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End of Coal in Sight at COP26

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Bart van Dijk)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Gerold Hinzen)

Coal is being consigned to history today at COP26, as countries, banks and organisations move away from the single biggest contributor to climate change.

A just transition to clean energy and the rapid phase-out of coal has been at the heart of the COP26 Presidency as part of its efforts to minimise temperature rises in line with the Paris Agreement. The breadth of commitments in Glasgow today at Energy Day signal the world is moving towards a renewable future.

At least 23 nations made new commitments to phase out coal power, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Poland, South Korea, Egypt, Spain, Nepal, Singapore, Chile and Ukraine.  In a new ‘Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement’, countries also committed to scaling up clean power and ensuring a just transition away from coal.

Today’s announcements follow a collapse in the financing of coal, as developed nations have pledged new support to help developing countries make the transition to clean energy.

Banks and financial institutions also made landmark commitments at COP26 today to end the funding of unabated coal, including major international lenders like HSBC, Fidelity International and Ethos.

This follows recent announcements from China, Japan and South Korea to end overseas coal financing which now means all significant public international financing for coal power has effectively ended.

In addition, a group of 25 countries including COP26 partners Italy, Canada, the United States and Denmark together with public finance institutions have signed a UK-led joint statement committing to ending international public support for the unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of 2022 and instead prioritising support for the clean energy transition.

Collectively, this could shift an estimated 17.8 billion dollars a year in public support out of fossil fuels and into the clean energy transition. Developing countries including Ethiopia, Fiji and the Marshall Islands offered their support, signalling growing unity. This is an inclusive agenda that must recognise the development and energy needs of all economies.

This is a historic step. It is the first time a COP presidency has prioritised this issue and put a bold end date on international fossil fuel finance. COP26 has set a new gold standard on the Paris Alignment of international public finance and sends a clear signal for private investors to follow.

Today, 28 new members also signed up to the world’s largest alliance on phasing out coal. The Powering Past Coal Alliance, launched and co-chaired by the UK and Canada. New members include Chile and Singapore, joining more than 160 countries, sub-nationals and businesses.

And 20 new countries, including Vietnam, Morocco and Poland committed to building no new coal plants, matching similar announcements over the past year by Pakistan, Malaysia and the Philippines, and building on the No New Coal Power Compact launched in September by Sri Lanka, Chile, Montenegro and European partners.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

There has been a 76 percent drop in the number of new coal plants planned globally over the last six years since the Paris Agreement was adopted. This equates to the cancellation of more than 1000GW of new coal plants.

In separate announcements, major emerging economies today took significant steps to move from coal to clean power. India, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Africa announced partnerships with the Climate Investment Funds to accelerate their transitions away from coal power, backed by a dedicated 2 billion dollars facility. Indonesia and the Philippines announced pioneering partnerships with the Asian Development Bank to support the early retirement of coal plants.

These followed the ground-breaking 8.5 billion dollars deal to support South Africa’s just transition to clean energy announced at the World Leaders Summit on Tuesday.

Source: UKCOP26

Climate Science Information for Climate Action

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have joined together to provide the international community with new climate information and tools on the latest climate science data. This can be used to inform decisions on climate change investments, particularly for adaptation.

The initiative was announced at the United Nations Climate Change conference, COP26 (Glasgow) on 3 November. It is one of a number of WMO activities to translate science into policy support to help tackle climate change drivers and impacts and to build resilience to increasingly extreme weather.

“Through this collaboration, WMO is supporting countries to make informed climate investment decisions based on the best available science. These resources will be valuable across a range of climate-sensitive sectors, including agriculture, coastal management, disaster risk reduction, energy, fisheries, forestry, health and water,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.

The Climate Science Information for Climate Action resource pack includes detailed technical guidance, case studies and two-online platforms:

1. A Climate Information Platform that provides access to projections of over a dozen climate change indices for the globe, for example coupled atmospheric and ocean monitoring and regional climate modelling (Home – Climate Information).

2. Online access to Climpact – for calculation of over 70 indices associated with climate impacts, from historical daily temperature and precipitation data (Climpact (climpact-sci.org)).

An accompanying guidance document explains how these tools can be used to recognize climatic and non-climatic factors contributing to socio-economic and environmental impacts, to guide the identification of effective climate actions.

These knowledge products are particularly useful for adaptation planning and in the development of proposals for climate finance. They were developed by WMO experts working with national and international partners in Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo and St. Lucia.

Through continuing collaboration, WMO and the GCF will use our mutual networks to support and engage with the stakeholder community to demonstrate their applicability and gather user feedback for further enhancement of these tools.

The side event in the COP26 Science Pavilion launched and showcased the knowledge products that have been jointly developed, and initiates an ongoing process of providing support, particularly to developing countries, with the aim of ensuring that all Parties can access the best available scientific information in support of national priorities for climate action.

Source: WMO

Homemade Biodegradable Cigarette Filter as a Solution to the Global Problem

Foto: BioFilter
Photo: BioFilter

There is an expression “the children of today are the adults of tomorrow,” and the tricky students of the High School Dušan Trivunac Dragoš from Svrljig, happen to prove it is not just another platitude. These young people decided to tackle waste which we often leave behind in nature and public areas. In fact, they gave a good try to solve the problem of one specific kind of waste. We talk about the most minor and most widespread garbage, which is also the hardest to remove.

If you guess was cigarette butts, you were right. No matter where you go, you will find at least one cigarette butt. More than 75  percent of smokers worldwide throw out cigarette butts in rivers, parks, streets, and beaches, but a few only know that these miniature enemies of nature will remain there for another 25 years.

In most cases, it is the question of true negligence, although some smokers are deluded by the idea that all cigarette filters are biodegradable. It might seem they are made of cotton, but actually, they are made of plastic fibers that make them fall within the biggest source of pollution.

Since little attention is paid to this world’s problem, students from Svrljig found the solution and presented the invention which can literally save the planet.

Evan cigarette butt can turn green

It is about the biodegradable cigarette butt, which contains a plant seed. The patent called BioFilter is made of unbleached cellulose, and four plant types can sprout from these stubs: clover, grass, chia, and basil. However, in six months, what once was a stub is nowhere to be found, while it serves to seed as a water reservoir until the plant gets rooted in soil.

Even if not every seed sprouts, one thing is sure – every cigarette filter will soon be disintegrated. At the BioFilter company, students have distributed the tasks to develop the idea further and create a final product. Thanks to their revolutionary invention, they appeared at the regional competition for student innovations. They managed to show how much BioFilter is crucial for our environment, so they entered the national finals.

The students confirm that people are amazed, finding it hard to believe that high school students are capable of coming up with this kind of invention. They are all astounded. This way, the students describe the positive response, which was inevitable. It suffices to say how damaging cigarette smoke is to health. Almost 70  percent of chemicals in cigarettes are carcinogenic, and some estimations confirm that smoking is a cause of 15 percent of death cases a year. Unfortunately, the student team can’t address this problem.

Photo: BioFilter

“If this is the way things are, with people throwing out stubs with great frequency, then we want to reduce the pollution to a minimum”, that is the message coming from the team. The stubs are toxic, chiefly for animals that happen to swallow them by accident.

Moreover, since stubs contain arsenic and other harmful chemicals, their accumulation in large amounts can put biodiversity at risk and pollute water and soil to a large extent.

Those who roll cigarettes by hand soon could get a chance to use BioFilter. As it has become something to talk about, there is a hope that world companies will recognize the significance of this innovation and include it in their assortment. Since the innovators are still high school students, the possibility of getting the product patented isn’t available. But, who could tell? Maybe in the upcoming years, they might get it done. The good spirit is something they have, as much as the consciousness of numerous benefits of their invention.

Prepared by: Milena Maglovski

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine WATER RESOURCES.

Water Stress is a Major and Growing Concern in Europe

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Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Albert Flamingo)

About 30 percent of Europe’s population is affected by water stress during an average year. The situation is expected to worsen as climate change is increasing the frequency, magnitude, and impact of droughts. A European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment, presents the current state of water stress in Europe with the aim to put focus on managing water availability risks under the impacts of changing climate.

The EEA report “Water resources across Europe — confronting water stress: an updated assessmentpresents the latest knowledge about water availability in Europe arguing for a shift from crisis management to risk management, including focusing more measures that address water consumption.

Water stress — a situation where there is not enough water of sufficient quality to meet the demands of people and the environment — is already a reality in many parts of Europe. Droughts and water scarcity are no longer rare or extreme events in Europe, and about 20 percent of the European territory and 30 percent of Europeans are affected by water stress during an average year, the EEA report says.

Climate change is expected to make the problem worse, as droughts are increasing in frequency, magnitude and impact. The trends are especially worrying for southern and south-western Europe where river discharge during summer could decline by up to 40 percent, under a 3°C temperature rise scenario. In those areas, agriculture, public water supply and tourism put the main pressures on water availability with a significant seasonal peak in summer.

Overall, Europe needs to strengthen the resilience of its ecosystems and use water more efficiently to minimise the impacts of water stress on people and the environment. According to the EEA assessment, policies and regulations at European level are in place to address both these issues but their implementation and effectiveness need to be improved. 

Source: EEA

Postcard from 2050: Cities and Climate change in a Dystopian Future

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Foto: Screenshot (Twitter)

When the climate crisis requires immediate action, cities become key players in the transition towards better ecological scenarios. Are mayors and governments ready to bet on ways forward that put the health of people and our planet before empty political statements? Are we as citizens ready to push the reinvention of our cities and be influencers of political change through resilient actions?

In a present that continues to alert us to a dystopian future, the health of people and the planet must be prioritized. Cities will be key players in this transition towards better ecological scenarios.

As we continue to experience the effects of a climate emergency around the planet – fires, heat waves, floods, increased hurricanes, the increase in climate refugees – the problems that make our cities less safe are evident: polluted air, inequality, lack of green areas and pedestrian spaces, not enough public transport and bike lanes, and poor access to local food and products.

Cities are where spending on climate action will have the biggest impact – making cities more connected and coordinated around green policies could yield economic savings of up to 17 trillion USD dollars by 2050 as 55 percent of the world’s population lives in cities and this number is expected to increase to 68 percent by 2050, and 70 percent of global climate emissions originate in urban centers.

The impacts of COVID-19 are also reshaping dramatically changing urban life around the world and how we think about cities: not only as economic and political centres but as places where urbanization and sustainability challenges must be addressed and various social sectors will play a fundamental role.

According to UNEP, “Climate change is a global phenomenon that largely impacts urban life. Rising global temperatures causes sea levels to rise, increases the number of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and storms, and increases the spread of tropical diseases. All these have costly impacts on cities’ basic services, infrastructure, housing, human livelihoods and health”. The actual risks depend on the location of the city or town and its specific characteristics.

And although global warming makes cities warmer, urbanization intensifies this process via urban heat island generation and aerosol radiative forcing. The consequences of interactions among climate change, the urban heat island effect, and air pollution are expected to increase the risk of poor human health in cities globally by the middle of the twenty-first century”.

A study of future climate impacts on 571 European cities found that 72 percent of these cities are projected to experience increases of at least 10°C in the maximum temperature during heat waves under the high scenario. For example, Madrid is projected to experience an increase of 10.2°C and Rome 9.7°C in the maximum temperature during heatwaves. In addition, the duration of heatwaves, for example in Iberia and the Mediterranean region, is projected to increase from some 2 days per summer (from 1961-1990) to some 13 days (for 2021-2050) and 40 days (for 2071-2100).

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

With these figures in mind, it’s time to take action and demand our governments and mayors step up to make our cities greener and more resilient. Because this is the last decade the world has to avoid the worst impacts of global warming: unimaginable natural disasters, sea-level rise, and mass extinction of wildlife. But it’s also a unique opportunity to build a stronger and fairer global economy. The longer governments wait to take action, the harder it will be to succeed.

And it’s not just about imagining a better future, it’s about knowing that a more liveable and sustainable city is possible, and necessary to make us safer and more resilient today – better public transport, more bike lanes, access to locally produced food, and public green spaces.

On this World Cities Day, let’s reflect on what kind of future we want for our cities; the moment to demand real change is now.

Source: Greenpeace

EBRD EUR 4 Million Loan to Partner Microfinance Institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Foto: Wikipedia/Megaman7de
Photo-illustartion: Pixabay

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting green investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a EUR 4 million loan to Partner Mikrokreditna Fondacija Tuzla (Partner) through the Bank’s Western Balkans Green Economy Financing Facility (WB GEFF II).

This is the second GEFF line provided to Partner, following the successful implementation of the first. Partner will lend the funds to borrowers in the residential sector – individuals, housing collectives, producers, vendors and service providers – to invest in the installation of high-performance green technologies, materials and solutions in privately-owned residential dwellings and buildings. The full loan amount will be dedicated to green projects.

The renovation of buildings is essential to decarbonise the economy. It was singled out in the European Green Deal as a key means of driving energy efficiency in the sector and delivering on climate objectives. Studies show energy consumption in the building sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina to account for 57 percent of the country’s total energy consumption, well above the 40 percent average of the European Union (EU).

The EUR 135 million Western Balkans GEFF supports energy-efficient solutions to build a greener and more sustainable economy. The programme is supported by the EU, the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance. It is also part of the Regional Energy Efficiency Programme (REEP) for the Western Balkans.

To date, the GEFF in Bosnia and Herzegovina has reached more than 3,000 households and provided loans of more than  EUR 10 million for individual projects through partner financial institutions. These have contributed to more than 7,800 MWh of energy savings and a reduction of more than 2,700 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The most frequently financed technologies are windows and doors, insulation, biomass boilers and heat pumps.

Partner is the largest microcredit institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been a partner of the EBRD for more than 10 years and is active across the country as an essential provider of finance.

Manuela Naessl, EBRD Head of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said: “In the week that COP26 is taking place, it is even more important to contribute to green and sustainable investment. I am very happy that we have signed this important credit line with Partner today, which will further increase green lending in Bosnia and Herzegovina and contribute to energy savings and carbon emission reductions.”

Senad Sinanović, CEO of Partner, said: “Our main motivation for launching and promoting the energy efficiency credit lines was air pollution: the fact that the main cities in our country are often top of the list of the most polluted cities in Europe and the world. With the first EBRD GEFF credit line, we reduced CO2 emissions by 15,539 tonnes and enabled energy savings of 48,069 MWh. The new credit line is a step towards strengthening our position as leader in the field of energy-efficiency lending and, in particular, raising awareness of the importance of a clean environment and quality service to our customers.”

Since it began operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996, the EBRD has invested more than EUR 2.7 billion in 190 projects across the country.

Source: EBRD

What you need to know about the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference

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Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Markus Spiske)

The report shows that the NDCs are insufficient or fall short. Current commitments put the world on track for a global temperature rise of 2.7°C by the end of the century. The report also finds that the new and updated NDCs introduced by 120 countries on 30 September 2021 will only take 7.5 per cent off predicted 2030 emissions, while a 55 per cent reduction is needed to meet the 1.5°C targets. Net-zero commitments could help and could take a further 0.5°C off the 2.7°C.

5. Is it too late? Can anything be done?

It is not too late. But as Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, says: “It is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem…The clock is ticking loudly.”

To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, the next eight years will be crucial. Greenhouses gases need to be halved. In practice, this means, on top of the new NDCs, a further 28 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent (GTCO2e) of annual emissions must be reduced. An annual drop in emissions of 13 GtCO2e is needed to limit the temperature rise to 2°C.

6. What would a temperature rise of over 2.7°C mean for the planet?

Any temperature increase approaching 2.7°C would be a disaster for humanity and many of the planet’s species. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), even an increase of 2°C would have a major impact on food, security and human health.

Insects, vital for pollination of crops and plants, are likely to lose half their habitat at 1.5°C. This becomes twice as likely at 2°C. The frequency and intensity of droughts, storms and extreme weather events will rise with every increment in temperature – as we are already seeing with a global temperature increase over pre-industrial levels of around 1.2°C.

Photo-illustration: Pixabay

7. Did COVID-19 help reduce emissions?

Yes, the COVID-19 pandemic did lead to a 5.4 per cent global drop in COin 2020, but it was a temporary reduction. In 2021 levels are predicted to be only slightly lower than the record high of 2019, pushing the COconcentration in the atmosphere to the highest it has been in the last two million years.

Worryingly, only 17-19 per cent of pandemic economic recovery, $438 billion out of $2.28 trillion, is being used for green recovery and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Of the green recovery, 90 per cent comes from seven countries, which needs to be expanded.

8. How can net-zero pledges help plug the emissions gap?

The Emissions Gap Report 2021 shows that the updated NDCs and other mitigation pledges for 2030 give a 66 per cent chance of hitting a global temperature rise of 2.7°C by the end of the century. If implemented effectively and reflected in NDCs, net-zero pledges can take 0.5°C off the 2.7°C, coming closer to the 2°C goal of the Paris Agreement.

Source: UNEP

Secretariat Holds Roundtable on the Future of Hydrogen in Ukraine

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Photo-illustration: Pixabay

This week, the Energy Community Secretariat, in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, organised a strategic stakeholder meeting on the future of hydrogen in Ukraine.

The event brought together representatives of all national institutions and stakeholders involved in the hydrogen related activities, namely the Ministry of Energy, the State Agency on Energy Efficiency of Ukraine, the Ukrainian gas transmission system operator, Naftogaz, the European Investment Bank, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, along with the German-Ukrainian Energy Partnership, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe,  the USAID Energy Security Project and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine.

In a roundtable moderated by the Secretariat, participants discussed the ongoing preparation of the Ukrainian Hydrogen Strategy and took stock of their activities to support the country in its development.

The Secretariat will continue to actively support  the development of the Hydrogen Strategy in Ukraine and contribute with its expertise when required. It will also further the discussion among stakeholders, including by organising an open event on hydrogen in Ukraine in the near future.

Source: Energy Community

Science Expertise Integral to The COP26 Negotiations

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Photo-illustration: Pixabay

International science advisors from around the globe have signed an open letter, emphasizing that “the scentific case for urgent climate action is unequivocal.” The letter was posted on the UK government’s website as it prepares to host the UN Climate Change conference, COP26.

“The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis showed there is no doubt human activity has warmed the ocean, atmosphere and land and the world is now 1.09°C warmer than it was in the early industrial era. Sea levels are rising, while weather extremes and their impacts such as heatwaves, excess rainfall, wildfires, flooding and droughts are more intense and more frequent. Climate modelling indicates that with every fractional increase in warming, these effects will get worse with all countries vulnerable,” says the letter.

COP26 opens on 31 October in Glasgow, bringing together world leaders, negotiators, scientists, businesses, policy makers and citizens as nations seek to reach agreement on how to tackle climate change.

WMO is working in partnership with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and UK Met Office in hosting the science pavilion in order to support the negotiating teams from around the world with the robust scientific evidence they need to inform their decision making. WMO, Met Office and IPCC experts, alongside colleagues from collaborating organisations, will be available to advise negotiators and other delegates on the latest climate science and services. The events from 01 to 12 November are aligned with the COP26 Presidency programme

“In this crucial year for uniting the world to tackle climate change, the COP26 Science Pavilion will demonstrate the science community’s continued commitment to underpin action on climate change. It will provide a platform to explain the very latest policy-relevant, scientific findings,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.

Met Office Chief Scientist, Professor Stephen Belcher, said; “As part of UK Government, the Met Office Hadley Centre is central to the country’s national climate capability. As a world-class research institute, we have been supporting our Government in the lead up to COP26 and are looking forward to providing authoritative and impartial science to inform negotiations.”

Source: WMO

Greenhouse Gas Bulletin: Another Year Another Record

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Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Patrick Hendry)

The abundance of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere once again reached a new record last year, with the annual rate of increase above the 2011-2020 average. That trend has continued in 2021, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Greenhouse Gas Bulletin.

Concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), the most important greenhouse gas, reached 413.2 parts per million in 2020 and is 149 percent of the pre-industrial level. Methane (CH4) is 262 perent and nitrous oxide (N2O)  is 123 percent of the levels in 1750 when human activities started disrupting Earth’s natural equilibrium. The economic slowdown from COVID-19 did not have any discernible impact on the atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases and their growth rates, although there was a temporary decline in new emissions.

As long as emissions continue, global temperature will continue to rise. Given the long life of CO2, the temperature level already observed will persist for several decades even if emissions are rapidly reduced to net zero. Alongside rising temperatures, this means more weather extremes including intense heat and rainfall, ice melt, sea-level rise and ocean acidification, accompanied by far-reaching socioeconomic impacts.

Roughly half of the CO2 emitted by human activities today remains in the atmosphere. The other half is taken up by oceans and land ecosystems. The Bulletin flagged concern that the ability of land ecosystems and oceans to act as “sinks” may become less effective in future, thus reducing their ability to absorb carbon dioxide and act as a buffer against larger temperature increase.

The Bulletin shows that from 1990 to 2020, radiative forcing – the warming effect on our climate – by long-lived greenhouse gases increased by 47 percent, with CO2 accounting for about 80 percent of this increase. The numbers are based on monitoring by WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch network.

“The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin contains a stark, scientific message for climate change negotiators at COP26. At the current rate of increase in greenhouse gas concentrations, we will see a temperature increase by the end of this century far in excess of the Paris Agreement targets of 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas. “We are way off track.”

“The amount of COin the atmosphere breached the milestone of 400 parts per million in 2015. And just five years later, it exceeded 413 ppm. This is more than just a chemical formula and figures on a graph. It has major negative repercussions for our daily lives and well-being, for the state of our planet and for the future of our children and grandchildren,” said Prof. Taalas.

“Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for centuries and in the ocean for even longer. The last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was 3-5 million years ago, when the temperature was 2-3°C warmer and sea level was 10-20 meters higher than now. But there weren’t 7.8 billion people then,” said Prof. Taalas.

“Many countries are now setting carbon neutral targets and it is hoped that COP26 will see a dramatic increase in commitments. We need to transform our commitment into action that will have an impact of the gases that drive climate change. We need to revisit our industrial, energy and transport systems and whole way of life.  The needed changes are economically affordable and technically possible. There is no time to lose,” said Prof. Taalas.

Source: WMO

The Protection of the Oceans and Seas is Indispensable for the Planet

Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Francesco Ungaro)
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Johnny Chen)

At the beginning of May 2021, the preparation started for the 15th gathering of the states that signed the UN Convention on Biological Diversity CBD. The main topic was the development of a ten-year strategy for biological diversity protection after 2020. Ocean protection is considered to be one of the most vital points of this strategy. Experts worldwide call to adopt the goal by which at least 30 percent of the ocean surface would be protected until 2030 (30 by 30 initiative). If the law protected certain areas, it would prevent excessive exploitation of oceans’ resources, especially many endangered marine species. In addition, it would lessen the pressure of pollution and enable recovery of the eco-system, which sustains life on the planet.

The health of the oceans and seas is what the living conditions depend on, namely the survival of the species, including humans. Therefore, ocean and sea protection mustn’t become an issue that only coastal countries deal with. Still, this topic should be of global public interest. As a result, more and more countries are involved in working on improving marine world status.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), through its Regional Office for East Europe and Central Asia and the Pew Charitable Trust, had precisely that in mind. So they organized in April a two-day regional workshop about 30 percent ocean protection by 2030. The workshop participants included the representatives of many countries from the region who don’t have access to the sea. Although often left out of the marine initiatives and programs, these countries have an equal interest in preserving ocean health. The ecosystem services that the ocean provides are critical. They include climate regulation, carbon removal from the atmosphere, food production, etc. The workshop offered vital idea exchange to the government representatives from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Serbia.

One of the most important questions discussed was the need to identify protected areas type, including protective measures prescribed for different classes. According to the IUCN definition and criteria for protected areas, every marine protected area as common good would have to be “clearly outlined geographical space which needs protection,and that is managed with a view to long-term environmental protection, eco-system services, and cultural values.”

Prepared by: Milica Mišković

Read the story in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine WATER RESOURCES.

Wildlife Crimes are Wild Crimes against Life

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In order to highlight the importance and the real impact of crimes against nature and the environment, WWF launched a campaign – Wildlife Crimes are Wild Crimes against Life. Wildlife crimes, such as illegal killing, poisoning, trapping and illegal trade of species constitute a major threat to many of the planet’s species. In fact, unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade and other types of wildlife crimes are the second-biggest direct threat to species, after habitat loss.

The campaign aims to draw social and political attention to the seriousness of wildlife crimes. Even though we most often hear about poaching and trafficking of exotic species in places far from Europe, these crimes happen here as well, endangering the biodiversity of the European continent.

Date shells and turtles are some of the European species that are often trafficked, while many protected types of sturgeon are frequently illegally fished out to be sold on the black market. Bears and wolves are often victims of poaching and many species of birds are hurt and killed by poisoning.

“Even though many species are officially legally protected, this itself doesn’t stop illegal activities such as trafficking and poaching. Birdlife International reports show that on a global level, 25 million birds are killed annually while migrating towards Europe and 71 species of European birds are currently endangered. Wildlife crimes such as poisoning and poaching can bring species to extinction,” says Snježana Malić-Limari from WWF Adria.

With this campaign, WWF aims to raise awareness and improve knowledge and understanding of the real impact wildlife crimes have on our planet, its biodiversity, and people themselves. According to the UNEP and INTERPOL report, crimes against nature and the environment cost us globally up to 258 billion dollars every year, and are frequently connected to other serious crimes, such as fraud, money laundering and corruption. The real consequences and frequency of these crimes are severely underestimated, as they’re often seen as minor offenses.

“We aim to discourage, and ultimately reduce the number of wildlife crimes and we believe this can only be achieved through improved education, increased capacities, and better collaboration between the government bodies, experts, and the general public,” says Malić-Limari.

The campaign is part of the EU LIFE project SWiPE: Successful Wildlife Crime Prosecution in Europe, and will be disseminated by WWF, Fauna and Flora International, and TRAFFIC at a European level under #StopWildlifeCrime. We all need to join forces and work together to put an end to these wild crimes against life.

Source: WWF Adria

CEB and Slovenia’s SID Banka discuss a new loan for infrastructure, energy efficiency and environment

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Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), Rolf Wenzel, and Vice-Governor Tomáš Boček today met with representatives of the Slovene Export and Development Bank (SID Banka) to finalise a new loan worth 50 million euros, which is expected to be approved by the end of the year.

Governor Wenzel and Sibil Svilan, CEO and President of the Management Board of SID Banka, explained that the new loan would be used to co-finance municipal projects in the field of infrastructure, energy efficiency and the environment, thus contributing to sustainable development throughout the country.

The CEB had previously approved two loans to SID Banka to improve living conditions in urban and rural areas, enhance energy efficiency, and protect the environment throughout the country. The first one worth €40 million was approved in 2014, while the second one worth 50 million euros was approved in 2017.

“We highly appreciate the long-standing and dynamic cooperation with SID Banka, which has resulted in significant social and environmental outcomes throughout Slovenia,” Governor Wenzel said. “Given the current needs and plans to reinforce the country’s economic and social resilience it is important that we continue our cooperation to further encourage country-wide investments, enable sustainable economic growth, provide better access to quality public services, and improve the living conditions of all citizens.”

The new loan from the CEB will help SID Banka implement its new development and incentive programme intended for municipalities and municipal public companies to finance projects that will improve their infrastructure, energy efficiency and contribute to sustainable development.

“SID Banka, with CEB funds under the leadership of Governor Wenzel, enabled numerous infrastructure projects in Slovenian municipalities, especially the construction and renovation of schools and kindergartens, as well as gyms and health infrastructure,” noted Mr Svilan. “We also financed projects for water supply, sewerage and public roads. These projects and the aforementioned good cooperation between the two banks are crucial for the sustainable development of Slovenia, as only such long-term and favourable sources of financing enable the successful implementation of public infrastructure projects.”

“SID Banka is our long-standing partner in Slovenia,” added CEB Vice-Governor Tomáš Boček. “We work together to strengthen our partnership to better respond to the priorities set in the Slovenian Development Strategy 2030. We are conscious that the improvement of social infrastructure and continued availability of long-term financing to the municipalities remain essential for the recovery from Covid-19, economic growth and employment.”

Source: Council of Europe Development Bank

How Marsh Grass Could Help Protect us From Climate Change

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Grant Durr)

Marsh plants, which are ubiquitous along the world’s shorelines, can play a major role in mitigating the damage to coastlines as sea levels rise and storm surges increase. Now, a new MIT study provides greater detail about how these protective benefits work under real-world conditions shaped by waves and currents.

The study combined laboratory experiments using simulated plants in a large wave tank along with mathematical modeling. It appears in the journal Physical Review — Fluids, in a paper by former MIT visiting doctoral student Xiaoxia Zhang, now a postdoc at Dalian University of Technology, and professor of civil and environmental engineering Heidi Nepf.

It’s already clear that coastal marsh plants provide significant protection from surges and devastating storms. For example, it has been estimated that the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy was reduced by USD 625 million thanks to the damping of wave energy provided by extensive areas of marsh along the affected coasts. But the new MIT analysis incorporates details of plant morphology, such as the number and spacing of flexible leaves versus stiffer stems, and the complex interactions of currents and waves that may be coming from different directions.

This level of detail could enable coastal restoration planners to determine the area of marsh needed to mitigate expected amounts of storm surge or sea-level rise, and to decide which types of plants to introduce to maximize protection.

“When you go to a marsh, you often will see that the plants are arranged in zones,” says Nepf, who is the Donald and Martha Harleman Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Along the edge, you tend to have plants that are more flexible, because they are using their flexibility to reduce the wave forces they feel. In the next zone, the plants are a little more rigid and have a bit more leaves.”

As the zones progress, the plants become stiffer, leafier, and more effective at absorbing wave energy thanks to their greater leaf area. The new modeling done in this research, which incorporated work with simulated plants in the 24-meter-long wave tank at MIT’s Parsons Lab, can enable coastal planners to take these kinds of details into account when planning protection, mitigation, or restoration projects.

“If you put the stiffest plants at the edge, they might not survive, because they’re feeling very high wave forces. By describing why Mother Nature organizes plants in this way, we can hopefully design a more sustainable restoration,” Nepf says.

Once established, the marsh plants provide a positive feedback cycle that helps to not only stabilize but also build up these delicate coastal lands, Zhang says. “After a few years, the marsh grasses start to trap and hold the sediment, and the elevation gets higher and higher, which might keep up with sea level rise,” she says.

Awareness of the protective effects of marshland has been growing, Nepf says. For example, the Netherlands has been restoring lost marshland outside the dikes that surround much of the nation’s agricultural land, finding that the marsh can protect the dikes from erosion; the marsh and dikes work together much more effectively than the dikes alone at preventing flooding.

Photo-illustration: Unsplash  (James Park)

But most such efforts so far have been largely empirical, trial-and-error plans, Nepf says. Now, they could take advantage of this modeling to know just how much marshland with what types of plants would be needed to provide the desired level of protection.

It also provides a more quantitative way to estimate the value provided by marshes, she says. “It could allow you to more accurately say, ‘40 meters of marsh will reduce waves this much and therefore will reduce overtopping of your levee by this much.’ Someone could use that to say, ‘I’m going to save this much money over the next 10 years if I reduce flooding by maintaining this marsh.’ It might help generate some political motivation for restoration efforts.”

Nepf herself is already trying to get some of these findings included in coastal planning processes. She serves on a practitioner panel led by Chris Esposito of the Water Institute of the Gulf, which serves the storm-battered Louisiana coastline. “We’d like to get this work into the coatal simulations that are used for large-scale restoration and coastal planning,” she says.

“Understanding the wave damping process in real vegetation wetlands is of critical value, as it is needed in the assessment of the coastal defense value of these wetlands,” says Zhan Hu, an associate professor of marine sciences at Sun Yat-Sen University, who was not associated with this work. “The challenge, however, lies in the quantitative representation of the wave damping process, in which many factors are at play, such as plant flexibility, morphology, and coexisting currents.”

The new study, Hu says, “neatly combines experimental findings and analytical modeling to reveal the impact of each factor in the wave damping process. … Overall, this work is a solid step forward toward a more accurate assessment of wave damping capacity of real coastal wetlands, which is needed for science-based design and management of nature-based coastal protection.”

The work was partly supported by the National Science Foundation and the China Scholarship Council.

Source: World Economic Forum

First Dam Removal in Western Balkans

Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Vezišnica is one of the most important and biodiverse tributaries of the Ćehotina River, but today, it is only a shadow of its former self. Industrial pollution, untreated wastewater, and illegal barriers have negatively affected the once rich flora and fauna of the river. However, the first steps towards bringing life back to Vezišnica were made today by removing three non-functional, illegal dams. This event is all the more important because it is the first case of dam removal in the region.

“We welcome the initiative to remove obsolete, undesirable, and dysfunctional barriers from rivers. By joining the initiative, Pljevlja Municipality and the wider community directly contribute to the achievement of environmental goals, both national and international, especially in the context of improving the ecological status of rivers”, said Mervan Avdović, vice-president of Pljevlja Municipality.

The US recognised the importance of removing old and dysfunctional dams a few decades ago, but in Europe, the trend began only ten years ago. More and more dams are being removed every year, especially since the EU Biodiversity Strategy set the goal to return 25,000 km of rivers to their natural state by 2030. Such projects also directly support the measures to improve the ecological status prescribed by the Water Framework Directive, which Montenegro has committed to implement.

“The municipality of Pljevlja recognized the opportunity to remove three dams on Vezišnica and joined the invitation that WWF Adria sent to municipalities and public institutions in Montenegro and Croatia. Considering that by removing the three dams on Vezišnica, it will again become a free-flowing river, we are especially happy that this is the first dam removal site in the region. We would like to replicate this success in Croatia and Slovenia, but also continue our efforts in Montenegro, where the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism has expressed a desire for us to work together on this issue,” said Branka Španiček, coordinator of the dam removal initiative at WWF Adria.

Removing barriers from rivers restores the natural dynamics of water flow, allows fish and other species living in rivers to migrate, and significantly reduces the risk of floods and droughts. Rivers naturally perform many functions that benefit both individuals and communities, from providing drinking water and food to regulating the effects of climate change. That is why dam removal initiatives, like the one that was started today in the Pljevlja Municipality, are so important, both for nature and society as a whole.

Without the cooperation of the municipality and the relevant ministry, as well as the support of the Sports and Fishing Club “Lipljen-Pljevlja”, this would not be possible. It is crucial that all stakeholders and local communities agree with and support nature conservation efforts, and that all professional standards and legal requirements are met.

Tamara Brajović, Director General of the Directorate of Nature at the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, stressed that this is just the beginning of cooperation on the identification of exact locations and number of old and obsolete dams, which will enable the reconnection of tens-of-kilometres of rivers and streams, and restore river biodiversity.

“This initiative is not only an effort of the Ministry to meet European standards and its commitments towards the European Union but also part of our mission to educate the public about these activities. It is important to explain and raise public awareness on the importance of biodiversity, and the impact of putting individual needs before nature through reckless and u

WWF Adria hopes that in the coming period, other municipalities in Montenegro will respond to the invitation sent earlier this year to work systematically to remove hundreds of old and dysfunctional barriers from rivers in Montenegro.

Source: WWF Adria

Climate change triggers mounting food insecurity, poverty and displacement in Africa

Photo-illustration: Pixabay
Photo-illustration: pixabay

Changing precipitation patterns, rising temperatures and more extreme weather contributed to mounting food insecurity, poverty and displacement in Africa in 2020, compounding the socio-economic and health crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new multi-agency report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The State of the Climate in Africa 2020 report provides a snapshot of climate change trends and impacts, including sea level rise and the melting of the continent’s iconic glaciers. It highlights Africa’s disproportionate vulnerability and shows how the potential benefits of investments in climate adaptation, weather and climate services and early warning systems far outweigh the costs.

“During 2020, the climate indicators in Africa were characterized by continued warming temperatures, accelerating sea-level rise, extreme weather and climate events, such as floods, landslides and droughts, and associated devastating impacts. The rapid shrinking of the last remaining glaciers in eastern Africa, which are expected to melt entirely in the near future, signals the threat of imminent and irreversible change to the Earth system, ” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas in a foreword.

“Along with COVID-19 recovery, enhancing climate resilience is an urgent and continuing need. Investments are particularly needed in capacity development and technology transfer, as well as in enhancing countries’ early warning systems, including weather, water and climate observing systems, ” said Prof Taalas.

The report is a collaborative product of WMO, the African Union Commission, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) through the Africa Climate Policy Centre (ACPC), international and regional scientific organizations and United Nations agencies. It is accompanied by a story map which highlights the key messages. 

It is being released on 19 October during the Extraordinary World Meteorological Congress and ahead of the UN Climate Change negotiations, COP26. It adds to the scientific evidence about the  urgency to cut global greenhouse gas emissions, step up the level of climate ambition and increase financing for adaptation.

«Africa is witnessing increased weather and climate variability, which leads to disasters and disruption of economic, ecological and social systems. By 2030, it is estimated that up to 118 million extremely poor people (i.e. living on less than US$ 1.90/day) will be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa,  if adequate response measures are not put in place. This will place additional burdens on poverty alleviation efforts and significantly hamper growth in prosperity, » said H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture African Union Commission.

“In sub-Saharan Africa, climate change could further lower gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 3 percent by 2050. This presents a serious challenge for climate adaptation and resilience actions because not only are physical conditions getting worse, but also the number of people being affected is increasing,” she said in the foreword.

Source: WMO