Methane Leaks in Natural-Gas Supply Chain Far Exceed Estimates, Study Says

A little-noted portion of the chain of pipelines and equipment that brings natural gas from the field into power plants and homes is responsible for a surprising amount of methane emissions, according to a study published on Tuesday.

Natural-gas gathering facilities, which collect from multiple wells, lose about 100 billion cubic feet of natural gas a year, about eight times as much as estimates used by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the study, which appeared in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

The newly discovered leaks, if counted in the E.P.A. inventory, would increase its entire systemwide estimate by about 25 percent, said the Environmental Defense Fund, which sponsored the research as part of methane emissions studies it organized.

“The gathering and processing sector, a piece of the supply chain that most people don’t even know exists, may be the biggest single fraction of emissions coming from natural gas,” said Mark Brownstein, who leads the Environmental Defense Fund’s work on methane emissions.

Methane is the main component of natural gas and has a more potent short-term effect on climate change than carbon dioxide. The effect that the newfound emissions would have on climate change over 20 years, the Environmental Defense Fund said, would be similar to that of 37 coal-fired power plants.

The new study, led by researchers at Colorado State University, involves measurements of 114 natural-gas gathering facilities and 16 processing plants in 13 states.

Many gathering facilities use puffs of natural gas in valves that open and close to regulate gas or liquid flow, releasing a bit of methane into the air with every cycle. Anthony J. Marchese, a professor of mechanical engineering at Colorado State and the lead author of the new study, said that this practice surprised him. “I was: ‘Really? That’s what they do?’ ” he said.

Companies can substitute other relatively inexpensive technologies for the methane-leaking systems, he said, but “they’re so used to using gas pneumatic, and they think it’s so reliable, they are reluctant to change.”

The recognition of gathering facilities as a major source of methane leaks is an opportunity to look harder and fix them, and to upgrade to equipment that does not emit natural gas, Mr. Brownstein said. “None of this is rocket science,” he said. “Most of it is auto mechanics.”

The Obama administration, while promoting a boom in natural gas, has pushed for businesses to reduce leaks. The E.P.A. proposed new standards on methane emissions on Tuesday. Those rules, however, would apply only to new and modified equipment. “That clearly doesn’t begin to address the majority of the problem — the stuff that is already in the field and operating,” Mr. Brownstein said.

The agency has not closely tracked emissions from gathering facilities before. A statement by the agency in response to questions about the study said that the “E.P.A. looks forward to reviewing the upcoming E.D.F. study on methane emissions from natural gas systems.”

Citing the administration’s methane strategy and noting that “substantial new amounts of information” were becoming available, the statement said that the “E.P.A. will continue to refine its emission estimates to reflect the most robust and up-to-date information available.”

Professor Marchese said that the amount of gas that escapes from gathering facilities each year could heat 3.2 million homes. Wasting a potentially valuable resource, not to mention harming the environment, he said, mystified him. “Why would you ever vent it when you can use it to generate electricity?” he added.

A spokesman for one of the gas industry companies that participated in the study said that the research would be helpful. “This ultimately helps us perform better,” said John Christiansen, a spokesman for Anadarko Petroleum. The research would help the company “get that methane back in the sales line,” he added, “which is ultimately in our best interest — and everybody’s best interest.” More

 

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Hawaii Flips Switch on World’s Largest Ocean Harvesting Clean Energy Plant

Hawaii is definitely ahead of the curve when it comes to renewable energy.

In June, the Aloha state became the first state to mandate that all of its electricity come from renewable sources no later than 2045. Along with other islands, its charging ahead with wind, solar and smart grid systems. But now, the state is home to the first fully closed-cycle Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plant in the U.S.

OTEC is “a process that can produce electricity by using the temperature difference between deep cold ocean water and warm tropical surface waters,” Makai Ocean Engineering, the company that built the plant, explains on its website. “OTEC plants pump large quantities of deep cold seawater and surface seawater to run a power cycle and produce electricity.” Makai touts OTEC as a constant, clean energy source that is “capable of providing massive levels of energy.”

Watch this short video for an explanation of how it works.

Makai staff explain in the video that the potential for OTEC is immense because the source of the energy is just sunlight.

“About 70 percent of the sunlight coming to Earth lands on the ocean. Most of that is captured in the surface layers of the ocean water in the form of heat,” says Duke Hartman, vice president of business development at Makai. “That’s beautiful because we can extract that energy 24/7 and use that power any time we want it, totally eliminating the need for an energy storage system.”

The 105-kilowatt demonstration plant on the Big Island, which cost about $5 million to build, only generates enough electricity to power 120 homes. But to date, it’s the largest such plant in the world. And it’s promising enough for the U.S. Navy to be investing in it. The Navy has a target for 50 percent of its shore-based energy to come from alternative sources in five years.

While the industry is still very much in its infancy, Makai believes it won’t be long until it takes off.

“The plant is dispatchable, meaning the power can be ramped up and down quickly to accommodate fluctuating demand and intermittent power surges from solar and wind farms,” Hartman told Bloomberg.

The company estimates that all of Hawaii’s electricity needs could be met by about 12 commercial-scale OTEC plants. They already have plans to construct a 1-megawatt facility in Japan, and Hartman says Brazil, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and West African nations all have potential.

“Anywhere tropical with deep water is ideal, especially if they import their fuel,” says Hartman.

The biggest challenge remains financing, explains Hartman. “We need a visionary investor to get us past the expensive pilot project into the large-scale commercial projects,” he said.

According to the company’s website, an offshore commercial-scale OTEC plant could prevent burning roughly 1.3 million barrels of oil each year, produce electricity at roughly $0.20 per kilowatt-hour and prevent more than half a million tons of carbon emissions per year.

 

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Kiribati president says Australia's loyalty to coalmines 'selfish and unjust'

The president of Kiribati has criticised Australia’s commitment to new coalmines on economic grounds as a “very selfish perspective” that illustrates the “fundamentally unjust” dynamics of climate change.

Anote Tong, whose small Pacific island nation is threatened by rising sea levels, has written to other national leaders calling for a worldwide moratorium on new mines ahead of UN climate talks in Paris in December.

Tong, who called for a pact to end new coal projects “simply to find some very concrete action on climate change”, told Guardian Australia he knew it would “touch on sensitivities”.

“I know the closure of coal-fired power plants will not happen,” he said.

“But at least the moratorium on coalmines, it gives people that sense that something can be done … and it allows those involved in the industry time to adapt. I thought it would be more achievable.

“In climate negotiations to date we keep talking around the numbers, two degrees or more than two degrees celsius. [But] it’s about what we do. And coal is certainly something very concrete, very significant in terms of what it does.”

In recent weeks the Australian government and the mining lobby have portrayed environmental groups as saboteurs of valuable coal projects, using legal challenges to put jobs and economic growth at risk.

Tong, who said he was yet to receive a reply from the Australian government, wrote in his letter that “science, as confirmed by the [intergovernmental panel on climate change], dictates that for the world to avoid catastrophic climate change, we must leave the vast bulk of carbon reserves in the ground”.

Asked about the economic arguments raised in defence of the continued advance of Australia’s coal industry – including its self-proclaimed role in helping alleviate world poverty– Tong said: “My response is very simple: it’s a very selfish perspective.

“I understand and I’ve always said that for Australia, climate change is not the top of the agenda because they’ve got high ground,” he said. “We don’t.”

Other countries had refused to acknowledge the “fundamentally unjust” situation that climate change is “not contained within the countries that create it”.

“The question is: do we have the moral obligation to worry and care about those for whom this is a serious issue?” Tong said.

“My answer is yes. You have every responsibility and obligation to do something about it. If it was happening inside Australia, there is no doubt at all in my mind that it would be on top of what everyone was doing.”

Amid fears about Kiribati’s survival, the government has been forced to consider radical engineering schemes to mitigate a shrinking land mass, while buying farmland in Fiji as a “food security” measure.

Climate change had dominated his 12-year term as president (which will end next year), but recent unprecedented tidal flooding and cyclones represented a “new and frightening” development.

“It puts some panic in people,” Tong said. “It’s not something we’re talking about happening into the future – we can see the problem. What do we do when the next tide comes? And we have a spring tide coming at the end of this month.

“There are really no sceptics [in Kiribati] at the present moment in time.

“I must be honest to say that I’ve never really gone out of my way to publicise to our own people what is happening because I didn’t see the sense in making them fear what they really cannot do anything about.

“So my focus has been trying as much as possible to alert the international community to the fact planet Earth has a problem, and so do we.”

Tong said the ideal outcome of Paris would include “realistic solutions” to the impacts that Kiribati and others face. He is among those lobbying for an international aid package for Kiribati and other vulnerable nations to meet the costs of climate change.

“For us, zero emissions is not even good enough. The reality is what’s already in the atmosphere will … continue to raise the sea to levels that would ensure that we go down,” he said.

“The future is guaranteed to be very terrible in a very short space of time. We need a package.”

Suggestions that vulnerable countries be given loans instead of grants were not politically acceptable.

“People will not go for it. It is the responsibility of the international community to come up with a package,” he said.

He hoped that “what happens in terms of delivery, what happens in terms of the targets, will happen very soon – sooner rather than later”.

“It is a moral issue and it’s absolutely unjust for those to go ahead and do what they’re doing without regard for those whose survival will be in question,” he said. More

 

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Islamic Declaration Blasts Short-Sighted Capitalism, Demands Action on Climate

Just as scientists announced July was the hottest month in recorded history, and ahead of a major climate summit in Paris later this year, an international group of Islamic leaders on Tuesday released a public declaration calling on the religion's 1.6 billion followers to engage on the issue of global warming and take bold action to stem its worst impacts.

"What will future generations say of us, who leave them a degraded planet as our legacy? How will we face our Lord and Creator?" —Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change

Released during an international symposium taking place in Istanbul, the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change is signed by 60 Muslim scholars and leaders of the faith who acknowledge that—despite the short-term economic benefits of oil, coal, and gas—humanity's use of fossil fuels is the main cause of global warming which increasingly threatens "a functioning climate, healthy air to breathe, regular seasons, and living oceans."

The declaration states there is deep irony that humanity's "unwise and short-sighted use of these resources is now resulting in the destruction of the very conditions that have made our life on earth possible."

"Our attitude to these gifts has been short-sighted, and we have abused them," it continues. "What will future generations say of us, who leave them a degraded planet as our legacy? How will we face our Lord and Creator?"

The declaration by the Muslim leaders follows the widely lauded encyclical released by Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, earlier this summer in which he called for a drastic transformation of the world's economies and energy systems in order to stave off the worst impacts of an increasingly hotter planet. Additionally, hundreds of Jewish Rabbis also released a Rabbinic Letter on the Climate Crisis and dozens of other denominations and churches have joined the global movement to divest their financial holdings from the fossil fuel industry.

Fazlun Khalid, founder of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences and a signatory to the declaration, said the unified statement "is the work of world renowned Islamic environmentalists" and that its goal is to trigger richer dialogue and further action. Khalid said he would be happy if other people adopt or improve upon the ideas contained within the document.

"Civil society is delighted by this powerful Climate Declaration coming from the Islamic community as it challenges all world leaders, and especially oil producing nations, to phase out their carbon emissions and supports the just transition to 100% renewable energy as a necessity to tackle climate change, reduce poverty and deliver sustainable development around the world." —Wael Hmaidan, Climate Action Network

As with the papal encyclical, the Muslim scholars take special note of how global capitalism—namely the "relentless pursuit of economic growth and consumption"—has fostered an energy paradigm that now threatens the sustainability of living systems and human society.

With a focus on the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP21) talks in Paris, the declaration urges leaders to forge an "equitable and binding" agreement and called on all nations to:

• Aim to phase out greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible in order to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere;
• Commit themselves to 100 % renewable energy and/or a zero emissions strategy as early as possible, to mitigate the environmental impact of their activities;
• Invest in decentralized renewable energy, which is the best way to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development;
• Realize that to chase after unlimited economic growth in a planet that is finite and already overloaded is not viable. Growth must be pursued wisely and in moderation; placing a priority on increasing the resilience of all, and especially the most vulnerable, to the climate change impacts already underway and expected to continue for many years to come.
• Set in motion a fresh model of wellbeing, based on an alternative to the current financial model which depletes resources, degrades the environment, and deepens inequality.
• Prioritise adaptation efforts with appropriate support to the vulnerable countries with the least capacity to adapt. And to vulnerable groups, including indigenous peoples, women and children.

When it comes to wealthier nations and the oil-rich states of the world, the declaration called on them to specifically:

• Lead the way in phasing out their greenhouse gas emissions as early as possible and no later than the middle of the century;
• Provide generous financial and technical support to the less well-off to achieve a phase-out of greenhouse gases as early as possible;
• Recognize the moral obligation to reduce consumption so that the poor may benefit from what is left of the earth’s non-renewable resources;
• Stay within the ‘2 degree’ limit, or, preferably, within the ‘1.5 degree’ limit, bearing in mind that two-thirds of the earth’s proven fossil fuel reserves remain in the ground;
• Re-focus their concerns from unethical profit from the environment, to that of preserving it and elevating the condition of the world’s poor.
• Invest in the creation of a green economy.

Additionally, focusing on the corporate sector and business interests who profit most from exploitative activities and the current burning of fossil fuels, the declaration argues those institutions to:

• Shoulder the consequences of their profit-making activities, and take a visibly more active role in reducing their carbon footprint and other forms of impact upon the natural environment;
• In order to mitigate the environmental impact of their activities, commit themselves to 100 % renewable energy and/or a zero emissions strategy as early as possible and shift investments into renewable energy;
• Change from the current business model which is based on an unsustainable escalating economy, and to adopt a circular economy that is wholly sustainable;
• Pay more heed to social and ecological responsibilities, particularly to the extent that they extract and utilize scarce resources;
• Assist in the divestment from the fossil fuel driven economy and the scaling up of renewable energy and other ecological alternatives.

Such a rounded and full-throated declaration was met with applause by climate campaigners, anti-poverty advocates, and social justice voices from around the world.

"Muslim leaders single out wealthy nations and oil producing states to lead on a fossil fuel phase out and provide support to those less well off to curb emissions and adapt to a changing climate. They also call on big business to stop their relentless pursuit of growth, change their extractive models and provide greater benefits for people and the climate." —Lies Craeynest, Oxfam International

"Today’s declaration is an unprecedented call by Muslim leaders to end the destruction of Earth’s resources," stated Lies Craeynest, the food and climate justice director for Oxfam International. "Muslim leaders single out wealthy nations and oil producing states to lead on a fossil fuel phase out and provide support to those less well off to curb emissions and adapt to a changing climate. They also call on big business to stop their relentless pursuit of growth, change their extractive models and provide greater benefits for people and the climate."

Referring to Pope Francis' earlier declaration, Craeynest acknowledged the vital importance of religious leaders taking such bold and powerful stances. "As leaders of the two largest global faiths express grave concern about our fragile climate, there is no justifiable way political leaders can put the interests of the fossil fuel industry above of the needs of people, particularly the poorest, and of our planet."

Wael Hmaidan, international director of the Climate Action Network, called the declaration a potential game changer and said, "Civil society is delighted by this powerful Climate Declaration coming from the Islamic community as it challenges all world leaders, and especially oil producing nations, to phase out their carbon emissions and supports the just transition to 100% renewable energy as a necessity to tackle climate change, reduce poverty and deliver sustainable development around the world."

Celebrating the growing call among faith communities and religious scholars for bold climate action, Hoda Baraka, the global communications director for the climate action group 350.org, said the Islamic declaration reveals the important ways in which international consensus is solidifying across cultures. "With the end of the fossil fuel era approaching," declared Baraka, "we have a moral responsibility to expedite the transition to clean energy protecting those most impacted from the climate crisis. The declaration’s call for divestment reinforces the moral impetus behind the fast-growing movement to divest from fossil fuels and helps expand its reach in faith communities around the world."

Speaking for the UN climate body, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres also welcomed the declaration.

"A clean energy, sustainable future for everyone ultimately rests on a fundamental shift in the understanding of how we value the environment and each other," Figueres said. "Islam’s teachings, which emphasize the duty of humans as stewards of the Earth and the teacher’s role as an appointed guide to correct behavior, provide guidance to take the right action on climate change." More

 

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Op-Ed: The Challenge of Small Island Developing States

The United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States defines small island developing states, or SIDS, as "a distinct group of developing countries facing specific social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities."

These countries are across the globe in the Caribbean, the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and the Mediterranean and South China Sea.

In addition to common difficulties faced by developing countries, SIDS have an additional series of challenges to cope with that require special assistance from the international community.

These challenges were highlighted in the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA) and the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI) of 2005, both of which stated that the difficulties SIDS face in the pursuit of sustainable development are particularly severe and complex.

Recognition of these issues was reinforced in September of 2014 when Member States of the United Nations officially adopted the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action, known as the SAMOA Pathway.

The challenges that SIDSs face are varied, but all conspire to constrain their development processes.

They typically do not have a wide base of resources available to them, and thus do not benefit from cost advantages that this could potentially generate.

Coupled with small domestic markets, they experience difficulties in profiting from globalisation and trade liberalisation and are cripplingly reliant on external and remote markets with limited opportunities for the private sectors.

The cost of provision of energy, infrastructure, transport and communication are high, and along with high population densities, creates increased pressure on these already limited markets.

These developing countries generally have a heavy reliance on tourism and services; however, as a consequence of their low resilience and location, they are also heavily affected by disasters due to frequent natural hazards.

The unique characteristics and vulnerabilities facing SIDS were first addressed by the international community at the Earth Summit (United Nations (UN) Conference on Environment and Development) in Brazil in 1992.

The SIDS case was the focus of Agenda 21, a non-binding, voluntarily implemented plan of action of the Summit, committed to addressing the problems of sustainable development of SIDS.

This plan involved adopting methods to enable SIDS to function and cope effectively with environmental change, and to mitigate the impacts and reduce the threats posed to their marine and coastal resources.

Following Agenda 21, the Barbados Programme of Action was introduced in 1994, in an effort to provide further aid and support to SIDS. Similarly, its ultimate aim was to improve sustainable development.

It highlighted the challenges of converting Agenda 21 into precise strategies, movements and procedures at the national, regional and international level and listed fifteen areas of priority for specific action.

Five further areas were selected by the UN General Assembly in 1999, recognising their urgency. These five were: climate change, as the rising sea level could render some low-lying SIDS submerged; natural and environmental disasters and climate variability, with an emphasis of improving disaster preparedness and recovery; freshwater resources, preventing water shortages as demand increases; coastal and marine resources, promoting the protection of coastal ecosystems and coral reefs; energy, developing solar and renewable energy in order to lessen dependence on imported oil; and finally tourism, focusing on the management of the growth of the tourism industry and the protection of the environment and cultural integrity.

The 2005 Mauritius Strategy of Implementation further complemented the BPOA.

It gave recognition to the challenges that are unique to SIDS, and proposed further action towards their sustainable development.

The MSI emphasised the location of SIDS in the most vulnerable regions of the world with respect to natural and environmental disasters and their rapidly increasing impact.

It made call for a global early warning system covering threats such as tsunamis, storm surges and cyclones, and stressed that some major adverse effects of climate change are already being observed.

Further, the MSI recognised the importance of international trade for building resilience and sustainable development in SIDS, and established the necessity for international institutions, including financial ones, to pay more specific attention to the structural drawbacks of SIDS.

The MSI went further on matters of trade, stating that "most small island developing states, as a result of their smallness, persistent structural disadvantages and vulnerabilities, face specific difficulties in integrating into the global economy".

More recently, in September 2014, the Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action, also known as the SAMOA Pathway, was adopted. As in the case of the previous adoptions, the strategy recognises the need to support and invest in SIDS so that they can achieve sustainable development. Distinguishing the Samoa Pathway slightly from the BPOA and the MSI is the idea of investing in the education and training of the people of SIDS.

The aim of this idea was to create "resilient societies and economies, with full and productive employment, social protection and decent work for all", and to provide "full and equal access to quality education at all levels", the latter which is a vital ingredient for achieving sustainable development.

The promotion of education for sustainable development is especially crucial for SIDS that are under direct threat from climate change, as it will "empower communities to make informed decisions for sustainable living rooted in both science and traditional knowledge". Finally, the SAMOA Pathway supports efforts "to promote and preserve cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, which provide a mechanism for social cohesion and, thus, are essential in building blocks for addressing the challenges of social development".

Many SIDS have recognized the need to embrace sustainability through their own internal processes, however, without external aid from the international community, the required change will not come quickly enough. Following on the adoption of the Samoa Pathway, 2015 is rapidly becoming a watershed year for global processes of importance to SIDS.

Convergence is occurring across a broad spectrum of activities as this year has seen the international community deliberate on the Post 2015 framework for disaster risk reduction which culminated in the adoption of the Sendai Framework, new expected agreements in the post 2015 development agenda with Sustainable Development Goals replacing the Millennium Development Goals. New agreements are also expected on how development is financed and there remains expectation of a new international agreement on climate change.

Given their far reaching impact, these developments are critical, particularly when viewed from the perspective of the small island developing state.

Notwithstanding the global consensus, serious challenges remain for SIDS and for the foreseeable future; they will remain a special case for sustainable development.

However, with a global consensus and an avid commitment to the advancement of sustainable development in these countries, positive change is most certainly on the horizon.

George Nicholson is the Director of Transport and Disaster Risk Reduction and Anastasia Ramjag is the Research Assistant of the Directorate of Transport and Disaster Risk Reduction of the Association of Caribbean States.

Note: the opinions expressed in Caribbean Journal Op-Eds are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Caribbean Journal. More

 

 

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ATTEND A CLIMATE REALITY TRAINING WITH AL GORE

The Climate Reality Leadership Corps training in Miami, Florida, which will be held September 28-30, will bring together a select group of individuals committed to addressing the impacts of climate change and implementing the solutions that will define us to future generations. This training is an opportunity to join a global network of leaders committed to solving the climate crisis.

Over the course of three days, you’ll have the opportunity to hear from experts who will share information about the science behind the climate crisis as well as their experiences educating and engaging diverse networks and communities. You will also have the chance to connect with a group of extraordinary leaders from a variety of sectors and countries around the world.

"Life changing," "re-affirming," and "empowering" are just some of the ways past participants have described their experience. Come as a leader, leave as a Climate Reality Leader. More

 

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What is holding back the Cayman Islands from implementing more solar and wind energy?

The Caribbean appears to be the ideal location for renewable energy development. Petroleum resources are scarce and renewable resources such as solar, wind and geothermal are plentiful. Energy prices are high as there is no opportunity for economy of scale benefits that large land masses enjoy. Added to that, climate change impacts pose a major threat to the region’s small-island economies that are largely dependent on tourism and agriculture.

Despite this, most Caribbean nations still use imported diesel or oil to generate 90-100% of their energy. So what has been the barrier to using renewables? Many people have pointed to the cost factor. Small economies mean that in most cases countries have difficulty in financing renewable energy projects that require high upfront capital. Also, regulations have been slow in setting clear rules for grid interconnection. These factors have led some international investors and developers to be cautious about entering the Caribbean market. http://bit.ly/1NeB0fj

 

 

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Port plan to undergo economic impact assessment

An economic impact assessment for the proposed cruise berthing facility is in the works, The Cayman Reporter understands.

Minister of Finance Hon Marco Archer

Minister of Finance Hon Marco Archer confirmed that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) has been contracted to carry out the assessment. The Cayman Reporter inquired if the assessment has already started and how much this assessment will cost the country, but Mr Archer has not responded at press time.

The Cayman Islands has already done an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the tune of $2.5 million based on the current proposal of a two finger pier. The EIA indicated that dredging and its silt plume could impact 15 acres of coral reef. Now that the EIA has been completed and the Department of Environment (DoE) is the process of completing a report on the assessment to submit to Cabinet, a call for the examination of the proposal’s impact on the entire economy has been made.

Founder and Director-General at The Cayman Institute, Nicholas Robson, said to grasp the full impact of the proposal its impact on the country’s economy must be evaluated. He believes the economic impact assessment should state how financing a cruise port, that could destroy a significant part of the reef on the south-west of the island, will affect the country. He believes it should look at how many jobs will be affected in the retail sector as well as in to water sports industry.

He noted that it is also imperative to analyse the true strengths and weaknesses of the cruise tourism and stay-over tourism to these islands.

"We should be weighing up the cruise passenger industry and its per-capita spend against stay-over tourism. Should we be looking into lengthening the runway to 10,000 feet to be able to accommodate long haul flights from Europe and points east? The Persian Gulf and China have many high net worth individuals which may well want to come to the Cayman Islands. We have already had Mr. Lee Ka-Shing one of the richest men in Hong Kong residing and doing business here," he said. Furthermore, Mr Robson stated that it is important for Cayman to know how many cruise passengers it can manage. "If we try and take too many cruise passengers per day none will have an enjoyable experience," he said.

Commenting on his own stance on the port plans Mr Robson said he is for any initiative that will have the greatest benefit to the majority of the people in the Cayman Islands. "A decision made today will affect the Cayman islands for many years into the future. Furthermore, with Cuba opening up the cruise industry may find that more passengers want to go to Cuba, causing some of the cruise lines dropping Cayman," he said.

The Advancement of Cruise Tourism in the Cayman Islands (ACT) member Chris Kirkconnell told The Cayman Reporter that the ACT was formed because members involved in the cruise industry felt that the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA), the tourism sector’s representative group, was only concerned about stay-over businesses. Those involved in cruise felt that in order to have a voice they had to start a group of their own.

"Once we formed ACT CITA tried to convince us that we didn’t need a separate entity and it seemed like they were trying to give us some kind of attention up until now. If you look at the member makeup of CITA its much more heavily stay-over focused than cruise," Mr Kirkconnell expressed. More

 

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Climate Reality Training in Miami with Al Gore

I’m reaching out today on behalf of The Climate Reality Project, an organization started by former Vice President Al Gore focused on creating a global movement calling for action on climate. We have an upcoming training opportunity in Miami, Florida that I believe you and others who follow The Cayman Institute / The Climate War Room will be interested in.

As we are all aware, the time has come for action on climate. On September 28-30 in Miami, The Climate Reality Project and Mr. Gore will be hosting a training for new Climate Reality Leaders to help grow the movement. There has never been a better time to engage your friends and colleagues on this issue. The Miami training will not only provide attendees with cutting edge tools to most effectively communicate climate change to your community but will also enter them into a community of over 8,000 devoted individuals from 126 countries who are committed to using their voices to address the climate crisis.

Our training in Miami will highlight the unique challenges that climate change poses to the state of Florida and what some local governments are already doing to tackle them; Florida’s huge untapped solar energy generating capacity; and the role of the ever strengthening Latino voice and vote in driving climate action. At the training, Mr. Gore, and experts and influencers from across the climate sphere will present in panels, take questions, and host breakout sessions.

We encourage you to recommend outstanding leaders in your personal and professional life who would be well suited for giving presentations and helping to build strong support for action on climate change. They can apply for the Climate Leadership Corps Training here. I’ve also attached a document you can share with your network, which has a little more information about who we are and what the Miami training will cover. The deadline to apply is August 26^th, 2015.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

Warm regards,

Joseph Moran | Program Assistant-Climate Reality Leadership Corps

750 Ninth Street, NW, Suite 520 | Washington, DC 20001

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UNFCCC’s Internship Programme - General Information and Governing Conditions

Purpose

The objective of the internship programme is to provide a framework through which postgraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds may be assigned to the UNFCCC secretariat to enhance their educational experience through practical work assignments. It allows selected candidates to gain insight into the work of the United Nations and provides assistance and training in various professional fields.

UNFCCC secretariat’s internship programme is coordinated by the Administrative Services Programme and a designated focal point is responsible for liaising with the relevant substantive programmes for placement of interns. At the end of an internship period, both the intern and the staff member acting as his/her supervisor are required to submit an evaluation report to the designated focal point of the Internship Programme.

Eligibility requirements

i) An undergraduate degree should have been completed with work on a Master degree in progress. Applicants should therefore be enrolled in a recognized university course of study in fields related to the work of the UNFCCC secretariat (including economics, environmental sciences, international law, international relations, natural sciences, political science, human resources and/or public administration, event management, IT/computer sciences, and communication) at the time of application and during the entire period of internship.

ii) Applicants should be able to work in English.

Applicants pursuing their studies in countries where higher education is not divided into undergraduate and postgraduate stages should have completed at least four years of study and be a student at the time of application and during the internship.

Terms and conditions

a) The normal duration of an internship is two months, which can be extended for an additional period of two months by mutual consultation and consent. The total duration may exceptionally be extended to a maximum period of six months when there are special academic requirements or special needs of the receiving programme.

b) Applicants may not be related - i.e. spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, daughter, son - to a staff member of the UNFCCC secretariat.

c) Upon selection for an internship placement, an ‘Internship Agreement’ is forwarded to the confirmed candidate for signature and returned together with proof of medical insurance coverage for the entire duration of the internship. This must be done prior to the agreed starting date.

d) There is no promise of employment either during or upon completion of an internship with the UNFCCC secretariat.

e) An intern with UNFCCC secretariat is not a staff member of the UNFCCC secretariat, therefore the privileges and immunities agreed between the UNFCCC secretariat and the host Government do not apply to interns.

f) An intern undertakes to conduct himself/herself at all times in a manner compatible with his/her responsibilities as an intern of the UNFCCC secretariat.

g) The intern is required to keep confidential all unpublished information made known during the course of the internship, and must not publish any reports or papers on the basis of information obtained, except with the prior written authorization of the UNFCCC secretariat. These obligations will not lapse upon the expiration of the internship period. More

 

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Fossil Fuels: Four Big Reasons for Hope

Four surprising countries are pulling a 180 on energy and emissions. Could a global agreement be in sight?

The fossil-fuels crowd seems to have a thing for China and India. It feels like at least in the US, at least half the discussions of clean energy and climate change you see on television end with the anti-renewable voice saying, “Well what about China and India? It doesn’t matter what we do if they keep polluting.”

The rest tends to go to script as, almost without fail, a satisfied smirk the size of Texas then creeps into view as our fossil-fuels friend then leans back in his or her chair. Job done. Mission accomplished. Time to head home and light up a victory-lap Cuban.

But here’s the thing. When we think about the biggest reasons for hope that humanity is finally getting its act together to protect this precious planet of ours from climate change, what comes to mind isn’t the Gigafactory that Tesla CEO Elon Musk is building to revolutionize electric vehicles and energy storage. Or how Costa Rica is committed to going carbon-neutral by 2021. Or the fact that Norway is dropping coal investments from its sovereign wealth fund.

It’s China and India.

The world’s first and third-largest economies in 2015 (measured by purchasing power parity) are both stepping up their commitment to renewable energy and China in particular is also working to peak its carbon emissions by 2030 – and aiming to do so sooner. Maybe the most exciting part of all is the fact that this choice isn’t driven by any kind of misguided idealism. It’s a clear-eyed business decision made by leaders looking at the realities of fossil fuels and what they mean for the health of millions of citizens and their respective economies – and recognizing that clean energy is the smart long-term bet.

Admittedly, China’s further along this path than India and both have some ways to go before their power plants are no longer belching dirty coal soot and carbon pollution by the metric ton. But when nations of this size and aspiration begin shifting to new models of development increasingly powered by renewables and seeing it pay off as their economies keep growing, it sends a clear signal to other emerging countries that clean energy can work.

After highlighting some of the countries with a track record of embracing renewables and flourishing today we’re looking at how recent converts to the clean-energy cause are showing over and over that the way to economic success in the twenty-first century is powered by smart technologies like wind and solar. So the next time someone says, “Well what about China and India,” you can say, “Well let me tell you about China and India. And Brazil and Mexico too . . .” More

 

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July 2015 Sustainable Energy Finance Update

1 August 2015: During the month of July, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank announced sustainable energy project funding and initiatives.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), AfDB, the European Commission, EIB and the World Bank also released publications on financing and deploying clean energy

The announced sustainable energy initiatives are being implemented in Anguilla, Argentina, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Chile, Denmark, France, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Montenegro, Spain, Turkey, the UK, Ukraine, Uruguay, Zambia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

In Argentina, IDB approved US$14.4 million in financing from the GEF for a housing project that integrates energy efficiency and renewable energy to improve the quality of life of residents and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Using renewable energy schemes adapted for each of Argentina's eight bio-climactic zones, 128 prototypes will be built and monitored for a year. US$70.7 million in local funds and a US$1 million IDB technical cooperation grant will also support the project. [IDB Press Release]

In Burkina Faso, AfDB granted €25.35 million from the African Development Fund (ADF) to support the programme for budget support in the energy sector (PASE). The funds will be largely directed to improving the electricity supply for basic social sectors, public services, the private sector and households. The funds are intended to increase reliability and energy access, as just 17.6% of the population currently has access to electricity. [AfDB Press Release]

In Cambodia, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) launched a project promoting commercial biogas plants with US$1.5 million in funding from the GEF. The project aims to increase rural electrification and energy access by installing plants with 1.5 MW in cumulative generation capacity and mitigate climate change by avoiding 1.3 megatons carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in emissions directly and 3.3 MtCO2e indirectly over 15 years. [UNIDO Press Release]

In Chile, the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation (IFC) signed an agreement with Banco Consorcio in support of non-conventional renewable energy projects. Under the agreement, IFC will provide a US$60 million credit line to finance, inter alia, small hydropower, biomass, solar, geothermal and wind. [IFC Press Release]

In Denmark, EIB announced the first transaction in the country under the Investment Plan for Europe: up to €75 million in equity-like financing to Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) for the Copenhagen Infrastructure II fund. The fund is an “innovative” renewable energy infrastructure fund focusing primarily on newly established greenfield energy-related investments, such as large-scale offshore wind, biomass and transmission projects, in Western and Northern Europe. [EIB Press Release]

In France, EIB undertook its first equity participation under the Investment Plan for Europe, providing €50 million for Capenergie 3, an investment fund dedicated to renewables and managed by Omnes Capital. It is anticipated that the investment will finance 500 MW of generating capacity. [EIB Press Release]

In Georgia, EBRD facilitated the sale of over 400,000 carbon credits from the Enguri Hydro Power Plant to Statkraft, a Norwegian electricity company. EBRD's Carbon Project and Asset Development Facility (CPADF) provided technical assistance for the sales strategy and emissions reductions verification. The project, registered under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), was able to partially recover costs associated with carbon project development through the sale of the credits. [EBRD Press Release]

In Guinea-Bissau, AfDB announced the approval of a €9 million loan and a €7.7 million grant for a three-year programme aimed at reducing daily power outages and increasing electricity access in the capital, Bissau. The funding will connect 10,500 new subscribers to electricity, rehabilitate facilities for 31,000 existing subscribers, improve the efficiency of the system's infrastructure and improve management and governance of the National Electricity and Water Corporation. [AfDB Press Release]

In Kenya, the World Bank's Climate Investment Funds (CIF) approved US$218,000 for the second tranche of the Electricity Modernization Project under the Scaling Up Renewable Energy in Low-Income Countries Program (SREP). The funds are for implementation and supervision services for the project, which is aimed at increasing electricity access and reliability in the country. [CIF Document Page] [Project Proposal]

In Mali, IFC and Scatec Solar announced a partnership to develop the US$55 million Scatec Segou solar power project in cooperation with Africa Power 1. IFC is investing US$12.5 million in the 33-MW plant, in addition to taking on a 20% equity stake in the project company for US$2.5 million. The project will support Mali's goals of increasing the share of electricity generated from renewables and enhancing energy supply and access. [IFC Press Release]

In Montenegro, EBRD is providing a senior secured loan of up to €48.5 million to Krnovo Green Energy, a subsidiary of the French company, Akuo Energy, to develop the country's first commercial wind farm. KfW Development Bank is providing an equivalent loan for the 72-MW plant through its subsidiary, KfW IPEX-Bank. [EBRD Press Release]

In Spain, EIB granted the Spanish company Abengoa a €125 million loan for research, development and innovation (RDI) activities related to, inter alia, advanced electrical systems and renewable energies. The company's RDI programme is focused on clean/green energy and environmental technology breakthroughs that significantly benefit the environment. [EIB Press Release]

In Turkey, EBRD announced US$180 million in financing for mid-sized renewable energy projects, including solar, hydropower, wind, geothermal, waste-to-energy and energy efficiency. The funds, sourced from the Turkey Mid-Size Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (MidSEFF), will be on-lent by Turkey's Garanti Bank and Yapi Kredi Bank to private sector companies. [EBRD Press Release]

Also in Turkey, IFC approved a US$75 million long-term financing package for energy efficiency investments by the Turkish flat glass manufacturer, Trakya Cam. The company will use the funds for improving waste heat recovery and rehabilitating furnaces in plants located in both Turkey and Bulgaria. In addition to significantly reducing costs, the project is expected to cut GHG emissions by over 60,000 tons annually. [IFC Press Release]

In the UK, the National Trust, a conservation charity, revealed plans to invest £30 million in renewable energy projects, including a 200-kilowatt (kW) lake source heating project, two biomass boilers and a 250-kW hydropower project. [National Trust Press Release]

In Ukraine, the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) signed five grant agreements for five cities in the eastern part of the country to implement energy efficiency measures. The funding is sourced from the NEFCO-administered Nordic Energy Efficiency and Humanitarian Support Initiative (NIU), which focuses on refurbishing municipal buildings and social infrastructure, especially schools, day care centers and health centers, in vulnerable areas of eastern and southern Ukraine. [NEFCO Press Release]

Also in Ukraine, medium and large municipalities will benefit from EIB loans totaling €400 million for 25-40 public infrastructure energy efficiency projects. The funds will be directed to central, regional or local government agencies, public utilities and municipalities by the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services of Ukraine. EIB's financing will cover up to 50% of total costs, with supplementary financing coming from other international financial institutions (IFIs). [EIB Press Release]

In Uruguay, US$55.7 million in loans from IDB will finance six solar PV plants, totaling 69.9 MW in generating capacity. The IDB-administered China Co-Financing Fund and the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector are co-financing the project with additional loans of US$19.3 million and US$10 million, respectively. Producing an estimated 154.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year, the plants will reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 74,000 tons annually. [IDB Press Release]

In Zambia, IFC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of Zambia to explore development of the country's first utility scale PV projects as part of IFC's Scaling Solar programme. The two 50-MW projects would help address a hydropower shortfall caused by low rainfall. [IFC Press Release]

In the MENA region, IFC announced a US$25 million investment for renewable energy projects, especially wind and solar plants. The investment takes the form of equity in Alcazar Energy, which will develop and operate the projects in Africa, the Middle East and Turkey. [IFC Press Release]

On publications, ADB released three volumes in a series on power planning as part of the ADB project ‘Ensuring Sustainability of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Regional Power Development.' The series explains how strategic environmental assessment contributes to better policymaking in the power sector, how indicators are used to analyze power development plans, and how sustainability assessment and the consideration of wider impacts can affect decisions in power planning. [ADB Press Release, Vol 1] [Integrating Strategic Environmental Assessment into Power Planning] [ADB Press Release, Vol 2] [Identifying Sustainability Indicators of Strategic Environmental Assessment for Power Planning] [ADB Press Release, Vol 3] [How Strategic Environmental Assessment Can Influence Power Development Plans: Comparing Alternative Energy Scenarios for Power Planning in the GMS]

ADB also published a series of three reports on the potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the GMS. The publications are part of a study under the ADB project ‘Promoting Renewable Energy, Clean Fuels, and Energy Efficiency in the GMS.' [ADB Press Release, Report 1] [Renewable Energy Developments and Potential for the GMS] [ADB Press Release, Report 2] [Energy Efficiency Developments and Potential Energy Savings in the GMS] [ADB Press Release, Report 3] [Business Models to Realize the Potential of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the GMS]

AfDB released the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) annual report, highlighting that it reached US$6.5 million in commitments in its project portfolio in 2014. The report also underscores achievements such as launching the Africa Renewable Energy Fund, distributing enabling environment grants to help attract private sector investment and co-sponsoring the Second West Africa Forum for Clean Energy Financing (WAFCEF-2) business plan competition. [AfDB Press Release] [SEFA 2014 Annual Report]

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) issued its 2014 wind status report, finding that wind meets 8% of Europe's electricity demand and predicting a 12% electricity share by 2020. With a focus on the EU, the report outlines the state of the economics, market and technology in the wind sector, with relevant comparisons to other regions. [JRC Press Release] [2014 JRC Wind Status Report]

EIB released an information brief on Africa's energy challenges, describing EIB's financial and technical support for the continent's efforts to build accessible and efficient power generation from sustainable sources. According to the brief, almost 25% of EIB operations in Sub-Saharan Africa and more than 33% in North Africa are dedicated to the renewable energy sector. [EIB Press Release] [Tackling the Energy Challenge in Africa]

EIB also released the annual report of the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund, which highlights the significant renewable energy investments of the Fund, including €33 million for the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative. [EIB Press Release] [EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund 2014 Annual Report]

The World Bank, in partnership with Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) and the SE4All Finance Committee, published recommendations for increasing the world's investment in clean energy. The report suggests four thematic areas that could collectively mobilize US$120 billion. [World Bank Press Release] [SE4All Press Release] [UN Press Release] [Scaling Up Finance for Sustainable Energy Investments] [IISD RS Story]

The World Bank's Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) conducted wind resource mapping in Tanzania and published the interim results. [Wind Resource Mapping in Tanzania: Candidate Site Identification Report]

The World Bank also released a study highlighting the positive energy access outcomes that can be achieved through energy efficiency measures. The report recommends factoring energy efficiency into development projects, based on an examination of eight recent World Bank projects. [World Bank Press Release] [EA + EE: Enhancing the World Bank's Energy Access Investments Through Energy Efficiency]

On events, IDB hosted an event, titled ‘LAC2025: Water Energy Food and Mining Nexus,' on 6 July 2015. The event considered how resource-related policy decisions today will affect future generations in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Topics ranged from the depletion of aquifers and water pollution to resource rights. [IDB Event Announcement]

The World Bank sponsored an Indian delegation's visit to Brazil to learn about the country's experience in scaling up renewable energy to meet growing demand. As a result of the exchange, the two countries are working toward an MoU to cooperate on matters related to integrating variable renewable energy into the grid. [World Bank Press Release]

Climate finance news and developments outside of the sustainable energy sector are published in IISD RS's monthly Climate Finance Update, available via the Climate Change Policy & Practice portal. [IISD RS Climate Finance Updates]

read more: http://larc.iisd.org/news/july-2015-sustainable-energy-finance-update/

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