Norway Becomes First Country in the World to Commit to Zero Deforestation

07.06.2016

Norway has become the first country in the world to commit to zero deforestation.

The Norwegian parliament pledged the government’s public procurement policy will become deforestation-free after a committee of MPs recommended imposing regulations to ensure the state did “not contribute to deforestation of the rainforest”.

Norway funds forest conservation projects worldwide and also supports human rights programmes for forest communities.

Nils Hermann Ranum, the head of Policy and Campaign at Rainforest Foundation Norway, said in a statement: “This is an important victory in the fight to protect the rainforest. Over the last few years, a number of companies have committed to cease the procurement of goods that can be linked to destruction of the rainforest.

“Until now, this has not been matched by similar commitments from governments. Thus, it is highly positive that the Norwegian state is now following suit and making the same demands when it comes to public procurements”.

The Rainforest Foundation Norway has campaigned for years to secure a zero deforestation commitment from the Norwegian government.

The MPs’ committee also called for the government to protect biodiversity by developing a separate policy and through investments made by Norges Bank Investment Management.

In 2014 Norway made a joint declaration with Germany and the UK at a UN climate summit in New York, pledging to “promote national commitments that encourage deforestation-free supply chains, including through public procurement policies to sustainably source commodities such as palm oil, soy, beef and timber”.

The production of beef, palm oil, soy and wood products in seven countries with high deforestation rates was responsible for 40 per cent of total tropical deforestation and 44 per cent of associated carbon emissions between 2000 and 2011, according to Climate Action.

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Dubai to Build World’s Largest Concentrated Solar Power Plant

07.06.2016

Dubai will soon be home to the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant.

The Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (DEWA) has announced the second phase of a massive solar project located in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. According to a press release, the park is the largest single-site project to generate electricity from solar energy in the world, based on an independent power producer model.

The 13-megawatt first phase of the project has been operational since October 2013 and the 200-megawatt second phase will be operational by April 2017. The facility will ultimately produce 1,000 megawatts by 2020 and 5,000 megawatts by 2030, which will provide power for 800,000 homes. The solar park will help reduce 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, the release said.

The project easily trounces the capacity of the world’s current record-holder, the Noor-Ouarzazate plant in Morocco which will have a 580-megawatt capacity by 2018.

DEWA has already received five bids from international companies for the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park’s 800-megawatt third phase, with the lowest bid at USD 2.99 cents per kilowatt, a record-low price for solar power.

The ambitious project is part of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to provide 7 percent of the emirate’s total power output from clean energy sources by 2020, 25 percent by 2030 and 75 percent by 2050, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA CEO and managing director, said in a statement.

The project is called a “concentrated solar plant” because it consists of a large number of movable mirrors, or heliostats, that can follow the sun’s path and harness sunlight to melt salt. The molten salt stores energy and can be used to power a steam turbine, allowing for energy production even when the sun isn’t shining.

“An important advantage of [concentrated solar power] is that thermal heat, which is used to produce electricity, can be stored easily, which makes it possible to produce electricity after sunset,” Al Tayer said. “The plant will have several thousand heliostats located around a tower that receives the radiation reflected by the heliostats which follow the sun’s movement. The heat-transfer fluid is then used to power the steam turbine to generate electricity.

“The project will use thermal storage for 8-12 hours daily, taking into account technical and economic factors. This will contribute to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of production and meet the requirements of the electricity grid. This in turn, will provide sustainable world-class energy supply for everyone in terms of availability and reliability, and support the sustainable development of the emirate. It will contribute to making Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050.”

Al Tayer said that DEWA is working to diversify Dubai’s energy mix to include 61 percent from natural gas, 25 percent from solar energy, 7 percent from coal and 7 percent from nuclear power by 2030. The reliance on clean energy sources will be increased incrementally to touch 75 percent by 2050, he added.

Source: www.ecowatch.com

Photo: DEWA

The Green Week’s Fifth Day – Investing for Future Generations

06.06.2016

Friday looked at investing for future generations to ensure prosperity and well-being in the long term. Participants across Europe explored what actions can be taken today to ensure sustainable development and growth in the years to come.
Vienna in Austria was the setting for the final large-scale event of Green Week – a high-level conference bringing together policymakers, including Karmenu Vella, EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and young people to examine how to bring the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to life. In parallel, a debate on the implications for businesses and the labour market of the transition to a more circular economy took place in Brussels.

Green Week has brought EU citizens – from young people and business leaders to policy experts and EU officials – and other people throughout the world together to discuss the opportunities and challenges of investing for a greener future. The ideas, debates and questions posed throughout Green Week will serve as input for the European Commission’s work on green finance. The Week demonstrated that finance will be a key element of a successful transition to a circular and low-carbon economy, and that environmental issues impact every one of us.

For more information visit site.

Norway to ‘Completely Ban all Petrol Powered Cars by 2025’

06.06.2016

Zagađenje, Auspuh, Automobil — Photo: Pixabay

Norway will ban the sale of all fossil fuel-based cars in the next decade, continuing its trend towards becoming one of the most ecologically progressive countries on the planet, according to reports.

Politicians from both sides of the political spectrum have reportedly reached some concrete conclusions about 100 per cent of Norwegian cars running on green energy by 2025.

According to Norwegian newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv, “FRP will remove all gasoline cars”, a headline which makes reference to the populist right-wing Framstegspartiet, or Progress Party.

Yet there is some denial from other right-wing representatives that the move has been confirmed.

If passed, it would be particularly significant because a large proportion of Norway’s funds rely on the country’s petroleum industry.

KPA Unicon and Koskisen Oy have signed an operations and maintenance contract

06.06.2016

The aim of the contract is cooperation which allows Koskisen Oy to focus on their core business, and to support the achievement of profit targets and the customer’s production targets as well as efficient and well-directed operations and maintenance activities. As per the contract, a part of Koskisen’s employees will be transferred with their current employment conditions to KPA Unicon.

The multiannual service contract includes operations and maintenance services at the biomass steam boiler plant and biomass power plant. The contract aims at cost-efficiency as well as resource ensuring and continuity. KPA Unicon is responsible for the development of operations and technologies of boiler plants, which help to ensure availability as well as additional capacity and higher level of efficiency.

“We have had experience of KPA Unicon’s expertise for a number of years while they have been responsible for the annual maintenance of our boiler plants. By this contract, we are looking not only for cost reduction but also for the development of operations and skilled resources to ensure the boiler plant’s capacity in the future. KPA Unicon with its technology know-how is able to ensure that we get the best output from our boiler plants”, says Markku Koskinen, Managing Director of Koskisen Oy.

“KPA Unicon, being a leader in the technological sector and an expert in boiler plant operations, is able by using own resources to ensure the customer of more efficient use of their investments. This is KPA’s core and we make a big effort to further develop it”, says KPA Unicon’s Sales Manager Timo Valkeinen.

“We guarantee our clients peace of mind, and we are willing to share the risk with them, for example by ensuring a certain availability and efficiency”, says Jukka Pennanen, Director of KPA Unicon Service Oy.

Koskisen Oy

Koskisen Oy is over a hundred year old family business in wood processing. Over decades, Koskisen Oy have evolved into an international wood industry expert. The company operates in sawmilling, plywood, chipboard and construction industries. In 2015, the company’s turnover was EUR 247 million and it has 1057 employees.

KPA Unicon

KPA Unicon is a Finnish energy technology provider specialized in boiler plant and power plant projects and life cycle services. The company offers a whole range of services during the plant’s entire life cycle from operating services to maintenance of plants, spare part supply and modernization. KPA Unicon’s solutions utilize biomass fuels as well as fossil fuels in a sustainable way. The company employs 180 energy industry professionals. KPA Unicon’s headquarters are located in Pieksämäki and Kiuruvesi in Finland. The company’s turnover exceeded 50 million euros 2015.

Source: KPA Unicon

Go Wild for Life on World Environment Day

06.06.2016

Each year on 5th June the UN invites you to celebrate the biggest day for positive environmental action by taking part in World Environment Day (WED).

This year the theme is Go Wild for Life, a call to action against the illegal trade in wildlife products. The killing and smuggling of endangered species not only threatens global biodiversity, but it undermines economies, fuels organised crime and feeds corruption.

The campaign is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Go Wild for Life encourages you to celebrate threatened species and take your own action to safeguard them for future generations; from the species outside your front door to those on the edge of extinction across the globe.

“Whoever you are, and wherever you live, show zero-tolerance for the illegal trade in wildlife in word and deed, and make a difference.” UNEP 2016

Collectively we can change our habits and behaviour and by raising awareness we push governments and international bodies to introduce and enforce tougher penalties and laws on those still willing to break them.

This year’s host country is Angola. With a natural environment boasting forests, grasslands and pristine coastlines, Angola’s wildlife includes some of the most diverse species in the world. The Giant Sable Antelope is a critically endangered species found only in Angola and listed as critically endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature. As such, it is fitting that Angola takes the lead for WED 2016 as the government has set a tough agenda for reducing poaching and other wildlife crimes that threaten its rich natural heritage.

Source: www.greeningtheblue.org

Australia’s Momentum Continues to Build Toward Renewable Energy Target

06.06.2016

Australia’s Clean Energy Council insists momentum continues to build for the country’s renewable energy sector as it progresses toward its 2020 Renewable Energy Target.

According to a new analysis of the progress of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target, published this week by the Clean Energy Council, momentum is building for the country’s renewable energy sector. Major projects under construction and legislation revising the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (RET) in mid-2015 have created strong momentum and confidence across the sector.

“About 450 MW of projects have been committed in the past three months alone, helping to provide some much-needed momentum for the sector,” added Kane Thornton, Clean Energy Council Chief Executive. “The flow on benefits of these projects in terms of investment and jobs into rural Australian communities is significant.”

Australia is currently sitting at just above the halfway mark towards its legislated RET target. In 2015, 15,200 GWh of renewable energy was generated above the pre-1997 baseline levels established as part of the legislation. To achieve the 2020 target of 33,000 GWh, another 18,000 GWh of renewable energy generation is required, equating to around 6 GW of new generation capacity, resulting in around $10 billion in new investment and thousands of jobs across the country.

“In order to meet the 2020 target, approximately 6000 MW of new capacity will need to be installed,” said Mr Thornton. “The good news is that about 10,600 MW of projects already have planning approval and a further 6600 MW were being progressed towards approval.”

The Clean Energy Council published its Clean Energy Australia Report 2016 report late last month, its annual update on the country’s renewable energy sector. In it, 2015 is described as a “challenging year for the renewable energy sector,” but nevertheless “the year ended with much optimism.”

“Even though hydro power was down, largely as a result of the historically low rainfall in Tasmania, the proportion of Australia’s electricity provided by renewable energy increased in 2015 due to a good boost from wind and solar power,” said Mr Thornton on the release of the report. “Renewables delivered 14.6% of our electricity, enough to light up the equivalent of approximately 6.7 million average homes.”

Looking forward, the CEC’s Progress and Status of the Renewable Energy Target analysis is quick to praise the supposed momentum the industry has recently garnered — including a somewhat misleading belief that “a new Prime Minister that is more supportive of renewable energy” when really all Australia currently has is a Prime Minister who is not as vitriolically anti-renewable energy. The authors of the report also note that the current “level and pace of investment will need to increase substantially in 2016 and 2017 in order for liable parties to deliver on the 2020 legislated target and obligation.”

“There is no question that 2016 will be a big year for the renewable energy industry,” added Mr Thornton. “At the end of 2015 we were just under halfway towards the delivery of the RET, with 15,200 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of renewable energy generation of the 33,000 GWh required to meet it.”

Source: www.cleantechnica.com

Photo: www.engineersaustralia.org.au

Never Give Up

02.06.2016

RENEXPO® Water Management will be held from 06th to 08th June 2016 in Holiday Inn Hotel, in Belgrade. Therefore, we interviewed Mrs Myriam Fridman Dobrota, who has been preparing with REECO team numerous trade fairs this year. Speaking of water management, we want to remind our readers that this management is a set of measures and activities aimed at the maintenance and improvement of the water regime, ensuring the required quantities of water, ensuring required quality of water for different purposes etc. This management takes care of water pollution protection and protection against harmful effects of water. Main activities are implemented through the Serbian Governmental institutions, institutions of the autonomous province, bodies of local self-government and public water management company. Specifically, water management is based upon the principle set out in Article 25 of the Water Act. All activities are directed and specified by strategies and plans. Here is what Mrs Fridman Dobrota told us about RENEXPO and upcoming event.

EP: The topics of flood protection, water management and etc, will be discussed during the fair dedicated to water management. What would you highlight or announce?

M.Dobrota: The decision to start with conferences explains it all. We want to introduce the status of the region after the floods in 2014 and again at the beginning of this year. Everybody knows that due to climate changes we must react now. Therefore we will introduce the national and international experts in Risk Disaster Management, Drinking Water, the pipe systems, Waste Water and consequences as well as Biodiversity for Land/Soil and Forest Management. At the same time showing best practice and meeting the municipalities to assist in realizing the demands and needs and connect the potential with potential investors.

EP: REECO operates in Serbia, Romania, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria. Tell us how do you manage to organize all that events in the region within a year? What do you consider to be your biggest challenge and what would be unexpected benefit or acknowledgement which you obtained operating in the region?

M.Dobrota: Operating as a foreign organization/company in the Western Balkans is not the easiest task. Although language barriers have been overcome and the network, that we have built, is outstanding, we are still dealing with some obstacles in the region. The Western Balkans has been in hands of mainly monopolists and when markets started opening up and competition joined the business field, the reaction had to be calculated. My personal philosophies in business are never give up and keep smiling in spite of everything. Nothing comes easy and the interesting parts of business are challenges. While leading a company you must be convinced that what you do is right and that the best concept will win the race.

The preparation of each trade fair is so much more then renting a venue and inviting exhibitors. Our customers, that have appreciated RENEXPO since 1997 in Europe know how much effort is involved concerning our events in the Western Balkans. When we started in 2013 in Serbia the international energy industry was very sceptic when we suggested them new market opportunities.

REECO does market research, collects the public and private projects, communicates with investors, defines the program based on capacities and potentials and gathers the regional experts to meet the international industry. It is equally important, that we communicate outstanding regional experts and technologies via our European network, so it is at all times a 2-way-street. The most important service we provide for the country is the translation of Business-Culture, because this is what creates hesitation most. Following our company claim: “We build bridges and open doors” actually describes it best.

Competence is the base of success and of course the readiness to work hard, because every event is different and must be adjusted to present situation, legislation and status. We want to be an active partner in the development of the region and this is the reason why we have decided to introduce a Congress on the Topic of Water Management. At the beginning of 2015 we started to structure the advisory board and in several meetings we defined together with the main participants in those fields to put a program together, that will give all international and regional participants a complete overview on Flood Protection/Prevention, Waste Water Treatment, Drinking Water, Wells and Pipes, Biodiversity, Management of Resources accompanied with side programs, such as successful participation in tenders. We are often asked who is financing our operation. The answer is easy and short: Nobody! We are a private Ltd and we are neither financially supported nor enjoy any other incentives. So to say: we earn our income ourselves.

EP: REECO organizes the biggest trade fairs and conferences in the field of RES and EE, connects institutions and companies, but it is only one of the activities that you do. What else does REECO deal with?

M.Dobrota: Apart from our international platforms for Energy, Environment and Water Management experts, we assist in finding cooperation partners for our international customers, introduce engineers and arrange interview sessions, organize key account events, such as conferences, investor round tables etc. Those are outside the RENEXPO events and assist the industry as well as institutions and ministries to realize the events without involving additional manpower. But also during RENEXPO we organize side programs such as the Climate Change Dialogue in 2015 in Sarajevo, IPA programs, conferences for EU funded programs etc. Additionally, we are always keen to have interesting add-ons, such as the traveling exhibition ENERGIEWENDE that had its EUROPEAN Premiere at RENEXPO® Western Balkans and will be shown also at the upcoming Congress RENEXPO® Water Management.

EP: What is your experience in Serbia, which of the areas are avant-garde, which are the most advanced, most profitable? What would be the future potential of this business in your opinion?

M.Dobrota: Since this question is addressed to me personally I will answer it from my perspective. For me Serbia is one of the countries with most potential for future business. I have been living in Serbia since 2004 and have therefore seen a lot of changes. The needs that Serbia has, go hand in hand with the readiness of foreign investors. We are in daily communication with the investing industry and the interest to establish business in the Western Balkans is mainly addressed to Serbia. Nothing happens overnight and reforming laws and adapting to EU standards takes time, but it will happen.

Speaking about the adaptation it answers the questions almost itself. Serbia has the potential for a great business future due to investments in Renewables, Infrastructure and Environment. As soon legislation is brought into place, all positive side effects such as employment will give the overall economy a big push.

Interview by: Vesna Vukajlović

Report Shows that Renewable Energy Smashes Global Records in 2015

02.06.2016

An upsurge in new wind, solar and hydro plants and capacity saw renewable energy smash global records last year, according to a report on new supply.

Some 147 Gigawatts of renewable electricity came online in 2015 – the largest annual increase ever and as much as Africa’s entire power generating capacity.

Clean energy investment increased to $286bn (£198bn), with solar energy accounting for 56% of the total and wind power for 38%.

Overall, more than twice as much money was spent on renewables than on coal and gas-fired power generation ($130bn in 2015), the REN21 global status report found.

Christine Lins, REN21’s chief, said: “What is truly remarkable about these results is that they were achieved at a time when fossil fuel prices were at historic lows, and renewables remained at a significant disadvantage in terms of government subsidies. For every dollar spent boosting renewables, nearly four dollars were spent to maintain our dependence on fossil fuels.”

For the first time, emerging economies outspent richer nations in the green energy race, with China accounting for a third of the global total. Jamaica, Honduras, Uruguay and Mauritania were among the highest investors, relative to their GDP.

African and Latin American countries also set some of the world’s most ambitious targets for clean energy deployment last year, the report says.

But the renewables revolution stuttered in many developed countries, with the significant exception of the US. In Europe, investment plummeted by 21% after the withdrawal of policy supports, such as clean energy subsidies and binding targets.

Despite this, renewables still provide 44% of the EU’s electricity capacity, and 15% of its final energy consumption.

Jean-François Fauconnier of Climate Action Network Europe said the report should be a “wake up call” to the European commission, spurring increased 2030 renewable goals in a review later this year. “The EU is at risk of missing the ongoing energy revolution and lagging behind other leading economies for decades,” he said.

The UK saw a 25% rise in renewable energy investments last year, the paper finds. But figures for the first quarter of 2016 suggest this may not survive cuts to solar subsidies and a slowdown in onshore wind planning approvals.

Industry reactions to the REN21 paper were buoyant, with the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) hailing news that 173 countries now have renewable energy targets.

Steve Sawyer, GWEC’s secretary general said: “A record 63.5 GW of wind power was installed worldwide in 2015, demonstrating the maturity of the sector; and showing how renewables are supplying competitive, reliable and clean energy to fuel economic growth and cut CO2 emissions.”

Around the world, 8.1million people are now employed in the clean energy industry – excluding hydropower – 3.5 million of them in China. In the US, more people now work in the solar industry than in oil and gas extraction.

While employment in the clean energy sector grew by 6% in 2015, jobs in the oil industry contracted by 18%, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.

But the fast-maturing renewables sector still has to overcome storage limitations, and the world’s dependence on infrastructure systems geared towards fossil fuels.

Arthouros Zervos, the chair of REN21 said: “The renewables train is barreling down the tracks, but it is running on 20th-century infrastructure – a system based on outdated thinking where conventional baseload is generated by fossil fuels and nuclear power.”

A build-out of decentralised and community-based generation was urgently needed to accelerate the clean energy transition, he said.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Green Week’s Third Day – Investing for a Greener Future

02.06.2016

logo Wednesday looked at the how to make the investments that we need to ensure a greener future. Participants explored innovative ideas and concrete solutions that already exist to finance green initiatives.

The day started in Brussels with workshops exploring how to improve access to finance for European companies in green sectors and how can we get bankers to finance more environmental projects.

In parallel the Retail Forum brought together retailers and experts to share good practice on moving towards a more circular economy. Attention then shifted to Sweden with a seminar on ‘green bonds’ and their most effective use.

It was then back to Brussels after lunch for a high level discussion, where European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella discussed how the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) can mobilise finance for green projects.

We also revisit some earlier events related to this theme, including a seminar on Tuesday that looked at the crucial role fiscal policies can play in implementing the recent Paris Climate Agreement.

For more information visit site.

Australia Records Warmest Autumn Ever

02.06.2016

The mean temperature between March and May was 23.86C but winter could be cooler than normal as El Niño wanes.

After officially sweltering through the warmest autumn on record, Australians can expect a return to normal chilly weather this winter.

The mean temperature between March and the end of May hit a fresh high of 23.86C, with records set in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and the Northern Territory.

Thermometers hovered 1.86C above average, the biggest climb above an average seasonal temperature since spring 2014.

Some of the hottest temperatures were recorded during the prolonged heatwave in March, with Mardie in Western Australia’s north hitting 47C, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Karl Braganza, the bureau’s manager of climate monitoring, said a strong El Niño combined with global warming to push thermometers to their highest levels for autumn since records began in 1910.

“Everywhere except the southwestern corner of the continent was exceptionally warm,” he told AAP on Wednesday.

“What we saw was a prolonged summer period in March and that continued into the start of May.”

March notched up its hottest days on record, with daytime temperatures in April hitting new highs before May ended the season with temperature gauges sitting above average.

Sea surface temperatures were also above average for much of autumn, with water temperatures in the Coral Sea (including the Great Barrier Reef) and the Tasman Sea the highest on record for extended periods since late summer 2016.

This was typical of the El Niño pattern which also brings dry conditions across the continent.

But scientists believe El Nino was now over in the Pacific region and the bureau forecast a normal winter.

“The odds are for average to below average temperatures in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra,” Braganza said, adding that there were moderate odds for good rain in inland NSW, most of Queensland, Victoria and South Australia this winter.

Autumn rainfall averages were closer to normal, but varied significantly across the country.

It was also the wettest May since 1983 in some areas, with four times the average rainfall recorded in the Northern Territory, Cape York, Pilbara, Kimberley and central South Australia.

South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia enjoyed above-average rain while NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory were drier than normal.

Looking towards spring and summer, cooler and wetter conditions are tipped for the tail end of 2016 as a La Nina weather system develops.

Source: www.theguardian.com

ABB is Ready for the Grand Opening

01.06.2016

The Gotthard base tunnel in Switzerland will be officially inaugurated with an international ceremony presided over by the Swiss Government. At this and the public celebration that will follow, ABB will showcase its contributions and vision of the future in two exhibition pavilions. Here’s what the visitors can expect.

The two exhibition pavilions built to celebrate the opening of the world’s longest rail tunnel are ready, and just in time. This Wednesday, the official state ceremony will be held to declare the tunnel open.

Alongside the Swiss Federal Council, a number of European heads of state are expected to join the event, including German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, French President, Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi and many other VIPs from politics and business. A total of 1,100 guests and 300 media representatives have been invited. This will be one of the biggest international events Switzerland has ever hosted.

ABB’s Chairman, Peter Voser and CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer will also participate in the official ceremony on today on 1st June, 2016, with Swiss country managing director, Remo Lütolf.

At the weekend following the formal ceremony, on June 4 and 5, 2016, the general public will be welcomed to four showgrounds at the north and south portal of the base tunnel. In Rynächt and Pollegio ABB’s pavilion will showcase the technologies our company has delivered for the Gotthard base tunnel, for rail transportation, and for the power and automation sectors.

The displays will include a review of our history, our pioneering ambition and our research cooperation in a 360-degree movie. Dozens of ABB colleagues will participate in the celebrations.

Source: www.abb.com

The Green Week’s Second Day – Ensuring the Future of our Countryside

01.06.2016

T logo uesday explored why we need to invest in our countryside. Participants across Europe shared ideas on how to make sure our countryside stays healthy and productive in the long term.
Early morning took us to Valletta, Malta with European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries,Karmenu Vella welcoming participants to the Sustainable Food and Biowaste Management conference.

Meanwhile, numerous events were happening all over Europe and online. In Brussels, a conference on how solutions that are inspired or supported by nature can help our countryside to prosper took place. This was followed by an online debate, featuring policymakers and experts including the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis. Panellists explored how to make our food sustainable in future years. Later in the day, nature conservation and its many benefits took centre stage with the announcement of the winners of the LIFE Awards 2015.

For more information visit link.

ALEKSANDRA MLADENOVIC: Business sector does not like “green” stories very much

31.05.2016

Sustainable development implies balance between the consumption of natural resources and the ability to restore natural systems. There is no precise definition, even in the dictionaries at the beginning of the 20th century, in the Oxford Dictionary for example, the term sustainability is not mentioned. One of the modern definitions from 1987 is associated with the Bruntland Commission and presented in the report “Our Common Future”. It was concluded then what are the basic guidelines of the future operation of the United Nations in the field of environmental protection. This definition reads as follows: Sustainable development is development which satisfies the needs of today, while it does not compromise the ability of future generations to satisfy their own needs.

Bruntland Commission is otherwise World Commission on Environment and Development founded by the United Nations Organization in 1983. It was named after the surname of Prime Minister of Norway, Gro Harlem Bruntland, who was the Chairman of the World Commission on Environment. On this occasion for the newsletter Responsible Companies we talked to Mrs Aleksandra Mladenović from the association Environmental Ambassadors for sustainable development.

We wondered whether this association follows the aforementioned principles, and whether, according to their experience, the industrial sector in Serbia takes care of future generations and their needs.

EP: Tell us more about Environmental Ambassadors for sustainable development. What does the association do and what are your findings about the environmental protection in Serbia taking into account all the facts?

Aleksandra Mladenović: The association Environmental Ambassadors for sustainable development in the basis of its operation has four pillars: education, promotion of scientific work and innovation, environmental protection and sustainable development, including all its components. In particular, we have significant activities within the regional international cooperation with a special consultative status in UN ECOSOC, we are accredited by UNEP and many other significant international organizations. Within the team we have professional teams and experts, whose experience we use to upgrade our work. We deal with the issues of importance to environmental protection from different angles. As a professional association of experts we propose solutions to the identified problems, from the perspective of profession, science and practice. As a civil society association we formulate critical viewing based on knowledge and information in relation to the activities of decision makers, when it comes to both big or small problems in the environment. As citizens holders of the major changes in the society, we support and cooperate with all the organizations, institutions, associations, local communities and national institutions, so that we all together provide a healthy environment and unable the unhindered development and prosperity for ourselves, our environment and future generations.

Taking into consideration that we repeatedly had opportunity and initiative to personally participate in proposing, giving opinions, criticizing and correcting regulations that primarily relate to waste, waters, chemicals, nature protection, we support all positive changes in legislation which must occur in the process of joining the European Union, in order to show potential, readiness and willingness to be a driving force behind these changes. Our legislation complies at a rather high percentage with the European legislation, whose achievements we strive for. However, a major problem is the implementation of regulations and mechanisms for sanctioning of inadequate procedures of individuals and institutions/ business entities. This leads to unforeseen accidental situations in the environment, hazardous to human health and nature.

EP: Chapter 27 is one of the Chapters which should open in order for Serbia to join the EU. What are the things we have to do in order to meet the required standards?

Aleksandra Mladenović: It’s a long way for our country. The Chapter 27 (environment and climate change) is very demanding and it is difficult to compare it with other chapters (for example, there are around 60 EU directives that we should adopt and implement). It is said that it is the most complex and most demanding chapter, precisely because of this complexity and the great number of demands which must be met in a limited time period. There are many things which Serbia will have to meet in accordance with all its available resources, manpower and financial, within the Chapter 27. Some of the problems for Serbia are inadequate systems for waste management and water management (both for infrastructure and system solutions), then, the ack of understanding for the climate change and non-implementation of its mitigation measures. We should also mention inefficient system for funding of nature conservation and environmental protection, still not established efficient and sustainable management of natural resources… So there are many problems which haven’t been solved timely and the current approach has led us to where we are now and thus we have a “headache” from “the famous Chapter 27” and we do not know how we will fulfill those demands!

Therefore it is very important to identify on time – that is immediately, the issues for which we will ask the EU to extend the deadlines. In this regard, we will need the international support especially from the developed countries, especially from the ones which have gone through the entire process, in both consultant and financial terms, which can be achieved through IPA and other available funds in the stage of the EU accession. We will need the help of bilateral donors and we will have to separate our own funds.

EP: How do the industry and production companies take care about the environment in Serbia? Is corporate responsibility sufficiently developed?

Aleksandra Mladenović: When it comes to corporate responsibility, it is something that is increasingly becoming topical and it is good that this is the case. In the following few years we will have well defined business entities which will succeed in surviving on the increasingly demanding market in terms of respecting the principles of environmental protection and sustainable development. So called “green procurement” or “sustainable use and production” are no longer recommended terms, but obligatory. A company can easily lose a job if it participates in tenders and it doesn’t respect these terms. This is something that business sector least likes. To be honest, business sector doesn’t like all these “eco”, that is “green” stories either. They are very demanding, there are compulsions and regulations, but as soon as they face the fact that the European Union (and international market) wants to include in their membership only the countries with clearly defined environmental policy it “will hurt them less” later.

It is about time to get used to throwing different types of rubbish into differently colored bins. It is necessary to get used to the filters which the factories need to install, renewable energy sources instead of individual furnaces due to which at least half of Serbia is under fog, smog and smoke during winter… All these things need to “hurt”, we don’t have to love or accept them, but we need to be prepared to change. Many companies have already made their own programs of corporate responsibility. I would particularly point out to the company “Tetra Pak Production Ltd” with which we have been cooperating for three years in a row on a project Eco-Pack (educational and demonstrational project on the proper treatment of tetra pack packaging). We have a very good cooperation through our Foundation for education on environment programs (programs “Green Key“, “Blue Flag“, “Eco-schools“, “Young Eco-reporters“) with “Tetra Pak Production Ltd”, also with the hotel “Radisson Blu” and “IN hotel”, public enterprise “Ada Ciganlija” and the City of Belgrade, many other local communities, “VIP Mobile”, “RECAN” foundation…

These are all companies, organizations and even local administrations which live from the citizens’ money. They have in accordance with their business orientation chosen not so simple and easy way to be socially responsible towards their environment and the environment which they “borrow” from other citizens. Taking water, space and energy through the improvement of the conditions in the same environment, they take back the part of the profit in order to have better resources and to be able to use them longer.

EP: What are the best examples from practice which we should follow? What would be the first thing that we should implement?

Aleksandra Mladenović: All the activities in the field of environmental protection are more likely to succeed if experts work on solving the problems, and if the education in environmental protection finds its place. It is necessary to act responsibly towards the environment and resources and that should become a social norm. This is the reason why Environmental Ambassadors for sustainable development foster education, promotion of scientific research, innovation and profession in the field of environmental protection and sustainable development. For now, the best example from practice are 56 educational institutions from entire Serbia which were included in Eco-schools program and which promote true values of the environment in their local communities.

There are also two big hotels in Serbia, whose management is sufficiently aware to realize that they are big users of resources and environmental polluters. They conceptualize their work on sustainability and preservation in accordance with the criteria of the Green Key. There is also “Ada Ciganlija”, public enterprise which in cooperation with the city Administration of Belgrade works on the improvement of the conditions for the users of this beach every year. This beach is certified with the Blue Flag due to that. Then, there are also hundreds of Young Eco-reporters which do not turn their heads from the everyday problems of water, air and soil pollutions. They notice what is good and what is not and they know to propose possible solutions… There is also us, the citizens of the only Serbia that we have and if we do not start applying the examples of good practice, making and respecting good laws, protecting every our plant and animal because it is valuable for us. If we do not do all these things for ourselves, we will not be good to ourselves and Europe will not have us if we are irresponsible!

Interview by: Vesna Vukajlović

This interview has been published in Energetski portal bulletin “Responsible Companies Environmental Protection” in March 2016.

1...408409410...419 Page 409 of 419

Day 1 – Kicking off Green Week 2016!

Newsletter

Calendar of events

2026 January

Events for 31 January

Events for 1 February

Events for 2 February

Events for 3 February

Events for 4 February

Events for 5 February

Events for 6 February

Events for 7 February

Events for 8 February

Events for 9 February

Events for 10 February

Events for 11 February

Events for 12 February

Events for 13 February

Events for 14 February

Events for 15 February

Events for 16 February

Events for 17 February

Events for 18 February

Events for 19 February

Events for 20 February

Events for 21 February

Events for 22 February

Events for 23 February

Events for 24 February

Events for 25 February

Events for 26 February

Events for 27 February

WRITE US