Study on 14-Year-Old Disaster Finds Oil Still Leaking into Sea

29.06.2019

Screenshot from 2019-06-27 15-40-22 — Photo: YouTube (screenshot)

It’s been more than 14 years since Hurricane Ivan made landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States as a Category 3 storm, with wind speeds approaching 200 kilometers per hour and a destructive storm surge. Worse is what’s still happening offshore, where an oil platform that collapsed during Ivan continues to leak into Gulf of Mexico waters despite claims from its operators, according to a report released Monday.

The new report from U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) researchers, in partnership with Florida State University, estimates that despite some efforts to plug the wells, at least nine barrels of oil per day are leaking from the remains of the Mississippi Canyon 20 (MC20) drilling platform once operated by Taylor Energy. That’s a conservative estimate: A U.S. Coast Guard containment system placed at the wreck site in May 2019 is capturing an average of 30 barrels per day, and NOAA says the leak may be up to 108 barrels per day.

The findings conflict with Taylor Energy’s contention that oil sheens visible on the Gulf waters since the 2004 storm are released from hydrocarbons trapped in sediments on the ocean floor. In fact, the company – which ceased operation more than a decade ago and now exists only as an entity to deal with the MC20 disaster – has accused the Coast Guard of contributing to the problem while trying to research and remedy the leak.

“Taylor Energy had warned the Coast Guard of the risk of reckless and irresponsible disturbance of the hydrocarbons trapped in the sediment on the seafloor following the collapse of the MC-20 platform. Now the company’s worst fears are being realized,” the company said in an April statement.

Yet what the new NOAA report establishes, quite apart from oil flow rates, is that the oil isn’t coming from the sediment. It’s coming from the wreckage of the MC20 platform, which was toppled by an undersea mudslide caused by heavy seas and then broke away from its original 28 oil well pipes.

“Scientists conclusively show that the plume is primarily from active oil and gas releases from multiple wells at the MC20 site, rather than from sediments contaminated after 2004,” said NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS). The study results further contradict the Taylor Energy claims that “approximately one drop of oil” is released each minute from a two square foot area on the mud line.

That’s of concern because the Gulf of Mexico supports a highly diverse ecosystem, with fishing and tourism industries as well as the region’s oil and gas industry. “When oil-related chemicals are released into the marine environment they can bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms,” said NCCOS. “Many individual oil-related chemical compounds are toxic, with some being likely carcinogens.”

The report, originally requested by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), will be used to help determine the next steps in dealing with the MC20 leak – which, ironically, came under renewed scrutiny after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. It was then that observers noticed oil sheens and contamination that weren’t related to the Deepwater crisis and began to investigate what was causing them.

Source: Sustainability Times

Indian Coal Demand Soared 9.1% over Last Year

28.06.2019

India’s annual coal demand rose 9.1% during the year ending March 2019.

That’s according to India’s Coal Minister, Pralhad Joshi, who said the figure hit 991.35 million tonnes, driven primarily by utilities, which accounted for three-quarters of total demand.

Their coal consumption rose by 6.6% to 760.66 million tonnes over the period.

India is one of the biggest global importers of the fossil fuel, despite having the world’s fifth largest reserves – its imports rose to 235.24 million tonnes last year, up from from 208.27 million tonnes in 2017-18.

The rest of supply was provided through domestic supplies, which rose to 734.23 million tonnes last year, although it was not sufficient to meet total demand – there was a national shortfall of 23.35 million tonnes, around double that of the previous year.

Pralhad Joshi stated this occurred mainly as a result of state-run producer Coal India’s inability to meet surging demand from the country’s cement and iron industries.

He noted to increase future output levels, Coal India is now prioritising starting production at mines with a capacity exceeding 10 million tonnes per year and adopting increasingly mechanised techniques.

The producer is targeting a total production of 660 million tonnes in 2019-20.

The US has signed a deal which will see it help build six new nuclear power plants in India.

Source: Energy Live News

‘Climate Apartheid’ Will See Millions of World’s Poorest Severely Impacted

28.06.2019

rain-flood-kiša-poplava — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

A ‘climate apartheid’ will see millions of the world’s poorest people severely impacted.

That’s the chilling forecast from UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Philip Alston, who said even if current climate targets are met, tens of millions of people will be impoverished, leading to widespread displacement and hunger.

He said this would likely occur as wealthy nations pay to escape overheating, hunger and conflict “while the rest of the world is left to suffer” in terms of their rights to life, food, housing and water.

In his report, Mr Alston warns a changing climate will also threaten the wider issues of democracy and human rights and could even undo the last 50 years of progress in terms of economic development and global health.

He suggests more than 120 million more people could be pushed into poverty by 2030, with the bulk of these happening in the worst affected locations, such as Bangladesh.

The Special Rapporteur stresses even the best-case scenario of 1.5°C of warming will force many to choose between starvation and migration.

To mitigate these dangers, he says economic well-being and poverty reduction must be decoupled from fossil fuel emissions and calls for strong policies to be implemented to support displaced workers and ensure good jobs remain in affected areas.

He said: “Perversely, while people in poverty are responsible for just a fraction of global emissions, they will bear the brunt of climate change and have the least capacity to protect themselves.

“As a full-blown crisis that threatens the human rights of vast numbers of people bears down, the usual piecemeal, issue-by-issue human rights methodology is woefully insufficient.”

Source: Energy Live News

Will Burberry Set a Green Trend with New 2022 Emissions Goal?

27.06.2019

sai-de-silva-4o23nx9hH6o-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Sai de Silva)

Burberry has committed to slash its direct emissions by 95% in the next three years.

The luxury fashion brand set the target against a 2016 baseline and has had the ambition independently assessed and approved by the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI), which confirmed it was in line with limiting the trajectory of global warming to 1.5°C.

The company also pledged to reduce its supply chain emissions by 30% by 2030 and announced it is now carbon neutral across its retail operations in the US, Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa.

It says this has been acheived through driving energy efficiency measures through its stores and reinvesting cost savings into the procurement of renewable energy.

In 2017 Burberry set a target to procure 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2022 – it says it is now on track to meet this goal and notes it sourced 48% of its total energy use from clean generation last year.

The brand has a controversial history when it comes to its environmental footprint – last year it drew criticism from green groups after it was found to be burning its unsold clothes, bags and perfume.

Source: Energy Live News

77 Health Organizations Call for Climate Action to Fight Public Health Emergency

27.06.2019

glass-2655954_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

More than 70 leading public health groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, agree that the climate crisis is also a health emergency.

So far 77 organizations representing nurses, doctors, hospitals, volunteers and public health professionals have signed on to The Call to Action on Climate, Health and Equity: A Policy Action Agenda, released Monday. The agenda urges government, business and community leaders to take a series of actions designed to promote health and fight climate change.

“We are here today to declare that climate change is a health emergency. Climate change is already harming the health, safety and wellbeing of every American living today and if it is not addressed, will bring untold harm to all our children and grandchildren,” former Acting Surgeon General and Retired U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Rear Admiral Boris Lushniak said in a transcript of a press call emailed to EcoWatch.

On the call, medical professionals shared how climate change was already impacting the health of their patients. Pediatrician and incoming Chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health Dr. Aparna Bole explained how worsening air quality linked to global warming was increasing the risks faced by her patients in a Cleveland, Ohio community where one in five children has asthma.

“In my community, burning fossil fuels contribute to not just asthma exacerbations but also poor birth outcomes like low birth weight and prematurity, both risk factors for infant mortality. Even prenatal exposure leads to neurodevelopmental delays that negatively impact school readiness, which is an important foundation for a child’s academic success,” Bole said.

Meanwhile, Gundersen Health System CEO Emeritus Jeffrey Thompson shared how extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires were making it harder for hospitals to care for their patients.

“In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, many emergency medicine physicians throughout the U.S. were forced to ration critical IV fluids after the hurricane damaged a major producer of IV bags in Puerto Rico. This shortage persisted for months and into flu season. Imagine having to tell a worried mother that you couldn’t give her child fluids that could help him,” Thompson said.

The group outlined six major priorities for policy makers to fight climate change and improve health outcomes:

Meet and ramp up Paris agreement commitments.
Transition away from coal, oil and natural gas and towards renewable energy.
Encourage a shift from driving to biking, walking or public transportation while shifting to zero-carbon transit alternatives.
Support sustainable agriculture and protect green spaces.
Make sure all communities have safe and sustainable supplies of drinking water.
Ensure a “just transition” for workers and communities impacted by climate change.

The group also encouraged health organizations to take climate action by engaging with calls like this one, integrating climate responses into public health plans and assisting vulnerable communities in responding to climate impacts.

Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University Director Ed Maibach told the Associated Press that the health organizations’ statement could shift some Americans’ image of climate change as “primarily as a threat to things in the environment, like polar bears.”

“It’s incredibly helpful when health professionals point out the actual reality of the situation, point out that this is also a threat to our health and well-being now … and it’s likely to get worse, much worse, if we don’t take action to address it,” he said.

The call also comes as climate change is emerging as a major issue in the 2020 election, something Lushniak alluded to in introducing it.

“[W]e are well aware that we are initiating this effort at an important moment when our Nation’s attention is increasingly focused on the most important issues we face and how we should address them,” he said. “Our goal is to influence this national conversation at this critical moment. We are providing our leaders at all levels and with a meaningful path forward.”

The call was released the same week that Democratic candidates will engage in their first debate, the Associated Press pointed out. It shares priorities with the climate policy proposed by candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden, the Associated Press concluded, since it urges a transition away from fossil fuels without endorsing an outright ban on fracking.

Source: Eco Watch

Kladovo Gets a New Biomass Heating Plant

26.06.2019

W4_17 — Photo: Polytechnik Biomass Energy

Hospital in Kladovo and primary school “Vuk Karadzic”, which houses also a music school and a school for children with special needs, will soon fulfil needs for heating and hot water consumption with the new biomass system PEMCI 1.

The requirements of this large school, almost 185 years old, currently attended by more than a thousand pupils, is presently covered by heating plants Centar and Pemci. In the first heating plant, located in the residential zone in the centre of Kladovo, a 2% sulphur fuel oil is used, while coal is used in the second heating plant. The new biomass heating plant will be able to meet the overall energy needs of the above mentioned users. There are several good sides of the transition from fossil fuels to biomass, and one of the most important is cleaner air.

The future heating plant will use wood residues from sawmills, forestry residues, and available wood chips. The main difference between the old heating and the new one will be the reduction of CO2 emissions by almost 100 per cent. Kladovo, as a town famous for exceptional natural beauties, the Danube, Djerdap, turbulent history, energy resources, and hospitality again shows interest in sustainable energy and environmental protection. After two solar power plants were commissioned which were designed by CEEFOR ENERGY EFFICIENT SOLUTION ENERGY EFFICIENT SOLUTION, carbon dioxide emissions in Kladovo have been significantly reduced. This new heating plant will additionally enable citizens of Kladovo to inhale cleaner air. Global warming and the greenhouse effect are the consequences of increased carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. This project envisages that the new plant, with the current 5,852 tons of carbon dioxide released by the heating plant on the fuel oil annually, will reduce the emission of these particles to 75 tons.

The new heating plant PEMCI 1 should be connected with the central heating system to the heating plant Centar, located in the centre of Kladovo, and through it with the hot water distribution system into the district heating system in Kladovo.

This heating plant on wood chips with the installed capacity of 2 × 3.0 MW will be located in the northwestern part in Kladovo, in the settlement Pemci, in the vicinity of the existing plant, with the installed capacity of 1.1 MW which uses coal as a fuel, will be shut down after commissioning the mentioned biomass power plant. It is envisaged to install two identical hot water horizon Of all renewable energy sources in Serbia, biomass has the highest potential. Green Energy Portal provides support to investors and companies that want to improve their efficiency and switch to renewable energy sources.

This unique platform represents a part of the activities of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce within the “Reducing the barriers for rapid biomass market development in Serbia” Project, implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Ministry of Mining and Energy, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, the competent institutions and partners from civil sector. Green Energy Portal is the first online trade in various types of biomass in our region and connects buyers and sellers of biomass, as well as investors, designers, contractors, distributors, banks, and other participants in the market of renewable energy sources.

Prepared by: Zeljka Vesic

Read the whole article in the new issue of the Energy portal Magazine on SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

2019 ‘Could Be the Worst Year for Energy Price Rises on Record’

26.06.2019

electricity-meter-96863_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

2019 could be the worst year for energy price rises on record.

That’s according to auto-switching service Look After My Bills, which suggests both the frequency and severity of hikes could reach unparalleled levels this year.

It notes there have already 42 rises so far, whereas in 2018, there were 57 in total and only 15 by the six-month point.

The average price increase has also risen, up from around £75 in 2018 to a significantly more expensive £110 in current times.

Look After My Bills claims this brings into question the effectiveness of the energy price cap and whether it has inadvertently led to more price rises, as the majority of suppliers have raised their standard variable tariff close to the new £1,254 limit, despite the measure being initially introduced to protect consumers from paying too much.

The auto-switching service says this has added a collective £1.2 billion to bills across the country and notes as wholesale energy costs have fallen each month through 2019 so far, “raising people’s energy bills seems unjustified”.

Lily Green, Head of Research at Look After My Bills, said: “This is set to be the worst year on record for energy price rises.

“Too many suppliers are seeing the cap as a target and taking the opportunity to push prices up. What is particularly baffling is that wholesale energy costs are in fact going down. You would expect energy bills to do the same.”

Source: Energy Live News

Air Pollution ‘May Affect Number of Eggs Ovaries Can Produce’

26.06.2019

family-sea-ocean-kids — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Air pollution has been linked to a drop in activity of female ovaries, researchers have revealed.

Experts say the findings suggest that female reproductive system is affected by environmental factors, although the study does not specifically look at the impact of air pollution on fertility.

However, they added that if such an effect was permanent, it might mean that women might have a shorter period of their life in which to reproduce and earlier menopause.

“The environmental aspects of our lives are so important that we should take care of indoor and outdoor environments,” said Antonio La Marca, a researcher at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.

The findings, presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, are based on a study of levels of a hormone called AMH. This is released by cells in the ovaries and gives an indication of a woman’s ovarian reserve – the number of viable eggs the ovaries can produce. This level differs among women and is affected by a number of factors, including genetics, age and smoking. Its link to fertility is debatable: a low ovarian reserve does not necessarily mean a natural conception will be difficult.

However, La Marca said previous studies suggested that there could be a link between higher air pollution and reduced fertility in women, and animal models have inferred air pollution could affect levels of AMH.

To explore the issue further, La Marca and colleagues looked at AMH levels in about 1,300 women, the samples being collected in Modena between early 2007 and autumn 2017. From the home addresses of the participants, the team estimated daily levels of small particulates known as PM2 .5s and PM10s, as well as levels of nitrogen dioxide.

For women over the age of 25, levels of AMH in the blood fell with age. After taking age into account, however, the team found AMH levels were lower among women who lived in areas with higher levels of air pollutants.

More specifically, when the team split air pollution levels into four bands, they found women living amid the worst pollution were two to three times more likely than those in other bands to have AMH levels below 1ng / ml – a level the team say signifies a severely low ovarian reserve. La Marca said earlier research had shown only about 10% of healthy women under the age of 30 had such low levels of AMH.

La Marca said while the link between AMH levels and the chances of becoming pregnant naturally in the short term remained unclear, the results suggested environmental factors could play a role in female reproductive health.

“Having a high AMH is in some way a reproductive advantage because women with a higher AMH will have a longer reproductive life span,” he said, adding that it was also important for those undergoing IVF. “If you have a high AMH you will have a higher number of eggs after ovulatory stimulation that turns into a higher number of embryos,” he said.

The study has limitations, not least that the team was unable to take into account other factors, such as poverty and poor health, which tend to be more prevalent in areas of high pollution and may also affect AMH levels. What’s more, AMH and pollution levels were not tracked over time.

Richard Anderson, a professor of clinical reproduction at the University of Edinburgh, said that while the impact of environmental factors on sperm count and quality was a topic of much research, there was much less work on possible effects on the female reproductive system.

“This shows a reduction in the activity of ovaries in women [living in areas of high air pollution]”, he said, although he pointed out that the levels of air pollution that women were directly exposed to was not measured.

Anderson said questions remained. “There is uncertainty in whether this is a permanent effect, which may indicate a reduced reproductive lifespan and earlier menopause, or whether this is a temporary effect that women could recover from if they are no longer exposed to those chemicals,” he said.

Source: Guardian

Aldi to Trial Plastic-Free Veg at Its Stores in England

25.06.2019

vegetables-1736170_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Aldi is extending a trial to eliminate the use of plastic packaging for some fresh vegetables at its stores in England.

The supermarket started selling five loose fresh produce, including savoy cabbage, white and red cabbage, pointed cabbage and cauliflower, without plastic wrapping in Scotland earlier this year.

It says that has helped save more than three tonnes of plastic so far and estimates the move, if rolled out across all its 830 UK stores, would avoid the use of more than 100 tonnes of plastic a year.

Aldi is now planning to trial it across 230 stores in England from early next month and if successful, it will be rolled out across all stores before the end of the year.

The supermarket has also completed the removal of all non-recyclable black plastic from its core range of fresh fruits and vegetables and previously pledged to ensure all of its own label packaging will be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022.

Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “The trial of so-called ‘naked’ vegetables has had a very positive reception in Scotland and as a result, we’re now looking to extend this trial into two of our regions in England.

“Cutting waste is at the heart of what we do. Where we can, our aim is to remove unnecessary plastic entirely without leading to unnecessary food waste. Where we can’t do that, we are committed to ensuring that packaging doesn’t end up as waste by ensuring that all ours is recyclable, reusable or compostable.

“It is initiatives like this that will help us achieve this goal and is a measure of our determination to be as sustainable and environmentally responsible a business as possible.”

Source: Energy Live News

Domestic Efficiency Measures ‘Pay for Themselves 12 years Faster Than Renewables’

24.06.2019

insulation-2389795_960_720 — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

Energy efficiency measures pay for themselves 12 years faster than renewable energy installations.

That’s according to new research from price comparison website MoneySuperMarket, which highlights how the average renewable installation, such as rooftop solar panels or mini wind turbines, takes 21 years and three months before it starts to make a saving.

This is because the average renewable energy installation has an average setup cost of £7,237.73 but only saves £28.33 a month.

However, while energy efficiency measures such as LED light bulbs and reduced-water shower heads offer a smaller average saving of £6.92 each month, initial costs are much lower, averaging at £762.59.

This means on average they take around nine years and two months to pay for themselves.

The report suggests fitting a home with energy saving light-bulbs would cost around £51.804 and could save £27.135 a month, meaning they only have a two-month payoff time.

Meanwhile, lagging jackets for hot water tanks cost £156 but save only £1.67 each month, meaning costs will be covered after nine months.

On average, solar ovens take a year and eight months to cover their own costs, water saving shower heads take two and a half years and cavity insulation will provide a return on investment after three years and seven months.

MoneySuperMarket says by implementing a variety of measures, energy customers could save more than £200 on their bills by making energy efficient upgrades to their home.

You can check the infographic out at the following link: https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/renewable-vs-efficient/.

Stephen Murray, Energy Expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Energy bills are one of the most significant regular payments made by any household, regardless of your living situation.

“If you’re looking to make some savings, you don’t have to make big changes to your home – simply switching to energy saving light bulbs can be a good starting point.”

Source: Energy Live News

McDonald’s Puts the Freeze on McFlurry Plastic Packaging

24.06.2019

mcdonalds-mekdonalds-fast-food-restaurant — Photo-ilustration: Pixabay

McDonald’s has announced it is to stop using single-use plastic to package its McFlurry ice creams and salad options.

Once the environmentally-friendly change comes into effect in September, the brand expects it will reduce plastic waste by around 485 tonnes every year.

Instead, the food options will be served in 100% recyclable cardboard containers, made from 50% recycled content and 50% sustainably-sourced material.

Supply Chain Director, McDonald’s UK and Ireland Beth Hart said: ‘I am delighted that today’s news means we will be serving our much loved and new menu items in an even more sustainable way.

“Removing plastic lids from the McFlurry, and introducing new cardboard packaging for salads, will save nearly 500 metric tonnes of plastic a year.”

The brand removed plastic straws from its drinks options last year, which was met by criticism by some fans who felt replacement cardboard straws were ineffective.

The recycling rate of plastic packaging across the EU almost doubled between 2005 and 2016.

Source: Energy Live News

UK Goes Record-Breaking 1,838 Hours Coal-Free Already This Year

23.06.2019

miner-1903636_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The UK has gone a record-breaking 1,838 hours without using coal to generate electricity already this year.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has highlighted that 2018’s record of 1837.5 coal-free hours has been broken only slightly more than six months of the way through 2019.

It says using less of the fossil fuel has cut around five million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent a car would produce while driving a distance of more than 12 billion miles.

The time adds up to a total of 77 days without using coal – earlier this month the nation lasted nineteen consecutive days and six hours without using the polluting fuel source to create electricity, the first time this has been done in the UK since the Industrial Revolution.

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Chris Skidmore said: “Coal is fast becoming the fossil of our energy system and it will soon be consigned to the history books.

“To ensure this happens as soon as possible, we have committed to phasing out coal entirely by 2025 and we’re supporting our world leading renewables sector to thrive through record levels of investment.”

Source: Energy Live News

Easter Island Threatened by Bad Tourist Behavior

22.06.2019

thomas-griggs-641511-unsplash — Photo-illustration: Unsplash (Thomas Griggs)

Easter Island has long been a bucket list destination for travelers from around the world.

But the very thing that keeps the island’s economy going strong may be the thing that ultimately causes its ruin: mass tourism.

Recently, a spate of bad behavior by travelers on Easter Island, which is famed for its enormous statues known as moai, has spurred new conversations about how visitors to the island should behave.

Specifically, a new trend of photos where people make it look like they’re “picking the noses” of the moai.

Jo Anne Van Tilburg is an archaeologist, director of the Rock Art Archive at the University of California – Los Angeles and the Director of the Easter Island Statue Project.

Although her life’s work has been to protect and study the moai, these days she’s focusing more on educating the hundreds of thousands of people who visit Easter Island on how to behave properly — on a personal level as well as an environmental one.

“Because of the ubiquitous nature of photography in our community, people take the same picture repeatedly. Once one person picks a nose of the moai, you can be sure there will be multiple thousands [of photos], because people are lemmings,” Van Tilburg tells CNN Travel.

Two other examples of these “overdone” photos are people who make it look like they’re holding the Great Pyramid of Giza in the palm of their hand and travelers making it look as if they’re pushing the Leaning Tower of Pisa up to keep it from falling.

“There’s nothing creative or interesting or humorous about it. The herd instinct is real.”

Van Tilburg first visited Easter Island, which is part of Polynesia but a territory of Chile, in 1981 as a doctoral student. The island did not get added to the UNESCO World Heritage list until 1995.

Since then, she has returned regularly and noticed a shift in the kinds of people who choose to visit Rapa Nui National Park.

In the 1980s, between 2,000 and 5,000 travelers per year came to Rapa Nui National Park. These days, it’s north of 100,000 annually. Instead of two flights a week from Santiago, there are three a day.

That’s a huge burden on an island with only about 6,000 full-time residents, not to mention one where water and other natural resources are in limited supply and must be used carefully.

Although visitors in the past were able to roam the national park freely and get close to all the moai, the crush of overtourism has come with restrictions and now travelers must stick to a prescribed path and only view a few of the statues.

And bad behavior is sadly not a new invention. In 2008, a Finnish man who climbed one of the moai and chipped a piece of ear off was arrested, fined $17,000 and ordered to leave the island and never return.

Van Tilburg also feels that there has been a shift between people who were longtime fans of archeology and history who saved up to afford a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Easter Island, to people who are simply “collectors of places.”

In 2018, some controls were put into place to protect Easter Island. Now, foreigners and Chileans who are not Rapa Nui can only get 30-day travel visas instead of the previous 90-day ones.

So, if you still want to visit Easter Island and want to show respect for the people and the land there, what can you do? Van Tilburg has a few suggestions.

“Read and prepare,” she says simply. “Once you show your guide you have a serious interest, they will take you seriously. Make your questions deserving of answers.”

And studying up on Easter Island also means recognizing that it’s a living site, not a museum.

“There are 1,000 statues and there are 5,000 people,” Van Tilburg says. “Their faces are just as important.”

Author: Lilit Marcus

Source: CNN

EU Aims to Tackle Climate Change With Newly Adopted ‘Green Finance’ Guidelines

21.06.2019

brussels-4056171_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Newly adopted guidelines set forth by the European Commission Tuesday aim to tackle climate change by way of the financial sector. The move comes to bolster the success of the Sustainable Action Plan published last year to reorient capital flows toward sustainable investment and manage financial risks from climate change, environmental degradation and social issues.

In short, the guidelines help define an environmentally friendly investment by providing companies with recommendations on how to report the impact of their activities on the climate, as well as how climate change impacts their business.

“The climate emergency leaves us with no choice but transit to a climate-neutral economy model,” said Valdis Dombrovskis, vice-president responsible for financial stability, financial services and capital markets union. “Today’s new guidelines will help companies to disclose the impact of the climate change on their business as well as the impact of their activities on climate and therefore enable investors make more informed investment decisions.”

Efforts will ensure that 6,000 European Union (EU) companies, banks and insurance agencies transition to a climate-neutral economy, furthering 2030 climate and energy framework seeking to cut carbon emissions by 2030. The European Commission takes that goal one step further by seeking to reduce emissions to zero by 2050, which will require many sectors to find an additional annual investment of between 175 and 290 billion euros.

Public and private investments are needed to transform the continent’s ability to deliver on climate-focused goals, according to the EU. To do this, financial planners have defined sustainable finance as a viable method of achieving climate change-related objectives, including climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, the transition to a circular economy, waste prevention and recycling, pollution prevention and promoting healthy ecosystems.

Among other things, the new guidelines classify sustainable activities to create a “common language,” establish EU labels for green financial products and strengthen the transparency of companies’ impacts on the environment. The report sets parameters on how businesses can qualify as “green” based on their contributions to the EU’s six environmental objectives without negatively affecting other businesses, reports Reuters.

The guidelines do not include coal and nuclear power and instead support 2030 goals that agree to establish at least one-third share of renewables in final energy consumption, a one-third energy savings when compared to business-as-usual scenarios, and establish a minimum cut of 40 percent in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to 1990 levels.

“The aim of these guidelines is to help companies disclose high quality, relevant, useful, consistent and more comparable non-financial (environmental, social and governance-related) information in a way that fosters resilient and sustainable growth and employment, and provides transparency to stakeholders,” reads the report text, adding that the “non-binding guidelines could represent best practice for all companies that disclose non-financial information.”

Author: Madison Dapcevich

Source: Eco Watch

There Will Be 9.7 Billion on Earth by 2050, but the Growth Rate Is Slowing

21.06.2019

train-station-691176_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

“The World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights”, estimates that the next 30 years will see the global population add an extra 2 billion people to today’s figure of 7.7 billion, and, by the end of the century, the planet will have to sustain around 11 billion.

India will overtake China, sub-Saharan Africa population to double

India is expected to show the highest population increase between now and 2050, overtaking China as the world’s most populous country, by around 2027. India, along with eight other countries, will make up over half of the estimated population growth between now and 2050.

The nine countries expected to show the biggest increase are India, Nigeria and Pakistan, followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States of America. In all, the population of sub-Saharan Africa is expected to practically double by 2050.

However, growth in these countries comes against the backdrop of a slowing global fertility rate. In 1990, the average number of births per woman was 3.2. By 2019 this had fallen to 2.5 births per woman and, by 2050, this is projected to decline further to 2.2 births: a fertility level of 2.1 births per woman is necessary to avoid national population decline over the long run (in the absence of immigration).

The population size of more and more countries is actually falling. Since 2010, 27 countries or areas have seen a drop of at least one per cent, because of persistently low fertility rates. Between now and 2050, that is expected to expand to 55 countries which will see a population decrease of one per cent or more, and almost half of these will experience a drop of at least 10 per cent.

In some cases, the falling population size is reinforced by high rates of emigration, and migration flows have become a major reason for population change in certain regions. Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines are seeing the largest migratory outflows resulting from the demand for migrant workers; and Myanmar, Syria and Venezuela are the countries where the largest numbers are leaving because of violence, insecurity or armed conflict. For those countries where population is falling, immigration is expected to plug the gaps, particularly in Belarus, Estonia and Germany.

Population report a ‘roadmap to action and intervention’

“Many of the fastest growing populations are in the poorest countries, where population growth brings additional challenges”, said Liu Zhenmin, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). These challenges include the fight to eradicate poverty, and combat hunger and malnutrition; greater equality; and improved healthcare and education. The report, he said, offers a “roadmap” indicating where to target action and interventions.

At the same time, growth is providing opportunities in many developing economies: recent reductions in fertility mean that the working-age population (25 to 64) is growing faster than other age ranges, which could improve the possibilities for faster economic growth. The report recommends that governments make use of this “demographic dividend” to invest in education in health.

Proportion of older people increasing, life expectancy still lower in poorer countries

There will be one in six people over 65 by 2050, up from the current figure of one in 11. Some regions will see the share of older people double in the next 30 years, including Northern Africa, Asia and Latin America.

By 2050, a quarter of the population in European and Northern America could be 65 or over. The higher proportion and number of older people is expected to put increased financial pressure on countries in the coming decades, with the higher cost of public health, pensions and social protections systems.

Although overall life expectancy will increase (from 64.2 years in 1990 to 77.1 years in 2050), life expectancy in poorer countries will continue to lag behind. Today, the average lifespan of a baby born in one of the least developed countries will be some 7 years shorter than one born in a developed country. The main reasons are high child and maternal mortality rates, violence, and the continuing impact of the HIV epidemic.

“The World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights”, is published by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and provides a comprehensive overview of global demographic patterns and prospects. The report is based on population estimates from 1950 to the present for 235 countries or areas, underpinned by analyses of historical demographic trends. The 2019 revision also includes population projections to the year 2100, that reflect a range of plausible outcomes at the global, regional and country levels.

Source: World Economic Forum

Palm Oil Importers Won’t Meet Zero Deforestation Goals by 2020

20.06.2019

palm-oil-1022012_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

European palm oil importers are unlikely to be able to ensure that the products they sell are “deforestation-free” by the self-imposed goal of 2020, according to analysis by the Palm Oil Transparency Coalition.

While about 98% of the palm oil imported into Europe by the survey respondents can be traced to the mill it came from, thanks to efforts by producers, only about a third can be traced to the plantation it came from, the report said. That makes it hard to determine if third-party suppliers had destroyed forests to grow palm trees or if they used child or forced labor at some point in the supply chain.

Few companies that participated in the study said that audits or reviews were taking place in their supply chains beyond those carried out by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, an industry group that includes producers and buyers and oversees the sustainability of the product. Only about 19% of global palm oil is certified sustainable by these standards.

Another field for improvement is exploitation. While ethical supply chain plans are increasing, few companies have launched programs outside of small-scale pilots, the study found.

“Multiple importers noted that their experiences with personal care and household product manufacturers were different to those in the food industry, where sustainable palm oil is a higher priority,” the report said.

The Palm Oil Transparency Coalition members include retailers such as Monprix owner Casino Guichard Perrachon SA, Marks & Spencer Group Plc, J Sainsbury Plc and Tesco Plc. The results derive from a survey of the top ten importers that supply palm oil to the members of this industry group.

Author: Irene Garcia Perez

Source: Bloomberg

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India will overtake China, sub-Saharan Africa population to double

Population report a ‘roadmap to action and intervention’

Proportion of older people increasing, life expectancy still lower in poorer countries

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