August 2019 Blue, Green Economy, Climate Change News and Developments JAD

Highlights Blue Economy

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1908/S00099/blue-economy-focus-of-cawthron-symposium.htm

unday, 4 August 2019, 2:57 pmPress Release: Cawthron InstituteBlue economy focus of Cawthron symposium

A gathering of scientists, central and local government officials, and industry and iwi representatives in Nelson this week will discuss ways to broaden existing sheltered water aquaculture with open ocean aquaculture.

New Zealand’s largest independent science organisation, Cawthron Institute, is hosting its inaugural Open Oceans Aquaculture Symposium, “Unlocking the Potential of our Oceans”, which will discuss the ways open ocean aquaculture developments in shellfish, seaweed and finfish farming could revolutionise New Zealand’s aquaculture industry.

The symposium is being held from 5-7 August 2019 at the Rutherford Hotel in Nelson, New Zealand.

Cawthron Institute CEO Professor Charles Eason says farming in the exposed ocean environment is the new frontier in global aquaculture and as stewards of an enormous ocean estate, open ocean aquaculture affords New Zealand the best opportunity to grow its blue economy.

“Leading science and engineering, combined with industry expertise and grounded by environmental stewardship will help build our knowledge base to ensure we approach open ocean aquaculture in a way that is innovative and sustainable,” says Professor Eason. “By combining appropriate environmental and site planning with smart farming systems, we can sustainably realise the value of our vast open ocean resources, as well as create jobs and futures for many people.

“Cawthron has a strong group of researchers that have been involved in open ocean aquaculture for more than 10 years. We are advancing open ocean aquaculture technology through the development of new tools and methods and through our long-standing collaborative relationships with local and international experts.”

Cawthron’s Open Oceans Aquaculture Symposium is a unique opportunity to bring together industry and global research leaders to discuss ways to boost New Zealand’s open ocean aquaculture potential, Eason says. “There is a lot of interest in the symposium, and we are happy that more than 200 people will be attending.

“Aquaculture in New Zealand is still some way from reaching its full potential,” says Professor Eason. “During this symposium we will be discussing and highlighting technological advancements from both New Zealand scientists and global research leaders, as well as the social, environmental and economic aspects of open ocean aquaculture. Aquaculture provides an effective way to help sustainably meet the increasing global demand for protein and other high-value products.”

The Open Oceans Aquaculture Symposium will bring to New Zealand experts from Norway, Germany, USA, Chile and Australia, all of whom have collaborated with Cawthron scientists to support Cawthron’s growing open ocean capabilities.

Among the speakers is one of Cawthron’s aquaculture specialists Kevin Heasman, who has presented internationally on open ocean aquaculture and who is leading development of the methods to farm shellfish and seaweed in the open ocean, as well as marine scientists Chris Cornelisen and Paul Barter, who will present on the essential technologies needed for open ocean aquaculture.

ENDS

For more details about the symposium and to register go to www.openoceans.nz

About Cawthron Institute:

Cawthron Institute is New Zealand's largest independent science organisation, offering a broad spectrum of services to help protect the environment and support sustainable development of primary industries.

Based in the Nelson Tasman region, Cawthron works with regional councils, government departments, major industries, private companies, and other research organisations throughout New Zealand and around the world. Cawthron is a diverse organisation employing more than 250 scientists, laboratory technicians, researchers and specialist staff from 26 countries.

Cawthron’s scientists have expertise in aquaculture research, marine and freshwater resource management, food safety and quality, algal technologies, biosecurity and analytical testing. Its ground-breaking science is supported by substantial testing and research laboratories, state-of-the-art technology and a purpose-built aquaculture park. The Cawthron Aquaculture Park also houses a recently-opened Finfish Research Centre designed to deliver commercially-relevant science to enable improved stock management and husbandry and support the development and growth of the finfish aquaculture industry.

Cawthron’s future developments include its upcoming National Algae Research Centre which will enable Cawthron to expand its internationally-recognised work in the rapidly growing algae sector and create value for existing and future partners. Cawthron has more than 30 years of expertise in algae research, from microscopic level through to the impact of algae in our marine ecosystems, and is one of only a few organisations worldwide to specialise in extracting high-value bioactive compounds from algae. Construction of the Centre is scheduled to begin by October 2020.

For more information go to www.cawthron.org.nz

https://www.the-star.co.ke/business/2019-08-06-screening-for-cruise-ship-jobs-begins/

This comes after last month's MoU with the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for employment of Kenyans on their cruise and cargo ships.

•Interested candidates are invited to appear for interview from 7-9 August, 2019 at the Bandari Maritime Academy.

Kenya Maritime Authority headquarters in Mombasa.Kenya Maritime Authority headquarters in Mombasa. Image: FILEThe government has kicked-off a recruitment drive for cruise ship jobs in the latest move aimed at tapping gains in the maritime sector.

This comes after last month's agreement with the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for employment of Kenyans on their cruise and cargo ships.

Kenya Maritime Authority(KMA) and the Seafarers Union of Kenya(SUK) are conducting the screening.

MSC is targeting kitchen stewards, stewardesses, waiters, waitresses, cooks, bakers, buffet attendants, cleaners, entertainers,animators and cruise staff, for its cruise (hotel) department.

“Interested candidates are invited to appear for interview from 7-9 August, 2019 at the Bandari Maritime Academy,” the State Department of Shipping and Maritime said in a public notice yesterday.

On July 8, President Uhuru Kenyatta commissioned the Bandari Maritime Academy in Mombasa, where he also flagged off 62 seafarers out of the 119 that have been recruited by MSC,where 40 of them have already been assigned a ship by the global firm.

The government is seeking to create more jobs for the youth as it moves to tap more economic benefits from the blue economy.

“Seafaring provides decent job prospects for Kenyan youth, this new recruitment move is testimony to the quality and skills of Kenyan Youth and the hard work the 137 current seafarers and the four cadets on MSC Cruise vessels have so far demonstrated,” Shipping and Maritime PS Nancy Karigithu said yesterday.

Meanwhile, plans are underway to revive the Kenya National Shipping Line(KNSL) with support from MSC.

The agreement with MSC is expected to further facilitate growth of traffic throughput at the second container terminal at the Port of Mombasa to over one million TEUs, create 2,000 seafarer jobs and 1,500 sea-time training opportunities annually.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC1908/S00005/115-million-project-to-revolutionise-ocean-forecasting.htm

$11.5 million project to revolutionise ocean forecasting launches

A bold new project that will revolutionise New Zealand’s ability to comprehensively measure, monitor and predict the state of our oceans, was launched on Tuesday [30 July].

New Zealand’s leading experts in oceanography joined MetService and eastern Bay of Plenty iwi Whakatōhea for the launch of the Moana Project at Omarumutu Marae in Ōpōitki.

MetService’s Chief Executive Peter Lennox says the launch marks the initiation of the $11.5 million, five year research project, which is funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Endeavour Fund.

The project, which was spearhead by MetService’s oceanography division MetOcean Solutions, will greatly enhance New Zealand’s understanding of our changing oceans.

“We’ll be creating a number of tools that will make New Zealand a world leader in ocean forecasting. To make this happen, we’ve brought together all of New Zealand’s oceanographic research institutions and will be combining their expertise and research with indigenous knowledge.”

General Manager MetOcean Solutions Dr Brett Beamsley says, New Zealand’s oceans are very poorly understood, and with rising ocean temperatures this is compounded.

“As an island nation New Zealander’s derive wellbeing and wealth from the oceans that surround us. To protect these benefits for future generations, we need to better understand our marine environment.”

“The Moana Project will greatly advance understanding of marine heatwaves, ocean circulation, and connectivity, enabling us to better protect and manage the marine environment and its resource,” says Dr Beamsley.

The Moana Project’s Programme Director and MetService’s Head of Research Partnerships Professor Moninya Roughan says New Zealand sits in a hotspot of ocean warming.

“The Tasman Sea is warming at one of the fastest rates on Earth, up to three times the global average. The research from the Moana Project will help understand the impact this has on our kaimoana (seafood) and in terms of species movement and abundance.“

This project combines mātauranga Māori with science. Iwi partners Whakatōhea will bring their traditional and contemporary oceanographic knowledge and aquaculture experience to the project.

Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, Chair Robert Edwards says the Whakatōhea iwi has been living in the Ōpōtiki area for approximately 900 years and has built its indigenous knowledge systems around the land and sea over generations.

“With the development of our off-shore mussel farm in Whakatōhea rohe moana, we take responsibility for ensuring we know as much as we can regarding future issues that could impact the water space to enable our role as kaitiaki.

“The sea temperatures are rising, and this project will help all, Māori and non-Māori, understand the impact it will have on our kaimoana now and into the future,” says Robert Edwards.

MBIE Manager Contestable Investments, Dr Max Kennedy says this impressive project combines cutting-edge science and innovation, with Mātauranga Māori that will be applied to provide tools that protect the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

“Our seafood sector alone is worth more than $4 billion annually to New Zealand’s economy and its resources are directly threatened by rising ocean temperatures and marine heatwaves.

“The project will shed new light on how to safeguard the sustainability of our blue economy. In doing so it will allow for informed evidence-based decision making to be made across a whole range of economic, environmental and social applications,” says Dr Kennedy.

The project will partner with the seafood sector to develop low-cost ocean sensors that will revolutionise ocean data collection.

The sensors created by Nelson company Zebra-Tech, will be deployed throughout New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone with support from the commercial fishing sector’s fleet.

“This has never been done before. It’s like crowdsourcing but to get a huge amount of ocean temperature data,” says Professor Roughan.

The ocean forecasting model developed through the Moana Project will bring in historical and new data focused on New Zealand waters.

“To date ocean forecasters and industries have had to rely on models and satellites operated by other countries. We’ve been missing fine-scale resolution, and these models haven’t been attuned to New Zealand coastal ocean characteristics,” says Professor Roughan.

“Through the Moana Project we will fill that huge gap and make the results accessible to everyone – through an open access tool.”

http://www.statehouse.gov.sc/index.php/speeches/4543/keynote-address-by-president-danny-faure-for-the-official-launching-ceremony-of-vision-2033-and-the-national-development-strategy-2019-2023-monday-05th-august-2019

https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth-sciences/is-the-blue-economy-sustainable

Is the Blue Economy sustainable?Australian researchers are exploring ways to create sustainable maritime industries, while also keeping our oceans healthy. Natalie Parletta reports.

Economic, social and environmental needs are in sharp focus in tourism hot spots such as Australia’s Airlie Beach.

SHAN.SHIHAN/GETTY IMAGES“Blue Economy” has become a popular buzz word over the past decade. Drawing from the notion of a “Green Economy”, it refers to the control of the Earth’s oceans and marine life. But the concept of a blue economy has different, and often conflicting, meanings for different people, resulting in incompatible or blurred definitions and applications.

The conflicts revolve mainly around a drive to make profits from the sea – largely through emerging and traditional large-scale industrial developments – versus environmental sustainability and local community needs.

People are turning to the oceans as terrestrial reserves become depleted. But this precious resource is also suffering the effects of human activities, including climate change, acidification, overfishing, pollution and much more.

Covering two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, oceans are vital for planetary and human health. Not only do they help to buffer the impacts of climate change, these delicate ecosystems also provide habitats for millions of species, more than half the oxygen we breathe and food for more than a billion people.

Essentially, our survival depends on healthy seas.

Commercial fishing has led to the depletion of many fish species.

MICHELLE VOYERThe ideal model of a blue economy, therefore, is built around “triple bottom line” decision making, integrating economic, social and environmental needs for optimal benefits all round. With a holistic definition in place, the next step is to make it a tangible reality.

A large team of researchers around the South Coast of New South Wales is one emerging cluster that is exploring ways to put the theory of a sustainable blue economy into practice.

It aims to “tap into the excitement and general buzz around the concept, but think about its application in a way that really taps into some of those core values of community engagement, social equity, and of course, environmental protection and maintaining ecological integrity,” explains project leader Michelle Voyer, from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security.

More than 20 academics have come together for the project under the University of Wollongong’s Global Challenges Program, coming from disciplines as diverse as marine biology, arts and humanities, social sciences, engineering and law.

This might sound bigger than Ben-Hur.

“That’s very much part of the challenge,” says Voyer. “In ocean-based management, we tend to think about things in silos. The people who look at shipping look at shipping, people who look at fisheries look at fisheries and same for all the other sectors.

“The blue economy is big picture, and it is thinking about, across all these different sectors, how do we think about their management in a more integrated way?”

To illustrate, Voyer describes some work she did with a colleague involved in nutrition and food security in Timor to explore possible opportunities. The region could, for example, draw on their resources to grow export-based fisheries, or build their international tourism markets. How would these activities impact local food security?

“Some of these crossovers are really interesting to pull apart and to get a sense of, who wins and who loses in all these different scenarios that the blue economy might encourage or facilitate,” she explains.

Since the global challenges project’s inception about two years ago, the team developed a stakeholder working group following a large forum that included industry and government representatives, as well as local Indigenous communities, to nut out where to go with the concept.

Linking to maritime industries across the globe, Voyer has also worked with the World Ocean Council, an international collaboration that brings together scientific and industry leaders to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in ocean development.

As part of her involvement, she compiled a report derived from interviews with different marine industries: Social license to operate and the blue economy. The driving theme is that social acceptability of traditional and emerging industry activities in the ocean is essential for their success within a blue economy.

“It really points to the importance of participatory planning exercises,” Voyer says, “which engage with some of those big questions about what we want our future ocean to look like and what uses do we think are okay to continue in the ocean.”

Closer to home, her team recently put this next step into action with an interactive online story map, aiming to bring community stakeholders and innovators to the table.

“Alright, let’s get a sense of what’s happening in this space right now and that gives us a bit of a picture of where we could possibly go with it,” Voyer explains.

The website welcomes viewers with the question, “When you look across the ocean… Do you think about the future?”

It envisages a blue future for southern NSW, defined as “sustainable jobs, incomes and security for our coastal communities.”

“It also means preserving the things that make us unique: our heritage, diversity, culture and traditions.

“A blue future will embrace innovative technology and skills to achieve economic, environmental and social sustainability.”

Minnamurra River is the base for the Blue Carbon Futures project.

MICHELLE VOYERIt is “diverse, sustainable, emotionally meaningful and connected to Indigenous and community knowledges. It values cultural, social and spiritual connections and generates meaningful and hopeful futures for all who engage with the coastal environment.”

Members of the public are encouraged to share ideas and brainstorm ventures they would like to see in the region. As far as existing initiatives, the site has already mapped 40 stories under the themes of

social and cultural significance, environmental sustainability, innovation and economic potential, and effective governance.

Stories are as diverse as they are innovative, ranging from “eco-board” production for surf enthusiasts, historical relics of the coastal community and a local fishing tale, to using seaweed extracts for wound healing and “green engineering” technologies to print 3D habitats that maximize shellfish diversity.

Others tell of ecotourism, “cruise ship ambassadors” who greet visitors to the region, public Indigenous artwork to support bush regeneration, using oysters to purify water, and innovations in creating nutritious seaweed food products and equipment for solar sailor ferries.

Globally, other examples of collaborations in the blue economy space include San Diego, the Port of Rotterdam, and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa, all of which can provide valuable insights and lessons as workable paradigms evolve that generate healthy economies, healthy communities and healthy oceans.

Ultimately, the South Coast team aims to explore the evolution of maritime clusters as a way to bring together small and medium enterprises with similar interests, and potentially clients, to achieve the economies of scale that come from collaborating and sharing resources, Voyer explains.

“In the long term, by applying this model to other regions reliant on the ocean, such as the Pacific Islands, there is the chance that the lives of millions of people could be improved as well as the health of our beautiful ocean resource.”

This story was originally published on Forbes. Read the original article here.

https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2019/07/18/maldives-ventures-into-the-blue-economy/

Maldives Ventures into the Blue EconomyMD Staff Published 4 weeks ago on July 18, 2019 By MD StaffWetlands and marine ecosystems in Maldives are rich in biodiversity and have immense recreational value and act as bulwarks against coastal erosion. Photo: World Bank 0 CommentsAlmost half of Maldives’s population and more than 70 percent of its critical infrastructure lie within 100 meters of its shoreline

This close proximity to the ocean makes the island nation a prime location to benefit from the Blue Economy, which refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and better lives.

But with 1,190 coral islands scattered over 90,000 square kilometers, Maldives’ dispersed geography also provides unique challenges.

Water is a prime example.

While almost all residents of the capital city Male’ have access to safe water, this proportion drops to 15 percent for those living in outer atolls.

Research predicts that per capita groundwater and rainwater availability will decline by 34 percent by 2035 while demand will continue to increase.

To make matters worse, rising sea levels caused by climate change will likely further foul water as saltwater seeps into the ground in many areas.

Sewage and a growing amount of waste also threaten the pristine environment that contributes to tourism revenues.

Preserving wetlands and marine ecosystems

To preserve its shores and boost its burgeoning blue economy, Maldives’ Ministry of Environment is implementing the Coastal Protection Projects with support from the World Bank.

The projects focus on protecting coral reef and coastal wetlands, which are rich in biodiversity and have immense recreational value and act as bulwarks against coastal erosion.

The Maldives boasts over 250 species of corals and 41 islands with unique wetland ecosystems.

Since it started in 2013, the Coastal Protection Unit in the Ministry of Environment and Energy has completed projects on fifteen different islands.

By protecting these marine ecosystems and its fauna, Maldives is also protecting two sectors, tourism and fisheries, which contribute almost 80 percent to its economy.

Building on these efforts, the government has also committed to modernizing fisheries and preventing overfishing while also exploring the massive potential of mariculture to help diversify the sector.

Managing waste better

Solid waste has reached unsustainable levels in Maldives, threatening its pristine environment.

The country’s resort islands and its international airport generate nearly six times the waste produced by local populations.

Untreated sewage contaminates groundwater: A 2010 survey in 70 islands reported that water was not suitable for drinking in almost all of them.

Innovative solid and liquid waste management is urgent as Maldives currently does not have policies or regulations in place to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in its industries and agriculture

The Government of Maldives is keen to implement a national solid waste management strategy to increase bulk water uptake as an alternative to plastic bottles as well as promote recycling and reuse.

The capital city Malé, which is home to one-third of the population, shows that achieving environmental sustainability is possible. All residents are connected to a sewerage system and universal access to sanitation has been achieved.

Now, the World Bank is supporting the construction of a sewerage treatment plant in Hulhumalé, in the south of the North Male Atoll, to prevent untreated sewage from being released into the ocean.

Overall, out of 186 islands, 66 have adequate sewer facilities, while work on 27 other islands is ongoing.

The Maldives is turning obstacles into opportunities to boost its blue economy and create a more sustainable future for its citizens.

World Bank

he Blue EconomyNikola Simpson and Jawanza Small,

Added 01 August 2019

Printnikola-simpsonMarine biologist Nikola- Simpson. (GP)

MORE ARTICLESVAT on transactions delayed again Read More Investors’ confidence ‘coming back’ Read More Reifer ‘pulls up’ middle order Read More Call to rethink sports funding Read More Wanted: A more efficient airport Read More Low-hanging fruit for all Read More Call for fresh songs in teen contest Read MoreIt has no boundaries. It is something that we all share. It is what connects us all. It is - Our Ocean.

Our island has a culture deeply rooted in the Ocean. Browne's Beach. Sunday Morning. Mrs Brathwaite having her sea bath; Mr Jones casting his net for bait; people exercising (whether walking the beach, playing beach tennis or training); catamaran boats, swimming with the turtles and snorkelling on the wrecks; dive boats scuba diving in Carlisle Bay; restaurants with beach chairs filled with tourists and locals; teaching kids how to swim; a fishing boat in the distance; a cruise ship docking to the West.

This is the Blue Economy.

From much of the air that we breathe, to the food that we eat and the jobs, livelihoods, goods and services provided, our ocean deserves some credit. From fisheries to tourism, transport, trade, medicine, coastal protection, mitigation of impacts of climate change and absorption of greenhouse gases, the ocean is the lifeblood of the planet.

With oceans and seas covering over two-thirds of the earth’s surface, they play a significant role in the sustainable development, economic growth and livelihoodsof small island developing states (SIDS) such as Barbados.

Unfortunately, human activity is placing pressure on the health of this natural resource. Facing a diversity of threats, ranging from habitat degradation caused by nutrient, chemical and plastic land-based and marine sources of pollution, overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices, to impacts of climate change such as rising sea levels and increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, our ocean is in peril. However, there is hope as the ocean is now getting the attention that it deserves.

The Blue Economy is an emerging concept that encourages better stewardship of our ocean or ‘blue resources’, seeks to promote economic growth, social inclusion and improvement of livelihoods, while

at the same time ensuring environmental sustainability. It covers established oceans-related sectors such as fisheries, maritime transport, shipbuilding and tourism, as well as new and emerging industries, including renewable ocean energy and biotechnology.

world-bank-blue-economy

Globally, the Blue Economy is a trillion dollar industry annually with more than 3 billion people relying on the ocean for their livelihoods and directly providing over 30 million jobs. In the Caribbean region, the ocean and its related resources are a fundamental base on which our economies are built and are central to our delivery of many international agreements and commitments, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Days after winning the general election in May 2018, the Prime Minister of Barbados announced the establishment of a Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy. This was a significant move for Barbados making the island one of the few countries in the World to have a Ministry dedicated to the Blue Economy. Fast forward to the present and we see the effect of this new Ministry taking shape under the leadership of Minister Kirk Humphrey and his team.

Much needed upgrades to the fish markets are in progress, coral restoration is actively being addressed, the expansion of the island’s marine managed areas is set to take place and there is a strategy to not only manage the sargassum influx but turn this problem into profit. The island, led by this Ministry also banned a list of petroleum based single use plastic.

Also of notable mention are the interest of international agencies and development partners to collaborate on and support projects such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Ocean Economy and Trade Strategies (OETS) project.

In addition, Ten Habitat’s selected proposal of the IDB Blue Tech Challenge will use blockchain technology to enhance the tuna supply chain which could both potentially support the expansion of the fisheries sector by reducing imports and increasing exports. There is also a Fish Waste Silage Project which will aim to convert unutilised parts of fish into safe products for livestock and aquaculture consumption.

More recently, there have been meetings to set up a Conservation Trust Fund and look at the potential of a debt for nature swap with the Nature Conservancy. Barbados is also in the process of signing on to the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance and supports the Commonwealth Blue Charter which further shows the country’s commitment to protecting the marine space.

The new Accelerator Lab hosted within the UNDP Sub-Regional Office for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) will focus on the Blue Economy with this Blue Lab being a part of the largest and fastest learning network around development challenges.

With a maritime space 400 times larger than the land space and with such a heavy reliance on ocean resources for our tourism industry, fishing industry, and our access to imported products through seaport activity, our potential to gain from an economy centered around the development of ocean resources is significant. How can we continue to sustainably use and develop existing sectors such as fisheries and tourism while also looking at emerging sectors such as offshore renewable energy?

Is the Blue just the Green repackaged? We must not forget all of the work done over the past years in the Green Economy and how interconnected the Blue and Green are. Regardless of colour, our country is on a trajectory to sustainable development. Barbados is re-establishing itself on the world stage, finding our voice again and having a say in issues that matter. There is still much to be done in order to manage and finance the ocean space but the journey has begun.

If you eat fish, if you are a fisherfolk, if you work in tourism, if you rely on goods that get to Barbados on a ship, if you go to the beach, if you fete on a party boat, you are part of the Blue Economy. Everyone is the Blue Economy. It is time that we respect and protect the Ocean that supports us.

Please share your comments below or email: info@sustainable-caribbean.com and stay tuned for next week’s blog where we will look at one of the key areas of the Blue Economy: the fisheries sector.

https://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/2019/07/26/oecs-to-establish-green-blue-economy-strategy-and-action-plan-with-canari/

OECS to establish green-blue economy strategy and action plan with CANARIJuly 26, 20190

CASTRIES, St Lucia — The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) green-blue economy strategy and action plan, the first of its kind in the Caribbean and globally to combine green and blue economy strategies for sustainable development, will be advanced under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in June 2019 between the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and the OECS Commission.

CANARI will work with the OECS to develop and implement the strategy and action plan, which will keep the OECS at the forefront of global dialogues on sustainable development in a small island context.

A green economy is one which minimises ecosystem degradation and is low carbon, resource-efficient and socially equitable. Within this, a blue economy focuses specifically on coastal and marine resources. In an OECS green-blue economy, growth in employment and income levels is driven by investment into economic activities, assets, and natural infrastructure which conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services that are critical to OECS countries and territories.

Director-General of the OECS Commission, Dr Didacus Jules, noted:

“With limited financial, environmental and human resources, and with the devastating impacts of climate change already being felt in the Eastern Caribbean, now more than ever the OECS needs to focus on future solutions that enable economic growth while preserving invaluable biodiversity and improving the region’s resilience to natural disasters and climate change.”

Development of the OECS green-blue economy strategy and action plan was mandated by the OECS council of ministers for environmental sustainability to build on the 2018 diagnostic study by CANARI entitled exploring opportunities for transformation to inclusive, sustainable and resilient economies in the Eastern Caribbean, which was supported by a grant from the European Union. 

Developing a clear programme of policies for greening priority economic sectors and creating enabling regulatory, fiscal and financing policies and programmes which support micro, small and medium enterprises were among the recommendations emerging from the study. 

The study’s findings were highlighted in a CANARI policy brief and the Eastern Caribbean green economy barometer 2018 published by the green economy coalition, the world’s largest movement for green and fair economies, for which CANARI serves as the Caribbean hub. CANARI’s current work with OECS and others in the Caribbean is being supported by the European Union (DCI-ENV/2016/372-847). 

Key government agencies and other stakeholders in OECS countries and territories will be engaged by CANARI to develop strategies and actions to capitalise on green and blue economy opportunities in the OECS that are equitable, conserve ecosystems, build resilience and improve the lives and livelihoods of Eastern Caribbean people.

The OECS green-blue economy strategy and action plan will be presented to the OECS economic affairs council and the council of ministers for environmental sustainability in early 2020. This will improve the ability of the OECS to access global funding for climate change resilience and direct foreign and local investment towards inclusive and sustainable economic activities.

The MOU runs from 2019 to 2022 and will support other ongoing work by CANARI with the OECS, including the development of a biodiversity and ecosystems management framework and action plan, a civil stakeholder engagement strategy and a Caribbean strategy for climate resilience in the forest sector and associated livelihoods. These strategies will be enabled through joint fundraising and project development to support implementation.

https://www.brecorder.com/2019/07/15/509939/inter-ministerial-cooperation-indispensable-for-blue-

economy-maritime-minister/

PAKISTAN TOP NEWSInter-ministerial cooperation indispensable for Blue Economy: Maritime Minister

ImaduddinJuly 15, 2019

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Maritime Ali Zaidi Monday said the the Blue Economy in Pakistan has a huge potential to generate billions of dollars for the country and

inter-ministerial cooperation was indispensable to achieve that goal.

Chairing the first meeting of Committee on Blue Economy recently formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan here, the minister said that globally, the Blue

Economy was measured to be of approximately twenty three trillion dollars.

Pakistan’s potential to have a major share in the pie could be guaged by our geographical position which was at the crossroads of major economic sea

routes, he added.

Emphasizing the importance of Maritime sector, Ali Zaidi said, our 1100KM coastline was blessed with enormous natural resources ready to be harnessed

but unfortunately, this sector has been a victim of utter negligence of the previous governments.

He quoted the example of the New York Port Authority, which not only contributed in building national assets, but also generates billions of dollars in

revenue annually.

“It is for the first time in the history of Pakistan that the Maritime Ministry actively participated in Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and Cabinet

Committee on Energy (CCoE),” said the Minister.

The ministry had recently gave the shipping policy, including tax exemptions for the shipping industry till 2030 for the growth of this sector, he said adding that the policy also includes a preference for flag carriers in berthing and strategic

freight carriage.

The minister also shared the plans for capacity building of Pakistani fleet. “Countries like Philippine and India are generating billions of dollars through

their skilled seafarers” he added.

After the 18th Amendment, he said the fisheries went under the control of the provincial government and the Sindh government had ruined the fisheries industry by not developing the infrastructure for value addition and by not

regulating the fishing activities.

The ministry was taking concrete steps to ensure adoption of international best practices in deep sea fishing, he remarked.

Prevention of waste disposal into sea both sewage and solid waste was also deliberated upon in detail during the meeting.

The committee was also made aware of the operations under Maritime Ministry for cleaning the coast. Plans were shared to establish waste to energy plants

and the concept of Green Port Scheme was also discussed.

Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Kaleem Shaukat and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Faisal Rasool Lodhi also attended the meeting.

Representatives from Ministry of Railways, Defense, Defense Production, Petroleum and Food Security were also present.

https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/interview-chris-clott-founder-of-new-york-maritime-

innovation-center

nterview: Chris Clott, Founder of New York Maritime Innovation CenterDr. Christopher ClottDr. Christopher Clott

BY DAVID HUME 2019-08-11 19:12:13

Dr. Chris Clott, co-founder and director of the recently created New York Maritime Innovation Center (NYMIC), talks about how they support startups in

the maritime industry.

The NYMIC was founded by Clott, Professor of Marine Transportation & Logistics at SUNY Maritime College, in 2018. It is an independent non-profit entity that

convenes, connects and catalyzes the maritime transportation industry by pairing startups with mentors, potential investors and customers. NYMIC’s

mission is to foster technology innovation and startups in the maritime technology industry, what they refer to as “Maritech.” NYMIC has a strong

entrepreneurial focus and hopes to bridge the divide between the tech, logistics, finance, and maritime communities and connect startups to maritime interests

across the world. In this interview Chris responds to questions about the beginnings of NYMIC, where it’s going, and how startups can get involved.

What is unique about the New York region from a maritime perspective that led to the creation of NYMIC?

The New York City Metropolitan area is one of the major maritime centers in the world. It is the third largest port in the U.S. and has all manner of shipping

services serving the worldwide interests of the industry, from liner shipping, tankers, and bulk carriers, to cruise ships and ferries. Land-based maritime

operations include ocean transportation intermediaries, beneficial cargo owners, insurance providers, inland carriers and brokerage freight forwarding services.

New York City is one of the most important financial centers in the world and provides much of the banking and private equity capital that finances the

maritime industry’s ships, port infrastructure and cargo.

We want to build a maritime technology ecosystem that leverages these unique aspects of New York to help startups succeed in the maritime industry. Through

our access to New York tech talent, shipping companies, and the State University of New York research facilities we are ready and willing to help

startups innovate in this space and solidify New York City’s role as one of the maritime capitals of the world.

It sounds like developing partnerships and connecting stakeholders are a huge part of NYMIC, can you elaborate on how you work with industry and startups?

There are three ways we work with our stakeholders and partners to support startups in the maritime space. We:

• Collaborate with other “blue tech” and technology organizations within the U.S. and abroad to create a network to identify real solutions to industry pain

points.

• Deliver on a broad education mission of NYMIC to convene periodic events – meetups, early stage startup showcases, hackathons, etc. – to further evolve the

maritime ecosystem in New York City.

• Catalyze early stage companies by providing expert mentorship and vetting of ideas. We will continue working with startups and teams formed through

educational events and in due time connect them with existing maritime tech accelerators and angel investors in New York and worldwide to develop

Minimum Viable Products.

What sectors in the Blue Economy are you most excited to see NYMIC engage in?

There are many interesting sectors in the blue economy where NYMIC might be able to spur innovative thinking. The continued development of digital solutions

that increase visibility and connect the supply chain are of particular interest for example. The promise of blockchain solutions is just getting started.

Non-digital solutions that optimize transportation in all sectors of the maritime industry including intermodal transportation and port optimization are areas for

potential development. In addition, cybersecurity issues present an area for startup innovations that can be utilized by both small and mid-sized firms; we’re

excited to work with industry on finding the right solutions to keep their assets safe.

Last, but certainly not least, sustainability solutions to pressing environmental concerns are of tremendous interest. These would include solutions to help

shipping companies reach compliance with IMO regulations.

As NYMIC develops, how do you see it impacting the maritime community in the New York region or beyond?

NYMIC can provide a knowledge base and prepare established firms for new developments. An investment in NYMIC could result in discovering new ideas

that lead to new revenue streams or revolutionize current ones. In particular, we will seek to highlight cross-industry innovations that are often unseen by those

strictly in the maritime field. NYMIC will be useful to the following groups of stakeholders:

• Technology companies (startup and/or established), that are willing to connect with potential partners/investors/clients, and that need support with resources,

information, and business plan advice. • Investors looking for opportunities and connections with promising startups

with a growth profile.• Potential clients (Ship operators/Port &

Terminals/Charterers/Insurance/Logistics, etc.) willing to explore new technologies but don’t have the time and resources to research solutions.

• Industry associations, including Classification Societies.

• Maritime associations and Government Agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Maritime Administration, Federal Maritime

Commission, etc.• Individual members who wish to be connected to maritime industry

developments.

Lastly, we will be developing the groundwork for a Maritime Technology Accelerator over the next six months that can provide the support and

infrastructure needed to get startups off the ground and get to minimum viable product. We are looking for foundational sponsors who would be interested in

working more closely with startups and helping us move this idea forward.

There seems to be lots of blue tech startups out there. Do you have any suggestions for how they can best work with NYMIC as you grow and build-out

the organization?

NYMIC seeks to collaborate with blue tech and maritime tech startups worldwide. We are open to all ideas for helping to move the maritime industry forward. Groups in New York that are interested in learning more about NYMIC can attend some of our regular meet-ups, or keep an eye-out for future special

events like the Maritime Hackathon we helped organize this past March. For those further afield, we’re always interested in connecting and learning more

about how we might be able to work together, drop us a line at info@nymic.org.

NYMIC is just getting started and working hard to galvanize the blue tech community in New York, kudos to Chris and the team for getting it off the

ground. That’s it for this installment of Blue Tech Voices, check back soon to learn more about the other leaders supporting the Blue Economy through

technology innovation.

Christopher Clott, Ph.D. is a Professor of Marine Transportation and Logistics at SUNY Maritime College and the Founder of the New York Maritime Innovation Center. Clott previously worked in the ocean shipping industry and has been involved in supply chain education activities at schools such as SUNY

Maritime, California Maritime Academy, Elmhurst College and the Indian Institute of Management for over 25 years.

https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2019-07-26-new-large-scale-collaboration-for-the-ocean

New large-scale collaboration for the ocean26 JULY 2019 | STORY NADIA KRIGE. PHOTO QUANG NGUYEN VINH, PEXELS Read time 9 min.The One Ocean Hub project aims to tackle the many challenges facing our oceans from overexploitation and multiple competing uses to pollution and climate change.The One Ocean Hub project aims to tackle the many challenges facing our oceans from overexploitation and multiple competing uses to pollution and climate change.Researchers from three departments at the University of Cape Town (UCT) – environmental & geographical sciences, biological sciences and commercial law – are part of a new multinational, interdisciplinary project called One Ocean Hub. The Hub aims to transform global responses to urgent challenges facing our oceans by bringing together researchers, organisations and local communities to tackle them.

In an era when humanity faces possible societal and environmental collapse, the ocean remains a lifeline. Marine life produces about half the oxygen we breathe, and parts of the ocean absorb more than a quarter of global carbon dioxide. For millennia, it has also been an integral food source for coastal communities and awakened reverence, spiritual connection and wanderlust in the human psyche.

While many people, institutions and organisations have dedicated themselves to turning the tide on ocean degradation, they are losing ground, in part due to a lack of collaboration and integration.

Despite the multi-faceted role the ocean plays in our wellbeing – and survival – various large-scale challenges are pushing ocean ecosystems beyond their limits. These challenges range from overexploitation and multiple competing uses to pollution and climate change. While many people, institutions and organisations have dedicated themselves to turning the tide on ocean degradation, they are losing ground, in part due to a lack of collaboration and integration.

Creating the One Ocean Hub

To transform this relatively fragmented approach, the United Kingdom (UK) Research and Innovation’s Global Challenges Research Fund approved an injection of GBP20 million into an innovative hub focused on ocean health.

The five-year One Ocean Hub aims to bridge the disconnections between law, science and policy in addressing global ocean challenges. It will do this through transdisciplinary and innovative research and by integrating governance frameworks to balance ocean uses with conservation.

The five-year One Ocean Hub aims to bridge the disconnections between law, science and policy in addressing global ocean challenges.

The hub will be led by the University of Strathclyde and Professor Elisa Morgera, co-director of the Strathclyde Centre for Environmental Law and Governance. The programme will see 24 research partners, including UCT, joining forces with 35 partner organisations to achieve the One Ocean Hub’s three goals:

Coherent and inclusive implementation of international law for sustainable ocean governance.Effective and respectful integration of communities, women and youth’s knowledge and views in ocean science, management and innovation.Multiactor contributions to a circular blue economy that enhances the livelihoods of vulnerable people.The project will focus on developing nations in Southern African and the South Pacific: Fiji, Ghana, Namibia, Solomon Islands and South Africa.

UCT’s role

The UCT departments of environmental & geographical sciences (EGS), biological sciences and commercial law will participate in various One Ocean Hub research areas.

Associate Professor Merle Sowman represents EGS – she is also head of the department – along with Associate Professor Rachel Wynberg and Dr Phililie Mbatha. “Our particular interest here in EGS is to provide a critical analysis of the blue economy, particularly in relation to how ‘blue growth’ impacts local communities,” explains Sowman.

Dr Lynne Shannon, co-leader of the Department of Science and Technology/National Research Foundation South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Marine Ecology and Fisheries in the UCT Department of Biological Sciences, will lead the development of ecosystem models complemented by indicator-based assessments.

A big part of the Hub is dedicated to the translation and dissemination of the knowledge it generates for government and lay audiences.

From the Department of Commercial Law, Associate Professor Tobias Schonwetter, director of UCT’s Intellectual Property (IP) Unit, will be involved in various aspects of IP: from dealing with internal project-related questions about IP to developing a research agenda at the intersection of IP and the maritime environment.

Beyond research

While academic research will play an integral role in the One Ocean Hub, the goal of the programme is also to engage in other related activities that respond to societal needs. A big part of the Hub is dedicated to the translation and dissemination of the knowledge it generates for government and lay audiences. This will include initiatives for capacity development and education, as well as using the arts and theatre to communicate ocean challenges and encourage discussions with stakeholders.

“The One Ocean Hub focuses on addressing societal problems in ways that integrate the knowledge of local resource-users and other stakeholders,” explains Sowman. “It’s really trying to foster collaboration between researchers and experts, but also those we see as knowledge-holders in local communities.”

Collaboration is key

At this point, we can no longer afford to work in silos if we want to see true, lasting change.

“There is no doubt in my mind that most of the pressing contemporary issues we face today, including the ones addressed by the One Ocean Hub, demand interdisciplinarity and collaboration.

“Programmes like the One Ocean Hub are wonderful opportunities for young-career scientists to join networks and contribute to meaningful ocean research and management efforts.”

“We need this to increase impact, bring about positive change and avoid siloed approaches that can easily be misleading,” says Schonwetter.

The One Ocean Hub gives researchers the opportunity to work with colleagues from institutions across the globe.

“The intention is to work collaboratively with other research partners in the Hub on pressing ocean problems,” explains Sowman. “We’re all working with a whole lot of different research partners across the world on topics that fall into our areas of expertise.”

Each of the UCT researchers involved in the One Ocean Hub also hopes to make positions available for young researchers to assist with their work.

“Programmes like the One Ocean Hub are wonderful opportunities for young-career scientists to join networks and contribute to meaningful ocean research and management efforts,” says Shannon.

One Ocean Hub project teams from across the world will be gathering in Cape Town at the end of July 2019 to refine their research areas and consolidate interdisciplinary teams to work on ocean challenges in the two regions of focus.

https://www.marinelink.com/news/global-trade-center-stage-polands-469419

August 12, 2019 Photo courtesy of Maritime Forum GdyniaPhoto courtesy of Maritime Forum Gdynia

The biggest annual gathering of Poland’s maritime industry leaders, the Maritime Economy Forum Gdynia is unveiling its program.

The day-long event, now in its 19th year, takes place on October 11 in Gdynia, featuring 30 speakers with 600 senior figures from Poland’s maritime sector and around the world expected to attend.

Forum chairman Slawomir Kalicki said the conference will see a morning session examine some of the biggest issues facing the international maritime sector, worth an estimated $3-$6 trillion a year, from an EU, Baltic Sea and Polish perspective. This will include the China-USA trade conflict, Europe after Brexit and the challenges and opportunities for the European maritime economy. The Norwegian Ambassador

to Poland, meanwhile, will discuss how innovation between European countries can strengthen Europe’s position in the fiercely competitive global maritime technology sector.

Mr Kalicki, president of one of Poland’s leading maritime firms, the Gdynia and UK-based Intermarine said the afternoon session will showcase the very best of Poland’s flourishing maritime sector with four subject panels covering Maritime Technologies, Sea Ports and Logistics, Shipping, Finance and Law.

“The Polish maritime industry has a very bright future and we want to communicate this to an international audience of investors and business partners,” he said. “The industry now employs more than 112,000 people and generates more than $10 billion euros for the economy. This year we have seen new figures released showing Poland’s three major ports Gdansk, Gdynia, Szczecin broke all records in 2018 by handling more than 100 million tonnes of cargo for the first time, a 16pc increase on 2017. In addition, we are seeing a renaissance in our shipyard sector with more than 34,000 people employed in the industry, the highest level since 2002. Poland’s ‘blue economy’ is being driven by the strong performance of the Polish economy that has grown at an average rate of 4.2 per cent a year between 1992-2019, to become the seventh largest economy in the EU with a total GDP of $587 billion. This growth is supported by infrastructure investments, including $233 billion in EU funding between 2007 and 2020, across the Polish hinterland. As a result, Poland is becoming a more efficient, competitive maritime nation where our ports and shipyards are some of the most important on the Baltic Sea. The forum will examine all of this and more.”

The Mayor of Gdynia Wojciech Szczurek said the forum will raise awareness of Gdynia as a global maritime city.

“The maritime industry underpins the economy of Gdynia,” he said. “And it is brilliant to see Gdynia take center stage again as the leaders of Poland’s maritime industry come together here. This year’s forum comes at a great time for the city. The port of Gdynia is seeing the best results in its history, a new ferry terminal is under construction and several big companies operate in the reinvigorated shipyard area. Moreover, along the seafront Gdynia’s Sea City is taking shape with new office and residential developments. During the MIPIM Trade Fair in Cannes, Gdynia was awarded the Polish City of the Future title by the FDI Magazine of the Financial Times group, the third consecutive time our city has won this prestigious ranking.

“Gdynia is further home to a growing number of innovative entrepreneurial companies with access to the largest science and technology park in Poland and we have tremendous educational and training facilities here to upskill the next generation. We are proud to host the annual Maritime Economy Forum which stimulates a national debate about the importance of maritime in Poland. We also hope the forum can increase the impetus to start building the new Red Route relief road. To embrace the opportunities of the future we have to improve road access and reduce vehicle load by building the Red Road. We hope to make more announcements about the Red Road at the conference.”

Further events during the forum include a seminar entitled: “Tourism from the Sea”, and the winner of this year’s movie competition, for young film makers, promoting the maritime economy will also be announced. The winning film will then be showcased at the forum’s famous evening celebration the ‘Duck Dinner’ which will be attended by more than 2000 guests.

The organizers of the Maritime Economy Forum Gdynia are the city of Gdynia and the Gdynia Development Agency. The event will be held at the conference center of Pomeranian Science and

Technology Park Gdynia under the patronage of the Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation, the Maritime Office, the Polish Investment and Trade Agency and the Polish Chamber of Commerce as well as other non-government organizations.

https://jakartaglobe.id/context/blue-bonds-new-initiative-for-our-oceans

Indonesia's fisheries sector generates over Rp 102 trillion ($7.2 billion) in revenues or 2.7 percent of Indonesia's gross domestic product in the first quarter of this year. (Antara Photo/Aji Setyawan)

Blue Bonds: New Initiative for Our OceansBY : MUHAMMAD FAJAR NUGRAHA

JULY 23, 2019

As the world's largest archipelago, which includes 6.4 million square kilometers of ocean that lie at the heart of the Coral Triangle, Indonesia is blessed with outstanding ocean resources. The country has the potential to become a global maritime nexus by harnessing its blue economy: a combo of sustainable fishery, marine renewable energy, waste management and tourism.

The blue economy is estimated to generate between $3 trillion to $6 trillion in revenues per year globally. If the world's oceans were counted as a country, it would stand as the world's 7th largest economy.

The blue economy can be crucial for Indonesia – especially revenues from the fishing industry and marine-coastal tourism – to act as a catalyst for growth. The fishing industry alone generates over Rp 102 trillion ($7.2 billion), 2.7 percent of Indonesia's gross domestic product, in the first quarter of this year. The fisheries sector contributes more to Indonesia's gross domestic product than it does to the GDP of other Asean member states, such as Malaysia (1.1 percent), the Philippines (1.5 percent) or Thailand (0.7 percent).

A 2018 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report placed Indonesia as one of the world's major marine producers, with a total of 5.9 million workers in its fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

Indonesia is also well known throughout the world for its myriad of exotic marine-coastal tourist destinations. A 2017 Spalding research estimated that Indonesia's marine-coastal tourism industry could be worth $3.1 billion annually.

Harnessed properly, the blue economy can boost Indonesia's economic growth and help it escape the middle-income trap.

However, reckless overfishing is estimated to cost the country $4 billion a year in lost revenues. The problem is exacerbated by the tons of marine debris that are blighting our oceans and coastlines.

A 2015 Science Magazine article claimed that Indonesia was the world's second-largest marine plastic polluter, with an estimated 1.3 million metric tons of plastic debris originating from the archipelago ending up in the world's oceans.

Another study by Making Oceans Plastic Free estimated that the hidden cost of plastic pollution in the world's oceans had reached $2.91 billion annually.

If the current, inadequate, fishing and waste management practices in Indonesia continue, edible fish stocks from Indonesia's oceans will soon be depleted, and there will be no more exotic seas or beaches to visit since they will have been destroyed by mountains of marine debris.

Recovering our oceans should not be merely an effort to meet the 14th target in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. It is also a key development challenge that will affect our economy and livelihood in the future.

According to the FAO, rebuilding overfished stocks could increase fishery production by 16.5 million tons, which would undoubtedly increase the fisheries sector's contribution not only to the economy but also to the well-being of Indonesia's millions of fishermen.

The Indonesian government has been trying to unravel these complex threads of ocean problems for years. It has tried to impose stricter law enforcement to reduce overfishing and issued the National Action Plan on Sea Debris in 2017, which aims to dramatically reduce marine debris by 70 percent in 2025.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo even has an ambitious plan to build 12 waste-to-energy power plants in the next three years to solve the country's burgeoning plastic waste problem.

The key challenge in implementing these programs is, as always, financing. Large-scale investments are required to execute national plans and programs related to Indonesia's blue economy.

The National Action Plan on Sea Debris alone needs an annual budget of $1 billion. Constructing the waste-to-energy power plants will cost the Jokowi government $1.42 billion.

Unfortunately, the 2019 state budget only sets aside Rp 5.4 trillion ($386 million) to be distributed through relevant ministries to fund activities in the maritime and fisheries sectors.

Considering Indonesia's low tax ratio, it would be near to impossible to finance its blue economy solely through the state budget. Without a huge and steady financial resource, we will run out of juice before we even get close to our targets.

Indonesia needs unorthodox financing innovations, such as blue bonds, to develop our blue economy.

The Republic of Seychelles is the world's blue bond pioneer, releasing its first batch of the thematic bonds in October 2018 and raising $15 million to finance its blue economy. As part of the issuance, they included measures to aid small-scale artisanal fishermen and recover fish stocks.

Since then, many global financial institutions have followed suit by issuing their own blue bonds. Nordic Investment Bank launched its Nordic-Baltic Blue Bond in January 2019, raising 2 billion Swedish krona ($213 million) for the Scandinavian country's water resource management and protection programs. In April, Morgan Stanley and the World Bank issued $10 million in blue bonds as part of a joint effort to solve the world's marine debris problem.

If the Indonesian government and the private sector can work together in issuing blue bonds, the country may have enough financial resources to harness our blue economy potential.

Blue bonds can encourage scaling up of investments in renewable energy, sustainable fishery, waste management and marine-coastal tourism in Indonesia.

Taking cues from other thematic bond issuances (e.g., green bonds), blue bond issuances are more than likely to benefit not just the government, but also local coastal communities and corporations.

The government will make financial savings and extra capital inflow to be invested in the blue economy sector. It will also add variety to Indonesia's financial instruments, which in turn will help deepen the financial sector. Local communities will be more productive if the oceans can recover. Meanwhile, corporations can leverage the impact of their investment.

A Harvard Business Review study from 2018 shows companies that issue thematic bonds earn excellent reaction from the stock market, marked improvements in their financial and environmental performance and an increase in stock ownership by long-term investors.

Amid all the fiscal limitations in developing Indonesia's blue economy, blue bonds stand apart to pave the way for Indonesia to improve its relationship with its oceans. Blue bond issuance is another example of the influential role the capital market can play in attracting investors, harnessing the Indonesian blue economy while also preserving the most valuable thing on this pale blue dot, the ocean.

Muhammad Fajar Nugraha is an analyst at the Finance Ministry's Center of Financial Sector Policy and Fiscal Policy Agency. The article is his personal opinion.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/123228/alarming-plastic-pollution-in-the-bay-of-bengal

NEWS OPINION SPORTS LIFESTYLE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY GLOBAL NATION LATEST OPINION Alarming plastic pollution in the Bay of BengalThe Daily Star/Asia News Network / 05:10 PM August 11, 2019

Indian fishermen mend fishing nets along a beach on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, in Chennai on November 12, 2018. Tropical Cyclone 'Gaja' is forecasted to make a landfall on the southern coast of India, between Chennai and Nagapattinam on November 15. ARUN SANKAR / AFPIndian fishermen mend fishing nets along a beach on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, in Chennai on November 12, 2018. ARUN SANKAR / AFP

DHAKA — Plastics play a vital role in our daily life. However, plastic debris in the marine environment has serious negative impacts on marine resources, fisheries as well as on the use of coastal areas for tourism. It is also a threat to our precious Blue Economy.

Globally, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute. Around 8 million metric tons of plastics go into the oceans every year. Over 46,000 pieces of plastics are found in one square mile of ocean. The

global production and consumption of plastics have continued to rise and it is estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastics than fishes in the world’s oceans.

ADVERTISEMENTThe Bay of Bengal is rich in marine resources and produces 6 million tons of fish that correspond to nearly 4 percent of the total global catch. It is an important source of animal protein for nearly 400 million people in this region. But the Bay is heavily littered with plastics and huge amounts of plastic waste are found on the shorelines, on the seabed, and suspended in the water column. The corals of St. Martin Island are almost dead, littered with marine debris, plastic packages, and food wrap discarded by hundreds of tourists daily. The Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea are the new plastic hotspots in Asia. Every year about 2 lakh tons of plastics enter the Bay of Bengal from Bangladesh. According to the Earth Day Network of USA (2018), Bangladesh is the 10th most plastic polluting countries in the world. Population pressure, poor waste management practices and shipbreaking are primarily responsible for that. Every year, 60-65 ships are broken in Chattogram and Khulna.

Plastics can have a direct impact on animals, both through entanglement and ingestion that cause starvation or suffocation of wildlife. It also affects biota through leakage of harmful chemicals often contained in plastics or attached to them. Perhaps what is most disturbing is the fact that plastic has been found inside fish and large mammals in different parts of the world. For instance, a dead whale found in Thailand had 80 plastic bags in its stomach. Fishes of the Pacific coast are estimated to consume over 2,200 tons of plastic in a year. The disintegrated plastic debris can potentially be ingested by the humans when they eat seafood, resulting in a number of fatal diseases including cancer. It is of the utmost importance to minimize plastic pollution.

Microplastics, which are tiny pieces of plastic or fibers smaller than 5 mm, are even a more dangerous form of marine debris/litter. About 80 percent of marine litter is microplastics. Face wash, toothpaste, scrubs and anti-aging creams contain thousands of microplastics per product. A single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles entering the ocean. Microplastics (also known as microbeads) are too small to be retained by the filters used at sewage treatment plants. Fish and shellfish ingest microplastics. Hence the saying, “what goes in the sea goes in you.”

The problem lies in the way plastics are consumed and the way consumers use plastics. We have a tendency to use plastic materials which are less durable and less valuable. Our single-use or throw-away culture is deteriorating the problem. Lack of coordination among different ministries, divisions, NGOs and the private sector, the absence of a dedicated agency to harness the potential of Blue Economy, and having no system in place to make consumers and industries responsible for the final deposition of plastics, among others, are major barriers to reducing plastics and fisheries waste from the Bay.

The topic of excessive plastic use and its dumping into the marine environment has already been on international, regional and national agendas for several years. Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes, 1972, and Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1988, are two notable international conventions. At the national level, Marine Pollution Ordinance 1989 and Bangladesh Environment Protection Act 1995 are dealing with marine pollution. Besides, according to SDG 14.1, by 2025, countries have to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds including marine debris or litter. Sadly, in spite of all the agreements and action plans, plastic is still entering the world’s oceans in huge amounts every year, both in the form of microplastics and much larger debris.

MORE STORIES

State of the Muslim world What’s happening to ‘Pearl of the Orient’? Does changing the status of Kashmir resolve one of the world’s longest-running conflicts? The question then is, why we are failing to control plastic pollution? Who should take the responsibility for that? Should national governments take the lead? Should NGOs, industry or the public play the major role? The answer is, all actors have to play an equal role. Governments hold a key to a very important part of the solution as they can make decisions on bans, tariffs, taxes, etc. Governments can put taxes on single-use plastic items. Financial incentives to buy more environmentally-friendly fishing nets and/or some kind of deposit-refund system can also be very effective in tackling plastic waste. Governments can also ban microplastics in consumer goods. That said, a preventative approach will be more helpful than, say, focusing only on imposing rules and regulations. Raising awareness amongst the consumers and educate the people can be the key to reducing microplastics pollution from the Bay.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an appropriate regional organisation which should take the lead to control plastic pollution. The BIMSTEC member-countries can address this problem both individually and collectively. At the regional level, Bay of Bengal littoral states should take measures to collect plastic litter from waterfronts, promote recycling and encourage use of biodegradable packaging. For instance, in Bangladesh, since 2013, under the Fighting Marine Debris project, divers and volunteers have been engaged in removal of marine debris off the Saint Martin’s Island. In February 2016, the divers removed 1,048 objects. The “Buy Back Program” in the Republic of Korea is another good example. Since 2009, they have collected above 31,000 tons of debris from sea from at least 80 collection sites. We need more initiatives like this from all the stakeholders to save our marine ecosystem.

The author, Dr. MM Majedul Islam, is a member of BCS (Administration) and Deputy Director, Anti-Corruption Commission, Dhaka.

 https://newsday.co.tt/2019/08/01/green-blue-economy-strategy-and-action-plan/

Green-blue economy strategy and action planOECS, Canari focus on economic, environmental development

In this 2018 file photo, large amounts of Sargassum seaweed litters the Mayaro coastline, causing an adverse effect on domestic tourism and fishing. The OECS and Canari will develop and implement strategic plan for economic growth through investment in economic activities in OECS territories and countries. In this 2018 file photo, large amounts of Sargassum seaweed litters the Mayaro coastline, causing an adverse effect on domestic tourism and fishing. The OECS and Canari will develop and implement strategic plan for economic growth through investment in economic activities in OECS territories and countries.The OECS Green-Blue Economy Strategy and Action Plan – the first of its kind in the Caribbean and globally to combine green and blue economy strategies for sustainable development – will be developed

under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in June 2019 between the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (Canari) and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission.

Canari will work with the OECS to develop and implement the strategy and action plan, which will keep the OECS at the forefront of global dialogues on sustainable development in a small island context.

A green economy is one which minimises ecosystem degradation, and is low carbon, resource efficient and socially equitable. Within this, a blue economy focuses specifically on coastal and marine resources. In an OECS green-blue economy, growth in employment and income levels is driven by investment into economic activities, assets and natural infrastructure which conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services that are critical to OECS countries and territories.

Dr Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS Commission, noted that “With limited financial, environmental and human resources and with the devastating impacts of climate change already being felt in the Eastern Caribbean, now more than ever the OECS needs to focus on future solutions that enable economic growth while preserving invaluable biodiversity and improving the region’s resilience to natural disasters and climate change.”

Development of the OECS Green-Blue Economy Strategy and Action Plan was mandated by the OECS Council of Ministers for Environmental Sustainability to build on the 2018 diagnostic study by Canari, entitled Exploring opportunities for transformation to inclusive, sustainable and resilient economies in the Eastern Caribbean, which was supported by a grant from the European Union. Developing a clear programme of policies for greening priority economic sectors and creating enabling regulatory, fiscal and financing policies and programmes which support micro, small and medium enterprises were among the recommendations emerging from the study.

The study’s findings were highlighted in a Canari policy brief and the Eastern Caribbean Green Economy Barometer 2018 published by the Green Economy Coalition, the world’s largest movement for green and fair economies, for which Canari serves as the Caribbean hub. Canari’s current work with OECS and others in the Caribbean is being supported by the European Union.

Key government agencies and other stakeholders in OECS countries and territories will be engaged by Canari to develop strategies and actions to capitalise on green and blue economy opportunities in the OECS that are equitable, conserve ecosystems, build resilience and improve the lives and livelihoods of Eastern Caribbean people.

The OECS Green-Blue Economy Strategy and Action Plan will be presented to the OECS Economic Affairs Council and the Council of Ministers for Environmental Sustainability in early 2020. This will improve the ability of the OECS to access global funding for climate change resilience and direct foreign and local investment towards inclusive and sustainable economic activities.

The MOU runs from 2019 to 2022 and will support other ongoing work by Canari with the OECS, including the development of a biodiversity and ecosystems management framework and action plan, a civil stakeholder engagement strategy and a Caribbean strategy for climate resilience in the forest sector and associated livelihoods. These strategies will be enabled through joint fundraising and project development to support implementation

Three coast governors differ over Blue economy flagship projects

July 19, 2019 12:13191Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter

KBC-survey-feedback-posterThree coast Governors have differed over interests in the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani Blue economy flagship projects moments after European Union committed 2.3 billion shillings grants to finance some of the projects.

Kilfi governor Amason Kingi, his Tana River counterpart Dhadho Godhana and Lamu’s Fahim Twaha could not agree on priorities areas in a meeting with the head of the European Union Hubert Perr.

Differences in project interests emerged after Governor Godhana highlighted the opportunities that can be harnessed in the blue economy sector in his county and how they can benefit from the projects.

Kilifi governor on his part however said his vision is to think of the programmes as a block of the JKP and not individual counties.

Get breaking news on your Mobile as-it-happens. SMS ‘NEWS’ to 20153The two leaders tearing at each other as the EU county represented watched. Lamu’s Twaha claimed 2.3 billion shillings allocated by EU was peanuts and asked the donors to help in capacity building to enable them make use of the opportunities in their resource rich counties.

Also Read Counties threaten to down tools over unpaid salariesThe three Governors were speaking on the first day of a two-day consultative meeting whose objective is to give updates on 19 key flagship projects to be implemented under the EU assistance.

Also Read African countries urged to share geospatial dataMombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho and his Kwale counterpart Salim Mvurya did not attend the first of the two-day consultative meetings. However Taita Taveta governor Granton Samboja was represented by his deputy Majala Mlaghui.

Separately, Kilifi Governor, Amason Jeffa Kingi, has urged Kenyans to embrace mediation in dispute resolution to foster peace and harmony.

Kingi lauded the Judiciary for introducing Court Annexed Mediation, saying the system would help reduce the case load being handled by judicial officers in Kenya.

He said since many cases would be referred for mediation, thus allowing the judicial officers to handle criminal cases and civil cases that cannot be handled through mediation in accordance with the laws of Kenya.

Also Read Section of Jubilee MPs hit out at Building Bridges Initiative

The governor made the remarks at Malindi Stadium during the launch of the Court Annexed Mediation system for Kilifi County by the Chairman of the Annexed Court Mediation Taskforce, Justice Fred Ochieng.

Kingi said he fully supported the initiative and announced that he had instructed the County Attorney to kick-start the process of establishing a mediation Centre in the county to provide space for mediators to handle the numerous court cases, especially those involving land.

https://www.devex.com/news/how-small-islands-can-harness-the-ocean-economy-95290

The Ocean Economy: ‘Enormous Opportunity For Africa’

Published 3 weeks ago on July 23, 2019By Forbes 

Recently invited by the Canadian government on a media tour showcasing its ocean economy, I was curious to find what Africa could learn from the maritime powerhouse Canada is.

Our tour started in St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Larry Hann, our guide, explained that the cod fishing industry began in Newfoundland in the late 15th century, when Italian navigator, John Cabot, received funding by King Henry VII to do some exploring.

“The cod was so plentiful at that point that [Cabot]…thought his ship, the Matthew, was striking the bottom of the ocean when it was in fact striking cod,” said Hann.

It eventually made Newfoundland famous. By the 1980s, though, the waters teeming with cod seemed a distant myth. Overfishing by foreign vessels within their Exclusive Economic Zone had all but dried up the cod population.

In 1992, the Canadian government imposed a moratorium on cod fisheries in the northwest Atlantic, as cod stocks had fallen below 1% of earlier noted biomass, marking the largest industrial closure in the country’s history.

Downtown St. John’s the central business district of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Picture: Denham PonsThe collapse of the area’s cod fisheries is just one example of a global trend. After a century of overfishing and climate change, there could be a crisis looming over the

ocean economy, including trade, tourism and fisheries, which the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates to be at $24 trillion.

It’s not all doom and gloom in Canada’s ocean economy, though. Corporate and government bodies are working together in many areas to combat this. Institutions specializing in the ocean sector are driving the growth and innovation of Canada’s blue economy.

One such is the Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland, a center of marine learning and applied research. Glenn Blackwood, Vice-President of the institute, who has been involved in training in Namibia and Tanzania, said it’s necessary to start at entry-level jobs. “You can’t be captain the first day on the ships,” he explained, “but you train them to a very high level.”

“There is work to be done,” Blackwood continues, “because Africa has always been looked at as land-based.” This is despite the fact that “there’s enormous opportunity for Africa in the blue economy”, though Africa can only take advantage of this through investing in people.

“It’s the best investment you can make – if you invest in the people, then the oil and gas or fisheries resources… goes to the people,” he adds.

Nova Scotia is one of eastern Canada’s maritime provinces.

The commercial fishing industry here also has a history spanning centuries, and the ocean lapping its shores still shapes the local economy. Nova Scotia has in excess of 300 ocean companies, together employing over 35,000.

Explains Mayor Mike Savage of Nova Scotia’s capital Halifax: “Be it through ocean tech, fisheries, aquaculture, ship-building, ocean observation, marine-centered defence or transportation… [the ocean economy] runs deeply through our economy and culture.”

This is evidently the case, as Nova Scotia, and more broadly, Canada’s Atlantic regions, have consistently been leading ocean technology advancements for over a century. Some of these include industry-shifting inventions such as the variable pitch propeller and kerosene, which became the lighting source for ships in 1846.

It is on the back this history that they have developed institutions such as the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE), an ocean technology business park that brings together people, ideas, industry and research. Their tenants include big corporations, such as IBM and Lockheed Martin, as well as startups and small entrepreneurs.

But Jim Hanlon, CEO of COVE, says one of the biggest obstacles relates to collaboration.

“There are three levels of government involved… one of the biggest challenges is getting them all to move at the same time.” Undoubtedly, this will also hold true for the African context. Cooperation will be vital in taking full advantage of our blue economy. He posits that, “you need a champion; you need someone who believes in this very strongly”.

One of their champions is Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, an industry-led collaboration focused on building ocean-related business activities, research capacity and technological expertise. One of their mandates is building a stronger ocean network, creating an ecosystem where all players achieve economic and sustainable prosperity.

Ross Arsenault, Co-Founder of Ashored Innovations, a tenant at COVE displaying their ropeless fishing solution. Picture: Denham PonsKendra MacDonald, CEO of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, saw the many industries such as “shipping, defence, aquaculture, fisheries, natural health products”, share similar challenges, as they all do business in the ocean in silos. These shared challenges are around cost and risk. “The communication costs on water is still greater than on land,” she says.

Given that 38 of 54 countries are coastal, there’s potential for Africa to harness its vast coastline. My takeaway from Canada was that innovation can only be born from a foundation of skills and knowledge. Creating a network between the private sector, government and academia is vital.

There aren’t cookie-cutter solutions we can lift from Canada. We can, however, look at the methods they used to create a more efficient ocean economy sector, and investigate how it can be applied to Africa’s maritime context.

– Denham Pons is head of East Africa for the ABN Group.

Highlights Green Economy

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-08-10/a-green-economy-grows-in-denmark

A Green Economy Grows in DenmarkDenmark’s second-biggest city is home to the world’s biggest wind-turbine maker and a thriving hub for power trading.

undefinedTransporting a Vestas rotor blade through Jutland.Photographer: Rasmus Degnbol for Bloomberg MarketsBy August 10, 2019, 8:00 AM GMT+2 Updated on August 12, 2019, 10:17 AM GMT+2

From SHARE THIS ARTICLEShareTweetPostEmailWith its lively waterfront, tree-lined canal, and red-brick buildings topped by steep gunmetal-gray roofs, Aarhus looks like just another coastal city in Northern Europe. But get closer, and what comes into focus is a place central to the continent’s remarkable shift to renewable energy. Down by the docks, at a facility nestled among huge oil tanks that reek of the past, the world’s biggest wind-turbine maker tests parts for these gargantuan machines of the future. Meanwhile, in offices all across Denmark’s second-largest city, fast-growing cadres of energy traders are making big bucks from the volatility that wind and solar power generate.

This didn’t happen by accident. What would ultimately become Vestas Wind Systems A/S started as a blacksmith shop in 1898 on the western edge of Jutland, a windswept peninsula sandwiched between the North Sea and southern Sweden. Until the 1970s the company’s products ranged from milk coolers to steel window frames. As Denmark, a net energy importer, was stung by that decade’s oil crises, Vestas turned its hand to alternative energy. Early turbine prototypes—including one that looked like a giant egg whisk—were developed in secret. After several decades building up its wind-turbine business, the company moved its headquarters to Aarhus, Jutland’s biggest city.

0419P_FEAT_WIND_02-CMSNavigating a specially modified traffic circle in Tarp.Photographer: Rasmus Degnbol for Bloomberg MarketsToday wind regularly meets more than half of Denmark’s demand for power. As the country’s reliance on wind has grown, Aarhus and surrounding towns have become a renewable energy melting pot—of manufacturers and suppliers, traders and analysts, specialist lawyers and academics. China’s largest maker of wind turbines, Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., has a research office here. In 2016 energy and environmental companies accounted for the port city’s second-biggest export industry (after food), according to the latest available data from the municipality. “Renewable energy plays a huge role in the city,” says Mayor Jacob Bundsgaard. “It’s not just Vestas.”

Traders sometimes liken Aarhus to the Swiss commodities hubs in Geneva or Zug. Judging from the low turnover rates at local trading firms, the city (population 345,000) offers enough to keep people from shoving off to Copenhagen or London or beyond. Besides the buzz of the work, the attractions range from the cosmopolitan ambiance provided by Aarhus University to four restaurants with Michelin stars. “Aarhus more than lives up to big brother Copenhagen’s reputation as a foodie destination,” says Soren Jessen, a Danish former banker who owns restaurants in London.

Bundsgaard, 43, has been mayor since 2011. Most mornings, typifying the municipality’s mission to become carbon neutral by 2030, he cycles to work at city hall. Aarhus, where CO2 emissions have been cut in half over the past decade, has built a 110-kilometer (68-mile) electric tram network and will introduce electric buses this year. Wastewater treatment plants are ordinarily very energy-intensive; Aarhus’s produces 40% more power than it consumes.

Perhaps the most striking monument to Aarhus’s place in the world of renewable energy is a biomass plant that opened in 2017. Atop a hill at Lisbjerg, on the edge of the city, three enormous 45-meter-high

glass boxes soar above a landscape of farms and woodland. More than 60 trucks a day deliver agricultural straw to the plant when it’s running at full capacity. Next door, in another box, there’s an older waste facility. Here, 150 trucks a day dump rubbish that’s incinerated at 1,000C (1,832F). Both plants produce electricity and pump hot water into the Aarhus district’s heating system. “We’re almost free from coal now,” Bundsgaard says.

https://www.businessgreen.com/bg/opinion/3080297/there-is-good-news-for-the-green-economy

https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/parliaments-support-transition-green-economy

Developed countries are challenged with imbalance between supply and energy production, especially from renewable resources. In developing countries, the challenge lies in making energy more affordable to people on low incomes.

An Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting took place in Doha, Qatar, in April 2019, to promote the role of parliamentarians in advancing the environmental dimension of sustainable development to enhance education for peace, security and rule of law. The meeting followed an agreement between the UN Environment Programme and the Inter-Parliamentary Union to build the capacity of parliamentarians and accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the nationally determined contributions.

UN Environment provided parliamentarians with the basics of the green economy and possible steps to take to enable the transition to a green economy—a possible alternative to the current growth-centric economic model with the objective of effectively dissociating economic growth from environmental degradation.

An issue brief on the green economy—Shades of Green: An introduction to the green economy for parliamentarians—jointly drafted by UN Environment and the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the green economy, was showcased to provide the parliamentarians with the most important elements of the green economy and how they interact with one another.

Developing countries are at a disadvantage when it comes to replicating efficient renewable energy technologies due to strict patents by developed countries who own the advanced technologies, and lack of finances. There is a need to close the finance gap by encouraging public finance baskets which channel support to utilities, municipalities and households to generate their own energy supply or tap into an existing efficient system of operation. All products need to be more energy-efficient and facilitate lifestyle changes that promote less energy consumption.

At another conference organized by the European Patent Academy of the European Patent Office and co-hosted by the Norwegian Intellectual Property Office, climate change was highlighted as one of the most pressing issues threatening the environment, livelihoods, economies and even lives in the current era. In a bid to curb this, numerous patents to high profile sustainable technologies to effectively mitigate and adapt climate change occurrence were granted, including new designs for turbines, which were inspired by nature and which save energy; innovative ways to store harmful gases; and appliances that use less water.

Energy generation was also identified as the lead cause of two thirds of carbon dioxide emissions. According to Francisco Boshell, an analyst with the International Renewable Energy Agency, renewable

energy has increased steadily, and in 2012, more investment and new capacity came from renewable energy than fossil fuels. There is, however, a need to integrate technologies that promote the generation of renewable energy in development plans. Domestic power supplies a third of total energy consumption, while industries, buildings and transport cover the rest. There are huge business opportunities to extend the scope of electric vehicles beyond domestic cars to commercial transport—both land-based and marine—and ultimately to aviation.

UN Environment stressed the importance of ease of access to patents, innovation and green technology. In this respect, the role played by intellectual property and patents was shown to be a hindrance in the non-developed nations. UN Environment partnered with the European Patent

Office and undertook a study which revealed that only 1 per cent of all patent applications relating to clean energy technologies worldwide have been filed in Africa, with the vast majority (84 per cent) of these in South Africa. It was also discovered that intellectual property rights were not recognized by many policymakers.

Lack of awareness of green technologies and access to patents is a major hindrance to innovation and it is difficult for less developed countries to seek this kind of support. This is where UN Environment comes in. UN Environment will continue to support parties to tap into and enhance awareness of existing pinnacles of innovation. Countries such as Japan and South Korea are leading the green technology innovations, from which other countries could borrow ideas.

For more information, please contact: Robert.Ondhowe[at]un.org I Maria.Manguiat[at]un.org I Niamh.Brannigan[at]un.org I Catherine.Abuto[at]un.org

TOPICS

Building the case for a green economyBy Lisa Cornish // 30 July 2019

Wind turbines and solar panels at a wind and solar power plant of the State Power Investment Corporation in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, China. Photo by: REUTERSCANBERRA — Countries that get a head start in developing low-carbon technologies today will be the major economies of tomorrow. This new economic argument for transitioning to a green economy is being presented to Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam as part of three new studies produced by ClimateWorks Australia — a nonprofit organization based in Melbourne, Australia, that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through independent research — in partnership with Vivid Economics.

Dani Robertson, international project manager at ClimateWorks Australia, explained to Devex that the approach is making an impact. “It’s surprising how new this message is,” she said.

Roberston said trying to convince countries about needing to comply with the Paris agreement narrative does not get much traction, and has prompted the organization to come up with a new plan. “When we went out and started telling people that there is another way to look at the transition piece and that it is around economic diversification and manufacturing, we found a strong appetite.”

“It’s different in each country, but like what we see elsewhere [is] there are vested interests in maintaining the status quo around the energy system.”

— Dani Robertson, international project manager, ClimateWorks AustraliaThrough an approach that discussed industrial strategies, jobs, and economic growth, Robertson explained that a new audience can be reached — an audience not commonly found at a low-carbon forum.

“That has been great for us to reach out in a different way and to think of an economic argument to make for a low-carbon transition,” Robertson said.

The economic argumentThe three countries in Southeast Asia focused on through the reports, are part of existing programs. The new research aims to further collaboration to help the transition to a green future.

“We were thinking, what motivates these countries?” Robertson explained. “And it really is economic growth, becoming middle-income countries, or diversifying their economies.”

Q&A: Smart policy as the key to a clean energy economy

"You don't need concessionary finance to do the right thing," says Hal Harvey, CEO of Energy Innovation, a San Francisco based energy and environmental policy firm, "you need ordinary finance with smart policy to do the right thing."

Important in diversifying is thinking about the opportunities a low-carbon economy could open up, and the technology or technologies they could manufacture as part of that. ClimateWorks and partner Vivid built on the success stories of South Korea, Japan, and China to show how they have pivoted their economies and manufacturing toward low-carbon industries to become world leaders in emerging technologies.

In 2000, South Korea was considered to be in a similar position to these economies, exporting 3% of global low-carbon exports. It announced a green growth strategy in 2008, and by 2018 it is now responsible for 10% of the global market share of low-carbon products, according to the studies.

The reports investigate whether these three regions can follow suit — and identified opportunities specific to each based on their geography, policies and manufacturing environment.

Opportunities for Indonesia include its untapped resources of geothermal, resources of nickel, and proximity to regional supply chain to support the development of storage — or battery — energy, and making industrial efficiency to save up to $7 billion annually until 2025.

In the Philippines, the research finds opportunities for the country to become competitive in efficient lighting and solar photovoltaic cells, expanding its strong export market in this space to leverage domestic opportunities

And in Vietnam energy storage, smart grids, photovoltaics, and wind power are identified as key opportunities for the country and its government.

The technology recommendations are specific to each market, with the report recommending each country select one to focus on to grow and advance opportunities in this space. But for all three countries, getting off coal and transitioning to clean energy is also an important consideration in different ways.

“Philippines and Vietnam import a lot of coal from Indonesia so they have a high vulnerability to fluctuating coal prices as well as currency fluctuations,” Robertson said. “For them, energy security is a challenge. In Indonesia, the risk is coal becoming a stranded asset. Big insurance companies are not insuring coal-fired assets anymore, and big banks won’t give finance to coal-fired stations. The message for them is that they are in a tricky position but will hurt more if they don’t move now.”

Get development's most important headlines in your inbox every day.EmailSubscribeThe impact of the researchWithin the target countries, Robertson explained that the research and findings are making an impact in various ways.

Can refugee camps go green?

Humanitarian groups working in displacement camps remain reliant on fossil fuels to power their work — but a combination of new companies and donor funding is helping to change that.

Indonesia, in the last six months, has made movement toward low-carbon development initiatives with its planning ministry expressing interest in the report.

“It’s a piece of the puzzle that can help them work through what technologies they should be focusing on,” Robertson said.

In the Philippines, it has a Senate Committee on Energy to scope initiatives it can push. And in Vietnam, ClimateWorks is engaging the government to discuss opportunities that can align with its low-carbon intentions.

“With this approach to the low carbon discussion, we are able to engage other areas of government beyond traditional energy departments and include planning, industry, and jobs,” Robertson said.

But big business, investors, chambers of commerce, accelerators and startups are also among the new organizations being engaged with this approach.

“We tested the finding within country workshops and discovered they were not your usual participants,” Robertson said. “We even had people from Austrade looking at the trade opportunities for Australian manufacturers in creating new supply chains.”

Barriers to green growthWhile there are opportunities for economic growth by focusing on green technology, there are barriers to that impact potential.

“It’s different in each country, but like what we see elsewhere [is] there are vested interests in maintaining the status quo around the energy system,” Robertson said.

Other barriers, Robertson said, include building a workforce that can support new and growing manufacturing capacity. And technology transfers between companies need to be encouraged to build the right investment environment.

“Vietnam has done a bit of that and are conducting joint ventures with foreign companies or are acquiring companies and moving them to Vietnam for this technology transfer,” she added.

And in all markets, she said more is required to support innovation. “Not just investing in R&D but also driving innovation through patents and creating greater connections between universities and companies are really weak to not translate inventions into solutions.”

Growing the business caseResearch has already been conducted for China, Japan, and South Korea, but ClimateWorks at this stage has no plans to expand the research into other markets.

“There is the potential we are discussing to do this for Australia,” Robertson said. “It would be a really interesting comparison to see if there is an opportunity to fit into a regional supply chain. But really, the more evidence we can build the better it will be to help transition economies.”

About the author%25257b6eb61a8f df39 4ae1 bb29 9056d33aa739%25257dLisa Cornishlisa_cornishLisa Cornish is a Devex Reporter based in Canberra, where she focuses on the Australian aid community. Lisa formerly worked with News Corp Australia as a data journalist for the national network and was published throughout Australia in major metropolitan and regional newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph in Melbourne, Herald Sun in Melbourne, Courier-Mail in Brisbane, and online through news.com.au. Lisa additionally consults with Australian government providing data analytics, reporting and visualization services. Lisa was awarded the 2014 Journalist of the Year by the New South Wales Institute of Surveyors.

https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/persistence-pays-powering-green-economy

Outside one of the houses, Mariama Mamane sits on the ground in the dust, huddled over a blue generator. The 29-year-old environmental engineer is attaching a large blue square bag containing biogas to a generator with a long tube.

The generator is stuck. With determination fixed on her face, she switches a series of tools between her hands as she tries to kick-start the machine branded “Jacigreen”—the name of her company founded in 2016. “It will work!” she says.

Jacigreen tackles the problem of invasive water hyacinth plants chocking the city’s water supply. Her invention cuts up water hyacinth, fermenting it into fertilizer and compost for farmers, called Jacigrow—available in bottles of 250 ml, 0.5 litres, 1 litre and 5 litres.

The by-product of the fertilizer is a gas, which Mamane’s machine captures in blue plastic square bags, like the one she is trying to attach to the generator now, and converted into electricity for families who don’t have a regular power supply.

imageWater hyacinth chokes waterways, but can be turned into rich compost, while creating biogas. Photo by Georgina Smith / UN Environment Mamane’s fertilizer and biogas prototype is now complete. Now, she is working with families and farmers surrounding the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE), where her biogas prototype is located, to test the fertilizer and biogas.

As the shadows become longer and the night closes in, the generator sparks into action. A light flutters in the house and Mamane is quietly jubilant. Wiping away the dust and scorching heat of the day, she walks into the house to inspect the fluorescent bulb.

“Our aim is to provide solutions for families who do not have access to electricity and are using wood,” she explains. “Biogas can reduce deforestation and the encroachment of the desert into communities.

“We also aim to reach the maximum number of farmers to reduce chemical fertilizer use, building a resilient ecosystem and healthier products for consumers,” she says.

imageMamane’s aims to make natural fertilizers for food production, as an alternative to chemical varieties. Photo by Georgina Smith / UN Environment By 2021, her vision is to reach 500 households with biogas and more than a thousand farmers with fertilizer. She is no stranger to determination—it has got her where she is today. “When I won the Young Champions of the Earth prize for Africa, I faced so many challenges in building my prototype during this entrepreneurial adventure,” she explains.

“Transforming my idea into a concrete solution required a lot of research. I ordered equipment from China and Germany because it isn’t available locally. I found myself doing everything—from masonry to plumbing—to build this prototype. But the prize gave me courage, and this has been an unforgettable learning experience.”

“It is important to persevere when something seems impossible. Pushing through these times helps you grow and gives you energy in your professional life. I encourage other girls and young women to push beyond their dreams, and they will achieve,” she adds.

The learning experience has been shared by Robert Maleika, her mentor and Head of Strategic Intellectual Property Management at Covestro—a leading manufacturer of polymer materials based in Germany, which drives the Young Champions of the Earth Prize.

“We already had some big technical solutions to her problem—but of course developed for large scale biogas plants,” he notes. “Building something from scratch in rural and remote areas of Burkina Faso pushed us both harder to find new solutions that were not immediately obvious,” he adds.

image

Jacigreen’s mission is to reach 500 farmers with biogas by 2021. Photo by Georgina Smith / UN Environment Mariama quickly envisioned what impact her prototype might have on society in rural areas, explaining that the value of biogas lies in its application in regions without electricity, and that the fertilizers reduce waste and boost agricultural production on small plots.

Entering a long room shaded from the piercing mid-day heat at the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering, Mamane’s Professor Harouna Karambiri warmly greets her. Mamane’s achievements hold a message for other young entrepreneurs too, he says. “Courage, hard work but above all curiosity will make you successful in your project.”

Water hyacinth is one of the world’s most invasive, resilient and harmful aquatic weeds. Joakim Harlin, Chief of UN Environment’s Freshwater Unit, says that combating infestations is very difficult and requires a freshwater ecosystems approach, addressing land and water management to reduce the nutrient which feeds the weed.

“Utilization of water hyacinth for commercial and subsistence purposes like the initiative Mariama has taken not only helps controlling the weed and protecting the environment but also converts a problem to a livelihood opportunity,” he notes.

imageLight at night allows Ouedraogo’s children to read, improving their education. Photo by Georgina Smith / UN EnvironmentAs the light flickers in her sitting room, Kadijatou Ouedraogo explains what it means to have the biogas light at night.

“The children can read their homework at home when we have light. I also make cooking oil from sesame seeds. Raw sesame seeds sold at the market fetch around 80 cents per day. By making them into oil, I can make around US$5 per day instead.”

With the profits, Ouedraogo plans to start up a new business selling clothes. Already paving the way for new enterprises like this, the power of Jacigreen is just gearing up.

The Young Champions of the Earth Prize, powered by Covestro, is UN Environment's leading initiative to engage youth in tackling the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Winners of the 2019 competition will be announced in September. Stay tuned.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tinethygesen/2019/08/02/here-comes-the-green-economy-an-opportunity-for-workers-and-businesses-alike/

limate change is becoming the world’s most important topic. In June, New York City declared a climate emergency, following the U.K. Parliament, who did so on behalf of their entire nation in May. These gestures are signals from authorities that things must change. At the same time, consumers are increasingly looking for green alternatives.

This dire state of the planet represents an opportunity for people and companies to become actively involved in reversing the situation. For those with green experience and know-how, the opportunity is significant. The timing is right to start building skills and a solid track record.

Fashion is just one industry where consumers will soon demand environmentally-friendly alternatives.Fashion is just one industry where consumers will soon demand environmentally-friendly alternatives. GETTYOne important fact about the “green trend” is that it is not merely a trend. We’ve had market trends before, but we’ve never encountered a problem that threatened to make our planet uninhabitable. We’ve never encountered a situation where the quality of our children’s lives were at stake. We’ve never seen this volume of international protest marches by school children. The enormity of the problem is mirrored by a subsequent motivation to address it. That may well represent the largest commercial and career opportunity since the industrial revolution.

To reduce humanity’s footprint virtually every element of business and industry will be replaced with greener alternatives. We need more efficient heating, cooling, infrastructure, transportation and communication. We need lower-impact production of everything from clothing, housewares, food and refrigerators to construction materials and diapers. We need better tools to find, measure, compare and purchase all of the above. The green shift actually represents a whole new economy. We will have to replace literally everything in our world to a lower-impact alternative. Here comes the green economy!

Some parts of the world are already making significant progress on the road toward the new green economy. In Denmark, the newly elected government has declared a national goal of 70% CO2 (carbon dioxide) reduction. France is committed to a 40% target reduction in emissions by 2030. And this isn’t just a priority for wealthy European nations, as Morocco has shown by being on track for achieving its target of 42% installed renewable energy capacities by 2020. All over the planet, authorities are implementing strict climate goals—which will spur research, production and sales of green alternatives.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKECivic Nation BRANDVOICEHow Parties, But Not Those Kinds Of Parties, Will Change The Fabric Of Our DemocracyCivic Nation BRANDVOICEYoung People Deserve A Voice In Our Elections. Same Day Registration Can Help.Civic Nation BRANDVOICEMichelle Obama’s Message To Students At Our Beating The Odds Summit: You Belong HereAlready now, opportunities are arising in areas such as reusing and repurposing of materials, locally made products and locally grown produce which are already amassing a loyal following of consumers. But we still have time, probably between 5 and 20 years, before the green economy will surpass the black one. That makes this the perfect time for businesses to begin researching, developing and rolling out greener solutions. Starting now provides the ability to develop know-how and capacity for when the demand and competition starts heating up.

Likewise, this is an opportunity for your career. Business will need to get better at analyzing and quantifying their impact—which calls for experienced workers in data, analytics and statistics. Business will need to improve their production and transportation footprint—which calls for scientists, researchers, innovators and engineers. Businesses will need to communicate and distribute their green alternatives—which calls for marketeers, sales and logistics professionals. And so forth. Building a track record in making, managing or selling green alternative products will become a valuable addition to anyone’s resumé.

All in all, we can expect the economy to take a turn for the green—borne out of necessity, consumer demand and government legislation. If you move now, you can position yourself and your company in the right place to benefit from all of the opportunities that will arise in the new green economy.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thehouse/fitting-the-workforce-for-a-green-economy-1.5241744

Fitting the workforce for a green economySocial SharingFacebookTwitterRedditLinkedInEmailCBC Radio · Posted: Aug 10, 2019 6:00 AM ET | Last Updated: August 10

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May holds a press conference announcing their commitment to a just and fair transition to a renewable energy economy for Canadian fossil fuel workers in Vancouver, B.C. this week. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

418 commentsListen to the full episode49:59Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is making her pitch to struggling oil, gas and coal workers who fear what an environmental-focused government could mean for them.

May unveiled her plan for the workers this week, promising jobs and stable futures for anyone in the natural resource sectors she plans to phase out if elected.

"We want to make sure that the workers who are currently in the fossil fuel sector are able to see themselves and know they'll have the supports for upskilling where necessary," she told The House.

"We're not going to leave any part of Canada behind."

Green Party unveils plan to transition oil, gas workers to renewable energy jobsMay pointed to jobs in construction and engineering that would come about with her plan to retrofit every building in Canada in the coming decade.

"It's a lot of jobs," she said.

But what happens to those jobs after the work concludes isn't clear.

Along with those questions, there are also jurisdictional issues, as the federal government would have to negotiate with provinces for the authority to renovate all buildings.

ANALYSISWhy other parties are paying attention to Elizabeth MayMay said in a war-time situation — which is what she considers the climate crisis — the feds could step in. How much would that cost? It's unclear, but May said the Parliamentary Budget Officer is costing her platform.

She says she's ready for the challenge and focused on the goal.

"We call it 'mission possible' not 'mission easy.' The fact that this is theoretically, physically possible for the planet and for governments around the world to hold [the earth's temperature] to 1.5 degrees Celsius is very good news indeed."

https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/two-new-platforms-offer-latest-knowledge-green-finance-and-green

Two new platforms offer the latest knowledge on green finance and green businessnattanan23/Pixabay

New York, 16 July 2019 – A global partnership of some of the world’s largest organizations today launched two new knowledge platforms – the Green Industry Platform and the Green Finance Platform – at the High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development in New York. These platforms provide the financial and private sectors with the latest research, data, guidance, and tools from leading experts and institutions to help green their operations.

The need for practical and targeted knowledge to support the transition to inclusive green economies is more urgent than ever, with recent reports showing the global decline of natureand calling for unprecedented action to reach climate targets set out in the Paris agreement.

The Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) hosts a wealth of existing knowledge to support greener business, finance, and policy, from the return on investment on renewable energy investments to green bonds, sustainable infrastructure, green standards and regulations, etc. The platforms offer everything from global-scale assessments on flows of sustainable finance to highly specialised guidance notes on “turning waste into gold” in the bio-energy sector in Africa.

Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations and current President and Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute welcomed the launch of the two new platforms,

“These are especially exciting times for the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP), already the world’s largest dedicated repository of green growth resources, case studies, and national documents,” he said.

Green Economy Approaches That Work in Policy, Business and Finance

 The Green Industry Platform and the Green Finance Platform will build on the existing Green Growth Knowledge Platform, which offers the latest know-how to support green policymaking at the national level. Users can browse by sector, country, region, or cross-cutting theme, including gender, jobs, climate change, circular economy, and natural capital.

“The green economy offers tremendous opportunity for businesses, financial institutions, governments, and people – it is the economy of the future,” Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UN Environment, said. “Quick and easy access to the latest knowledge and innovation is critical to ensuring we are able to build on good practices that already exist and ensure even greater benefits for nature and people.”

The Green Industry Platform will empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with technical knowledge to green their input materials, end products, and operations, as well as evidence that this will improve their bottom lines.

Welcoming the launch of the two new platforms, Li Yong, Director General of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said, “UNIDO welcomes the expansion of the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership to its new focus on industry through the Green Industry Platform, introduced in parallel with the Green Finance Platform. The Green Industry Platform is evolving to become a critical tool SMEs to engage in global efforts towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development.”

“As SMEs employ up to 60% of the global workforce; their full involvement in the transition to an inclusive green economy is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” he added. “The new Green Industry Platform will equip SMEs with sector- and region-specific information, guidance, and tools to grow their businesses by greening their operations or explore new green business models in emerging green industries.”

The Green Finance Platform will provide banks, insurance, and investment firms with a one-stop shop for the latest financial sector innovations to start, scale, and measure their contribution to a green economic transition. It will feature new tools for businesses and investors to assess natural capital risks and opportunities; guiding principles on responsible banking, insurance, and finance; and global reports on aligning the financial system with sustainable development.

“Combating climate change and encouraging green growth requires all communities and sectors to work together based on sound research and timely information and data,” Ángel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD, said. “We are pleased to

partner in the launch of the two new platforms to expand the impact of the GGKP to the industry and finance communities.”

Moving forward, the partnership will work to connect the policy, finance, and business communities together in a neutral space to incentivize, finance, and put into operation green and inclusive practices.

The Green Growth Knowledge Partnership is led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UNIDO and the World Bank.

The GGKP benefits from strategic funding from Switzerland, Germany, the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) initiative, the MAVA Foundation, and GGGI as well as programmatic funding from the Netherlands.

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the UN Environment ProgrammeUNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UNEP works with governments, the private sector, civil society and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.

For more information, contact:

Keishamaza Rukikaire, Head of News and Media, UNEP

https://globalnews.ca/news/5654727/ottawa-investing-250k-for-green-economy-hub-in-peterborough-to-improve-businsses-sustainability/

Ottawa investing $250K for green economy hub in Peterborough to improve businsses’ sustainability

Greg Davis By Greg DavisVideographer/Online Journalist Global News moreThe federal government is providing more than $250,000 for a green economy hub in Peterborough and New BrunswickThe federal government is providing more than $250,000 for a green economy hub in Peterborough and New Brunswick

Green Economy Canada/Twitter- A A +The federal government is investing more than $255,000 in three new green economy hubs including one in Peterborough.

Green Economy Canada is working with local partners to establish hubs in Peterborough and New Brunswick. The hubs aim to support networks of businesses to help them set and achieve sustainability targets and become more energy-efficient. The goal is to launch by fall 2020 to help businesses save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

READ MORE: Here’s where the federal parties stand on the carbon tax

On Thursday, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, on behalf of Amarjeet Sohi, federal minister of natural resources, announced $256,250 for the three proposed hubs.

“Our government believes that Peterborough has all the right credentials to be a national hub and leader in this work. Climate change is real,” Monsef stated.

“There is no longer a choice to be made between protecting our environment and growing our economy. We must do both. Local businesses play an integral role in creating a sustainable future. Becoming more energy-efficient leads to lower energy costs and maintenance costs, creates less pollution, all the while creating jobs and increasing industry competitiveness.”

Natural Resources✔@NRCan Minister Monsef, on behalf of Minister Sohi, announces funding for 3 new national Green Economy Hubs that will support local businesses in achieving #EnergyEfficiency and sustainability goals. https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2019/07/canada-helps-local-businesses-reduce-pollution-and-save-money.html …

@GreenEconomyCa

Embedded video97:18 PM - Jul 18, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Natural Resources's other TweetsThe project, funded through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Efficiency Program, supports innovation for business and community sustainability.

“Our transition to a low-carbon future is critical not only to address the enormous climate challenge we face but to ensure Canadian businesses stay competitive in a rapidly shifting global economy,” stated Priyanka Lloyd, executive director of Green Economy Canada

Others involved in the Peterborough hub include the City of Peterborough, Peterborough GreenUp, Peterborough Distribution Inc., Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, Sustainable Peterborough and Trent University.

READ MORE: Launch of Green Economy London marks 7th hub in growing network

In a joint statement, the groups said:

“Peterborough is committed to addressing climate change, and to making measurable progress on our local Climate Change Action Plan. We’re excited to have been selected as one of the communities participating in the federally funded expansion of Green Economy Hubs, and to be working with local businesses and community partners to co-create the tools, resources, and supports necessary to advance a low-carbon future in this region.”

WATCH: Canada’s largest green roof sets the environmental standard

https://allafrica.com/stories/201908120338.html

FacebookTwitterWhatsAppFlipboardLinkedInRedditEmailShare12 AUGUST 2019The Herald (Harare)By Nesia MhakaThe Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) has received a US$3 million grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for the formulation of National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and capacity building aimed at creating a green economy by 2030.

NAP is a process that helps countries conduct comprehensive medium- and long-term climate adaptation planning.

Director of Climate Change in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, Mr Washington Zhakata, revealed the latest developments in an interview.

Mr Zhakata said they were on course in structuring a green economic agenda.

He said the money will assist with adaptation planning, as well as capacity building and strengthening of the National Designated Authority (NDA), a core interface between a country and the funders.

"The Green Climate Fund is a new global fund created to support the efforts of developing countries to respond to the challenge of climate change," said Mr Zhakata.

"It helps developing countries limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to adapt to climate change and is part of the 2015 Paris Global Accord which the country ratified last year.

"This fund is only enough for us to come up with a National Adaptation Plan and to see how we can mainstream climate change into all development sectors.

"Once we have the document, it will guide various mitigation exercises by industry, the agricultural sector, waste sector and forestry, among others to mainstream climate change with respect to emission reductions until 2030."

IDBZ climate, finance and sustainability manager Mrs Veronica Jakarasi told The Herald that Zimbabwe required financial and technical support for acceleration and implementation of its climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes.

"Our commitment is to achieve carbon emissions per capita by 2030 that are 33 percent below the projected 'business as usual' level and this calls for innovative funding mechanisms," she said.

"There is a need to broaden funding sources and having our local investors and the mainstream banking system embrace the concept of green finance.

"IDBZ is at the centre of national efforts to come up with these innovative funding platforms and coordination packaging of green projects in the infrastructure sector.

"The bank is in the process of establishing a Climate Finance Facility (CFF) which is essentially a ring-fenced fund dedicated to financing green projects in Zimbabwe in the priority areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, irrigation schemes and waste management systems."

Mrs Jakarasi said the intention was to use the CFF as a platform to crowd-in various climate finance sources and private sector investment into the financing of green projects so that the country does not rely solely on the GCF for funding.

https://gulfnews.com/uae/transport/rta-offers-74-green-and-sustainable-solutions-1.65511763

Highlights Climate Change

https://news.sky.com/story/goldsmiths-university-bans-beef-burgers-to-help-tackle-climate-change-crisis-11784206

oldsmiths University bans beef burgers to help tackle climate change crisisThe National Farmers' Union said Goldsmiths decision to ban beef was an "overly simplistic" response to climate change.Tuesday 13 August 2019 08:58, UKGirl eating burger in the restaurant close upImage:Beef burgers won't be on sale at Goldsmith's from next month Why you can trust Sky News A university has stopped selling beef on campus as part of its bid to tackle climate change.

Goldsmiths, University of London, is removing all beef products from sale from next month as it attempts to become carbon neutral by 2025.

Sponsored link Have you ever skiied in two countries from one resort? Book our Italo-Swiss resort and save 15%!Have you ever skiied in two countries from one resort? Book…Club MedRecommended byStudents will also have to pay a 10p levy on bottles of water and single-use plastic cups when the academic year starts to discourage use of the products.

Burger King launches plant-based 'Impossible Whopper'Burger King launches plant-based 'Impossible Whopper'There are also plans at Goldsmiths to install more solar panels on the college's New Cross campus in south east London, and to switch to a 100% clean energy supplier as soon as possible.

Professor Frances Corner, the college's new warden, said staff and students "care passionately about the future of our environment" and that "declaring a climate emergency cannot be empty words".

AdvertisementBut the National Farmers Union (NFU) has been critical, saying it is "overly simplistic" and saying it represented a lack of understanding of the differences between British beef, and beef produced elsewhere.

The first lab-grown burger that could save the planetProf Corner said: "The growing global call for organisations to take seriously their responsibilities for halting climate change is impossible to ignore.

More from UKNora Quoirin: Body found in search for missing London teenager in MalaysiaMurder investigation after man stabbed to death in northwest London

Met Police officer faces investigation after appearing on Nigerian Big BrotherRoutine questions about domestic abuse are not being asked, charity warnsMPs: Hands-free mobiles should be banned while driving'Important first step' in chlamydia vaccine"Though I have only just arrived at Goldsmiths, it is immediately obvious that our staff and students care passionately about the future of our environment and that they are determined to help deliver the step change we need to cut our carbon footprint drastically and as quickly as possible.

"Declaring a climate emergency cannot be empty words. I truly believe we face a defining moment in global history and Goldsmiths now stands shoulder to shoulder with other organisations willing to call the alarm and take urgent action to cut carbon use.

EDITORIAL USE ONLY Professor Frances Corner, OBE, Head of London College of Fashion, UAL, speaks at the launch of the Fashion District, which is a new hub for fashion innovation that aims to return world-leading fashion manufacturing and design to the east end, held at Christopher RaeburnÕs studio in London.Image:Professor Frances Corner said move would help with the university's carbon neutral attemptsGoldsmiths' students' union has backed the ban, with the president Joe Leam saying the university has a "huge carbon footprint".

NFU vice president Stuart Roberts said their position was to encourage public bodies to back British farming.

:: A New Climate is a special series of podcasts from Sky News Daily. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

He said: "Tackling climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time but singling out one food product is clearly an overly simplistic approach.

"Our standards of beef production in the UK are among the most efficient in the world, with British livestock grazing in extensive, grass-based systems - meaning a greenhouse gas footprint 2.5 times smaller than the global average.

"Anyone wanting to play their part in helping our planet amid the current climate change challenge we're all facing should buy British, locally produced beef reared to some of the highest and environmentally sustainable standards in the world.

"The NFU has for years been encouraging public bodies such as schools and universities to back British farming and source their produce locally wherever possible. This makes more sense and keeps the choice to eat tasty, sustainably-produced meat firmly on the menu."

Sky Views: Norway's climate record is not as clean as you thinkSky Views: Norway's climate record is not as clean as you thinkThe college cited figures which show its carbon emissions are about 3.7m kg a year.

In a blog, Mr Leam said: "It is clear our university has a huge carbon footprint. The promise to have ended this by 2030 at the latest, with the hope of doing so by 2025, is one which is needed.

"Whilst this plan/action is only the beginning, and much work is yet to be done, it is fantastic to see Goldsmiths taking responsibility and responding to its impact on the climate."

He said the SU would be part of the process every step of the way and pledged to speed it up where possible.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-49331885/greta-thunberg-s-zero-carbon-journey-to-climate-change-conference

Climate change activist Greta Thunberg will spend two weeks travelling across the North Atlantic on a boat with no toilets, kitchens or privacy.

Greta has stopped flying due to environmental reasons, but is due to attend a crucial climate change conference in New York.

She told the BBC that travelling by boat sends a signal that "the climate change crisis is a real thing".

Electricity on the boat will solely come from wind turbines and solar panels, meaning the journey has a zero carbon footprint.

13 Aug 2019

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http://theconversation.com/new-climate-change-report-underscores-the-need-to-manage-land-for-the-short-and-long-term-121716

Undeveloped regions such as the Amazon rainforest are critical resources for slowing climate change. lubasi/Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

New climate change report underscores the need to manage land for the short and long termAugust 12, 2019 1.11pm SASTAuthor

1. Chris E. ForestProfessor of Climate Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University

Disclosure statement

Chris E. Forest receives funding from the US National Science Foundation. He is a Senior Fellow addressing Climate Dynamics with Project Drawdown (drawdown.org). Pennsylvania State University is a land-grant university.Partners

Pennsylvania State Universityprovides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation US.

The Conversation is funded by the National Research Foundation, eight universities, including the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Rhodes University, Stellenbosch University and the Universities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Pretoria, and South Africa. It is hosted by the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Western Cape, the African Population and Health Research Centre and the Nigerian Academy of Science. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a Strategic Partner. more

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In its latest report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changedescribes how agriculture, deforestation, and other human activities have altered 70% of the land on Earth’s surface.

These changes are significantly adding to climate-warming emissions. They are also making forests and other natural systems, which can store key greenhouse gases, less able to do so.

Many calls to limit emissions focus on those from energy and transportation. But as the IPCC report points out, agriculture and land use are also major greenhouse gas sources. In the past decade, land use was responsible for 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 35% for energy and 14% for transportation.

For the past 20 years, I have been working to understand how severe climate change will be in the coming century. Scientists know that Earth’s climate responds to both changes in greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere and changes in land use. This report makes clear that solving the climate crisis will require serious choices about how humans interact with the land systems that provide our societies with food, water and shelter.

The story is not all doom and gloom. There are strategies that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from land use, food production and agriculture, and also generate economic and social benefits. Acting on these recommendations would be a big step toward addressing climate change in a meaningful way.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/12/australia-will-fund-a-500m-climate-change-package-for-the-pacific-pm-to-announce

nouncePacific leaders say they need more than money from Australia as they demand concrete actions to reduce emissions

Kate Lyons in Funafuti

  @MsKateLyons Mon 12 Aug 2019 13.30 BSTLast modified on Mon 12 Aug 2019 20.45 BST

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Claire Anterea, co-founder of the Kiribati Climate Action Network, says the situation in the Pacific is ‘not about cash’. Photograph: Kate Lyons/The Guardian

Scott Morrison will unveil a $500m climate change and oceans funding package for the Pacific region when he attends the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Tuvalu this week.

The funding package, which will use existing aid funds to help Pacific nations invest in renewable energy and climate and disaster resilience, will build on the $300m given by the government for that purpose in 2016-2020.

“The Pacific is our home, which we share as a family of nations. We’re here to work with our Pacific partners to confront the potential challenges they face in the years ahead,” said the prime minister.

Pacific leaders plead with Australia to drop plans to carry over emissions credits Read more

The government also announced it had set aside $140m from the aid budget to encourage private sector investments in low-emission, climate-resilient projects for the Pacific and south-east Asia.

Morrison will face strong pressure from other Pacific leaders when he arrives in Tuvalu on Wednesday, many of whom have already issued warnings that they want commitments from Australia at this forum for concrete action to reduce emissions and to move away from coal-fired power.

On Monday, during a one-day climate conference hosted by the Tuvalu government, the Fijian prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, a global leader in the fight against climate change, issued a direct appeal to Australia to

move away from coal-powered energy and asked its government “to more fully appreciate” the “existential threat” facing Pacific nations.

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“Put simply, the case for coal as an energy source cannot continue to be made if every nation is to meet the net zero emission target by 2050 that has been set by the UN secretary general and every other responsible leader of the climate struggle,” said Bainimarama, who is a former president of the UN’s leading climate body COP (Conference of the Parties).

The forum is being hosted in Tuvalu, a country of 11,000 people located three hours north of Fiji, which is at serious risk from rising sea levels as a result of climate change. Climate change is at the heart of this year’s forum, from the moment leaders arrive at Funafuti airport and are greeted by the children of Tuvalu, who sit submerged in water, in a moat built around the model of an island, singing: “Save Tuvalu, save the world.”

Speaking to Guardian Australia ahead of the forum, the prime minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopoaga, said he had concerns about Australia’s coal policy and its use of carryover credits as a means of reducing emissions. He said the positive relationship with Australia could change if the future of his people was not taken seriously.

“I hope we can be more understanding that the people of Tuvalu and small island countries are already submerged, are already going underwater,” Sopoaga said.

“If our friend Australia does not show them any regard, any respect, it is a different thing, we cannot be partner with that thinking. I certainly hope we do not come to that juncture to say we cannot go on talking about partnerships regardless of whether it is [the Australian government’s Pacific] Step-Up or [New Zealand’s Pacific] Reset, while you keep pouring your coal emissions into the atmosphere that is killing my people and drowning my people into the water.”

Simon Bradshaw, Oxfam Australia’s climate advocacy lead who is in Tuvalu for the forum, said that while this money would be welcomed by Pacific leaders, it would not mean the Australian government was off the hook when it came to reducing emissions.

“Australia couldn’t come here empty-handed, they were going to have to bring something, but a new commitment of climate finance ... that’s not enough,” said Bradshaw.

“It’s one part of the equation, it’s an important part, but really it carries no meaning if it’s not accompanied by new strong commitments from Australia to drive down its emissions, its carbon pollution, to move beyond coal, to play its part in limiting warming to one and a half degrees, which we’ve heard repeatedly is crucial to survival in the region.”

Bradshaw said that Pacific leaders had never been as strident in their calls for urgent action to reduce emissions and preserve their homes and islands as they have been in the lead-up to this forum.

Australia coal use is 'existential threat' to Pacific islands, says Fiji PM Read more

“They’re absolutely clear that Australia’s rising emissions, our coal exports are threatening their very survival,” he said. “From all the talk we’ve heard this week, whereas this commitment will be welcomed, it’s certainly not going to quieten the concerns of Pacific leaders who have been very clear that they want Australia to look beyond coal, to move to 100% renewable energy and to really appreciate the sorts of challenges they face here.”

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Claire Anterea, co-founder of the Kiribati Climate Action Network, an advocacy group based in Kiribati, which like Tuvalu, is one of the small island states most at risk due to rising sea levels, said: “Our situation in Kiribati and in the Pacific, it’s not about cash, it’s not about giving lots of money, if Australia doesn’t do actions within their own country,” she said.

“Australia needs to do more, not just give money to solve the problem. Money is not the solution for the impacts of climate change. Our Kiribati government is working toward adaptation, but my worry is how long are we going to adapt? Adapt forever? I don’t think that is a possible solution for us, there will be a time when adaptation is not going to work.”

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/08/west-antarctic-glaciers-melting-human-influence/

The fingerprints of human-caused climate change have made it to Antarctica, a new study shows

5 MINUTE READ

BY ALEJANDRA BORUNDA

PUBLISHED AUGUST 12, 2019

THE TOWERING GLACIERS of West Antarctica hold the fate of the world’s coasts in their flanks. Their collapse could send sea levels up by at least a foot by 2100—and potentially much more.

For years, scientists have watched and learned that those glaciers are crumbling and melting, the rate speeding up over the decades and imperiling the stability of the entire ice sheet. But while the science was clear that human influences on climate would affect the ice down the line, it has been hard to tell whether human-driven global warming has affected the melting already underway.

Now, a team has unraveled evidence of that human influence. In a study published Monday in Nature Geoscience, a team of scientists showed that over the past century, human-driven global warming has changed the character of the winds that blow over the ocean near some of the most fragile glaciers in West Antarctica. Sometimes, those winds have weakened or reversed, which in turn causes changes in the ocean water that laps up against the ice in a way that caused the glaciers to melt.

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“We now have evidence to support that human activities have influenced the sea level rise we’ve seen from West Antarctica,” says lead author Paul Holland, a polar scientist at the British Antarctic Survey.

The ocean eats the ice

The massive West Antarctic ice sheet holds something like 6 percent of the world’s fresh water frozen in its guts. If it all melted away, global sea levels would rise by about 10 feet or more. That’s not likely to happen anytime particularly soon, scientists think, but some parts of the ice sheet are particularly vulnerable, in danger of crossing a crucial “tipping point” if they retreat too far. (Read about the "tipping point" here).

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In the past decades, some glaciers in the region have been retreating shockingly quickly. Pine Island Glacier and Thwaites Glaciers, for example, are losing about 100 billion tons of ice each year, and more in bad years. (See what a 10 billion ton chunk of ice looks like in this video).

The glaciers have been receding because their snouts spill over the edge of the continent into the surrounding ocean, which is warmer than the ice. The warm water melts away the ice.

Just how warm the ocean is, though, matters a lot. Over decades, the temperature of the water has waxed and waned, driven in part by natural climate cycles that send different water masses close to the edge of the ice sheet at different times, cycling through from cold to a little less cold every five years or so.

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JASKIRAN NAGI

The main thing that controls whether warm water makes it to the edge of the ice sheet, it turns out, is the strength of the winds a little bit farther offshore, in the heart of the icy, bitter Amundsen Sea. Sometimes, those winds—cousins of the famous raging band of Southern Ocean winds known as the Roaring 40s—slacken or even reverse. When they do, more warm water ends up near the edge of the ice sheet, which means more ice melts away. (See what the world would look like if all the ice melted away).

“In the 1920s, the winds were pretty much consistently blowing toward the west,” says Holland. “So in the old days, it was cold all the time—it flopped between cold and very cold.”

But now, because of the slow warming of the planet, the whole baseline has moved up. Instead of the cycle flipping between cold and very cold, the flip is between warm and cold.

Scientists knew that the strength of the winds in this region of the Amundsen Sea affected the water temperature. Records of wind strength and direction only went back until 1979. But the patterns in this region match up nearly perfectly with conditions far away, in the tropical Pacific Ocean, where much better, longer-term records exist—so the team could extrapolate how the polar-region winds have changed over the last century.

They used a suite of climate models to look at how the wind patterns would have evolved over the last 100 years if human-caused global warming weren’t in play, and compared that with what the winds actually did. Today’s pattern—with about equal west-flowing and east-flowing winds—means the whole region ends up quite a bit warmer than it was 100 years ago, when the wind flowed toward the west most of the time.

Ice out of Balance

In the past, and even up to the early part of the record the scientists looked at in the 1920s, ice melted during warm phases and grew back during cold phases. But over the last century, that balance has come undone. The shifting winds and warm ocean phases have eaten away at the ice more quickly than it’s being replaced.

Several particularly notable moments of wind-flipping, like in the 1970s, matched up closely with major retreats of the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers.

Those glaciers are particularly sensitive to melting at their snouts. The ground underneath them, it turns out, is concave, like a bowl. The glacier ice is attached the “rim” of the bowl, but if it melts back past that edge, warm ocean water can spill underneath it and melt it even more quickly from the bottom.

In 1974, one of these strong moments of melting pushed the glaciers past one of these “rims,” and since then the glacier has melted much more quickly than it did before—at least 50 percent more melt after that un-groundig than before, said Eric Steig, an atmospheic and ice core scientist at the University of Washington and an author of the paper.

The suspect has been identified—and it’s us

The ultimate cause of the wind patterns, they found, is human-caused climate change. The extra greenhouse gases humans have pumped into the atmosphere over the past few hundred years have changed the way heat moves around the planet so thoroughly that they’ve changed the shape of the basic wind patterns at the poles.

The Antarctic ice sheet sat more or less stable in shape and size for many thousands of years. But about a century ago, pieces of it started to retreat in measurable ways. That’s well within the time frame when carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases had started to accumulate thickly in the atmosphere, so it seemed logical to think that human influence was affecting the ice. But Antarctica is a complicated place that changes a lot because of natural variability, so it has been challenging to pinpoint the extent of human influence on the changes.

“It was very hard to imagine that the ice sat around happily for millennia and then decided to retreat naturally just as humans started perturbing the system, but the evidence for forcing by natural variability was strong,” writes Richard Alley, a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University, in an email.

But a warming planet has very clearly changed the way winds move around Antarctica—and that change is likely to continue, unless something drastic happens to slow or reverse the warming process.

“If we carry this pattern forward, we may move to a situation where we’re flipping between warm and very warm,” says Holland. And that could be devastating for the ice.

But the future isn’t yet written, Steig stressed. Keeping future greenhouse gas emissions in check would go a long way toward keeping those crucial winds from weakening further, the water under the edge of the ice chilly, and the ice frozen.

“[West Antarctic Ice Sheet] melting will affect everyone,” says Steig. “The effects will be global, because sea level will rise globally.

https://www.euronews.com/2019/08/12/iceland-s-first-glacier-to-disappear-due-to-climate-change-will-be-remembered-with-monumen

Iceland's first glacier to disappear due to climate change will be remembered with monument   COMMENTS   By Marta Rodriguez Martinez     & Lauren Chadwick • last updated: 13/08/2019 - 08:13

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Okjökull was the first Icelandic glacier to disappear due to climate change, and now it will be the first to have a monument to "mark its passing."

The iconic glacier melted during the 20th century and was officially declared "dead" in 2014.

Now researchers from Rice University along with author Andri Snær Magnason, geologist Oddur Sigurðsson and members of the Icelandic Hiking Society plan to install a monument to remember the lost glacier.

"In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path," warns the plaque, which will be installed at the site of the "glacier-no-more" on August 18.

The words, written by Icelandic author Andri Snær Magnason, are supposed to be "a letter to the future".

"This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it," the memorial's message continues.

The plaque for Iceland's first glacier to disappear due to climate change. Words by Andri Snær MagnasonRice University

According to an article written by NASA's Kathryn Hansen, a geological map from 1901 showed the glacier spanned an area of roughly 38 square kilometres, but today less than one square kilometre remains of it.

"We are talking about the ethical consequences in the future of what we do today," explained the memorial's architects Cymene Howe and Dominic Boyer in an interview with Euronews.

"We are living with the decisions of our parents and passing a future planet to our children and grandchildren, who will have to live with our decisions."

The Rice University anthropologists wanted to create a lasting memorial to the glacier.

In 2018, they released a documentary about the glacier entitled "Not ok", as "Ok" is the name the glacier goes by in Iceland.

"Normally we talk about the scientific part, statistics, heat waves, droughts, fires ... but we wanted to do something different," Howe explained.

They said scientists fear that all of Iceland's over 400 glaciers will disappear by 2200.

The disappearing glaciers are expected to change life in Iceland.

The country's hydroelectric power plants use water produced by the seasonal melting of glaciers. Fishing and tourism industries could also be adversely impacted by the melting of glaciers.

"With this memorial, we want to underscore that it is up to us, the living, to collectively respond to the rapid loss of glaciers and the ongoing impacts of climate change," Howe sai

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/08/climate-change-turns-up-heat-on-sports/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/12/climate-crisis-heat-trapping-gases-broke-records-2018-report

Greenhouse gas levels topped 60 years of modern measurements and 800,000 years of ice core data, the study found. Photograph: Charlie Riedel/AP

The gases heating the planet in 2018 were higher than humans have ever recorded, according to an authoritative new report from the American Meteorological Society and the US government.

Greenhouse gas levels topped 60 years of modern measurements and 800,000 years of ice core data, the study found. The data used in the 325-page report is collected from more than 470 scientists in 60 countries.

The global annual average for carbon dioxide – which is elevated because of human activities like driving cars and burning fuel – was 407.4 parts per million, 2.4 ppm higher than in 2017.

The report finds 2018 was the fourth-warmest on record since the mid-to-late- 1800s. Temperatures were .3C to .4C higher than the average between 1981 and 2010.

Sea levels were the highest on record, as global heating melted land-based ice and expanded the oceans. Sea surface temperatures were also near a record high.

As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration put it, the report “found that the major indicators of climate change continued to reflect trends consistent with a warming planet”.

Arctic and Antarctic sea ice extent was near a record low, and glaciers continued to melt and lose mass for the 30th year in a row.

Despite recent massive wildfires in the US and the Arctic, 2018 fire activity around the globe was actually the lowest on record. That is because humans have turned the savannas that have burned frequently into agricultural areas.

Mexico reported its third warmest year in its 48-year record, and Alaska reported its second warmest in its 94-year record. There were 14 weather and climate events in the US that each caused over $1bn in damage – the fourth highest since records began in 1980.

The Caribbean saw coral reef bleaching and South America experienced seven extreme snowfall events. Europe was a hotspot, with its second warmest year since at least 1950. And Australia had its third warmest year since 1910, with a rapidly intensifying and expanding drought and significant fires.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/08/09/climate-change-isnt-an-intangible-future-risk-its-here-now-its-killing-us/?noredirect=on

ScienceClimate change isn’t an intangible future risk. It’s here now, and it’s killing us.By Kayla Epstein August 9Four hundred deaths in the Netherlands. More than 18,000 hospitalizations in Japan. An estimated 169 million people on alert in the United States.

This isn’t the plot of a disaster movie. The numbers reflect the impact of extreme heat waves that smothered countries around the world in July and early August, a phenomenon that scientists warn will intensify as the Earth warms.

July was the hottest month on record, said Petteri Taalas, secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization, as he discussed the record. “This is not science fiction. It is the reality of climate change,” he said. “It is happening now, and it will worsen in the future without urgent climate action.”

In the Netherlands, 400 more people died in the next-to-last week of July than normally would have during a typical summer week, the country’s statistics agency said Friday. In the week that began on July 22, 2,964 people died, which is 15 percent more deaths than the country typically sees in a summer week. Scorching heat had toppled records across Europe in late July, and on July 25, Paris experienced its hottest day on record — a previously unthinkable 109 degrees.

On the other side of the planet, a heat wave in Japan stretched from July 29 to Aug. 4 and killed at least 57 people, while more than 18,000 others were taken to hospitals, with 100 in serious condition, The Washington Post reported Friday. A 50-year-old construction worker toiling on an Olympics project in Tokyo died of suspected heat stroke Thursday, when temperatures reached 95 degrees. Organizers of the Olympics told Reuters that the “precise cause of his death remains unknown,” but still, the city had numerous heat-related fatalities. On Friday, NHK reported that 45 people in Tokyo had died in a week because of the heat.

[Heat wave smashes temperature records across Europe]

In the United States, most of the country endured a sweltering heat wave in July; several heat-related deaths were reported across the country. The month saw scorching and unusual temperatures across Alaska.

Heat waves are already deadly. A 2008 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that extreme heat events “are the most prominent cause of weather-related human mortality in the U.S., responsible for more deaths annually than hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes combined.”

And climate change will only make the situation worse.

Last year’s National Climate Assessment, compiled by the Trump administration, warned that heat-related deaths would continue to increase. Climate change would cause illnesses such as asthma and hay fever to become more severe, while wildfires and pollution also posed a risk to respiratory health. Rising temperatures would alter the geographic distribution of disease-carrying insects and pests, endangering new populations.

[Europe never understood America’s love of air conditioning — until now]

“Climate change is a public health crisis,” Vijay Limaye told The Post. “The science is really strong in telling us that with climate change accelerating, we expect heat waves to be more frequent, more intense and longer.”

Limaye is currently a fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council, but used to study the impact of climate change at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. A 2018 study written by Limaye and his former colleagues found that climate change would lead to thousands more heat-related deaths in the eastern United States by the middle of the century. They said 11,562 additional annual deaths could occur among people 65 and older because of cardiovascular stress caused by heat, and increasingly high minimum temperatures would result in 8,767 additional fatalities.

“As a nation and as a globe, we are not prepared to confront an ever-mounting heat risk in terms of our health,” he said. For example, while air conditioning was known to save lives, Limaye warned that increased reliance on the technology could have a harmful long-term effect if the energy used for cooling continued to come from fossil fuels.

“We really need to focus on solutions that can stem the underlying climate problem,” Limaye said, “Or we’re not going be able to adapt our way out of this.”

Read more:

Here’s how the hottest month in recorded history unfolded around the world

Perspective: Europe’s killer heat waves are a new norm. The death rates shouldn’t be.

Opinion: Your air conditioner is making the heat wave worse

Greenland wildfire part of unusual spike in Arctic blazes this summer

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-climatechange-protests/london-climate-change-protesters-daub-brazilian-embassy-blood-red-idUSKCN1V30LC

Police arrested six activists from the Extinction Rebellion group after they glued themselves to the embassy windows and climbed onto a glass awning above the entrance.

The protesters had splattered red paint and sprayed red handprints over the facade, along with slogans such as “No More Indigenous Blood” and “For The Wild”.

Extinction Rebellion, which disrupted traffic in central London for several weeks earlier this year, said Tuesday’s protest aimed to challenge the Brazilian government over “state-sanctioned human rights abuses and ecocide”.

Brazil contains about 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest, a bulwark against global warming thanks to the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it soaks up and recycles into oxygen.

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Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who took office in January, has long been sceptical about environmental concerns. He argues that the Amazon is a resource that belongs to Brazil and should be economically developed. He also criticizes the existence of protected lands.

Critics say his rhetoric has emboldened loggers, ranchers and informal miners, resulting in a dramatic acceleration of deforestation and in violence against the rainforest’s indigenous inhabitants.

Last week, data from Brazil’s own space research agency showed that deforestation on Brazilian territory had jumped around 67 percent in the first seven months of the year. Bolsonaro has rejected the agency’s data and fired its chief.

A tribal leader was found dead last month near Brazil’s border with French Guiana. Tribe members alleged he was murdered and it was linked to an invasion of their lands by wildcat miners. Bolsonaro said there was no evidence of that.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet described the death as “a disturbing sympton of the growing problem of encroachment on indigenous land - especially forests - by miners, loggers and farmers in Brazil”.

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Extinction Rebellion said the protest in London was timed to coincide with a march by indigenous women in Brasilia on Tuesday, and that similar actions were taking place at Brazilian embassies in Chile, Portugal, France, Switzerland and Spain.

The Brazilian embassy in London said in response to Extinction Rebellion’s actions that it welcomed anyone wishing to establish a dialogue about Brazil’s public policies, but the right to vandalize property did not exist in any country

Other Blue Economy News

https://www.iora.int/en/priorities-focus-areas/blue-economy

Events 04-05

Sep 2019The 3rd IORA Blue Economy Ministerial Conference (BEC-III) on “Promoting Sustainable Blue Economy- making the best use of opportunities from the Indian Ocean”Dhaka, Bangladesh

First Meeting of the IORA Maritime Safety and Security Working GroupMaritime Safety and Security15 July 2019

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the IORA Secretariat will be hosting the 'First Meeting of the IORA Maritime Safety and Security Working Group'.

Read more about the forthcoming Meeting here

Consortium of Ocean Leadership

RECENT NEWS

https://globaloceanforum.com/

SEORS event on   Addressing the IPCC Findings Relevant to the Ocean and Climate   Nexus  July 3, 2019

https://globalportsforum.com/

SCMP – China doubles size of Shanghai FTZ in drive to open marketsAugust 6th, 2019

China doubles size of Shanghai FTZ in drive to open markets

www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3021706/china-doubles-size-shanghai-free-trade-zone-include-tesla

Posted in FREE TRADE ZONES & PORTS | No Comments »

Trump reportedly overruled advisors in decision to slap tariffs on remaining Chinese importsAugust 5th, 2019

Trump reportedly overruled advisors in decision to slap tariffs on remaining Chinese imports – www.cnbc.com/2019/08/04/trump-reportedly-overruled-advisors-in-decision-to-slap-tariffs-on-remaining-chinese-imports.html

Posted in Trade impacts on ports, Trade Protectionism & Ports | No Comments »

Check out “The Global Port Quality System (GPQS) – Achieving Accreditation for ports/terminals with a quality system of global standard.”!August 4th, 2019

Check out “The Global Port Quality System (GPQS) – Achieving Accreditation for ports/terminals with a quality system of global standard.” on Eventbrite!

Date: Fri, 1 Nov, 09:00

Location: Pan Pacific Singapore

www.eventbrite.sg/e/the-global-port-quality-system-gpqs-achieving-accreditation-for-portsterminals-with-a-quality-tickets-39589323733

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Ports of Auckland fights climate change with world’s first e-tug | Stuff.co.nzAugust 3rd, 2019

Ports of Auckland fights climate change with world’s first e-tug

www.stuff.co.nz/business/114728168/ports-of-auckland-fights-climate-change-with-worlds-first-etug

Posted in Ports - Australia/NZ | No Comments »

Impending Djibouti Action to Denounce Rule of Law A Warning to Business InvestorsAugust 2nd, 2019

Impending Djibouti Action to Denounce Rule of Law A Warning to Business Investors

www.asiaone.com/business/impending-djibouti-action-denounce-rule-law-warning-business-investors

Posted in Port Disputes, Ports - Africa | No Comments »

US industry associations voice opposition to new tariffs on Chinese imports – Global TimesAugust 2nd, 2019

US industry associations voice opposition to new tariffs on Chinese imports –

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1160131.shtml

Posted in Trade impacts on ports, Trade Protectionism & Ports | No Comments »

China warns of retaliation after Trump threatens fresh tariffs – ReutersAugust 2nd, 2019

China warns of retaliation after Trump threatens fresh tariffs.

www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china/china-warns-of-retaliation-after-trump-threatens-fresh-tariffs-idUSKCN1UR3SX

Posted in Trade impacts on ports, Trade Protectionism & Ports | No Comments »

SCMP – Trump’s latest tariffs won’t resolve trade war, says China’s Wang YiAugust 2nd, 2019

Trump’s latest tariffs won’t resolve trade war, says China’s Wang Yi

www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3021086/donald-trumps-latest-tariffs-wont-resolve-trade-war-says

Posted in Trade impacts on ports, Trade Protectionism & Ports | No Comments »

Impossible for China to give in under US 10% tariffs threat: experts – Global TimesAugust 2nd, 2019

Impossible for China to give in under US 10% tariffs threat:

www.globaltimes.cn/content/1160093.shtml

Posted in Trade impacts on ports, Trade Protectionism & Ports | No Comments »

SCMP – Trump to hit US$300 billion worth of Chinese goods with 10 per cent tariffAugust 2nd, 2019

Trump to hit US$300 billion worth of Chinese goods with 10 per cent tariff

www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3021066/donald-trump-says-us-hit-us300-billion-worth-chinese-goods-10-cent

Posted in Trade impacts on ports, Trade Protectionism & Ports | No Comments »

Links

o 2020 GPF Awards, Dubai, 26 Feb 20 2020 Global Ports Forum Award Categories Details

o 6th GPF Singapore, 24-25 Oct 19 6th Global Ports Forum Singapore 24-25 Oct 2019 draft Agenda,

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19-20, 2019 Melbourne. 3rd Executive Workshop on Investment Strategies for Green / Brown Field Port Projects, September

28-29, 2019 Singapore.. 3rd GPF Executive Program on Global Ports Advanced Management, Sep 16-25, 2019, Venice, Italy

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Blue Prosperity Coalition News

BERMUDA COMMITS TO PROTECTING 20% in new marine protected areas

Hamilton, June 5th, 2019 – The Government of Bermuda has committed to protect at least 20% of their total Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in marine protected areas (MPAs) while vowing to sustainably develop their Blue Economy. On June 5th, the Government of Bermuda’s Ministry of Home Affairs, the Waitt Institute, and Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme.  Through this partnership, Bermuda will create a binding ocean plan to sustainably manage and improve ocean industries like fishing and tourism while at the same time preserving 90,000 square kilometers (50,000 square miles) of Bermuda’s waters, which total 465,000 sq. kilometers ( sq. miles), in fully protected areas (no fishing, extraction, or destruction of any kind is allowed). This process will be based on scientific, legal, and socio-economic assessments of the island and will be designated and implemented by 2022. Utilizing marine spatial planning (MSP), new inshore and offshore zones will aim to preserve commercially important fish stocks, migratory routes for marine mammals, and deep-sea ecosystems like seamounts and corals while allowing for responsible development of marine industries. Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs the Hon. Walter H. Roban said, “We Bermudians rely on our ocean for our food, livelihoods, shipping, tourism, climate resilience and recreation. This partnership confirms our recognition that a healthy ocean is essential to our island’s prosperity – our future depends on it. Bermuda is committed to achieving the highest standard of marine protection, which is essential to build ocean resilience, while at the same time ensuring economic resilience.” 900 km (570 miles) from the Eastern United States, Bermuda’s waters contain the northernmost coral reef ecosystem in the world. While boasting some of the healthiest coral in the Atlantic, Bermuda’s waters face mounting pressures from human activity such as declining fish stocks, sea level rise, and a potential risk of increased tropical storms. “Bermuda has a robust history of ocean management and research, starting with the protection of sea turtles in the early 1600s. The Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme

will ensure this legacy lives on by leveraging current scientific understanding to preserve marine biodiversity for both its inherent environmental and socioeconomic values. BIOS is pleased to be a part of this initiative that will no doubt serve as a model for other countries around the world,” said Bill Curry, CEO of Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences. The announcement comes in the wake of last month’s United Nations report which warned of unprecedented rates of extinction and asserted that direct exploitation of fish and seafood has the largest relative impact in the oceans. Mounting scientific reports declare that protecting 30% of the ocean in areas with no extraction will help maintain marine resources while maximizing fisheries yields and economic growth. The Programme will help Bermuda achieve international objectives set by the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (ODS) 14, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). The Waitt Institute will provide expertise and financing to support the comprehensive marine spatial plan (MSP) that aims to balance ecological, economical, and social priorities of the ocean. The Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme is part of the recently-launched Blue Prosperity Coalition, a network of global experts that offer world-class planning, legal, advocacy, strategy, and scientific expertise to help governments achieve 30% marine protection while growing their ocean economies. “By taking proactive steps to manage their ocean, Bermuda is not only fostering healthier marine ecosystems, but creating a long-term roadmap for economic growth, food security, and climate resilience. Bermuda is taking the initiative to develop a “future proof” ocean plan that doesn’t just designate protected areas on a map, but builds local capacity and enforcement, involves the stakeholders, and sustainably grows the ocean economy.” said Ted Waitt, Founder and Chairman of the Waitt Institute. Marine spatial planning was identified as a key tool for islands in the 2018 Ocean Risk Summit, hosted by Bermuda which identified potential global exposures to ocean risk and discussed innovative solutions to tackle its broad-ranging consequences. The MOU announcement has been warmly welcomed by AXA XL, the lead sponsor of the Ocean Risk Summit and one of Bermuda’s largest commercial (re)insurers. “Given the risk climate change poses to island communities, marine spatial planning provides a sustainable business and resiliency strategy that helps ensure long- term economic growth,” said Charles Cooper, Chief Executive, Reinsurance at AXA XL and Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences trustee. Bermuda is the latest island nation in the Atlantic Ocean to protect part of their exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Governments of the Azores, Barbuda and Curaçao have recently announced similar commitments under the Blue Prosperity Coalition. Ascension Island recently received UK government backing for its call to designate all of its waters as a marine protected area, with no fishing allowed, which would make it the largest fully protected marine reserve in the Atlantic.

 For media requests, please contact:Government of BermudaKenya Smith | kbsmith@gov.bm | Department of Communications: 441 292 5998 Extension: 2104Waitt InstituteShayna Brody | sbrody@waittinstitute.org | +1 719 229 5237    Editor’s Notes: Key Facts About Bermuda

Bermuda’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is 465,000 square kilometres (180,000 square miles).

  Bermuda currently supports the northernmost coral reef system in the world and what

is considered one of the “healthiest” coral reef systems of the Atlantic. The average annual value of the coral reef ecosystem was estimated to be $722 million according to a report prepared for the UK government in 2010.

  Bermuda has a robust history of ocean protection starting in 1620 when the harvest

of young sea turtles was banned. Bermuda continued to emerge as a leader in ocean protection with early bans on pot fishing, the creation of a whale sanctuary, and membership in the Sargasso Sea Commission. Bermuda has established 29 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within its nearshore waters where all fishing activity is prohibited thus easing conflict among divers and fishermen, in addition to two Seasonally Protected Areas to protect specific grouper spawning aggregations

  Within Bermuda’s EEZ there are 7 seamounts. Seamounts are hotspots for biodiversity

such as deep-sea corals and pelagic species like tuna and swordfish, as well as targets for seabed mining.

  Bermuda’s EEZ contains a portion of the Sargasso Sea. The sea is a hotspot for

biodiversity and plays an important role in Loggerhead turtle and European Eel migrations. Due to currents, it is particularly susceptible to pollution build-up and contains the North Atlantic Garbage Patch.  The Sargasso Sea Commission established on 11 March 2014 by the governments of the Azores (Portugal), Bermuda (United Kingdom), Monaco, United Kingdom and the United States.

  Bermuda has sovereign rights for the purpose exploring, exploiting, conserving, and

managing natural resources of the water, seabed and subsoil, and other activities for the economic development and protection of the marine environment.

 

Bermuda receives about half a million visitors annually arriving by cruise ships, with many attracted by the nation’s healthy coral reefs. 

  Ocean Risk Summit: In 2018 Bermuda hosted the first-ever summit focussing

specifically on the concept of ‘ocean risk’ which saw scientists, high level representatives of governments, the finance and the (re)insurance sectors consider specific risks posed by changes in the world’s oceans caused by climate change and other man-made impacts such as pollution and overfishing. 

 About Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)  

MPAs are a place in the ocean where human activities are limited. The most effective Marine Protected Areas prohibit all extractive use (fishing, mining, etc.) 

  Science recommends 30% ocean protection, but according to MPA Atlas.org

(February 2019), only roughly 4.8% of it is currently protected, with just 2.2% strongly protected. 

  60+ countries are already using Marine Spatial Planning to develop and protect their

marine environment. Benefits of 30% Protection in fully protected MPAs: 

Recovery of fish stocks. Bigger, more abundant fish Healthier coral reefs, mangroves, & seagrass  Improved fishing & tourism livelihoods  Improved ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change  More opportunities for future generations 

 Benefits of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP)

Clear mapping of marine uses to enable sustainable economic growth Improved understanding of ecological habitats and social uses Greater certainty for investors/developers Earlier and better involvement of stakeholders Benefits to marine ecology and biodiversity

 About Bermuda Ocean Prosperity ProgrammeA partnership between the Government of Bermuda, the Waitt Institute, and the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS). Focused on the protection and sustainable use of marine resources in Bermuda’s waters, the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme will develop and legally adopt a marine spatial plan that includes at least 20% fully protected areas* over a 30-month period.  About the Waitt Institute & FoundationThe Waitt Institute & Foundation, established by Gateway, Inc. co-founder Ted Waitt in 1993, specializes in public-private partnership and supports high impact global ocean initiatives with the ultimate goal of sustainable, resilient and thriving seas that benefit all by partnering with unique coalitions of government, foundations & philanthropists,

NGOs, academics, and businesses. The operational arm of the foundation, the Waitt Institute, partners with committed governments to develop and implement comprehensive, science-based ocean management plans that benefit both the economy and the environment. About Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS)For over 100 years BIOS-based researchers and visiting scientists have worked to explore the ocean and address important local and global environmental issues. Ocean and atmospheric science research programs at BIOS provide a wealth of information that is used by government representatives, environmental resource managers, and community leaders to inform their decision-making processes. The R/V Atlantic Explorer is a U.S. flagged UNOLS ocean class vessel, operated by BIOS, that provides scientists with a state-of-the art platform for conducting short-and long-term studies of the open ocean, providing data to inform our understanding of global climate change, nutrient cycling, and ocean-atmospheric dynamics. About the Blue Prosperity CoalitionThe Blue Prosperity Coalition is a global network of experts working to sustainably build economies and improve marine protection. Providing expertise, funding, and tools to governments, the Blue Prosperity Coalition aims to promote growth and prosperity while empowering sustainable management of marine resources and ecosystems. Founding partners include the Waitt Institute, Oceans 5, National Geographic Pristine Seas, Ocean Unite, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. ABOUT AXA XL[1]AXA XL1, the property & casualty and specialty risk division of AXA, provides insurance and risk management products and services for mid-sized companies through to large multinationals, and reinsurance solutions to insurance companies globally. We partner with those who move the world forward. To learn more, visit www.axaxl.com 1AXA XL is a division of AXA Group providing products and services through four business groups: AXA XL Insurance, AXA XL Reinsurance, AXA XL Art & Lifestyle and AXA XL Risk Consulting.

Pacific Islands Forum Statement: Blue Pacific’s Call for Urgent Global Climate Change Action15/05/2019Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum warmly welcome the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, to our Blue Pacific region - to witness the everyday reality of climate change and drive momentum in the lead up to his Climate Action Summit in September. As we approach the 25th iteration of the Conference of the Parties, it is difficult to find new words, new anecdotes, new experiences to press our Blue Pacific message - but our commitment to multilateralism is unwavering, as is our commitment to continue the fight for a safer climate for a safer world. At the Climate Action Summit, platitudes and repackaged commitments cannot be the substance of our deliberations. We need transformational change at scale, and courageous leaders prepared to deliver on it. Leaders of the Pacific commit to doing all we can to make the Climate Action Summit a global turning point for ambitious climate change action. We ask the United Nations Secretary-General to share our message with the world: The Blue Pacific – our great ocean continent, our thousands of islands, our strong and

resilient people – is running out of time. We need to act now. Our survival, and that of this great Blue Pacific continent depend on it.

Service Provider for Strategic Support for SANBI's Green Climate Fund Programme

Ssa-adapt-network@googlegroups.com on behalf of Mpfunzeni Tshindane <M.Tshindane@sanbi.org.za>

  Reply all|Yesterday, 11:08 PMGood day, The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) wishes to appoint suitably qualified and experienced consultant to provide strategic and mentoring support to the SANBI Climate Change Division in planning, coordinating and developing project proposals for submission to the GCF. The Strategic Advisor will work closely with delegated members of the Climate Change Division, and will support them to deliver and lead on programming activities. Please visit SANB’s website for more details at: https://www.sanbi.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Q6524-2019-.pdf Kind regards,Mpfunzeni Tshindane___________________________________________________________________________Project Coordinator: Climate Change DivisionSouth African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)Kirstenbosch National Botanical GardensP/Bag X7, Claremont, 7735Tel: +27 (0)21 799 8841

[Save-the-date: Global Climate Strike 20 September 2019 

In September people everywhere will walk out of their homes and workplaces together, and join young strikers in the streets to demand climate justice and emergency action to tackle the climate crisis. We know governments won’t do it on their own, so we’re going

on #climatestrike to show them what people power is capable of.#JOINTHESTRIKE

Join the #ClimateStrike

Global Climate Change Alliance

http://www.gcca.eu/stories/natural-solutions-extreme-weather-events

Natural solutions for extreme weather events26 July 2019

In Cuba, 119 coastal settlements are projected to be at extreme risk from climate change by 2050

while 21 are predicted to disappear altogether by 2100. The most extreme climate change and sea-

level rise (SLR) scenarios foresee the flooding of up to 5 696 km², affecting more than 1 million

people living in more than 220 settlements.

 

 

Climate change presents a multi-sectoral risk to Cuba’s society and economy. However, damage to

coastal settlements will have a particularly severe impact on women, who are typically the first to

relocate in order to ensure adequate living conditions for their families.

The Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago in central Cuba has been hit especially hard by climate change

due to more frequent hurricanes and tropical storms making landfall in this area. The archipelago is

home to the largest cays system in the Greater Caribbean, making it extremely vulnerable to the

projected high SLR (greater than 3 metres) along the coast, as well as increased coastal erosion

and exposure to an average of four hurricanes per year.

To address these threats, the GCCA+ aims to increase coastal resilience through nature-based

approaches that will offer sustainable solutions to coping with climate change mitigation and

adaptation challenges.

The GCCA+ project, in Cuba, will introduce the opportunities, challenges, and success factors of

nature-based solutions and present examples of good practice. In the proposed nature-based

climate change mitigation, ecosystem services will be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

and conserve and expand carbon sinks. Nature Based Solution for Adaptation (NbS) use or mimic

natural processes to strengthen adaptation and mitigation to climate change. NbS may involve the

conservation or rehabilitation of natural ecosystems and/or the improvement of natural processes in

selected ecosystems. Its spatial scope goes from the microscale (building) to the macroscale

(ecosystem, municipality). In NbS mitigation, ecosystem services (sustainable land use, forest

conservation and reforestation) are used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to conserve and

expand carbon sinks.

“The GCCA+ project, in Cuba, will introduce the opportunities, challenges, and success factors of nature-based solutions and present examples of good practice.”

The goal of nature-based climate adaptation is to preserve ecosystem services that are necessary

for human resilience to climate change. It also strives to reduce the impact of anticipated negative

effects of climate change such as more intense rainfall, as well as more frequent floods, heat waves

and droughts.

Both approaches will be adopted by the GCCA+ project, which seeks to increase the resilience of

ecosystems and thereby stabilise the provisioning of important services including coastal and flood

protection. It will also focus on soil fertility, air quality, carbon storage and the maintenance of

beautiful landscapes.

Compared to technology-based solutions to climate challenges, nature-based solutions are often

lower cost, longer lasting, and have multiple benefits for a variety of sectors and political goals.

The GCCA+ project in Cuba will showcase the multi-faceted advantages of nature-based solutions

and will also explore issues such as project planning and financing.

 

Links: GCCA+ Review of Climate Issues: “Facing Extreme Climate Events”

EventsPacific Resilience Meeting “Youth Futures in a Resilient Pacific”, GCCA+ in Fiji - REPORT PUBLISHED

See more

GCCA+ Regional Conference in Rwanda, 15-18 October 2019: SAVE THE DATE

See more

EDD LAB DEBATE: Climate change inequality: Reducing vulnerability of ACP countries

sia rallies behind Building with Nature to scale up climate change adaptation efforts

7.10.19

For immediate release ~ Rotterdam 10 July, 2019Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Japan and India are among the countries gathering in the Netherlands this week to discuss how to scale up the nature-based adaptation measures needed to protect the region from a growing host of hazards including flooding, storm damage and coastal erosion. Convened by a group of international NGOs and organisations, including the Global Commission on Adaptation and Wetlands International, the aim is for policymakers and technical experts to work together towards a formal commitment that will tackle these mounting risks. With more than 100 million people flood-exposed across cities including Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila in deltas and estuaries of the region1, decision makers are faced with the complex challenge to maintain natural

environmental defenses and deliver socially beneficial, climate-resilient infrastructure. 

Traditional solutions, such as dams, barriers and seawalls often have major negative impacts and disturb hydrological and sedimentary processes. Organisations such as EcoShape and Wetlands International are redirecting attention to alternative approaches such as ‘Building with Nature’, which integrates infrastructure design with the restoration of ecosystems that add value through coastal protection, flood regulation, as well as boosting fisheries, recreation and biodiversity.Building with Nature involves an inclusive planning process comprising hydrologists, ecologists and engineers working jointly with local communities and government stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions that meet local needs.

Since 2012, the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has taken a lead and engaged with international organisations and local communities to halt coastal degradation and subsidence in Java using this approach. What started as a small experiment in one village has grown into a landscape-scale initiative along a 20 km coast and 13 districts, addressing disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation and community resilience. Examples such as these demonstrate that Building with Nature is effective in tackling a rising tide of hazards, yet wider uptake across Asia is still slow. 

By bringing together policymakers, technical experts and diplomats from across Asia for  a week of events  including an expert workshop and high-level dinner the Global Commission on Adaptation, Wetlands International, Deltares, EcoShape and the Asian Development Bank are aiming to enable the dialogue and exchange that will accelerate adaptation in Asia and build on successes to date.“Building with Nature represents a paradigm shift from minimizing negative impacts to maximizing positive benefits for society and nature. In many vulnerable settings it is the only possible way forward. With the growing threat of climate change and hazards from the loss of wetlands, it is vital we scale up these necessary adaptation measures as soon as possible,” said Jane Madgwick, Chief Executive Officer of Wetlands International, co- organiser of the week’s activities.

The Global Center on Adaptation is currently working with the Global Commission on Adaptation on the release of its flagship report ahead of the UN Climate Summit on 23 September 2019. 

Patrick Verkooijen, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Center on Adaptation and Managing Partner of the Global Commission on Adaptation said: “Adaptation that works with nature has an enormous payoff, both in direct economic terms and in terms of less easily quantified social and economic benefits. Initiatives like Building with Nature that improve climate resilience must be widely adopted. In collaboration with our office in Beijing, I hope other countries in Asia will learn from Indonesia’s experiences to adopt and scale up existing adaptation solutions. No country can tackle this global challenge alone”. 

Henk Nieboer, Director of EcoShape said: “At EcoShape we gathered a wealth of knowledge about designing and implementing Building with Nature solutions through a number of pilot projects, realized since 2008. We develop the design of each solution together with local stakeholders, based on a systematic analysis of the environment. We integrate economic, societal and environmental values in the design to create a viable and sustainable business case.” 

Isao Endo, Environmental Specialist, Asian Development Bank said: “Investing in natural capital can help in receiving multiple benefits such as restoring critical ecosystems, improving climate and disaster resilience, and creating livable cities. Development policies and plans must incorporate the value of natural capital and ecosystem services, as well as the social and environmental costs of losing them, into early project design and planning. Nature-based solutions with ecosystem and biodiversity-sensitive options should be part of a standard suite of investments to enhance environmental sustainability.” 

Bregje van Wesenbeeck, Ecologist, Deltares added: “Current global threats such as climate change and biodiversity loss challenge us to rapidly re-invent the way we have been managing our coastlines and river systems. Inclusion of nature and biodiversity in infrastructure and urban development is part of the answer. Although nature-based solutions are surrounded with

uncertainties and unknows, we need to implement while gathering knowledge in parallel.” 

------ENDS----- 

Contacts: Wetlands International, Gina Lovett: gina.lovett@wetlands.org Global Commission on Adapatation, Alexander

Gee: alex.gee@collingwoodworldwide.com   EcoShape, Carrie de Wilde, +31 6 46258105,

email: carrie.dewilde@ecoshape.nl Maulyati Nuraini Slamet, Wetlands International Indonesia, Tel: +62

81841773, email: maulyati.slamet@wetlands.or.id 

Editor's NotesThe number of people at risk from floods is projected to rise from 1.2 billion today to around 1.6 billion in 2050 (nearly 20% of the world’s population). Climate change is placing increasing pressure on coastal regions which are already seriously affected by intensive human activity. By 2070, 150 million people flood exposed urban people, with 35,000 billion dollars’ worth of property globally will be affected (Nicholls et al 2007).

Asia will be the worst affected region as a result of a combination of hydrology, population density and asset concentration. Asia is home to four-fifths of the people who are expected to be flooded if there is a 3°C rise in global temperatures. China alone has more than 78 million people in low-elevation cities, a number increasing by 3 percent each year. Relative sea-level rise will be even higher in the many cities that are sinking because of factors that include groundwater extraction and the growing weight of urban sprawl. In Indonesia, for instance, two-thirds of Jakarta’s residents are reliant on groundwater extraction, which is weakening the city’s foundations. In parts of Jakarta, ground level has sunk by 2.5 meters in the past decade.

GCA visits Bangladesh to learn how the country is learning to adapt to climate change

7.10.19

Dhaka, Bangladesh – Today, co-chairs of the Global Commission on Adaptation, 8th UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva hosted the first meeting of the the Global Commission on Adaptation in the Global South, following an invitation from Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina to host the meeting. During their visit Ban Ki-moon, Kristalina Georgieva, and Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and Commissioner, President Heine of the Marshall Islands, will see first-hand how Bangladesh is adapting to the impacts of climate change.

As one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, Bangladesh has been at the forefront of efforts to adapt. It has been investing in adaptation for over a decade from its own budget and has learned a great deal about local level adaptation and how to integrate climate change planning into national, sectoral and local level plans.

Commenting on the visit, 8th Secretary General of the United Nations and Chair of the Global Commission on Adaptation Ban Ki-moon said:

“While Bangladesh has much to teach other countries about adaptation solutions and techniques, it also recognises it cannot tackle our climate breakdown alone. We hope, through the Global Commission on Adaptation, Bangladesh can not only share its knowledge but also learn from the experiences of other countries facing similar challenges.”

Kristalina Georgieva, CEO of the World Bank and Co-Chair of the Global Commission on Adaptation said:

“Bangladesh is at the forefront of global efforts to adapt to our changing climate. As the world becomes increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks, investing in adaptation is now urgent and Bangladesh has shown this is a smart policy choice. Resilient buildings, services and infrastructure are good for communities, business and the whole economy.”

Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh said:

"Climate change poses the greatest threat to our present and future generations. If temperature continues to rise at the current rate, our 19 coastal districts will be submerged permanently by the rising sea level.Changes in temperature, increased frequency and severity of floods, droughts, heat-waves, cyclones and storm surges, sea level rise, salinity intrusion are affecting wide ares of Bangladesh. These changes are seriously affecting agriculture, crops, livestock and fisheries, and threatening the food security of Bangladesh.We are working relentlessly to overcome our vulnerabilities and create adaptation measures for the people. Over the last decade we have spent on an average around US$ 1 billion annually for adapting to climate change impacts. Bangladesh being one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change is also at the forefront of learning how to tackle the adverse impacts of climate change. Considering the adverse impact of climate change, the government is currently constructing 378 more cyclone shelters. Apart from this 3,868 multi-purpose cyclone shelters have been built across the coastal districts and 1,650 more shelters would be constructed gradually. Due to the present government’s various timely and effective measures, the impact of natural calamities have come down significantly.We are expecting to take advantage of the best of adaptation practices, most cost effective solutions and risk reduction with the help of the Global Commission on Adaptation. The adverse effects of climate change will affect everyone sooner than the world had estimated. So investment in adaptation must be priortised urgently around the globe."The meeting of the Global Commission on Adaptation in Dhaka will discuss how international action can accelerate adaptation as Commissioners look ahead to the release of their flagship report on 10th September 2019 ahead of the UN Climate Summit on 23rd September 2019. The meeting will be attended by Commissioners, representatives from convening countries and civil society.

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