The environment in the news thursday, 30 August 2012
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- Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ Gulf news: Raising awareness of waste management
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- Back to Menu ============================================================= ENVIRONMENT NEWS FROM THE UN DAILY NEWS
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_________________________________________________________________ UAE Trade Arabia: Emirates wins top US environmental award Dubai-based Emirates has been awarded a major award by San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in recognition of its efforts in reducing aircraft noise impacts in the communities surrounding the airport. SFO awarded Emirates with the Jon C Long Fly Quiet Chairperson’s Award for 2010 – 2011. “Over the past year, the Emirates Flight Operations team has met with SFO Aircraft Noise Abatement Office (SFO ANAO) staff numerous times in an effort to improve their performance and the results are definitely above and beyond mere program participation,” said Jeffrey Gee, Roundtable chair of the SFO Fly Quiet Programme. “Emirates has worked diligently with the SFO ANAO to improve its overall Fly Quiet scores and hence we are pleased to present the airline with our prestigious Jon C. Long Fly Quiet annual Chairperson’s Award.” The Fly Quiet Program is led by SFO ANAO to ensure that flights operate as quietly as possible and to provide information about noise abatement to community residents. Conscious of flying a ‘heavy’ aircraft on the ultra-long haul route between Dubai and San Francisco – the Boeing 777-300 Extended Range - Emirates was determined to limit noise emissions and achieve overall operational excellence. Emirates Flight Operations and SFO joined together to analyse hundreds of flights to determine actual aircraft climb profiles, the use of certain Standard Instrument Departures and wind gradient encounters, all major causes of noise, in order to identify the best flight paths and minimize noise impacts. “Emirates believes that taking care of our passengers does not end when they disembark our aircraft or even when they exit out of the airport’s terminal doors. As active members of the communities in the destinations we serve, we aim to be good citizens and take into consideration those living near our destination airports,” said Captain Alan Stealey, Emirates Divisional senior vice president Flight Operations. “Reducing our noise impact from our aircraft is a great example of how Emirates can benefit the communities we serve. “Recognition of our achievements in San Francisco is a great honour and we thank the airport for their role in supporting our efforts to reduce our noise impact around SFO,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service
The Waste Management Department of the Dubai Municipality held eight awareness campaigns during the first half of this year, said Abdul Majeed Saifaee, Director of the department. The campaigns included ‘Clean Desert Drive’, ‘Clean The Road’ and ‘Best Out Of Waste Contest’. The department also conducted about 800 workshops and lectures aiming to generate awareness among people. Salah Amiri, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality said the civic body is keen to involve general public in as many activities as possible with a view to maximise awareness levels.
Abu Dhabi: The UAE is running a series of programmes to protect dugongs from extinction, implemented by the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) and Total United Arab Emirates (Total UAE). Some 40 per cent of the world’s dugongs live in Abu Dhabi seas. Dugongs are large marine mammals, many populations are close to extinction. They have been hunted for thousands of years for meat and oil. The EAD programme, sponsored by Total since 1999, focuses on biological studies of the mammal, an analysis of their habitats and their geographical distribution in UAE territorial waters. According to a classification by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), dugongs are currently categorised under the list of endangered animals.
ABU DHABI: Masdar will be one of the lead sponsors of World Energy Forum 2012 (WEF) to be held at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from Oct.22-24, 2012, it was announced. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, said, “Masdar is committed to supporting all efforts aimed at strengthening the UAE’s position in the energy sector, particularly in relation to renewable energy. World leaders and clean energy experts will gather at the WEF to discuss policies and solutions that address the challenges of energy security. Hosting this forum in the UAE demonstrates the great confidence the world places in the nation’s ability to play a leading role in the renewable energy sector.” WEF 2012 aims to promote multilateral dialogue and to develop an integrated road map to support global energy security. It positions the UAE as a global centre of excellence for energy studies and research which has been increasingly recognised globally. Earlier this year, Secretary-General of the UN Ban Ki Moon chose to launch the “Sustainable Energy for All” initiative from Abu Dhabi during the World Future Energy Summit 2012. Dr Al Jaber added, “Masdar believes that open global platforms encouraging collaboration and action are crucial to finding solutions to global challenges. In this effort, Masdar will host the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week next January to address the energy, water and sustainability challenges the world currently faces.” From Jan.13-17, 2013, Masdar will host the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which was announced by the UAE during the Rio +20 summit in Brazil in June 2012, as an extension of the active role played by the UAE in international efforts to achieve sustainable development. http://www.gulftoday.ae/portal/0bb3658e-0200-4138-a0d1-50a7381fa48f.aspx Back to Menu ============================================================= ENVIRONMENT NEWS FROM THE UN DAILY NEWS 30 August 2012 UN News Centre: Global ban on nuclear tests vital for achieving more secure world – UN chief 29 August 2012 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today stressed the importance of a global ban on nuclear tests to achieve a safer and more secure world, calling on all States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the international treaty that seeks to achieve this goal. “Nuclear tests remain a threat to human health and global stability,” Mr. Ban said in his message for the third annual International Day against Nuclear Tests, observed on 29 August. The Day highlights the efforts of the UN and a growing community of advocates, including Member States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, youth networks and media, in informing and educating on the importance of the nuclear-test-ban. The General Assembly chose 29 August as the annual commemoration date since it marks the day in 1991 when Semipalatinsk, one of the largest test sites in the world and located in north-eastern Kazakhstan, was closed for good. Mr. Ban noted that the Day is an important opportunity to call attention to the harmful and long-lasting effects of testing, as well as the continued danger posed by the existence of tens of thousands of nuclear weapons. “Around the world, symposia, conferences, exhibitions and competitions are being held to raise public awareness and galvanize action to finally end nuclear tests,” he stated. “To achieve this goal, States that have not yet signed and ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) must do so without delay.” The CTBT, which aims to establish a verifiable, permanent global ban on all types of nuclear explosive tests, enjoys near-universal support but has yet to enter into force. The Secretary-General is the depositary of the treaty, which, as of today, has been signed by 183 States and ratified by 157. Ratification by eight so-called Annex 2 States is required for the treaty to enter into force. They are China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, and the United States. Pending the treaty’s entry into force, Mr. Ban urged all States to uphold the current moratorium on all nuclear test explosions. “However, while existing voluntary moratoriums on nuclear weapon tests are essential, they are no substitute for a total global ban,” he reminded them. The International Day against Nuclear Tests is being marked around the world with events to call attention to the dangers of nuclear test explosions, the threats posed to humans and the environment, and the need to ultimately eliminate all nuclear weapons and their testing. 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