The environment in the news
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- Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ IB Times (UK): The World Climate Summit
- Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ Biodiversity Policy and Practice: EUROBATS Announces Bat Conservation Initiative
- Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Tackling the Lagos Floods
- Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ Japan Times (Japan): Holding oil firms liable for rights violations
- Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ Discover Magazine (USA): Building the Green-Collar Economy
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_________________________________________________________________ IT Web (South Africa): ConVista not only committed to successfully implementing SAP software, but also to 'planting seeds of learning' 2 August 2011 ConVista's German parent company made funds available which they were willing to invest in sustainable projects in South Africa. ConVista approached Fundraiser of Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), which proposed the Khayelitsha Special School (KSS) at which FTFA had recently planted trees to offset the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative meeting in the Western Cape. ConVista's culture of participation and hands-on involvement saw its staff in Cape Town physically assist in implementing and growing this initiative. This school would benefit greatly from a Permaculture food garden, which acts as an outside classroom and also produces healthy vegetables used to feed the learners. The outcome not only benefited the school, but also had a profound impact on the folk from ConVista. Ingrid Rathbone, one of ConVista's SAP consultants, based the following article on her first-hand experience. My mom always said that there is nothing as good as getting your hands dirty. I could not have disagreed more. I absolutely hate it when the dirt creeps in under my fingernails. I shudder just thinking about it! So, when our HR Manager said we were going to the Khayelitsha Special School to help plant a garden for children with special needs, I agreed on one condition - that I could take a pair of gardening gloves with. Our holding company, ConVista Consulting Germany, had the desire to invest in a sustainable living project in South Africa, and Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) proposed the Khayelitsha Special School. They motivated that this specific school community would benefit greatly from a Permaculture food garden. Khayelitsha Special School is the first school for disabled black children in South Africa. The garden would not only be a source of healthy organic food, but would also provide a meaningful activity to engage the children. The dream is that the establishment of this food garden would inspire similar gardens at the pupils' homes and become a source of nutrition, as well as income to their families. ConVista Cape Town rounded up staff members and volunteered their services to assist with the development of the gardens for a day. The FTFA ran with the project, we, the ConVista volunteers, ventured out to the Khayelitsha Special School to see what needed to be done. When we arrived at the school, little children trickled in through the vegetable garden's gate, curious to see what these people were up to. There was quite a task at hand! We were divided into smaller groups, assigned tools and set out accomplishing our different goals. These included clearing the boundary fence of grass, plastic, glass, rocks and other rubbish, the planting of wild olive trees, layering the garden with mushroom compost and then mulch, as well as planting an array of vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, salads, beetroot and spinach. As soon as we started digging in the soil and wheeling in compost, the children showed great enthusiasm and a willingness to also get their hands dirty. The atmosphere was festive and contagious. One little chap wheeled his wheelbarrow with the panache of an F1 driver, and accompanied his race performance with his own sound effects. The pupils were eager to learn how they could help and were very careful with the seedlings – holes were delicately dug with little fingers and after planting, small hands levelled the soil and patted it into place. The children clearly demonstrated the worth of these gardens when they plucked crispy vegetables, fresh from the soil, from already established parts of the garden and munched on them during the course of the day. At one stage, my little garden helper pointed to my glove, indicating that she thought it to be the perfect gardening accessory, and that she wanted it for herself. At first I was very reluctant to part with my survival tool for the day, but she kept on pointing at it. So, I slowly removed my glove and handed it to her. She was overjoyed! Immediately slipping it onto her hand, she helped me distribute the compost in the vegetable garden with renewed zeal and a glowing grin. Soon I saw I was not the only volunteer to part with a glove, as other children were also working with gloved hands and growing glee. It made the perfect picture: my colleagues and I working side-by-side with these gifted little gardeners, one glove on the hand of a little child, the other on a colleague. Later, during the morning, my little assistant took a break. She promptly removed the glove, gave it to her friend, and so doing handed over the important responsibility of being my helper. My new assistant immediately jumped in and helped me. I was touched by her selfless sharing, an action to her as natural as breathing. The conclusion of our work later in the day brought on the opportunity to meet the principal of the school, as well as some of the teachers. The principal thanked us and we were treated to a delicious vegetable soup and salad that had been prepared from ingredients harvested from the garden earlier that morning. Working with these precious children has been a humbling experience and I am proud to say that, despite my initial reluctance, I got my hands dirty and it was good! Back to Menu ============================================================= Other Environment News UN News Centre: First test of UN-backed tsunami warning system to be held in the Mediterranean 2 August 2011 Thirty-one countries are set to take part next week in a United Nations-backed test of the tsunami early warning system in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas, which have experienced strong seismic activity over the years, although less frequently than in the Pacific Ocean. The warning system was first established in 2005 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) established under the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The purpose of the exercise to be conducted on 10 August is “to ensure effective communication between regional and national centres and tsunami warning focal points,” according to a news release issued by UNESCO. The exercise will include sending test messages via electronic mail, fax and the Global Telecommunication System from the Istanbul Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI, Turkey) to all the national centres and tsunami warning focal points in the region. “This should reveal possible dysfunctions in the dissemination of warnings,” stated UNESCO. “Indeed, the fast transmission of data and reactivity of national centres and country focal points are crucial for the effectiveness of the entire tsunami warning system.” Seismic activity in the region includes a powerful earthquake in the Azores-Gibraltar Fault zone and subsequent tsunami that destroyed the city of Lisbon in 1755, as well as the 1908 tsunami that took the lives of 85,000 people in Messina, Italy. Weaker tsunamis have been observed more recently, including one generated off the coast of Algeria in 2003. Taking part in next week’s test will be Belgium, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. The Tsunami Early Warning System for the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas is one of four regional systems which are coordinated by the IOC globally. Similar systems already exist for the Pacific and Indian oceans and for the Caribbean. Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ IB Times (UK): The World Climate Summit 2 August 2011 Following the approval of the Copenhagen Accord at the UNFCCC COP 15, there is now a need to accelerate solutions to mitigate climate change. Fortunately, many of these business, finance and technological solutions already exist, and they must be implemented and scaled globally from the bottom-up, with the private and public sector. The World Climate Summit is the business and finance conference accelerating solutions to climate change during the UNFCCC COP 16, in Cancun, Mexico this December. This exclusive conference is a new open and collaborative platform where the most inspiring, influential and innovative business, finance, and government leaders convene to collaborate, implement, and scale solutions locally and globally, during the next 10 years. Some key highlights of the World Climate Summit include: Sir Richard Branson, Ted Turner, Lord Stern, Emilio Azcarraga, President of Grupo Televisa, and more than 100 high-level speakers confirmed from more than 20 industries Convening, under the leadership of The UNEP Finance Initiative, the largest network of investors and financial intermediaries demanding climate change action ever assembled - representing more than $20 trillions of assets under management. Introducing new global initiatives and the launch of the Carbon War Room Gigaton Awards - the Oscars of sustainable business - celebrating cities, companies and leaders tackling climate change. The World Climate Summit kicked-off officially in Cancun on November 29th at 6.00-8.00pm (Eastern Time) during a CEO reception convening all the major business organizations: World Business Council on Sustainable Development, The Climate Group, UN Global Compact, Green Solutions and the World Economic Forum. A study recently released by the UN-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) finds that the top 3,000 public companies were responsible for $2.15 trillion, or about one-third, of all global environmental damage. The UN groups say the study is an initial effort to quantify in monetary terms the environmental harm caused by business and the possible future consequences for investor portfolios, fund returns and company earnings. Recommendations included collaboration to encourage companies and policy makers to reduce environmental impact. As world leaders drive towards a global agreement on climate change, investors in the worlds capital markets cannot afford to simply sit and wait. Investors and other financial institutions are determined to work with policy-makers to catalyze new low carbon markets worth USD trillions,said Paul Clements-Hunt, head of the UNEP Finance Initiative, in a statement. The World Climate Summit will bring finance, business and negotiators together to help make those future low carbon markets a reality. Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ Biodiversity Policy and Practice: EUROBATS Announces Bat Conservation Initiative 1 August 2011 The Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS), which was concluded under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), has announced a project to support conservation efforts for one of Europe’s most endangered bat species, the Greater Horseshoe Bat, as part of the Year of the Bat. Under the initiative of EUROBATS and German authorities, an abandoned farmhouse in Bavaria, Germany, which is the remaining roosting and breeding site for the bat, has been restored and currently accommodates approximately 40 females and 30 pups. In addition to being an important roosting site, the building is anticipated to become a research center for bat conservation. The Year of the Bat (2011-2012) is a joint campaign, led by CMS and EUROBATS and backed by UNEP, that aims to promote conservation, research and education on the world’s only flying mammals, with a focus on the ecological benefits that bats provide, such as pest control and seed dispersal. Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Tackling the Lagos Floods 2 August 2011 In the last one month torrential rains have wrecked serious havoc on lives and property in several parts of the country. But nowhere has the impact been asmuch as in Lagos state. The kind of downpour that occurred in the state at least on two occasions were such that were last witnessed some 14 years ago. For a state that is 3,000 square metres under the water and two metres below the sea level, the effects have been quite devastating. We, however, commend the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola and his Environment Commissioner,Mr Tunji Bello for rising promptly to the occasion. We also commend President Goodluck Jonathan who has visited the state and promised federal government assistance. But this deluge of rains was not unexpected. Elementary science teaches that as global temperatures rise, oceans get warmer and when water heats up, it expands and sea levels rise as we have been witnessing in several countries in recent times. It is therefore no surprise that in several coastal cities across the world today, climate change is creating a situationwhere toomuchwater comes at an unexpected time, or in unexpected places causing serious problem. It is then little wonder that the densely populated, low-lying city of Lagos has in the last one month become an environmental nightmare for most of the inhabitants on account of flooding. The irony of the Lagos situation, however, is that flooding is not restricted to poor communities as the wealthy too have been experiencing its devastating impact, with the Ikoyi/ Victoria Island/Lekki axis now effectively a flood zone. What is obvious today is that the kind of intervention needed to address the challenge of flooding in Lagos is beyond the capacity of the state and that is why it is a welcome development that President Jonathan has pledged federal government support. As the most populous state in the federation with large influx and high concentration of people from various ethnic groups in the country, Lagos indeed deserves a special dispensation. We therefore hope that the federal government will make good its promise to assist the state. And the time to render such assistance is now, in view of the high attendant risk of more rainfall. But beyond the intervention of the government at all levels is the need for Nigerians to begin to imbibe the correct attitude to waste disposal because flooding in Lagos cannot be solely explained by the factor of nature. The habit of the people indeed plays a crucial role in what has been happening over the years anytime it rains.Most of the drains in the state are blocked due to the indiscriminate throwing on the roads and drainages, disposable empty cans and pure water nylons among others. These dirty attitudes quite naturally lead to blockages of canals and man-holes resulting in the type of floods that occurred early last month. There are also several buildings that have been erected on drainage channels. This ugly trend must stop while the state government should ensure that all those buildings are pulled down for free flow of water into the canals. Given that nobody can predict that more of this kind of rain will not come-up again, we also urge all the critical stakeholders in the state to assist the government in minimizing the impact of this challenge. For amore enduring solution, there should be construction of more drainages, channels and canals and even where necessary the expansion of existing ones by the State Government. We note, however, that the Lagos/Abeokuta and Oshodi/Apapa express roads owned by the Federal Government have totally collapsed while the channels constructed on them have proved to be inadequate. These two roads particularly need urgent attention to halt their flood proclivity and to save the lives of people that ply them. While we call on the federal government to come to the rescue of Lagos by releasing to it ecological funds with which it can deal with the recurring perennial problem of flooding, we equally charge the state government to take all measures to ensure that all obstructions (whether buildings or wastes) to channels and canals in the state are cleared. Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ Japan Times (Japan): Holding oil firms liable for rights violations 2 August 2011 Several nongovernment organizations have filed an amicus brief urging the United States Supreme Court to review the ruling of an appeals court that corporations, under international law, cannot be held liable for damages from serious human rights violations. The Supreme Court should accept the case and hold that, if supported by the evidence, civil damages is an available remedy against corporations for aiding and abetting international wrongs. In Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, a lawsuit filed in 2002, the complainants, who are members of the Ogoni community, alleged that human rights violations took place in the 1990s. The Ogoni number approximately half a million people who live in a 650-sq.-km region in Rivers State, Nigeria. Traditionally, they made their living by fishing and as subsistence farmers, a way of life that came under threat when Shell discovered oil in 1958. The environmental effects of oil exploitation in Ogoni territory have been dire. Major oil spills have caused serious damage to the ground and jeopardized the livelihood of the Ogoni people. Gas flares produce a constant noise near Ogoni villages. Polluted air from the flares produces acid rain and causes respiratory problems in the surrounding communities. These conditions are underscored in the lyrics of an Ogoni song: The flames of Shell are flames of Hell, We bask below their light, Nought for us to serve the blight, Of cursed neglect and cursed Shell. The Ogoni people have seen their livelihoods threatened by rapacious oil exploitation in their land. In 1998, the United Nations Rapporteur accused the Nigerian government and Shell of abusing human rights and failing to protect the environment in the Ogoni Region. However, Shell and the Nigerian government have been unresponsive. The survivors of serious human rights violations resorted to the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) as a way to seek civil compensation in U.S. courts. The ATS allows non-U.S. citizens to bring civil suits in U.S. federal courts for wrongful acts that are in violation of international law, regardless of the country where the wrong was perpetrated or the harm was suffered. Whereas criminal liability of legal entities remains a controversial issue under international law, corporate civil liability for egregious wrongs is a widely accepted principle of international law. In September of 2010, a split panel decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that the ATS does not apply to corporations but only to individuals. As indicated by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) in New York, this view is at odds with previous decisions of other federal courts, such as a relatively recent decision by the 7th and the District of Columbia circuit courts of appeals, holding that corporations can be held liable under the ATS. According to CCR, the panel majority in the District of Columbia case held that corporations (such as Exxon Mobil, due to operations conducted in Indonesia) were not immune from "torts based on heinous conduct allegedly committed by its agents in violation of the law of nations." As stated by Katherine Gallagher, a CCR senior staff attorney, "The Second Circuit Court's decision undermines fundamental concepts of accountability and leaves victims of the most serious human rights violations without a remedy." Making corporations immune from suits resulting from human rights violations will only ensure that these violations will continue to occur, unimpeded by any legal constraint. The U.S. Supreme Court should take the case, thus opening up the possibility, in cases where the evidence supports such a finding, to hold corporations liable for damages under international law. Back to Menu _________________________________________________________________ Discover Magazine (USA): Building the Green-Collar Economy 2 August 2011 The men who drilled the world’s first commercial oil well in 1859 near Titusville, Pennsylvania, probably knew they had jobs that had never existed before, but it is a fair bet they had no inkling that they were on the brink of changing the world. The operation was derided by locals as Drake’s Folly, after Edwin Drake, the former train conductor who oversaw the long-shot project. It took more than a year of false steps and trial and error for a drill to hit a pool of oil only 69 feet deep. Even afterward the impact of the strike was far from clear: The well soon went dry, and the drilling techniques Drake pioneered produced just 2,000 barrels of oil in the United States in that first year. But by 1900, production had reached 60 million barrels annually as world markets replaced wood and whale oil with petroleum and coal as the fuels of choice. For some, the transition was profoundly destabilizing. Industrial whaling, once a linchpin of the coastal economy, faded away as whale oil could not compete with petroleum-derived kerosene. Towns shrank and cities grew as gasoline-powered automobiles vastly expanded the possibilities of personal mobility. The American economy as we know it was built on this newfound and disruptive mastery of nonrenewable energy. Today the downsides of this dependency are clear. A century and a half of burning fossil fuels has released 360 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air and shifted the global climate. Reliance on imported petroleum also threatens America’s economy and national security. These challenges could soon trigger another radical transition, this time toward renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal. Much as improved drilling and refining techniques caused the cost of oil to plummet in the 19th century, new technologies could make renewable fuels cheap and ubiquitous. And once again, an energy transition could prove hugely disruptive, creating whole new categories of jobs while making old ones obsolete. Major economic and institutional obstacles stand in the path of a green-energy revolution, however. Federal subsidies provide enormous support to entrenched energy sources. In 2009, governments around the world doled out $312 billion in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry while giving just $57 billion to renewable energy. And in a grim economic climate—the unemployment rate in the United States stands at 16 percent, including those not actively looking for jobs or underemployed—there is a natural tendency to cling to the jobs and businesses that exist right now. Judging from recent polls and election results, many Americans regard renewable energy as an uncertain bet at best, and at worst as a costly, government-directed folly. Many energy experts, including the panelists at our recent town hall meeting, have the opposite perspective, seeing resistance to renewables as the folly. The green-energy sector in the United States is growing at twice the rate of the economy at large. Mark Muro, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a coauthor of a recent report quantifying the green economy, notes that Europe and China are investing heavily in solar, wind, and other renewables, anticipating a long-term payoff. Meanwhile, the United States is lagging behind. “We’ve underinvested for a long time in energy innovation,” Muro says. “We need to take care of the technology pipeline.” To do that, the optimists—Muro would call them realists—will have to do better at trumpeting the upside. The naysayers who mocked Drake’s Folly soon found themselves enjoying an unimaginable procession of industrial advances. One day, historians might look back on the current tough climate and see it as prelude to an era of clean prosperity: the renewable energy age. 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