ABB – Backbone of Industrial Digitalization in Serbia

27.02.2019

At the end of the 1980s, two prominent engineering companies Brown Boveri and Asea decided to join forces and resources. This capital enterprise was named ABB, and the newly formed company has added exactly three decades to 100 years long history of its founders, diligently writing the future of industrial digitalization. ABB is an inventive technological leader in the field of electric power networks, electrical equipment, industrial automation, robotics and motion, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport and infrastructure globally. The company emphasises two clear goals: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automation of industry from natural resources to finished products. ABB now operates in more than 100 countries with about 147,000 employees.

Milan Jevremovic, Industry Segment Manager at ABB Serbia, gave us the answers to the questions about the energy efficiency solutions, the expansion of ABB’s network of electric chargers and ABB solar systems and solutions.

EP: ABB has been present for 28 years in Serbia. Which are ABB’s leading products in Serbia and what solutions have been proven to be most efficient when it comes to energy saving?

Milan Jevremovic: ABB operates in 3 sectors in Serbia: Energy, Industry, and Infrastructure and Transport. For All each of these sectors, ABB can offer a wide portfolio of products. Switchgears, medium and high voltage devices, relay protection and transformers have the most significant market share in the field of Energy. When it comes to the Industry sector, ABB is best known for its electric motors in Serbia. In addition to electric motors, we are the leaders in the domestic market in the field of frequency regulators with more than 200 MW of installed devices. It is estimated that they achieve daily savings in energy consumption of around 15 per cent of installed engine power. As far as the processing industry is concerned, there is also a complete portfolio of measurement and analytic devices as well as distributed control systems. In the last two years, robotics and advanced automation systems that support the development of Industry 4.0 are particularly prominent. In the Infrastructure and Transport sector, our company is mostly present with low-voltage equipment and All photographs: ABB distribution facilities, but also with a complete offer electrical installations in modern residential, office and commercial facilities.

EP: What are the solutions which ABB can offer for improving energy efficiency in different types of industrial plants?

Milan Jevremovic: In addition to the already mentiond products which directly or indirectly influence the reduction in energy consumption, ABB has comprehensive solution and services for improving energy efficiency for almost every type of industry. As the best example, I would like to mention a project for monitoring and managing the quality of coal that is being dug in the Kolubara Mining Basin in to improve the efficiency of boiler operation in the thermal power plants ‘Nikola Tesla’. Several excavators dig coal at the same time at different locations on the open-pit mine ‘Tamnava’. Coal is of varying quality, and the goal is to send homogenised coal of the necessary calorific value to the power plant in Obrenovac. The software tracks geological information on the locations where excavators work compares them with online data provided by analysers on excavators and conveyor belts and harmonises the final quality of coal which is delivered. If necessary, the software also allows the takeover of the coal from the warehouse to achieve the required quality of coal which is loaded into the wagons and delivered to the power plant. The combustion in the boiler is much better, the efficiency is higher, and the emission of harmful gases is lower when using the coal which has a constant quality. This is a unique project of this type in the world in which experts from PE Elektroprivreda Srbije, the Faculty of Mining and Geology, and the engineering team of ABB for open-pits from Germany worked together to come up with the best and most optimal solution. The implementation of this project is currently underway.

EP: ABB currently has the fastest charger for electric vehicles. How many chargers of that type have been installed so far and where?

Milan Jevremovic: ABB in its offer has Terra fast chargers, but the word fastest is not appropriate here. The charging speed depends not only on the power of the charger but also on the system of an electric vehicle that controls the charging. The power of ABB fast chargers goes from 50 kW, which is in practice currently shown as a minimum, up to 60kW chargers for charging the buses and tracks. When it comes to the prevalence of our chargers, it is enough to say that we have more than 6,000 electric chargers and systems installed in more than 100 countries in the world.

EP: What are the other advantages of ABB chargers apart from the fact that your chargers are technological state of the art?

Milan Jevremovic The basic model Terra 54 is a universal fast charger for all types of electric vehicles that exist today. Key parts of the charger are also ABB products that contribute to the reliability of the product itself. The small weight of the basic model, which is about 350 kg, is the result of excellent modular construction and technology. Terra 54 has five power modules that allow charging even in a case of failure of one of the modules. ABB can remotely monitor the operating parameters of each ABB’s fast charger in the world which has been put into operation and provide service and technical support to all their customers. The Terra fast charger stands out from the others since we have developed a unique design for people with disabilities, which is one of the conditions for placing on the market of the United States of America.

EP: What type of training do you organise for servicers?

Milan Jevremovic: ABB has its customer service, and it also provides training for partners who want to service ABB chargers. The training includes the training for hardware and software parts of the chargers, and after completing the training, the certified service provider can independently perform the inspection of the charger, to put it into operation and to perform service and maintenance during the exploitation.

EP: How many ABB’s chargers have been installed in Serbia and what is the prognosis for the further development of the network in Serbia?

Milan Jevremovic: So far, several slow chargers and one fast charger with remote monitoring system have been installed in Serbia. The fast charger is at the location of the company Porsche SCG in Belgrade. The development of a network of chargers in Serbia will depend on the needs and possibilities, the incentive measures, as well as the traffic development strategy that envisages the reduction of the impact of exhaust gases. Projects in this area are complex and require proper technological and economic assessments. Initial investments are not small and include support for state-owned or private-owned charging networks, various types of subsidies and incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles. The most important ones are the savings that the entire system brings and the reduction of emissions greenhouse gases. Given the fact that Serbia connects the East and the West, it is necessary to develop its network of electric chargers, so that everyone who drives electric cars, buses and hopefully trucks, can quickly and easily charge their vehicles.

EP: When are electric cars expected to become a common sight on Serbian roads, as in the countries of the European Union?

Milan Jevremovic: This is connected with the development of the infrastructure network of electric chargers as well as the aforementioned subsidies and incentives for the purchase of electric cars. It would be amazing if electric vehicles would become an everyday sight on our streets, but this will only happen once we get full support and benefits from the state. In 2012, Estonia developed a national network, precisely with ABB fast chargers, and it gave an excellent example to other countries. One fast charger of 50kW DC/22kW AC was installed at a distance of about 50 km on each main and highway in Estonia. In addition to those, additional 500 slow AC chargers were installed in governmental institutions. To inspire and motivate the others, ABB Serbia purchased an electric car last year for its own needs and installed an electric charger in front of the offices in Belgrade. By our example, we wanted to demonstrate the necessity of spreading both corporative and individual awareness on the protection of the environment.

For more information about ABB’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure click here.

Prepered by: Nevena Djukic

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

‘Extinction Crisis’ Threatening Global Food Supply, UN Report Warns

27.02.2019

taneli-lahtinen-754080-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Taneli Lahtinen)

A drop in global biodiversity is putting our ability to produce food at risk, a new United Nations report warns.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Taneli Lahtinen)

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, biodiversity in food and agriculture “is indispensable to food security and sustainable development.”

However, in recent years biodiversity at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels have all been in decline, reducing our overall food and agriculture systems’ ability to respond to shocks and stresses such as climate change.

“Many key components of biodiversity for food and agriculture at genetic, species and ecosystem levels are in decline,” the report said. “The proportion of livestock breeds at risk of extinction is increasing. Overall, the diversity of crops present in farmers’ fields has declined and threats to crop diversity are increasing.”

At the species level, many of those serving vital functions such as pollination or pest management are in decline “as a consequence of the destruction and degradation of habitats, overexploitation, pollution and other threats.”

A report out earlier this month in the journal Biological Conservation warned more than 40% of insect species could become extinct in the next few decades — an event it said could have “catastrophic” effects on the planet.

Even larger animals are at risk, with more than 25% of local livestock breeds at risk of extinction,. Only 7% are deemed to be at no risk whatsoever, with the future for most other livestock breeds unclear.

The drop in biodiversity is being caused by a number of major global trends, the report said, including climate change, international markets and demography.

“These are giving rise to other challenges such as land-use change, pollution, overuse, overharvesting and the proliferation of invasive species,” it said. “Interactions between these trends can often exacerbate their effects.”

Moreover, it warned that the assessment and monitoring of the status and trends in biodiversity at both national and global levels is “uneven and often limited,” meaning the problem could be worse than we currently understand. The report calls for more research in this area and an increase in policies “supporting sustainable use and conservation.”

The issue is attracting increasing attention globally, due to be taken up at the G7 meeting in April, the World Conservation Congress in June, and a major international convention in Beijing next year.

Speaking at the National Biodiversity Conference in Dublin this week, Irish President Michael Higgins called on the world to do more to tackle the “extinction crisis.”

“Over the past half century, humanity has witnessed the destruction of 60% of mammal, bird, fish and reptile populations around the world,” he said. “We are the first generation to truly comprehend the reality of what we’re doing to the natural world, and we may be the last with the chance to avert much of the damage. With this knowledge comes an extraordinary burden of responsibility that we all share.”

Source: CNN

Cuba’s Tobacco Growers Confront Climate Change

27.02.2019

woman-1376668_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Looking at the plain, one-story wooden shacks that dot the countryside in Cuba’s vuelta abajo region, one would never guess that the farmers here grow one of the island’s most valuable natural resources: cigar tobacco.

Though Cuban cigars are famous worldwide, the majority of the tobacco that goes into premium cigars is grown in this relatively small valley in Western Cuba that possesses a unique micro-climate and rich volcanic soil.

The fields behind Hirochi Robaina’s house are full of mature tobacco plants, and the drying houses where the tobacco hangs and ages for at least 30 days are stacked to the rafters. But the fifth-generation tobacco grower is still not happy with this year’s harvest.

“This year was very complicated because of the weather,” he said. “The weather was bad. A lot of rain and wind.”

Usually, the winter months are the dry season, perfect for growing and harvesting tobacco for top brands like Cohiba, Montecristo and Partagas.

With this harvest, though, there was so much rain that fields are muddy. Some of the plants are flopping over or have grown so tall that they need to be pruned so the leaves, which are rolled into cigars, don’t lose their potency.

“It’s not normal. We start to grow tobacco in November. Normally, there’s no rain, just a little bit,” Robaina said. “But it changed a lot, very strong rain, very strong wind. It’s a big problem for tobacco farmers.”

The problem, he said, is the increased impact of climate change being felt on the Caribbean island.

In January, a freak weather system struck the western part of Cuba, causing a tornado that flipped cars, tore roofs off buildings and killed at least six people in Havana. Cuban weather forecasters said that in 500 years of recorded history, there has never been another tornado to hit the Cuban capital.

On Robaina’s farm, a two-hour drive from Havana, he pointed out the bare patches in his fields where winds from the same storm ripped out whole plants.

“We never had anything like this happen before here,” said Robaina, the youngest member of one of Cuba’s most storied tobacco-growing families. His grandfather Alejandro Robaina was a legend among Cuban cigar aficionados, and the tobacco he produced was saved for Fidel Castro’s personal supply of cigars.

To deal with the unpredictable weather, Robaina said, he’s consulting the detailed notes his grandfather left him on how to grow top-quality tobacco.

Many of his neighbors, he said, are switching from tobacco to crops such as corn and black beans that are easier to grow. That’s like a winemaker in Napa Valley or Bourdeaux deciding to stop growing grapes.

For Robaina, growing anything but cigar tobacco in the place that has the best climate and soil is not an option.

“Robainas have to grow tobacco,” he said. “We have to. This our life.”

The impacts of climate change don’t appear to have affected the bottom line for Cuba’s cigar industry.

At Cuba’s yearly cigar festival in February, the Habanos company, a foreign joint venture with the Cuban government that sells Cuban cigars abroad, announced record sales of $537 million in 2018.

But cigar experts said climate change could affect quality, as well as production.

“It’s something to be concerned about,” said David Savona, executive editor of Cigar Aficionado magazine. “When you are a cigar lover, you are smoking just tobacco. Cigars like these are made only with tobacco and time. If there is a problem with the weather, it’s going to have a direct effect on the cigar.”

Habanos executives said the Cuban government recognizes the impact that climate change could have on an island already vulnerable to hurricanes and coastal flooding and is responding to the potential fallout.

“We are working to mitigate the damage caused by climate change,” said Ernesto Gonzalez, Habanos’ operational marketing director. “Cuba is an example for the world on how to prevent natural disasters.”

Under a plan called Tarea Vida, or “assignment life,” the Cuban government is studying where the island will most be affected by climate change. According to government data, in the past 70 years, the average annual temperature has risen 0.9 degrees Celsius. Rising sea levels have affected about 85% of the island’s coastline, and the government has banned new construction in some coastal areas and begun to move at-risk communities farther inland.

The Cuban government said in November that tobacco growers had designed new drying houses to cure tobacco with metal roofs, instead of wood, that were more resistant to increased wind and rainfall caused by climate change.

Robaina said he’s concerned that as climate change makes it harder to grow tobacco, Cuban cigar production will go the way of coffee and sugar production on the island and cease to be a major export.

“We have to fight now,” he said. “To save our tobacco.”

Source: CNN

Saving the Environment One Hair Wash at a Time

26.02.2019

bath-664062_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

In the ongoing dialogue surrounding water consumption and saving water, the length of your shower, how you water your yard and even your toothbrush usage probably come up. But there is another water-thirsty activity that should be added to the discussion — hair washing. Think about it. Daily shampooing by billions of people is destined to strain resources. So taking a moment to consider the ways you can cut back on the suds, the water and the money going down the drain can be the best way to help the environment.

Frequency

Your hairdresser recommends washing your hair twice daily, often followed by using a conditioner. Between the energy and water consumed, that’s a big hair care footprint. In addition to shorter showers, consider cutting back the frequency of your hair washing to every other day or even a few times each week. Dry shampoo and leave-in conditioner can help provide the look and feel you’re used to in between washings. Specially formulated to omit the use of water altogether, dry shampoo is a quick and easy way to get out the door faster without wasting time and water in the shower. Leave-in conditioner can keep the frizzies at bay with a expedited and no-water-required application.

Hot water reduction

Heating water is a major household expense and we’re often paying for a service we don’t need, such as washing clothes in hot water that will be just as clean in a cold wash. When it comes to hair washing, consider turning down the heat a bit in favor of cost savings. Of course, slashing your time in the shower will not only save on water-heating costs, but water consumption costs as well. Even better than turning the shower down is turning it off in between wetting your hair and rinsing out the shampoo. For greater results, adopt a less rigid hair-washing schedule altogether.

Product consumption

While we’re on the conversation of conservation, give a little thought to the amount of hair products you’re using as well. Try cutting back on the amount you apply, since most people use a much larger amount than they need. This not only helps minimize the shampoo that heads down the drain, but offers cost savings too.

Water conservation

If you’re already cutting back on shower time, think of other ways you can conserve the water you use in your shower. After all, you wouldn’t be the first person to collect your sudsy runoff in a bucket as you bathe. As long as your hair products are earth friendly, the water you collect can be used to water plants, wash animals or irrigate the lawn.

Also look into low-flow shower heads that either restrict the flow of water coming out or force air through the shower head so it feels like you’re getting a full stream with only half the water usage. While we’re on the topic of showers, they are almost always a better choice for the planet than baths. An average 10-minute shower uses around 20-25 gallons while a bath averages 35-50 gallons.

Outside the home

While your morning ritual is likely the culprit for most of your excess hair-washing water consumption, also implement a plan for when you are away from home. Conserving water at the hotel or the gym is still saving water, so keep it up when you’re out. Also, start a dialogue with your hairdresser who’s likely had the conversation before. Ask what he or she is doing to minimize water consumption and resources (think about how many heads get washed each day.) Yes, it might feel like you’re breaking some sort of code to head to the stylist without washing first, but if they are going to do it anyway, there’s no reason to wash twice. Alternately, wash at home and ask them to wet with a spray bottle instead of a full wash during your cut.

Types of hair products

More and more products are finding their way into the market that aim to satisfy the growing consumer desire for no-water, all-natural solutions to hair care. Remember that all those suds head straight down the drain and into the local water system, so choose non-toxic shampoos and conditioners that are biodegradable. Do it for the fishies and for the purity of the water your family drinks. While biodegradable products are better for the environment, remember that they are also better for you. Your scalp is skin, after all, and skin is the biggest organ in your body. With a high absorption rate, your skin takes in all kinds of chemicals and toxins in daily life. Don’t let your hair products be one of them.

In addition to the ingredient list, look at the packaging of your shampoo and conditioner. Use an all-in-one product instead of separate ones to automatically cut plastic waste in half. Better yet, find a refillable option for serious waste-reduction points.

There are a host of alternate products that can also aid in the clean-hair goal both in and out of the shower. Many people find success with natural products like apple cider vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and clay. Baby powder can also work as a dry shampoo in a pinch.

Source: Inhabitat

Scientists Have an Inkling Squids Could Help Cut Plastic Pollution

26.02.2019

squid-832175_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A recently-discovered squid protein could be used to stop microplastic fibres leaking into the environment.

A review published in Frontiers in Chemistry, conducted by scientists at Penn State University in US, suggests material found in the ringed teeth of a squid’s arms can be processed into an abrasion-resistant coating that reduces microfibre erosion in washing machines.

The protein is also self-healing, so items of clothing can repair tiny abrasions and damage.

Materials made from this protein are eco-friendly and biodegradable, with sustainable and cost-effective large-scale production achieved using laboratory culture methods, rather than having to harvest it from living squids.

Lead Author Melik Demirel said: “Squid proteins can be used to produce next generation materials for an array of fields including energy and bio-medicine, as well as the security and defense sector.

“We reviewed the current knowledge on squid ring teeth-based materials, which are an excellent alternative to plastics because they are eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable.”

Source: Energy Live News

Tourists Are Trashing the World’s Tallest Mountain, So China Has Banned Them From Its Base Camp

25.02.2019

mount-everest-89590_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

China has closed its Everest base camp to tourists because of a buildup of trash on the world’s tallest mountain.

The move comes as the Tibet Autonomous Region Sports Bureau said it had collected 8.4 metric tons (approximately 9.3 U.S. tons) of waste, including garbage and human waste, from the core area of the mountain last climbing season, ABC reported.

“[N]o unit or individuals are allowed entry into the core area of the Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve,” notices posted by the local government in Dingri County, Tibet, read.

Qomolangma is what Everest is called in Tibet. While ABC News reported that the notices first appeared in December of 2018, the story has only been widely reported internationally in recent days, according to The Huffington Post.

Qomolangma National Nature Reserve Deputy Director Gesang Droma told ABC News that researchers and mountain climbers would still be able to access the mountain from the Chinese side with permits. The People’s Daily said that only 300 permits would be granted this year. Tourists who want to view the north face of the mountain can still do so from the Rongbuk Monastery about a mile away from the base camp, Droma said.

The trashing of Everest has emerged as a growing problem in recent years, with some news outlets referring to it as the “world’s highest garbage dump”.

Both Nepal and China have previously implemented policies trying to encourage climbers to clean up after themselves. Nepal charges teams a $4,000 trash deposit that is returned if they bring down at least eight kilograms (approximately 17.6 pounds) of garbage. China fines climbers if they do not return with the same amount. Despite this, only half of climbers in 2018 brought down the minimum amount of trash, according to a video posted by The South China Morning Post.

Most climbers choose to climb Everest from Nepal. Of the 648 summits in 2017, only 217 left from the Tibetan base camp, ABC News reported. However, the Tibetan base camp is popular especially with Chinese tourists because it is accessible via car.

The Nepalese base camp is only accessible after a two week hike, but it saw a record 45,000 visitors in the 2016-2017 year, BBC News reported. The Chinese base camp saw 40,000 visitors in 2015, the most recent year for which numbers are available. It received 59,000 visitors in 2014, 7,400 of whom were foreign tourists, according to ABC.

Source: Eco Watch

Decarbonisation ‘Could Leave Fossil-Fuel Economies Stranded’

25.02.2019

froet-gas-195383_960_720 — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Global decarbonisation could turn fossil fuel-reliant economies into ‘stranded nations’ unable to unlock the value of carbon-based assets and infrastructure.

These are the findings of a new World Economic Forum study, which shows the world’s sovereign wealth funds collectively own $8 trillion (£6.1tn) in assets but currently invest just 0.19% of this figure in green energy.

It says economies that are heavily dependent on fossil fuel resources with more than 10% of their total wealth based in carbon assets could become “stranded” – it says they must act now to develop the “human capital and economic diversification” to continue to thrive.

The report acknowledges some fossil fuel-dependent countries have already begun to diversify their economies for impending energy changes but notes progress is slow.

It says this could pose a serious problem because as much as three-quarters of energy is expected to come from green sources by 2050.

Maha Eltobgy, Head of Shaping the Future of Long-Term Investing, Infrastructure and Development at the WEF, said: “To protect their economic futures, countries whose economies rely on fossil fuels need to prepare now for the impending global shift away from these resources.

“The resource dependent, fossil-fuel-rich nations that have diligently-built large sovereign wealth funds to manage the economic challenges of the Age of Oil must now consider how to use this vast wealth to prepare for the Age of Green Energy.”

Source: Energy Live News

EU Gets Heavy-Duty on Emissions from Trucks

24.02.2019

jametlene-reskp-365848-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Jametlene Reskp)

The European Union has agreed to reduce emissions from new trucks by 30% by 2030.

The European Parliament and the Council, which represents the 28 member states, reached a provisional agreement which ensures between 2025 and 2029, new trucks will emit 15% less CO2 on average compared to 2019 emission levels.

Emissions from heavy-duty vehicles including, lorries, buses and coaches, represent around 6% of total CO2 emissions in the EU and 27% of total road transport emissions.

Truck manufacturers that don’t comply with the new regulation will have to pay a financial penalty in the form of an excess emissions premium.

Plans to strengthen the incentive system for manufacturers to make low and zero emission trucks have also been agreed.

The announcement follows an agreement last year for the monitoring and reporting of CO2 emissions and fuel usage data from heavy-duty vehicles.

Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy said: “With the first-ever EU emission standards for trucks agreed, we are completing the legal framework to reach the European target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030. The European Parliament and Council have reached an ambitious and balanced agreement.

“The new targets and incentives will help tackle emissions, as well as bring fuel savings to transport operators and cleaner air for all Europeans. For the EU industry, this is an opportunity to embrace innovation towards zero-emission mobility and further strengthen its global leadership in clean vehicles.”

Source: Energy Live News

First Mammal Species Recognized as Extinct Due to Climate Change

24.02.2019

Bramble-cay-melomys — Foto: Wikipedia/State of Queensland

A small rodent that lived only on a single island off Australia is likely the world’s first mammal to become a casualty of climate change, scientists reported in June 2016. The government of Australia has now officially recognized the Bramble Cay melomys (Melomys rubicola) as extinct.

The animal seems to have disappeared from its home in the eastern Torres Strait of the Great Barrier Reef, scientists say. The animal was last seen by a fisherman in 2009, but failed attempts to trap any in late 2014 prompted scientists to say it is likely extinct.

Also called the mosaic-tailed rat, the rodent is named after its home on Bramble Cay, a small island that is at most 10 feet above sea level.

The rats were first seen by Europeans on the island in 1845, and there were several hundred there as of 1978. But since 1998, the part of the island that sits above high tide has shrunk from 9.8 acres to 6.2 acres. That means the island’s vegetation has been shrinking, and the rodents have lost about 97 percent of their habitat.

“The key factor responsible for the extirpation of this population was almost certainly ocean inundation of the low-lying cay, very likely on multiple occasions, during the last decade, causing dramatic habitat loss and perhaps also direct mortality of individuals,” writes the team, led by Ian Gynther from Queensland’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

“For low-lying islands like Bramble Cay, the destructive effects of extreme water levels resulting from severe meteorological events are compounded by the impacts from anthropogenic climate change-driven sea-level rise,” the authors add.

Around the world, sea level has risen by almost eight inches between 1901 and 2010, a rate unparalleled in the last 6,000 years. And around the Torres Strait, sea level has risen at almost twice the global average rate between 1993 and 2014.

This small mammal is therefore only the first of many species that face significant risk due to a warming climate, the authors warn.

Author: Brian Clark Howard

Source: National Geographic

We Are Eating Large Wild Animals into Extinction

23.02.2019

shark-674867_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Much of the planet’s megafauna is being driven extinct because of the usual causes: habitat loss and rampant poaching for body parts like horns, bones and tusks.

But there is another reason large vertebrates are going extinct: people keep on eating them.

A team of researchers has analyzed how human activities are impacting populations of megafauna within six classes: mammals, ray‐finned fish, cartilaginous fish, amphibians, birds, and reptiles. Their findings make for sobering reading. Of the 362 megafauna species the researchers have surveyed, a staggering 70% are showing signs that they are decreasing in number while 59% are directly threatened with extinction.

“Surprisingly, direct harvesting of megafauna for human consumption of meat or body parts is the largest individual threat to each of the classes examined, and a threat for 98% (159/162) of threatened species with threat data available,” they explain.

In many countries bushmeat is a large part of local diets. In some countries like Cambodia and Malaysia there are even restaurants that specialize in bushmeat. Their business model often involves the poaching of protected and endangered species to be served to diners at higher prices.

Meanwhile, other animals like pangolins and sharks are widely consumed because their meat or parts like fins are considered to be exotic delicacies. Yet other large animal species like tigers and rhinos are at risk of being driven extinct because their body parts are prized in traditional Chinese medicine.

“Maintaining biodiversity is crucial to ecosystem structure and function, but it is compromised by population declines and geographic range losses that have left roughly one fifth of the world’s vertebrate species threatened with extinction,” the authors write. “Therefore, minimizing the direct killing of the world’s largest vertebrates is a priority conservation strategy that might save many of these iconic species and the functions and services they provide.”

The phenomenon of people hunting and eating large animals into extinction is hardly new. Even at the dawn of human history people made an ecological mark by driving several species of large animals into extinction (from giant ground sloths to giant monitor lizards to giant birds) soon after they’d arrived in new lands from Australia to the Americas.

Large animals are especially at threat from human hunters because they usually bear few offspring, which take a long time to reach full maturity. If they are killed in large enough numbers within a short period of time, they may never recover. “Megafauna species are more threatened and have a higher percentage of decreasing populations than all the rest of the vertebrate species together,” says William Ripple, a professor of ecology at the Oregon State University College of Forestry who led the research.

In the past 250 years 9 megafauna species have gone extinct either entirely or in all their wild habitats, including two species of giant tortoise and two species of deer. At especial risk of imminent extinction right now is the Chinese giant salamander, which is considered a delicacy in Asia.

“In addition to intentional harvesting, a lot of land animals get accidentally caught in snares and traps, and the same is true of gillnets, trawls and longlines in aquatic systems. And there’s also habitat degradation to contend with. ” Ripple notes. “When taken together,” he adds, “these threats can have major negative cumulative effects on vertebrate species.”

Source: Sustainability Times

Oil Spill From Shipwreck Threatens Solomon Islands’ World Heritage Site

23.02.2019

lighthouse-734685_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The Solomon Islands prime minister has asked Australia for emergency help cleaning up an environmental disaster after oil spilled from a bulk carrier that ran aground on a coral reef near a world heritage area.

The MV Solomon Trader had been loading bauxite when rough seas pushed it aground at Kangava Bay, Rennell Island, on the night of 4 February. The East Rennell world heritage site, which forms part of the island, 250km south of the capital, Honiara, is the largest raised coral atoll in the world. Since 2013 the site has been on a Unesco danger list because of logging and overfishing.

Situational reports seen by the Guardian say “heavy fuel oil/black oil could be smelt from 800 metres” from the vessel.

“Discoloured brown water was observed in the lagoon approximately 600 metres south east.”

The report said the vessel could not proceed anywhere under its own power and would have to be towed.

“Indications are that the oil leak gets worse at low tide. At low tide the oil is going directly onto the exposed reef.”

The category-two cyclone Oma and rough weather have delayed salvage efforts.

On Tuesday the Australian Maritime Safety Authority was preparing a Hercules C130 military plane with clean-up gear, and a naval ship with equipment was also likely to be diverted. Australia has sent a surveillance plane to the site.

Earlier on Tuesday a Solomon Islands government source told Guardian Australia that salvage crews and oil spill response teams were heading to Rennell Island from Honiara.

“The weather has moderated,” he said. “The sea is still running very heavily and it’s diffusing the oil, it’s leaking at a low rate. It’s starting to spread as slick.”

The source said there was gas oil and heavy fuel oil on the ship.

National Disaster Management Office and Solomon Islands Maritime Safety Administration officials had urgent talks with the Solomon Islands caretaker prime minister, Rick Houenipwela, on Tuesday.

“Nothing has been done for the past two weeks because of the weather, but now the weather has eased down, we can get people across,” a spokesman for the maritime administration said.

OceansWatch’s Solomon Islands spokesman, Lawrence Nodua, said there was likely to be significant reef damage. “The area is an important fishing ground for local villagers,” he said.

Source: Guardian

VW’s First EV ‘Will Be Carbon Neutral Throughout Entire Lifecycle’

22.02.2019

vw-1043117_960_720 — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Volkswagen says its new electric car will be carbon neutral through its entire lifecycle if recharged with renewable energy.

The German car manufacturer says the ID.’s supply chain, manufacturing processes and charging infrastructure will all be sustainable – the energy used to produce the batteries and parts will come from green power sources, with the factory in Zwickau, Germany, already being supplied by renewables.

The brand notes unavoidable emissions in the manufacturing process are offset by investments in certified climate projects and expects during the manufacturing phase alone, the carbon footprint of the car will be improved by more than a million tonnes each year than if traditional methods were employed.

This is roughly the climate impact of a coal-fired power station supplying 300,000 households.

Volkswagen says it is committed to the Paris Climate Agreement and plans to offer more than 20 fully electric models by 2025.

Thomas Ulbrich, the Volkswagen Board Member responsible for e-mobility, said: “Climate change is the greatest challenge of our times.

“As the world’s largest car manufacturer, Volkswagen is assuming responsibility: The new ID. will be the Group’s first climate-neutrally produced electric car.”

Source: Energy Live News

IKEA Buys 25% Stake in German Offshore Wind Farm

22.02.2019

nicholas-doherty-1318234-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Nicholas Doherty)

Ingka Group, a company which owns most of the IKEA stores, has bought a 25% stake in an offshore wind farm in Germany.

It has paid more than €200 million (£174m) for the stake in Veja Mate, which consist of 67 turbines with a total capacity of 402MW.

The acquisition is part of a deal in which a consortium, that also includes Commerz Real. Wpd invest and KGAL Group, bought 80% of the wind farm from Siemens Financial Services, highland Group Holdings and Copenhagen Infrastructure.

Krister Mattsson, Head of Ingka Investments at Ingka Group, which owns 367 IKEA stores in 30 markets said: “With this 25% stake, we make another step towards our 2020 target about renewable energy production exceeding our energy consumption. It supports our sustainability targets, where renewable energy and energy independence play an important role.

“Investing in wind farms is part of our activities to support the financial strength of the company and contributes to our climate positive ambition.”

Source: Energy Live News

Apply to Become a Swedish Institute Innovation Leader in the Western Balkans!

21.02.2019

business-561388_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The aim of SI Innovation Leaders (SIIL) is to contribute to the innovation ecosystem in the western Balkan region. The goal is to create a platform for knowledge exchange and problem solving between innovation field experts within private sector, public sector and academia, with the help of Swedish expertise and experience.

The countries that participate in the programme SI Innovation Leaders during this first year are Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia. By the end of the programme you are a part of a strong network of innovation ecosystem experts for a strong and innovative future in the western Balkan region.

The Programme will give you:

A network of leaders working with innovation ecosystems in Sweden and the western Balkan region.
Increased knowledge and practice about effective collaboration between the private sector, the public sector and academia (triple helix).
Increased innovation ecosystem leadership competence.
Insights into Sweden’s innovation ecosystem, one of the leading innovation ecosystems in the world.
Exchange of experience with prominent practitioners in business, the public sector and academia – both in Sweden and your region.

The kick-off will be held in Serbia on 23-25 April 2019. The first module takes place in Sweden, between 8-16 June 2019 and the second module takes place in Sarajevo (preliminary 7-11 October 2019).

Apply Online not later than 10 March 2019.

More information at the following link: https://si.se/en/siil/.

Banning Single-Use Plastics ‘Could Lead to Higher Carbon Emissions’

21.02.2019

plastic waste ocean — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Banning single-use plastics could lead to higher carbon emissions.

That’s according to a new report published by BP, which says a worldwide ban on the use of plastics for packaging and other single-use purposes from 2040 onwards would lead to lower than anticipated demand for oil.

In 2017, single-use plastics accounted for more than a third of plastic products produced.

However, the study suggests sourcing, producing and transporting alternative types of packaging from paper and aluminum would require more energy and be likely to result in increased carbon emissions elsewhere in the economy.

BP also expects global energy demand to grow by around a third up to 2040, with Asia forecast to drive much of this increase.

The energy giant predicts as much as 85% of this growth could be delivered by renewables and natural gas, with clean energy generation becoming the largest part of the global capacity mix by 2040.

It says global coal demand will remain flat, while oil demand will grow for the next decade before plateauing, meaning carbon dioxide emissions from energy use are likely to grow by 7% up until 2040.

Despite these sources of electricity then phasing out, this would mean the global efforts to meet the emissions reduction obligations outlined in the Paris Agreement would fail.

Source: Energy Live News

Sharp Rise in Methane Levels Threatens World Climate Targets

21.02.2019

cows-801045_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Dramatic rises in atmospheric methane are threatening to derail plans to hold global temperature rises to 2C, scientists have warned.

In a paper published this month by the American Geophysical Union, researchers say sharp rises in levels of methane – which is a powerful greenhouse gas – have strengthened over the past four years. Urgent action is now required to halt further increases in methane in the atmosphere, to avoid triggering enhanced global warming and temperature rises well beyond 2C.

“What we are now witnessing is extremely worrying,” said one of the paper’s lead authors, Professor Euan Nisbet of Royal Holloway, University of London. “It is particularly alarming because we are still not sure why atmospheric methane levels are rising across the planet.”

Methane is produced by cattle, and also comes from decaying vegetation, fires, coal mines and natural gas plants. It is many times more potent as a cause of atmospheric warming than carbon dioxide (CO2). However, it breaks down much more quickly than CO2 and is found at much lower levels in the atmosphere.

During much of the 20th century, levels of methane, mostly from fossil fuel sources, increased in the atmosphere but, by the beginning of the 21st century, it had stabilised, said Nisbet. “Then, to our surprise, levels starting rising in 2007. That increase began to accelerate after 2014 and fast growth has continued.”

Studies suggest these increases are more likely to be mainly biological in origin. However, the exact cause remains unclear. Some researchers believe the spread of intense farming in Africa may be involved, in particular in tropical regions where conditions are becoming warmer and wetter because of climate change. Rising numbers of cattle – as well as wetter and warmer swamps – are producing more and more methane, it is argued.

This idea is now being studied in detail by a consortium led by Nisbet, whose work is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. This month the consortium completed a series of flights over Uganda and Zambia to collect samples of the air above these countries.

“We have only just started analysing our data but have already found evidence that a great plume of methane now rises above the wetland swamps of Lake Bangweul in Zambia,” added Nisbet.

However, other scientists warn that there could be a more sinister factor at work. Natural chemicals in the atmosphere – which help to break down methane – may be changing because of temperature rises, causing it to lose its ability to deal with the gas.

Our world could therefore be losing its power to cleanse pollutants because it is heating up, a climate feedback in which warming allows more greenhouse gases to linger in the atmosphere and so trigger even more warming.

In 2016, in Paris, nations agreed to cooperate to hold global temperature rises to 2C above preindustrial levels and, if possible, to keep that rise to under 1.5C. It was recognised that achieving this goal – mainly by curbing emissions of CO2 from fossil fuels – would always be difficult to achieve. Accelerating increases in a different greenhouse gas, methane, means that this task is going to be much, much harder.

This point was backed by Martin Manning of Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. “Methane is the gas … that keeps us to a 2C rise in global temperatures. And even more significantly, we do not really know why.”

If nothing can be done about this, he added, then even more cuts will have to be made in CO2 emissions. Continued increases in methane levels will only make this situation worse, he said.

This point was backed by Nisbet. “It was assumed, at the time of the Paris agreement, that reducing the amount of methane in the atmosphere would be relatively easy and that the hard work would involve cutting CO2 emissions.

“However, that does not look so simple any more. We don’t know exactly what is happening.

“Perhaps emissions are growing or perhaps the problem is due to the fact that our atmosphere is losing its ability to break down methane.

“Either way we are facing a very worrying problem. That is why it is so important that we unravel what is going on – as soon as possible.”

Source: Guardian

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