The investor community is making another attempt to push the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to improve disclosure of climate change risks. Members of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) and other leading global investors sent a letter to the SEC this week requesting that the Commission address the lack of corporate disclosure of climate change and other material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks in securities filings.
Specifically, the investors are requesting that the SEC issue formal guidance on material climate-related risks that companies should disclose and enforce existing disclosure requirements for climate change and other risks such as water scarcity and labor practices. They also want the SEC to recognize shareholders’ right to submit resolutions related to climate change and material environmental, social and governance issues as well as require the disclosure of these risks using the Global Reporting Initiative as a framework.
The letter’s 41 signatories include some of the nation’s largest public pension funds, state treasurers, controllers and comptrollers, asset managers, foundations and other institutional investors with approximately $1.4 trillion in assets under management.
The letter was sent to SEC chairman Mary Schapiro, commissioner Luis Aguilar, commissioner Kathleen Casey, commissioner Troy Paredes, and commissioner Elisse Walter.
This letter was sent in the wake of two recent reports, conducted by Ceres, the Environmental Defense Fund and the Center for Energy and Environmental Security, which find that companies with the most at stake in responding to risks and opportunities from climate change are lacking climate-related disclosures.
“Climate change and other environmental and social issues pose bottom line risks, and investors have a right to know which businesses are best positioned to compete in the emerging low-carbon global economy,” said Mindy S. Lubber, president of Ceres and director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk, in a statement.
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Green Is as Green Does: The IMEX Awards
The 2009 IMEX exhibition, showcasing incentive travel, meetings, and event suppliers from around the globe, wrapped up at the end of May in Frankfurt, Germany. Green meeting issues were front and center at the show, with an awards program and IMEX’s own environmental initiatives worthy of note.
The IMEX Green Awards, given in partnership with the Green Meeting Industry Council, recognize outstanding achievement for Green Meetings, Green Suppliers, and Green Exhibitors, as well as Commitment to the Community.
The Gold Award in the Green Meetings category went to the U.S. Green Building Council (also the winner in 2006) for its 2008 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo held in Boston. Judges noted that the conference stood out for its success motivating suppliers to support its green initiatives and for its understanding of how to track and measure environmental targets. USGBC is the first North American group to have its entire meeting management department certified through BS 8901 (a British sustainable event certification).
The 2008 Oracle OpenWorld Conference, a San Francisco citywide that attracted 40,000 attendees and used 85 hotels, earned the Green Meetings Silver Award, with standout energy- and paper-saving efforts. Underscoring the idea that some of the smartest green ideas are free, the judges commended OpenWorld for, among other things, making sure all desktop computer monitors at the conference were shut down each night.
Two Australian convention centers took home the Green Supplier Awards. Gold went to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Silver to the Adelaide Convention Centre. Melbourne’s center, the only facility to earn a six-star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, stood out for its use of energy-saving technologies, including a solar hot-water system and an efficient lighting system with built-in motion detection.
Estoril Congress Center, located a short drive from Lisbon, Spain, was honored with the Green Exhibitor Award, given to an organization exhibiting at IMEX. The center was acknowledged for a new booth design and for purchasing carbon offsets for its freight and corporate travel, among other things.
IMEX itself has continued to make environmental progress, this year introducing badge lanyards made from plant silk, hiring biodiesel courtesy buses, and reusing surplus food. Last year, IMEX began using compostable badges and hydroelectric power, and, according to its first-ever independent environmental audit, reduced its per-delegate carbon emissions by 6.3 percent.
A related IMEX award, Commitment to the Community, recognizes the influence event planners can have on corporate social responsibility initiatives, both in terms of steering client behavior and being role models. U.K.–based events company World Events won IMEX’s Commitment to the Community award for the second year in a row, this time in recognition of its work on a conference in Malta for pharmaceutical company Allergan.
The IMEX Green Awards, given in partnership with the Green Meeting Industry Council, recognize outstanding achievement for Green Meetings, Green Suppliers, and Green Exhibitors, as well as Commitment to the Community.
The Gold Award in the Green Meetings category went to the U.S. Green Building Council (also the winner in 2006) for its 2008 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo held in Boston. Judges noted that the conference stood out for its success motivating suppliers to support its green initiatives and for its understanding of how to track and measure environmental targets. USGBC is the first North American group to have its entire meeting management department certified through BS 8901 (a British sustainable event certification).
The 2008 Oracle OpenWorld Conference, a San Francisco citywide that attracted 40,000 attendees and used 85 hotels, earned the Green Meetings Silver Award, with standout energy- and paper-saving efforts. Underscoring the idea that some of the smartest green ideas are free, the judges commended OpenWorld for, among other things, making sure all desktop computer monitors at the conference were shut down each night.
Two Australian convention centers took home the Green Supplier Awards. Gold went to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and Silver to the Adelaide Convention Centre. Melbourne’s center, the only facility to earn a six-star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, stood out for its use of energy-saving technologies, including a solar hot-water system and an efficient lighting system with built-in motion detection.
Estoril Congress Center, located a short drive from Lisbon, Spain, was honored with the Green Exhibitor Award, given to an organization exhibiting at IMEX. The center was acknowledged for a new booth design and for purchasing carbon offsets for its freight and corporate travel, among other things.
IMEX itself has continued to make environmental progress, this year introducing badge lanyards made from plant silk, hiring biodiesel courtesy buses, and reusing surplus food. Last year, IMEX began using compostable badges and hydroelectric power, and, according to its first-ever independent environmental audit, reduced its per-delegate carbon emissions by 6.3 percent.
A related IMEX award, Commitment to the Community, recognizes the influence event planners can have on corporate social responsibility initiatives, both in terms of steering client behavior and being role models. U.K.–based events company World Events won IMEX’s Commitment to the Community award for the second year in a row, this time in recognition of its work on a conference in Malta for pharmaceutical company Allergan.
Nisar demands withdrawal of ‘black’ carbon tax
Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday described the imposition of Carbon Tax as “Jagga tax’, saying it had been imposed to counter the Supreme Court’s order to reduce the petroleum prices. “It is a black tax that should be withdrawn immediately,” he said.
Opening the budget debate in the National Assembly, Ch Nisar also reminded the government of its promise of undoing the 17th Constitutional Amendment and making parliament the epicentre of power rather than the Presidency.
In his 80-minute speech, he criticised the government for ‘confused’ economic policies, delaying the formation of the parliamentary committee for repealing the controversial 17th Amendment and increasing the budgetary allocations for the Prime Minister’s House and Presidency.
Describing the budget as a replica of the Musharraf government, Chaudhry Nisar said the government had placed a heavy burden of Rs 200 billion hidden taxes on the people. He also criticised the government for assigning the exercise of preparing the budget to advisers and then asking an elected person to read out the budget speech. “In parliament, the budget was presented by the minister of state for finance while in the media other persons explained the budget,” he added.
Chaudhry Nisar also came down heavily on President Asif Ali Zardari for addressing the nation past midnight to announce the raise in the salaries of armed forces personnel just a few hours before the presentation of the budget in the National Assembly. “Those who so advised the president and the government were not sincere with them. It is the prerogative of the prime minister rather than the president,” he added.
He also questioned the government’s non-serious attitude towards probing the assassination of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also censured the government for not taking action against the military dictator who defamed the politicians. He said General Musharraf purchased a flat in London worth millions of pounds. “If a politician purchases such a flat, it becomes a big scandal, but retired generals get away with it,” he added.
He said that the 17th Amendment could be repealed within a few hours but the government had not been able to do so in 15 months. It has even failed to form a parliamentary committee to move in this direction.
Stressing the need to turn parliament into the real power centre, he said: “We want to strengthen parliament rather than the Presidency.”He said the government had given the National Assembly 10 days to pass the budget. “Please don’t take parliament for granted,” he added.
He questioned the wisdom of relying on the promises of the Friends of Pakistan for $5 billion inflows failing which the government would have to go back to the IMF for standby arrangements. He said the withdrawal of subsidies would burden the common man.
He said there was a deficit of Rs 722 billion in the budget, which was to be met by borrowing from the Friends of Pakistan forum or the IMF on hard conditions. He stressed the need for concrete steps to stabilise the economy, strengthen the industrial sector and to boost exports.
He demanded effective steps to eradicate poverty and unemployment and to control the price hike. He suggested that non-development expenditure should be curtailed and maximum funds should be made available for health and education.
He also came down hard on those retired generals who fully supported General Musharraf but were now criticising his policies. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan clarified that during the Long March, he did not receive any phone call from any general. He said that it was the prime minister’s call in which he told him that the government had in principle decided to restore the judges.
The opposition leader also asked the government to bring the Iran-Pakistan pipeline project before parliament for debate. Presenting his proposals for the budget, Chaudhry Nisar demanded reduction in interest rate, industrial revival package, strengthening of the regulatory institutions such as Nepra, OGRA etc, raise spending on education and health and restoration of PLD on the petroleum products rather than carbon tax.After his speech, Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza clarified that the process of formation of the committee was in final stages and would be completed in a few days.
The speaker said the National Assembly adopted a resolution and assigned her the responsibility to form the committee. “Being the custodian of the House, I am only facilitating the House and holding consultation with 15 parliamentary leaders of both the houses of parliament. There were some issues that have been settled and now the committee would be announced within the next few days,” she said.
Defending the budget, Minister for Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar said a number of incentives had been proposed in the new budget for the alleviation of poverty and promotion of education and health sectors. He said as a result of wide-ranging steps taken by the government in the outgoing year, the economy was stabilised and trade deficit, budget deficit and current account deficit had narrowed down. He said the government had been able to reduce the inflation rate from 25 per cent to about 12 per cent and hopefully it would come down to single digit by December this year. Referring to the demand for the agriculture tax, the minister said under the Constitution the federal government could not impose this tax as it was the domain of provincial assemblies.
Opening the budget debate in the National Assembly, Ch Nisar also reminded the government of its promise of undoing the 17th Constitutional Amendment and making parliament the epicentre of power rather than the Presidency.
In his 80-minute speech, he criticised the government for ‘confused’ economic policies, delaying the formation of the parliamentary committee for repealing the controversial 17th Amendment and increasing the budgetary allocations for the Prime Minister’s House and Presidency.
Describing the budget as a replica of the Musharraf government, Chaudhry Nisar said the government had placed a heavy burden of Rs 200 billion hidden taxes on the people. He also criticised the government for assigning the exercise of preparing the budget to advisers and then asking an elected person to read out the budget speech. “In parliament, the budget was presented by the minister of state for finance while in the media other persons explained the budget,” he added.
Chaudhry Nisar also came down heavily on President Asif Ali Zardari for addressing the nation past midnight to announce the raise in the salaries of armed forces personnel just a few hours before the presentation of the budget in the National Assembly. “Those who so advised the president and the government were not sincere with them. It is the prerogative of the prime minister rather than the president,” he added.
He also questioned the government’s non-serious attitude towards probing the assassination of Benazir Bhutto Shaheed. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also censured the government for not taking action against the military dictator who defamed the politicians. He said General Musharraf purchased a flat in London worth millions of pounds. “If a politician purchases such a flat, it becomes a big scandal, but retired generals get away with it,” he added.
He said that the 17th Amendment could be repealed within a few hours but the government had not been able to do so in 15 months. It has even failed to form a parliamentary committee to move in this direction.
Stressing the need to turn parliament into the real power centre, he said: “We want to strengthen parliament rather than the Presidency.”He said the government had given the National Assembly 10 days to pass the budget. “Please don’t take parliament for granted,” he added.
He questioned the wisdom of relying on the promises of the Friends of Pakistan for $5 billion inflows failing which the government would have to go back to the IMF for standby arrangements. He said the withdrawal of subsidies would burden the common man.
He said there was a deficit of Rs 722 billion in the budget, which was to be met by borrowing from the Friends of Pakistan forum or the IMF on hard conditions. He stressed the need for concrete steps to stabilise the economy, strengthen the industrial sector and to boost exports.
He demanded effective steps to eradicate poverty and unemployment and to control the price hike. He suggested that non-development expenditure should be curtailed and maximum funds should be made available for health and education.
He also came down hard on those retired generals who fully supported General Musharraf but were now criticising his policies. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan clarified that during the Long March, he did not receive any phone call from any general. He said that it was the prime minister’s call in which he told him that the government had in principle decided to restore the judges.
The opposition leader also asked the government to bring the Iran-Pakistan pipeline project before parliament for debate. Presenting his proposals for the budget, Chaudhry Nisar demanded reduction in interest rate, industrial revival package, strengthening of the regulatory institutions such as Nepra, OGRA etc, raise spending on education and health and restoration of PLD on the petroleum products rather than carbon tax.After his speech, Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza clarified that the process of formation of the committee was in final stages and would be completed in a few days.
The speaker said the National Assembly adopted a resolution and assigned her the responsibility to form the committee. “Being the custodian of the House, I am only facilitating the House and holding consultation with 15 parliamentary leaders of both the houses of parliament. There were some issues that have been settled and now the committee would be announced within the next few days,” she said.
Defending the budget, Minister for Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar said a number of incentives had been proposed in the new budget for the alleviation of poverty and promotion of education and health sectors. He said as a result of wide-ranging steps taken by the government in the outgoing year, the economy was stabilised and trade deficit, budget deficit and current account deficit had narrowed down. He said the government had been able to reduce the inflation rate from 25 per cent to about 12 per cent and hopefully it would come down to single digit by December this year. Referring to the demand for the agriculture tax, the minister said under the Constitution the federal government could not impose this tax as it was the domain of provincial assemblies.
Global warming study: US has already started changing
A new government study of global warming confirms that climate change caused by carbon dioxide is already having a "visible impact" on the United States, and severe problems are on the way -- including longer droughts, more floods and an increase in pests like mosquitoes -- if global warming continues unchecked.
The report by the Global Change Research Project, a consortium of government agencies like the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, also directly links climate change to carbon dioxide generated by humans, and warns that severe environmental problems, from coastal flooding to a rise in diseases threatening the human food chain, will only get worse.
"This new report integrates the most up-to-date scientific findings into a comprehensive picture of the ongoing as well as expected future impacts of heat-trapping pollution on the climate experienced by Americans," said John P. Holdren, Assisstant to the President for Science and Technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"It tells us why remedial action is needed sooner rather than later, as well as showing why that action must include both global emissions reductions to reduce the extent of climate change and local adaptation measures to reduce the damage from the changes that are no longer avoidable."
In light of the report, Representative Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, announced he would hold a series of “impact hearings” on the conclusions the study has reached. The first hearing will be held this Thursday on the impacts of a warming world on America’s agriculture and forests
"This report reinforces the science, renews our dedication to forging a national solution, and relegates the last bastions of climate denial to the dustbin of history,” Markey said in a statement issued yesterday. “We waited for eight years to take any action on global warming, even as the evidence mounted. Our economy, our environment, and our planet can wait no longer."
According to the study, temperatures in the United States have already risen 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900, and the farming season now starts two weeks earlier. In addition, heavy downpours in the last 50 years have increased 67 percent in the Northeast and 31 percent in the Midwest, triggering record floods.
If climate change is not seriously addressed, according to the report, temperatures worldwide could increase 11 degrees Fahrenheit, with even greater overall increases in the United States, and heat waves will be more prolonged and intense. The higher temperatures will increase the number of pests like mosquitoes, weeds will grow faster, and diseases will threaten livestock and agriculture as well as human health.
At the same time, according to the report, droughts will last longer, competition for resources will increase and the nation's coastal area will be threatened due to rising sea levels and more powerful storm surges during hurricanes and other extremely violent weather. By the year 2100, the report predicts, Cape Canaveral and the Everglades, two Florida landmarks, could be completely submerged.
The answer, according to the report, is twofold: take immediate action to curb production of carbon dioxide and come up with ways to cope with -- or take advantage of -- the changes that will likely occur.
"Both of these are necessary elements of an effective response strategy," said Jerry Melillo of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., who co-chaired the report.
The report by the Global Change Research Project, a consortium of government agencies like the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, also directly links climate change to carbon dioxide generated by humans, and warns that severe environmental problems, from coastal flooding to a rise in diseases threatening the human food chain, will only get worse.
"This new report integrates the most up-to-date scientific findings into a comprehensive picture of the ongoing as well as expected future impacts of heat-trapping pollution on the climate experienced by Americans," said John P. Holdren, Assisstant to the President for Science and Technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"It tells us why remedial action is needed sooner rather than later, as well as showing why that action must include both global emissions reductions to reduce the extent of climate change and local adaptation measures to reduce the damage from the changes that are no longer avoidable."
In light of the report, Representative Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, announced he would hold a series of “impact hearings” on the conclusions the study has reached. The first hearing will be held this Thursday on the impacts of a warming world on America’s agriculture and forests
"This report reinforces the science, renews our dedication to forging a national solution, and relegates the last bastions of climate denial to the dustbin of history,” Markey said in a statement issued yesterday. “We waited for eight years to take any action on global warming, even as the evidence mounted. Our economy, our environment, and our planet can wait no longer."
According to the study, temperatures in the United States have already risen 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900, and the farming season now starts two weeks earlier. In addition, heavy downpours in the last 50 years have increased 67 percent in the Northeast and 31 percent in the Midwest, triggering record floods.
If climate change is not seriously addressed, according to the report, temperatures worldwide could increase 11 degrees Fahrenheit, with even greater overall increases in the United States, and heat waves will be more prolonged and intense. The higher temperatures will increase the number of pests like mosquitoes, weeds will grow faster, and diseases will threaten livestock and agriculture as well as human health.
At the same time, according to the report, droughts will last longer, competition for resources will increase and the nation's coastal area will be threatened due to rising sea levels and more powerful storm surges during hurricanes and other extremely violent weather. By the year 2100, the report predicts, Cape Canaveral and the Everglades, two Florida landmarks, could be completely submerged.
The answer, according to the report, is twofold: take immediate action to curb production of carbon dioxide and come up with ways to cope with -- or take advantage of -- the changes that will likely occur.
"Both of these are necessary elements of an effective response strategy," said Jerry Melillo of the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., who co-chaired the report.
How Will Climate Change Affect Where You Live?
One of the interesting aspects of the administration’s climate change report released today is its emphasis on how global warming is affecting or is projected to touch every corner of the United States. A few location-specific details were mentioned in the press conference – how trout in the Northwest can’t thrive when air temperatures rise above 70 degrees F., for instance. But an online section offers more localized information: It divides the country into eight areas and lets you click on your region to see possible impacts.
After all, as long-time Monitor science reporter Bob Cowen pointed out in a column yesterday, adapting to climate change depends on site-specific knowledge.
Here’s some of what the “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” report sees as already happening in various parts of the country and predicts will occur unless changes are made:
Alaska
– Longer summers and higher temperatures are causing drier conditions, even in the absence of strong trends in precipitation.
– Insect outbreaks and wildfires are increasing with warming.
– Lakes are declining in area.
– Thawing permafrost damages roads, runways, water and sewer systems, and other infrastructure.
– Coastal storms increase risks to villages and fishing fleets.
– Displacement of marine species will affect key fisheries.
Northwest
– Declining springtime snowpack leads to reduced summer streamflows, straining water supplies.
– Increased insect outbreaks, wildfires, and changing species composition in forests will pose challenges for ecosystems and the forest products industry.
– Salmon and other coldwater species will experience additional stresses as a result of rising water temperatures and declining summer streamflows.
– The projected reduction in snow cover will adversely affect winter recreation and the industries that rely upon it.
– Sea-level rise along vulnerable coastlines will result in increased erosion and the loss of land.
Southwest
– Water supplies will become increasingly scarce, calling for trade-offs among competing uses, and potentially leading to conflict.
– Increasing temperature, drought, wildfire, and invasive species will accelerate transformation of the landscape.
– Increased frequency and altered timing of flooding will increase risks to people, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
– Unique tourism and recreation opportunities are likely to suffer.
– Cities and agriculture face increasing risks from a changing climate
Great Plains
– Projected increases in temperature, evaporation, and drought frequency add to concerns about the region’s declining water resources.
– Agriculture, ranching, and natural lands, already under pressure due to an increasingly limited water supply, are very likely to also be stressed by rising temperatures.
– Climate change is likely to affect native plant and animal species by altering key habitats such as the wetland ecosystems known as prairie potholes or playa lakes.
– Ongoing shifts in the region’s population from rural areas to urban centers will interact with a changing climate, resulting in a variety of consequences
Midwest
– Projected increases in temperature, evaporation, and drought frequency add to concerns about the region’s declining water resources.
– Agriculture, ranching, and natural lands, already under pressure due to an increasingly limited water supply, are very likely to also be stressed by rising temperatures.
– Climate change is likely to affect native plant and animal species by altering key habitats such as the wetland ecosystems known as prairie potholes or playa lakes.
– Ongoing shifts in the region’s population from rural areas to urban centers will interact with a changing climate, resulting in a variety of consequences.
Northeast
– Extreme heat and declining air quality are likely to pose increasing problems for human health, especially in urban areas.
– Agricultural production, including dairy, fruit, and maple syrup, are likely to be adversely affected as favorable climates shift.
– Severe flooding due to sea-level rise and heavy downpours is likely to occur more frequently.
– The projected reduction in snow cover will adversely affect winter recreation and the industries that rely upon it.
– The center of lobster fisheries is projected to continue its northward shift and the cod fishery on Georges Bank is likely to be diminished.
Southeast
– Projected increases in air and water temperatures will cause heat-related stresses for people, plants, and animals.
– Decreased water availability is very likely to affect the region’s economy as well as its natural systems.
– Sea-level rise and the likely increase in hurricane intensity and associated storm surge will be among the most serious consequences of climate change.
– Ecological thresholds are likely to be crossed throughout the region, causing major disruptions to ecosystems and to the benefits they provide to people.
– Quality of life will be affected by increasing heat stress, water scarcity, severe weather events, and reduced availability of insurance for at-risk properties.
Islands (in the Pacific and the Caribbean)
– The availability of freshwater is likely to be reduced, with significant implications for island communities, economies, and resources.
– Island communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems are vulnerable to coastal inundation due to sea-level rise and coastal storms.
– Climate changes affecting coastal and marine ecosystems will have major implications for tourism and fisheries.
After all, as long-time Monitor science reporter Bob Cowen pointed out in a column yesterday, adapting to climate change depends on site-specific knowledge.
Here’s some of what the “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” report sees as already happening in various parts of the country and predicts will occur unless changes are made:
Alaska
– Longer summers and higher temperatures are causing drier conditions, even in the absence of strong trends in precipitation.
– Insect outbreaks and wildfires are increasing with warming.
– Lakes are declining in area.
– Thawing permafrost damages roads, runways, water and sewer systems, and other infrastructure.
– Coastal storms increase risks to villages and fishing fleets.
– Displacement of marine species will affect key fisheries.
Northwest
– Declining springtime snowpack leads to reduced summer streamflows, straining water supplies.
– Increased insect outbreaks, wildfires, and changing species composition in forests will pose challenges for ecosystems and the forest products industry.
– Salmon and other coldwater species will experience additional stresses as a result of rising water temperatures and declining summer streamflows.
– The projected reduction in snow cover will adversely affect winter recreation and the industries that rely upon it.
– Sea-level rise along vulnerable coastlines will result in increased erosion and the loss of land.
Southwest
– Water supplies will become increasingly scarce, calling for trade-offs among competing uses, and potentially leading to conflict.
– Increasing temperature, drought, wildfire, and invasive species will accelerate transformation of the landscape.
– Increased frequency and altered timing of flooding will increase risks to people, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
– Unique tourism and recreation opportunities are likely to suffer.
– Cities and agriculture face increasing risks from a changing climate
Great Plains
– Projected increases in temperature, evaporation, and drought frequency add to concerns about the region’s declining water resources.
– Agriculture, ranching, and natural lands, already under pressure due to an increasingly limited water supply, are very likely to also be stressed by rising temperatures.
– Climate change is likely to affect native plant and animal species by altering key habitats such as the wetland ecosystems known as prairie potholes or playa lakes.
– Ongoing shifts in the region’s population from rural areas to urban centers will interact with a changing climate, resulting in a variety of consequences
Midwest
– Projected increases in temperature, evaporation, and drought frequency add to concerns about the region’s declining water resources.
– Agriculture, ranching, and natural lands, already under pressure due to an increasingly limited water supply, are very likely to also be stressed by rising temperatures.
– Climate change is likely to affect native plant and animal species by altering key habitats such as the wetland ecosystems known as prairie potholes or playa lakes.
– Ongoing shifts in the region’s population from rural areas to urban centers will interact with a changing climate, resulting in a variety of consequences.
Northeast
– Extreme heat and declining air quality are likely to pose increasing problems for human health, especially in urban areas.
– Agricultural production, including dairy, fruit, and maple syrup, are likely to be adversely affected as favorable climates shift.
– Severe flooding due to sea-level rise and heavy downpours is likely to occur more frequently.
– The projected reduction in snow cover will adversely affect winter recreation and the industries that rely upon it.
– The center of lobster fisheries is projected to continue its northward shift and the cod fishery on Georges Bank is likely to be diminished.
Southeast
– Projected increases in air and water temperatures will cause heat-related stresses for people, plants, and animals.
– Decreased water availability is very likely to affect the region’s economy as well as its natural systems.
– Sea-level rise and the likely increase in hurricane intensity and associated storm surge will be among the most serious consequences of climate change.
– Ecological thresholds are likely to be crossed throughout the region, causing major disruptions to ecosystems and to the benefits they provide to people.
– Quality of life will be affected by increasing heat stress, water scarcity, severe weather events, and reduced availability of insurance for at-risk properties.
Islands (in the Pacific and the Caribbean)
– The availability of freshwater is likely to be reduced, with significant implications for island communities, economies, and resources.
– Island communities, infrastructure, and ecosystems are vulnerable to coastal inundation due to sea-level rise and coastal storms.
– Climate changes affecting coastal and marine ecosystems will have major implications for tourism and fisheries.
Rise in climate disasters
A GLOBAL trend towards increasing weather-related disasters was confirmed in 2008, the second deadliest year in the past decade for natural catastrophes, an annual Red Cross report said on Tuesday.
The number of people reported killed by natural disasters last year - a total of 235,736 - was surpassed only in 2004, the year of the Indian Ocean tsunami, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The 2008 toll was accounted for mainly by two events in Asia - Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 people dead or missing in Myanmar, and the Sichuan earthquake, which killed more than 87,000 people in China.
Damage from natural disasters cost more than US$181 billion (S$265 billion) last year, according to the report. More than three quarters of the disasters struck developing countries, which suffered 99 per cent of the deaths, Maarten van Aalst, an author of the report, told a news conference.
'We also see a confirmation of the trend that we've seen in the past decade of a rise in weather-related disasters, which is concerning us and putting an additional strain on our operations,' Mr van Aalst said.
'In the 1990s, we saw an average of about 200 natural weather-related disasters per year. In the past decade that's been on average about 350. Last year we had 297, which is... still well above what we've been used to in the past.'
Some experts have blamed the perceived rise in freak weather events on climate change caused by pollution. It is a controversial subject ahead of a conference in Copenhagen in December that is meant to impose tougher targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
'It is now highly likely that that extreme-weather events - floods, droughts and storms - will become more frequent and more severe. And we cannot say we have not been warned,' IFRC Secretary General Bekele Geleta said in a commentary.
'The disasters which climate change will trigger potentially threaten more lives and livelihoods than any before,' Mr Geleta said, adding that the world's response to the warning had so far been 'piecemeal.'
Trygve Nordby, a deputy to Mr Geleta, told the news conference he believed the Red Cross was succeeding in getting references to the humanitarian effects of climate change and the need for early action into the Copenhagen document.
The number of people reported killed by natural disasters last year - a total of 235,736 - was surpassed only in 2004, the year of the Indian Ocean tsunami, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The 2008 toll was accounted for mainly by two events in Asia - Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 people dead or missing in Myanmar, and the Sichuan earthquake, which killed more than 87,000 people in China.
Damage from natural disasters cost more than US$181 billion (S$265 billion) last year, according to the report. More than three quarters of the disasters struck developing countries, which suffered 99 per cent of the deaths, Maarten van Aalst, an author of the report, told a news conference.
'We also see a confirmation of the trend that we've seen in the past decade of a rise in weather-related disasters, which is concerning us and putting an additional strain on our operations,' Mr van Aalst said.
'In the 1990s, we saw an average of about 200 natural weather-related disasters per year. In the past decade that's been on average about 350. Last year we had 297, which is... still well above what we've been used to in the past.'
Some experts have blamed the perceived rise in freak weather events on climate change caused by pollution. It is a controversial subject ahead of a conference in Copenhagen in December that is meant to impose tougher targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
'It is now highly likely that that extreme-weather events - floods, droughts and storms - will become more frequent and more severe. And we cannot say we have not been warned,' IFRC Secretary General Bekele Geleta said in a commentary.
'The disasters which climate change will trigger potentially threaten more lives and livelihoods than any before,' Mr Geleta said, adding that the world's response to the warning had so far been 'piecemeal.'
Trygve Nordby, a deputy to Mr Geleta, told the news conference he believed the Red Cross was succeeding in getting references to the humanitarian effects of climate change and the need for early action into the Copenhagen document.
Climate change is already having an impact across the US
Researchers representing 13 U.S. government science agencies, major universities and research institutes produced the study, "Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States." Commissioned in 2007, it is the most comprehensive report to date on national climate change, offering the latest information on rising temperatures, heavy downpours, extreme weather, sea level changes and other results of climate change in the U.S.
The 190-page report is a product of the interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is written in accessible language, intended to better inform members of the public and policymakers about the social, environmental and economic costs of climate change. It focuses on effects by region and details how the nation's transportation, agriculture, health, water and energy sectors will be affected in the future.
In a press conference today, University of Illinois Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Sciences Don Wuebbles, a contributor to the assessment, outlined the current and predicted effects of climate change in the Midwest U.S.
"We well recognize that the earth's climate varies naturally and has been warmer and cooler in the past," Wuebbles said. "But we also know that the climate changes we are experiencing today are largely the result of human activities."
Average temperatures have risen in the Midwest in recent decades, Wuebbles said, especially in winter. The growing season has been extended by one week. Heavy downpours are now twice as frequent as they were a century ago, he said, and the Midwest has experienced two, record-breaking floods in the past 15 years.
These trends are expected to continue into the future, Wuebbles said. Average annual temperatures are expected to increase by about two degrees Fahrenheit over the next few decades, and by as much as seven to 10 degrees by the end of the century, he said, with more warming projected for summer than winter.
Precipitation is expected to increase in the winter and spring, while summer precipitation will likely decline.
"More of the precipitation is likely to occur during heavier events," Wuebbles said.
As temperatures and humidity increases, heat waves, reduced air quality and insect-borne diseases are more likely to occur. Pollen production and the growth of fungi will also be stimulated, he said.
Heavy downpours can overload drainage systems and water treatment facilities, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, he said.
The Great Lakes, which contain 20 percent of the planet's fresh surface water, will also be affected by the changing climate, Wuebbles said. Depending on the extent of climate change, average water levels in the Great Lakes could drop by as much as two feet in this century, he said. This would affect beaches, coastal ecosystems, fish populations, dredging requirements and shipping.
Some of the effects of the changing climate are inevitable and will require human and animal populations to adapt, Wuebbles said. Other effects can be mitigated by limiting future emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, he said.
The 190-page report is a product of the interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is written in accessible language, intended to better inform members of the public and policymakers about the social, environmental and economic costs of climate change. It focuses on effects by region and details how the nation's transportation, agriculture, health, water and energy sectors will be affected in the future.
In a press conference today, University of Illinois Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Sciences Don Wuebbles, a contributor to the assessment, outlined the current and predicted effects of climate change in the Midwest U.S.
"We well recognize that the earth's climate varies naturally and has been warmer and cooler in the past," Wuebbles said. "But we also know that the climate changes we are experiencing today are largely the result of human activities."
Average temperatures have risen in the Midwest in recent decades, Wuebbles said, especially in winter. The growing season has been extended by one week. Heavy downpours are now twice as frequent as they were a century ago, he said, and the Midwest has experienced two, record-breaking floods in the past 15 years.
These trends are expected to continue into the future, Wuebbles said. Average annual temperatures are expected to increase by about two degrees Fahrenheit over the next few decades, and by as much as seven to 10 degrees by the end of the century, he said, with more warming projected for summer than winter.
Precipitation is expected to increase in the winter and spring, while summer precipitation will likely decline.
"More of the precipitation is likely to occur during heavier events," Wuebbles said.
As temperatures and humidity increases, heat waves, reduced air quality and insect-borne diseases are more likely to occur. Pollen production and the growth of fungi will also be stimulated, he said.
Heavy downpours can overload drainage systems and water treatment facilities, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, he said.
The Great Lakes, which contain 20 percent of the planet's fresh surface water, will also be affected by the changing climate, Wuebbles said. Depending on the extent of climate change, average water levels in the Great Lakes could drop by as much as two feet in this century, he said. This would affect beaches, coastal ecosystems, fish populations, dredging requirements and shipping.
Some of the effects of the changing climate are inevitable and will require human and animal populations to adapt, Wuebbles said. Other effects can be mitigated by limiting future emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, he said.
Govt to introduce climate change bills
The Rudd government will introduce another key climate change bill to parliament on Wednesday ahead of a Senate showdown on emissions trading.
The draft laws underpin the mandatory renewable energy target scheme and include a legislated target of 45,000 gigawatt-hours by 2020.
The government is insisting its legislation on renewable energy targets are tied to a package of 11 bills that aim to set up an emissions trading scheme by July 2011.
Labor has no support for its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in the upper house where it lacks the numbers to pass legislation on its own, but it has more backing from non-government senators for its renewable energy targets.
The Senate is expected to debate all the climate change bills next week.
The draft laws underpin the mandatory renewable energy target scheme and include a legislated target of 45,000 gigawatt-hours by 2020.
The government is insisting its legislation on renewable energy targets are tied to a package of 11 bills that aim to set up an emissions trading scheme by July 2011.
Labor has no support for its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in the upper house where it lacks the numbers to pass legislation on its own, but it has more backing from non-government senators for its renewable energy targets.
The Senate is expected to debate all the climate change bills next week.
Green storage has limited ROI, but supports overall efficiency
care deeply about the environment, certainly more than I care personally about money, so it pains me to say that in most cases, making storage decisions based on power expenditure alone is not rational behavior. The world is driven by economics, and the stark reality is that the cost of power represents a drop in the bucket compared to the amount organizations spend on acquiring and managing their enterprise storage systems. Maybe some day a consumption tax or cap and trade system will tip the balance towards more responsible consumption of non-renewable resources, but in the meantime, the pricing of power (especially in the US) doesn’t give much economic incentive for good behavior. In fact, according to a report Forrester published recently, the amount of money typically spent on electricity to power and cool a TB of storage is only about 1% of the cost of buying that TB of storage (or about 4% of the annualized cost of buying that storage given that you only have to buy the TB once every 3-5 years but you power it every year). So, unfortunately for the environment, power cost itself doesn’t provide a very strong incentive for storage efficiency.
Fortunately though, the things that enterprises can do to reduce their power consumption costs are often the exact same things they can do to reduce the capital and operating expenses of their overall storage environment. Focusing on improving utilization (measured as the quantity of data written divided by the quantity of storage on hand) and increased usage of dense drives are the most straightforward and effective ways to reduce hardware acquisition costs as well as power consumption. There are many ways to achieve these objectives such as thin provisioning, reporting and reclamation to improve utilization and tiering or wide striping to enable more use of dense drives. Whatever the motivation, economic, altruistic or a combination of both, organizations that put significant focus on their utilization and dense drive ratios are likely to spend less money and be greener at the same time. And that’s good for everybody.
Andrew Reichman serves IT Infrastructure & Operations professionals. His focus is on data storage systems, networking, and management software, as well as the business processes required for effective storage management.
Forrester Research, Inc. is an independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology. Forrester works with professionals in 19 key roles at major companies providing proprietary research, consumer insight, consulting, events, and peer-to-peer executive programs. For more than 25 years, Forrester has been making IT, marketing, and technology industry leaders successful every day. For more information, visit www.forrester.com
Fortunately though, the things that enterprises can do to reduce their power consumption costs are often the exact same things they can do to reduce the capital and operating expenses of their overall storage environment. Focusing on improving utilization (measured as the quantity of data written divided by the quantity of storage on hand) and increased usage of dense drives are the most straightforward and effective ways to reduce hardware acquisition costs as well as power consumption. There are many ways to achieve these objectives such as thin provisioning, reporting and reclamation to improve utilization and tiering or wide striping to enable more use of dense drives. Whatever the motivation, economic, altruistic or a combination of both, organizations that put significant focus on their utilization and dense drive ratios are likely to spend less money and be greener at the same time. And that’s good for everybody.
Andrew Reichman serves IT Infrastructure & Operations professionals. His focus is on data storage systems, networking, and management software, as well as the business processes required for effective storage management.
Forrester Research, Inc. is an independent research company that provides pragmatic and forward-thinking advice to global leaders in business and technology. Forrester works with professionals in 19 key roles at major companies providing proprietary research, consumer insight, consulting, events, and peer-to-peer executive programs. For more than 25 years, Forrester has been making IT, marketing, and technology industry leaders successful every day. For more information, visit www.forrester.com
Revealed: climate change impact on US
The White House has released a new report which it hopes will help to galvanise support for climate change legislation in the United States.
The report is the first issued since Barack Obama became President and it contains the strongest language on climate change to come out of the White House.
A lead author of the report, Dr Jerry Melillo, says climate change is fact, not opinion.
"It is clear that climate change is happening now. The observed climate changes we report are not opinions to be debated. They are facts to be dealt with," he said.
The nearly 200-page document is a joint venture between the White House and 13 federal agencies.
It has been released as the US Congress considers legislation that imposes the first national cap on emissions while also seeking to reduce them.
Mr Obama's chief science adviser, John Holdren, says action must be taken.
"Action needs to include both measures to reduce the emissions of heat-trapping pollution that are driving this problem and measures to adapt to the part of climate change we can't avoid," he said.
The report compiles years of scientific research and updates it with new data, painting a bleaker picture of global warming in the United States than has been done before.
It reveals that the average temperature in the US has risen 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 50 years, and might rise by up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.
It warns the number of deaths from heat waves could double in Los Angeles and quadruple in Chicago if emissions are not reduced.
Sea levels are also expected to rise, with the area near New York City one of the worst hit.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Jane Lubchenco says humans are to blame.
"We're also reporting today with greater confidence than ever before that human activities are the main cause of the changes we see underway," she said.
"I really believe this report is a game changer, I think that much of the foot dragging in addressing climate change is a reflection of the perception that climate change is way down the road, it's in the future.
"And this report demonstrates, provides the concrete scientific information, that says unequivocally that climate change is happening now."
Meanwhile the United Nations is warning of what it calls "megadisasters" in the world's biggest cities unless more is done to heed the threat of climate change.
It says tens of millions of people are highly exposed because they live in big cities that would be threatened by rising sea levels or earthquakes.
And a new report from the Red Cross likens forecasting the impact of global warming to rolling a dice saying: "confronted with global warming, we know the dice is loaded".
The report is the first issued since Barack Obama became President and it contains the strongest language on climate change to come out of the White House.
A lead author of the report, Dr Jerry Melillo, says climate change is fact, not opinion.
"It is clear that climate change is happening now. The observed climate changes we report are not opinions to be debated. They are facts to be dealt with," he said.
The nearly 200-page document is a joint venture between the White House and 13 federal agencies.
It has been released as the US Congress considers legislation that imposes the first national cap on emissions while also seeking to reduce them.
Mr Obama's chief science adviser, John Holdren, says action must be taken.
"Action needs to include both measures to reduce the emissions of heat-trapping pollution that are driving this problem and measures to adapt to the part of climate change we can't avoid," he said.
The report compiles years of scientific research and updates it with new data, painting a bleaker picture of global warming in the United States than has been done before.
It reveals that the average temperature in the US has risen 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 50 years, and might rise by up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.
It warns the number of deaths from heat waves could double in Los Angeles and quadruple in Chicago if emissions are not reduced.
Sea levels are also expected to rise, with the area near New York City one of the worst hit.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Jane Lubchenco says humans are to blame.
"We're also reporting today with greater confidence than ever before that human activities are the main cause of the changes we see underway," she said.
"I really believe this report is a game changer, I think that much of the foot dragging in addressing climate change is a reflection of the perception that climate change is way down the road, it's in the future.
"And this report demonstrates, provides the concrete scientific information, that says unequivocally that climate change is happening now."
Meanwhile the United Nations is warning of what it calls "megadisasters" in the world's biggest cities unless more is done to heed the threat of climate change.
It says tens of millions of people are highly exposed because they live in big cities that would be threatened by rising sea levels or earthquakes.
And a new report from the Red Cross likens forecasting the impact of global warming to rolling a dice saying: "confronted with global warming, we know the dice is loaded".
Revealed: climate change impact on US
The White House has released a new report which it hopes will help to galvanise support for climate change legislation in the United States.
The report is the first issued since Barack Obama became President and it contains the strongest language on climate change to come out of the White House.
A lead author of the report, Dr Jerry Melillo, says climate change is fact, not opinion.
"It is clear that climate change is happening now. The observed climate changes we report are not opinions to be debated. They are facts to be dealt with," he said.
The nearly 200-page document is a joint venture between the White House and 13 federal agencies.
It has been released as the US Congress considers legislation that imposes the first national cap on emissions while also seeking to reduce them.
Mr Obama's chief science adviser, John Holdren, says action must be taken.
"Action needs to include both measures to reduce the emissions of heat-trapping pollution that are driving this problem and measures to adapt to the part of climate change we can't avoid," he said.
The report compiles years of scientific research and updates it with new data, painting a bleaker picture of global warming in the United States than has been done before.
It reveals that the average temperature in the US has risen 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 50 years, and might rise by up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.
It warns the number of deaths from heat waves could double in Los Angeles and quadruple in Chicago if emissions are not reduced.
Sea levels are also expected to rise, with the area near New York City one of the worst hit.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Jane Lubchenco says humans are to blame.
"We're also reporting today with greater confidence than ever before that human activities are the main cause of the changes we see underway," she said.
"I really believe this report is a game changer, I think that much of the foot dragging in addressing climate change is a reflection of the perception that climate change is way down the road, it's in the future.
"And this report demonstrates, provides the concrete scientific information, that says unequivocally that climate change is happening now."
Meanwhile the United Nations is warning of what it calls "megadisasters" in the world's biggest cities unless more is done to heed the threat of climate change.
It says tens of millions of people are highly exposed because they live in big cities that would be threatened by rising sea levels or earthquakes.
And a new report from the Red Cross likens forecasting the impact of global warming to rolling a dice saying: "confronted with global warming, we know the dice is loaded".
The report is the first issued since Barack Obama became President and it contains the strongest language on climate change to come out of the White House.
A lead author of the report, Dr Jerry Melillo, says climate change is fact, not opinion.
"It is clear that climate change is happening now. The observed climate changes we report are not opinions to be debated. They are facts to be dealt with," he said.
The nearly 200-page document is a joint venture between the White House and 13 federal agencies.
It has been released as the US Congress considers legislation that imposes the first national cap on emissions while also seeking to reduce them.
Mr Obama's chief science adviser, John Holdren, says action must be taken.
"Action needs to include both measures to reduce the emissions of heat-trapping pollution that are driving this problem and measures to adapt to the part of climate change we can't avoid," he said.
The report compiles years of scientific research and updates it with new data, painting a bleaker picture of global warming in the United States than has been done before.
It reveals that the average temperature in the US has risen 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 50 years, and might rise by up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100.
It warns the number of deaths from heat waves could double in Los Angeles and quadruple in Chicago if emissions are not reduced.
Sea levels are also expected to rise, with the area near New York City one of the worst hit.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Jane Lubchenco says humans are to blame.
"We're also reporting today with greater confidence than ever before that human activities are the main cause of the changes we see underway," she said.
"I really believe this report is a game changer, I think that much of the foot dragging in addressing climate change is a reflection of the perception that climate change is way down the road, it's in the future.
"And this report demonstrates, provides the concrete scientific information, that says unequivocally that climate change is happening now."
Meanwhile the United Nations is warning of what it calls "megadisasters" in the world's biggest cities unless more is done to heed the threat of climate change.
It says tens of millions of people are highly exposed because they live in big cities that would be threatened by rising sea levels or earthquakes.
And a new report from the Red Cross likens forecasting the impact of global warming to rolling a dice saying: "confronted with global warming, we know the dice is loaded".
Gindalbie job losses blamed on ‘green tape’
Gindalbie Metals has blamed delays in receiving environmental approval for the $1.8 billion Karara iron ore project in the Mid-West for its decision to axe one in five jobs.
The 21 per cent cut to Gindalbie’s workforce, which will make 24 out of 113 positions redundant, includes Andrew Munkton’s position as operations general manager.
Gindalbie, which also blamed the global financial crisis for the cost-cutting measure, said it would cancel activities such as regional exploration to focus solely on Karara.
In addition to the exploration team, other jobs to face the cut relate to Karara’s start-up, which is facing delays because of troubles to obtain all the necessary regulatory approvals.
Only two key approvals remain outstanding — environmental goahead from the WA Government and Chinese sign-off for AnSteel to inject $162 million into Gindalbie.
Chinese approval is expected any time.
But doubts remain over the timing of the environmental approval, given that Gindalbie appealed against part of the Environmental Protection Authority’s recommendation to conditionally allow Karara’s development. Gindalbie expects to have to wait at least another three months before receiving final government go-ahead.
Only two years ago Gindalbie had targeted first magnetite production from Karara by next year. The target date has since been pushed back to the first half of 2011, if Gindalbie is able to start construction by the December quarter this year.
“We are not cutting staff because the project has stopped,” a Gindalbie spokesman said yesterday.
“It’s going ahead but it has been delayed and we are cutting back on regional exploration.”
Gindalbie is not the only Mid-West iron ore hopeful struggling to deal with the lengthy regulatory process.
The Chinese-owned Sinosteel Midwest is appealing against an adverse EPA recommendation regarding development of its Koolanooka-Blue Hills hematite project.
The two-week appeals period closed last night and a Sinosteel spokesman said it was encouraged by the show of support its had received from a cross-section of the Mid-West community keen to see the iron ore project developed.
As well as much-needed jobs in the region, Gindalbie and Sinosteel are being relied on to provide iron ore to underpin the development of the public-private $1.5 billion Oakajee port project, north of Geraldton.
The 21 per cent cut to Gindalbie’s workforce, which will make 24 out of 113 positions redundant, includes Andrew Munkton’s position as operations general manager.
Gindalbie, which also blamed the global financial crisis for the cost-cutting measure, said it would cancel activities such as regional exploration to focus solely on Karara.
In addition to the exploration team, other jobs to face the cut relate to Karara’s start-up, which is facing delays because of troubles to obtain all the necessary regulatory approvals.
Only two key approvals remain outstanding — environmental goahead from the WA Government and Chinese sign-off for AnSteel to inject $162 million into Gindalbie.
Chinese approval is expected any time.
But doubts remain over the timing of the environmental approval, given that Gindalbie appealed against part of the Environmental Protection Authority’s recommendation to conditionally allow Karara’s development. Gindalbie expects to have to wait at least another three months before receiving final government go-ahead.
Only two years ago Gindalbie had targeted first magnetite production from Karara by next year. The target date has since been pushed back to the first half of 2011, if Gindalbie is able to start construction by the December quarter this year.
“We are not cutting staff because the project has stopped,” a Gindalbie spokesman said yesterday.
“It’s going ahead but it has been delayed and we are cutting back on regional exploration.”
Gindalbie is not the only Mid-West iron ore hopeful struggling to deal with the lengthy regulatory process.
The Chinese-owned Sinosteel Midwest is appealing against an adverse EPA recommendation regarding development of its Koolanooka-Blue Hills hematite project.
The two-week appeals period closed last night and a Sinosteel spokesman said it was encouraged by the show of support its had received from a cross-section of the Mid-West community keen to see the iron ore project developed.
As well as much-needed jobs in the region, Gindalbie and Sinosteel are being relied on to provide iron ore to underpin the development of the public-private $1.5 billion Oakajee port project, north of Geraldton.
World Environment Day observed in Mymensingh
The World Environment Day was observed in Mymensingh in a befitting manner on June 5.
To observe the day a procession was brought in the town from the office of Deputy Commissioner and dispersed at the town hall after parading the main streets of the town.
District administration with the help of World Vision,, ADP and other government offices and NGOs arranged the procession.
An a forestation programme was held on the occasion on the Muktijodha Smriti Saudha.
In the afternoon a discussion meeting was held at DC's conference room in which Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh A.N.Shamsuddin Azad Chowdhury presided over.
The speakers expressing concern over the degradation of environment of the country said if the ecological system is destroyed, the environment system will be destroyed. So, the water bodies of the countries, including the rivers, should be protected and they stressed for launching a social movement to this effect.
To observe the day a procession was brought in the town from the office of Deputy Commissioner and dispersed at the town hall after parading the main streets of the town.
District administration with the help of World Vision,, ADP and other government offices and NGOs arranged the procession.
An a forestation programme was held on the occasion on the Muktijodha Smriti Saudha.
In the afternoon a discussion meeting was held at DC's conference room in which Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh A.N.Shamsuddin Azad Chowdhury presided over.
The speakers expressing concern over the degradation of environment of the country said if the ecological system is destroyed, the environment system will be destroyed. So, the water bodies of the countries, including the rivers, should be protected and they stressed for launching a social movement to this effect.
Environment ministry to eject double agents
A number of people serving on regulatory boards of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) will soon be sacked. The ministry has discovered they are also directors of companies whose projects the boards they are serving on have appraised.
“These are clear cases of conflict of interest,” Jairam Ramesh, environment minister, told Hindustan Times. “It was the duty of these people to keep the government informed.”
The most striking case is that of former power secretary P. Abraham, who has been heading the MoEF’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) on river valley and hydropower projects for the past two years. Every hydel project needs this EAC’s clearance before it can start.
According to a complaint sent to the ministry by six NGOs last week, Abraham is also on the board of at least six power companies, including Lanco Infratech, Maharashtra Power Generation Company, GVK Industries Ltd and JSW Energy Ltd.
“There have been at least six occasions when a project of companies where Abraham is a director came for clearance before the committee he chairs,” said Neeraj Vagholikar of Pune-based Kalpvriksh Environmental Action Group on telephone.
Abraham reportedly stayed away from meetings at which projects of companies he was connected with were discussed. “But that is not enough,” said Ramesh. “I agree totally with the anti-dam activists and have initiated action.”
Despite repeated efforts by Hindustan Times, Abraham could not be contacted. “I’ve also been trying to contact him for the last two days,” said Ramesh.
MoEF sources claimed other EACs, notably the one on mining and another on coal-based power plants, also have members associated with private interests.
The National Biodiversity Authority has members who formerly worked for private companies like Syngenta, which has applied for patents from this very authority. They, however, refused to reveal names.
“These are clear cases of conflict of interest,” Jairam Ramesh, environment minister, told Hindustan Times. “It was the duty of these people to keep the government informed.”
The most striking case is that of former power secretary P. Abraham, who has been heading the MoEF’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) on river valley and hydropower projects for the past two years. Every hydel project needs this EAC’s clearance before it can start.
According to a complaint sent to the ministry by six NGOs last week, Abraham is also on the board of at least six power companies, including Lanco Infratech, Maharashtra Power Generation Company, GVK Industries Ltd and JSW Energy Ltd.
“There have been at least six occasions when a project of companies where Abraham is a director came for clearance before the committee he chairs,” said Neeraj Vagholikar of Pune-based Kalpvriksh Environmental Action Group on telephone.
Abraham reportedly stayed away from meetings at which projects of companies he was connected with were discussed. “But that is not enough,” said Ramesh. “I agree totally with the anti-dam activists and have initiated action.”
Despite repeated efforts by Hindustan Times, Abraham could not be contacted. “I’ve also been trying to contact him for the last two days,” said Ramesh.
MoEF sources claimed other EACs, notably the one on mining and another on coal-based power plants, also have members associated with private interests.
The National Biodiversity Authority has members who formerly worked for private companies like Syngenta, which has applied for patents from this very authority. They, however, refused to reveal names.
ADB's Regional Climate Change Initiatives
Mitigation-related Initiatives
Carbon Market Initiative - strengthening the carbon market by providing additional financial resources for project development, as well as technical and marketing support, for projects potentially eligible for the Clean Development Mechanism.
Cities Development Initiative for Asia* - providing advisory and capacity-building support on climate-friendly city development.
Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities* - promoting a reduction in vehicle emissions through improved fuel quality, vehicle maintenance, emission control technology, alternative fuels, and better traffic management. This is a regional network jointly launched by ADB and the World Bank in 2001 and is now an independent organization based in Manila.
Energy for All Initiative - promoting expanded access by the poor to modern and clean forms of energy.
Energy Efficiency Initiative - providing innovative financing mechanisms for clean energy investments with the aim to invest $1billion per year on clean energy development programs from 2008 to 2010.
Sustainable Transport Initiative - providing advice and financing for innovative public transport schemes that will cut greenhouse gas emissions and local pollutants.
Top
Adaptation-related Initiatives
Addressing Climate Change in the Asia and Pacific Region - This project is gathering knowledge and producing a series of publications covering key climate change challenges facing Asia and the Pacific such as energy and climate change, adaptation in the agriculture sector, and migration and climate migrants.
Central Asia Countries Initiative for Land Management - restoring, maintaining, and enhancing the productive functions of land in Central Asia.
Climate Change Adaptation Program for the Pacific - examined the special risks faced and adaptation approaches and measures needed in low-lying island states, and ADB is following up on implementing strategies identified.
Promoting Climate Change Adaptation in Asia and the Pacific - promoting an improved understanding by participating governments of the necessary actions they must take to adapt to climate change through the adoption of investment programs, plans, and policies.
Regional Partnerships for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Preparedness - will seek to increase the financial resilience of participating Pacific Island countries to the effects of natural disasters.
Regional Review of the Economics of Climate Change in Southeast Asia - analysis will examine climate change adaptation (as well as Clean Energy) costs and options facing the largest economics of Southeast Asia.
Water for All - this vision and policy is supported by ADB's Water Financing Program, which is working to increase investments and support reforms, capacity development, and regional cooperation in the water sector.
Carbon Market Initiative - strengthening the carbon market by providing additional financial resources for project development, as well as technical and marketing support, for projects potentially eligible for the Clean Development Mechanism.
Cities Development Initiative for Asia* - providing advisory and capacity-building support on climate-friendly city development.
Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities* - promoting a reduction in vehicle emissions through improved fuel quality, vehicle maintenance, emission control technology, alternative fuels, and better traffic management. This is a regional network jointly launched by ADB and the World Bank in 2001 and is now an independent organization based in Manila.
Energy for All Initiative - promoting expanded access by the poor to modern and clean forms of energy.
Energy Efficiency Initiative - providing innovative financing mechanisms for clean energy investments with the aim to invest $1billion per year on clean energy development programs from 2008 to 2010.
Sustainable Transport Initiative - providing advice and financing for innovative public transport schemes that will cut greenhouse gas emissions and local pollutants.
Top
Adaptation-related Initiatives
Addressing Climate Change in the Asia and Pacific Region - This project is gathering knowledge and producing a series of publications covering key climate change challenges facing Asia and the Pacific such as energy and climate change, adaptation in the agriculture sector, and migration and climate migrants.
Central Asia Countries Initiative for Land Management - restoring, maintaining, and enhancing the productive functions of land in Central Asia.
Climate Change Adaptation Program for the Pacific - examined the special risks faced and adaptation approaches and measures needed in low-lying island states, and ADB is following up on implementing strategies identified.
Promoting Climate Change Adaptation in Asia and the Pacific - promoting an improved understanding by participating governments of the necessary actions they must take to adapt to climate change through the adoption of investment programs, plans, and policies.
Regional Partnerships for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Preparedness - will seek to increase the financial resilience of participating Pacific Island countries to the effects of natural disasters.
Regional Review of the Economics of Climate Change in Southeast Asia - analysis will examine climate change adaptation (as well as Clean Energy) costs and options facing the largest economics of Southeast Asia.
Water for All - this vision and policy is supported by ADB's Water Financing Program, which is working to increase investments and support reforms, capacity development, and regional cooperation in the water sector.
ADB Hosts Regional Forum to Develop Strategies to Cope with Climate Change
Government leaders, policymakers, and climate change experts from around the world will gather in the Philippines this week for a high-level dialogue and a series of technical meetings aimed at helping Asia-Pacific countries move toward low-carbon and climate-resilient development paths.
Hosted by ADB, the Climate and Clean Energy Week will consist of two events. The High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific, to be held 16-17 June, will bring together policy makers to discuss the path forward for the Asia-Pacific region in the face of climate change. The dialogue will be followed by the 4th Asia Clean Energy Forum 2009, from 17-19 June, which will serve as a platform for exchanging experiences and forging new partnerships to advance clean energy solutions in the region.
"Asia's share of greenhouse gas emissions has been growing rapidly over the past two decades and infrastructure investments in the next two decades will have profound impacts on the region’s economy and the global climate,” said ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda. "The Climate and Clean Energy Week is an opportunity to establish the basis for regional economic growth that is more environmentally sustainable, and to discuss priorities for Asia and the Pacific in the lead up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December."
Mr. Kuroda will co-host the high-level dialogue with Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute and Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Philippines' President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Goh Kun, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, will also speak at the dialogue. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will address the participants via video, and Mr. Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, will update participants on progress toward a new global agreement in Copenhagen.
"Open dialogue is critical to achieving the policy, finance and technology solutions needed to address climate change in Asia and the Pacific," said Dr. Pachauri. "Decoupling economic growth from future greenhouse gas emissions is key to the region's future development, and only collective action will help us achieve this."
ADB will use the 4th Asia Clean Energy Forum 2009 to launch its Energy for All Partnership, which aims to provide clean, reliable energy to 100 million people in the Asia and Pacific region by 2015. ADB will also unveil a plan which outlines ongoing and planned responses to climate change in each of its five regions.
Hosted by ADB, the Climate and Clean Energy Week will consist of two events. The High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific, to be held 16-17 June, will bring together policy makers to discuss the path forward for the Asia-Pacific region in the face of climate change. The dialogue will be followed by the 4th Asia Clean Energy Forum 2009, from 17-19 June, which will serve as a platform for exchanging experiences and forging new partnerships to advance clean energy solutions in the region.
"Asia's share of greenhouse gas emissions has been growing rapidly over the past two decades and infrastructure investments in the next two decades will have profound impacts on the region’s economy and the global climate,” said ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda. "The Climate and Clean Energy Week is an opportunity to establish the basis for regional economic growth that is more environmentally sustainable, and to discuss priorities for Asia and the Pacific in the lead up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December."
Mr. Kuroda will co-host the high-level dialogue with Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute and Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Philippines' President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Goh Kun, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, will also speak at the dialogue. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will address the participants via video, and Mr. Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, will update participants on progress toward a new global agreement in Copenhagen.
"Open dialogue is critical to achieving the policy, finance and technology solutions needed to address climate change in Asia and the Pacific," said Dr. Pachauri. "Decoupling economic growth from future greenhouse gas emissions is key to the region's future development, and only collective action will help us achieve this."
ADB will use the 4th Asia Clean Energy Forum 2009 to launch its Energy for All Partnership, which aims to provide clean, reliable energy to 100 million people in the Asia and Pacific region by 2015. ADB will also unveil a plan which outlines ongoing and planned responses to climate change in each of its five regions.
UNEP Signs Agreement To Help Green The Sochi 2014 Olympics
In an effort to green the Sochi Olympics in 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Olympic organizers to help and advise them on making the Games environmentally friendly.
At the signing ceremony on 5 June, Theodore Oben, Chief of the UNEP's Outreach Section, said: "I am sure the memorandum signed today will not only be a written commitment, but will guarantee that during the preparation and staging of Sochi 2014 great strides are made in environmental protection in Sochi and the Krasnodar Region," said
Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of Sochi 2014, added: "Signing this important Memorandum will help ensure Sochi 2014 is able to introduce Green Standards to every level of the Games' preparation and will ensure that the Organizing Committee continues to work with international environment experts to support this."
Sochi, which sits between the balmy shores of the Black Sea and the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains in Russia's Krasnodar Region, is renowned for its pristine setting.
In an effort to preserve this natural beauty, the city in 2008 followed UNEP's recommendation to move the bobsleigh and luge tracks away from the Caucasus nature reserve, which is one of the only mountain areas in Europe that remains virtually untouched by human activity. In changing the venue, organizers stressed that they are committed to creating an "environmental legacy for the future of the region".
"We developed the Sochi 2014 environmental strategy and this will ensure that the ecological situation in the Krasnodar Region is enhanced for generations to come," stressed Chernyshenko at the signing of the agreement.
At the signing ceremony on 5 June, Theodore Oben, Chief of the UNEP's Outreach Section, said: "I am sure the memorandum signed today will not only be a written commitment, but will guarantee that during the preparation and staging of Sochi 2014 great strides are made in environmental protection in Sochi and the Krasnodar Region," said
Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of Sochi 2014, added: "Signing this important Memorandum will help ensure Sochi 2014 is able to introduce Green Standards to every level of the Games' preparation and will ensure that the Organizing Committee continues to work with international environment experts to support this."
Sochi, which sits between the balmy shores of the Black Sea and the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains in Russia's Krasnodar Region, is renowned for its pristine setting.
In an effort to preserve this natural beauty, the city in 2008 followed UNEP's recommendation to move the bobsleigh and luge tracks away from the Caucasus nature reserve, which is one of the only mountain areas in Europe that remains virtually untouched by human activity. In changing the venue, organizers stressed that they are committed to creating an "environmental legacy for the future of the region".
"We developed the Sochi 2014 environmental strategy and this will ensure that the ecological situation in the Krasnodar Region is enhanced for generations to come," stressed Chernyshenko at the signing of the agreement.
Best Environmental Techniques and Practices of Sound Chemicals Management Under the Spotlight at Stockholm Convention Meeting
Regional capacity-building training on Best Available Techniques and Best Environmental Practices (BAT and BEP) and the Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is being held this week in a move to strengthen awareness raising initiatives under the chemicals agenda.
Support will be provided to national delegates from various English-speaking countries in Africa that are parties to the Stockholm Convention on POPs. The five-day training session will target BAT and BEP to minimize the release of POPs from unintentional production. Consequently, this will increase national capacity to manage POPs waste, polychlorinated biphenyl or PCB oils and contaminated equipment in an environmentally sound manner.
The workshop is designed to increase knowledge of national obligations regarding the unintentional emissions of POPs and the ESM of PCBs and POPs waste under the Stockholm Convention. The workshop will showcase an electronic training tool on the Basel Convention POPs waste guidelines to foster understanding of the concepts, principles and standards of BAT and BEP.
"It is critical to raise awareness about the best means of reducing the risks to human health and the environment posed by these chemicals," said Dr. Donald Cooper, Executive Secretary of the Stockholm Convention Secretariat on POPs. Dr. Cooper continued, "Sharing best practices and techniques is one effective means of achieving this objective. POPs are chemicals that do not degrade easily; they can cause cancers and other long-term illnesses; they accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and humans and travel across the environment to locations far from their release."
POPs are released in combustion during industrial activities and the burning of garbage and other organic wastes and PCBs are oily chemicals used in the electrical industry in transformers and capacitors to reduce heat transfer. These toxic chemicals have a serious and long-term impact on human health and the environment.
A total of 47 representatives from 24 English-speaking African countries will participate in the regional workshop, which takes place from 15 to 19 June 2009 at the United Nations Environment Programme Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Support will be provided to national delegates from various English-speaking countries in Africa that are parties to the Stockholm Convention on POPs. The five-day training session will target BAT and BEP to minimize the release of POPs from unintentional production. Consequently, this will increase national capacity to manage POPs waste, polychlorinated biphenyl or PCB oils and contaminated equipment in an environmentally sound manner.
The workshop is designed to increase knowledge of national obligations regarding the unintentional emissions of POPs and the ESM of PCBs and POPs waste under the Stockholm Convention. The workshop will showcase an electronic training tool on the Basel Convention POPs waste guidelines to foster understanding of the concepts, principles and standards of BAT and BEP.
"It is critical to raise awareness about the best means of reducing the risks to human health and the environment posed by these chemicals," said Dr. Donald Cooper, Executive Secretary of the Stockholm Convention Secretariat on POPs. Dr. Cooper continued, "Sharing best practices and techniques is one effective means of achieving this objective. POPs are chemicals that do not degrade easily; they can cause cancers and other long-term illnesses; they accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and humans and travel across the environment to locations far from their release."
POPs are released in combustion during industrial activities and the burning of garbage and other organic wastes and PCBs are oily chemicals used in the electrical industry in transformers and capacitors to reduce heat transfer. These toxic chemicals have a serious and long-term impact on human health and the environment.
A total of 47 representatives from 24 English-speaking African countries will participate in the regional workshop, which takes place from 15 to 19 June 2009 at the United Nations Environment Programme Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Gentle Giants in Need: International Experts Issue Frankfurt Declaration to Call for Better Protection of Gorillas
Under the title 'Gentle Giants in need' 160 government officials, experts, corporate representatives and conservationists from 20 countries attended a conference in Frankfurt, 9-10 June to mark the UN Year of the Gorilla, a global campaign to help implement the gorilla agreement. In the "Frankfurt Declaration" they highlighted major threats to gorillas and their habitats, as well as the strategies available for the conservation of the second closest relative to humankind.
In the Declaration delegates appeal to governments, the international community and industrial companies to enhance activities to reduce threats to the remaining gorilla populations in the wild, which can contribute to peace-making and prosperity in Central Africa.
Although gorillas are protected by law in every one of the ten African range states, they are hunted for their meat, which is sold at local markets and abroad. Enforcement of wildlife laws is necessary to control the bushmeat trade. 1 million tons of bushmeat is harvested every year in the Congo Basin alone. The Frankfurt Declaration calls upon the international community and national authorities to enforce laws regulating the taking and trading of gorillas, including the wider bushmeat trade.
Diseases are also a major threat to gorillas, in particular the ebola virus. They can be transmitted through close contact with humans. Tourism however needs to be controlled by national park authorities, which control permits issued for gorilla ecotourism.
Natural resource exploitation can be accelerated by armed conflict, especially when affected local people depend on these resources for food, shelter and income. As a result, addressing mining and other exploitation of natural resources such as coltan, uranium and gold as a major cause for armed conflicts, is central to peace keeping missions and development in the region.
Second only to elephants, gorillas by dispersing seeds, play a key role in maintaining the African rainforests and hence the world's climate. Conserving forests does not only contribute to preserving ecosystems but also underpins efforts to mitigate climate change, reduces poverty and ensures a sustainable supply of energy.
Expanding human settlements and commercial exploitation of forests increases the demand for energy resources. Experts are calling for a comprehensive approach to reducing deforestation along the entire value chain of wood for energy, in which the forestry industry should play a pivotal role. The protection of biodiversity and climate change, poverty alleviation as well as sustainable use of natural resources are closely interlinked. Forests inhabited by gorillas provide ecosystem services and livelihoods to local communities.
Given the huge complexity of the interactions, scientists advocate a comprehensive approach to be undertaken by governments, the scientific community and the industrial companies operating in the Congo Basin to protect forests within their management plans.
Ian Redmond, Ambassador of the UN Year of the Gorilla, said: "The Frankfurt Declaration is an important statement of common purpose and good intent. Its success will depend on the signatories to commit to their pledges."
Gorillas and their habitats have the potential to support post-conflict reconstruction efforts and advance long-term regional economic development through ecotourism. A gorilla can generate indirectly US$ 4 million during its life time. In Rwanda and Uganda tourism has developed into the leading contributor to the national economy exceeding the tea and coffee exports.
Serapio Rekundo, Ugandan Minister for Tourism said: "The total revenue of Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks increased by almost 80% between 2005 and 2008. In addition to providing a boost to the national economy, gorilla tracking can even support wildlife conservation in other Protected Areas."
Robert Hepworth, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Bonn Convention (UNEP/CMS) said: "We must use all the means at our disposal to halt threats to gorillas and preserve forests as carbon sinks. Local communities need our support as guardians of these animals using revenues from gorilla tours. Following the focus on the conservation of mountain gorillas preventing them from extinction, we need to expand this approach to the lowland gorillas and to other migratory animals. "
The conference has been held to mark the UN Year of the Gorilla and the 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Co-organisers include the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and Frankfurt Zoo.
Notes to Editors
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP / CMS or Bonn Convention) develops inter-governmental agreements and action plans for the protection of endangered migratory animals and ensures its implementation. In June 2008, the international CMS Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and their Habitats entered into force. It provides a legal framework that will reinforce and integrate conservation efforts and has been signed by six of the ten gorilla range states so far.
Supporting the implementation of the Gorilla Agreement is the overarching goal of the Year of the Gorilla 2009.Together with its partners, the UNEP / UNESCO Partnership for the survival of great apes (GRASP) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Bonn Convention 2009 at year of the gorilla says.
The Year of the Gorilla (YoG) is a joint initiative of the UNEP-CMS, the UNEP/UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Great Ape Survival Partnership (GRASP) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). CMS has 110 governments supporting as Parties
In the Declaration delegates appeal to governments, the international community and industrial companies to enhance activities to reduce threats to the remaining gorilla populations in the wild, which can contribute to peace-making and prosperity in Central Africa.
Although gorillas are protected by law in every one of the ten African range states, they are hunted for their meat, which is sold at local markets and abroad. Enforcement of wildlife laws is necessary to control the bushmeat trade. 1 million tons of bushmeat is harvested every year in the Congo Basin alone. The Frankfurt Declaration calls upon the international community and national authorities to enforce laws regulating the taking and trading of gorillas, including the wider bushmeat trade.
Diseases are also a major threat to gorillas, in particular the ebola virus. They can be transmitted through close contact with humans. Tourism however needs to be controlled by national park authorities, which control permits issued for gorilla ecotourism.
Natural resource exploitation can be accelerated by armed conflict, especially when affected local people depend on these resources for food, shelter and income. As a result, addressing mining and other exploitation of natural resources such as coltan, uranium and gold as a major cause for armed conflicts, is central to peace keeping missions and development in the region.
Second only to elephants, gorillas by dispersing seeds, play a key role in maintaining the African rainforests and hence the world's climate. Conserving forests does not only contribute to preserving ecosystems but also underpins efforts to mitigate climate change, reduces poverty and ensures a sustainable supply of energy.
Expanding human settlements and commercial exploitation of forests increases the demand for energy resources. Experts are calling for a comprehensive approach to reducing deforestation along the entire value chain of wood for energy, in which the forestry industry should play a pivotal role. The protection of biodiversity and climate change, poverty alleviation as well as sustainable use of natural resources are closely interlinked. Forests inhabited by gorillas provide ecosystem services and livelihoods to local communities.
Given the huge complexity of the interactions, scientists advocate a comprehensive approach to be undertaken by governments, the scientific community and the industrial companies operating in the Congo Basin to protect forests within their management plans.
Ian Redmond, Ambassador of the UN Year of the Gorilla, said: "The Frankfurt Declaration is an important statement of common purpose and good intent. Its success will depend on the signatories to commit to their pledges."
Gorillas and their habitats have the potential to support post-conflict reconstruction efforts and advance long-term regional economic development through ecotourism. A gorilla can generate indirectly US$ 4 million during its life time. In Rwanda and Uganda tourism has developed into the leading contributor to the national economy exceeding the tea and coffee exports.
Serapio Rekundo, Ugandan Minister for Tourism said: "The total revenue of Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks increased by almost 80% between 2005 and 2008. In addition to providing a boost to the national economy, gorilla tracking can even support wildlife conservation in other Protected Areas."
Robert Hepworth, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Bonn Convention (UNEP/CMS) said: "We must use all the means at our disposal to halt threats to gorillas and preserve forests as carbon sinks. Local communities need our support as guardians of these animals using revenues from gorilla tours. Following the focus on the conservation of mountain gorillas preventing them from extinction, we need to expand this approach to the lowland gorillas and to other migratory animals. "
The conference has been held to mark the UN Year of the Gorilla and the 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Co-organisers include the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and Frankfurt Zoo.
Notes to Editors
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP / CMS or Bonn Convention) develops inter-governmental agreements and action plans for the protection of endangered migratory animals and ensures its implementation. In June 2008, the international CMS Agreement on the Conservation of Gorillas and their Habitats entered into force. It provides a legal framework that will reinforce and integrate conservation efforts and has been signed by six of the ten gorilla range states so far.
Supporting the implementation of the Gorilla Agreement is the overarching goal of the Year of the Gorilla 2009.Together with its partners, the UNEP / UNESCO Partnership for the survival of great apes (GRASP) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Bonn Convention 2009 at year of the gorilla says.
The Year of the Gorilla (YoG) is a joint initiative of the UNEP-CMS, the UNEP/UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's Great Ape Survival Partnership (GRASP) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). CMS has 110 governments supporting as Parties
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