Romania Breaks Up Alleged €25m Illegal Logging Ring

01.06.2018

Romania’s security forces have mounted a series of raids to break up an alleged €25m illegal logging ring, in what is believed to be the largest operation of its kind yet seen in Europe.

Officers from Romania’s Directorate for Investigation of Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) swooped on 23 addresses – including factories owned by the Austrian timber group Schweighofer Holzindustrie, according to local press reports.

A government statement yesterday said that they had “reasonable suspicion that, since 2011, several individuals have constituted an organised criminal group, the members of the group acting to hijack public auctions organisation at the level of forestry departments.”

Some civil servants were also involved in the “tree-cutting offences,” the release said.

The case involves deforestation in the Carpathian mountains which shelter some of Europe’s last virgin forests – similar in nature to Poland’s Białowieża but on a larger scale.

Greenpeace estimates that three hectares of spruce, beech, fir and sycamore trees are lost every hour in the 200,000-hectare Carpathian biodiversity haven.

Deforestation is a live issue in Europe, with a mooted palm oil ban currently being discussed by EU institutions to protect rainforests in south-east Asia.

Yesterday’s crackdown in the Carpathians followed an EIA report in 2015 which found evidence of illegally sourced wood entering Schweighofer’s supply chain.

David Gehl, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)’s Eurasia programmes coordinator, told the Guardian: “This is the first time that a company has really been held to account for illegal logging on this scale in Europe. It sends a huge signal to the timber industry that illegal logging in Europe’s last great ancient forests will have consequences.”

The EIA’s report catapulted illegal logging to national prominence in Romania, triggering nationwide protests and a probe by the country’s environment ministry, seen by the Guardian, which laid the basis for the police action.

The report accused Schweighofer of failing to comply with legal timber sourcing obligations and said its approach “creates prerequisites for a crisis of softwood on the market”.

The company’s timber suppliers “cannot justify the legal origin of the wood because they don’t have any contractual relationship with other companies,” it said.

The document also reported suspicions that “forestry staff from some authorised forestry structures” were participating in illicit logging activities though supply chains that aimed “to give the appearance of legality”.

At the time of the report, Schweighofer denied the allegations. The company said it was committed to sustainably harvesting forests for timber, and that its forests were certified by two independent bodies.

Source: Guardian

Electric Vehicle Sales More Than Doubled in 2017

01.06.2018

electric-car-1718679_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A record number of electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in 2017, more than doubling the number of EVs on the road, a report released Wednesday by the International Energy Agency (IEA) found.

The report, Global EV Outlook 2018, gave a summary of the state of EVs today and estimated their progress through 2030.

It found that more than one million EVs were sold in 2017, raising the total number of hybrid or electric cars on the road to more than three million. That’s a 54 percent increase compared to 2016’s sales, an IEA press release reported.

Half of those cars were sold in China, the largest EV market in the world. Electric car sales in China rose 72 percent in 2017 to nearly 580,000 cars. The U.S. saw the second largest number of total EV sales in 2017, at around 280,000 cars sold. Germany and Japan both made important progress, doubling EV sales from 2016.

When it comes to market share of EV sales, however, the nordic countries took the lead. Thirty-nine percent of new car sales in Norway were electric cars in 2017, the highest percentage of any country. Iceland followed at 12 percent with Sweden coming in third at six.

The report found that government policies supporting EV vehicles had been essential for the boost in sales.

“The main markets by volume (China) and sales share (Norway) have the strongest policy push,” the IEA said, according to AFP.

Helpful policies included public procurement programs, financial incentives for purchasing EVs and tougher air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions standards.

The report also found that the lowered cost and improved efficiency of lithium-ion batteries helped drive growth, though more work needs to be done on both fronts to increase the appeal of EVs.

When it comes to the future growth of the EV market, the report found that government policies could continue to make a big difference.

The report ran two scenarios: the IEA New Policies Scenario, based on current government policies and countries’ commitments under the Paris agreement, and the EV30@30 Scenario, based on an estimation of what would happen if governments worldwide adopted the EV 30@30 campaign launched by the Clean Energy Ministerial calling on member countries to make EVs account for 30 percent of vehicles sold by 2030.

Under the New Policies Scenario, the number of EVs would reach 125 million by 2030, but under the EV30@30 Scenario, that number could rise to 220 million.

The EV30@30 Scenario was also better for the global fight against climate change, nearly doubling the amount of greenhouse gas emissions avoided compared to the New Policies Scenario if the electric grid does not also switch to renewable energy sources. If the grid did “decarbonize,” the emissions avoided under the EV30@30 would be four times the emissions avoided under the New Policies Scenario.

However, the report found one humanitarian and environmental challenge with the growth of EVs: the use of cobalt and other rare metals for batteries. As the press release notes, 60 percent of cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Humans rights groups have raised concerns over the working conditions for miners in the conflict-heavy country, AFP reported. But the EV30@30 Scenario could increase the demand for cobalt 25 times by 2030, the report found.

Source: Eco Watch

China Isn’t Taking Our Recycling: Here’s What We Could Do With It Instead

01.06.2018

Last year, China announced that it is officially done accepting “foreign garbage.” That is: plastic and paper recycling scraps from the U.S. and Europe. Since March 1, the country has barred 24 materials, including plastic and paper, from entering its borders. The few items the nation will take, like scrap metal, have to be super clean (to be precise, no more than .5 percent impure).

That’s a big deal to the U.S., which, in 2016, sent 16 million tons of waste to China. Under these new rules, most of that won’t be accepted. So what will we do with all those shredded bottles and newspapers?

Some states have already started chucking recyclables into landfills, but there are other options.

One: we could stockpile the scraps until we have enough processing facilities in the U.S. to handle them. Since we’ve been dependent on China’s open arms for so long, we haven’t invested in mills big enough to process all those paper scraps in the U.S., Ben Harvey, the president of waste management company E. L. Harvey and Sons, told USA Today. It will take five to six years to build plants that can handle everything that had previously been outsourced. In the meantime, we have to be careful about where we put scrap stacks. California’s recycling policy director, Zoe Heller, told the New York Times that paper stashed in the wrong spot could be tinder for wildfires.

If we don’t want to sit on our own waste, recycling companies could reroute their ships that haul the recyclables to other nations. Last year, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan increased the amount of plastic scrap they accept, while India and Mexico welcomed more cardboard and paper scraps. Even so, China took half of the world’s plastic, paper, and metals in 2016. If other nations are going to compensate for all that China rejects, they’ll have to take in a whole lot more waste.

The last and most effective way to deal with the crushing stockpile of bottles, caps and cans? Stop using so many in the first place. Legal measures, like California’s ban on single-use plastic bags, reduce the amount of plastic that can be discarded. In 2016, the state banned single-use plastic bags (it used to hand out 13 billion plastic bags a year), and that’s had a direct, noticeable impact on how much is wasted: the 2017 Coastal Cleanup Day picked up less than half as many bags than their 2010 effort did, according to the LA Times. It’s not yet clear whether measures like this will take off elsewhere — New York City only recently revived the idea of a ban like California’s, and who knows what will happen with the bill meant to ban plastic straws in all five boroughs.

No matter how we solve the problem, it has to be taken care of soon — preferably not by begging China to reverse the policy and let their environment go to ruin.

Source: Futurism

Meat and Fish Multinationals ‘Jeopardising Paris Climate Goals’

31.05.2018

cow-759018__340 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Meat and fish companies may be “putting the implementation of the Paris agreement in jeopardy” by failing to properly report their climate emissions, according to a groundbreaking index launched today.

Three out of four (72%) of the world’s biggest meat and fish companies provided little or no evidence to show that they were measuring or reporting their emissions, despite the fact that, as the report points out, livestock production represents 14.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions.

“It is clear that the meat and dairy industries have remained out of public scrutiny in terms of their significant climate impact. For this to change, these companies must be held accountable for the emissions and they must have credible, independently verifiable emissions reductions strategy,” said Shefali Sharma, director of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy European office.

The new Coller FAIRR Protein Producers Index has examined the environmental and social commitments of 60 of the world’s largest meat and fish producers and found that more than half are failing to properly document their impact, despite their central role in our lives and societies.

Many of the names in the index will be unfamiliar, but their consolidated revenues of $300bn cover around one-fifth of the global livestock and aquaculture market – roughly one in every five burgers, steaks or fish.

The companies looked at by the index include giants like the Australian Agricultural Company, which has the biggest cattle herd in the world; the Chinese WH Group, the largest global pork company; or the US’s Sandersons, which processes more than 10 million chickens a week.

Many of them run vertically integrated systems, sourcing meat from contracted farmers around the world, processing it themselves through their own slaughter and packing houses and then selling on to frontline, more familiar companies such as McDonalds, Walmart, Nestle and Danone.

But a close examination by the Farm Animal Investment Risk and Return (FAIRR) group has shown that, despite their critical part in our food system, these companies appear to be neglecting some of their social responsibilities.

The food system, according to FAIRR, is “very sensitive to changing public sentiment”, and really large sums of investor money in the sector are often at risk due to little-understood risks. The organisation, founded by financier Jeremy Coller in 2015, aims to shed greater light on these risks.

Animal welfare, water scarcity, deforestation and working conditions were some of the areas in which the 60 largest protein-producing companies around the world were assessed. The index looked at self-declared information from each company, and set a wide range of key performance indicators such as targets for deforestation reduction, a policy on antibiotic reduction, or water exposer of supply chains. Overall 60% were found to be “either not managing critical risks or are failing to disclose basic information”.

“The findings from this first index create cause for concern,” said the report’s introduction. “There is still a worrying lack of ESG [environmental, social and governance] data availability and disclosure … despite the sector’s myriad sustainability impacts.”

Climate change emerged as a particular concern. Despite the fact that, according to the report, livestock production represents 14.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions, almost 72% of companies provided little or no evidence to show that they were measuring or reporting their emissions. Some 19 companies received the lowest possible mark in this section, including Australia Agricultural Company, Cal-Maine (a US company which reportedly produced 1bn eggs in 2017), Russian Cherkizovo and Indian Venky’s. This, the report argues, may be “putting the implementation of the Paris agreement in jeopardy”. The Guardian approached these companies for comment but received no response.

Studies over the last decade have repeatedly shown that the production of red meat is energy and water-intensive compared to the production of most grains and vegetables. But many government officials appear to be reluctant to suggest that consumers should reduce their meat consumption.

Antibiotic use also stood out. Antibiotic resistance has soared in recent decades and is now considered one of the biggest public health threats facing the world. The role of farming and food production in spreading resistant bacteria has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years as growing evidence points to a direct threat to human health from veterinary overuse of antibiotics on farms.

Despite this, there has been a “widespread failure to respond” to the crisis, the report says. The report says that 77% of the sector – 46 companies worth an estimated $239bn – rank “high risk” on antibiotic stewardship, with “little or no measures in place to reduce excessive use of antibiotics”.

Abigail Herron, global head of responsible investment, Aviva Investors, said: “Our research shows that three in four of these companies are ignoring the calls from regulators, health professionals and the financial community to manage and reduce their use of antibiotics. That failure puts both global public health and their business models at risk.”

Indian poultry giant Venky’s is among the companies ranked as “high risk” on antibiotics. Sanderson Farms, one of the US’s largest poultry producers, is also given bottom-tier ranking.

Venky’s was recently found by an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism to be advertising colistin, a so-called “last resort” antibiotic, for sale as a growth promoter in India, one of five pharma companies found to be doing the same.

Deforestation is another area in which many companies are falling short. A recent analysis by Forest 500 found that despite cattle production being the biggest driver of tropical production globally, only 17% of assessed cattle companies had a policy addressing forest production. And the Coller Index finds that of the 24 companies processing beef and dairy (where deforestation is a particular risk), only one is assessed as “low risk”.

“From an investment point of view, it is not only this $300bn group of companies at risk but the wider multi-trillion dollar global food supply chain … Investors sit at the top of the chain as ultimate owners of these listed businesses. They need to use their influence as responsible stewards of these assets to start a dialogue on best practice and encourage a race to the top to build a more sustainable food system,” said Aarti Ramachandran, head of research and corporate engagement at FAIRR.

“A major, systemic change is needed in the way we source protein if we are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, habitat loss and water stress. This can only be achieved if businesses and policymakers, working with the latest food technologies and scientific advice, collaborate to create a sustainable and nutritious food revolution that meets tomorrow’s demand,” said Emily Farnworth, Head of Climate Change Initiatives, World Economic Forum.

“It’s always worth remembering that there is no such thing as cheap meat—these industries have been subsidised for years by the public because we pay for their environmental pollution, public health costs that they do not account for in their business model. This is where governments need to step in,” said Sharma.

Source: Guardian

Two Studies Reveal Amazing Resilience of Older Forests

31.05.2018

rainforest — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Maybe you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but two recent studies revealed that old forests around the world are full of surprises.

In Europe, scientists working to complete the first ever map of the continent’s old growth forests discovered there were more of them than previously believed.

And in South America, a study of trees in the Amazon rainforest found that taller, older groups of trees are more resilient to drought.

The map of Europe’s last wild forests was published in Diversity and Distributions May 24 and located more than 3.4 million acres within 34 countries.

“What we’ve shown in this study is that, even though the total area of forest is not large in Europe, there are considerably more of these virgin or primary forests left than previously thought—and they are widely distributed throughout many parts of Europe,” University of Vermont (UVM) forest ecologist and study co-author Bill Keeton said in a UVM press release.

Even though there are more of them than expected, the old-growth forests are still rare, and often small and isolated. But they are extremely rich in biodiversity.

“Although such forests only correspond to a tiny fraction of the total forest area in Europe, they are absolutely outstanding in terms of their ecological and conservation value,” senior study author and director of the Conservation Biogeography Lab at Humbolt University in Berlin Tobias Kuemmerle said in the release. He added that these forests are often the only habitat left for certain endangered species.

The map further found that 89 percent of the primary forests were in protected areas, but that protections were only strict on 46 percent of that land, meaning that some of these forests are at risk from human activities.

“Wide patches of primary forest are being currently logged in many mountain areas, for instance in Romania and Slovakia and in some Balkan countries,” study co-author and University of Life Science in Prague researcher Miroslav Svoboda said. “A soaring demand for bioenergy coupled with high rates of illegal logging, are leading to the destruction of this irreplaceable natural heritage, often without even understanding that the forest being cut is primary.”

However, researchers hope the new map will help protect Europe’s old growth forests, since they have used it to assess where land-use is low and therefore predict where other primary forests might be discovered.

“We may find areas that are good to include in an expanded World Heritage Network or given other conservation status,’ Keeton said.

In addition to promoting biodiversity, forests also absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and therefore are important to mitigating climate change. Tropical rainforests in particular are the world’s largest carbon sink on land.

This is what concerned Pierre Gentine at the Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Getine led a team of researchers in an attempt to discover how climate change would impact the ability of the Amazon rainforest to absorb carbon dioxide.

The results, published May 28 in Nature, found that the ability of forests taller than 30 meters (approximately 98.4 feet) to photosynthesize was three times less impacted by drought than that of forests less than 20 meters tall (approximately 65.6 feet). The taller forests were also more drought resistant because they were older, with greater biomass and deeper roots that could suck more moisture from the soil.

“Our findings suggest that forest height and age are an important regulator of photosynthesis in response to droughts,” Gentine said in a Columbia University press release published by Phys.org.

However, while the older forests resisted drought, they were more sensitive to dry air and heat.

The study gives yet another reason to halt deforestation in the Amazon, the release pointed out, since cutting trees risks eliminating irreplaceable older trees that would be more resilient to future droughts, which are projected to increase with climate change.

Source: Eco Watch

Vladan Vasic, the Mayor of Pirot: The Citizens of Pirot are Proud of their City

30.05.2018

Vladan Vasic was elected three times as the President of the Municipality of Pirot, and after the elections in 2016, he became the first Mayor since Pirot was granted the city status, prior to the elections. A significant step forward was made in the construction of infrastructure during his previous presidency of the municipality and citizens of Pirot have got a sports hall, an indoor swimming pool, new factories, and bridges, and the quay and squares have been arranged in a way that is proper for a city that aspires to become a significant tourist destination. The most important to him is the fact that the citizens have become proud of their city.

EP: Are you impressed by the fact that the citizens of Pirot have shown you their trust for the fourth time and what do you think how you won their approval?

Vladan Vasic: I have pointed out many times that winning the elections in small towns is a feat, two victories – a huge success, three – incredible, and four – almost impossible. I am grateful to my citizens for believing in me and my team.

EP: The last “green” news that came from Pirot was about the construction of the plant for secondary separation of waste at the Regional Landfill. How far have you come with this project?

Vladan Vasic: We plan to finish with the construction of the plant for secondary separation at the Regional Sanitary Landfill purchased from our own funds. The construction of hall is ahead of us. Although we mainly rely on the municipal budget, we expect that part of the money will come from the available funds. The plant for secondary separation is of great importance for Pirot, primarily because recycling will be commercialized, and the deadline for exploitation of the existing landfill will be considerably extended. Currently, the deadline is mid-2021.

EP: The schools of Pirot are considered to be the most advanced in the country. Some of them have introduced the use of biomass for heating. Can you tell us something more about this? Is this a feasible way for the entire municipality to heat in this “ecological” way and do you have plans that go in that direction?

Vladan Vasic: Four schools and one nursery use biomass for heating starting from this winter. The project was implemented thanks to a public-private partnership which according to my knowledge is a pioneering venture in Serbia. About 80 million dinars were invested in the project and the costs of local self-government were minimal. Biomass is a locally available fuel, therefore significantly cheaper than oil fuel. It is estimated that achieved savings will exceed 30 percent. A healthier environment is something that cannot be expressed in percentages or in money. We should not forget the employment of local workforce for the preparation of biomass. In the end, the money from the savings remains in our city. Since small boiler rooms have been shut down and with the construction of central power plant “Senjak”, which supplies all the users of district heating, an important precondition has been created for moving to the next stage – which is the use of biomass for heating of the entire city instead of oil fuel. We have begun the development of this project and the feasibility study is currently being developing. The ultimate goal is the healthier environment and cheaper heating for all the users.

EP: You have declared that you want Pirot to become the first “green” city in Serbia. Is that title at your fingertips or you have a competitor in Serbia?

Vladan Vasic: It is true that we want to become a “green” city, but it is not important for us to be the first. We would prefer to be one of many “green” cities in Serbia since greater participation will contribute to the satisfactory effect. Other municipalities and cities are not seen as competitors but as associates. All positive experiences are welcome, and we are at their disposal for sharing our knowledge. Employees at City Administration contact their colleagues from other cities and municipalities, attend seminars and on some even have the role of a lecturer.

EP: The first calls were announced for grants from pre-accession funds of European Union for Rural Development (IPARD) primarily intended for investments in equipment and machinery for processing industry and primary production at the beginning of 2018. Given the fact that domestic farmers neither have the information on available resources and nor have the knowledge for the preparation of the projects at the local level, do you provide them with some sort of system assistance?

Vladan Vasic: In Pirot region there aren’t many farmers who meet conditions for IPARD, thus local self-government focuses more on the program of support measures for agriculture and rural development financed from the city budget. The state envisaged that training and technical assistance for applying for IPARD funds are provided by Regional Agricultural Advisory Service (RAAS) which operates within the Ministry of Agriculture whose advisors have already attended seminars. Professional staff at Department for Agriculture in the City Administration is acquainted with the conditions for the use of funds for IPARD in order to provide farmers with basic information on the program and also to harmonize the local incentive program with it, which is one of the conditions envisaged by the Law on incentives in agriculture, so as to get a positive opinion from the Ministry of Agriculture. Also, the Department for Agriculture in the City Administration organizes educations in cooperation with the RAAS advisors where they talk about IPARD funds among other things.

EP: Last year, Pirot hosted two significant events for environmental protection, Climathon, and Scientific Conference on water and Solid and Hazardous Waste Management. What is your attitude on their role in informing the citizens about the importance of tackling climate change? Do you think that your fellow citizens have sufficiently developed awareness of the need for the environmental protection and how does the city plan to contribute to a more active participation of the citizens in solving environmental challenges in the future?

Vladan Vasic: These two important events held in Pirot represent a acknowledge to our city. They have greatly contributed to informing the citizens of Pirot. Climathon 10 is the first event of this kind that was held outside Belgrade. The Serbian capital was the host to the previous 9 Climathons. The event was held as a part of last year’s Researchers’ Night. There were topics like Chapter 27, renewable energy sources, climate change and the influence of small hydropower plants on flora and fauna. Scientific conference on water, solid and hazardous waste management is one of the most important scientific meetings of this kind in Serbia. About 200 experts from Serbia and abroad met in Pirot. The goal of the event was the exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of environmental protection and primarily of water as one of the most important natural resources. The citizens of Pirot had a chance not only to listen but also to participate in these two events which greatly contributed to raising awareness. In general, “ecological” awareness is not at the necessary level neither in Pirot nor in entire Serbia. The cooperation of local and republic institutions in the field of citizens’ education is necessary, as well as more strict penal policy for all those who pollute the environment. Through cooperation and financing of the projects of non-governmental organizations that deal with ecology, citizens are involved in the conservation of the environment directly or indirectly every year.

Vladan Vasic was born in Pirot in 1971. In his hometown, he finished primary and secondary school, and in Nis, he graduated at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering. He worked as a system engineer in the computer centre of the factory “Prvi Maj”, and from 2000 he was a councilor in the Pirot Assembly. He was first elected for the President of the Municipality fifteen years ago, and today as the Mayor he influences the development of his city.

EP: How does Pirot attract tourists? What would you show your guests?

Vladan Vasic: Pirot attracts tourists with gastronomy, nature, and people. Thanks to a huge number of local specialists, Pirot received recognition as European touristic destination of exceptional importance for gastronomy. As a fan of Pirot, I would show my guests numerous springs, rivers, waterfalls, the peaks of Stara Planina, pedestrian and bicycle paths. Among other things, Pirot is attractive for tourists due to the ideal conditions for hunting and fishing. There are more and more tourists in Pirot – the number of nights in Pirot in 2016 was 28 thousand and in 2017 it rose to 42 thousand. Tourists quickly grow fond of the citizens of Pirot with their specific dialect, smile, and hospitality.

EP: What are your plans for the development of the city in 2018 and what will be the main focus of the city administration?

Vladan Vasic: Further plans are to continue with the investment in infrastructure in all parts of the city and to create an even more favourable economic environment for business and more comfortable environment for the people with adequate sport, cultural and tourist attractions. We are trying to develop a favourable climate for the development of IT sector in the city. Communal infrastructure is also important to us so we are going to put a priority on wastewater treatment in order to become an environmentally advanced city. Investing in young people and taking care of each individual in Pirot is of greatest importance.

Interview by: Jelena Kozbasic

This interview was published in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, March 2018

EU Proposes Banning Plastic Straws, Cutlery and Cotton Buds

30.05.2018

The European Commission has proposed banning plastic straws, cutlery and cotton buds under new plans to crackdown on marine litter.

They are among the 10 single-use plastic products targeted that are said to be most often found on Europe’s beaches and seas as well as lost and abandoned fishing gear – together accounting for 70% of the marine waste in the region.

The products will have to be made exclusively from more sustainable materials instead and single-use drinks containers made with plastic will only be allowed on the market if their caps and lids remain attached.

Under the new regulations, member states will have to cut the use of plastic food containers and cups by setting national reduction targets, making alternative products available at the point of sale or ensuing single-use plastic products cannot be provided free of charge.

They will be obliged to collect 90% of single-use plastic drink bottles by 2025 through schemes such as deposit refunds.

Producers will be required to help cover the costs of waste management and clean-up as well as raise awareness for food containers, packets and wrappers – such as crisps and sweets – drinks containers and cups, tobacco products with filters, wet wipes, balloons and lightweight plastic bags.

Certain products, including sanitary towels, wet wipes and balloons, must have a clear and standardised labelling which indicates how they should be disposed, the negative environmental impact of the products and the presence of plastics.

Vice President Jyrki Katainen, responsible for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness said: “Single use plastics are not a smart, economic or environmental choice and today’s proposals will help business and consumers to move towards sustainable alternatives. This is an opportunity for Europe to lead the way, creating products that the world will demand for decades to come and extracting more economic value from our precious and limited resources.”

Source: Energy Live News

Construction Delays Make New Nuclear Power Plants Costlier than Ever

30.05.2018

The cost of building new nuclear power plants is nearly 20 per cent higher than expected due to delays, a new analysis has found.

A new analysis of the history of nuclear power plant projects shows since 2010 delays have contributed 18 per cent the costs.

These delays – which can run into years or even decades – increase the cost compared with older projects and are often overlooked when new projects are planned. The authors say that these extra costs need to be properly assessed when considering new nuclear projects.

They say nuclear projects are more like ‘mega-projects’, such as large dams, which require more rigorous financial assessments due to their high uncertainty and risk.

In the study, published today in the journal Energy Policy, the authors also suggest that because these delay costs make nuclear projects high risk, decision-makers might instead focus on more low-risk low-carbon technologies such as wind or solar power.

When assessing the cost of new nuclear projects, decision makers often use ‘overnight construction costs’, which assume the project is built on time, usually within five years. However, the ‘lead-time’ – the time between initiation of the project and completion – can cause significant extra costs.

The research team, from Imperial College London, the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and the University of Minho, looked at total costs of nuclear projects between 1955-2016, including delay costs.

Usually, as technologies mature and experience is gained in construction, costs come down. However, the team found that for nuclear, there has been a blip in the learning curve, with costs currently increasing, especially for projects since 2010.

Lead author Dr Joana Portugal Pereira, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial, said: “Nuclear projects are actually becoming more complex to carry out, inducing delays and higher costs. Safety and regulatory considerations play heavily into this, particularly in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident in Japan.”

The analysis is one of the first to assess full financial costs of building nuclear projects throughout time, and not just the ‘overnight’ costs. It also looked at projects around the world, including newer nuclear builders like China, India, and the UAE, rather than just the traditional builders in Europe, the USA and Japan.

They say that while nuclear projects can help bridge the gap between fossil fuels and renewable energy, they could hinder progress if projects stall.

Dr Portugal Pereira said: “If we want to decarbonise our energy system, nuclear may not be the best choice for a primary strategy. Nuclear power is better late than never, but to really address climate change, it would be best if they were not late at all, as technologies like wind and solar rarely are.”

Source: Imperial College London

5 Eco-Friendly Drinking Straw Alternatives So You Can Skip Plastic

29.05.2018

Last week, New York City lawmakers introduced a bill banning plastic straws in all bars and restaurants in the Big Apple, joining the growing worldwide war against this environmental scourge.

“There are 500 million straws being used everyday in the U.S.,” Councilman Rafael L. Espinal Jr., the bill’s lead sponsor, told NY1 on Thursday. “That’s enough to fill Yankee Stadium five times over.”

The 8 million tons of plastic garbage that flows into our oceans every year can easily harm or entangle marine life, which is why it’s important for us to prevent further damage. As Espinal tweeted, “It’s time for us as consumers to protect our planet by weaning off our dependence on single use plastic.”

The councilman is right. Skipping the straw, or opting for one of these sustainable options below, is a great way to start.

1. Compostable Straws

Marvin Stone invented the original paper straw in 1888. His invention was the go-to choice until plastic varieties became the standard after the 1960s. But there are still many paper varieties on the market today, including Aardvark, which sells durable, compostable paper tubes based on Stone’s original patent. Last September, Aardvark teamed up with ocean advocacy group Lonely Whale Foundation for Strawless in Seattle, the first-ever citywide takeover to eliminate plastic straws.

Compostable straws work well if you like the convenience of something disposable or plan to serve drinks at a party or gathering. Other choices include straws made from wheat stems (yes a straw straw) or corn bioplastic (although this material is best composted in a commercial composting facility). One restaurant in Bristol, England even pairs drinks with Bucatini pasta, a spaghetti-like noodle with a hole running through the middle.

2. Bamboo

Reusable straws are ideal for sipping beverages at home or when you’re on the go. One of the best options is bamboo, as these all-natural straws are usually made without pesticides, chemicals or dyes. Bamboo is also a versatile and rapidly renewable crop. Since it’s a natural material, bamboo straws are not dishwasher-safe and must be hand-washed. You also want the straw to be bone dry after cleaning and stored in a well-ventilated place to prevent mold. Check out StrawFree, which even sells an extra-wide, boba-friendly straw so you’ll be able to sip bubble tea sans plastic.

3. Metal

Unlike bamboo, which might wear and tear over time, metal straws are made to last. I own dishwasher-safe, stainless steel straws from Bunkoza, which comes with a handy pouch and a natural wool cleaner. I love them because they keep my drinks cool, although they did clink against my teeth when I wasn’t used to them at first. If you don’t like the idea of toting around a metal tube, the Santa Fe-based team at FinalStraw have also invented the world’s first collapsible stainless steel straw that you can conveniently attach to your keychain.

4. Glass

Another eco-friendly, long-lasting option is glass. Although these can break or shatter if you are not careful, the advantage is you can see through them, so you can make sure they are squeaky clean. Another cool thing about glass straws is that they come in all kinds of colors and whimsical designs. Strawsome has advice on the perfect glass straw for you.

5. Silicone

Unlike metal or glass, soft and bendy silicone straws don’t clink your teeth, making them ideal for kids and straw-biters. Softy Straws are made from food grade, BPA-free silicone and can handle extreme temperatures, so they work with hot drinks and can withstand the dishwasher.

Source: Eco Watch

McDonald’s Shareholders Vote to Keep Distributing Plastic Straws

29.05.2018

mcdonald-370465_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

McDonald’s shareholders rejected a proposal to take the first step in banning plastic straws at its 36,000 outlets worldwide.

The proposal, published in an SEC filing in April, would have required the fast food giant to prepare a report on the business risks of using plastic straws, and the company’s efforts to develop and implement more sustainable alternatives in its restaurants.

“We believe our company has an opportunity to improve its brand by demonstrating leadership in the elimination of plastic straws,” the proposal states.

Despite vigorous campaigning from environmental activists, the proposal received only 7.65 percent of the vote at Thursday’s annual meeting, USA TODAY reported.

The result was not surprising. The shareholders followed a recommendation from the chain’s board of directors, who said the proposal would divert resources from their other environmental initiatives, such as a pledge made in January to source all packaging from renewable or recycled sources by 2025.

“[T]he requested report is unnecessary, redundant to our current practices and initiatives, and has the potential for a diversion of resources with no corresponding benefit to the company, our customers, and our shareholders, particularly in light of our ongoing packaging sustainability efforts,” stated materials shared with shareholders before the meeting, the Mercury News reported.

McDonald’s distributes 95 million plastic straws around the world every day, according to the consumer advocacy group SumOfUs, which backed the proposal.

A SumOfUs online petition urging the company to ban plastic straws has gathered more than 480,000 signatures.

“McDonald’s uses millions of plastic straws every single day. Used for just a few seconds, then thrown away, many end up polluting our oceans,” the petition reads. “If we can get McDonald’s to ditch its dirty habit we can stop millions of plastic straws clogging up our oceans and killing the animals that live in them.”

McDonald’s might not be ready to take this step, but many businesses, municipalities and governments around the world are taking steps to reduce single-use plastics.

Earlier this week, Alaska Airlines announced it will stop distributing single-use plastic stirring straws and citrus picks in its lounges and on its domestic and international flights. On Wednesday, New York City Council introduced a bill to ban the use of plastic straws in the city.

In March, McDonald’s said it would phase out single-use plastic straws in its UK restaurants.

Source: Eco Watch

Honduran Villagers Take Legal Action to Stop Mining Firm Digging Up Graves for Gold

28.05.2018

Nothing is sacred in the path of gold miners in northwestern Honduras – not even the dead.

A transnational mining company, Aura Minerals, has been digging up graves in the 200-year-old cemetery near the community of Azacualpa, La Union, to clear the way to dig for gold.

As many as 350 bodies have reportedly been exhumed by the company’s Honduran subsidiary, Minerales de Occidente (Minosa) since the process began last fall. The issue has divided Azacualpa, a coffee-producing community perched near the edge of the decades-old San Andres open-pit gold mine, and opened up rifts within families.

Some residents fear the graveyard is the last line of defence before the Canadian-listed company will eye the community as its next extraction site.

Genaro Rodriguez, a 60-year-old construction worker and coffee producer who lives in Azacualpa, hopes a legal challenge will put a stop to the debacle – a court has ordered a temporary halt to exhumations pending further investigations.

“What we want is for the cemetery not to be touched,” Rodriguez said.

In the cemetery, about 50 meters from where the carved-out mountainside plummets into the mine, damaged tombs indicate that some coffins have already been removed.

Floresmira Lopez recently stood at her father’s grave and blocked workers from taking his remains. She blames the mining company for stress-induced health problems as well as family conflicts that have erupted over the grave-digging.

The exhumations have roots in a 2012 agreement between Azacualpa and Aura Minerals’ Honduran subsidiary, Minerales de Occidente (Minosa). The agreement promised a housing relocation project for 400 families in exchange for permission to mine a handful of sites, including the hill where the cemetery sits.

An addendum to the agreement gave individuals the right to agree to the graves of their relatives beings dug up, allowing the company to exhume remains with a single relative’s consent. Entire families are said to have wound up at odds with each other.

Miguel Lopez, president of the Azacualpa Environmental Committee, accused the company of taking advantage of poor residents and exploiting the “love of money” to manipulate and divide the community.

Some residents who have consented to exhumations have received letters setting a date and promising a cheque if they show up at the cemetery to “accompany the process”.

One Azacualpa resident, who declined to give her name, confirmed she received a second instalment of compensation the day her husband’s remains were carried out of the cemetery.

Payments are described as being in lieu of the housing project, not redress for digging up the deceased. The addendum sets February 2019 as the deadline for the third and final instalment, but also says payment will be contingent on clearing the cemetery.

Bersy Rivera, a single mother and one of the plaintiffs listed on the recent legal action, believes the company aims to negotiate “packages of the dead” to exhume as many corpses as possible in exchange for a single housing compensation deal.

85-year-old Salvador Garcia, for example, faces pressure to authorize exhumation for his three children and parents-in-law. But he is only willing to sign off on his children’s remains, saying he doesn’t want to spark problems with his in-laws’ grandchildren, who oppose exhumation.

Mayor of the municipality of La Unión, Victor Hugo Alvarado, who in last year’s election unseated the mayor who had cut Azacualpa out of the municipal budget, believes both sides failed to clarify the details, leaving the agreement “very open” to confusion and conflict.

Aside from the exhumations, local residents accused the mine of having adverse health and environmental impacts.

Minosa declined to comment on the suspension of the exhumations and allegations of manipulation and non-compliance with agreements. The parent company Aura Minerals did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In recent months, the exhumations have taken place against a backdrop of a worsening state crackdown on social movements, amid protests against alleged election fraud, including evidence of extrajudicial killings, according to the United Nations.

President Juan Orlando Hernández’s re-election solidified an economic model, ushered in through the 2009 military coup, that champions pro-extractive industry policies.

Minosa paid over CAD$12m (£7m) in taxes and fees in Honduras in 2016.

Plaintiffs in Azacualpa are pursuing further legal action to protect the cemetery by seeking to nullify the 2012 and 2016 agreements.

Ramiro Lara of the Association of Non-Governmental Organisms of Honduras (ASONOG) expects the case to expose “irregularities” in the signing of the accords and the exhumations.

“Demonstrating the human rights violations will allow us to prevent the continued exhumation of (relatives) of people who adamantly oppose this action,” Lara said. “The exploitation of the Cemetery Mountain, which is one of the company’s strong intentions, would be avoided.”

Source: Guardian

Scotland Draft Climate Change Bill Sets 90%-by-2050 Emission Reduction Target

28.05.2018

New targets will set Scotland on course to become one of the first countries in the world to achieve a 100% reduction in carbon emissions, the Scottish government has claimed, although it has stopped short of committing to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

The draft climate change bill, published on Thursday morning, sets a target of a 90% reduction by 2050 – which the UK Committee on Climate Change states is currently “at the limit of feasibility” – with the aim of achieving 100% reduction, or “net-zero”, as soon as possible.

Announcing the targets, Holyrood’s climate change secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “Our 90% target will be tougher even than the 100% goal set by a handful of other countries, because our legislation will set more demanding, legally binding, annual targets covering every sector of our economy. By 2030, we will cut emissions by two-thirds and, unlike other nations, we will not use carbon offsetting, where other countries are paid to cut emissions for us, to achieve our goal.”

But Tom Ballantine, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, described the targets as hugely disappointing. “By failing to ally with the global momentum towards zero emissions, led by countries like France, Sweden and New Zealand, Scotland is missing a huge opportunity to end its contribution to climate change in a generation, attract clean investment and retain its position as a leader on the global stage,” he said.

Ballantine called on MSPs from all parties to push for net-zero by 2050 at the latest, to keep Scotland in line with the 2016 Paris agreement.

Earlier this month, transport minister Humza Yousaf admitted that the Scottish government did not have to the powers to ban the sale of diesel cars, despite pledging to phase them out across the country by 2032, eight years ahead of the UK government’s target.

On Tuesday, following a two-hour debate at their annual general assembly, the Church of Scotland voted by a narrow margin against divestment from oil and gas companies.

Source: Guardian

Pollutionwatch: Air Contamination Drops by 30% in China

27.05.2018

Beijing is slowly shedding its image as the world’s most polluted city. In 2013, it ranked as the 40th worst city for the particulate PM2.5 in the World Health Organisation global database. Four years on, thanks in part to a crackdown on polluters, it stands in 187th place.

Air pollution in the 62 Chinese cities tracked by the WHO dropped by an average of 30% between 2013 and 2016. China’s air pollution problems are often blamed on the country’s rapid industrial growth but the problems probably date back to the 1950s.

In air pollution terms China is two countries, divided by a line that follows the Huai river. North of this line average winter temperatures are below freezing and here free or heavily subsidised coal was provided for home heating. This led to the development of poorly controlled, coal-powered, district heating systems in towns and cities north of the river.

The laudable aim of providing home heating was disastrous for China’s air. Average particle pollution north of the Huai river was 40% greater than the south and this extra pollution caused an estimated three-year reduction in average life expectancy.

Understandably, a small but growing group of Chinese urbanites have been moving south for cleaner air.

Source: Guardian

Iceland first UK supermarket to trial deposit return scheme

27.05.2018

Iceland has become the first supermarket in the UK to trial the plastic bottle deposit return scheme.

It has installed a reverse vending machine at its store in Fulham, London, as part of a six-month programme.

It follows the government’s recently announced intention to introduce such a scheme in the country.

The machine only accepts plastic bottles bought from Iceland stores – it works by scanning the barcode following which customers get a 10p voucher to be used for every bottle recycled.

The supermarket previously pledged to eliminate plastic packaging from all of its own label products by the end of 2023.

Richard Walker, Iceland’s Managing Director said: “We’re the first supermarket to take decisive action to bring the reverse vending machine into stores… We’re doing it properly, through consultation with suppliers and by gaining understanding of how customers will act in response to the machine.

“There are 12 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans every year so we feel a responsibility both to tackle the issue of plastic packaging as we are doing with our own label products and to give our customers the power to make a difference themselves.”

Source: Energy Live News

High CO2 Levels Make Rice Less Nutritious, Study Finds

26.05.2018

Research published Wednesday in Science Advances found that rice grown with the higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations expected by the end of this century was less nutritious, signaling bad news for the more than two billion people who rely on the grain as their primary food source, a University of Washington (UW) press release published in EurekAlert! Reported.

“Rice has been a dietary staple for thousands of years for many populations in Asia and is the fastest growing food staple in Africa,” study co-author and Director of the UW Center for Health & the Global Environment Kristie Ebi said in the release. “Reductions in the nutritional quality of rice could affect maternal and child health for millions of people.”

The team of researchers from China, Japan, Australia and the U.S. conducted a field study in China and Japan of 18 strains of rice. They confirmed previous studies showing that the higher levels of carbon dioxide expected by 2100 decreased the amount of zinc, protein and iron found in rice. They also discovered for the first time that the higher carbon dioxide levels also decreased the amount of B1, B2, B5 and B9 vitamins, which are important for helping people get the most energy from their food.

Overall, average B1 levels decreased by 17.1 percent, average B2 levels by 16.6 percent, average B5 levels by 12.7 percent, average B9 levels by 30.3 percent, average iron levels by 8 percent, average zinc levels by 5.1 percent and average protein levels by 10.3 percent.

Researchers said that the lowered nutritional content of rice is most likely to impact the 600 million people, mostly in Southeast Asian countries, who rely on rice for more than 50 percent of their energy and protein intake. The region is already projected to be especially vulnerable to climate risks such as extreme weather and sea level rise. A 2018 ranking by HSBC of the nations most vulnerable to climate change found that half of the top ten were in South or Southeast Asia, The World Economic Forum reported. This study adds another worry.

“This is an underappreciated risk of burning of fossil fuels and deforestation,” Ebi said.

Rice nutrition will also have a greater impact on people living in countries with lower Gross Domestic Products (GDPs), since people tend to diversify their diet as their country’s GDP improves. Lowered nutrition could increase the risk of malaria, stunting and diarrhea in impacted populations, the study found.

The study complicates the idea that carbon dioxide will increase plant growth. “People say more CO2 is plant food—and it is. But how plants respond to that sudden increase in food will impact human health as well, from nutritional deficits, to ethno-pharmacology, to seasonal pollen allergies—in ways that we don’t yet understand,” study co-author and U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher Lewis Ziska said in the release.

He further told The Guardian that more research was needed to assess the impact of increased carbon dioxide levels on the nutritional content of other crops.

“Many important cereals like wheat as well as staples like potatoes may be impacted by this as well,” he said.

The researchers said it might be possible to select for strains of rice that resisted the nutritional effects of increased carbon dioxide, but that this would take time. Another possibility would be to nutritionally enrich the rice with special fertilizers or enhancements after harvest and to educate impacted populations of the need to supplement their diets as carbon dioxide levels rise.

Source: Eco Watch

Plastic Killed Most Sperm Whales Found Dead in Greek Waters Since 2001

25.05.2018

More than a third of the sperm whales found dead in the eastern Mediterranean since 2011 were killed by plastic debris, researchers from the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute in Athens found.

Necropsies on nine of the 24 dead whales found in Greek waters revealed that their stomachs were filled with large amounts of plastic, The Times reported on the Pelagos analysis.

Marine biologists studying the carcasses said the animals likely suffered slow and “excruciating” deaths from the blockage.

One juvenile male found off the coast Mykonos swallowed more than a hundred items of plastic, including single-use plastic bags. One of the bags came from a shop in Thessaloniki, a city 500 miles away.

“The young whale suffered an excruciating death,” Pelgaos director Alexandros Frantzis told The Times. “We alone are accountable.”

“It’s alarming but not surprising,” Frantzis added. “The trend is bound to get worse because the amount of plastic waste in the Aegean Sea is growing.”

Sperm whales are considered endangered in the Mediterranean. Cetaceans in these waters face threats from high levels of ship traffic, pollution, human density, tourism and fishing, Lifegate noted.

Plastic waste has also become a problem in this marine region. A sperm whale found dead in southern Spain in February was killed after ingesting 64 pounds of mostly plastic garbage. Experts determined the whale was unable to expel or digest the trash, causing it to die from peritonitis, or an infection of the abdomen.

Plastic pollution is a worldwide crisis and, unfortunately, marine life bears the brunt of its harmful impacts. In Australia, a recent video shows four single-use plastic bags being pulled from the stomach of a tiger shark found in South Coast waters, the Northern Daily Leader reported. The shark, which appeared emaciated, likely confused the bags for squid.

The footage has sparked calls for a ban on plastic bags in Australia.

“We have to rethink how we use plastic,” marine biologist Murray MacDonald told the Northern Daily Leader after viewing the video. “The evidence is starting to mount rapidly that we just cannot throw away plastic as we have been.”

Source: Eco Watch

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