaves”, the study concluded, this could be a stark warning about the impending effects of the climate crisis.

Meanwhile, another huge heat blob has formed off the Washington coast and up into the Gulf of Alaska, and is growing.

Source: Guardian

Oceana Calls for Reduction in Plastics Production and Increased Transparency in Global Fisheries

Photo: Unsplash/marek-okon
Oceana Media Roundtable. Dustin Cranor moderating. Remarks by Jacqueline Savitz, Alexandra Cousteau, State Secretary for Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jens Frølich Holte, Cecilie Skog Photo: Oceana/Ilja C. Hendel

OSLO, Norway–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Oceana, the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation, is calling for reductions in plastics production and increased transparency in global fisheries at the 2019 Our Ocean conference in Oslo, Norway. The conference, which is taking place October 23 and 24, brings together leaders from around the world to deliver concrete and actionable commitments to help protect and restore the world’s oceans.

Credit: Oceana/Ilja C. Hendel
Oceana Joined in Oslo by Supporters Alexandra Cousteau and Cecilie Skog Photo: Oceana/Ilja C. Hendel

Since 2014, the Our Ocean conference has generated commitments totaling over $27 billion dollars to fund ocean conservation and protected more than 25 million square kilometers of ocean.

“It is entirely appropriate that this year’s conference is being held in Norway,” said Alexandra Cousteau, explorer, ocean advocate and senior advisor to Oceana. “This is a nation whose identity and spirit are intimately linked to the sea. Norwegians as much as anyone understand that the ocean’s fate is our fate. We are emptying our oceans of fish and filling them with plastic. In just a few generations we have gone from abundance and biodiversity to scarcity; and from clean and pristine waters, to plastic-choked shorelines. This will only get worse, unless we do something now.”

Norway has the second longest coastline in the world and its waters are around six times larger than its land area. The ocean supports the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in Norway and 80% of the country’s population lives less than 10 km from the ocean. Historically and today, the ocean is important to Norwegians and Norway’s economy, as the world’s second largest exporter of fish and seafood.

“Oceana’s participation in the Our Ocean conference demonstrates its commitment to save our oceans from marine pollution and other major threats. I have seen the damage it can do firsthand in my travels. While we should all do our part, beach cleanups and recycling will never be enough to solve the plastics problem. Companies must stop using so much plastic,” said Cecilie Skog, adventurer and Oceana supporter.

Transparency in global fisheries

Approximately one-third of the world’s fish stocks are overfished. According to Oceana, modern-day pirates continue to pillage our oceans, threatening nations that rely on seafood for a primary source of protein. Oceana is working with governments around to world to increase transparency of their commercial fishing activities to expose problems that were once hidden beyond the horizon.

“To deter illegal fishing, we need to see beyond our shores and transparency is the solution,” said Andrew Sharpless, chief executive officer at Oceana. “Oceana campaigns to increase transparency in how fisheries are managed and employs a country-by-country approach to win these and other policies that will restore and increase ocean abundance. Indonesia, Peru and Chile set important examples by making their vessel tracking data public to the world through Global Fishing Watch, and now it is time for other countries to follow suit.”

Addressing plastics pollution

Photo: Oceana/Ilja C. Hendel

The oceans face a massive and growing threat from something we encounter every day: plastics. According to Oceana, an estimated 17.6 billion pounds of plastic enters the ocean every year – roughly equivalent to dumping a garbage truck full of plastic into the oceans every minute – and plastics production is expected to increase fourfold by 2050. Oceana says plastics are impacting everything from zooplankton, fish and birds to sea turtles and whales – right here in Norway.

“Plastics have a profound design flaw: they are designed to last forever and used to create products that are designed to be used once and then thrown away. Then they persist on our planet for centuries,” said Jacqueline Savitz, chief policy officer at Oceana. “Unfortunately, what would be a popular solution to plastic pollution – recycling – simply has not worked. Only 9% of plastic waste generated has been recycled, if that. Sending it to Asia is not recycling. We can’t recycle our way out of this problem. The only way to stop plastic from polluting our oceans, and building up in our bodies, is for companies to reduce plastic use and offer consumers plastic-free choices. It’s not rocket science, our grandparents lived without plastic and so can we.”

Photos from the event (Credit: Oceana/Ilja C. Hendel): https://bit.ly/32GqZ8Y

About Oceana

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one third of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 200 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that one billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit www.oceana.org to learn more.

Procedure Against Serbia for Lack of Adoption of a National Emission Reduction Plan

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Today, the Secretariat of the Energy Community sent an Opening Letter to Serbia to address the incomplete implementation of the Large Combustion Plants Directive. The Directive took effect on 1 January 2018 in the Energy Community. For existing large combustion plants, two alternative implementation avenues exist: either compliance with the emission limit values for SO2, NOx and dust at individual plant level, or implementation of a National Emission Reduction Plan (NERP). Every plant must be covered by either of the two options. Out of the sixteen existing large combustion plants in Serbia, nine are under the scope of the dispute settlement case.

The draft NERP of Serbia was approved in 2016 by the Secretariat. In the past years, the Secretariat repeatedly called upon the national authorities for its adoption, which however has not happened. In the Opening Letter, the Secretariat takes the view that in the absence of a legally binding NERP, the existing large combustion plants in Serbia have to comply with the emission limit values of the Directive at individual level. This is not the case for the nine  plants concerned.

By sending the Opening Letter, the Secretariat initiated a preliminary procedure, the purpose of which is to give Serbia the opportunity to react to the allegation of non-compliance with Energy Community law within two months and to enable the Secretariat to establish the full background of the case.

Source: Energy Community

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