Displaying items by tag: Environment

Oil leaking from a capsized barge off Tobago's coast has spread hundreds of miles, reaching the island of Bonaire. It is now regarded as a serious threat to both humans and the environment. The barge, of unknown ownership, ran aground on 7 February, for reasons which are unclear. Investigations suggest it had previously stopped in Venezuela, and possibly was leaking oil from 3 February. Trinidad and Tobago declared a national emergency on 11 February, with ongoing efforts to contain the spill. Satellite images showed the slick extending into Grenada's marine area by 14 February; now the east coast of Bonaire, including vital ecosystems like mangroves, fish, and coral, has been contaminated. There is particular concern for the mangroves, which are among the best preserved in the Caribbean. Despite efforts at containment, oil continues to leak from the barge.

A group led by Sunita Chaudhary are repurposing discarded mountain climbing ropes into handcrafted items like jewellery boxes and table mats. These ropes, once vital for climbers but later discarded, are now collected as part of an initiative to clean up mountain waste. Chaudhary, a skilled craftswoman from the Tharu community, transforms these materials using traditional techniques. The Himalayas accumulate vast amounts of waste from mountaineering activities, estimated at nearly 140,000 tons on Mount Everest alone. Government-led campaigns dispose of biodegradable waste securely and recycle non-biodegradable materials. However, recycling mountain climbing ropes proved challenging until Shilshila Acharya, an advocate for sustainable waste management, connected with a local waste-processing business and Chaudhary's team. This initiative aims to integrate local expertise, mountain waste, and the local economy, ensuring that waste collected from mountains like Everest avoids landfills in the future.

A new database by Malaysian climate watchdog RimbaWatch has shown that despite global efforts to combat climate change, Southeast Asian countries are still planning to develop numerous fossil fuel projects, which could significantly increase carbon emissions. These planned projects could lead to a surge in emissions, posing a major challenge to the region's commitment to reduce greenhouse gases. This is the first time that an assessment of the carbon cost has been made in the region: RimbaWatch has used the data available from the fossil fuel companies themselves, such as the Malaysian giant Petronas. The report also emphasises the urgent need for transparency and accountability in assessing the environmental impact of these projects. It calls for greater scrutiny and regulation to ensure that the countries align their development plans with global climate goals and prioritise sustainable energy alternatives.

Labour has halved its commitment to green investments, reducing its annual pledge from £28bn to less than £15bn. This decision, a significant shift under Keir Starmer's leadership, has caused unrest among environmentalists, unions, and some in the energy sector. Only one-third of the revised budget, announced by Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, represents new funding. The reduction aims to mitigate Conservative criticism about excessive borrowing, yet it has angered environmental groups who argue it increases long-term costs and hinders achieving green objectives. The Unite union criticised Labour for aligning too closely with Conservative policies, while the energy sector expressed concern over diminished ambitions for UK energy. Starmer justified the decision by citing changed economic circumstances since the initial announcement in 2021, including high interest rates and government debt concerns. The revised plan includes £4.7bn yearly on green projects, complementing existing government commitments. Labour MPs have expressed relief at the change, despite the reduced financial commitment. Environmental campaigners, however, are disappointed, pointing out the challenge of meeting energy targets with less funding.

Novaya Urada, a village in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan, has deep roots in livestock farming and each year draws tourists hoping to photograph a vibrant poppy field nearby. However, responding to an escalating rubbish crisis, the authorities have started work on a landfill site near the village, expected to receive 300 tons of non-recyclable rubbish a year - even though there will also be three new waste-processing facilities in the republic this year. Despite initial assurances that they had nothing to worry about, residents are fighting determinedly against the dump, citing lack of consultation and environmental impact assessment. They say that construction has already destroyed the beloved poppy field and is threatening the nearby Sarykum Dune, home to rare flora and fauna.

At the end of COP28, nations have made a historic move by explicitly targeting the use of fossil fuels for the first time. The talks in Dubai came close to collapse, but in a dramatic turn-around, nations agreed to ‘transition away’ from coal, oil, and gas, although some small island nations felt the deal was rushed. The agreement departed from earlier, stronger language advocating for a ‘phase-out’ of fossil fuels, probably because of pressure from oil-producing nations. The deal recognises the need to transition away from fossil fuels ‘in a just, orderly and equitable manner.’ It also acknowledges that global emissions could peak before 2025. Despite criticisms and challenges for a variety of reasons, the deal (which is seen as a victory for Sultan al-Jaber, the conference’s president) was accepted by all participating nations.

The UN climate change conference in Dubai, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, is on the verge of a significant breakthrough in addressing climate change. The UAE negotiating team expresses 'cautious optimism' that COP28 will commit to gradually reducing and possibly eliminating fossil fuels over the coming decades. This is a remarkable shift, as fossil fuels were rarely discussed at previous climate conferences until COP26 in Glasgow in 2021, where the focus was on phasing down coal. While the commitment in Dubai may not set a specific expiry date for fossil fuel use and will probably allow for ‘abated’ fossil fuels with carbon capture, it represents a historic acknowledgment of the need to address the primary source of climate change. Sultan al-Jaber, COP28 president and head of UAE state oil company Adnoc, has been advocating for a fossil fuel phase-out; this underscores the significance of addressing climate change even in such a major oil-producing country. Interestingly, the number of delegates representing fossil fuel interests has quadrupled compared to COP27: see

Pope Francis has announced that due to health concerns he will be unable to attend the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, which will run from 30 November to 12 December. The Pope has been an advocate for environmental protection and climate action, and his absence from the conference is seen as a setback to efforts to address climate change on a global scale. The Vatican is investigating whether there is any way he could contribute to COP28 remotely. Representatives of 197 nations will be attending the conference, and among notable participants will be King Charles III, Rishi Sunak, and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

President Sultan al-Jaber has denied allegations that the UAE plans to use the COP28 climate summit to negotiate oil and gas deals with other nations, as reported by the BBC on 27 November. Leaked briefing documents indicated the UAE's intention to discuss fossil fuel agreements with fifteen countries during the summit. The documents revealed proposed talking points for various countries, including China, Colombia, Germany, and Egypt, regarding fossil fuel collaboration. Mr Jaber, who is also the CEO of UAE's state oil company, Adnoc, and renewables business, Masdar, dismissed the allegations, calling them false and inaccurate. The controversy raises concerns about the intersection of climate goals and fossil fuel interests. The hope is that COP28 will help limit the long-term global temperature rise to 1.5C, which the UN's climate science body says is crucial to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. But that will require drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions - a 43% reduction by 2030 from 2019 levels.

The global oil and gas industry faces a critical juncture at the upcoming UN climate talks (COP28), according to Dr Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA). She emphasised that the sector must make a pivotal choice between exacerbating the climate crisis or actively contributing to its resolution. Last year, fossil fuel companies allocated a mere 1% of global investment to renewable energy. At COP28, the IEA intends to exert pressure on participating governments to agree on measures for reducing fossil fuel usage. Dr Birol stressed that a successful transition to clean energy necessitates reduced demand for oil and gas, requiring the scaling back of fossil fuel operations. Meeting climate goals involves embracing carbon capture technology while simultaneously reducing emissions, but currently carbon capture capacity worldwide is insufficient to meet these objectives. The fossil fuel industry, although a major investor in carbon capture and storage, is being strongly criticised for its inadequate investment in renewable energy.