_________________________________________________________________________________ SciDevNet: Poor nations 'rich in renewable energy potential'
Catherine Brahic
21 April 2005
Source: SciDev.Net
Developing nations have the potential to generate large amounts of energy from renewable sources, according to a US$10 million assessment coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
UNEP hopes to attract support to enable developing countries to transform the assessment's findings into effective energy policies.
The initial results of the Solar and Wind Energy Resource Assessment (SWERA), which looked at 13 developing countries, were announced last week (14 April).
They show how developing countries could harness thousands of megawatts of electricity from solar and wind energy.
"In developing countries all over the world we have removed some of the uncertainty about the size and intensity of the solar and wind resource," said Klaus Toepfer, executive director of UNEP last week.
"These countries need greatly expanded energy services to help in the fight against poverty and to power sustainable development. SWERA offers them the technical and policy assistance to capture the potential that renewable energy can offer."
The SWERA project used satellites and ground-based instruments to assess the potential for wind and solar-powered renewable energy.
Its findings have generated a range of tools to promote the implementation of policies that promote use of renewable energy sources. These tools include maps of wind and solar resources.
The researchers created the 'geospatial toolkit' to overlay wind and solar maps with electricity distribution grids.
Already, the project has influenced policy in several countries, including Nicaragua and Guatemala.
In Nicaragua, the SWERA assessment showed that there was much more potential for wind energy production than was previously thought.
As a result, the Nicaraguan National Assembly passed a decree in 2004 giving wind energy priority over other forms of energy when feeding into the electricity grid.
In Guatemala, estimates that renewable energies could yield 7,000 megawatts of electricity prompted the Ministry of Energy to create the Centre for Renewable Energy and Investment. The centre will identify sites for wind energy development.
According to previous UNEP estimates, the African continent needs 40,000 megawatts of electricity to power its industrialisation. An initial SWERA assessment in Ghana suggests that the nation has the potential to generate more than 2,000 megawatts from wind energy.
It takes about 1,000 megawatts to power a US city the size of Seattle, whose population is 560,000.
Tom Hamlin, project manager for SWERA, said last week that the project will be seeking support to meet requests from renewable energy development programmes in other developing countries.
The 13 developing nations involved in SWERA are Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cuba, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sri Lanka.
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Notre-Planete.info: Des milliers de mégawatts d’énergie renouvelable potentiels [UNEP press release]
Un projet pionnier, dont le but est de dresser la carte des ressources solaire et éolienne de 13 pays en développement, a découvert des milliers de mégawatts d’énergie renouvelable potentielle en Afrique, en Asie, en Amérique latine et centrale.
Le projet d’une valeur de plusieurs millions de dollars, intitulé Solar and Wind Resource Assessment (Evaluation de ressources en énergie solaire et éolienne, ou SWERA) montre que le potentiel d'énergie générée par l'installation de panneaux solaires et d’éoliennes est bien plus élevé qu'on ne le supposait auparavant.
[...]
[for full text see http://unep.org/newscentre ]
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Réseau Proteus: La planète est malade, il faudrait la soigner, dit l'ONU
21 avril 2005 - Le 22 avril, le Jour de la Terre revient pour une 35e année consécutive. Cette année, les célébrations coïncident avec la publication récente de la Déclaration du Conseil de l'Évaluation des Écosystèmes pour le Millénaire préparée par quelque 1 300 experts répartis dans 95 pays sous l'égide du Programme des Nations unies pour l'environnement (PNUE)1.
Les auteurs de ce bilan de santé de la Terre affirment que, même si certains experts mettent encore en doute la gravité de la situation, les faits démontrent que le déséquilibre écologique s'approche du point de non-retour. « Dans cette période d'exploitation sans précédent de la générosité naturelle de la Terre, (...) la présente déclaration penche davantage vers l'alerte rouge que vers le scepticisme. »
Le constat des experts est sans équivoque. Plus de 60 % des écosystèmes dont dépend l'espèce humaine sont menacés. Quinze des vingt-quatre grands écosystèmes de la planète subissent actuellement des stress tels qu'ils sont susceptibles d'affecter sérieusement les humains. L'apparition de nouvelles maladies et de parasites, l'épuisement des réserves d'eau potable, l'augmentation du nombre de zones côtières « mortes », le déclin des pêcheries, la disparition des forêts, la détérioration des terres agricoles et les changements climatiques créent une situation d'extrême urgence qui commande des interventions immédiates et draconiennes.
Devant ce triste bilan, monsieur Jacques Languirand, dramaturge, auteur et communicateur québécois bien connu, choisit volontairement l'optimisme. À titre de porte-parole du Jour de la Terre, il invite chacun d'entre nous à participer activement aux innombrables activités qui se dérouleront dans les jours et les semaines à venir. Pour le Québec, on en trouve la liste sur le site officiel2 : elles vont des corvées de nettoyage aux journées vélo, en passant par les randonnées en nature et les kiosques d'information sur la récupération, les déchets, le transport, les OGM, etc.
Dans leur rapport, les experts de l'ONU proposent plusieurs pistes d'action et de politiques à adopter. En voici quelques-unes : intégrer les coûts environnementaux dans le prix des biens et services, réduire le productivisme agricole, introduire les concepts de protection des écosystèmes dans l'ensemble des politiques et programmes gouvernementaux, adopter massivement des programmes d'économie d'énergie et recourir de plus en plus aux énergies douces.
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AFX International Focus: China says on track to eliminate ozone depleting substances - Xinhua
21 April 2005
BEIJING (AFX) - The Chinese government says it will be able to phase out ozone depleting substances (ODS) two years ahead of targets set out in an international protocol aimed at protecting the earth's ozone layer, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
As of the end of 2004, the production and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in China had been reduced by 40 pct and 55 pct respectively from 1997 levels, said Li Xinmin, a State Environmental Protection Administration official, according to Xinhua.
Halon production and consumption has also been cut by 85 pct, he told an Asia and Pacific ODS meeting sponsored by the United Nations Environment Program.
Many ODS substances were used in refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosol sprays and in styrofoam production.
Li said that China is committed to stopping the production and consumption of CFCs and CFC-11, used as blowing agents in the foam sector, by July 1, 2007, except those that are essential.
'This means that China will reach the target two-and-a-half years ahead of the schedule in the Montreal protocol,' Li said.
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Dhivehi Observer: Asia and the Pacific region already reduced CFC consumption by half
[also in Port Vila Presse, Vanuatu]
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), 21 April 2005
Beijing, China. 20 April 2005. With recent data showing that they have already reduced their CFC consumption by fifty percent, twenty three countries from the Asia and the Pacific region gather together in Beijing with the magnificent Great Wall of China as an inspiration, to agree on further actions that will bring them closer to full phase out of ozone depleting substances (ODS) under the Montreal Protocol.
Representatives from ozone protection focal points from South Asia and Southeast Asia and the Pacific discuss the challenges faced in ensuring that 50 percent of the production and consumption of CFCs and halons, 85 percent of CTCs and 30 percent of Methyl Chloroform need to go by the end of this year. The theme �Gearing up for 2007 and beyond� also shows that they are confronted by further commitments that need to be met by 2007 which includes further reductions in their ODS use.
For a region where most ODS use is important in its economic development and where two of the largest ODS producers are located, reducing CFC consumption to 46,352.35 ODP tons from a baseline of 103,321.93 ODP tons is very good news.
But although countries have shown a marked decrease in CFC consumption, they have yet to commit to further reductions especially on halon and methyl bromide phase out. Specific benchmarks will need to be set to allow countries to meet these targets without any difficulties.
The region still continues to face problems of illegal ODS trade among border countries, but it has sufficiently put in place a system of regional cooperation and coordination that allows for this to be resolved by the concerned countries.
�I have no doubt that the Asia and Pacific region can set another example for the world to follow in fully complying with the upcoming and most critical obligations of the Montreal Protocol. Non-compliance with the Protocol, whether large or small, will have negative repercussion on the achievements thus far� said Mr. Surendra Shrestha, Regional Director and Representative, UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
This three-day meeting of the Regional Networks of ODS Officers from South Asia and Southeast Asia and the Pacific will plan:
- comprehensive policy and actions such as solid control and monitoring on ODS import,
- conversion to alternatives and emissions reductions,
- public awareness and involvement at least for the next year for these countries.
- identify potential difficulties that countries might face in 2007, and suggest specific actions to move these commitments forward.
Ms. Monique Barbut, Director of UNEP�s Division of Technology, Industry and Economics in Paris, said �that the compliance challenges of 2005 and 2007 will not be easy to overcome and can be faced through development of regional cooperation. We also would be able draw inspiration from the historic Great Wall in Beijing to witness what human dedication can achieve. This human feat should add to the countries� resolve to assist in building a wall around our globe to prevent UV radiation from getting in and meeting Montreal Protocol obligations may no longer seem too challenging.�
This meeting is part of the work programme of the UNEP Compliance Assistance Programme in the regional office for Asia and the Pacific. The CAP team provides UNEP assistance to the region for compliance with the Montreal Protocol.
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Haustechnik:: Töpfer und Trittin begrüßen Milliardeninvestitionen in Erneuerbare Energien
22. 04. 2005
Branche will sich bis 2020 als dynamische Schlüsselindustrie in Deutschland etablieren.
Unternehmen aus dem Bereich der Erneuerbaren Energien wollen in den nächsten 15 Jahren in Deutschland 200 Milliarden Euro investieren. Das kündigte die Branche im Beisein von UN-Generaldirektor Klaus Töpfer und Bundesumweltminister Jürgen Trittin in Essen an. Bis heute habe die Branche bereits 130.000 Arbeitsplätze geschaffen. Im Jahr 2020 sollen es mehr als eine halbe Million sein.
Töpfer: "Mit dem Aufbau des neuen Industriezweiges hat Deutschland sich eine Vorreiterrolle im internationalen Vergleich gesichert."
Trittin: "Die Erneuerbaren Energien stärken den Energiestandort Deutschland und machen unsere Energieversorgung zukunftsfähig."
In einer gemeinsamen Deklaration setzten sich Verbände und Unternehmen weitere ehrgeizige Ziele. Bis 2020 erwartet die Branche darin ein jährliches Wachstum von über 10 Prozent, ein Exportvolumen von 15 Milliarden Euro pro Jahr und die Senkung der Kosten für Erneuerbare Energien im Mittel um 40 Prozent.
Die neue Schlüsselindustrie wird den nationalen Ausstoß des Treibhausgases Kohlendioxyd (CO2)-Ausstoß in fünfzehn Jahren um 270 Millionen Tonnen jährlich reduzieren und Deutschland jedes Jahr Öl-, Gas- und Kohleimporte im Wert von 20 Milliarden Euro ersparen.
Gemeinsam erklärten Vertreter von Windenergie, Wasserkraft, Solarenergie, Bioenergie und Erdwärme, bis zum Zieljahr 2020 mehr als zwanzig Prozent des deutschen Bedarfes an Strom, Wärme und Kraftstoffen zu decken. Johannes Lackmann, Präsident des Bundesverbandes Erneuerbare Energie: "Die Branche der Erneuerbaren Energien hat begonnen, eines der größten Investitionspakete in der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland umzusetzen. Mit dem Ausbau der Erneuerbaren Energien werden zukunftsfähige Jobs geschaffen, Milliardenkosten für Energieimporte eingespart und Schäden an Mensch und Umwelt vermieden. Auch das Ziel, bis 2020 die nationalen CO2-Emissionen um 40 Prozent zu senken, ist mit dem weiteren kräftigen Ausbau der Erneuerbaren Energien problemlos erreichbar."
Die Unterzeichung der Branchenziele in der Essener Zeche Zollverein war Höhepunkt der Auftaktveranstaltung zur bundesweiten Kampagne "Deutschland hat unendlich viel Energie". In einer auf drei Jahre angelegten Informationskampagne will die Erneuerbare-Energien-Branche überparteilich über Hintergründe und Zukunftsperspektiven informieren. Schirmherr der Kampagne ist Prof. Klaus Töpfer. Träger sind die Verbände und Unternehmen der Erneuerbaren Energien. Bundesumweltministerium und Bundesverbraucherschutzministerium unterstützen die Kampagne.
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Time For Kids: A World in Sharp Focus; A photo contest showcases important issues
Joe McGowan
22 April 2005
Sometimes, a picture truly is worth a thousand words. Last month, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), in Nairobi, Kenya, announced the winners of its fourth Focus on Your World International Photographic Competition. The contest, which was held in 2004, was open to professional and amateur photographers, young and old alike. Their challenge was to take pictures that illustrate an environmental issue that they consider important.
Some 32,000 photographs were submitted from nearly 170 countries, and the subjects were as diverse as the photographers themselves. According to Klaus Toepfer, UNEP's executive director, the competition "brought into sharp focus the wonder and pain of the modern world."
The entries were judged by a panel of international photographers. Here's a look at some of this year's winning pictures taken by photographers under 21. Toepfer hopes that all of the entries will "trigger action and change in ways that a million speeches and articles could never do."
--By Joe McGowan
GRAPHIC: COLOR PHOTO: LLPONGPANID CHUMAIPORN/UNEP/CANON INC./PETER ARNOLD INC., THAILAND, Buddhist monks perform a ceremony to save forests.; COLOR PHOTO: NICK WEST/UNEP/CANON INC./PETER ARNOLD INC., BRITAIN, Many factories create power around the clock, but often at a price.; COLOR PHOTO: TRAN DINH CUNG VUONG/UNEP/CANON INC./PETER ARNOLD INC., VIETNAM, This image captures a child's ability to appreciate nature.; COLOR PHOTO: ALEXEI CALAMBOKDIS/UNEP/ CANON INC./PETER ARNOLD INC., CANADA, A humpback whale leaps over the water. Overhunting has threatened this species.; COLOR PHOTO: DINH LE BAO/UNEP/CANON INC./PETER ARNOLD INC., VIETNAM, Many kids live with pollution. Here, children play on a garbage-filled beach.
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Hardbeatnews, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Fri. Apr. 22, 2005: “There is a need to consider tourism as an important instrument for regional development and in order to achieve this we must be aware of the mechanisms that are available.”
That’s the word from Luis Chaves, the Sustainable Tourism Development Adviser to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Chaves is one of four consultants assigned to the CTO as part of the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development program, an eight million euro agenda funded by the European Union.
“ It is important to know how to develop systems for inter-sectoral and integrated planning to ensure that tourism realizes its fullest potential and, for this reason, we need to have strong and coherent policies and to look at best practices in countries that have been successful in implementing such programs,” he added.
Chaves will make a presentation titled, Policy Making and Integration as Key Starting points for Sustainable Tourism Intersectoral Planning, at the first working session of the Seventh Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-7), which takes place in Tobago from April 26 – 29.
According to the CTO, he is among a strong lineup of speakers confirmed for the conference.
Session one, which will deal with ‘Sustainable Development of Tourism Products: The Components,’ will also feature Hugh Cresser of the Environmental Audits for Sustainable Tourism (EAST) program in Jamaica and Deidre Shurland of the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST). Dr. Kwame Charles, director of Quality Consultants in Trinidad and Tobago, will chair the session.
The list of dynamic presenters for the first working day also includes Alessandra Vanzella-Khoury of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr. Joth Singh of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Dr. Howard Nelson of the Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Carol James of the Asa Wright Nature Centre will moderate their session on ‘Tourism Planning and Diversity.’
The day begins with a special presentation on eco certification by Clare McFarlane, the president of Ecotourism Australia, who will speak on the ‘Australia Experience.’ Her presentation will examine Australia’s successful ecotourism certification scheme and the role it has played in building the country’s reputation as a leading ecotourism destination in terms of diversity and quality.
The full list of speakers and the conference program, as well as registration forms, can be found at www.onecaribbean.org.
The conference is organized by CTO in collaboration with the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the government of Trinidad and Tobago and the EU, within the framework of the CRSTDP. – Hardbeatnews.com
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