The Kingdom of Norway on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 submitted its instrument of ratification to the the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, making the Scandinavian nation the sixth Party to the treaty.

The other parties to the Amendment are: Mali, the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Rwanda and Palau.

The Amendment was adopted by the 28th Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol on October 15, 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Under the Amendment, all countries will gradually phase down hydrofluorocarbons, a policy move that would avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by the end of the century, while continuing to protect the ozone layer.

The Amendment will enter into force on January 1, 2019, provided that it is ratified by at least 20 parties to the Montreal Protocol. If that condition is not met by that date, the Amendment will become effective on the 90th day following the date of ratification by the 20th party.

The European Parliament in July 2017 approved the ratification of the Kigali Amendment, but the final adoption of the text by the European Union (EU) as a whole is still pending as it must also be adopted by the 28 EU member states that are parties to the Montreal Protocol.

Ratification by a number of EU countries, therefore, will be sufficient to trigger the entry into force of the Kigali Amendment.

The Kigali deal is legally binding for all 197 Parties to the Montreal Protocol. Developed countries take the lead on phasing down these potent greenhouse gases, starting with a 10% reduction in 2019 and delivering an 85% cut in 2036 (compared to the 2011-2013 baseline).

Developing countries are split into two groups. The first one – including China and African nations – will freeze consumption of HFCs by 2024, with their first reduction steps starting in 2029.

A second group, which includes India, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and the Gulf countries, will meet a later deadline, freezing their use of these gases in 2028 and reducing consumption from 2032.

The HFCs specifically targeted by the Kigali amendment include the following: R134, R134a, R143, R245fa, R365mfc, R227ea, R236cb, R236ea, R236fa, R245ca, R43-10mee, R32, R125, R143a, R41, R152, R152a, R161 and R23. Some of HFCs are also the components of commonly used HFC blends like R404A and R410a, which are also covered under the amendment.

HVAC&R industry players broadly welcomed the Kigali Amendment as a concrete follow-up to the Paris accord addressing climate change.

Natural refrigerants are widely accepted as a market-ready, energy-efficient replacement for HFCs in many applications.

Fidelity Bank staffers, under the auspices of the “Fidelity Helping Hands” on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 volunteered and took part in cooking and serving food as well as distributing water, drugs and bread to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Makurdi International Market IDPs Camp in Benue State.

Speaking to EnviroNews after the volunteer exercise, Head, CSR and Sustainability, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr Chris Nnakwe, lamented that the flood situation in Benue was a touching disaster and that the bank got involved so as to aid the IDPs in the face of their present predicament.

He maintained that the Fidelity Helping Hands is poised to impact positively on the lives of people in difficulty, hence the organisation saw it necessary to reach out to the IDPs in Makurdi to alleviate their sufferings.

“We wanted to get involved by volunteering physically in serving and feeding the IDPs other than just donating relief materials to them.

“These people are not sure of the next meal, among other needs, and depend on people’s aid in form of relief; so, I call on everybody to remember to share with these group of people,” he stated.

Speaking while receiving a carton of malaria and pain relief drugs donated by Fidelity to the camp health centre, Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services, Dr Joseph Kumba, thanked Fidelity Bank and all involved in giving succour to the IDPs. He described the coalition as very helpful.

According to Dr Kumba, the idea of the health centre carrying out preventive and curative medical services to forestall any death on camp has been enhanced by support given by many organisations and they have been able to maintain a good health status.

Also commenting on the gesture by Fidelity Bank, an IDP and mother of two, Mrs Doowuese Agba, hailed the bank, stating that the organisation has shown them (the IDPs) that there is hope even though they are displaced.

It will be recalled that on Tuesday, September 5 2017, a Fidelity Bank representative, Mr Emmanuel Aduku, donated assorted relief materials worth N1 million on behalf of the bank to the IDPs.

By Damian Daga, Makurdi

In a bid to improve the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Benue State on gender programming for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and budget monitoring, the Women Environmental Programme (WEP) is holding a two-day forum on Gender Programming for SDGs and Budget Monitoring for CSOs in Makurdi, Benue State.

In her welcome address on Wednesday, September 6 2017, Executive Director of WEP, Dr Priscilla Achakpa, who outlined that very few people know about SDGs, stated that, as a result, they (the WEP) decided to come and sensitise CSOs in the state on the Goals.

According to her, development without the inclusion of the SDGs cannot be wholly achieved, adding that if the CSOs must implore people and government through advocacy on SDGs, they need to know what it entails.

“We feel that the civil society organisations on ground here have to be well grounded in SDGs in order to properly do their job,” she said.

Dr Achakpa stressed that, for the CSOs to hold government accountable when it comes to the issue of budgeting, they need to have a hands-up knowledge of budgeting process which makes the workshop very important in building their capacity in tracking budgets.

She sued for partnership between CSOs and the government, as the latter cannot carry out development alone to have a vibrant society, stating that there is need to change how things are done as change begins with everyone.

A facilitator and Deputy Executive Director, WEP, Kyauta Giwa, in her presentations titled: “Understanding the Key Concepts of Gender” and “Introduction to Household/Public Budget Process,” called for a proper understanding and application of gender in all spheres of life.

She added that knowing how to track public budget would greatly enhance CSOs ability to enhance government’s performance in budgetary process.

In another presentation titled: “Human Rights, Women’s Rights and Legal and Institutional Framework for Gender Responsiveness”, Programme Officer of WEP, Benson Attah, called for an understanding of human rights, even as he advocated for such rights.

By Damian Daga, Makurdi

Zhang Jianlong, Minister of State Forestry Administration, China, on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 opened the first ever United Nations conference on sustainable development hosted in China. The 13th session of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), is taking place from September 6 to 16 in Ordos, Inner Mongolia.

The 196 country Parties attending the session are expected to agree on a 12-year Strategy to contain runaway land degradation that is threatening global food and water supply.

Ministers are expected to announce their targets for land restoration and agree on measures to address the related emerging threats of forced migration, sand and dust storms, and on actions to strengthen resilience to droughts.

Close to 80 ministers are attending the Conference during the high-level segment, when most of the emerging issues will be addressed and country commitments of the targets will be announced.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the only legally binding international agreement on land issues. The Convention promotes good land stewardship. Its 196 Parties aim, through partnerships, to implement the Convention and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The end goal is to protect land from over-use and drought, so it can continue to provide mankind with food, water and energy. By sustainably managing land and striving to achieve land degradation neutrality, now and in the future, man will reduce the impact of climate change, avoid conflict over natural resources and help communities to thrive.

Hurricane Irma roared into the Caribbean with record force on Wednesday, September 6 2017, its 185-mph winds shaking homes and flooding buildings on a chain of small islands along a path toward Puerto Rico, Cuba and Hispaniola and a possible direct hit on densely populated South Florida.

The strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricane ever recorded passed almost directly over the island of Barbuda, causing widespread flooding and downing trees. France sent emergency food and water rations to the French islands of Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy, where Irma ripped off roofs and knocked out all electricity.

The regional authority for Guadeloupe and neighboring islands said the fire station in Saint Barthelemy was flooded by more than 3 feet (1 metre) of water and no rescue vehicles could move. The government headquarters on Saint Martin was partially destroyed.

There were no immediate reports of casualties but the minister for French overseas territories, Annick Girardin, said: “We have a lot to fear for a certain number of our compatriots who unfortunately didn’t want to listen to the protection measures and go to more secure sites … We’re preparing for the worst.”

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, said the twin-island nation appears to have weathered its brush with Hurricane Irma with no deaths, though he noted that the government had only done a preliminary assessment of Barbuda. There were widespread reports of property damage but he says the public and government had prepared well for the storm.

“We in Antigua have weathered the most powerful hurricane ever to storm its way through the Caribbean,” the prime minister said. “And we have done so with stunning results.”

Hurricane Irma had maximum winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday and was producing dangerous storm surge and heavy rain. The centre of the storm was about 65 miles (110 kilometres) east-southeast of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and about 140 miles (225 kilometres) east of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was heading west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).

As the eye of Hurricane Irma passed over Barbuda around 2 a.m., phone lines went down under heavy rain and howling winds that sent debris flying as people huddled in their homes or government shelters.

The storm ripped the roof off the island’s police station, forcing officers to seek refuge in the fire station and at the community center that served as an official shelter. The Category 5 storm also knocked out communication between islands.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Irma’s winds would fluctuate but the storm would likely remain at Category 4 or 5 strength for the next day or two. The most dangerous winds, usually nearest to the eye, were forecast to pass near the northern Virgin Islands and near or just north of Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump declared emergencies in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and authorities in the Bahamas said they would evacuate six southern islands.

Warm water is fuel for hurricanes and Irma was moving over water that was 1.8 degrees (1 degree Celsius) warmer than normal. The 79 degree (26 Celsius) water that hurricanes need went about 250 feet (80 meters) deep, said Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the private forecasting service Weather Underground.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Monday declared a state of emergency for every county to ensure that local governments have enough “time, resources and flexibility to get prepared for this dangerous storm,” according to a statement from his office.

Mandatory evacuation orders have been ordered for Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys, beginning on Wednesday, but cars were already streaming out of the region on Tuesday evening. Officials also anticipate evacuation orders for low-lying portions of Miami-Dade County, including Miami Beach, by late Wednesday or early Thursday.

An extremely powerful tropical cyclone,Hurricane Irma is said to be the strongest Atlantic hurricane since Wilma of 2005 in terms of maximum sustained winds and the most intense in terms of pressure since Dean in 2007. Irma is also the first Category 5 hurricane to impact the northern Leeward Islands on record.

Courtesy: Associated Press (AP)