The increase of devastating weather extremes in summer is likely linked to human-made climate change, mounting evidence shows. Giant airstreams are circling the Earth, waving up and down between the Arctic and the tropics. These planetary waves transport heat and moisture. When these planetary waves stall, droughts or floods can occur. Warming caused by greenhouse-gases from fossil fuels creates favorable conditions for such events, an international team of scientists now finds.
Town surrounded by flood water in Pakistan 2010. Photo credit: Defense Video Imagery Distribution System
“The unprecedented 2016 California drought, the 2011 U.S. heatwave and 2010 Pakistan flood as well as the 2003 European hot spell all belong to a most worrying series of extremes,” says Michael Mann from the Pennsylvania State University in the U.S., lead-author of the study published in Scientific Reports. “The increased incidence of these events exceeds what we would expect from the direct effects of global warming alone, so there must be an additional climate change effect. In data from computer simulations as well as observations, we identify changes that favor unusually persistent, extreme meanders of the jet stream that support such extreme weather events. Human activity has been suspected of contributing to this pattern before, but now we uncover a clear fingerprint of human activity.”
How sunny days can turn into a serious heat wave
“If the same weather persists for weeks on end in one region, then sunny days can turn into a serious heat wave and drought, or lasting rains can lead to flooding”, explains co-author Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany. “This occurs under specific conditions that favor what we call a quasi-resonant amplification that makes the north-south undulations of the jet stream grow very large. It also makes theses waves grind to a halt rather than moving from west to east. Identifying the human fingerprint on this process is advanced forensics.”
Air movements are largely driven by temperature differences between the Equator and the Poles. Since the Arctic is more rapidly warming than other regions, this temperature difference is decreasing. Also, land masses are warming more rapidly than the oceans, especially in summer. Both changes have an impact on those global air movements. This includes the giant airstreams that are called planetary waves because they circle Earth’s Northern hemisphere in huge turns between the tropics and the Arctic. The scientists detected a specific surface temperature distribution apparent during the episodes when the planetary waves eastward movement has been stalling, as seen in satellite data.
Using temperature measurements since 1870 to confirm findings in satellite data
”Good satellite data exists only for a relatively short time – too short to robustly conclude how the stalling events have been changing over time. In contrast, high-quality temperature measurements are available since the 1870s, so we use this to reconstruct the changes over time,” says co-author Kai Kornhuber, also from PIK. “We looked into dozens of different climate models – computer simulations called CMIP5 of this past period – as well as into observation data, and it turns out that the temperature distribution favoring planetary wave airstream stalling increased in almost 70 percent of the simulations.”
Interestingly, most of the effect occured in the past four decades. “The more frequent persistent and meandering Jetstream states seems to be a relatively recent phenomenon, which makes it even more relevant,” says co-author Dim Coumou from the Department of Water and Climate Risk at VU University in Amsterdam (Netherlands). “We certainly need to further investigate this – there is some good evidence, but also many open questions. In any case, such non-linear responses of the Earth system to human-made warming should be avoided. We can limit the risks associated with increases in weather extremes if we limit greenhouse-gas emissions.”
Courtesy: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Car buyers will soon be able to identify the most environmentally friendly models on the road and choose new cars that will help reduce air pollution in cities. Seoul, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Moscow, Oslo and Tokyo also commit to work with C40 to develop a global scoring system.
Cars cause a lot of air pollution
Mayor of Paris and Chair of C40 Cities, Anne Hidalgo and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today announced they’re working to create schemes to score new cars based on their real-world emissions and their impact on air quality. The schemes will help consumers make better informed choices about the environmental impact of the cars they drive and prevent car manufacturers from exploiting loopholes in existing labelling schemes.
Currently vehicle scoring schemes, such as EU standards, only regulate some pollutants and only require vehicles to meet standards in laboratory conditions. Actual emissions on the road have been proven to be up to 15 times greater. The new schemes will allocate each model of car with a score, based on all of the air pollutants they release during real-world, on-road conditions. The scores will be made easily available to citizens through dedicated websites. Consumers will therefore enjoy a far more accurate understanding of how polluting that car will be when driven on urban streets. Paris and London have committed to launch their data online by the end of 2017.
“For too long, some vehicle manufacturers have been able to hide behind inconsistent regulation and consumer uncertainty about the damage their cars are causing,” said Mayor of Paris and Chair of C40 Cities, Anne Hidalgo. “This announcement is a wake-up call to car companies that they need to act now. Citizens of Paris and cities around the world demand clean air to breathe and this new scoring scheme will be key to helping achieve that. I am pleased that Paris, the city of the Climate Agreement, is working with London and Seoul to support this project.”
“My scheme will put an end to the smoke and mirrors that have been employed in official emissions tests. It will provide Londoners with an honest, accurate and independent evaluation of the emissions of most new cars and vans on our roads and on the showroom forecourt. By having ‘on the road’ testing I believe we will help Londoners make an informed choice and incentivise manufacturers to build cleaner vehicles sooner,” said The Mayor of London and C40 Vice-Chair, Sadiq Khan. “This scheme is also a fantastic example of how big cities around the world can pool their expertise and their influence to encourage big industry to clean up its act. The toxicity of the air in London and many other big cities is an outrage, and schemes of the type we are introducing in London and Paris have the potential to make a massive difference to the quality of the air we all breathe.”
To underscore the importance of robust and transparent information on real world emissions, Mayor Hidalgo also announced a commitment from Bloomberg Philanthropies, FIA Foundation and the Joshua and Anita Bekenstein Charitable Fund to enable C40 Cities to work with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and Emissions Analytics to measure vehicle emissions with remote sensors and portable emissions monitoring equipment.
“These new vehicle scorings will empower consumers to make informed choices that protect public health and the planet,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, C40 President of the Board and U.N. Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change. “This is a great example of how the same steps that improve lives also fuel progress against climate change.”
Several other C40 cities, including Seoul, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Moscow, Oslo and Tokyo have committed to work with C40 to develop a global scoring system relevant and accessible to all citizens, and will explore how to provide this accurate and transparent information to the public.
“Tackling vehicle emissions is a priority if you are to tackle air pollution in your city,” saidMayor of Seoul and C40 Vice-Chair, Wonsoon Park. “As cities made significant contributions toward the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the concerted effort shown by cities today to tackle air pollution will make air cleaner for our citizens to breathe.”
The existing EU labelling scheme only rates vehicles for fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions, and are based on laboratory tests. Recent scandals have shown the potential for these tests to be manipulated by car manufacturers, undermining public confidence in the tests. Research has also shown that current testing schemes conceal the real-world levels of toxic emissions.
Some diesel cars that meet the EU’s highest environmental standards, known as Euro 6, in reality release more Nitrogen Oxide and Nitrogen Dioxide than a modern heavy duty truck. These NOx and fine particle pollutants are particularly important, as they are amongst the most damaging to human health.
“The technology exists to accurately measure the precise environmental impact of the gas-guzzlers that currently dominate our roads, and leadership by C40 mayors will enable citizens to see it,” said Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40. “Once again it is mayors that are showing the way to clean the air that we breathe in our cities and cut the emissions that are poisoning our planet.”
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting between mayors, senior city officials and representatives of several major car manufacturers, designed to find ways to accelerate the transition to low-emission and electric cars. The meeting, was the first ever such effort by city leaders and car manufacturers to work together in planning for a sustainable future.
Mayors from C40 cities have been providing unique global leadership in tackling air pollution, over recent years. In March 2016, Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris led an initiative of 20 European mayors calling on the European Union to close loopholes that allowed vehicle manufacturers to continue producing cars that release dangerous levels of fine particle emissions. A petition in support of the measure attracted more than 130,000 signatures of citizens.
In July 2015, Paris was the first city in France to restrict access for the most polluting vehicles. The bans are applied progressively until 2020. Since January 2017, this area is controlled with a colored – Crit’Air- sticker on the vehicles. Financial aid is also offered by the City to help inhabitants and businesses to switch to clean modes of transport.
Mayor Sadiq Khan has proposed introducing the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in central London in 2019, and then expanding it to inner London for all vehicles, and Londonwide for buses, coaches and lorries. From October 2017, vehicles in central London will need to meet minimum exhaust emission standards, or pay a daily £10 Emissions Surcharge (also known as the T-Charge).
The city of Seoul designated central Seoul as Green Transport Promotion Zone in March 2017 as part of its broad efforts to cut city-wide carbon emissions from transportation by 40% by 2030. Old diesel vehicles and construction equipment are banned from entering this Low Emission Zone, which is expected to cut the city’s private vehicle demand by 30%.
C40 Cities connects more than 90 of the world’s greatest cities, representing 650+ million people and one quarter of the global economy. Created and led by cities, C40 is focused on tackling climate change and driving urban action that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, while increasing the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities of urban citizens.
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, will return to the country next week, ahead of June’s African Cup of Nations qualifier against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.
Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr
The German tactician will watch the top stars in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) while in the country.
He told news men that his immediate focus and preparation is on the 2019 AFCON qualifiers against South Africa in June before the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in August.
Coach Rohr said he would be back in Lagos next week to watch some NPFL games and see some of the home stars in actions as he continues to plan ahead.
The Super Eagles have just only one home-based player, goalkeeper lkechuwu Mba from FC Ifeanyin Ubah.
Rohr appears to have turned the fortunes of the Super Eagles since his appointment as coach in August 2016, winning three competitive matches and drawing one in a friendly match against Senegal in London.
Meanwhile, former national Under-23 Assistant coach, Monday Adigie, described the Super Eagles 1-1 draw in last week’s international friendly against the Terranga Lions of Senegal in London as not enough to judge new invitees like Jarod Ebuazi, Osahenhen Obazi and Kayode Olarenwaju.
The former Bayalsa United coach praised the Super Eagles determination against an impressive Senegalese side. He reckoned that the friendly game has given the Super Eagles progressive bounding.
According to the Assistant Media Officer of the NFF, Tayo Olu-Ibidapo, the trio of Ebuazi, Obazi and Olarenwaju had limited action in the game.
The media officer added the trio would be called up for subsequent matches to properly ascertain if they have what it takes to be part of the team.
In an opening statement at the 45th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 in Guadalajara, Mexico, the IPCC Chair, Hoesung Lee, stressed that new knowledge resources, which he described as essential for sustainable development planning, underpin IPCC assessments
In his novel Pedro Páramo, one of the greatest works of Latin American literature, I found these lines, which in their description of nature and their optimism, have a message for those of us working with climate change:
“There is air and sun, there are clouds. Above there is a blue sky and behind it there may be songs; maybe better voices … There is hope, in short.”
We may draw inspiration from nature and the arts, but the IPCC’s work is firmly rooted in science.
We are gearing up now for the Sixth Assessment Report, and scientific research and scientific observation are giving us plenty of material to assess.
Last week, the World Meteorological Organisation released its annual Statement on the State of the Global Climate. That report confirms that the year 2016 was the warmest on record, a remarkable 1.1ºC above the pre-industrial period, and beating the record set the previous year.
Global sea ice extent dropped more than 4 million square kilometres below average, an unprecedented anomaly, in November. In the High Arctic, Svalbard Airport’s 2016 mean annual temperature of -0.1ºC was 6.5ºC – I repeat 6.5ºC – above the 1961-1990 average.
Also earlier this month, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, reported that carbon dioxide levels rose in 2016 at a record pace for the second straight year. CO2 levels measured at NOAA’s Mauna Loa observatory rose by 3 parts per million in 2016 to 405.1 parts per million, an increase that matched the record jump observed in 2015. The 6 ppm surge over two years in greenhouse gas concentrations between 2015 and 2017 is unprecedented in the observatory’s 59-year record.
These data are not yet part of an IPCC assessment, but they underline the urgency and gravity of our work. Science tells us the climate is changing, and science indicates the human activities causing this change.
But in a rapidly changing climate, we need science more than ever to help us understand the impacts of climate change, its risks, and options for addressing it. Climate researchers are developing new methods to better observe the climate system and understand the processes at play.
They are developing new models to explain how the Earth’s climate will react to different scenarios, at the global and regional scale, in the near and long term. This research is crucial for monitoring and understanding today’s changes, so that we can predict the weather and near-term climate better, and build projections we can trust. These new knowledge resources are essential for sustainable development planning and strengthening resilience in our communities; and they underpin IPCC assessments.
I call on all our member governments to continue to invest in scientific research that targets the knowledge gaps highlighted in the Fifth Assessment Report, and is oriented to the needs of society.
Supporting science also means ensuring the IPCC is in a position to carry out its activities.
This week we will again be reviewing our resource mobilisation strategy. Please consider this carefully and think what you can do to support the work of the IPCC.
Our work is rooted in science; its hallmark is policy-relevance. A reminder of that is the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC, whose authors held their first Lead Author Meeting in Brazil earlier this month. As you know, that report was requested by the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change, when they reached the Paris Agreement. In accepting that request from COP 21, the Panel added the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication.
At this Session of the Panel we will consider the outlines of two special reports whose themes are also highly policy-relevant: the Special Report on climate change and oceans and the cryosphere, and the Special Report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems.
Experts at the scoping meetings in Monaco and Dublin respectively have come up with carefully considered draft outlines that I commend to your attention.
The Greenpeace ship, My Esperanza, is currently on an expedition in West Africa to document the threat from overfishing to the marine environment and food security for millions of Africans depending on fish to survive
My Esperanza, the Greenpeace ship
Four fishing vessels have been arrested in Guinea Bissau waters after joint patrols by Greenpeace and the Fisheries Surveillance Department of Guinea Bissau (FISCAP) found multiple fishing infringements. The findings of the joint surveillance were presented to President José Mário Vaz on his visit to the Greenpeace Ship “My Esperanza” on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. The arrested vessels were brought to port, and the crew onboard as well as the owners of the vessels are now being investigated by local authorities for illegal transhipment at sea, failure to display readable names on the vessels, non-payment of fines and usage of illegal fishing equipment.
Pavel Klinckhamers, project leader onboard the Greenpeace ship, said: “The fact that we managed to come across such a high number of vessels breaking the law in only a few days really confirms the alarming ‘Wild-West’ situation in the waters of West Africa. Fishing companies and crews have gotten used to exploiting Guinea Bissau’s insufficiently managed waters, and our findings show that illegal operations are most likely taking place on a daily basis. We commend the commitment from the highest level of the Bissau government to curb the ongoing situation.”
On 22 March, crew and three inspectors onboard the Esperanza caught Comoros flagged Saly Reefer doing illegal transhipment with the fishing vessels Flipper 3, Flipper 4 and Flipper 5, also flying Comoros flags. Transshipment at sea has often been linked to hiding fish caught without a license. Transshipment was banned by the government of Guinea Bissau in 2015.
Shortly after the boarding and the first inspection of the Saly Reefer and Flipper 4 by Greenpeace crew and inspectors, both vessels were escorted to the port of Bissau. The ships are owned by Las Palmas based Sea Group SL, and both the owners, as well as the crew onboard the two vessels, now face legal action and a fine.
On 21 March, three Chinese flagged fishing vessels Yi Feng 8, Yi Feng 9, and Yi Feng 10 were spotted 50 nautical miles from the shore of Guinea Bissau by Greenpeace and the inspectors. The vessels had names written only in Chinese, even though all fishing vessels are required by law to carry easily recognisable names. All three vessels are owned by the same Chinese company, Dalian Zhangzidao Yi Feng Aquatic Product Company Ltd. One of the vessels, the Yi Feng 8, was arrested and sent to port, while the other two managed to escape. However, their infringements were documented well enough to ensure the owners and crew will be prosecuted.
On 24 March, Greenpeace and the inspectors spotted another Chinese vessel, the Chang Yuan Yu 05, while it was fishing off the coast of the Bijagos Archipelago. The vessel is known by local authorities, since its owners have failed to pay a fine for using illegal nets in September last year. The vessel was boarded, arrested and taken back to the port of Bissau, where it will be detained until the fine is paid.
Dr Cisse, Ocean Campaign Manager in Greenpeace Africa, said: “West Africa is the only region in the world where fish consumption is declining due to over-exploitation of resources by too many vessels and by illegal fishing operations. The repercussions of fish stock depletion on food security and economy in some of the most vulnerable countries in the world is extremely concerning and must be tackled. In West Africa, where people rely heavily on fish as one of their main sources of protein, it is a vital source of income and employment for nearly seven million people. That is why we strongly encourage West African governments to set up a regional fisheries management body.”
Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing in West Africa, IUU, is estimated to reduce the number of jobs in artisanal sectors by 300,000, and from 2010 to 2016 Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone, lost around $2.3 billion annually in revenues, while a minimal amount of $13 million was recovered through Monitoring, Control and Surveillance, MCS. The highest number of IUU offenses in the West African region occurred in Guinea Bissau. In 2014, Guinea Bissau authorities documented as many as eight vessels fishing illegally during just one week of patrol. However, sanctions for breaking the law at sea in Guinea Bissau are either too weak or the law is not enforced properly.
The Greenpeace ship Esperanza is currently on an expedition in West Africa to document the threat from overfishing to the marine environment and food security for millions of Africans depending on fish to survive. An expanding number of fishing operations are taking place in these rich waters, not only by foreign fleets but also by an increasing number of domestic, industrial fishing vessels. The Esperanza has already visited Cape Verde and Mauritania and now Guinea Bissau, where the joint patrol between Greenpeace and FISCAP was set up as a result of a special request from President José Mário Vaz, Guinea Bissau. The Esperanza will continue to engage in joint surveillance with local authorities in selected West African countries until the beginning of May.
Greenpeace is campaigning for the setup of a strong, regional management body in West Africa to ensure transparency, improvement of governance and positive impact on local economy and employment in all countries of the region.
The world stood in shock as US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 signed executive orders rolling back the Clean Power Plan and promoting what observers describe as outdated fossil fuels.
Donald Trump, US president
According to them, while more than 190 countries are moving forward, as they agreed in Paris, towards a clean energy future, President Trump appears to be taking America backwards “by signing executive orders that attempt to revive the dirty coal industry that has been lagging since 2010.”
They stress that grassroots movements and market forces have unleashed the clean energy revolution making it the cheaper, healthier option with the promise to generate the jobs of the future.
Reactions have trailed the landmark development, including those from members and partners of the Climate Action Network (CAN), such as former US Vice President Al Gore and former UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Christiana Figueres.
WWF’s global Climate & Energy Practice Leader, Manuel-Pulgar Vidal, said: “Hampering the US’ ability to deliver on its international climate commitments will impact the world’s climate trajectory, but it will not define its outcome.
“Our ability to achieve the promise of the Paris Agreement does not rest on the actions of one government alone. At COP22 held in Marrakech last year, French President Holland said the Paris Agreement is an ‘irreversible’ process. We agree.
“The speed and scale of meeting the climate challenge has always required global solutions from all parts of the international community. It is up to all of us to reaffirm our commitment for a clean energy future, and to deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement.
“Companies and cities are not waiting to act; neither should we. Delivering on the Paris Agreement means more jobs, fewer health problems and increased access to cheaper, cleaner electricity. We have no time to lose: momentum remains on our side and together, we are unstoppable.”
Sara Thomas, Manager, Online Advocacy, WWF: “This move by the president undercuts our ability to compete in the massive growth in demand for renewable energy around the world. Right now there are more American jobs in renewable energy and efficiency than in all fossil fuels combined.
“Not to mention that with the mounting threats of climate change, it’s clear we must continue to work to find lasting solutions rather than repealing the current US plan to meet its commitment under the Paris Agreement without providing a replacement.
“Taking bold climate action is critical to keeping global warming to well below two degrees, the level at which scientists say will head off the worst effects of climate change. It’s also critical for protecting the American people, and safeguarding our economy and our communities.”
Climate Reality: “Today, the Trump administration launched an attack on the health of American families and our environment when the president signed an executive order rolling back some of the Obama Administration’s most critical climate protections and clean energy policies.
“The president ended the current moratorium that prevents new coal leases on federal lands, which means more coal will go to power plants all over the world and more carbon pollution will go into the atmosphere. But most troubling of all, the president’s order proposes to roll back the EPA’s Clean Power Plan – a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.
“While there is no doubt these executive actions will be challenged in court, it’s clear the administration is doing everything in its power to weaken efforts to fight the climate crisis. Americans are more committed than ever to ending the climate crisis, and 65 percent favor prioritising clean energy innovations over fossil fuels. Unfortunately, the administration continues to fail to recognize that when clean energy loses, the American economy loses.”
President & CEO, World Resources Institute, Dr. Andrew Steer said: “The Trump administration is failing a test of leadership to protect Americans’ health, the environment and the economy. It’s been shown time and again that sustained economic growth and national security are intertwined with good environmental stewardship.
“In taking a sledgehammer to U.S. climate action, the administration will push the country backward, making it harder and more expensive to reduce emissions. Climate science is clear and unwavering: mounting greenhouse gas emissions are warming our planet, putting people and business in harm’s way.
“The Clean Power Plan is a flexible and commonsense approach to reduce emissions from the power sector. It’s already helping to shift markets toward clean energy, which is good for the economy and American competitiveness. The administration should not be rolling back the safeguards that protect our air from methane emissions and limits on coal leasing on public lands. The administration is also wrong to withdraw support for local communities which need to be strong and secure in the face of rising seas, extreme weather events, and other climate impacts.
“The administration is out of step with U.S. companies, investors and consumers who want clean energy that is delivering jobs and revitalising communities. Many governors and mayors will continue to embrace low-carbon solutions because it’s good for jobs, people and the planet. Republican and Democratic officials alike are committed to harnessing energy from the wind and sun because it’s good for their constituents. Hundreds of leading businesses are committed to reduce emissions and support climate action because it’s in their economic interest to do so.
“Around the globe, countries have committed to transition to a low-carbon economy that will make the world safer and more prosperous.
“Make no mistake: This Executive Order will undermine people’s health and the U.S. economy. It hands moral authority and global leadership over to others, leaving America behind.”
Oxfam America climate change manager, Heather Coleman, said: “President Trump’s reprehensible move to dismantle US progress in fighting climate change is yet another signal that this administration could not care less about the millions of vulnerable people around the world who live on the front lines of a climate crisis they did not create. These actions cater to the fossil fuel industry and corporate elites, while leaving the most vulnerable high and dry.
“Never before have the impacts of a changing climate felt so severe, with disproportionate impacts on those already living in poverty here at home and across the world. Yet with these actions, the Trump administration is choosing to abandon any claim to the US moral high ground.
“Despite the lack of leadership from the President and Congress in addressing climate change, US businesses, cities, and states are stepping up to commit to climate action and to long-term solutions that create safer, healthier communities and strong economic prosperity. Oxfam will continue to encourage equitable solutions to the climate crisis and hold sectors and government leaders accountable.”
350.org Executive Director, May Boeve, said: “This all-out attack on our climate and communities will be met with historic resistance. Trump is once again propping up the reckless fossil fuel industry while slashing any protections that put people before profits. As concern about global warming reaches a three-decade record high, there’s overwhelming support from the American people for climate action. On April 29th, we’re taking our vision and our resistance to Washington for the Peoples Climate March with people from every corner of the country who are ready to keep fighting for our future.”
ClientEarth CEO of environmental lawyers, James Thornton said: “This is a monumental and ill-considered mistake by Trump which will have a hugely detrimental impact on American citizens, on jobs and on the environment. The vast majority of Americans understand the need to protect the environment and tackle climate change, yet the Trump administration is seeking to undo the laws which all of us – around the globe – need to protect people, the planet and future generations. We must not allow progress to be turned back.”
Centre for Biological Diversity Executive Director, Kieran Suckling, said: “Trump just took his war against our climate to a terrifying new level,” said Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity. “With these massive giveaways to the fossil fuel industry, he proves that his first loyalty is to polluters, not the American public. Anyone who values wildlife, clean air and clean water will be hurt by this plan to let dirty companies pollute our climate and exploit our beautiful public lands.”
Sierra Club Executive Director, Michael Brune, said: “Donald Trump’s executive order would let dirty power plants spew unlimited pollution into our air while ignoring the climate crisis, unraveling protections that are designed to save billions of dollars, and thousands of lives. The safeguards Donald Trump is trying to throw out protect all families in America by curbing dangerous carbon pollution and reducing other dangerous pollutants like mercury, methane, and sulfur dioxide – but unfortunately Trump would rather pad the fossil fuel industry’s profits.
“Worse, Trump’s attack ignores reality – not just the reality of the climate crisis, but the reality that the clean energy economy is rapidly growing. The best way to protect workers and the environment is to invest in growing the clean energy economy that is already outpacing fossil fuels, and ensuring no one is left behind. At a time when we can declare independence from dirty fuels by embracing clean energy, this action could only deepen our dependence on fuels that pollute our air, water and climate while making our kids sicker.
“Meanwhile, grassroots advocates have helped push coal to its lowest level in history by retiring nearly 250 plants nationwide, and cities ranging from Salt Lake City, Utah to Georgetown, Texas are committing to 100 percent clean energy. Because of strong local action to replace coal and gas with clean energy we are on track to meet the Clean Power Plan’s 2030 emissions targets as soon as next year, and clean energy growth nationwide will continue unabated.
“The good news is that the safeguards Trump wants to shred – like the Clean Power Plan – are on a strong legal footing and the public will have the chance to voice its objections as the Trump administration tries to roll them back. Trump can’t reverse our clean energy and climate progress with the stroke of a pen, and we’ll fight Trump in the courts, in the streets, and at the state and local level across America to protect the health of every community.”
Former US Vice President, Al Gore, said: “Today’s executive order, directing the Environmental Protection Agency to begin rolling back environmental protections and policies including the Clean Power Plan, is a misguided step away from a sustainable, carbon-free future for ourselves and generations to come. It is essential, not only to our planet, but also to our economic future, that the United States continues to serve as a global leader in solving the climate crisis by transitioning to clean energy, a transition that will continue to gain speed due to the increasing competitiveness of solar and wind.
No matter how discouraging this executive order may be, we must, we can, and we will solve the climate crisis. No one man or group can stop the encouraging and escalating momentum we are experiencing in the fight to protect our planet.”
Former mayor of NYC, Michael Bloomberg, said: “No matter what any elected official says, rescinding commonsense climate change regulations and popular public health protections will not revive the coal industry or put thousands of miners back to work. Market forces, including consumer preferences and technological advancement, are the primary reason for the surge in cleaner forms of energy. In fact, even without the Clean Power Plan, we are likely to hit its emissions targets ahead of schedule – because consumers, cities, and businesses will continue leading on public health and climate change even when Washington won’t.”
Former UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Christiana Figueres, said: “The action by the US to undo important domestic carbon reduction regulation in the face of the enormous momentum building globally toward a low carbon economy risks putting the country on a back-foot at a time when most Americans are looking to lead.”
“This decision will make things harder, not easier for Americans.
“That’s because trying to make fossil fuels remain competitive in the face of a booming clean renewable power sector, with the clean air and plentiful jobs it continues to generate, is going against the flow of economics.
“I don’t know anyone who wants to breathe dirty air, who wants to worry about their water source, or who wants to leave a dangerous world to their children. And because we are all united by these common desires, I am optimistic that Paris will endure, with world leadership remaining resilient in its commitments to Paris.
“We have already seen an unprecedented upsurge of concern and activism as a result of the recent geopolitical shocks, and I expect we will continue to see that from the American people in response to any proposed weakening of the protections put in place for their health and safety in the form of climate regulations.”
How can developing countries tap into climate mitigation funds from MDBs and the GCF?
Six Steps to Tap Multilateral Climate Mitigation Finance. Source: Ecofys (2017)
The clock is ticking and the world needs a rapid curb of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to avoid surpassing the 2°C threshold. Due to the ratification of the Paris Agreement, countries face the demanding task of implementing policies to decarbonise their economies. The challenge is daunting, especially for developing countries, because governments need to shift their development pathways to net zero emissions before the end of the century. At the same time, they need to ensure that this shift does not hamper economic prosperity. The right policies and regulations need to be in place to mark the path to achieve these two goals. With clear policies and regulations, stakeholders will have a common ground and clear direction to develop and implement on-the-ground projects that contribute to the achievement of net zero carbon economies and economic prosperity. However, an enabling environment is not enough.
A solid and credible pipeline of mitigation projects is fundamental to staying on that path. Developing country stakeholders can draw lessons from their 10 years’ experience with Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). Back in 2007, developing countries committed to carrying out voluntary climate change mitigation actions with the financial and technical support of developed countries. However, according to Ecofys’ research, less than 10% of the NAMAs have secured implementation finance. There is a clear need to reframe the existing NAMAs so that they can enable investments in low carbon growth. One way to do this is by making NAMAs attractive to financiers.
Financiers seek investments in projects that are scalable and viable over a long period of time. Our research on climate finance from multilateral development banks (MDBs) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) shows that there are five common investment criteria for mitigation projects among these funders:
Country ownership: Project’s goals should be consistent with national priorities and development plans.
Consistency with nationally determined contributions (NDCs): Projects should aim to achieve the NDC targets.
Policy and regulatory framework: Governments should make sure that there is an enabling environment for climate investments; effective policies and regulations need to be in place.
Scalability: Projects should be designed in a manner that allows wide replicability and enables investments that can be scaled up over a longer timeframe.
Profitability: Projects should have an attractive rate of return; the gains of the investment must be larger than its costs.
Ecofys proposes six steps to increase the success in developing a pipeline attractive to MDBs and the GCF:
Identify the multilateral financiers that serve the target country: Financiers have specific regions where they focus their operations. The World Bank Group (WBG) and the GCF are global players, while other MDBs are focusing exclusively on specific regions.
Take financiers’ overarching objectives into account: For example, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) seeks projects that have the private sector at the core of the project design. Likewise, mitigation projects seeking finance from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), or the WBG should highlight the ways in which they contribute to the achievement of NDCs and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Become familiar with communication channels and procedures used by potential financiers: The primary counterparts of most MDBs are typically the national finance or economic planning ministries. The GCF relies on National Designated Authorities, which are responsible for communicating national priorities to the fund.
Contact financiers during the project development phase: Through an early exchange, project developers can ensure that preferences and suggestions from the potential financier are considered in the final proposal. Proponents should already have a concrete project idea, ideally along with a business plan. Multilateral financiers usually don’t expect project proponents to approach them with a finalised funding proposal; instead, they offer support in the project development phase.
Develop or adapt the funding proposal to key investment criteria: Project proponents should ensure that the funding proposal meets the respective financier’s investment criteria, uses a similar language, and takes the financier’s comments from the initial exchange into account.
Consider co-financing in the project’s financial mechanism: co-financing increases scalability and decreases risks. It typically comes from other international public sources, domestic public money, or the private sector. Usually, multiple co-financing sources are preferred.
While it is true that current available international finance is not enough, countries should prioritise utilisation of limited resources efficiently. The argument of limited resources will continue to linger in the climate international debate. While it is a valid debate, the world cannot afford to wait until the finance is enough to reduce emissions. Developing countries must veer their efforts toward developing national decarbonisation strategies along with a large pipeline of bankable projects that are attractive to investors.
The increased 2020 climate finance targets of MDBs and increasing pledges to the GCF mean that rising amounts of mitigation finance will likely be made available in the coming years. This represents an opportunity for developing countries and project developers to tap into these resources. It is time for creating bankable project pipelines in each country to ensure that the decarbonisation of the global economy takes place before it is too late.
Leading web-based environment and development multi-media magazine, EnviroNews Nigeria, has emerged the nation’s top online climate change-focused media organisation.
Ron Israel, co-director of Climate Scorecard
According to a report released by Climate Scorecard on Monday, March 27 2017, while EnviroNews emerged Nigeria’s major medium in the online category, The Guardian newspapers was listed for the print media, while Eco@Africa is Nigeria’s climate-focused medium in the broadcast category.
The Climate Scorecard Country Report No. 8 profiles leading climate change-focused media organisations in the top 25 greenhouse-gas emitting countries. According to Climate Scorecard, “these are the organisations that provide their audiences with information and analysis of ongoing efforts to reduce emissions, comply with the Paris Agreement, and grapple with the effects of climate change.”
“We highlight three different types of media organisations in each country – broadcast media, print media, and online media. Generally speaking, broadcast media tend to strive for a balanced dispassionate analysis on a wide range of climate change issues, perhaps because they cater to a large diversified audience base. Print media, usually with a narrower audience, often use an editorial platform positions on specific issues; while online media can provide indepth coverage of a particular environmental problem such as renewable energy or deforestation,” say Lois Barber and Ron Israel, co-directors of Climate Scorecard, a participatory, open data effort to engage all concerned citizens in supporting the implementation of the new 2015 Global Climate Agreement.
Chiudo Ehrim, the Climate Scorecard Nigeria Country Manager, in the report describes EnviroNews as “an online news magazine that highlights environmental and development related issues. The portal is dedicated to sharing information that contributes to change towards a healthy and clean environment”.
Lois Barber and Ron Israel add: “Media organisations play an important role in raising awareness and shaping attitudes towards climate change and the Paris Agreement. Our Report is perhaps the first effort to identify which media organisations are worth following for news about climate change in their countries.
“Climate Scorecard Report #8 also provides links to climate change related media content in each of our 25 countries. Readers can click on the links to these content samples and download the full news story, article or video presentation.”
Some of the 25 top greenhouse gas emitting nations include: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States.
The need to link the protection and conservation of the marine environment with sustainable development and improved livelihoods for local communities was highlighted when specialists from five continents began meeting on Monday, March 28, 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, at the Expert Segment of the 12th Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Abidjan Convention.
Executive Secretary of the Abidjan Convention, Abou Bamba (right), with Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Salubrity, Environment and Sustainable Development, Anne Ouloto (middle), during the opening of the Convention’s COP12 on Monday, March 27, 2017 in Abidjan. Photo credit: Abidjan.net
Addressing the meeting, the Executive Secretary of the Abidjan Convention, Abou Bamba, noted that this year’s conference marked a break with the past, when the focus was on conservation without necessarily mainstreaming the development needs of the population of West, Central and Southern Africa.
Taking West Africa as an example, he noted that the region’s coastal zone was the source of 56 percent of its gross domestic product, which amounted just under 623.5 billion dollars in 2015, according to the World Bank.
The Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME), located off the West African seaboard, “is one of the world’s most productive marine and coastal areas,” he said, adding that “the value of the environmental goods and services provided by its coastal and marine resources is estimated to be some $18 billion a year”.
“With all this potential wealth, I think it’s time now that we link the question of the oceans to the question of development in Africa to create more jobs and improve the livelihood of our people,” Mr. Bamba stated, adding: “I think it’s now time that we start applying the principles of blue economy in Africa. I am among those who strongly believe that it’s possible and we can do it. Let’s do it then.”
The blue economy approach, based on using marine resources in ways that provide people with health, economic and other benefits while respecting the environment, is the subject of one of 20-odd draft decisions being examined by the experts meeting from Monday to Wednesday in Abidjan. The drafts will then come up for discussion and approval at the conference’s ministerial segment, on Thursday and Friday.
These decisions will determine the direction of the Convention’s activities over the next three years. They cover areas such as integrated coastal zone management, the management of mangrove ecosystems, environmental norms and standards for offshore oil and gas activities, and dealing with invasive plant and animal species, as well as illegal trade in coastal and marine wildlife.
Saving the area’s lagoons and using them responsibly to provide jobs and income, fighting against marine waste, developing regional and trans-Atlantic cooperation on coastal and marine issues, energy from the ocean, urban planning in coastal areas, and sustainable use of the ocean’s energy potential are also issues covered by the decisions focus.
The Conference of Parties is the Convention’s highest decision-making body. In-between meetings it is represented by a bureau, which takes care of day-to-day issues. Representing the chair of the bureau, Lisolomzi Fikizolo, Chief Director of Specialist Monitoring Services in South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs, highlighted the importance of the theme of this year’s conference.
The theme of COP12 is “integrated ocean management policies in Africa,” he noted, “which calls for the defragmentation of the way coastal areas and oceans are managed in Africa”.
Delivering the opening address at the conference, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Salubrity, Environment and Sustainable Development, Anne Ouloto, gave an idea of the challenges facing governments, NGOs, communities and individuals in the Convention area as they work to protect and preserve the marine and coastal environment, while developing it sustainably.
“It’s a well-known fact that 80 percent of marine pollution comes from human activity,” she noted. “Shipping, overfishing, fragmentation and loss of habitat through the destruction of mangroves, urbanisation and the population drift towards coastal areas, the extraction of materials are all factors that accelerate coastal erosion and loss of biodiversity.”
Deploring the “lack of, or insufficient, coordination of the interventions of environmental actors at both national and regional levels,” Ms. Ouloto said, adding that it was “imperative for this 12th Conference of Parties to contribute strongly to strengthening the cooperation links between our states.”
“It’s about safeguarding our marine and coastal ecosystems, given the multiple services they provide, whether it’s fisheries, construction material, tourism, climate regulation, energy, preventing erosion, or others,” she stressed.
Arising from the 2017 World Water Day Celebrations and the Global Launch of the UN World Water Development Report 2017 entitled: “Wastewater: The Untapped Resource” which ended on Sunday, March 26 2017 in Durban, the Republic of South Africa, water and sanitation ministers from across Africa have adopted the Durban Political Declaration for accelerating the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
High Level Ministerial Panel Discussion by the African Minister’s Council on Water (AMCOW) at the 2017 World Water Summit in Durban, South Africa
The adoption of the political declaration which coincided with the announcement of the “Call for Action” towards the implementation of the SDGs with particular emphasis on Goal-6 (Water and Sanitation) was graced by members of the High Level Panel on Water (HLPW), leaders of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), Inter-sectoral Ministers, UNESCO Special Envoy for Water in Africa, UN Agencies, private sector and civil society leaders.
The Durban Political Declaration agreed by all Political leaders mirrors the key principles, pillars and vision of the African Union, AMCOW, and HLPW Action Plan in support of the implementation of the SDGs. The Political Declaration seeks to encourage the acceleration plans and programmes and commit to the rollout of the Action Plan initiative.
In this latest declaration which recalled the African Union Heads of State and Government decision on the implementation of the July 2008 Assembly Declaration on the Sharm El Sheikh Commitments for Accelerating the Achievement of Water and Sanitation Goals in Africa; the eThekwini Declaration on Sanitation and its accompanying actions adopted in South Africa in February 2008; as well as the recent Dar Es Salaam Roadmap for Achieving the N’gor Commitments on Water Security and Sanitation in Africa adopted in Dar Es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania on July 26, 2016, water, sanitation and inter-sectoral ministers from the five Africa sub-regions resolved and committed themselves to supporting and strengthening the implementation of SDG-6 and related goals by ensuring coherence in the implementation of our policies in line with the HLPW Action Plan.
The ministers also declared their commitment to supporting and sharing the best Practice Models initiatives championed by regional leaders who serve as members of the High Level Panel on Water, notably Presidents of Senegal, South Africa and Mauritius. This, according to the declaration, is in line with the Africa Water Vision 2025 which envisages “an Africa where there is an equitable and sustainable use and management of water resources for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, regional cooperation, and the environment”.
Recalling the aspirations and commitments espoused in Africa’s Agenda 2063 which envisions the optimal use of Africa’s resources towards ensuring positive socio-economic transformation; the 2004 Sirte Declaration on integrated development of Agriculture and Water in Africa; and the 2008 Tunis Declaration on Accelerating Water Security for Africa’s Socio-Economic Development; the High Level Political Declaration commits African governments to increasing budgetary allocation to match the central role of water security and sanitation in Agenda 2030 and in line with the Sharm El Sheikh declaration.
To drive this, the ministers urged the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW, African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with development partners, to convene meetings of Ministers responsible for Water, and Finance to develop and implement appropriate financing policies and models for water and sanitation.
The declaration further requests the African Heads of States and Government through the AUC to prioritise Water and Sanitation as essential ingredients to Africa’s Economic Development and Growth. On this note, the ministers advocated the designation of AMCOW as the Technical Advisory Committee within AU Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment to champion the implementation and monitoring of SDG-6 at the political level.
African ministers and members of the High Level Panel on Water welcomed AMCOW’s launch of the Pan-African web-based monitoring and reporting system for water and sanitation sector which is linked to the global monitoring processes and called for efforts to strengthen and institutionalise harmonised monitoring and reporting system at member states, sub-regional, and basin levels to report on actions taken to implement these High Level Declarations including Political Declaration commitments.
