Renewables at Heart of Reaching Zero Emissions in Industry and Transport

16.09.2020

renewable_energy — Photo-illustration: Pixabay (seagul)

Only seven industry and transport sectors will account for 38% of all CO₂ emissions globally in 2050 unless there are significant changes in current approaches. Concerted action beyond planned policies can turn the page within the remaining 40 years and achieve zero emissions in heavy industry and transport by around 2060, a key requirement to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°C. The use of renewables will be central, accelerated through the rapid falls in technology and power costs.

Renewable energy solutions for each of these sectors are available and could play a much larger role than previously assumed, preliminary findings of IRENA’s new upcoming report Reaching Zero with Renewables show. Yet, for energy-intensive industrial sectors like iron and steel, chemicals, cement and aluminum as well as long distance aviation, shipping and road freight transport, the options are not yet commercially mature and ready for wide adoption.

Analysing emission reduction challenges and options for these so called hard-to-decarbonise sectors, the upcoming report sends a strong message to policy makers and industry investors to avoid the distraction of partial measures and unerringly pursue a path that scales up the few options consistent with reaching the zero-emission goal.

IRENA’s first Global Renewables Outlook has shown how to transform the global energy system in line with the Paris Agreement, keeping the temperature rise well below 2°C. The upcoming report explores in detail how additional ‘deeper decarbonisation’ measures can go beyond to deliver zero emission in key sectors by at the latest by 2060 – consistent with holding the line at 1.5°C.

Reaching this ultimate global climate goal of zero emissions requires eliminating direct CO₂ emissions from energy use and industrial processes alike. A key component will be the production of increasingly cost-effective renewable energy carriers including electricity, biofuels, hydrogen and synthetic fuels to provide both energy and feedstocks.

Industry

Industry accounts for almost one third of total global CO₂ emissions with four industrial sectors producing over 21% of all current energy- and process-related emissions. Reaching zero however is achievable with a combination of measures – most of which utilise renewables for either energy or feedstocks.

Key recommendations for governments and industry:

Establish demonstration projects to show what can be done and to collate and share the learning.
Create demand for “green” materials e.g. through public procurement, corporate sourcing and minimum percent requirements; market creation to avoid “carbon leakage”.
Increase public and private funding and cross-border collaboration for technology RD&D including hydrogen-based iron production, bio-based or synthetic chemicals, clinker alternatives, alternative construction techniques and materials, and the use of carbon removal technologies.
Relocate production to areas with potential for low-cost renewable energy; this can create new value and supply chains while also delivering emission reductions.
Ensure that countries with large or expanding production can utilise zero-emission-compatible production technologies; emerging economies will account for high shares of future production.

Transport

Transport accounts for just under a quarter of total global CO₂emissions with 3 long distance transport sectors producing over 11% of all current energy-and process-related emissions. Emissions can be reduced to zero with a combination of measures – in particular biofuels, hydrogen & synthetic fuels and, in some cases, electrification.

Key recommendations for governments and industry include:

Build on existing industry-wide international agreements to establish a shared zero-emission vision and strategy for international shipping and aviation and co-develop national and international roadmaps that have wide stakeholder support.
Establish demonstration projects involving low-carbon fuel use and new propulsion designs, to show what can be done and to collate and share the learning.
Create early demand for low-carbon transport provision and use e.g. through progressively tightening standards, through corporate commitments and via public-support to encourage investment and drive costs reduction.
Increase public and private funding and cross-border collaboration for RD&D into sustainable biomass supply, biofuels production, synthetic fuels production and alternative propulsion designs.

Read the preview summarising some key insights from the report.

Source: IRENA

Golden Opportunity to Stop Deforestation Caused by EU Consumption

15.09.2020

Fires raging in the Amazon are started deliberately to make way for large-scale industrial agriculture – and EU market demand for commodities produced on former-forest land is adding fuel to the fires. Globally, the EU is responsible for over 10% of forest destruction through its consumption of commodities like meat, dairy, soy for animal feed, palm oil, coffee and cacao.

#Together4Forests, a group of 100+ NGOs, is urging citizens to take part in a European Commission public consultation on deforestation to push for a strong EU law to keep products linked to deforestation, forest fires, nature destruction and human rights violations off the European market.

Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, Senior Forest Policy Officer at WWF EU said: “Products containing deforestation are in our shopping trolley. This must stop! Forests and other ecosystems across the world are an essential shield against climate breakdown, pandemics and the biodiversity crash, but EU consumption is weakening that shield. We urge the EU to introduce a strong law to keep forest destruction products off the market.”

WWF together with Greenpeace, ClientEarth, Conservation International and Environmental Investigation Agency, have now launched a campaign to ensure that citizens have the opportunity to make their voice heard.

Deforestation is the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Agriculture is responsible for 80% of deforestation for products like soy, beef and palm oil, and the EU is a top agri-food importer.

The European Commission has pledged to propose new legislation to address deforestation in 2021. But to avoid shifting the destruction of nature to other vital natural habitats, it must also protect grasslands, savannahs and wetlands, as well as forests.

The law must also protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities – they are recognised stewards of their lands and their knowledge is crucial to preventing biodiversity loss. Stopping deforestation will not be possible without them.

The #Together4Forests movement is calling on the EU to introduce a new law to tackle its contribution to global deforestation and to ensure that nothing sold in Europe contributes to forest or ecosystem destruction, or related human rights abuses.

Source: wwf.eu

Vegan Leather Made From Mushrooms Could Mould the Future of Sustainable Fashion

14.09.2020

mushrooms_pečurke — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Seven millennia since its invention, leather remains one of the most durable and versatile natural materials. However, some consumers question the ethical ramifications and environmental sustainability of wearing products sourced from animals.

This shift in social standards is the main reason we’re seeing a wave of synthetic substitutes heading for the market.

Leather alternatives produced from synthetic polymers fare better in terms of environmental sustainability and have achieved considerable market share in recent years.

But these materials face the same disposal issues as any synthetic plastic. So, the leather market has begun to look to other innovations. As strange as it might sound, the latest contender is the humble fungus.

Research by my colleagues and I, published today in Nature Sustainability, investigates the history, manufacturing processes, cost, sustainability and material properties of fungus-derived renewable leather substitutes – comparing them to animal and synthetic leathers.

How unsustainable is animal leather, actually?

How sustainable leather is depends on how you look at it. As it uses animal skins, typically from cows, leather production is correlated with animal farming. Making it also requires environmentally toxic chemicals.

The livestock sector’s sustainability issues are well known. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, the sector is responsible for about 14% of all greenhouse emissions from human activity. Cattle rearing alone represents about 65% of those emissions.

Still, it’s worth noting the main product of cattle rearing is meat, not leather. Cow hides account for just 5-10% of the market value of a cow and about 7% of the animal’s weight.

There’s also no proven correlation between the demand for red meat and leather. So a reduction in the demand for leather may have no effect on the number of animals slaughtered for meat.

That said, leather tanning is still energy- and resource-intensive and produces a lot of sludge waste during processing.

This gives leather a higher environmental impact than other minimally processed animal products such as blood, heads and organs (which can be sold as meat products or animal feed).

From spore to mat

Fungus-derived leather technologies were first patented by US companies MycoWorks and Ecovative Design about five years ago.

These technologies take advantage of the root-like structure of mushrooms, called mycelium, which contains the same polymer found in crab shells.

When mushroom roots are grown on sawdust or agricultural waste, they form a thick mat that can then be treated to resemble leather.

Because it’s the roots and not the mushrooms being used, this natural biological process can be carried out anywhere. It does not require light, converts waste into useful materials and stores carbon by accumulating it in the growing fungus.

Going from a single spore to a finished “fungi leather” (or “mycelium leather”) product takes a couple of weeks, compared with years required to raise a cow to maturity.

Mild acids, alcohols and dyes are typically used to modify the fungal material, which is then compressed, dried and embossed.

The process is quite simple and can be completed with minimal equipment and resources by artisans. It can also be industrially scaled for mass production. The final product looks and feels like animal leather and has similar durability.

Mushroom for progress

It’s important to remember despite years of development, this technology is still in its infancy. Traditional leather production has been refined to perfection over thousands of years.

There are bound to be some teething problems when adopting fungal leather. And despite its biodegradability and low-energy manufacturing, this product alone won’t be enough to solve the sustainability crisis.

There are wider environmental concerns over animal farming and the proliferation of plastics – both of which are independent of leather production.

Nonetheless, using creativity to harness new technologies can only be a step in the right direction. As the world continues its gradual shift towards sustainable living, perhaps seeing progress in one domain will inspire hope for others.

Will I be wearing it anytime soon?

Commercial products made with fungi-derived leather are expected to be on sale soon – so the real question is whether it will cost you an arm and a leg.

Prototypes were released last year in the US, Italy and Indonesia, in products including watches, purses, bags and shoes.

And while these fundraiser items were a little pricey – with one designer bag selling for US$500 – manufacturing cost estimates indicate the material could become economically competitive with traditional leather once manufactured on a larger scale.

The signs are promising. MycoWorks raised US$17 million in venture capital last year.

Ultimately, there’s no good reason fungal leather alternatives couldn’t eventually replace animal leather in many consumer products.

So next time you pass the mushrooms at the supermarket, make sure you acquaint yourself. You may be seeing a whole lot more of each other soon.

Author: Mitchell P. Jones

Source: weforum.org

EBRD to Improve Water Supply in Banja Luka

13.09.2020

water_management — Photo-illustration: EBRD

The 200,000-strong population of Banja Luka, the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is to enjoy better water supply and wastewater collection thanks to a loan of up to €6 million provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The Bank’s loan will be provided under EBRD Green Cities, a strategic framework that addresses environmental and sustainability concerns through a combination of investments in municipal infrastructure, and energy and policy measures.

A Green Cities Action Plan, developed by the city and the EBRD, has identified the inadequate water supply and water quality as urgent priorities to be addressed. Accordingly, proceeds of the loan will finance the upgrade of the water and wastewater infrastructure.

The EBRD loan is part of a €56 million long-term investment plan by the city to strengthen and expand its water and wastewater infrastructure. The plan will improve citizens’ access to high quality drinking water as well as rehabilitate and extend the city’s sewerage network – another of Banja Luka’s wastewater challenges.

The EU is expected to support the project with a grant of €4 million under its Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance 2020. Austria and Sweden provided technical cooperation funds to finance the Green Cities Action Plan.

Launched in 2016, EBRD Green Cities helps cities to address their environmental issues and improve the quality of life for their residents. To date, 35 cities in the EBRD regions have signed up to the programme. In Bosnia and Herzegovina alone, Banja Luka, Sarajevo Canton and Zenica have joined EBRD Green Cities so far.

Since it began operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996, the EBRD has invested more than €2.6 billion in 181 projects in the country.

Author: Axel Reiserer

Source: ebrd.com

Farmers Could Substantially Boost Productivity by Conserving Soil Biodiversity – IUCN Report

12.09.2020

Gland, Switzerland (IUCN) – By increasing the biodiversity of soils through sustainable practices, farmers could deliver substantial benefits for food and water security as well as climate change mitigation and adaptation, according to a new IUCN report published today. An annual increase of just 0.4% in the carbon content of agricultural soils, which is a key indicator of soil biodiversity, over the next 30 years could potentially boost global production of three major crops – maize, wheat and rice – by up to 23.4%, 22.9% and 41.9% per year respectively, according to the report.

“The data in this report debunks the myth that nature conservation and global food production are a zero-sum game,” said Dr Bruno Oberle, IUCN Director General.“ Agriculture has often been portrayed as a threat to biodiversity conservation. Yet conserving living, biodiverse soils and landscapes can boost yields while helping both nature and society. This report clearly identifies common ground and joint aims for farmers and conservationists that can help secure the future of agriculture itself.”

The new report, Common Ground: Restoring Land Health for Sustainable Agriculture, for the first time quantifies the potential societal benefits and monetary value of a large-scale, global adoption of cost-effective sustainable farming methods that boost soil organic matter and biodiversity. These methods include agroforestry and conservation agriculture as well as the use of manure and mulching.

The potential yield increases for maize, wheat and rice are worth an estimated US$132 billion. As an additional benefit, the increased organic carbon content in agricultural soils worldwide would enhance their capacity to store water by up to 37 billion m³, reducing the need for irrigation by ca. 4% globally and potentially saving US$ 44 Billion per year, the report finds.

By sequestering carbon, biodiversity-rich soils also help mitigate global warming. The report estimates that the annual 0.4% increase in soil carbon content would translate into an additional 1GtC being sequestered per year on average. This represents 10% of global human-induced carbon emissions based on 2017 numbers. This contribution to climate change mitigation would save society an estimated 600 Billion US$ per year in present value terms over the 2020-2050 time horizon, according to the report.

“This report shows that by working together, farmers and conservationists can deliver long-term food, nutrition and water security to everyone. Healthy, living soils and landscapes can indeed increase the resilience of food production to the negative impacts of climate change, and can secure the access to safe and nutritious food, particularly for the most vulnerable people in developing countries”, said Ludovic Larbodière, Senior Expert for Agriculture and Environment with IUCN. “To achieve this vision, we must stop thinking of agriculture purely in terms of food, fibre, and fuel, and instead incentivise and reward these additional services farmers provide to society.”

The calculations in the new IUCN report are based on an assumed annual increase of agricultural soil carbon content of 0.4% between 2020 and 2050. This increase was set as a target by the 4 per 1000 initiative, launched by the French government in 2015. According to a recent study, this target is attainable through a large-scale adoption of sustainable practices.

The report lays out concrete steps that farmers, policy makers, government agencies and private companies can take to help foster a global transition to sustainable agriculture. The report calls for broader use of agro-ecological approaches, and urges the agriculture sector to adopt ambitious targets for land health. It also calls for national and global targets aimed at achieving a net positive impact from agriculture on key biodiversity indicators by 2030. The authors recommend that states reward farmers for adopting sustainable agricultural practices. They advise that public subsidies as well as private funding should be redirected from conventional to more sustainable agriculture, which would also help meet public health objectives. Finally, the report underlines how sustainable agriculture can contribute to biodiversity conservation worldwide and encourages improved dialogue between the agriculture and the conservation sectors to build awareness of the natural capital of biodiverse soils for farming.

Access the full report here.

South Africa Aims to Stop Marine Litter at Its Source

11.09.2020

The coast of South Africa’s Kwazulu-Natal province looks like it was pulled from a postcard, with wide, sandy beaches stretching for some 600 kilometres. International and local tourists flock here in normal times, drawn to the warm Indian Ocean waters for surfing, relaxation, and glimpses of spectacular wildlife, like loggerhead turtles.

But heavy rains can transform this beautiful coast in a flash. Downpours accelerate the flow of polluted upstream rivers, sending their litter cascading into the sea, including around the city of Durban. After a storm, heaps of plastic bags and bottles pile up on Durban’s shores with the current transporting some rubbish hundreds of kilometers down the coast.

What’s happening to Kwazulu-Natal’s beaches is part of a larger marine litter crisis in South Africa. Every year, between 90,000 and 250,000 tonnes of rubbish enter the oceans that surround the country. This marine litter can damage ship engines and propellers. It becomes entangled in nets and other fishing equipment. It drives away tourists. It’s often ingested by birds, mammals, and fish, causing them to choke or become sick. And it can find its way into the human food chain.

But just where is all this waste coming from?

“Eighty per cent of marine litter originates on land, mediated through flash floods and river inputs,” said Jared Bosire, Project Manager with the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Regional Seas Programme. “Therefore, if we want a clean ocean, we must change our behavior on shore and link the solution to the source, which is upstream.”

A new project driven by the South African Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries aims to do exactly that. The department is joining forces with local officials, non-profit groups, like Coastwatch and Durban Green Corridors, and Plastics SA, a privately-owned company, to stem the flow of marine litter in five river systems in Kwazulu-Natal. Through increased litter collection and community-led waste sorting and recycling, the department will reduce litter generation at its source, thereby lessening the amount of pollution that reaches the ocean.

Litter booms, barriers that collect floating debris, will be installed in the uMngeni, uMlazi, uMbilo, uMhlatuzana, and aManzimnyama rivers. Communities will help clean out the booms on a daily basis during the two-year project. The booms have the added benefit of trapping invasive species, like the exotic water hyacinth, before they take root in waterways.

The department will also implement a waste sorting and recycling programme in one community per river. One possibility being considered is the idea of “swop-shops” where community members can trade the recyclable litter for essentials, said Yazeed Petersen, a Project Manager from the South African Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries. “Integrating these shops into the project will further encourage communities to become involved in litter collection.”

Douw Steyn of Plastics SA agreed. “We need to ensure that value is given to waste plastic so that it can contribute to the circular economy. Recyclers cannot get enough material, so there is enormous potential for those willing to collect litter.”

The project is designed to help South Africa achieve its targets under Sustainable Development Goal 14.1, under which the country committed to preventing and reducing marine pollution by 2025, as well as Sustainable Development Goal 6.3 to improve water quality by 2030 through reducing pollution.

The initiative is being funded by the Global Environment Facility through the Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Protection of the Western Indian Ocean from Land-Based Sources and Activities, executed by the Nairobi Convention. This project will reduce land-based stresses on this environment by protecting critical habitats, improving water quality, and managing river flows. The convention, part of UNEP’s Regional Seas Programme, serves as a platform for governments, civil society and the private sector to work together for the sustainable management and use of the Western Indian Ocean.

Source: unep.org

A Live Wire

10.09.2020

The NordLink cable will directly connect the German and Norwegian energy markets for the first time. Electricity from wind and hydropower will be exchanged to ensure supply reliability, stable prices and a higher share of renewables in the energy mix. KfW Stories reports on the technologically unique project.

At an elevation of around 900 metres, the Svartevatn dam in southern Norway‘s granite massif holds back vast amounts of water. At first glance, the 1.4 billion cubic metres of water look peaceful and smooth behind the spectacular structure, which contains more stones than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt so they say. Upon closer inspection however, you can see a maelstrom at a spot near the edge where water plummets downward. It is the starting point of a cascade that is over 75 kilometres long and drops 850 metres down through subterranean pipelines connected to reservoirs.

This network leads to Sira-Kvina’s Tonstad power plant. The plant was carved into the stone at the end of the 1960s and equipped with four turbines. It has the highest hydropower output in all of Norway with 3.9 billion kilowatt hours. Green electricity produced here will soon also flow into the German power grid.

On a high plateau a few hundred meters above the Tonstad hydropower plant, a new substation has been constructed to facilitate transport of a formidable 1,400 megawatts – this can supply 3.6 million households – through the sea to Wilstermarsch in northern Germany. It is part of one of Europe’s most important electricity hubs. Hydropower from this region has already been sent to England, Denmark or the Netherlands for years. In spring 2021, the largest power cable to date will be completed: NordLink.

A more sustainable energy mix

KfW, represented by KfW IPEX-Bank, has become a co-investor to finance this approximately two-billion-euro Herculean project that will enable Norway to send hydropower to Germany and Germany wind power to Norway. NordLink was initiated around ten years ago. “At that time we had a really critical situation here in Norway,” says Stein Håvard Auno, Project Director for NordLink at Statnett, the system operator of the Norwegian power system. “We had hardly any rain fall in the fall, and the reservoirs were nearly empty in the winter. We needed to import electricity, which caused the energy prices to rise. In that way NordLink is important to Norway’s energy security in dry years. It will also help us keep our electricity prices more stable even during dry seasons. NordLink will contribute to a more sustainable energy mix. In this way we are making an important contribution to the energy transition in Europe.”

Supply security, stable prices, a faster energy transition – this triad also applies at the other end of the 623-kilometre-long double cable made of positively and negatively poled cables. The counterpart to the substation in Tonstad is in Schleswig-Holstein in the town of Nortorf near Wilster. Converters manufactured by ABB, which convert the alternating current obtained into low-loss direct current for transporting it through the cable and change it back into alternating current at the end, are at the heart of the two substations which count among the most powerful substations in the world.

They convert the generated alternating current into low-loss direct current for transport via the cable, which is then converted back to alternating current again at the other end. Around three metres above the ground of the converter facility, the silver valves hang on steel cables like precious shrines. They contain the newest generation of a technology that experts call VSC-HVDC: high-voltage direct current power transmission in self-commuted power converters.

Author: Martin Häusler

Source: KFW

Taking Charge for an Electric Future

09.09.2020

On World EV Day, (9th September) drivers from more than 60 countries have made a firm commitment to transition to an electric vehicle.

The online pledge campaign, which was launched by ABB and Green. TV as part of World EV Day, encourages drivers to recognize the crucial role that electric vehicles (EVs) can play in advancing sustainable mobility, making a commitment that the next car they drive will be electric.

Results to date are already indicating which countries are in the driving seat when it comes to taking action. The United Kingdom is currently leading the way with 29 percent of sign ups. This is closely followed by India (13 percent) and United States of America at 11 percent.

ABB’s headline partnership with World EV Day amplifies the company’s existing title partnership of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship – the world’s first global all-electric motor racing series. ABB Formula E exists to drive progress in e-mobility by accelerating technical innovation in a competitive environment.

Tarak Mehta, President of ABB Electrification, commented: “Today marks an important milestone in the history of e-mobility with the world’s first EV Day. As headline partner, ABB is delighted to see so many individuals from around the globe taking positive action by signing the pledge.”

“At ABB we are committed to inspiring drivers towards a sustainable electric future. As such we have launched an ABB fleet electrification pilot program, starting in the UK and with other countries including the Netherlands set to follow.”

World EV Day has attracted many partners and industry leaders in celebrating the progress made in e-mobility and accelerating efforts to build greater support for EVs. The online event has provided virtual seminars on the topics that matter including the Green Recovery and the marketing of electric vehicles. Through social media and Worldevday.org, the event provides a useful hub for e-mobility resources and insight on driving an electric future.

Ade Thomas, Founder, Green.TV, said: “The rapid transition to electrified, sustainable mobility has never been more urgent. With World EV Day, we are hopeful that we have helped energize and highlight the need to decarbonise transport and encourage everyone to look to electric as a way to continue to build prosperity, enable access and deliver a sustainable way of life.”

As a global leader in e-mobility, ABB is committed to driving innovation in the sector, supporting greater adoption of electric vehicles. ABB has unrivalled expertise in electrification, having sold more than 14,000 DC fast chargers across more than 80 countries. ABB recently received the Global E-mobility Leader 2019 award for its role in supporting the international adoption of sustainable transport solutions.

There is still time to take the pledge. Simply visit: www.worldevday.org/ev-pledge. The pledge campaign will be further amplified on World EV Day itself through the events global network of partners and supporters, with further updates on sign ups to come.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 110,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com

Source: abb.com

Tourism Brings Us Together and Travel Restrictions Keep Us Apart

08.09.2020

beach_plaža_suncobran — Photo Illustration: Pixabay

More importantly, restrictions on travel also prevent tourism from delivering on its potential to build a better future for all.

This week the United Nations Secretary-General launched the Policy Brief “COVID-19 and Transforming Tourism”, which UNWTO assumed the lead role in producing.

This landmark report makes clear what is at stake – the threat of losing tens of millions of direct tourism jobs, the loss of opportunities for those vulnerable populations and communities who stand to benefit most from tourism, and the real risk of losing vital resources for safeguarding natural and cultural heritage across the world.

Tourism needs to thrive, and this means that travel restrictions must be eased or lifted in a timely and responsible manner. It also means that policy decisions need to be coordinated across borders to face up to a challenge which does not care about borders! “COVID-19 and Transforming Tourism” is a further element in the road map for the sector to regain its unique status as a source of hope and opportunity for all.

This is true for both developing and developed nations, and all governments and international organizations have a stake in supporting tourism.

Photo Illustration: Unsplash (Louis Hansel @shotsoflouis)

But we can only call on governments to back up strong words with equally strong actions if we move first and take the lead. As destinations open up again, we are resuming in-person visits, to show support, to learn, and to build confidence in international travel.

On the back of our successful visits to destinations in Europe, UNWTO delegations are now seeing first-hand how the Middle East is ready to restart tourism safely and responsibly. In Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his government made clear how strong, targeted support, has saved jobs and allowed tourism to weather this unprecedented storm. Now iconic sites such as the Pyramids are ready to welcome back tourists, with the safety of both tourism workers and tourists themselves a priority. Similarly, the government of Saudi Arabia has warmly welcomed UNWTO and expressed a firm commitment to continue building the Kingdom’s tourism sector, first for domestic visitors and then international visitors.

The pandemic is far from over. As cases across the world make clear, we must be ready to act fast to save lives. But it also now also clear that we can also take decisive action to protect jobs and safeguard the many benefits tourism delivers, both for people and planet.

Source: UNWTO/ Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili

Significant Progress in Expanding Protected Nature Sites in Eastern Europe

30.08.2020

ukraine_nature_ukrajina_priroda — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The EEA’s briefing ‘Protected areas in the Eastern Partnership countries‘ found that between 2000 and 2019 coverage of nationally protected areas were expanded in all six partnership countries which includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Thanks to the European Commission’s financial and Council of Europe’s technical support, 561 so-called Emerald Network sites (under the Bern Convention) have been created covering just over 12 % of the Eastern Partnership countries’ territories. These sites aim to support species and habitats targeted for protection under the Convention. This work has been supported by the EU under the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI) regional project on Implementing the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) principles and practices which has been executed by the EEA. Throughout the duration of the partnership project, the EEA supported capacity building to improve reporting on protected areas under international obligations and indicator development for knowledge-based policy making. The EEA also provided expertise on sufficiency assessments of species and habitats in the countries proposed for inclusion in the Emerald Network.

While Eastern Partnership countries have made substantial progress in overall performance over the duration of the project, more efforts are needed to improve data reporting obligations under international agreements related to biodiversity. More efforts will also be needed to improve the effectiveness of the management of protected areas as well as putting efficient monitoring programmes in place.

Background

The Eastern Partnership is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the EU, its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Under the Partnership’s joint policy initiative, a four-year project on ‘Implementation of the Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) principles and practices in the ENP East region’ (the ENI East II project, 2016-2020) was granted by the EU to promote the principles of a Shared Environmental Information System and its impact on better environmental governance in various thematic areas, including biodiversity conservation.

Source: EEA

Waste Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: From Response to Recovery

29.08.2020

covid-19_kovid-19 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The impact of COVID-19 is transforming the way we live, from one day to the next. While national and local interventions are largely focused on protecting lives and economies, the management of hazardous waste is also essential to minimize long-term risks to human and environmental health.

A new publication – Waste Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic: from response to recovery – reviews current practices for managing waste from healthcare facilities, households and quarantine locations accommodating people with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19. Jointly produced by UNEP, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the International Environmental Technology Centre, the report considers various approaches, identifies best practices and technologies, and provides recommendations for policy-makers and practitioners to improve waste management, over the long term.

Drawing insight from numerous consultations, the report gives particular attention to developing countries and cities, which may already lack adequate waste management. Cognizant of local conditions, practices that are operationally and technically plausible are identified and recommendations include ways to adapt existing protocols and practices, at both emergency and recovery stages.

Source: UNEP

The Black Sea Region’s Renewable Energy Potential on the Agenda

28.08.2020

solar_panels_solarni_paneli_solar_power_plant_solarna_elektrana — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Chuttersnap)

In less than a month the energy community will get together online to discuss the renewable energy potential of the Black Sea countries.

The high-level international investment conference Energy Week Black Sea will take place on a virtual event platform on 29-30 September bringing together the autorities, project operators of Ukraine, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria, as well as IFIs/DFIs, multinational energy companies.

A limited amount of free passes is available for representatives of state organisations, renewable energy associations and IFIs. To register, please fill in the form.

For standard passes (pricing), please fill in the form.

Engage with the attendees and effectively deliver your message to the event’s high-level participants representing such organisations, IFIs/DFIs and state authorities as Republic of Turkey Energy Market Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment of Romania, Georgian Energy Development Fund, EBRD, EÜAŞ, ANRE, IRENA, National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (Ukraine), SAEE (State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine), GNERC, NBT, Enel Romania, ADB, Romgaz, EDPR Romania, Electrica, TRYBA Energy, Electricity System Commercial Operator, Georgia Global Utilities, Hidroelectrica, DEG (KfW), Public Private Partnership Agency of Georgia, IFC, EREF, Complexul Energetic Oltenia, GSE, Scatec Solar, Tractebel Engineering, Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, Green for Growth Fund, FMO, Clear Energy Group, Adjaristsqali Georgia, and many others.

Among EWBS 2020 speakers:

Valerii Tarasiuk, Chairman, National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission (Ukraine)
Giorgi Chikovani, CEO, Georgian Energy Development Fund
Aida Sitdikova, Director, Energy Eurasia, EBRD
Dr. Mustafa Çelebi, Head of Wind and Solar Group, Republic of Turkey Energy Market Regulatory Authority
Corina Popescu, CEO, ELECTRICA
Ucha Uchaneishvili, Chairman of the Management Board, Georgian State Electrosystem (GSE)
Carlo Pignoloni, President of RWEA, CEO, Enel Romania
Andreas Cremer, Head of Energy and Infrastructure Europe and Asia department, DEG (KfW)
Cem Özkök, Chairman, Solar Energy Investors Association of Turkey (GUYAD), Board Member, Guris Holding

NBT AS is a proud sponsor of the upcoming EWBS 2020.

More details on the official website: https://www.bsenergyweek.com/

Contact the organisers: info@investinnet.com

Source: Energy Week Black Sea

Partnership Between UNEP and ReNew Power to Increase Access to Clean Energy in India

27.08.2020

windpark_vetropark_india_indija — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Omkar Jadhav)

India’s largest renewable energy company, ReNew Power, and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have signed a partnership agreement to promote increased access to renewable energy and improved energy efficiency.

The strengthened partnership between the two parties – who signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 10^th July 2020 in Delhi- focuses on enhancing access to renewable energy and improving energy efficiency as part of the progressive strategies that India has adopted to realize its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement.

ReNew Power will partner with UNEP’s District Energy in Cities Initiative as an implementation partner for renewable energy installations across India with the aim of shifting the heating and cooling sector to an energy efficient one. The partnership will also implement solar off-grid projects, studies, and assessments. Joint efforts will be promoted through annual events to showcase contributions to India’s strategic vision on renewable energy.

Renewable sources constitute about 23.6% of total installed capacity in India. The country had a target of 175 GW of renewables capacity by 2022, and at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019, the Prime Minister announced an increase in the target to 450 GW.

At ReNew, we have always believed in going beyond our business and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders on multiple issues impacting various communities across the country,” said Vaishali Nigam Sinha, ReNew Power’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “Through our association with UNEP, we are looking to work on issues which have the potential to accelerate growth and bring about socio-economic change in the area of environment and clean energy.”

“ReNew Power is a market leader in renewable energy and has demonstrated that clean energy makes ample business sense,” said Atul Bagai, Head of UNEP’s India Office. “We are proud to associate with them to push the envelope when it comes to clean and viable energy solutions for multiple applications in support of the climate goals and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.”

Source: UNEP

Eco Start Project

26.08.2020

nature_priroda — Foto-ilustracija: Unsplash (Harald Arlander)

Organic fruits, vegetables and herbs have become very popular on the market in recent years, so has the need for their production. Recognizing the importance of this trend, land potential in their environent, as well as the needs of their fellow citizens, the Women’s Association “Vukovar” once again made good use of the support of European Union funds and implemented a project that will train forty-two citizens for organic farming, herbs cultivation and processing.

The Women’s Association “Vukovar” has been active within the local community for more than twenty years, intending to more engage vulnerable groups of citizens, such as elders and unemployed women, victims of domestic violence and members of national minorities, in social de-velopment and decision-making and contribute the better quality of life for them. They carry out their activities by implementing both national and EU programs and projects. One of them, currently underway, is the Eco Start project, with the aim to empower citizens who are interested in producing organic fruits, vegetables, and also in producing, growing and processing herbs. Like many other projects they have implemented so far, this one is supported by the EU Fund, whose competitions the Association monitors regularly and in which participates when they can be aligned with the needs and capabilities of the local community.

“Our activity is based on listening to the real needs of citizens and other community organisations, and by organising and implementing activities, we influence the information, education and empowerment of marginalised groups of society. We regularly monitor the announcements of the competition and report to those areas where our Association is active. Preparing a project is not a difficult job if it involves projects that follow our vision and mission and contribute to the achievement of our goals, as well as the goals of a particular competition. All of our projects are based on the protection of human rights, the development of the local community, improving the lives of old and infirm people, as well as encouraging the employment of vulnerable groups of society”, says Jelena Jankovic, a member of the Association. “For the project to get funding from the EU funds and to be implemented, it is important to have the human capacities for its realisation, project partners, and the project activities themselves should be relevant to the target group which is involved in the project. Also the project must contributes to the achievement of the objectives set out in the relevant national and regional strategic documents in the area of the competition. The advantage is if the project has greater regional coverage.”

The Eco Start project started a year ago was written in collaboration with an adult school and with them agreed to implement training for two programs – an ecological producer of vegetables, fruits and aromatic herbs and aromatic and spice herbs producer and processor. The City of Vukovar supported them by giving land for practical training.

“The response of the participants is good, which shows that the interest in organic agriculture has increased recently and that people started to take care of what they eat, where they buy food and if that food is really organic”, our interlocutor said, adding that forty-two people were involved in the project, divided into two equal groups for each training program. The largest number of students were middle-aged women who have been unemployed for a long time. “The target group of this project is the unemployed, young people and women. We want to enable them to become more competitive in the labour market by acquiring new knowledge and skills and giving good support to those who want to start their own business in organic agriculture,” emphasizes Jelena Jankovic.

Those who wish to embark on this type of work after completing the training can count on national and EU funds. “The importance of organic production in Croatia can be seen in the continued financial support for ecological production through grants under state and EU assistance. The state stimulates producers to decide to engage in organic production through constant finance and other forms of support”, explains Jelena Jankovic. She also adds that the reason for the growing number of areas under organic farming can be found in the realisation of support for organic agriculture, financed from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, under measure 11 – “Organic farming”. Besides, users involved in organic production can earn extra points in most public calls within the Rural Development Program. In this way, additional work and effort are rewarded.

What has further encouraged the realisation of this project is the fact that the environment of Vukovar is well suited for organic production and rich in arable land. In fact, our interlocutor points out, the whole of Croatia has quality, but underutilised land for organic farming, because such products are harder to grow, and they are much more expensive on the market. However, demand for organic products is increasing, and since 2010 records an increase in the number of organic producers in Croatia, which certainly has been contributed by incentives in organic farming.

The training program for producers and processors of aromatic and spicy herbs is conducted through two hundred and two hours of theory and practice, and the training program for organic producers of fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs lasts one hundred and fifty hours. In addition to getting basic knowledge of plants, vegetables and fruits, production and processing technology, they also learn about occupational safety and health, fire protection and first aid. The training is not completed yet, the practical part of the course is currently underway, and after that, the participants will pass workshops “From field to table” and “How to get your job in agriculture”. After that, the twenty most motivated will receive five career counselling hours and assistance in developing a business plan.

In focus:

In addition to the Eco Start project, the Women’s Association “Vukovar” is currently implementing two other EU projects – Wish for Vukovar. With this project, they employed ten women for helping the elderly at home and the New Knowledge – New Opportunities project, which offers the possibility of free training for designing and implementing projects from EU funds for the unemployed and the long-term unemployed. Beside EU projects, the Association also implements national projects whose aim is to improve the quality of life of people in their community and ensure better accessibility of social services.

“Within our association, there is a Club of Third Age Persons, where fifteen to twenty people gather every day in the afternoon. For the fourth year in a row, we have been conducting daily activities for the elderly, such as exercises with the help of a physiotherapist, measuring sugar and blood pressure, cultural and entertaining activities (creative workshops, natural cosmetics workshops, reading rooms, games for improving memory, etc). Also, we are authorised to provide free legal aid, we have an SOS line that operates every day from 8 am to 6 pm”, says our interlocutor.

The Women’s Association “Vukovar” cooperates with similar organisations in the region. Through a three-year Empowerment to Better Integration program, they carry out part of their activities in rural areas to contribute to the widening of alternative social services where they are not available, assisted by organisations operating in those areas. They also have good cooperation with local self-government, institutions and establishments. They are members of the Gender Commission, the County Team for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, the Mobile Trafficking Team, the Women’s Network, the SOS Network and the PETRA Network.

Prepared by: Tamara Zjacic

This article was published in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine NATURAL RESOURCES, march – may, 2020

Oil Spill in Mauritius Calls for More Efforts to Safeguard Coral Reef Ecosystems

25.08.2020

corals_korali_coral_reef_koralni_greben — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

On July 25, 2020, a Japanese cargo ship struck a reef on the southeast coast of Mauritius, leaking tons of oil into coral reefs, pristine turquoise water lagoons and unique ecosystems of the island nation.

The grounded ship split up, releasing more oil in the sea that is home to some of the finest coral reefs and marine protected areas in the world.

The oil spill has the potential of causing devastating and widespread impacts on the country that depends on her seas for food, livelihoods and tourism that accounts for 36% of Mauritius GDP and generates US$4.3 billion annually.

Oil spill threatens the fishing industry as boats and fishing gear may be damaged. In the case of a massive spill, human health may be affected through direct contact, inhalation of the oil or consumption of contaminated seafood.

While the country has declared a state of environmental emergency and disaster response is underway, the situation highlights the vulnerability of marine ecosystems and habitats such as mangroves, seagrasses and corals.

Oil, a complex mixture of many chemicals, can kill corals, depending on species and exposure. Chronic oil toxicity impedes coral reproduction, growth, behavior, and development. The time of year when a spill happens is critical since coral reproduction and early life stages are particularly sensitive to oil.

Efforts are already underway to better protect the underwater world.

Just two months before the Mauritius oil spill; the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), a long-standing partner of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), adopted a Recommendation to safeguard the future of coral reefs. It recognizes the vulnerability of coral reefs to climate change, ocean acidification, land-based pollution such as nutrients and sediments from agriculture, sea-based pollution, overfishing, among other activities.

Corals support a quarter of all marine life, provide at least half a billion people with food security and livelihoods; protect coastlines from damage by buffering shorelines against waves, storms and floods. Estimates indicate coral reefs account for $2.7 trillion per year in ecosystem service value.

The Recommendation, adopted in May 2020, after more than 18 months of work and stakeholder consultations, aims to get coral reefs and related ecosystems prioritized and monitored with rigorous indicators within the Convention on Biological Diversity Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework being decided in May of 2021.

It calls on countries to safeguard coral reef ecosystems, identifying a set of six coral related indicators for adoption and a further five indicators for priority development, to provide improved information on ecosystem integrity, function, intactness, and resilience.

How will the indicators help save coral reefs?

Monitoring clearly defined metrics consistently will enable countries to detect and act upon changes in reef ecosystems caused by human activity and natural threats.

Leticia Carvalho, Head of UNEP’s Marine and Fresh Water Branch, supports the Recommendation and said: “Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystems in the ocean, housing approximately 25% of marine species and providing livelihoods for at least 500 million people around the world, but unfortunately they are also the most vulnerable ecosystem to climate change globally. The time is now for member states to join hands to address the global coral reef crisis.”

According to the IPBES 2019 Global Biodiversity assessment, almost half of coral reefs globally have already been lost. This puts on the line the safety, well-being, food, cultural heritage, and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people who depend on the ecosystem.

Coral reef protection is central to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) geared towards the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems to fight the climate crisis and enhance food security, water supply and biodiversity.

Source: UNEP

1...147148149...414 Page 148 of 414

A more sustainable energy mix

Background

In focus:

How will the indicators help save coral reefs?

Newsletter

Calendar of events

2025 October

Events for 31 October

Events for 1 November

Events for 2 November

Events for 3 November

Events for 4 November

Events for 5 November

Events for 6 November

Events for 7 November

Events for 8 November

Events for 9 November

Events for 10 November

Events for 11 November

Events for 12 November

Events for 13 November

Events for 14 November

Events for 15 November

Events for 16 November

Events for 17 November

Events for 18 November

Events for 19 November

Events for 20 November

Events for 21 November

Events for 22 November

Events for 23 November

Events for 24 November

Events for 25 November

Events for 26 November

Events for 27 November

Events for 28 November

Events for 29 November

WRITE US