Home Blog Page 177

ExxonMobil Signs Deal to Explore 28,000 sq km in Offshore Namibia

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

ExxonMobil has signed a deal for new oil and gas exploration across 28,000 square kilometres in Namibia.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The energy giant made the agreement with the Namibian Government and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR) for blocks 1710, 1810, 1711 and 1811A – it plans to begin exploration activities, such as the acquisition and analysis of seismic data, later this year.

The territory extends from the shore to around 215 kilometres away from land, with depths rising to as much as 4,000 metres.

ExxonMobil also holds a 40% stake in another offshore oil and gas license in Namibia, totalling an area of 11,500 square kilometres.

Mike Cousins, Senior Vice President of Exploration and New Ventures at ExxonMobil, said: “These agreements provide ExxonMobil with an opportunity to explore for hydrocarbons using advanced technology in the frontier Namibe basin.

“We will employ our significant upstream experience and technological expertise and work in close collaboration with NAMCOR in exploring these blocks.”

A recent analysis suggests global planned investment of $4.9 trillion (£3.8tn) in new oil and gas exploration and extraction over the next decade is incompatible with international climate obligations.

Source: Energy Live News

Nearly 170m Under-10s Unvaccinated Against Measles Worldwide

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Nearly 170 million children in the world under the age of 10, including half a million in the UK and 2.5 million in the US, are unprotected from measles in the face of growing outbreaks of the disease, Unicef is warning.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

More than 21 million children a year are not vaccinated against one of the most infectious organisms in existence, says the UN body. Between 2010 and 2017, an estimated 169 million children missed the first of the recommended two-dose regime.

“The ground for the global measles outbreaks we are witnessing today was laid years ago,” said Henrietta Fore, Unicef executive director. “The measles virus will always find unvaccinated children. If we are serious about averting the spread of this dangerous but preventable disease, we need to vaccinate every child, in rich and poor countries alike.”

Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, warned the situation was serious. “Getting yourself and your children vaccinated against killer diseases is essential to staying healthy, and vaccine rejection is a serious and growing public health timebomb,” he said.

He called for Facebook and Twitter to take action against the posting of anti-vaccine propaganda and conspiracy theories. “With measles cases almost quadrupling in England in just one year, it is grossly irresponsible for anybody to spread scare stories about vaccines, and social media firms should have a zero-tolerance approach towards this dangerous content,” he said.

Measles cases are up 300% in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year, says Unicef, with 110,000 confirmed reports. The same number died of the disease in 2017. Measles cases have reached their highest level in Europe for 20 years and caused an emergency to be declared in New York City.

Between one and three people in every 1,000 who catch measles will die, it is estimated, and there are serious complications in some who survive such as blindness, encephalitis (an infection that causes brain swelling) and pneumonia.

The US tops the list of high-income countries with the most children not receiving the first dose of the vaccine between 2010 and 2017, at more than 2.5 million. It is followed by France and the UK, with more than 600,000 and 500,000 unvaccinated infants, respectively, during the same period.

In low- and middle-income countries, the situation is critical, says Unicef. In 2017, for example, Nigeria had the highest number of children under the age of one who missed out on the first dose, at nearly 4 million. It was followed by India (2.9 million), Pakistan and Indonesia (1.2 million each), and Ethiopia (1.1 million).

Many countries have not introduced the second dose, which is given after the age of four. Twenty countries in sub-Saharan Africa do not have it in their immunisation schedule, which means that 17 million infants are at higher risk.

Dr Robin Nandy, Unicef’s chief of immunisation, said: “I’m extremely worried and everybody should be worried. I’d be very disappointed if we were not worried about it. We have had a vaccine for a number of decades now. It is inexpensive, efficacious, safe and widely available. Despite this we are seeing outbreaks all across the world.

“We know in many conflict-affected areas and remote rural areas and some urban slums there are kids being left out for whatever reason, but we are also seeing measles outbreaks in Europe, Japan and the United States and it is extremely disappointing. Measles vaccine is a silver bullet as far as public health is concerned.”

Country-wide vaccination rates can be deceptive, said Nandy. There needs to be 95% coverage to prevent outbreaks and some countries may manage 92%. But that means there will be pockets where vaccination rates are low. “There is a pool of susceptible kids concentrated in a particular location. As soon as the virus is introduced in that population, it spreads like wildfire and 90% of kids are going to get sick.”

Adam Finn, professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, said: “Having your child fully immunised against measles and other childhood infections should be as automatic and straightforward as teaching them how to feed themselves and sending them to school. It should be a no-brainer.

“Unicef is delivering a clear message to all of us in public service to get our act together. If we insist on playing the blame game, then we should be blaming ourselves, not parents and anti-vaxxers when things are not done right.

“It’s what we are paid to do and we have a joint responsibility to deliver. If we fail we are letting down the next generation just as negligently as by filling the seas with plastic and the atmosphere with greenhouse gases.”

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at Public Health England, said: “These numbers highlight the importance of not only routine vaccination but also making sure anyone who missed a dose is caught up to minimise the risk of outbreaks. When you consider absolute numbers it highlights that even a tiny slip – one or two per cent different in vaccination uptake – could make a big difference.”

Source: Guardian

 

Washington Could Become First US State to Allow ‘Human Composting’

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Washington could become the first US state to allow ‘human composting’.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The state has passed a bill that would legalise the eco-friendly process, which could turn dead bodies into two wheelbarrows full of nutrient-rich soil in less than two months.

The alternative method to burial or cremation is officially called ‘natural organic reduction’; supporters argue it means less space is needed for cemeteries and note it doesn’t involve the use of environmentally-harmful chemicals or expensive woods and metals.

It is not yet exactly certain how the process would be carried out or how much it would cost.

Democratic Governor Jay Inslee, who has largely based his 2020 presidential campaign on promises to tackle climate change, is now due to review the bill and make a final decision – if signed, the new law would take effect on the 1st of May, 2020.

One supporter of the process is Katrina Spade. As the Founder and CEO of Recompose, a ‘human composting’ business, she came up with the idea after observing how farmers used it to dispose of dead animals in an efficient and useful way.

She carried out a pilot programme Washington State University in 2018 that successfully reduced six human volunteers into soil.

And now for some very grave news… a Tesla hearse to die for.

Source: Energy Live News

Farmers Interested in Biogas Plants

Foto: Udruženje "Biogas"
Foto: Udruženje “Biogas”

Unlike fossil fuels, biogas is a permanently renewable fuel, since it is produced from biomass. The use of biogas helps to improve the country’s energy balance and contributes to the conservation of natural resources and environmental protection.

Biogas is a very flexible fuel, and it can be used for the production of thermal energy, the combined production of electricity and thermal energy (in a cogeneration plant) or combined production of electrical, thermal and cooling energy (trigeneration). Since this edition is dedicated to clean energy, we have decided to find out what is happening in the domestic biogas market.

Although we know that this fuel is not sufficiently present in our country and that its potential is greater than the current use, we asked Danko Vukovic, Chairman of the Managing Board of the “Biogas,” Association about the possibilities for the development of the biogas sector in our country. He explained to us how this non-governmental and non-profit association operates and what are their plans for the future.

EP :“Biogas” Association was founded in 2012 with the aim of developing and stimulating electricity production from biogas. Are you satisfied with the results you have achieved so far?

Danko Vukovic: In 2013, shortly after our establishment, a regulation was passed that practically stopped the development of biogas in Serbia. We have made a study in cooperation with the IFC – World Bank, of the conditions for improving the development of the biogas sector, the arguments of which were also acknowledged by the Ministry of Energy. Precisely these arguments they added to the decree. The passing of the regulation from 2016, which is currently in force, is considered one of our greatest successes. This regulation contributed to the accelerated development of the biogas sector in Serbia.Our association is continuously working on the improvement of the conditions for the development of the biogas sector, and we are constantly in communication with relevant ministries to achieve the set goals.

EP: Who are the members and partners of your association and what kind of support do you provide to your members?

Danko Vukovic: Our association currently has 32 members, and its structure is made up of the owners of power plants, potential investors, academic institutions, and others. The Association regularly organizes panels, seminars, workshops, and practical training. In addition to the educational or informational aspect of our engagement, we are available to our members for advice, as well as for help with communication with relevant ministries, and above all the Ministry of Energy.

EP: Does the Ministry rely on your expertise for passing the laws and by-laws, and what type of assistance can you expect from them?

Danko Vukovic: We have excellent cooperation with the Ministry of Energy at all levels, and we always try to be objective in all positions, but also to support these views by independent analysis that we make in partnership with the IFC – the World Bank. So far, the Ministry has respected our views and recommendations, and we believe that this will continue in the future.

Foto: Udruženje “Biogas”

EP: Given that people often do not differentiate biomass power plants from those on biogas, could you explain to us their characteristics?

Danko Vukovic: Although both types of power plants use biomass as the “fuel,” the key difference is in the method of operation or the process of electricity generation. In the case of biomass plants (wood, waste, etc.), the substrate combusts and heats the water, and then the water vapour starts up the gas turbine. When it comes to biogas plants, the substrate such as silage, waste from food production or manure, is decomposed into large containers – fermentors at a precisely determined temperature, from which biogas derives as a by-product of the decomposition of organic matter. It contains a high percentage of methane and is further used in conventional internal combustion engines which in this way starts up the generator for generating electricity.

EP: About 21 per cent of annual energy in Serbia comes from renewable sources. What is the share of biogas?

Danko Vukovic: If we consider all renewable energy sources, including large hydropower plants like Djerdap, the energy share of biogas in RES is negligible because it is only 0.8 per cent. However, if we only consider the RES that are part of the incentive measures, the share of biogas is 11 per cent.

Prepered by: Nevena Đukic

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on CLEAN ENERGY, December 2018. – February 2019.

Ariel and Lenor Clean Up Their Act on Plastic Waste

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

P&G brands Ariel and Lenor have committed to reducing plastic packaging use across Europe by 30% before 2025.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The parent company claims the amount of plastic saved by 2025 as a result of the initiative will be equivalent to a line of detergent bottles stretching the entire way around the earth.

In the UK, these reductions are expected to translate to 4,300 tonnes of plastic waste being avoided every year.

The firm has announced the first move will involve round tubs holding Ariel Pods being switched to bags, reducing required packaging by 75% per wash, with further reductions to be implemented in the near future.

P&G Fabric Care has also pledged to achieve full recyclability across all of its packaging by 2022.

Virginie Helias, Chief Sustainability Officer at P&G, said: “Our Ariel and Lenor brands are pioneering packaging reduction practices that will be critical to P&G achieving our commitment to reduce virgin plastics in packaging by 50% by 2030.”

Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa has recently shaved his beard to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Sorce: Energy Live News

At Least 28 Hippos Found Dead in Ethiopia’s National Park

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The bodies of at least 28 hippopotamuses have been found in Ethiopia’s national park in the southwest of the country, local media reported Monday. The semi-aquatic mammals died in the Gibe Sheleko National Park, a part of the Gibe River, local broadcaster FANA said.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Behirwa Mega, head of the park told FANA that the animals died between April 14 and 21 and that the cause of their deaths is presently unknown.

The Gibe Sheleko National Park, was only established in 2011, is reportedly home to about 200 hippos and covers approximately 36,000 square kilometers in land area.

Although the cause of death of the hippos remains unclear, the animals are described as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN).

The IUCN estimates the global population of hippos is between 115,000 and 130,000 and that their conservation should be a “priority” in countries where they exist.

Hippo populations are threatened by poaching, disease, loss of habitat, deforestation, and pollution, according to experts.

They are hunted by poachers who export their long canine teeth from African countries to places such as Hong Kong and the United States where they serve as substitutes for elephant tusks, says the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC.

More than 200 hippos were killed in a massive anthrax outbreak at Namibia’s Bwabwata National Park in 2017.

And the hippo population in Africa will face a significant reduction when a scheduled culling of the animals in Zambia begin in May despite objections from animal rights groups.

The cull will happen in the Luangwa River Valley in Zambia’s Eastern province, the Department of National Parks & Wildlife said in February.

Author: Aanu Adeoye

Source: CNN

Greenland Is Melting Even Faster Than Experts Thought, Study Finds

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Climate change is eliminating giant chunks of ice from Greenland at such a speed that the melt has already made a significant contribution to sea level rise, according to a new study. With global warming, the island will lose much more, threatening coastal cities around the world.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Forty percent to 50% of the planet’s population is in cities that are vulnerable to sea rise, and the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is bad news for places like New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Mumbai.

Researchers reconstructed the mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet by comparing estimates of the amount of ice that has been discharged into the ocean with the accumulation of snowfall in the drainage basins in the country’s interior for the past 46 years. The researchers found that the rate of ice loss has increased sixfold since then — even faster than scientists thought.

“We wanted to get a long precise record of mass balance in Greenland that included the transition when the climate of the planet started to drift off natural variability, which occurred in the 1980s,” study co-author Eric Rignot wrote in an email. “The study places the recent (20 years) evolution in a broader context to illustrate how dramatically the mass loss has been increasing in Greenland in response to climate warming.”

Rignot, a professor of Earth system science at the University of California, Irvine, said the glaciers are starting to flow faster and break into icebergs that are moving into the ocean.

“As glaciers will continue to speed up and ice/snow melt from the top, we can foresee a continuous increase in the rate of mass loss, and a contribution to sea level rise that will continue to increase more rapidly every year,” Rignot said.

Since 1972, ice loss from Greenland alone has added 13.7 millimeters (about half an inch) to the global sea level, the study estimates. The island’s ice sheet is the leading source of water added to the ocean every year.

Earlier studies that have documented similar ice loss trends for the area, suggesting that even if governments take action to reduce greenhouse gases and slow climate change, it may be too late to stop it.

For millions of years, Greenland’s ice has melted in cycles due to changes in the weather, but rising temperatures have been hard on the region, and the ice lost since the 1980s is more than has probably been lost in thousands of years.

A study published in December that looked at ice core samples found that Greenland’s ice sheets have been melting at an “unprecedented rate” over the past couple decades, about 50% higher than pre-industrial levels and 33% above levels in the 20th century.

Greenland’s ice sheets contain enough water to raise global sea levels by 23 feet, research shows.

If this year is any indication, the ice melt trend is sure to continue. The summer melt season has already started in Greenland, according to the National Snow & Ice Data Center — more than a month ahead of schedule. Without serious efforts to curb carbon emissions and slow climate change, ice loss could become a much bigger problem for the country and for us.

“We ought to be prepared for this and also take urgent action to slow down the melt down,” Rignot said.

Source: CNN

EU Approves Lithuania’s €385m Renewable Energy Scheme

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The European Commission has approved a €385 million (£333m) scheme to support electricity production from renewable energy sources in Lithuania.

The government intends to introduce the new aid scheme in May for the installation of renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydropower.

It will support Lithuania’s national target of increasing its share of green energy to 38% by 2025.

The scheme, open to all renewable installations, will run until 1st July 2025 or until the goal is reached.

The projects benefitting from the scheme will receive support in the form of a premium, which will be set through a competitive bidding process for all types of installations, irrespective of the size and the renewable technology used.

Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy said: “The scheme will contribute to Lithuania’s transition to low carbon and environmentally friendly sustainable energy supply, in line with the EU environmental objectives and our state aid rules.”

Source: Energy Live News

Ralph Lauren Unveils Polo Shirts Made from Plastic Bottles

dečak
Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Ralph Lauren has unveiled a new line of polo shirts made from recycled plastic bottles.

The shirts are made in Taiwan, which is where the bottles are collected, and are dyed without needing to use any water.

Each shirt uses around 12 bottles to be made – they are produced in partnership with First Mile, a recycling organisation that helps turn the plastic rubbish into wearable fabrics.

Each item is on sale for £95 in the UK.

The international clothing brand has also committed to removing at least 170 million bottles from landfills and oceans by 2025.

David Lauren, Ralph Lauren’s Chief Innovation Officer, said: “Plastic waste is a major issue threatening the environment – we want to be part of the solution and utilise an innovative approach to create something valuable.”

Source: Energy Live News

Planned $4.9tn Oil and Gas Investment ‘Not Compatible with Climate Goals’

nafta
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A planned investment of $4.9 trillion (£3.8tn) in new oil and gas exploration and extraction over the next decade is incompatible with international climate obligations.

nafta
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

That’s according to new analysis by Global Witness, which claims any fossil fuel production and use from fields not yet in operation or development will result in the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal being surpassed due to the volume of carbon dioxide that will be emitted into the atmosphere.

The group compares climate scenarios used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with industry forecasts for production and investment.

It says ExxonMobil is forecast to spend the most in new fields over the next decade, followed by Shell.

Along with Chevron, Total and BP, they are expected to spend more than $550 billion (£423bn) on harvesting oil and gas that Global Witness claims is not aligned with global climate goals.

The new report suggests future plans to extract oil and gas would only be possible without missing climate targets if massive carbon capture and removal are possible in the future – these technologies are currently unproven at scale.

Murray Worthy, Senior Campaigner at Global Witness, said: “There is an alarming gap between the plans of oil and gas majors and what the latest science shows is needed to avoid the most catastrophic and unpredictable climate breakdown.

“Investors will rightly be concerned that despite industry rhetoric to the contrary, the oil and gas sector’s spending plans are so drastically incompatible with limiting climate change.”

ELN has contacted ExxonMobil for a response.

A Shell spokesperson said: “We agree that action is needed now on climate change so we fully support the Paris Agreement and the need for society to transition to a lower-carbon future. We’re committed to playing our part and have set industry-leading targets to reduce not only our own emissions but also those of our customers when they use our products.

“Oil and gas will be needed right through the energy transition. For example, products derived from oil like home insulation and lightweight plastics can help improve energy efficiency in homes and cars. Gas can help support the deployment of renewable energy, as back up to meet power demand when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing.”

Source: Energy Live News

Apple Quadruples Recycling Points for Old iPhones

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Apple has quadrupled the number of locations customers can send their old iPhone to be disassembled by its recycling robots.

Customers can return their obsolete and damaged devices to Best Buy stores throughout the US, KPN retailers in the Netherlands or any Apple Store in either country.

They can also send them in to the ‘Daisy’ robots through the website – each one can disassemble 1.2 million devices per year, recovering materials such as cobalt, aluminium and tin before channelling them back into the manufacturing process.

In 2018, the company refurbished more than 7.8 million devices and helped divert more than 48,000 metric tonnes of electronic waste from landfills.

Lisa Jackson, Apple’s Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, said: “Advanced recycling must become an important part of the electronics supply chain and Apple is pioneering a new path to help push our industry forward.”

Source: Energy Live News

Major Threats to New Zealand’s Environment Highlighted in Government Report

novi_zeland_priroda
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

New Zealand’s pristine image as a haven of untouched forests and landscapes was tarnished this week by a brand new government report. The Environment Aotearoa 2019 painted a bleak image of the island nation’s environment and its future prospects.

novi_zeland_priroda
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The report, which was put out by the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand, is a follow-up to a 2015 report. While stopping short of making explicit suggestions, it “provides evidence to enable an open and honest conversation about what we have, what we are at risk of losing, and where we can make changes,” according to the report’s summary.

It found that New Zealand’s native plant and animal life has been decimated by invasive species, with 75 animal and plant species having vanished since humans settled the islands. The risk of extinction has worsened for 86 species in the last 15 years, while only improving for 26 species over the last decade.

The numbers in the report tell a dark picture. Almost 4,000 of New Zealand’s native species are currently threatened with or at risk of extinction. Marine, freshwater and land ecosystems all have species at risk: 90 percent of seabirds, 76 percent of freshwater fish, 84 percent of reptiles and 46 percent of plants are currently endangered or on the precipice of extinction, according to the report.

“New Zealand is losing species and ecosystems faster than nearly any other country,” said Kevin Hague from the conservation group Forest and Bird to The Guardian. “Four thousand of our native species are in trouble … from rampant dairy conversions to destructive seabed trawling – [we] are irreversibly harming our natural world.”

The report highlights the dairy industry as particularly problematic since maintaining a herd is land-intensive. The report found that converting land to pasture use contributed to nearly 173,000 acres of natural vegetation loss since 1996 and nearly 2,500 acres of wetland loss since 2001.

“It is undeniable that the dairy industry deserves the title of the dirtiest industry in New Zealand, and urgent action is required,” Greenpeace senior campaign and political advisor, Steve Abel said, New Zealand based Newshub reported.

“To turn this around, the Government must institute policies that will lead to land use change, get rid of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, dramatically reduce cow numbers, and invest millions into regenerative farming.”

The rapid increase in dairy farming has wreaked havoc on the country’s freshwater. The report found that over 82 percent of river water near farmlands was unsuitable for swimming due to pathogens, which have also threatened three-fourths of New Zealand’s freshwater fish with extinction.

“The biggest degradations in New Zealand’s environment in recent years have been caused by the dairy industry,” said Abel to Newshub. “As a nation reliant on an international reputation of being clean and green, we’re failing pretty epically.”

Author: Jordan Davidson

Source: Eco Watch

Solar Panel Demand ‘Pushing Up Price of Silver’

Photo-illustration: PIxabay

Rising demand for solar panels is pushing up the price of silver around the world.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

That’s the verdict from a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Kent, which warns this could lead to the cost of producing solar panels soaring.

They say around 20 grams of silver is used in every panel, making up just more than 6% of the cost of building each device – it is used because of its high electrical and thermal conductivity.

From studying quarterly silver prices and looking to see how they correspond with historical data on installed solar capacity and production between 1990 and 2016, the authors of the report found the indication of a causal relationship between the two variables.

The researchers added that if silver prices continue to rise it could make panels far more expensive and they noted this could require the introduction of more subsidies and energy credits to encourage further adoption.

Lead Author of the report, Iraklis Apergis, said: “The research shows that silver price rises are directly linked to the increase in demand for solar panels.

“This will likely have major implications for the longer-term use of solar panels and may require new alternative technologies to ensure solar panel production is cost-effective or government subsidies.”

Source: Energy Live News

New York Is Curbing Food Waste and Helping People in Need with a New Initiative

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Peter Wendt)

Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature reached agreement on one of the most pro-environmental budget sessions in many years.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Peter Wendt)

Not surprisingly, Albany’s agreement on a new comprehensive congestion pricing plan and a new law to ban plastic bags grabbed top headlines in the press.

But along with the excitement on these important bills is another environmental victory worthy of celebration—a first-of-its-kind food waste bill that will help direct more healthy food to disadvantaged New Yorkers while also slashing climate pollution around the state. With this new law, New York becomes one of the largest states in the country to develop a powerful mandate around food waste.

The Food Donation and Food Scrap Recycling Act (the Act) is a monumental step forward in New York for preventing food waste, rescuing surplus wholesome food for those in need, and recycling any remaining food scraps.

Why is food waste so important?

Overall, 40 percent of food in this country is wasted.  At the same time, nearly 2.5 million New Yorkers struggle to have enough to eat.

Food also makes up 18 percent of our solid waste stream. The vast majority of this food is disposed of in landfills where it breaks down and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Further, when we waste food, we waste all the energy, water, and labor it takes to get that food on our plates. In fact, if global food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the United States and China.

So, how does this Act tackle the issue of food waste?

In short, the Act requires the largest generators of food waste across the state to separate any excess wholesome food for donation and recycle any remaining food scraps. This is a new mandate across the state and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation estimates it could keep more than 250,000 tons of food out of landfills each year.

More specifically, the Act contains three important provisions:

First, the Act codifies the food waste hierarchy as part of state law. For the first time, this sets up a framework to address this pressing issue across the state.

At the top of the hierarchy, we want to prevent excess food from being grown in the first place—this is the most powerful way to save all of the land, water, and energy that go into growing our food.

Next, if there is still excess food, we want to rescue any wholesome food for those in need. Too often, food is thrown out that could feed those in our community who struggle to have enough to eat.

Any remaining food or food scraps should be recycled (through composting or anaerobic digestion) to keep them out of landfills and to return their valuable nutrients to the soil.

Second, to advance the rescue part of the hierarchy, the Act requires the largest generators of food waste—those generating more than 2 tons a week, like grocery stores, colleges and restaurants—to separate wholesome food for donation to food rescue organizations. They are also required to report to the state the amount of food they donate each year.

This cutting-edge requirement should begin to make food donation the norm instead of the exception. Many grocery stores and others already donate food into their community, but many still do not. This mandate will ensure that large generators work to donate excess food and increase the food available to food rescue organizations.

Third, with respect to the recycling tier of the hierarchy, the Act requires these same large generators to recycle any remaining food scraps instead of sending it to landfills. This requirement only applies, however, if they are located within 25 miles of a food scrap recycler (compost or anaerobic digestion facility) with capacity.

New York is one of the largest states in the country to develop this kind of powerful mandate. For the first time, we will begin to sustainably manage our food waste on a statewide basis.

The Act does not apply to New York City, which enacted its own food scrap recycling law in 2013. See my colleague Eric Goldstein’s blog for background on that New York City law.

In sum, with the passage of the Food Donation and Food Scrap Recycling Act, New York can begin to get better food to our neighbors in need, cut climate emissions, and rebuild our soils. NRDC is pleased the State has taken a leading role in this issue which is so central to a safe climate and healthy New Yorkers.

Author: Margaret Brown

Source: NRDC

Integration of National Energy Markets Leads to Safer Future

Foto: Milos Mladenovic
Foto: Miloš Mladenović

SEEPEX represents an organised electricity market in the Republic of Serbia. In its complexity and applied concept, it is a unique market in the South East Europe (SEE) region, and it brings many benefits to both direct participants and the entire Serbian economy.

The implemented trading platform EPEX SPOT (the so-called ETS trading platform) offers proven reliability, security, and a recognisable environment to all SEEPEX participants. On the other hand, the achieved prices give a reliable price signal, not only to the participants in the electricity market but also to all potential investors in the Serbian economy.

Executive Director of SEEPEX, Milos Mladenovic, says that Europe’s largest clearing house European Commodity Clearing AG (ECC AG) is responsible for the centralised clearing model (financial settlement and payment) with more than 20 European banks participating and which, besides for SEEPEX, performs this function for another 10 European energy markets. It is one of the best and most efficient solutions for financial settlement and physical delivery of electricity implemented in the European Union. The director explained to us that legal and financial legislation was completed as well, as an example of the best European practice applied for the first time in this extent in the region of Southeast Europe. This framework also enabled foreign companies to participate under completely equal Milos Mladenovic conditions in the organised electricity market in Serbia, as well as in all other far more developed markets in Western Europe. It is one of the most important factors of the SEEPEX spot market’s success thus far (short-term delivery in Serbia).

EP: What is the strategic goal of SEEPEX and which countries in Southeastern Europe are currently included?

Milos Mladenovic: The main strategic goal of SEEPEX is to create a strong, stable and liquid market in Southeastern Europe. Of course, our ambitions include connecting with the neighbouring electricity markets (market coupling) as well as joining the MRC project and actively participating in the creation of a day-ahead and intraday market throughout Europe. In other respects, SEEPEX is currently organising the spot market for Serbia. Aside from the most essential local market members, all the most important companies from the region and the EU that are active in the region of Southeast Europe will also participate in the trading platform. We plan to extend the operation of SEEPEX to some of the neighbouring countries in the region.

EP: Partner EPEX SPOT covers the power spot market in France, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. What kind of experience and knowledge did this partner bring to our market?

Milos Mladenovic: EPEX SPOT is the biggest electricity exchange in Europe. As a strategic partner of SEEPEX, it has enabled the implementation of the best European practice in this field, when it comes to the trading platform itself, but also the single European clearing. The ETS trading system mentioned above is entirely the same as in all other markets incorporated in EPEX SPOT, which makes trading more comfortable and provides full security for potential participants. The experience and know-how that SEEPEX gains from EPEX SPOT, contribute to the compliance of the organised market in Serbia with the highest market standards of the most developed countries in EU. Consequently the market becomes attractive to all European companies present in the SEE region.

Foto: Unsplash

EP: Will the members of the market also be suppliers of electricity from renewable energy sources (RES)?

Milos Mladenovic: It is early for precise assumptions and predictions when it comes to RES producers’ participation on the market. This is especially true if we consider that the traditional feed-in model is still in effect in our country and that the EPS is the only binding buyer from RES at incentive prices. Also, the installed capacity from the RES in the electric power system of Serbia is now relatively small. It will change with the construction of 500 MW planned wind farms and with putting into operation most of this capacity by the end of 2019. When some significant changes occur in this field, and announcements are that everything will be going towards the establishment of the incentive model of the market, SEEPEX will undoubtedly be one of the most reliable options for secure and transparent placement of this energy on the market. These changes primarily include the planned transition from the “feed-in” to the “premium feed-in” incentive model, which will undoubtedly contribute to the additional liquidity of the Serbian spot market along with the projected growth of the installed capacity of RES. Currently, 18 companies are involved on SEEPEX, and the list can be seen at the following link.

Prepered by: Tamara Zjačić

Read the whole interview in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on CLEAN ENERGY, December 2018. – February 2019.

Deforestation in Tropical Countries Linked to European Diets in New Study

krčenje_šuma_seča_drveća
Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

One-sixth of the carbon footprint of the average diet in the European Union can be directly linked to deforestation in tropical countries, according to a new study from researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.

Photo-illustration: PIxabay

The study, due to be published in the May 2019 edition of the journal Global Environmental Change, traces carbon emissions from tropical deforestation through global supply chains to consumer countries.

“In effect, you could say that the EU imports large amounts of deforestation every year,” Martin Persson, one of the study’s researchers, said in a press release on the university’s website. “If the EU really wants to achieve its climate goals, it must set harder environmental demands on those who export food to the EU.”

The researchers estimated that 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide were emitted annually between 2010 and 2014 due to deforestation associated with expanding croplands, pastures and forestry plantations in the tropics (including peatland drained for agricultural production). More than half of those emissions can be accounted for by cattle ranching and oilseed cultivation.

The study also found that 29 to 39 percent of deforestation-related emissions were driven by international trade (substantially higher than the fossil fuel component of trade emissions); that a sixth of the carbon footprint of an average EU diet is due to deforestation emissions; and that imported deforestation emissions rival domestic agricultural emissions in several EU countries.

The relationship between high consumer demand in Europe, a major importer, and tropical deforestation is coming under increasing scrutiny. France recently stated its commitment to stopping “deforestation imports” by 2030, while, separately, investors warned soy giants of a backlash over their deforestation practices.

Despite this, Persson is not convinced that enough is being done. He cited Global Canopy’s recent Forest 500 report, which, he said, showed there are few signs that major companies will be able to live up to their zero-deforestation pledges, as implementation has fallen short of expectations. “I think much the same can be said about government action in importing countries,” Persson told Mongabay. “There are [as] yet no clear signs that they intend to take firm action … moving beyond voluntary to regulatory actions, as has been done when it comes to timber imports.” Support could also be provided, he suggested, to help smallholder farmers practise sustainable intensification.”

The EU’s initiative on Stepping up EU Action against Deforestation and Forest Degradation — which recognizes that the bloc, “as a major importer of agricultural and forest commodities, is part of the problem but can also be part of the solution” — is due to be adopted and published in the second quarter of 2019, according to Anne Delvaux of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment.

Asked whether the plan will include any legal requirements for stakeholders, Delvaux said: “We cannot say at this stage”.

The new study was based on information from a paper published in March, also produced by researchers from the Department of Space, Earth and Environment at Chalmers University of Technology, in collaboration with colleagues from the Stockholm Environment Institute and Germany’s Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre.

The original study draws on existing data to quantify the deforestation caused by agricultural and forestry production in the tropics and subtropics, and then uses international trade models to map where these exported commodities are apparently consumed.

It found that crops, including palm oil, soybeans and tree nuts, accounted for 40 percent of deforestation attributed to exports (beef represented just 11 percent). Many of those crops come from Indonesia, Brazil and Argentina, which together are accountable for nearly half (44 percent) of deforestation embodied in crop production, of which they export between 49 and 76 percent.

“We can see that more than half of deforestation is due to production of food and animal feed, such as beef, soy beans and palm oil,” said Florence Pendrill, another of the study’s researchers, in the university press release.

The study divides countries into pre-, early-, late- and post-forest transition, referring to the journey to expanding forest cover. It found that from 2005 to 2013, 87 percent of deforestation that could be attributed to international demand was exported to countries that “exhibit decreasing deforestation rates or increasing forest cover,” particularly in Europe and Asia (notably China, India and Russia).

In fact, the study found that one-third of net forest gains in post-forest transition countries were offset by imports of commodities causing deforestation elsewhere. In the United Kingdom, for example, there was an annual increase of 170 square kilometers (66 square miles) of forests between 2010 and 2013 — but the country also imported 310 square kilometers (120 square miles) per year of embodied deforestation.

While domestic consumption is undeniably a key driver of deforestation — the study notes that Brazil and Indonesia accounted for 44 percent of the deforestation attributed to expanding cropland, pastures and tree plantations — looking at the problem from a global perspective is vital.

In the abstract to the study, its authors note that with international trade in forest-risk commodities on the rise, “it is becoming increasingly important to consider between-country trade linkages in assessing the drivers of — and possible connections between — forest loss and gain across countries.”

One challenge they researchers faced in their research was the lack of pan-tropical data on which crops that are displacing forests. “We had to take a more indirect approach, linking forest loss to increases in cropland, pasture and forest plantation areas from national statistics,” Persson told Mongabay. Figuring out which commodities were expanding was not always straightforward though, as sometimes one commodity expanded into another, pushing that commodity into the forest. In order to minimize this problem, they carried out the analysis at a sub-national level for Brazil and Indonesia – the two countries accounting for the bulk of tropical forest loss.

However, there have been rapid advances in the last few years in terms of mapping forest loss and its drivers using remotely sensed data. So, looking forward, the researchers hope to re-explore the supply chains linking consumers to tropical forest destruction in greater detail – and also to expand the analysis to look at a broader set of impacts, such a biodiversity loss. “We hope that this work can help inform different actors – both public and private – in their efforts to reduce their impacts on deforestation,” said Persson.

Source: Mongabay