Earth Conscious

January 2009

ISSN 2070-4593

Insurance Industry and Climate Change – adaptation and mitigation Global climate change and the Caribbean: seeking solutions for an endangered region Champion of the Environment - Dr. Indra Haraksingh

GREEN RESOLUTIONS FOR 2009

G reen Resolutions for the New Year As an old year is left behind and a new one emerges, it is customary around the world that resolutions are made, whether it is to shed those extra pounds and live healthy or to save more money.

Why not add green resolutions this year as a way of doing your part to help care for the environment and minimize harmful impact. Here are green resolutions you might consider for the New Year: Save energy. Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Conserve water. Run full loads of laundry to conserve both water and electricity.

Reduce your use of disposables. Use cutlery, glasses and dishes instead of paper products. When packing lunches, use reusable containers and bring your own water instead of buying bottled water.

Eat healthy and well. Eat cooked vegetables and fruits that are in season. Buy locally grown food to support local farmers and try not to support mass production of pesticide and herbicide infused food.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Buy products with minimal packaging. Use a mug for tea at work instead of plastic cups. Don’t throw things away- fix and reuse them as much as possible, or donate them to someone who needs them.

Drive less. Walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation as much as you can. Skip one car trip each week.

Reduce use of plastics or say no. You might only use the average plastic bag for five minutes, but it can take an astonishing 500 years to decompose. Reduce your use of plastics or say not to use it.

Save water. Water is a precious commodity, yet we waste huge amounts of it every day.

Persuade your boss to take action. According to the Carbon Trust, businesses are running up huge bills, and wasting resources, by leaving lights on. “Lighting accounts for 40 per cent of business’ electricity bills and leaving the office lights on overnight wastes enough energy to make 1,000 cups of tea,” says Hugh Jones, solutions project director at the Trust.

Take the family on an eco-friendly break. Taking holidays closer to home, which don’t require the need to fly or drive, is the simplest way to cut down your contribution to global warming.

Inspire others. Encourage at least two friends or family members to take green action.

At the end of his tenure, Dr. Singh visions that stewardship will be established in Trinidad and Tobago where everyone has accepted their responsibility, however small it is, towards the environment.

January 2009 CONTENTS

Dr. Joth Singh Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Environmental Management Authority,

Trinidad and Tobago. Pg. 19

3 From the Editor 4 Feature Cimate Change and the insurance industry 8 Young Voices

Editor: Linda Hutchinson-Jafar

11 Champion of the Environment Dr. Indra Haraksingh

Contributors: Dr. Kenrick Leslie Judi Clarke Tracy Farag Chandani Jayatilleke Garfield King Barbara King

12 Global climate change and the Caribbean: Seeking solutions for an endangered region 16 Profiles Ministry of Local Government Carib Glassworks Petrotrin

Design and layout: Karibgraphics Ltd.

19 New Dynamism at the EMA

January 2009

ISSN 2070-4593

20 Verbatim President Bharrat Jagdeo President of the Republic of Guyana 21 Climate change - svae the planet from capitalism 24 Caribbean Updates 29 Global Watch 36 Green living We’ve got to move it...move it New year - new parenting 38 Letters to the Editor

is published by: Caribbean PR Agency #268 Harold Fraser Circular, Valsayn, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I. T/F: (868) 645-0368 caribbeanpragency@gmail.com www.beingearthconscious.com  2009. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

From the Editor The 2008 hurricane season is mercifully behind us, having ended on November 30, but not before bringing rains and winds of death and destruction, resulting in the loss of several hundred lives and damage amounting to billions of dollars.

In the Caribbean, we looked on with horror as several hurricanes pounded the rain-drenched Cuba and Haiti in particular, even as clean up from the previous onslaught was hardly over.

Hundreds of people in Haiti including the elderly, babies and toddlers continue to be displaced, having lost their homes and all their worldly possessions.

The 2008 Hurricane Season has gone into the history books as the fourth most costly on record.

Weather-related catastrophes such as hurricanes are also costing the insurance industry more than ever before. It is also becoming increasingly plausible that there is a correlation between global warming and the significant rise in the number of extreme weather events, according to scientists. Are there still lingering doubts about this?

Between the 1960s and 1990s, the number of natural catastrophes – most of them weatherrelated - has doubled and insured losses increased nearly seven-fold.

Our special feature in this issue focuses on the insurance industry –how vulnerable it is to rising weather-related disasters; how it can be a risk-reducing tool in the era of climate change and how insurance-related solutions can support the adaptation to climate change advocated in the UN Framework Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.

In December 2008, international climate negotiations took place in Poznań , Poland which participants hope will send a signal of strong international resolve aimed at reaching an ambitious global climate change agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009.

At the Copenhagen conference, countries will seek an agreement on a successor pact to the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions reductions, whose first commitment period ends in 2012.

Among the delegates at the Poznań conference were several Caribbean participants and their presence there underlined the concern the region is placing on the issue of climate change and its far reaching and harsh implications for life for us here in this region, which we are already beginning to experience.

Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana complained at the conference that international efforts to address climate change remained “woefully inadequate.” Antigua and Barbuda, speaking on behalf of the G-77/CHINA, expressed regret that expectations for Poznań had not been met, calling for a radical change in approach.

Grenada, for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), expressed disappointment at lack of progress on issues such as the Adaptation Fund to finance concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing countries.

While the Poznań negotiations resulted in some progress, there were no significant breakthroughs. Negotiators now face a hectic 12 months of talks leading up to the critical deadline of December 2009 in Copenhagen.

It would be a good time too for the Caribbean –including our prime ministers, presidents and government ministers – to step up and get more involved in the global discussions and push industrialised countries, responsible for emitting high quantities of green house gases into the atmosphere to assist us with the costly adaptation measures.

For now, best wishes – and adopt a green resolution for the New Year.

Linda Hutchinson-Jafar

Special Feature

Climate Change

T

and the insurance industry

he Caribbean is undoubtedly one of the major catastrophe exposed areas of the world, highly susceptible to natural hazards such as hurricanes, storms and floods.

The combined area of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico is 5,326,000 km2. This area has 28 insular and coastal states and ten territories bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. The estimated population is 40 million people with some 70% living in coastal cities, towns and villages. About 38 percent of the population can be classified as poor.

With the onslaught of climate change, the Caribbean is witnessing an increase in the intensity and/or frequency of extreme weather events as seen during the very active 2008 hurricane season and the human, social and economic threats it brought with it.

The 2008 Hurricane Season, which ended on November 30 has gone into the history books as the fourth most costly on record, according to the US-based Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI).

As predicted, 2008 was another above average storm season with 16 named storms.

There were eight hurricanes: two Category 1 (Hanna, Kyle), one Category 2 (Dolly), two Category 3 (Bertha, Omar), and three Category 4 (Gustav, Ike, Paloma).

Combined, these storms produced over an estimated US$11 billion in insured losses.

2008 also has the distinction of being the first season where three Atlantic tropical storms in July (Bertha, Cristobal, and Dolly) were active on the same day.

Between the 1960s and 1990s, the number of natural catastrophes world wide – most being weather-related - has doubled, and insured losses increased nearly seven times. Some are due to increased population in high risk areas but some, to an increase in the level of risk.

According to Lloyd’s of London, 2005 was the worst year ever for property insurers, resulting in claims of US$83 billion, of which over 90 per cent related to natural catastrophes with US$66 billion relating to the US hurricanes alone.

In recent years, there have been more and more indicators that climatic change is influencing the frequency and intensity of natural catastrophes around the world, including the Caribbean.

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the years 2001 to 2004 were among the five warmest recorded worldwide since 1861.

Impact on the Caribbean

Although the Caribbean emits a negligible amount of greenhouse gases that are linked to global warming, the consequences of global climate change for this sub-region cannot be ignored.

The experience of the Eastern Caribbean island of Grenada in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 demonstrates the economic vulnerability of small island states.

Prior to Hurricane Ivan, Grenada’s economy was projected to grow by 4.7% in 2004 and at an average rate of 5% between 2005 and 2007. In post-hurricane Ivan, economic activity declined to -1.4% in 2004 with a contraction in tourism; a halt in production of traditional crops, such as nutmeg, cocoa and citrus which directly and indirectly, absorbed nearly 31,000 workers; and consequently there was a sizeable increase in unemployment.

In 2005, Guyana suffered US$465 in losses due to flooding; Guatemala

The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) is the first multi-country risk pool in the world, and is also the first insurance instrument to successfully develop a parametric policy backed by both traditional and capital markets.

It is a regional insurance fund for Caribbean governments designed to limit the financial impact of catastrophic hurricanes and earthquakes by quickly providing financial liquidity when a policy is triggered.

The CCRIF paid out US$6.3 million to the Turks & Caicos Islands three weeks after the country was devastated by the impact of Hurricane Ike. The payout is the full claim due to the government on their 2008 hurricane policy issued by the CCRIF.

CCRIF said the high level of activity recorded in the Atlantic Basin for the 2008 hurricane season affirms the necessity for the CCRIF. Last year, the CCRIF paid out US$1 million to Dominica and St. Lucia in the aftermath of the November 2007 earthquake that shook the Eastern Caribbean.

“Since the 1980s, earthquakes have risen by around 50 US$988 M as a result of rain and tropical storms; Mexico US$2,220 M from Hurricanes Emily, Wilma; Cuba US$1,400 M from Denper cent but weather-related hazards such major floods have innis; El Salvador US$ 356 M from Stan, rain resulting in a total of creased by as much as 350 per cent and those from wind storms US$5,409 M. have doubled, “ said Thomas Loster, chair of Munich Re Founda During a presentation to the 2007 Caribbean Insurance tion and a member of UNEP’s Finance Initiative.

The rise, in the line with the kinds of forecasts by the InConference, Dr. Ulric Trotz, Scientific Adviser at the Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre said insurance tergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), are increasing can act as a risk-reducing tool in the era of climate change. risks for vulnerable communities and countries while putting strain on the global re-insurance and insurance markets.

Examples of insurance as risk- reduction mechanism

A preliminary assessment of the costs and impacts of include discounted insurance premium for property owners who some key natural disasters, compiled by Munich Re’s NatCat Serinvest in retrofitting; insurers who require review of designs and vice, shows that the most costly event of 2008 was the earthquake certification of code adherence as conditions for insurance and in China in last May. low-income homeowners who participate in retrofit programme

However the largest numbers of significant disasters could qualify for group insurance. were weather-related by nine to ten with Cyclone Nargis, which hit

Wharton University, ‘Managing Large Scale Risks’, March Myanmar also in May 2008, claiming an estimated 84,500 lives.

2008 noted that a result of a stronger building code passed by

It was the most deadly event of 2008 but also costly for Florida after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the number of claims for the country triggering uninsured economic losses of US$4 billion. property damage was reduced by 60%, and losses were reduced

China suffered two major weather-related events, the by 42%, when another major hurricane struck the state in 2004. worst of which was in January 2008 when extreme winter weather

It is estimated that adoption of hazard mitigation meatriggered losses of an estimated US$20 billion followed by the sures by every homeowner would reduce hurricane property lossMay-June 2008 period when huge floods left a US$2 billion loss es caused by a 1/100 year storm by 61% in Florida, 44% in South tag.

Carolina, 39% in New York, and 34% in Other significant events included seTexas.

“For a long time, the scientists have vere weather ones including typhoons in

The global reinsurance market been telling us global warming increasalso plays an integral role in spreading US the United States. In many ways, 2008 es the temperature of the top layer in proved to be a record-breaking year dehurricane risk around the world. The reinthe ocean, and that causes the aversurers of US hurricane risk are predomispite sea surface temperatures in places like the Caribbean being lower than in the nantly located outside of the United States age hurricane to become a lot stronwith a very large number located in Berprevious years when, for example, Hurriger. So, the fact that the ocean temmuda. cane Katrina struck the Louisiana coast in peratures did go up because of global 2005, according to UNEP. Hurricane Fay

Bermuda’s insurers provide an warming, because of man-made global estimated 66% of the reinsurance purset records by hitting the state of Florida warming, starting around in the sevena total of four times dumping almost 30 chased by the Texas Windstorm Insurties and then we had a string of uninches of rain on some parts of the state. ance Association (TWIA) which protects usually strong hurricanes outside the “Meanwhile Cuba suffered three hits the property most exposed to hurricane boundaries of this multi-decadal cycle this year and in total six hurricanes in damage in Texas. From 2001-2008, Berthat is a real factor; there are scientists muda insurers paid nearly US$25 billion in a row all made landfall. Taken together these are really unusual, and recordinsured and reinsured US property cataswho point that out, and they’re right, breaking events,” said Mr Loster. trophe losses. but we’re exceeding those boundaries Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary Bermuda’s insurers and reinsurers also now.”

General and UNEP Executive Director paid an estimated US$17 billion in claims Al Gore in 2005 for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and said the re-insurance and insurance industry has for many years been on the Wilma. It is estimated that following Hurfront line in terms of climate change. ricane Katrina, that Bermuda reinsurers paid out enough to rebuild 45,000 homes in Louisiana and 24,000 UNEP has been working with the industry since 1992. homes in Mississippi.

“The industry is not only vulnerable to rising weatherrelated disasters however. It also has an important role in the profitability and viability of many of the solutions- from creative inClimate change, greatest risk to insurance

Potential climate change is identified as the greatest surance policies and products that can assist home-owners and strategic risk facing the property/casualty insurance industry, with businesses in at-risk areas up to new and innovative ones that demographic changes taking priority for the life insurance induscover operators of wind farms against unusually calm and economically challenging weather conditions,” he added. try, according to Ernst & Young, closely followed by demographic change and catastrophic events.

For the study, ‘Strategic Business Risk 2008’, Ernst & Insuring a Renewable Future Young and Oxford Analytica interviewed more than 70 industry

UNEP for example has been working with Paris Re, a European company, to develop a cost-effective and tailored weather analysts from around the world to identify the emerging trends and uncertainties driving the performance of the global insurance secderivative in Mexico.The wind resource, even in very windy areas, can vary as much as 10 to 20 per cent between years. tor over the next five years.

The policy, based on one developed for farmers in Mexico

“Change is constant. Ten years ago, would climate change have been top of anyone’s risk list? Demographic change and in Ethiopia, triggers a payout to a renewable energy generator when wind levels drop below a certain predetermined level. was obvious back then, but it is now a reality,” said Peter Porrino,

Eric Usher, Head of UNEP’s Renewable Energy Finance Global Director of Insurance Services at Ernst & Young.

Unit, said: “Previous attempts at such instruments have often prov “Strategic risks vary for individual companies, but for the insurance sector as a whole, these are the threats the experts say en too be expensive to be utilized, costing operators as much as will have the greatest and most far reaching consequences. Insur16 per cent of their monthly revenues. In contrast the derivative developed for the market in Mexico is likely to be a in the range ers have to deal with them now, as they will change the business

of 3 per cent making it much more attractive”.

UNEP is now working with a consortium of Munich Re, RSA Insurance Group, CarbonRe, and insurance companies from a number of developing countries to develop a Global Renewable Energy Insurance Facility.

The Facility, which is expected to be launched in January 2009 aims to bring a wider range of innovative insurance and risk management products to assist the growth of renewables and clean energy in developing economies.

“Perhaps the biggest challenge to the industry’s creativity is now emerging - how to underwrite the profitability of carbon markets and carbon funding as it relates to forests,” said Mr Steiner.

Global Climate Change Conference focuses on insurance During the 14th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in December 2008, the role of insurance in the era of climate change was one of the many issues discussed by delegates and on the sidelines.

According to the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII), the year 2005 set a record for hurricanes in the North Atlantic. Never before since records have been kept have so many named tropical storms (27 compared with the previous record of 21) and hurricanes (15 as against the previous 12) developed in one season.

MCII was launched by Munich Re in April 2005 in response to the growing realisation that insurance-related solutions can support the adaptation to climate change advocated in the Framework Convention and Kyoto Protocol.

This initiative brings together insurers, experts on climate change and adaptation, NGOs and policy researchers intent on finding solutions to the risks posed by climate change. MCII provides a forum and gathering point for insurance-related expertise on climate-change impact issues.

MCII said if global scientific climate models are accurate, the present problems will be magnified in the near future. These models suggest: • an increase in the frequency and severity of heat waves, droughts, bush fires, tropical and extra-tropical cyclones, tornados, hailstorms, floods and storm surges in many parts of the world; • New exposures (such as hurricanes in the South or Northeast Atlantic); • More extensive damage and economic, social and environmental consequences as a result of weather-related disasters.

Changes in many atmospheric processes will profoundly impact the lives, health, and property of millions of people.

Of special concern is the fact that the impact of climate change will be most acutely felt among the world’s poorest people. To date, this vulnerable group has also had the least access to affordable insurance.

In a plenary session during the conference, negotiators examined how an international insurance mechanism can help people adapt to climate-related risks.

Negotiators listened to the MCII proposal to put a prevention and an insurance pillar into the emerging adaptation framework. Delegates received the proposal well, agreeing for the urgent need to compensate people affected by the increasing numbers of weather disasters and to engage the private sector.

Public private climate risk insurance could be a tool to help people adapt to some of the unavoidable weather-related risks that accompany climate change.

“Developing countries are most vulnerable to climate extremes and they have contributed little to greenhouse gas emissions. They lack the financial resources to adapt to climate change. And they have hardly any capacity to manage and transfer the increasing risks they face. So it’s time that the international community creates the necessary instruments,” said Peter Hoeppe, Head of the Geo Risks Research Department of Munich.

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) also proposed a Multi-Window Mechanism to address loss and damage from climate change impacts.

The mechanism consists of three components: insurance, rehabilitation or compensation, and risk management.

The insurance component aims to address losses and damages from rapid onset climate-related extreme weather events such as hurricanes; the rehabilitation or compensatory component is directed towards loss and damage (e.g. land loss and coral bleaching) from progressive and cumulative adverse impacts such as sea level rise; and the risk management component promotes preventive action using risk assessment and risk management tools and strategies at all levels.

Proposal for Insurance and Adaptation The Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII) made a presentation to the climate negotiators in Poland for a risk management module with two pillars (prevention and insurance) to promote adaptation to climate change.

The Prevention Pillar puts reduction of human and economic losses as its top priority. It defines a process and incentives to reduce vulnerability and risk, and enhance adaptive capacity.

The Insurance Pillar has two tiers: The first tier is a Climate Insurance Pool that would absorb a pre-defined proportion of high-level risks of disaster losses in vulnerable (developing) countries and be primarily paid for by developed countries through adaptation fund channels.

MCII estimates that US$3.2 to 5 billion are needed annually to pay the premiums for this global pool.

The second tier, a Climate Insurance Assistance Facility, would enable public-private insurance systems that provide cover for the middle layers of risk in these countries.

Tier 2 encourages greater participation of the private sector, and links to regional centres for capacity building.

It would cost about US$3 billion. The total estimated cost of MCII´s proposal—prevention and insurance tools—would be about US$10 billion per year.

MCII

Another group, the Austria-based International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) said although not a panacea for adapting to climate change, insurance instruments offer substantial benefits for low-income countries, both to reduce their vulnerability to weather variability and adapt to climate change.

Insurance enables vulnerable countries to exercise their “rights” to reliable, dignified post-disaster relief without sacrificing self-respect; it can contribute to reducing poverty by providing the predisaster security necessary for taking risky, high-return, investments, according to IIASA.

Novel risk-sharing arrangements, such as index-based insurance, can also strongly encourage countries to invest in preventive measures, since claims depend on a physical trigger and not on actual losses.

Due to the large capital-reserve requirements, the costs of insuring against natural disasters are high. Donor support makes insurance affordable and is also a winning strategy for development organizations: it provides them a secure planning horizon, leverages tight humanitarian budgets, and creates incentives for reducing losses and ultimately the need for post-disaster aid.

IIASA said although supporting insurance with pricedistorting subsidies is problematic, it is possible to design “smart subsidies” that respond to failures in the market and which are far preferable to the alternative—providing ad hoc post-disaster assistance.

A global mechanism for supporting pro-poor insurance as part of a post-Kyoto adaptation strategy could provide affordable security at a lower cost by pooling national insurance programmes.

GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS - BY REGION Africa By 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to an increase of water stress due to climate change.

Asia Projected crop yields could increase up to 20% in E and SE Asia while they could decrease up to 30% in C and S Asia by the mid-21st century.

Australia and New Zealand Significant biodiversity loss is projected to occur by 2020 in some ecologically-rich sites including the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland Wet Tropics.

Europe Initially, climate change is projected to bring benefits to Northern Europe (reduced energy demand for heating, crop and forest growth increases) whilst Southern Europe is expected to experience increased heat waves, wildfires and reduced crop productivity.

Latin America By mid-century, climate change is projected to lead to the gradual replacement of tropical forest by savannah in eastern Amazonia.

North America Cities currently experiencing heat waves will experience many more in the future with adverse health impacts.

Polar Regions Climate change is projected to impact natural ecosystems with detrimental effects on many organisms including migratory birds, mammals and higher predators.

“Communities value disaster insurance not because it rewards them or makes them richer after a disaster. They value insurance because they see it as an instrument of dignity. Financial support to recover from a disaster becomes their right without sacrificing their self respect. It is far more dignified to claim your right for recovery than to find yourself dependent on the ad hoc generosity of donors.”

Hari Krishna (2007), Expert Workshop on Insurance Instruments for Adaptation to Climate Risks, Laxenburg, Austria

Small Islands Deterioration in coastal conditions e.g., through beach erosion and coral bleaching is expected to affect local resources e.g., fisheries and tourism.

Source: IPCC AR4

Young Voices Chelsea Fong 7 years old, Trinidad and Tobago Global warming has been destroying and affecting our environment and planet in so many ways. Since the Industrial Revolution (around 1750), human activities have substantially added to the amount of heat-trapping in the atmosphere.

The burning of fossil fuels and biomass (living matter such as vegetation) has also resulted in emissions of aerosols that absorb and emit heat, and reflect light.

The addition of gases and aerosols has changed the composition of the atmosphere. The changes in the atmosphere have likely influenced temperature, precipitation, storms and sea level.

By destroying the ozone layer, more heat is trapped and ultra violet rays are hitting earth and breaking the cycle of the natural weather conditions.

We, as people who are also affected drastically by global warming can contribute in helping the earth restore to its natural state, by following some of these simple tips: 1: Recycle, anything that can be recycled.

2: Form neighbourhood projects that involves the people cleaning the neighbourhood, parks etc.

3: Have classroom discussions, about cleaning and recycling.

4: Stop littering, and dispose of chemicals and electrical items in a safe manner.

5: Have companies limit the amount of gases they let out into the atmosphere.

Jordan Brandon Jafar 8 years old Trinidad and Tobago My two brothers and I have been taught to respect the environment in which we live. We started with simple things such as eating as much local food as possible to support our farmers instead of imported food.

Our plates are filled with enough food to fill our tummies so that we don’t waste food by throwing out left-over’s. We never throw bread into the garbage but instead feed the endless birds that are always around our house. In return, they sing sweetly to us!

We also try to recycle whatever we can and if we can’t, pass them on to other persons who may find use for them.

Our car always has bags for our trash whenever we go out on outings and we try to use drinks that come in bottles instead of cans. We switch off lights that are not in use and refrain from opening the refrigerator too many times during the day. Little things really do count for the environment!

But I would like to see my country get more involved and become more aware of the environment. For instance, we can do like other countries and have recycling bins at our homes and on the streets which will be taken by companies for recycling, and so, minimize impact on the environment.

I would also like to see other children knowing more and respecting the environment and it might be a good idea if the government decides to make this part of our daily school curriculum.

Kaci Morgan 10 years old St. Lucia

I really like to watch the birds when they come around our house looking for any little bits of food they find lying around (or what I throw for them). They seem to take such great joy in grabbing up what they can. Then they go flying off over the houses and other buildings and off to some tree in the distance.

I believe they take the scraps of food back to their little ones left behind in the nest. I feel happy when they get big pieces because it means the little birds will not go hungry.

My dad thinks that more birds are coming to our house for the food scraps because people have been cutting down the fruit trees and the other trees which grew berries which the birds feed on.

Why do they have to do that?

I think if people are not using all their land to build their house, or if they are not planting crops on it, they should leave some areas with trees, so birds, as well as insects, can find food and also find space to have their young.

My teacher told my class that trees are important if we want to maintain our supply of water. So the people who go into the hills and cut down the trees to make charcoal to cook on or to use for barbecue should be careful that they do not cut down too many, or we will find one day that there is not enough water for us or the birds to drink.

I got two little trees which I planted in our backyard and I am watering them every day so they will grow quickly and begin bearing berries for some of the birds. They can have a mixed meal of berries and food scraps. If adults in every island and every country make a pledge to only cut down a tree when it is absolutely necessary and to keep planting new trees whenever they get a chance, then we will help to save our planet.

Dominique Persaud 9 years old Barbados

Taking care of the environment

It is not just children who need to learn about taking care of the environment. Actually, a lot of adults do not take care of the environment. They sometimes do not even know when they are hurting their surroundings by using harsh chemicals and littering. The world is ours, young and old, and it is our job to take care of it.

Hey Children!

Learn more about Climate Change by checking out the following website of the United States Environmental Protection Agency: “Climate Change Kids Site” http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/index.html

Low Carbon -H ig Bleaching of coral reefs

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Source: World Bank, Latin America and the Caribbean. Fact Sheet

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LAC countries are responsible for a small percentage of atmospheric CO2 low. The Latin American and Caribbean region accounts for about 8.5 percent of the world’s population and GDP, six percent of emissions from the energy sector and 12 percent of global emissions, considering all GHGs, and deforestation and land use change.

th: Latin A m

Climate change is likely to drastically affect biodiversity, as breeding times and distributions of some species shift. Approximately 27 percent of the world’s mammals live in LAC, as do 34 percent of its plants, 37 percent of its reptiles, 43 percent of its birds, and 47 percent of its amphibians. The single most biologically diverse area in the world is the eastern Andes.

Forty percent of the plant life in the Caribbean is unique to this area.

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in the Caribbean threatens the ecology of the ocean. Coral reefs are the most biologically diverse of marine ecosystems, analogous to rainforests on land, and home to more than 25 percent of all marine species. In the Caribbean, coral reefs host nurseries for an estimated 65 percent of all fish species in the region, so their survival is critical.

Champion of the Environment Dr. Indra Haraksingh University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Lecturer Dr. Indra Haraksingh has been honoured with one of six international awards at the Tenth World Renewable Energy Congress (WREC X).

Haraksingh delivered a lecture on renewable energy in the Caribbean and was presented with the International Pioneer Award for Solar Energy at the WREC X held in Glasgow, Scotland, recently.

She has distinguished herself as one of the premier women in the field of renewable energy in the Caribbean, having topped more than 90 other participating countries to cop the award.

As a lecturer within the department of Physics at UWI, her main focus is on pure physics, solar energy, geophysics and earth sciences.

No stranger to accolades, she was also awarded with the Outstanding Scientist Award-The First Oliver Headley Award in Cologne, Germany, in July 2002 and serves as a member of the Steering Committee of the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme (CREDP), Caricom.

She also heads the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee of the pilot project of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr. Haraksingh is one of the major organisers of the Caribbean Solar Energy Society Sustainable Applications for Tropical Islands States (SATIS) series of conferences, which was started in Barbados in 1994. She is also a driving force behind the success of the Trinidad and Tobago Mathematics Olympiad, which she has been involved in since 2004.

Earth Conscious: Climate change and the need to manage diminishing fossil fuel reserves are two of the biggest challenges facing our planet. Are Caribbean countries reducing energy consumption and cutting greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide?

Dr. Haraksingh: Caribbean countries are not necessarily reducing energy consumption. They are looking for alternative sources of energy to supplement/replace their existing forms of energy from fossil fuel. Finding alternatives is one solution but it is critical that energy conservation and energy efficiency measures be adopted as a matter of urgency. As a matter of fact, under the new phase of the programme, CREDP has a mandate for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability for the Caribbean region. These measures will obviously lead to a reduction in Greenhouse gas emissions.

Earth Conscious: Are Caribbean countries investing in solar, wind, biofuel, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy to reduce their high energy consumption? What are some of the targets set by countries?

Dr. Haraksingh: Caribbean countries are investing in solar, wind, biofuel, geothermal and other forms of renewable energy to reduce their high energy consumption. Among the countries who have set

some form of targets are Jamaica, St. Lucia, Dominica and Grenada. Dominica’s national goal is to reduce oil dependence to 50 % of the present day requirements by 2020. This situation is similar in many of the other islands. Nevis has plans to cover all its energy needs using their geothermal resources and to further sell the rest to St. Kitts and other neighboring islands.

St. Lucia announced in 1999 its intention to become a Sustainable Energy Demonstration Country. Although the island is making strides towards this, they are still largely dependent on imported fossil fuel. In the Electricity sector, they have recognized that the largest benefit of wind energy is the avoided cost of energy imports. Government will support the establishment of a wind energy park on the East coast of the island that will initially have a capacity of 12 megawatts with a maximum capacity of 30 megawatts. At current oil prices, oil imports will be reduced initially, by 12 to 15 million dollars.

Grenada has made provision for revision of its Electricity Supply Act (ESA) to include renewable energy technologies. The Government is currently exploring possibilities of reducing expenses for electricity by employing photovoltaics in schools, police stations and health centres. A local company is providing grid-connect PV systems with net metering to private and commercial customers. The Government has also sought external assistance in wind site monitoring in an effort to harness wind power to supplement their electricity supply.

St. Vincent is further developing their hydroelectricity potential.Trinidad and Tobago is making small strides in development of its renewable energy potential.

Earth Conscious: What are some of the main barriers to renewable energy development in the Caribbean?

Dr. Haraksingh: Some of the main barriers to renewable energy development in the Caribbean are: Political will; High initial cost of renewables; Lack of financial resources; Lack of trained personnel in the field; Lack of policy for renewable energy; Lack of subsidies to encourage growth; Lack of confidence in the technologies because of inadequate information and public education; Commercialization barriers faced by new technologies competing with mature technologies; Undeveloped infrastructure for renewables; Lack of economies of scale.

Earth Conscious: As a member of the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme (CREDP), what are some of the projects that have been implemented under the programme?

Dr. Haraksingh: The Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme has made significant strides in terms of Capacity Building and Awareness in the region. Several workshops have been conducted through the region in many aspects of Wind Energy, Solar Thermal – Solar Water Heating, Photovotaics, RETScreen Training, Hydroelectricity, among others. A recent programme to train teachers through the region in Renewable Energy Technologies has been launched. Workshops have been conducted in St Lucia and Nevis for teachers of St. Kitts and Nevis. It is hoped that this will continue through other islands.

CREDP is actively working with some of the islands towards feasibility studies and the development of hydroelectricity.

A key area that CREDP is targeting is Renewable Energy policy development. This is seen as critical if the Caribbean region is serious about renewable energy implementation. A common energy policy has been drafted for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) states.

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Global climate change and the Caribbean: Seeking solutions for an endangered region

By Dr. Kenrick R. Leslie

Executive Director Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

I would like to start by briefly reviewing some of the critical factors that have a direct bearing on the region’s vulnerability to the warming of the earth and associated sea level rise.

These can be divided into: 1) geographic and economic and 2) natural and anthropogenic.

The following geographic and economic factors are worthy of note: • The Caribbean consists of 28 insular and coastal states and ten territories bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico • It is one of the largest salt water seas and has an area of about 2,754,000 km² (1,063,000 square miles).

• It has an estimated population of 40 million people of which some 70% live in coastal cities, towns and villages • Approximately 38 percent of the population can be classified as poor.

• Economic activities are frequently dominated by tourism and specialized agriculture such as sugarcane.

• Economic growth has failed to keep pace with population growth.

• Economic globalization is impacting the region’s environment through reduction of access to traditional markets as a result of the WTO agreement.

The noteworthy natural and anthropogenic factors include the following: The geographic location of the Caribbean region exposes it to a number of natural hazards which are further exacerbated by anthropogenic factors. These include: • • • •

six months of hurricane activity significant climate variability several active volcanoes, both on land and under water Significant seismic activity

The anthropogenic factors include among other things: • Poor land use management • poor marine practices, and • damage to the ecosystems Taken separately and collectively, these natural and anthropogenic factors are serious impediments to any effort at sustainable development and the attainment of the millennium development goals (MDG). As an example, Grenada an island of population

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90,000 is still recovering from hurricane Ivan in 2004. Damage from the hurricane has set back the country by decades. The total damage was estimated at over US$1 billion compared to its GDP of US$440 million. There was severe damage to all sectors of the island. There was major loss of foreign exchange resulting directly from the damage to tourism infrastructure. Utilities – electricity, water and telecommunication were severely disrupted. The hurricane caused twenty eight deaths. There was also significant damage to public health facilities.

Hurricane damage in 2004 for the greater Caribbean was in excess of US$4 billion. This yearly trend has continued through 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2008, damage has exceeded US$8 billion. In Cuba alone, damage resulting from hurricanes Gustav and Ike has reached the US$5 billion mark. Other countries affected in the 2008 hurricane season include: Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Turks and Caicos Islands as well as a number of the OECS islands. Deaths are well over 1000 with Haiti alone reporting over 800.

Findings in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (FAR) Global warming and sea level rise bring additional worrying factors to the development equation. The IPCC Fourth Assessment Report notes that the temperature trend from actual observations confirms that - “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal”.

The Report projects a further rise in global temperatures of between 2 – 4.5oC, and a rise in sea level of between11 - 77 cm. The Report further notes that weather patterns will also be changing with more intense extremes including drought, floods and hurricanes and that Small Island Developing States or SIDS and low lying coastal States (LLCS) of the Caribbean are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise.

Climate change, as projected, will certainly exacerbate development challenges and make it harder to achieve and sustain MDG achievements and other development goals. Economic, social and environmental sensitivity to climatic conditions and poverty - driven low adaptive capacity, compound the region’s exposure and amplify its existing challenges. Adapting to the inevitable impacts of climate change will, therefore, be critical in achieving sustaining development.

The region is already experiencing changing weather patterns with more intense extremes including drought, floods and hurricanes. For example, temperature records have shown an increase during the last century, with the 1990s being the warmest

have been changing along with increased flooding in some areas and unusual droughts in other areas.

The tropical North Atlantic and Caribbean Sea warm pool has been expanding with serious consequences. The Caribbean has been experiencing more frequent category 4 and 5 hurricanes that result not only in infrastructural damage but also cause serious mechanical damage to the already stressed coral reefs and coastal erosion of the beaches.

In 1998 coral reefs around the world suffered the most extensive and severe bleaching and subsequent mortality in modern record. In the same year, tropical sea surface temperatures were the highest in modern record, topping off a fifty year trend for some tropical oceans. The repercussions of the 1998 mass bleaching and mortality events will continue to be far-reaching temporally and spacially.

In Belize, for instance, live coral cover on shallow patch reefs has decreased from 80% in 1971 to 20% by 1996 and further decreasing from 20 % in 1996 to 13% in 1999.

The consequences of global warming and sea level rise in the Caribbean

The IPCC is projecting a further rise in global temperatures of between 2 – 4.5oC. A 2oC rise in atmospheric temperature could be catastrophic for the Caribbean. Preliminary studies have shown that yields of key staples such as rice, beans and maize will decrease by between 12% and 20%. A significant reduction is also anticipated in some key species of fish resulting from a further 1oC rise in sea temperature. A warming climate and rising sea levels will, therefore, pose significant, and in some cases insurmountable challenges to the region’s economic and social vulnerability. It will certainly have a negative impact on: – Agriculture and Fisheries, hence on its food security – Tourism, hence on its economic sustainability – Health, through increases in vector-borne diseases and other heat- related diseases – Water quality and quantity – Human Settlements, especially on the smaller islands.

A recent study has shown the potential economic costs as a percentage of GDP to Caribbean SIDS if no action is taken to reduce the impacts of climate change. By 2025 the average cost to the region will be 14% of its GDP increasing to 39% by 2050, 45% by 2075 and 63% by 2100. In the case of Grenada the cost could be in excess of 100%.

Adaptation - an imperative

The projected impacts associated with global warming and sea level rise make adaptation an imperative for the Caribbean. However, the process of adaptation will be a very costly venture.

Estimates of the funding which will be required to assist developing countries in managing the impacts of climate change vary widely. There is general consensus that the cost to the public and private sector could reach tens of billions of dollars per year.

Cost of Inaction: % of current GDP Year

Country

2025

2050

2075

2100

Antigua & Barbuda

12.2

25.8

41.0

58.4

Bahamas

06.6

13.9

22.2

31.7

Barbados

06.9

13.9

20.8

27.7

Dominica

16.3

34.3

54.4

77.3

Grenada

21.3

46.2

75.8

111.5

Haiti

30.5

61.2

92.1

123.2

Jamaica

13.9

27.9

42.3

56.9

Saint Kitts & Nevis

16.0

35.5

59.5

89.3

Saint Lucia

12.2

24.3

36.6

49.1

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines

11.8

23.6

35.4

47.2

Trinidad & Tobago

4.0

8.0

12.0

16.0

Source: The Caribbean and Climate Change – The Costs of Inaction By: Ramon Bueno et al, Tufts University, May 2008

The UN’s latest Human Development Report (HDR) estimates that additional adaptation finance needs will amount to US$86 billion annually by 2015. Oxfam puts the price tag at US$50 billion per year, and the UNFCCC puts it at US$2867 billion by 2030. Based on the Oxfam estimate of US$50 billion and a population of 40 million the Caribbean region will require some US$430 million annually to meet its adaptation needs.

Solving the Caribbean Adaptation Problem

Solving the Caribbean Adaptation Problem will require strong collaboration between the Caribbean and the international community.

The Caribbean will need to ensure that appropriate Adaptation Policies for all sectors are in place and are enforced if it is to address the projected impacts arising from climate change and sea level rise on its: - Water resources - Agriculture - Land use - Energy, and - Energy efficiency

In addition, it will need to develop a strategic plan with a goal of ensuring the effective utilization of limited resources to build a more resilient society and economy that can withstand the effects of a changing climate. Global climate change presents a disturbing paradox in the context of the Caribbean. It poses a serious threat to the ability of Caribbean countries to build robust, diversified, and competitive economies which are critical to their efforts at building their preparedness to deal with climate variability and global climate change.

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Thus the objectives of the strategy plan should, at a minimum, include: - Building the capacity of relevant institutions and agencies to develop effective and integrated climate hazard risk management processes, plans and strategies; - Encouraging the incorporation of climate hazard risk reduction in all public and private sector planning initiatives; - Fostering the establishment of an appropriate decision-support system based on systematic research and observation of climate hazard risks; - Improving the public’s knowledge and understanding of climate change issues in order to obtain broad-based public support for and participation in climate hazard risk mitigation and adaptation; - Fostering the development and application of appropriate legal and institutional systems and mechanisms that mitigate climate hazard risks; - Encouraging private sector involvement in climate hazard risk mitigation and adaptation measures; Empowering local community groups to undertake climate hazard mitigation measures.

The implementation of the plan will require significant support from the Developed Countries. The international community will need to: - Take aggressive actions to reduce GHG emissions to ensure a degree of high success in achieving the global temperature rise of no more than 2oC. This means a serious attempt will have to be made to stabilize GHG emissions to the 450 ppm but certainly not exceeding 550 ppm. This can be achieved through the promotion of: – prudent use of fossil fuel; – renewable energy investments; – increase use of renewable forms of energy as a significant portion of the energy budget; – technology transfer and support of the development and exploitation of Caribbean indigenous sources of energy such as: wind, solar, biomass, hydro, geothermal and oceanic.

- Support fully the implementation of the Nairobi Plan of Action noting the need to adequately address the special circumstances of the Caribbean region: – Being among the world’s most vulnerable region to the anticipated impacts of climate change; – The high cost of adaptation (relative to GDP) which is well beyond the capacity of national governments; – Immediate support for implementation of “no regrets” adaptation options as recommended in the Stern Report; and – Mobilization of the Adaptation Funds (UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol)

In addition to adaptation, we urgently need to explore opportunities afforded under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the carbon footprint of our productive and domestic sectors. A recent report from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) highlighted the high Carbon Intensity of the region’s energy sector and the need to address this issue especially since the recent upward trend in fossil fuel prices. In this respect we also need to pursue initiatives in the region to make our own modest contribution to the mitigation of global Green House Gas Emissions.

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At the same time we must place our energy sector on a more sustainable footing. Toward this end the Caribbean Community Climate Centre (CCCCC) is presently: - Seeking resources to implement a multi-year project that would address the use of energy in the region’s tourism industry. The project seeks to assist the Caribbean region in transforming its tourism industry into a low carbon economic sector and thus support its promotion as a Carbon Neutral destination. The project will facilitate capacity building for the attainment of improved energy efficiency, carbon emission reduction and climate change planning and management within the tourism sector. This is a key project objective to be undertaken at the local, national, and regional levels.

- Preparing to carry out a feasibility study on the manufacture of solar grade silicon utilizing the above 99.5% pure silica deposits in Guyana and the low cost (0.02-0.04US$/kwh) electricity supply in Trinidad and Tobago. The ultimate objective of this initiative is to establish a world-class manufacturing capability in renewable energy technology in the Caribbean region.

In conclusion, an attempt has been made to highlight some of the factors making the Caribbean an “endangered region” from the threats posed by global warming and sea level rise. The roles and responsibilities of both Caribbean governments and the international community have also been identified, that would help to ensure that the Caribbean will not only survive the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, but can prosper economically and socially.

2008 AMONG THE TEN WARMEST YEARS The year 2008 is likely to rank as the 10th warmest year on record since the beginning of the instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The global combined sea-surface and land-surface air temperature for 2008 is currently estimated at 0.31°C/0.56°F above the 1961-1990 annual average of 14.00°C/57.2°F. The global average temperature in 2008 was slightly lower than that for the previous years of the 21st century due in particular, to the moderate to strong La Niña that developed in the latter half of 2007.

The Arctic Sea ice extent dropped to its second-lowest level during the melt season since satellite measurements began in 1979. Climate extremes, including devastating floods, severe and persistent droughts, snow storms, heat waves and cold waves, were recorded in many parts of the world.

This preliminary information for 2008 is based on climate data from networks of land-based weather stations, ships and buoys, as well as satellites. The data are continuously collected and disseminated by the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of WMO’s 188 Members and several collaborating research institutions. Final updates and figures for 2008 will be published in March 2009 in the annual WMO Statement on the Status of the Global Climate.

Profiles Treating waste as a resource The Ministry of Local Government (MLG) is currently in the process of reforming the local government system in Trinidad to improve the quality and range of services offered through its Municipal Corporations.

One of the most vital services delivered by municipal bodies is that of solid waste collection and disposal.

In this regard, the Ministry of Local Government, in collaboration with its partners – the Ministry of Planning, Housing and the Environment, Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL), Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) - is actively engaged in modernizing the current garbage collection system.

No longer will the focus be merely on the collection and disposal of garbage, but instead, what is envisaged is an integrated Waste (Resource) Management system.

“Treating with waste as a resource and managing it in a manner that minimizes its negative impact on the environment, is no longer an arbitrary choice but a definite necessity”, offers Senator Hazel Manning, Minister of Local Government and one of the key drivers of the project since assuming office one year ago.

“The facts are clear… what is likely to evolve for many of our people, are enterprising opportunities for financial gain through the commercial activity that’s going to be generated as a result of spin offs from this initiative”, the Minister indicated.

Trinidad and Tobago is faced with rising direct costs related to its waste management operations. With costs approaching TT$300 million, with signs of increasing annually, the time to act is now. Of course, there are innumerable indirect costs as well to the health and welfare of citizens and to the environment.

“The amount of waste generated on the island has increased exponentially”, says Andre Lashley, MLG Coordinator of the Waste Management initiative. “What we’re experiencing are the results of the massive growth of our population as well as people’s change in lifestyles”, he ended.

The plans put forward by the Ministry are categorized under three main headings: 1) 2) 3)

A legislative agenda The establishment of an integrated waste resource man agement system in Trinidad and Tobago Public awareness and education campaigns.

Recognising the existing gaps, the Ministry and its stakeholders established a legislative framework for the management of all waste streams in Trinidad and Tobago. This framework will utilize the “Nova Scotia” model for the development and implementation of the proposed integrated waste resource management system. To this effect, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Province of Nova Scotia was signed in June 2008.

But there is much work to be done in this long-term project. Other sub-components to be completed are: • the introduction of material transfer stations (MTS); • the standardization of the collection equipment(both major and minor) and procedures such as collection times • the certification/licensing of all operators involved in the sec tor; • the conversion of waste streams into revenue/employment creation streams.

There is good news, though: current collection data indicates that an estimated 55% of the waste connected by our sys-

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“Mother earth is crying - we’ve got to stop the polluting...” – Calypsonian Baron sings plaintively, and the words ring in our ears... tem is biodegradable and can be composted. Among these items are food waste such as peelings and yard and tree cuttings.

“One of the key success measures in a project of this nature is the response levels from John Public to our communication messages aimed at bringing about radical changes in attitudes and behaviours” offers Lashley, referring to the Ministry’s planned social marketing programmes.

“We are starting with the children; if we can catch them early in the game, maybe we will see less litter strewn all over our once-beautiful country, polluting our waterways, attracting vermin of all types, and posing serious threats to our health”.

“Rome was not built in a day, however, so we acknowledge that our efforts must be aggressive and sustained”, he concluded optimistically.

A team from the Province of Nova Scotia is expected to arrive in Trinidad in early January 2009 to commence implementation of the project on a phased basis. A great deal of the ground work has already been completed, thanks to the local Cabinetappointed Senior Management Team comprising representatives from organizations with which the MLG enjoys a working partnership.

There are ongoing plans to attract the involvement of the private sector in this initiative as one can well imagine that its members have a pivotal role to play in revolutionizing the waste management system in Trinidad.

Like the pristine image of a sunny Caribbean beach, devoid of styro-foam containers cigarette packs and beer bottles…

Trinidad and Tobago’s future looks extremely bright, according to the Ministry.

Profile submitted by The Ministry of Local Government, Trinidad and Tobago

Profiles Carib Glassworks Limited Founded in 1948, Carib Glass has grown and developed rapidly, becoming a leading and innovative producer of glass packaging in the Caribbean and Latin American region. Carib Glass Limited [CGL] is a member of the ANSA McAL Group of Companies.

CGL’s vision and mission is to produce quality glassware in an efficient and productive operation that meets the expectations of its customers. CGL recently constructed a new container plant, resulting in CGL having the most modern equipment from furnace operation, through bottle forming, inspection and fully automated palletizing.

Quality is every employee’s responsibility and involves every aspect of CGL’s operations. Our Manufacturing systems use modern technology to meet the requirements of our customers.

We maintain a Quality Management System with procedures and policies in compliance with ISO 9001 (2000). We undertake continuous improvement and training.

Carib Glass offers a wide range of standard and customized glass packaging that meets International Quality and Environmental standards suitable for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, beer, wine and spirits.

The organization also enjoys a status of ensuring that its Corporate Social Responsibility is as much a part of its operation as is any other function. This drive has seen the development and maintenance of a National Recycling Campaign, encouraging citizens to recycle their glass and glass containers.

Carib Glass Limited is in the business of manufacturing quality glass products, whilst maintaining the highest operational standards and ensuring that its operations create a platform for the preservation of future generations.

Profile submitted by Carib Glassworks Limited, Trinidad and Tobago

SOME RECYCLING FACTS Recycling glass saves fuel and electricity, thus reducing acid rain, global warming and air pollution.

Glass recycling reduces the need for mining new minerals such as sand, and decreases damage to wilderness.

Glass recycling cuts down on the amount of bulk waste going to our landfill and dumps.

Recycling glass reduces potential breeding grounds for diseases, such as malaria and cholera.

Glass recycling is a source of income or additional revenue for communities, individuals, charitable organizations, hotels, bars, public and private companies both locally and abroad.

Glass recycling generates civic pride and fosters teamwork - keep your community clean.

Glass recycling keeps money in our country thereby saving on foreign exchange moving out of our country.

Source: Carib Glassworks Limited

PETROTRIN Observing higher environmental standards

Petrotrin and environs

Petrotrin was formed from the merger of several predecessor oil companies some of whom have been in Trinidad and Tobago for almost a hundred years. The exploitation of oil and gas by its very nature does have environmental impacts.

The challenge for our company, therefore, is to ensure that these impacts are minimized and if there is an incident, to move swiftly to remediate any negative fallout. Thus, our company has the responsibility of extracting and maximizing our oil and gas resources in a manner that is healthy, safe and that preserves the environment for generations to come.

Petrotrin seeks to preserve the environment by the following means: - Accident and Incident prevention and reduction - Constant training of all employees and contractor personnel operating within our fields - Active support of HSE education in schools and communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Petrotrin has been a long supporter of the GLOBE initiative, (Global Learning and Obser vation to Benefit the Environment) - Instilling a zero tolerance HSE culture within the Company - Monitoring of emissions in order to ensure that the environment is preserved - Safe disposal of all hazardous materials - Prompt containment and remediation of any spills which may occur - Maintenance of significant hectares of green areas within its own operations Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust

Petrotrin is committed to doing everything within its mandate to ensure that the quality of life of future generations is not compromised in the quest to provide a better life for the benefit of present generations. It is this philosophy that underpins our ongoing support of the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust. We are proud to say that this wildlife sanctuary situated in the midst of a national petrochemical and oil-refining complex may be the only one of its kind in the world. Founded in 1966 on three acres of land, with one reservoir, today the Trust has expanded to over twenty three hectares with two reservoirs Climate Change Human activities such as fossil fuel combustion and some industrial processes can lead to an increase in greenhouse gases. Several greenhouse gases are produced within Petrotrin’s refinery.

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Water Pollution Rules Petrotrin has registered all effluent discharge points in accordance with the Water Pollution Rules of Trinidad and Tobago. Our Manager HSE said recently: “We here at Petrotrin continue to be guided by best environmental practice. The Company has been monitoring all parameters required by these rules for quite a few years now, which makes the source application and registration process very organized. We look forward to an easy transition into this new phase of the law here for the certified environmental system in E&P.” Adherence to Stringent HSE Standards

The Company has the responsibility of remedying affected areas in the shortest possible time frames and ensuring that current and future operations adhere to the most stringent HSE standards. Over the years therefore, Petrotrin has ensured that chemicals, machinery acquired and processes utilized for current operations are in keeping with relevant international HSE standards and legislation. It is what existed fifty years ago, that is still currently used that remains the problem in the petroleum industry.

Aggressive Remediation Programme

Petrotrin has initiated an aggressive remediation programme that has a significant number of chronically polluted sites in our exploration and production fields being remediated over the decade. But it has implemented numerous preventive maintenance programs for onshore petroleum operations which include: flow line change-out; emergency secondary containment for gathering station bulk tanks; cathodic protection of trunk lines and bunding for all chemical storage. These efforts are aimed at the prevention of emergency incidents that would be anticipated given the age of its operating assets.

Emergency Response

The company has also put special emphasis on emergency response in the following areas: oil spills; fire and bomb threats; major field explosions; well blowouts; and hurricane preparedness. Petrotrin is well aware that in a hydrocarbon-rich environment, accidents and HSE incidents do occur but it has adopted a philosophy of zero tolerance towards such incidents. The company has therefore sought to inculcate a mindset of prevention in all of its employees and contractors that operates on its behalf. It also seeks to continuously improve its operations so that the severity of impact can be alleviated.

ISO 14001

The ISO 14001 Environmental Management System has been implemented in the Land, North and East Coast (LNE) and Trinmar Operations Divisions and the Occupational Health Safety and Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001 safety management system has been implemented in the three operational divisions throughout Petrotrin. The management systems approach to occupational health and safety and the environment enables Petrotrin to systematically address HSE risk as well as work towards the goals of zero accidents and incidents and 100% environmental

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Elmo Griffith, Petrotrin

Recognizing this, Petrotrin established a Climate Change Institute at Pointe-a-Pierre, which focused initially on the Company’s compliance with existing or proposed regulatory emissions as an appropriate mechanism. This was the first Climate change Institute in the Region. Over time it has conducted a series of Emissions Monitoring programmes to review monitor and control the greenhouse gases emitted by the refinery. It has also conducted Vulnerability Assessments in order to identify the impacts of climate change on all of Petrotrin’s land, coastal and offshore facilities.

compliance.

Petrotrin has adopted a philosophy whereby it seeks to meet and exceed all statutory requirements governing its HSE performance. Thus it seeks the required Certificates of Environmental Clearance from the Environmental Management Authority for all its major capital projects. The company also seeks to entrench an HSE culture through training programs for its employees and contractors. The following are examples of HSE initiatives implemented during the past three years: - Development of Emergency Response Plans for hurricane, bomb threat, fire, oil spill, etc.

- Delivery of HSE Competency Enhancement program to thousands of employees - The conduct of Air Quality studies for Refinery Laboratory, Sulphur Prilling Plant, Trinmar Tank farm and Main Field, Trinmar - Rehabilitation of Parrylands Dam, Fyzabad Recreational Park and La Fortunee Dam, Point Fortin - Audiometric testing for thousands of employees - Vulnerability assessment to sea level rise at Trinmar, Godineau Swamp and Pointe-a-Pierre foreshore - Environmental Impact Assessments have been completed and Certificates of Environmental Clearance approved for developmental drilling throughout Petrotrin’s fields - Well abandonment in environmentally sensitive areas. For Example: Seven wells were successfully decommissioned in the Trinity Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in 2007 -Audits - Trinmar Contractor HSE Management System, ISO 14001, facilities, rigs, etc.

For the future, the Company will continue to ensure that its environmental policies and practices adhere to the highest international standards so that our pristine environment is preserved for generations to come.

Profile submitted by Petrotrin

Profiles New dynamism at Trinidad and Tobago’s Environmental Management Authority (EMA) It’s going to be interesting over the next few years at the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) in Trinidad and Tobago as Dr. Joth Singh, an environmentalist for most of his life, shape the direction of the government agency that has attracted a fair share of controversy since its inception in June 1995.

Dr. Singh came to the EMA after a two-year stint as International Director – Wildlife and Habitat Protection (WHP) Department, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) where he had responsibilities for overseeing the organizations work across its 15 country offices in the areas of wildlife and habitat.

Before that, he held the position of Executive Director at the Barbados-based Caribbean Conservation Association (CCA).

At the St Lucia-based Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (C.E.H.I), he spent ten years at various positions including Technical Services Director and Senior Scientist/Coordinator.

With a solid environment-based career behind him, Dr. Singh says he is bringing his skills, experience and a vision to build on the existing EMA platform.

“It’s upward and onward and there are greater things to come in the future,” he said.

In his new position in his native country, Dr. Singh isn’t bothered by the controversy that the EMA has attracted, rightly or wrongly. In fact, he puts a positive spin on it.

“An adversarial position isn’t necessarily a bad one, because it keeps the EMA on its toes. Advocacy had a role with regards to the environmental management.

“The adversarial position that exists from time to time, I think it’s healthy so I hope we don’t eliminate that entirely but that people can also become better informed about issues,” he added.

Describing the EMA as independent body, Dr. Singh said even the government is not entirely happy with some of the decisions it makes.

“A wrong perception as well is that the EMA exists to stop development once it has environmental implications and that is not the case, “he noted.

“The EMA’s role is to ensure that if there are significant overarching environmental impacts, that we dissuade developers from engaging in these activities.”

The EMA also has a responsibility to work with communities on environmentally-related projects. Currently, they are engaged in a replanting exercise and linking it to the issue of Climate Change. They are also working with communities to address the issue of littering.

On the latter, Dr. Singh describes this as a cultural issue that needs to be addressed.

“It is unfortunate, but it saying that this is part of our culture and one which entails not caring for the environment. The way to change it is to train the minds of young people to think differently and that is where the EMA is placing a fair amount of attention now.”

The EMA during 2008 staged the ECO-song competition among secondary schools and also a monologue on the environment.

“The approach really is to continue education outreach but to blend that with legislation and regulation, “he said.

In the case of legislation, he said there’s need to create new laws to deal with certain issues. Air rules are currently being considered.

Dr. Singh at work

The Beverage Containers bill which has been in the pipeline for the past six years is being re-looked to include a broader approach of addressing the issue of waste.

Dr. Singh said there’s a misconception – and some confusion that everything concerning the environment is the sole responsibility of the EMA.

The EMA, however, works with other agencies, groups and organisations to address environmental issues. For example, it partners with the Forestry Division which has a mandate to address issues of deforestation.

Strengthening those partnerships with other groups and agencies and the coordinating role of the EMA are also critical in helping to deal with environmental issues.

“…That’s encouraging at least, that people recognise that the EMA is there to help but I think the mechanism for dealing with the issues is to refine it and make it more functional so that when issues come to our attention, we should be in a position to contact the relevant agencies,” he told Earth Conscious.

“So the coordinating role of the EMA needs to be strengthened as we embark on what we do ourselves in terms of directions, interventions and it is one of the things that we intend to focus on – strengthening that role for coordinating responses to environmental issues which is written into our legislation.”

At the end of his tenure, Dr. Singh visions that stewardship will be established in Trinidad and Tobago where everyone has accepted their responsibility, however small it is, towards the environment.

“It is taking a garbage bag to the beach and taking your garbage with you. It is also about the choices that we make when we go to the shops and select things that are environmentally friendly, that we are not buying stuff that are over-packaged, that corporations would have built-in costing issues such as pollution.

“It really is important that you build that into your plan, so that if you are going to pollute the environment that you either have treatment systems which are dealing with that pollution and therefore that is costed as part of your operations – and that you are willing to pay to repair that damage to the environment.”

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Verbatim Address to the Opening Ceremony of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Fourteenth Conference of the Parties High-Level Segment His Excellency, President Bharrat Jagdeo, President of the Republic of Guyana

There is nobody in this room that needs to be convinced of the urgent need for action to avert climate catastrophe. In recent years, the progress that has been made towards a climate solution has been thanks to the heroic efforts of many who are sitting in this hall today. For those efforts, the world should be grateful.

Yet there is a risk that the passionate commitment exhibited by so many here and elsewhere can mask the fact that as an international community, our efforts remain woefully inadequate for the task that we face.

I decided to come to this conference because I believe that we urgently need to change this situation.

In reaching this decision, I was determined not to make the same mistake twice. I was my country’s Minister of Finance when the Kyoto Protocol was agreed, and I paid very little attention to it. I failed to see that climate change is not just an environmental issue, but one which cuts to the core of social and economic progress everywhere. It therefore demands first order political commitment.

I also came for two more specific reasons. One, I wanted to continue to press the case that the next climate agreement must create meaningful incentives to address deforestation.

And two, I am fearful that the movement to address climate change is losing momentum as a consequence of the economic crisis that is engulfing the world. There is a real danger that the current necessary action to stabilize the world’s economy will divert attention away from the even bigger crisis that climate change presents.

And unlike the economic crisis which originated in this case from a lack of transparency and a failure of regulation and which may be corrected by anti-cyclical fiscal stimulus packages, climate change is not a phenomenon which will work its way through an economic cycle. Lack of action will make things irreversibly worse, will cause more human suffering and will be even more expensive to solve in the longer term.

This is the stark reality we face and while I recognise that negotiators come to conferences like this with a specific brief, I also urge you to understand that you are some of the world’s leading experts on climate change and you can play an important role in making it clear to policy-makers that they must now make some historic, strategic decisions.

Understanding what needs to be done is the easier part.

We know that we need to agree a sufficiently ambitious global target, where global emissions are at least 50% less in 2050 than they were in 1990. And we know that this means creating market or other funding mechanisms that generate new capital flows of the order of many hundreds of billions of dollars a year.

The harder part is building and sustaining the political context needed to make it possible for national leaders to achieve these goals.

For years, people have been saying that the United States of America needs to lead. They soon will - but as we sincerely welcome President-elect Obama’s strong public commitment to deep

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cuts in emissions, we must remain vigilant and ensure that other countries do not back-pedal on their existing commitments. There is an understandable but ultimately damaging dialogue audible in many countries today where some politicians are saying that citizens cannot be expected to support action to combat climate change during an unprecedented economic crisis when they are losing their jobs and their cost of living is rising. The failure of nerve that this represents will drive away those that are starting to invest in climate solutions, and postpone progress for too long.

Instead, we need to recognize that strong leadership on climate change is needed now more than ever. Some may baulk at the scale of financial resources required, believing that resources on this scale are unachievable. But if the political will to stimulate resource flows is there the money will be found – as was proven when the international community quickly raised $7 trillion to deal with the financial crisis. Moreover, we have frequently heard the justification in countries across the world that banks and other financial institutions needed to be bailed out because they were “too big to fail”. Well, the climate change challenge is far bigger still although this is perhaps not as immediately apparent, and the same logic must apply.

To build public support for the tough action that is needed, we must break the false debate which suggests that countries can either act on climate change or progress their national development. Instead the two imperatives must be aligned.

This is possible – but we need far greater efforts to achieve a paradigmatic shift where the creation of low carbon economies is incentivised not just in today’s developed world, but also in the place where future emissions growth is going to come from.

For forest countries like mine, this means creating low deforestation economies where remuneration for forest carbon services under a properly designed REDD is sufficient in scale to out-compete the other legitimate economic forces which drive deforestation. As things stand, the world economy values the commodities that can be sold by high deforestation economic activity – such as harvesting timber or selling agricultural commodities after the forest has been cleared. But it does not value low deforestation economic development – there is no significant tradeable market for forest carbon storage or other eco-system services. Correcting this is the only way to reduce deforestation.

And on this issue, I want to address three points to participants in the REDD debate.

One, to those who are negotiating around a REDD mechanism, I ask you to recognise that all forest countries share the same goal – we must ensure that we continue to focus on the big picture and not become obsessed about miniute methodological and process issues. If REDD mechanisms exclude any significant group of countries, REDD will fail. So we must therefore work together - REDD must address reducing deforestation and degradation, it must address afforestation and reforestation, and it must address avoiding deforestation.

Two, to those well-meaning NGOs who have advocated that forestry should not be part of a global deal because its inclusion will flood the carbon market, and enable Annex I countries to avoid taking the tough choices needed to reduce their emissions at the scale required – I ask you to recognise that the overall global emission reduction commitments must be deep enough, and if they are then there will be room in market mechanisms to effectively address deforestation, whilst simultaneously ensuring badly needed capital flows to some of the poorest countries in the world.

And three - to others who have suggested that remuneration for carbon services should not flow to forest countries because there is a risk of corruption and mis-use of funds, I ask you to take care that you are not jumping to patronizing conclusions that all poor countries are corrupt. That said, as leaders of forest countries, we need to ensure that we create policies, institutions and incentives that are financially prudent, transparent and

accountable to those who live in, and depend on, the forest for livelihoods.

We must also mobilize our people to ensure that they are involved in determining how new carbon resources which flow to our countries might be invested – for example in Guyana’s case, we expect that this will mean investment in health, education, clean energy and adaptation investment that will cost several times our GDP.

To conclude - if we see the climate change challenge we face as fundamentally one where political will needs to be built to create the foundation that enables the right choices to be made, we need to reach beyond the committed activists who are here today and mobilize leaders internationally. This doesn’t mean Ministers of Environment – we need the attention of Ministers of Finance, Prime Ministers and Presidents, and I urge them to not make the mistake I made in 1997. Attention has to be dragged back onto climate change, even in the midst of the economic crisis.

But frankly speaking, we need to recognise that leaders can only lead if their people support them in doing so. It may be unreasonable to expect politicians to address issues that are beyond the electoral cycle if their constituents are not calling for action. This is where the NGO community and the UN process have a vital role to play – in educating and sensitizing the peoples of the world.

When citizens start to understand climate change beyond a vague awareness that weather patterns are different to what they were, they will become champions of change and demand meaningful action. Then politicians will have to dedicate the same efforts to tackling climate change as they do to dealing with the economy or other important issues.

Advocacy by committed people can change the world – like many countries across Latin America, Asia and Africa , my country has benefited from debt relief which now funds improvements in health, education and other social services. This debt relief was partly a consequence of mass advocacy through the Jubilee 2000, Make Poverty History and other campaigns, and if we can do it for debt relief, we can do it for climate change.

So I urge all present to use the next two days – not to ignore the detailed methodological issues we face or the important negotiation points that must be agreed, they are vital – but to also lift our sights and gain a perspective on the urgency of the strategic choices that the world must face. Future generations will judge us by our strength in the face of these choices, and I hope we do not let them down.

An abbreviated version of a statement by President of Bolivia, Evo Morales Ayma which he sent to the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Mr. Yvo de Boer on the eve of Climate Change talks in Poznan, Poland.

CLIMATE CHANGE: SAVE THE PLANET FROM CAPITALISM

Today, our Mother Earth is ill. From the beginning of the 21st century we have lived the hottest years of the last thousand years.

Global warming is generating abrupt changes in the weather: the retreat of glaciers and the decrease of the polar ice caps; the increase of the sea level and the flooding of coastal areas, where approximately 60% of the world population live; the increase in the processes of desertification and the decrease of fresh water sources; a higher frequency in natural disasters that the communities of the earth suffer; the extinction of animal and vegetal species; and the spread of diseases in areas that before were free from those diseases.

One of the most tragic consequences of the climate

change is that some nations and territories are condemned to disappear by the increase of the sea level.

Everything began with the industrial revolution in 1750, which gave birth to the capitalist system. In two and a half centuries, the so called “developed” countries have consumed a large part of the fossil fuels created over five million centuries.

Competition and the thirst for profit without limits of the capitalist system are destroying the planet. Under Capitalism we are not human beings but consumers. Under Capitalism mother earth does not exist, instead there are raw materials.

Capitalism is the source of the asymmetries and imbalances in the world. It generates luxury, ostentation and waste for a few, while millions in the world die from hunger in the world. In the hands of Capitalism everything becomes a commodity: the water, the soil, the human genome, the ancestral cultures, justice, ethics, death … and life itself. Everything, absolutely everything, can be bought and sold and under Capitalism. And even “climate change” itself has become a business.

“Climate change” has placed all humankind before great choice: to continue in the ways of capitalism and death, or to start down the path of harmony with nature and respect for life.

In the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the developed countries and economies in transition committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% below the 1990 levels, through the implementation of different mechanisms among which market mechanisms predominate.

Until 2006, greenhouse effect gases, far from being reduced, have increased by 9.1% in relation to the 1990 levels, demonstrating also in this way the breach of commitments by the developed countries. Due to the “Niña” phenomenon, that becomes more frequent as a result of the climate change, Bolivia has lost 4% of its GDP in 2007.

At the present there is only one Adaptation Fund with approximately 500 million dollars for more than 150 developing countries. According to the UNFCCC Secretary, 171 billion dollars are required for adaptation, and 380 billion dollars are required for mitigation.

The market mechanisms applied in the developing countries have not accomplished a significant reduction of greenhouse effect gas emissions. Just as well as the market is incapable of regulating global financial and productive system, the market is unable to regulate greenhouse effect gas emissions and will only generate a big business for financial agents and major corporations.

The earth is much more important than stock exchanges of Wall Street and the world. While the United States and the European Union allocate 4,100 billion dollars to save the bankers from a financial crisis that they themselves have caused, programs on climate change get 313 times less, that is to say, only 13 billion dollars.

The resources for climate change are unfairly distributed.

More resources are directed to reduce emissions (mitigation) and less to reduce the effects of climate change that all the countries suffer (adaptation). The vast majority of resources flow to those countries that have contaminated the most, and not to the countries where we have preserved the environment most. Around 80% of the Clean Development Mechanism projects are concentrated in four emerging countries.

Capitalist logic promotes a paradox in which the sectors that have contributed the most to deterioration of the environment are those that benefit the most from climate change programmes.

At the same time, technology transfer and the financing for clean and sustainable development of the countries of the South have remained just speeches.

The next Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen must allow us to make a leap forward if we want to save Mother Earth and humanity.

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“We cannot afford more of the same timid politics when the future of our planet is at stake.

Global warming is not a someday problem, it is now. We are already breaking records with the intensity of our storms, the number of forest fires, the periods of drought. By 2050 famine could force more than 250 million from their homes . . . . The polar ice caps are now melting faster than science had ever predicted. . . . This is not the future I want for my daughters. It’s not the future any of us want for our children. And if we act now and we act boldly, it doesn’t have to be.”

US President-elect Barack Obama

World awaits Obama’s promised climate change initiatives On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States of America. During his election’s campaign, he talked passionately about his plans for combating global warming, identifying it as a top priority in his administration. The world waits to see how some of his proposals are put into action. Some of the plans that Mr. Obama and Vice President Joe Biden outlined include:

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80 Percent by 2050 Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

The cap-and-trade policy will require all pollution credits to be auctioned, and proceeds will go to investments in a clean energy future, habitat protections, and rebates and other transition relief for families.

Make the U.S. a Leader on Climate Change The Obama-Joe Biden administration will re-engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) -- the main international forum dedicated to addressing the climate problem. They will also create a Global Energy Forum of the world’s largest emitters to focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues.

Eliminate Current Imports from the Middle East and Venezuela within 10 Years Increase Fuel Economy Standards Obama and Biden will increase fuel economy standards 4 percent per year while providing US$4 billion for domestic automakers to retool their manufacturing facilities in America to produce these vehicles.

Get 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Cars on the Road by 2015 These vehicles can get up to 150 miles per gallon. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe they should work to ensure these cars are built here in America, instead of factories overseas.

Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard Obama and Biden will establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to reduce the carbon in fuels 10 percent by 2020.

They will also require 60 billion gallons of advanced biofuels to be phased into fuel supply by 2030.

A “Use it or Lose It” Approach to Existing Oil and Gas Leases Obama and Biden will require oil companies to develop the 68 million acres of land (over 40 million of which are offshore) which they have already leased and are not drilling on.

Promote the Responsible Domestic Production of Oil and Natural Gas. Create Millions of New Green Jobs Ensure 10 percent of the Electricity comes from Renewable Sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.

Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy Source -- Energy Efficiency.

Weatherize One Million Homes Annually Obama and Biden will make a national commitment to weatherize at least one million low-income homes each year for the next decade, which can reduce energy usage across the economy and help moderate energy prices for all.

Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology Obama’s Department of Energy will enter into public private partnerships to develop five “first-of-a-kind” commercial scale coalfired plants with clean carbon capture and sequestration technology.

Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline As president, Obama will work with stakeholders to facilitate construction of the pipeline. Not only is this pipeline critical to energy security, it will create thousands of new jobs.

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Low Carbon-High Growth: Latin America & Climate Change Select Findings

Policy Recommendations Large global emission reductions are needed over the next decades and everyone must contribute. To keep warming under 3oC, even if rich countries reduce their emissions to zero, up to 28 percent per capita reduction in developing countries is needed by mid-century.

Many investments that can reduce GHG emissions today make sense even without considering climate change. Increasing energy efficiency can often save money. Reducing deforestation has social and environmental benefits. Improving public transport can reduce congestion and local pollution with impacts on health, productivity and welfare. Expanding off-grid renewable energy can help reach rural populations without access to electricity. Improving agricultural practices can increase productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Keeping LAC on a high-growth and low-carbon path requires a coherent policy framework. Countries in the region need an international climate change architecture that creates enough momentum and is friendly to LAC-specific features. They also need domestic policies to adapt to inevitable climate change impacts on LAC ecosystems and societies, and policies to exploit mitigation opportunities so that LAC can be part of the solution. Countries should adopt four domestic priorities for reducing emissions: Reducing emissions from deforestation, increasing hydropower development, improving energy efficiency, and transforming urban transport.

Source: World Bank, Latin America and the Caribbean. Fact Sheet

Caribbean Updates Private sector taking the lead to rehabilitate beach

H

By Judi Clarke, Barbados-based Environmental and Heritage Conservation Consultant ome to some of the world’s most valuable real estate, the West Coast of Barbados is often referred to as the ‘Platinum coast’. Its calm, clear waters, white sandy beaches and coral reef http://www.acs-aec.org/Images/Logos/logo_ ACS.gif s have made it attractive to tourism development and vital to the country’s economy. However, recently, this paradise has required urgent action to protect its beaches.

The beaches that exist today along this coast are under more stress than they were in past decades, and several studies have identified a number of contributing factors to this. One of the key factors is the health of the coral reefs that fringe the island, and their ability to “manufacture” the pink and white sand that makes up the beaches in the area. Corals have been under threat due to overfishing, nutrients from terrestrial runoff and increased sea surface temperatures. This small decrease in the rate of sand production along the coast has accumulated over the years until the effects are more visible. For this reason, long term solutions in the area will also need to focus on water quality and healthy reefs.

A number of hotel and property owners along the approximately 1.5 km stretch of shoreline from Zaccios restaurant north to Queen’s Fort, have come together to stop the decline in the health of the beach and reef system in that area.

With the support of the Government of Barbados, a project was developed, that when implemented, may reverse many of the man made problems.

Through a combination of field investigations, stakeholder consultations, modeling, and engineering analyses, three shoreline stabilisation systems have been developed for consideration. The concepts include both shore-tied and offshore structures, as well as beach nourishment. The intention of each scheme is to provide a long term solution that addresses shoreline stability. The recommended solution involves a phased approach of installing strategically placed groyne structures, as well as offshore reef structures where additional protection is required. To date, three finger groynes have been installed to address the most vulnerable sections in the project area. Although some improvements to the beaches are already obvious, the purpose of these structures is to retain the beach that accumulates in the winter months and is typically lost during other parts of the year.

It is expected that water quality and coral reef rehabilitation work be undertaken within the next year.

Thus far, this entire process has been funded almost entirely by the private sector, with the understanding that the Government of Barbados would fund the major engineering works for the entire project area. This arrangement has worked harmoniously to date. Whilst such coastal infrastructural works are typically the responsibility of the Government, the project is a model of successful private-public partnership to address an urgent need that the Government was not able to fund at that time.

There are other areas around Barbados which are under threat of coastal erosion, and it is intended to replicate this process elsewhere.

What is a Groyne?

A groyne is a protective structure made of stone, boulders or concrete which extends from the shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away.

Groynes are one of the most common and effective methods of coastal defense against transportation of sediment. They work by creating and maintaining a healthy beach on its updrift side, which in turn provides protection to the land behind.

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Photo above shows the beach before groynes were installed

Photo above shows the same beach 8 weeks after the groynes were installed

What is a carbon footprint?

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). When you drive a car, the engine burns fuel which creates a certain amount of CO2, depending on its fuel consumption and the driving distance. Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of CO2 (carbon dioxide), which were induced by your activities in a given time frame. Usually a carbon footprint is calculated for the time period of a year. The carbon footprint is a very powerful tool to understand the impact of personal behaviour on global warming. Most people are shocked when they see the amount of CO2 their activities create! If you personally want to contribute to stop global warming, the calculation and constant monitoring of your personal carbon footprint is essential.

Source: www.timeforchange.org

Caribbean Updates CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES IN TOP 40 CLIMATE RISK INDEX

Six Caribbean islands - Haiti, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Jamaica, Martinique and Saint Lucia have been listed in the top 40 countries experiencing extreme weather impacts by the 2009 Germanwatch Global Climate Risk Index.

Germanwatch said its 2009 Global Risk Index analyses how severely countries have been affected by weather-related events such as hurricanes and floods.

Out of an analysis on almost 150 countries, the six Caribbean Islands were ranked as follows: Dominican Republic - 12th; Haiti - 16th; Martinique - 24th; Dominica - 25th; Saint Lucia - 27th and Jamaica - 34th.

According to Germanwatch, the 2009 Climate Risk Index is based on figures from 2007 and also on an analysis of the worldwide data collection on losses caused by weather events from 1998 to 2007.

“The current Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reveals the highly dangerous consequences of climate change. Therefore, an analysis of already observable changes in climate conditions in different regions indicates which countries are particularly endangered,” Germanwatch said.

According to climate modeler, Stefan Rahmstorff, Caribbean countries need to push industrialised countries to address their emissions as the small islands would face the effects of inaction.

“Fundamentally, small countries which don’t contribute to the problem should press those developed countries to help them with their adaptation measures. Those causing the emissions should be the ones that help to deal with issues,” he said.

“I think the Caribbean region is facing a double impact from global warming because, number one, the sea level is rising, which increases the risk of storm surges. Number two, we have seen an increase in the strength of hurricanes,” said Rahmstorff, whose work focuses on the role of ocean currents in climate change.

“In 2008, we have seen a number of new records and these two things multiply each other. So I think the Caribbean is one of the hotspots suffering from climate change,” he added.

CARICOM AND OXFORD UNIVERSITY LAUNCH CARIBSAVE PROJECT Oxford University Centre for the Environment (OUCE) and the Caribbean Community Centre for Climate Change (CCCCC) have formed a partnership to address the impacts and challenges surrounding climate change, the environment, tourism and related sectors throughout the Caribbean region.

The project is multi-sectoral, multi-objective and multi-donor in nature and is known as CARIBSAVE.

Comprising seven objectives, the project focuses on: sectoral and destinational modelling; vulnerability and adaptive capacity assessments; socio-economic analyses; analysis of the impacts of climate change on key sectors and their integral relationship to tourism in the Caribbean (i.e. water, energy, biodiversity, agriculture, human health, disaster risk management and infrastructure); the development of carbon offset projects and carbon neutral destination status; and capacity building activities across the Caribbean basin.

The project will secure approximately US $35 Million over a 3–5 year period to achieve its aims and will provide a sustained and enduring approach to dealing with the challenges presented to the Caribbean and its tourism sector by climate change.

The project has received seed funding from the British Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), and anticipates more significant funds from Oxford University’s worldwide connections and the UK Department of International Development (DFID) in the next few weeks.

It has the support of the Association of Caribbean States, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and a range of other international and regional organizations across the public and private sectors.

The environment, tourism and its associated sectors are vital drivers for social and economic development in individual island states and in the Caribbean region as a whole, and are critical factors for sustainable livelihoods across the region.

ACS PUSHES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF CARIBBEAN SEA Countries of the Caribbean region are headed for “hard and difficult times” unless they took steps, with the cooperation and support of the international community, to forestall the impending adverse effects of climate change, representatives of the Association of Caribbean States told correspondents at a UN Headquarters press conference last October.

The Caribbean region was heavily dependent on tourism and fisheries industries -- both severely vulnerable to global warming and weather anomalies, according to the Association’s delegation, which painted a dire picture of the damage that could be wrought by changes in sea surface temperatures and sea levels, which could, among others, result in flooding and erosion in low-lying coastal areas.

The Association’s members were in New York to raise awareness among United Nations Member States of a number of resolutions the Association planned shortly to put before the General Assembly’s Second Committee (Economic and Financial), including one that had been around for a few years seeking to have the Caribbean Sea area designated as a special area within the context of sustainable development.

John Agard, one of the Nobel Prize-winning scientists on the United Nations-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said the Caribbean was already recording enormous amounts of rain, and available scientific evidence revealed the increased intensity of hurricanes. Rising temperatures were causing hurricanes to last longer, become stronger and more destructive. Projections for the future were that the frequency of hurricanes and tropical storms was likely to increase, rather than diminish, he added.

Current Chair of the Association’s Caribbean Sea Commission, Donville Innis, said the Commission had put a lot of time and effort in the resolution on declaring the Caribbean Sea a special area for sustainable development, and considered the work extremely important to the 25 nations that formed the Association -- the islands in the Caribbean and the Central American States.

Recognizing the Caribbean Sea provided not only a great natural resource in terms of fishing, and given the importance of tourism to the economies of the Caribbean and Central America, the Association’s members felt duty-bound to protect that asset, not only for the present generation, for many generations in the future. Mr. Innis, who is also the Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and International Business of Barbados, added that the Caribbean Sea was also one of the most heavily trafficked waterways, and there was need to ensure there was better management of that resource from all aspects.

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Caribbean Updates While in New York, the Association’s members had held a series of meetings with various United Nations partners, including with both Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann.

Luis Fernando Andrade Falla, Secretary-General of the Association of Caribbean States, said the delegation was in New York because of the seriousness of the case it planned to take to the Assembly. Indeed, it was a “scientific case; not a political case”, explaining that the Association’s member countries were seriously vulnerable to climate change.

For example, the 2008 hurricane season was one of the worst on record, causing damage and impacting most countries in the greater Caribbean region, from the smallest islands to the largest countries. In particular, he underlined the dramatic situations of Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic in the wake of successive tropical storms, although every single country in Central America was affected.

He said that scientists were making the case for strengthened cooperation in projecting the intensity, frequency and impact of climate change. Such cooperation needed to go beyond political or ideological positions. “This goes beyond our differences in the region; historical, cultural or language. It’s an opportunity to strengthen our cooperation with the world community,” he said.

Mr. Agard observed that although it had often been emphasized that the region was particularly dependent on natural resources in connection with the livelihoods of the people, not many people had an appreciation of just how dependent it was. To that end, he highlighted the impacts of climate change on Caribbean tourism, which was, of course, highly dependent on the state of the environment.

As tourism was the region’s largest employer, anything that affected the quality of the environment, therefore, had a direct link to the wellbeing of the people, their jobs and incomes.

“Fear of hurricanes and their increasing frequency and intensity keep tourists away. The fact that it is getting warmer in some cold places means that they’re less inclined to travel,” he said. Other industries, especially fisheries, had also been adversely impacted, thereby affecting the employment and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people.

CARICOM TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT HOLDS FIRST MEETING The inaugural meeting of the CARICOM Task Force on Climate Change and Development was held in Saint Lucia last November.

The Task Force will facilitate and coordinate technical work, advise on policy directions on climate change, and provide support to CARICOM Member States in their preparations for key regional, hemispheric and other global forums and in their negotiations with international development partners.

The Task Force agreed that its operations must seek to engage stakeholders in the public and private sectors, civil society, youth and the media.

It must also be united in advocating the regional priorities within the Group of 77 and the Alliance of Small Island States which have great influence on determining the international directions on the post 2012 Kyoto Framework of the UNFCCC aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The CARICOM Task Force on Climate Change and Development welcomed the views of US President-elect Barack Obama for a cap and trade system approach to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and further supports the targets to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and another 80% by 2050.

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Assistant Secretary-General of CARICOM, Dr. Edward Greene, Chairman of the inaugural meeting, said that this indication of a change in U.S. policy on climate change augurs well for the Caribbean’s strategic agenda in particular and more generally for small island developing states.

The Regional Body also reinforced the importance of advocating regional priorities within key international forums such as the Group of 77 and the Alliance of Small Island States.

Given the vast renewable energy resources of the Region, the Task Force is of the view that there are potentially significant social, economic and environmental benefits to be derived through a partnership with the US and others for the development of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels.

TRINIDAD GETS DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR The Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO) said the new Doppler Weather Radar installed at Brasso Venado in the district of Tabaquite in Trinidad is ready for official commissioning.

This is one of four new Doppler weather radars in the Englishspeaking Caribbean as part of a 13.2 million Euro (approx TT$ 115 million) Project being implemented by the Caribbean Meteorological Organization.

Construction of the 20-metre reinforced concrete tower at Tabaquite started in 2007 and was completed early in 2008, following which the weather radar was installed and tested. Two of the three other radars have also been installed.

The radar in Barbados is also ready for commissioning.

The radar in Belize has been installed and is under test, while the radar in Guyana is scheduled to be installed and tested in January 2009.

Mr. Tyrone Sutherland, Coordinating Director of the CMO, located in Port of Spain, said, “We completed the building at Brasso Venado on schedule in February, then after installing the radar itself, we went through several months of intensive testing – not without problems – before we certified that the radar is ready for full operations.

“This powerful new radar, built in Germany, provides continuous radar surveillance of all weather at various ranges to a distance of 400 kilometres (250 miles) in all directions.” He indicated that “Even during the test period, the Meteorological Service at Piarco has been using the information provided, although arrangements for its official hand-over to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago are still to be finalized.”

Mr. Glendell De Souza, Science and Technology Officer at the CMO, himself a former Senior Meteorologist with the Trinidad & Tobago Met. Service, said that “the new radars will enable weather forecasters to study and monitor weather systems as they develop, thereby allowing Meteorologists to provide more accurate and timely information of the type, intensity and location of severe weather, including approaching tropical storms and hurricanes. In fact, the Meteorology Office at Piarco was able to use the radar very effectively during the flooding events of November”.

Mr. De Souza further stated that “Once we have handed the radar over to the Government, it is expected that the Meteorological Service will make its data, along with the data from the others in the regional Network, available to the public, media, Government agencies, disaster preparedness agencies and other users in the nation and throughout the Caribbean via the Internet. In other words, the public and others will be able to “see” for themselves, approaching weather on the radars.”

This Caribbean Radar Project is one of the regional activities of the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) with funding provided by the European Union. The CMO, as the Implementing Agency, provided a variety of engineering, communication and radar systems experts to the Project, which was designed to replace the old and obsolete

Caribbean Updates weather radars installed by the CMO in the late sixties and early seventies. The new radars will be linked electronically with the radars of other nations to provide almost complete coverage of the Caribbean.

CONCERN GROWS OVER IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON ECONOMIES IN THE REGION The possible imposition of trade barriers on products from the Caribbean region due to carbon emissions in their production and transportation is becoming a concern for developing countries.

According to the Kyoto Protocol, developing economies are not obliged to meet emission-reduction goals.

Negotiations over measures to mitigate the effects of climate change are enormously complex, in spite of a shared awareness that the longer it takes to reach agreements, the greater the negative impact will be, especially in the developing world, as well as the efforts the international community must make to address it.

These were some of the conclusions emerging from a seminar titled “Climate change in Latin America: Impact, Possibilities for Mitigation and Financing”, held last October at ECLAC headquarters in Santiago, Chile. The seminar was organized by the UN regional commission and Endesa Latin America.

The keynote speakers were the United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Change, former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos; former Costa Rican President and CEO of the Concordia 21 Group, José María Figueres; and the Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean of the World Bank, Augusto de la Torre.

During the seminar, ECLAC announced it would prepare a series of studies on economy and climate change in eight South American nations: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. These studies will examine costs of climate change adaptation, trends in greenhouse gas emissions and the potential to mitigate their effects. This initiative complements similar studies already underway in Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico.

These studies will be the basis for future sub-regional analyses directed by ECLAC, along with the governments of countries involved, their research institutions, the government of the United Kingdom, and the Inter American Development Bank. Results will be released in July 2009.

The Director of ECLAC’s Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division, Joseluis Samaniego noted that in order to avoid a 2º C rise in temperature, developed countries must stabilize the concentration of greenhouse gas emissions by reducing them 60% to 80% by 2050.

“In this context, the participation of developed nations in mitigation efforts is inevitable, whether voluntary or obligatory.

Decisions made today on infrastructure will shape the future that countries in the region will have to address, in the framework of an international regime that we assume will continue to evolve beyond 2010,” he said.

Five studies on the evolution and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru, financed by Endesa, were presented during the seminar.

The reports were prepared by independent research institutions, such as the Bariloche Foundation, the private consulting firm PSR, the University of Chile, the University of Los Andes, in Colombia, and the Catholic University of Peru.

United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

IDB SUPPORTS CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA IN MEXICO The Inter-American Development Bank will finance the first national study on the economic impact of climate change, measures to mitigate that impact and climate change action plans in more than 10 states in Mexico.

The activities are among several measures Mexico has agreed to carry out under a US$200 million programmatic policy-based loan (PBL) approved by the IDB Board of Executive Directors on November 5.

The PBL is a fast-disbursing instrument that will give the Mexican Treasury resources to finance its priority programs. Under the climate change agenda program, Mexico has committed to implementing specific activities under its National Climate Change Strategy and Special Climate Change Program, with results that must be verified as a condition for disbursement of the funds.

Among the main activities agreed upon are a study on the economic impact of climate change (based on the Stern Review methodology) that will assess the costs and benefits of different actions under various climate change scenarios.

The study, co-financed by the IDB and United Kingdom, is being conducted by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in coordination with the Mario Molina Center for Strategic Studies on Energy and the Environment. It is designed to help anticipate the impact of climate change and opportunities for mitigation and adaptation in such sectors as energy, agriculture, industry, water resources, transportation and housing. The programme also includes institutional strengthening for the leading climate change agencies in the country.

“With this initiative, we can concurrently address two priorities identified by the Calderón administration,” said IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno. “In the short term, we are supporting Mexico’s strategy to navigate the international financial crisis. But looking ahead, we also want to help underwrite Mexico’s efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.”

The programme will support specific measures such as energy efficiency (in industry, housing and government buildings), renewable energy development (wind power, solar power and biofuels) and strengthening the capacity of state governments to implement their climate change agendas. The latter is crucial in states like those in southeastern Mexico that are more vulnerable to climate change.

The IDB loan approved is for the first phase of a programme that may total over US$600 million. During its second and third phases (2009 and 2010), a review will be conducted to assess the operation of the agencies responsible for the climate change agenda, the application of the economic impact study findings in the most affected sectors, and the strengthening of statelevel climate change agendas.

The program has been supported since its inception by more than US$5 million in technical cooperation grants provided by the IDB’s Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Initiative (SECCI).

IUCN MAKES NEW COMMITMENT TO THE CARIBBEAN The World Conservation Congress held in October in Barcelona, marked an important landmark for the Caribbean, with the launch by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) of a new Initiative for the region.

The new initiative comes in response to a Resolution passed at the 2004 World Conservation Congress, and will include a range of interventions aimed at improving the management of the region’s major ecosystems by increasing knowledge, improving

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Caribbean Updates governance and empowering stakeholders at all levels (government, civil society and community) to be more effective in their natural resource management roles and responsibilities.

Preparation for a Caribbean Red List of Threatened Species, a programme on renewable energy, and work in integrated planning, ecosystem management and sustainable livelihoods, and climate change adaptation, are the main components of the initiative.

“The Caribbean members are pleased that their call for greater IUCN involvement in the region has been answered in this manner. I am looking forward to this being a truly regional programme that integrates all the countries of the region in all their diversity, “ said Senator Lynn Holowesko of the Bahamas, who served on the IUCN Council over the past eight years.

Patricia Abreu Fernandez, Under Secretary for International Cooperation in the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic, also welcomed the launch of the Caribbean Initiative, noting that “it is the fruit of close collaboration between sister countries of the region.”

According to the Advisor on International Cooperation in the Ministry of the Environment in Haiti, Joseph Ronald Toussaint, “The IUCN Initiative for the Caribbean is an important contribution towards improving the well-being of people in the region and it comes at a time when the Caribbean is grappling with complex problems linked to climate change and attendant issues of natural disasters, the exacerbation of poverty and the accelerated loss of biodiversity.”

Commenting on what it offers Haiti, he said, “The Initiative gives Haiti an opportunity to elevate the question of energy and ecosystem services on its development agenda.”

The World Conservation Congress, which gathered more than 8,000 decision-makers, also gave members the opportunity to elect a new Council for the next four years. The Caribbean representative on that body is Dr. Spencer Thomas from Grenada.

WEST INDIES POWER (NEVIS) SIGN AGREEMENT WITH CARBON RESOURCE MANAGEMENT West Indies Power (Nevis) Ltd signed an agreement with Carbon Resource Management, a Geneva based company, for the consultancy and assistance with the certification of its 35MW geothermal plant in Nevis under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) established and defined under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Once this project is registered and validated under the CDM, West Indies Power (Nevis) Ltd will be able to produce around 166,000 Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) per year for the first year of operation of the 35MW geothermal plant. Certified Emission Reductions are one metric tone units of CO2 Equivalent (CO2e) emission reductions generated from emission reduction projects located in non-Annex I countries (mostly developing countries).

Currently there are 1,523 projects worldwide registered under CDM 1,116 out of them are in the energy sector. In the Caribbean Sea basin, there are only two renewable energy projects registered under CDM – wind farm projects in Cuba and Jamaica.

West Indies Power (Nevis) Ltd. expects that the 35MW geothermal plant in Nevis will become the first CDM certified project in the Lesser Antilles.

West Indies Power (Nevis) Ltd is an independent private renewable energy development company, currently finalizing financing structure for the construction of the first 35MW geothermal power plant in Nevis.

This project will create power generation through the drill-

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ing of geothermal wells and the installation of steam turbine power units reducing greenhouse gas emission and contributing, in this way, to the effort of preventing damaging climate changes.

What are you doing for the environment?

“Waste not, want not” is something my mother used to say while I was growing up. Think of all the starving children in India… so eat everything off your plate.

Stop running the water while you’re brushing your teeth! You’re wasting water.

Learn your three R’s: Reading, writing and arithmetic.

I never quite understood how there were three R’s when clearly it’s only one with two buddies W and A. Reflecting back, I have to admit that my mother had good intentions with her motives to discipline a rambunctious youth. Little did she know back then that Waste was going to become one of the biggest topics of the 21st century.

I am now catching myself repeating to my three year old, my mothers phrases, along with the well known four R’s of the environment, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover.

To my husband’s dismay, I most recently found myself saving heavy plastic mattress wraps. Sounds crazy? When my son finally moved out of diapers and into his own big bed, was it not a great idea to put a sheet of plastic under his sheets to avoid bed wetting? Bed wetting mattress covers can run easily over $50 in Canada. I started suddenly not to look quite as crazy.

Over the last year, our neighbor left her side lawn to run amok with weeds, the worse eyesore out there. She finally decided to clear it out and instead of using harmful weed killers we laid down a large piece of clear plastic over the area.

Low oxygen combined with magnified heat rays through the plastic burned away everything in a matter of days, making it easier to dig out dead root and all. This is also a great idea for outdoor spring germination in cooler climates.

Plant your seeds, cover the earth with the plastic, and bore a few small holes along the row to allow in minimal oxygen.

This keeps the seeds extra warm. There will be a build up of water under underneath that keeps the ground moist, and best of all the plastic keeps the birds away! And before your know it you will have a sturdy seedling that is already well rooted and a excellent start of your green garden.

Along with growing your own food, sharing it with others in the great outdoors is both fun and enjoyable. What better way to do this than have a picnic. What one can do with a sheet of plastic now? Picnic bench table cloth or food cover for afterwards, just flip it over, weight down the corner and it keeps off all the flies.

So don’t listen to the critics when say they you’re crazy.

Recover that plastic, Reduce waste by not throwing it away, Reuse it in so many ways, be creative and the Recycling process will help save our environment. You never know when you will need it for a rainy day. Speaking of rainy days a piece of plastic can …… you get the idea!

Angelina Meighlal, Toronto, Canada

Global Watch

I

Dubai:

Progress and sustainability

By Tracy Farag, Dubai

met my cousin Duncan for the first time in Charlotteville, Tobago in November 2006. Born in England to my mother’s sister, he is already fast becoming a favourite cousin. In a world of forwards, he writes long thoughtful emails. On Facebook, his albums detail his trek around the world. Starting in Trinidad and Tobago, he worked his way across South America, then on to Asia stopping in India to locate the resting place of his great-grandfather who perished while serving his country there.

He wrote recently to tell me that he had bought a “new house”, a five-hundred year old mud and straw house in the wilds of ancient England.

“I suppose” he writes “it is the fact that Britain has had a huge Empire, has had the world’s largest industrial production, that we now see the futility of the pursuit. My Chinese students are shocked and condescending when they arrive in England and find that everything is old. It seems to outsiders that we are regressing into the values of a former age, but actually it is the contrary. The movement here is towards minimising consumption, reducing the impact of humanity on the earth, lowering carbon emissions, living in closer harmony to nature. So it is that my ancient straw house has come to reveal itself as the best kind of house: Nothing is more natural or more in sympathy with the earth than mud and straw.”

I envy Duncan - his mud and straw house, how easily he could make such a life- altering move.

Since meeting him, my family and I have moved to Dubai, land of the superlatives; tallest building, biggest mall, most iconic architecture and vast economic wealth. The Dubai phenomenon is unprecedented, even the word Dubai is now branded. Progress here is palpable, a part of the atmosphere, you cannot escape it. Tower cranes are visible in every aspect of the horizon and roads appear in the desert overnight. It is enough to make the environmentalist in me fearful, but I am hopeful too and relieved, even though I‘ll never have a mud and straw house.

The quest for modernization has not been without focus on environmental impact. In fact, the US state of California boasts some of the most advanced regulations regarding energy, water and waste in the world, none of it however mandatory. When finalized, the new, compulsory Dubai codes will not only cover all these elements but will do so in both existing and future buildings. To those who assert that these changes may be merely cosmetic, I offer these striking examples.

The Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER) was established in 2003 by the ruler’s decree to provide efficient District Cooling Services to developments in Dubai and the surrounding region.

In a district cooling system, chilled water is delivered via underground insulated pipelines to commercial, industrial and residential buildings to cool the indoor air within an entire district. It uses 40-50% less energy than traditional air conditioning systems, which can account for as much as 70% of a building’s electricity bill. This as you can imagine is a critical saving in a desert country. Moreover, the use of thermal insulation in buildings was made mandatory in 2003. I have found I need only run my AC on the hottest days and even then not continuously.

The Electricity and Water Authority has already ensured that Municipal buildings comply with this new thrust and have equipped all with more efficient lighting and water flow reducers. Air conditioning settings

It is clear that the Government of Dubai is truly vested in the cause of the environment and the private sector recognizes this. New initiatives have been undertaken as part of the corporate strategy of many firms. Most supermarkets now offer low-cost reusable shopping bags and even the main daily newspaper has sent environmentallyfriendly jute bags to all its subscribers after a shocking report highlighted how plastic bags were the chief culprit in the death of wild camels. Unable to be digested, the plastic would harden in the animals’ stomach leading to a slow death by starvation.

The list goes on, not only here in Dubai but throughout the UAE. The first zero carbon, zero waste, car free city based entirely on renewable energy is scheduled for completion in 2015 in the capital Abu Dhabi. The city will also be home to the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology which in association with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will specialize in energy and sustainability disciplines. Dubai is proof that progress need not mean destruction. If we will to do things differently, even the desert can become “green”.

Vacation or Staycation?

Have you ever considered a staycation? A staycation is just a holiday at or close to home - whether it’s haning around the house or just exploring the area you live in a little more, with plenty of time to do so. Perhaps you could even invest the money you save on taking an expensive vacation to make things a little more staycation friendly in your home - such as creating a private little slice of paradise in your own back yard. While your staycation isn’t going to save the planet, it will probably save you quite a bit of money and it’s one of the many small things we can do that collectively do help reduce the impact on our environment. www.greenlivingtips.com

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Global Watch LIVING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE ERITREA AND SAMOA OFFICIALS SHARE EXPERIENCE WITH LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES FUND Two of the least developed countries on the front lines of climate change shared their experiences on a unique fund designed to help some of the world’s most vulnerable identify urgent and immediate adaptation needs.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 14th meeting of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention of the Parties (COP-14), environmental officials with Samoa and Eritrea detailed their on- the- ground knowledge of integrating climate change risks into various sectors, including agriculture and health through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF).

Both countries are among the close to 50 which use LDCF to finance adaptation action on the ground through preparing and implementing National Adaptation Programs of Action (NAPA)s.

In Samoa, one of the benefits of LDCF funds has been to enhance the technical and organizational capacities of the Samoa Meterological Division. They can now better monitor climate trends and provide climate risk and early warning communications to the agricultural and health sectors as they update disaster risk management plans.

“These projects touch our community and help bring awareness about climate change generally and adaptation in particular,” said Tuuu Ieti Tamlealo, CEO of the Ministry of Environment, Samoa. “LDCF gives us a tool to help us look at our other sustainable development programs and adapt them for climate change.” We can then integrate this into both the public and private sectors.”

For Eritrea, a LDCF project will test options for more climate resilient livestock management systems at the local level.

With a growing problem of land erosion and desertification there is increasing pressure on rangelands.

“The impact of this fund on our country is broad. We have the opportunity to assess existing policy, projects and programmes and look how this relates to climate change now. This is an opportunity to evaluate projects under our national plans and identify gaps for adaptation needs,” said Seid Abdu Salih, National Project coordinator for Eritrea. “Stakeholders including non government organizations and other members of civil society also have a voice.”

FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT REVIEW CONFERENCE EXPRESSES CONCERNS OVER THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON DEVELOPMENT The International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, attended by 92 countries, expressed its “deep concern that the international community is now challenged by the severe impact on development of multiple, interrelated global crises and challenges,” highlighting increased food insecurity, volatile energy and commodity prices, climate change and a global financial crisis.

The Conference, which convened from 29 November to 2 December, in Doha, Qatar, concluded with the adoption of a draft outcome document that includes a paragraph on climate change noting that “the concern of the international community about climate change has increased markedly since the adoption of the Monterrey Consensus.”

In the document, States further call for the efforts to tackle climate change to be in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. They reiterate “the importance of reaching an agreed outcome” at the

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fifteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009, and urge “all parties to engage constructively in negotiations consistent with the Bali Action Plan.”

The outcome document also notes the financing for development implications that addressing this phenomenon will have. It therefore underlines the substantial additional costs on all countries, and thus the required additional resource mobilization, including from the private sector.

States also underscored the pressing needs of those countries most vulnerable to climate change, such as “the least developed countries, small island developing States, and other affected countries in Africa.” The States parties to the Kyoto Protocol also welcomed the launching of the Adaptation Fund within the structure of the UNFCCC and looked forward to its early operationalization with full support.

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR CAN DO MORE TO CURB CARBON EMISSIONS – UN REPORT Energy use in buildings accounts for one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, but the huge potential of the construction sector to combat climate change has not been realized, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

A new report by the agency says that only 10 out of some 4,000 projects in the pipeline of the UN-sponsored Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – which finances initiatives that help slash emissions – are designed to curb the use of energy in buildings.

Dozens of surveys conducted worldwide show that up to 30 per cent reduction in emissions from residential and commercial buildings can be achieved by 2030 at a net negative cost.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), co-recipient of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, has warned that building-related emissions could nearly double from almost 9 billion tons in 2004 to nearly 16 billion in 2030.

The surge will be driven in large part by construction booms in the next two decades in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.

“Report after report is now underlining the huge, cost-effective savings possible from addressing emissions from existing buildings alongside designing new ones that include passive and active solar up to low-energy heating and cooling systems and energy-efficient systems,” said UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

The new study notes that today’s commercially available technologies allow for energy consumption to be halved in both new and old buildings relatively cheaply through measures such as improved ventilation and insulation, stepped up use of natural lighting and the use of solar and other natural heat sources.

The sector remains virtually untapped because six years after the start of the CDM, very few building projects have managed to enter its pipeline because nearly half of all proposals were rejected during the registration phase.

The report – entitled “The Kyoto Protocol, the Clean Development Mechanism, and the Building and Construction Sector” – cites high administrative costs and weak financial incentives as being among the barriers for approval by the CDM.

For example, eight projects proposed by a Brazilian supermarket chain were rejected because of difficulties in accounting for the projected 20,000 tons of annual carbon savings. Only US$3,000 of carbon revenue would be generated by the store, which is less than the basic operating costs for the projects and would not cover the energy-efficient equipment necessary.

In a related development, UNEP announced that the Pacific Island nation of Niue, the United Kingdom city of Slough and the New Zealand city of Waitakere are among the latest to sign

Global Watch on to its Climate Neutral Network (CN Net).

That initiative brings together countries, cities, businesses and organizations which pledge to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“For many small island developing States like Niue climate neutrality is more than just a concept – it is a matter of survival,” Mr. Steiner said of the nation, with a population of some 1,700, releases approximately 0.003 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Slough, home to nearly 120,000 people and situated between London and Bath, is seeking to have all public transport and council vehicle run on cleaner fuel and slash its emissions by one-fifth in the coming two decades.

Waitakere, the fifth largest city in New Zealand, is aiming to stabilize per capita emissions by 2010 and reduce them 80 per cent by 2051.

In addition, 11 companies and organizations signed on to CN Net in Poznan today, joining the four countries, four cities and dozens of other participants in the initiative.

UN, AID PARTNERS ISSUE CALL FOR GLOBAL EFFORTS TO SLASH CLIMATE-INDUCED DISASTER RISKS The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have appealed for stepped-up action on a global scale to boost preparedness for effectively responding to disasters brought on by climate change.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee – comprising nearly 20 UN agencies and aid organizations – and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) issued the call last month in Poznan, Poland, where the latest round of UN climate change talks were under way.

“Climate change is not some futuristic scenario,” cautioned John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs. “It’s happening today, and millions of people are already suffering the consequences.”

Last year’s devastating floods in sub-Saharan Africa and China, the heat waves in South-Eastern Europe, droughts in Eastern and Southern Africa and massive Caribbean hurricanes all serve as a “curtain raiser on the future,” he added.

Nine out of 10 disasters recorded are climate-related, while the number of disasters has doubled to more than 400 annually over the past two decades.

During the course of the next 20 years, it s expected that the intensity, frequency, duration and extent of weather-related hazards will rise around the world.

Better disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response will curtail much of the loss and suffering resulting from such hazards.

According to a press release issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), investing in risk reduction can curb the amount of money needed to respond to emergencies once they have occurred.

For example, China averted losses of some US$12 billion as a result of the just over US$3 billion it spent on flood control between 1960 and 2000.

TOURISM GROWING SMARTLY Tourism growth must be pursued with increasing emphasis on ethics, local community involvement as well as reducing carbon emissions systematically. This was the main conclusion of this year’s World Tourism Day (WTD) Think Tank held on the theme ”Tourism Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change”. The official celebrations took place in Lima, Peru.

The Think Tank was chaired by Mercedes Araoz Fernandez, Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru, and moderated by UNWTO Assistant Secretary-General, Geoffrey Lipman.

A group of leading public and private tourism stakeholders, representatives of civil society and of the UN system highlighted the inter-relationship between climate response and global poverty reduction efforts. Simultaneous efforts on both fronts are key to effectively meet and promote sustainability goals by the tourism sector.

“Tourism must grow in a smart way. The commitment to credible sustainability criteria will represent big opportunities for new entrepreneurs in this smart growth economy, involving businesses, communities and innovative governments”, said Lipman.

The experts convened by UNWTO agreed that special consideration must be given to the world’s poorest countries.

While these are the least contributors to global warming, they will face the worst hardship of its consequences.

“The climate challenge must not displace global poverty reduction efforts. Both should be pursued simultaneously”, said UNWTO Deputy Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

This will require new metrics to reflect the importance and positive role of tourism, to go beyond existing measurement tools.

The legal and the ethical base need to be developed side by side and factored into this measurement, together with new databases to cover areas of intersect between public and private sectors.

While most of the world’s poor countries are in Africa, also Latin America faces severe challenges from the climate shift. All over the world, national and regional level Initiatives are emerging based on the Davos Declaration Process: • The Amazon – shared by Brazil, Colombia and Peru - can become part of the solution as a preserver of biodiversity and a massive carbon sink with a huge ecotourism potential.

• Particular note was taken of the Peruvian forest conservation plans.

• The Sri Lanka Earth Lung has galvanized and engaged the entire sustainability movement from industry to local community and non governmental organizations.

• In Africa, the close and evolving linkages between climate and poverty response initiatives stand out, evidenced in Ghana. Furthermore, the massive trans-border conservation areas, represented by the Peace Parks, can also become earth lungs.

• Argentina offered an example on the discussions to consider and integrate tourism activities with other ministries, taking note of the sector’s horizontal socio-economic impact.

Against this background, tourism has to take advantage of its potential as a global communications industry. The sector can be used as a platform to help educate the world on the need for action on climate change coherent with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

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Global Watch WMO RELEASES GREENHOUSE GAS BULLETIN 2007 The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released the 2007 Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, which indicates that the trend of rising emissions of greenhouse gases continued during that year.

The WMO Global Atmosphere Watch coordinates the measurement of these gases in the atmosphere through a network of observatories located in over 65 countries. The latest numbers show an increase of: 0.5% from 2006 for carbon dioxide; 0.25% from 2006 for nitrous oxide; and 0.34% from 2003 for methane.

The total warming effect of all long-lived greenhouse gases was calculated to have increased by 1.06% from the previous year and by 24.2% since 1990.

At the same time, levels of chlorofluorocarbons continue to slowly decrease, a result of emission reductions under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

ICAO COUNCIL PRESIDENT: “ULTIMATE GOAL” MUST BE THE ELIMINATION OF CARBON EMISSIONS FROM AVIATION The 45th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation of the Asia and Pacific Regions took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in November under the theme “Cooperating towards enhanced aviation safety, security, efficiency and environment.”

In an address to the conference, Roberto Kobeh González, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), emphasized issues such as the economic recovery of the aviation industry, safety, lack of skilled aviation personnel, airspace regulation, and climate change.

On climate change, he said ICAO plans to submit to the UNFCCC, prior to the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties in Poznan, Poland, a statement suggesting that international aviation emissions should continue to come under the responsibility of the Organization in a post-2012 climate agreement. He highlighted work by ICAO’s Group on International Aviation and Climate Change, established in 2007.

Noting ongoing work on alternative fuels for aviation, he said the “ultimate goal” must be the elimination of carbon emissions from aviation. He indicated that in the long term, the international aviation community will “continue to develop the full range of options currently available,” highlighting improved operational and technological measures, and market-based measures such as emissions trading and carbon offsets.

FAO-BACKED RESEARCH PROJECT INDICATES AFRICA COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT CARBON SINK

According to research conducted by CarboAfrica, an international research consortium of 15 institutions from Africa and Europe that includes the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Africa could be absorbing more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits.

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After a two-year study in 11 African countries on the continent’s role in the global carbon cycle, researchers indicate that Africa accounts for up to 50% in atmospheric variations of carbon dioxide between seasons, and from year to year.

This impact is due to changes in the balance between carbon captured through photosynthesis by Africa’s vast expanse of forests and savannas, and emissions from fires, deforestation and forest degradation.

Riccardo Valentini, University of Tuscia, Italy, and CarboAfrica project coordinator, explained that evidence so far indicates that Africa seems to be a carbon sink- meaning that it takes more carbon out of the atmosphere than it releases.

He further noted that, if confirmed, the study implies that Africa contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect, thus helping mitigate the consequences of climate change. The preliminary results of the project, which will continue through 2010, were presented at the Open Science conference on Africa and the Carbon Cycle: the CarboAfrica project, held from in November in Accra, Ghana.

Speaking during the opening of the conference, Helena Semedo, FAO Regional Office for Africa, stressed the role of agriculture in reducing Africa’s carbon emissions.

She called for efforts to reach out to farmers in Africa to teach them how to use their land and their forests in such a way that Africa’s carbon cycle becomes an ally in the battle against climate change, noting that greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture can be reduced using appropriate soil management techniques, while increasing productivity.

LANDMARK NEW REPORT SAYS EMERGING GREEN ECONOMY COULD CREATE TENS OF MILLIONS OF NEW “GREEN JOBS” A new, landmark study on the impact of an emerging global “green economy” on the world of work says efforts to tackle climate change could result in the creation of millions of new “green jobs” in the coming decades.

The new report entitled Green Jobs: Towards Decent work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, says changing patterns of employment and investment resulting from efforts to reduce climate change and its effects are already generating new jobs in many sectors and economies, and could create millions more in both developed and developing countries.

However, the report also finds that the process of climate change, already underway, will continue to have negative effects on workers and their families, especially those whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and tourism. Action to tackle climate change as well as to cope with its effects is therefore urgent and should be designed to generate decent jobs.

Though the report is generally optimistic about the creation of new jobs to address climate change, it also warns that many of these new jobs can be “dirty, dangerous and difficult”.

Sectors of concern, especially but not exclusively in developing economies, include agriculture and recycling where all too often low pay, insecure employment contracts and exposure to health hazardous materials needs to change fast.

What’s more, it says too few green jobs are being created for the most vulnerable: the 1.3 billion working poor (43 per cent of the global workforce) in the world with earnings too low to lift them and their dependants above the poverty threshold of US$2 per person, per day, or for the estimated 500 million youth who will be seeking work over the next 10 years.

Green jobs reduce the environmental impact of enterprises and economic sectors, ultimately to levels that are sustainable.

The report focuses on “green jobs” in agriculture, industry, services and administration that contribute to preserving or restoring the quality of the environment. It also calls for measures to ensure

Global Watch that they constitute “decent work” that helps reduce poverty while protecting the environment.

The report says that climate change itself, adaptation to it and efforts to arrest it by reducing emissions have far-reaching implications for economic and social development, for production and consumption patterns and thus for employment, incomes and poverty reduction. These implications harbour both major risks and opportunities for working people in all countries, but particularly for the most vulnerable in the least developed countries and in small island States.

The report calls for “just transitions” for those affected by transformation to a green economy and for those who must also adapt to climate change with access to alternative economic and employment opportunities for enterprises and workers. According to the report, meaningful social dialogue between government, workers and employers will be essential not only to ease tensions and support better informed and more coherent environmental, economic and social policies, but for all social partners to be involved in the development of such policies.

Among other key findings in the report: - The global market for environmental products and services is projected to double from US$1,370 billion (1.37 trillion) per year at present to US$2,740 billion (2.74 trillion) by 2020, according to a study cited in the report.

- Half of this market is in energy efficiency and the balance in sustainable transport, water supply, sanitation and waste management. In Germany for example, environmental technology is to grow fourfold to 16 per cent of industrial output by 2030, with employment in this sector surpassing that in the country’s big machine tool and automotive industries.

- Sectors that will be particularly important in terms of their environmental, economic and employment impact are energy supply, in particular renewable energy, buildings and construction, transportation, basic industries, agriculture and forestry.

- Clean technologies are already the third largest sector for venture capital after information and biotechnology in the United States, while green venture capital in China more than doubled to 19 per cent of total investment in recent years.

- 2.3 million people have in recent years found new jobs in the renewable energy sector alone, and the potential for job growth in the sector is huge. Employment in alternative energies may rise to 2.1 million in wind and 6.3 million in solar power by 2030.

- Renewable energy generates more jobs than employment in fossil fuels. Projected investments of US$630 billion by 2030 would translate into at least 20 million additional jobs in the renewable energy sector.

- In agriculture, 12 million could be employed in biomass for energy and related industries. In a country like Venezuela, an ethanol blend of 10 per cent in fuels might provide one million jobs in the sugar cane sector by 2012.

- A worldwide transition to energy-efficient buildings would create millions of jobs, as well as “greening” existing employment for many of the estimated 111 million people already working in the construction sector.

- Investments in improved energy efficiency in buildings could generate an additional 2-3.5 million green jobs in Europe and the United States alone, with the potential much higher in developing countries.

- Recycling and waste management employs an estimated 10 million in China and 500,000 in Brazil today. This sector is expected to grow rapidly in many countries in the face of escalating commodity prices.

The report provides examples of massive green jobs creation, throughout the world, such as: 600,000 people in China who are already employed in solar thermal making and installing products such as solar water heaters; in Nigeria, a bio fuels industry based on cassava and sugar cane crops might sustain an industry employing 200,000 people; India could generate 900,000 jobs by 2025 in biomass gasification of which 300,000 would be in the manufacturing of stoves and 600,000 in areas such as processing into briquettes and pellets and the fuel supply chain; and in South Africa, 25,000 previously unemployed people are now employed in conservation as part of the ‘Working for Water’ initiative.

AFRICA TO DEVELOP ITS WATER RESOURCES FOR AGRICULTURE, ENERGY WATER KEY TO ERADICATING HUNGER AND POVERTY A three-day pan-African ministerial Conference has pledged to promote water development throughout the continent to fully exploit Africa’s agricultural and hydroenergy potential.

In a final Declaration, the Conference, on Water for Energy and Agriculture in Africa: the Challenges of Climate Change, noted that water is a key resource to economic and social development as well as to hunger and poverty eradication in Africa, and that food and energy security are prerequisites for the development of Africa’s human capital.

The Conference, which brought together ministers from 53 African countries, recognized that the challenges faced by the continent concerning food security, achieving the Millennium Development Goals, increased energy demand and combating climate change required all countries to move together.

Implementation of integrated water, agriculture and energy programmes to enhance sustainable development in Africa should be considered a priority, the Declaration said.

This involved expansion of the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control, and accelerated investment in water for agriculture and energy.

The Conference declared its support of efforts to enhance clean energy production in the continent, particularly in developing hydropower potential and in strengthening regional power pools.

Climate change

On climate change, which is likely to have a severe impact across Africa, the Conference agreed to foster research and development of renewable energy and agriculture in Africa in order to increase resilience and adaptation to climate change.

It called on countries bordering Lake Chad to double their efforts, and on donors and development partners to provide immediate assistance to help save the lake and its basin from “looming human and environmental disaster”.

Once the world’s sixth largest lake, Lake Chad has shrunk to 1/10th of its size in the last 35 years, endangering the livelihoods of local populations.

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Global Watch World Summit

It welcomed a proposal by FAO to convene a World Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2009 to agree on the rapid and definitive eradication of hunger from the planet through improved governance of world food security and by finding $30 billion a year to invest in water and rural infrastructures and in increasing agricultural productivity in the developing world.

The Conference was organized by FAO together with the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Government and in collaboration with stakeholders including the African Union, the African Ministers’ Council on Water Development, the African Development Bank and the Economic Commission for Africa. FAO is currently chair of UN Water, the inter-agency mechanism coordinating the UN’s water-related activities.

ECONOMICS OF ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE STUDY The World Bank is working with six pilot countries – Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana,Mozambique and Vietnam– on a US$8 million study funded by the Governments of the UK, the Netherlands and Switzerland to help decision makers in developing countries better understand and assess the risks posed by climate change, and to better cost, prioritize, sequence and integrate adaptation strategies into their development plans and budgets.

It will also include a small island nation after it has been selected.

By identifying the adaptation needs of developing countries and their costs, the study also helps inform the international community’s efforts to provide access to adequate support and new and additional resources to help the most vulnerable developing countries meet the costs of adapting to climate change. While national governments have to protect their most vulnerable people and identify financing mechanisms to make their countries resilient to climate change, these costs of adapting to climate change are not known.

The study will identify the costs and benefits of different adaptation options tailored to specific local contexts within each of the case study countries. It will also examine the robustness of specific adaptation strategies including the nature and timing of specific adaptation measures in light of the underlying uncertainty on the extent and severity of climate related risks and impacts for each of the sectors.

The study places particular emphasis on improving understanding of the impacts, sensitivity and vulnerability of the poor and most vulnerable social groups, of what adaptation would imply for their livelihoods, and what forms of public support are needed to facilitate such changes. Following the construction of socially disaggregated vulnerability assessments in a representative range of ‘hotspots’ within each country, plausible adaptation scenarios will be developed through participatory analysis using visualization tools.

The Study will synthesize the results of the specific country studies and generalize the lessons learned from these case study countries for broader application in other developing countries.

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For your Library CORPORATE RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE: ACHIEVING EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS THROUGH REGULATION, SELF-REGULATION AND ECONOMIC INCENTIVES Edited by Rory Sullivan, Insight Investment, UK November 2008 Given the scale of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions that are seen as necessary to avert the worst effects of climate change, policy action is likely to result in a complete reshaping of the world economy.

The consequences are not confined to ‘obvious’ sectors such as power generation, transport and heavy industry; virtually every company’s activities, business models and strategies will need to be completely rethought.

In addition, beyond their core business activities, companies have the potential to make important contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the allocation of capital, through innovation and the development of new technologies, and through their influence on the actions taken by governments on climate change.

“Corporate Responses to Climate Change” has been written at a crucial point in the climate change debate, with the issue now central to economic and energy policy in many countries.

The book analyses current business practice and performance on climate change, in the light of the dramatic changes in the regulatory and policy environment over the last five years. More specifically, it examines how climate changerelated policy development and implementation have influenced corporate performance, with the objective of using this information to consider how the next stage of climate change policy – regulation, incentives, voluntary initiatives – may be designed and implemented in a manner that delivers the real and substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that will be required in a timely manner.

It also addressing the inevitable dilemmas at the heart of climate change policy (e.g. how are concerns such as energy security to be squared with the need for drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions? Can economic growth be reconciled with greenhouse gas emissions? Can emissions reductions be delivered in an economically efficient manner?).

The book focuses primarily on two areas. First, how have companies actually responded to the emerging regulatory framework and the growing political and broader public interest in climate change? Have companies reduced their greenhouse gas emissions and by how much? Have companies already started to position themselves for the transition to a low-carbon economy? Does corporate self-regulation – unilateral commitments and collective voluntary approaches – represent an appropriate response to the threat presented by climate change? What are the barriers to further action?

Second, the book examines what the key drivers for corporate action on climate change have been: regulation, stakeholder pressure, investor pressure. Which policy instruments have been effective, which have not, and why? How have company actions influenced the strength of these pressures?

The simple pleasures of

Birdwatching

Text and pictures by Chandani Jayatilleke

I grew up in a suburb of Colombo, Sri Lanka and have watched and loved birds for as long as I can remember. I loved pigeons, house sparrows, bulbuls and the lone kingfisher which offered a rare delight in our ancestral home-garden. I was also fascinated by the extra ordinary behaviour of the bats. But I was the only child among a large group of children to have been enthralled by bats.

The Bat is by no stretch of imagination a very popular bird!

My siblings and I used to collect bird feathers and maintain a feather book with some information about the birds to which the feathers belonged. We clubbed feathers together and used them as a stick to beat each other! On return from school, and a quick lunch, we ran to the garden and to the nearby paddy field to collect bird feathers. We noticed many different birds and watched their behaviour. We identified different types of birds from the sounds they made, their call.

At one stage I wished I was a bird! I wanted to fly like them, soar into the blue sky, get swung by a gentle wind and look at the gorgeously green earth below. But gradually, and sadly, my friendship with the birds in my garden faded, as I got more and more involved in my studies at school. It was as if the birds had flown away from life.

But the birds retuned to my life when I got married and settled down in an area which is closer to a marshlands near Colombo. The birds were the first things I saw in my garden and the lush green neighbourhood with plenty of trees. Pleasant memories of my bird-filled ancestral home came back to me. I began to relive in my childhood memories and almost immediately became an avid birder.

My husband and I started birding by feeding the birds.

We knew that we could not be true birders if we did not attract birds. So, we kept a tray of cut fruits such as papaya and mango on the edge of the lawn hoping that these would attract the winged ones. And when they came, we watched from a distance, very discretely.

All I talk about and think about now are birds, birds and birds! But one cannot be birder alone; all by oneself. One needs a companion to share the joys of birding with. Thankfully, my husband is an ardent bird lover and we share quality time bird watching and learning about the exciting world of birds.

The winter is on and this is bird watching time too. The birds have begun their incredibly long journeys across continents.

With the dawn of the migratory season this year, since October, thousands if not millions of winged creatures have begun to fly all over the globe; from the northern latitudes, flying away from the freezing cold to the warmth and the comfort of the tropical lands.

Island nation Sri Lanka has always been a paradise for migratory birds. With its 234 resident species, including a significant number of endemic birds, the island is indeed a haven for bird life. As a kid what amazed me was the diversity of birds, be it in terms of colour, shape or the size. Birds still amaze me; their capacity is astounding. They have the power to travel huge distances, traversing large high mountains and vast oceans. Some

birds even travel from Sweden to Africa.

Bird watching can be a pastime for anyone. It’s relaxing and interesting and also a good learning experience. It needs no experience or great knowledge on birds to become an avid birder.

All you need is an interest. It will be beneficial to have a pair of binoculars and a few books on birds and a note book to enter your own observations.

If you want to become a birder, you need to follow certain guidelines: 1. You should observe birds from a distance and not disturb them.

Many migratory birds mate and procreate, so it is important that you do not disturb this process, or scare them away from nests.

2. Do not photograph birds using the flash.

3. Some birds are weak and rest and roost temporarily in certain areas. Chasing them or scaring them could result in their death.

Common Babbler

Kingfisher

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Green Living

We’ve got to move it

...move it

By Garfield King

G

ood health is a lifestyle choice. That was the controversial statement made some years ago by a friend who is often described as a fitness freak. Needless to say his views were always challenged. With so much emphasis being placed these days on taking personal responsibility for health and wellness, my friend’s voice can no longer be described as being in the wilderness; it is very much in the living room.

When things go wrong many of us look for someone else to blame, but when it comes to health, with a few exceptions, much of the responsibility is on our shoulders. We may choose to blame governments for bad management of the health care system, or fate for the hereditary aliments that challenge us, but there are almost always strategies and options that can be applied to ensure our dependence on the health care system is reduced to a minimum and that we successfully manage inherited health issues.

To get up and get moving seems a herculean effort (Hercules, now there’s an image of health for you) and where do we find the time? Some of us know what it’s like to feel as if every joint in the body needs oiling. Going to a gym works for some people and it’s a good option. An entire industry has grown out of the quest for health and fitness. The gym culture has become a lifestyle choice for those who can afford the membership fees. It keeps you in connection with those of like mind as you are encouraged and motivated by others also sweating on the treadmill or stationary bike. There’s also the advantage, if your budget allows, of having a personal trainer to make sure you get the maximum out of your workouts without injury.

But we are not all in a position to make the gym every day. It could be finance, or conflicts with job schedule, or family responsibilities. What I discovered several years ago, after gradually ballooning from 200 pounds to 245 pounds, was that it’s often easier than we think. After all, not everyone wants or needs a washboard or six pack belly and bulging biceps is not everyone’s idea of a healthy body.

On the other hand most of us do want to attain a comfortable body weight; to feel that we can do the activities we enjoy every day without getting exhausted and to have the energy to keep going just a bit longer. Increasing resistance to disease is not something to sneeze at. If you had an opportunity to extend the number of years you could move around on this planet, would you embrace it?

If your legs work, even if you’re a bit shaky on them, you have all that it takes to reap some health benefits. Take a look at your feet. Place one in front of the other. That’s step one. Then place the other foot in front of the first one and you’ve completed

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step two of this programme. Now you’re moving. Repeat at a moderate pace for 20 to 30 minutes every day and you’re moving toward better health.

Countless studies have stressed the importance of activity in health maintenance and just as many have pointed to our feet as the basic tools required. The journey of a thousand miles may well begin with the first step and so can the journey to better health.

While in the Caribbean it is not a good idea to take your daily walks when the sun is at its peak, walking can be done anywhere at almost anytime. You don’t need any special, expensive equipment other than a decent pair of comfortable, supportive shoes. According to the Mayo Clinic a regular walking programme can help you: • Reduce your risk of a heart attack.

• Manage your blood pressure.

• Reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

• Manage your diabetes.

• Manage your weight.

• Manage stress and boost your spirits.

• Stay strong and active.

In recent years numerous studies have indicated that a brisk daily walk can also help to: • Prevent depression, colon cancer, constipation, osteoporosis, and impotence • Lengthen lifespan • Relieve arthritis and back pain • Strengthen muscles, bones, and joints and • Improve sleep

The UK National Health Service website notes that walking 10,000 steps a day (about five miles) can give you a healthy heart and reduce body fat. “Most of the work is done by the muscles of the lower body, and it’s a weight-bearing activity, so it can help improve bone density. At the same time, it’s low impact, so it won’t strain your joints.” The great thing about walking is that it’s something we already do; to get tangible health benefits we just need to do it a bit more.

If you’re concerned about carbon footprints, keep making your own footprints on the road, the pavement, the grass or even the sand. Walking is free, saves on gasoline and bus or taxi fares and is better for the environment.

Green Living

New year -

New parenting

By Barbara King

O

ver the last ten years, parents in Trinidad and Tobago have become more conscious of the need to have more information and greater understanding of parenting. Many have accepted that today’s children cannot be raised in the same way as they were raised. Some basic principles remain the same, like the need for consistency with discipline, good manners and the need to teach respect for other people, property and life. However, there are some things that do have to change.

Children today have documented rights as in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and, as a signatory to the convention our government has banned the use of corporal punishment in schools. There are now government and non-governmental agencies established to protect children from all forms of abuse. Parents can no longer think of their children as their property to do with as they choose. Parenting is now seen as a vocation requiring particular skills, training and education. Effective Parenting is done consciously and deliberately, not automatically or accidentally. Poor or chaotic parenting is proven to result in deviance and dysfunction. It is a mistake for any parent to think: “I know everything there is to know about raising my children.”

Change is one thing we cannot avoid and the speed of change is greater when there are children around. The child I was parenting last year will not be the same this year, and the way I parent her cannot be exactly the same. The way I parented my first child does not work perfectly on my second, and, as many parents can testify, the way the first child was raised will not work for the fourth or fifth child.

Parenting today is about helping our children to understand and deal with their emotions appropriately; equipping them to socialize with the people they encounter, educating them to take good care of the physical body; encouraging them to learn, enjoy learning and to be willing to keep learning; and something parents have not had to do before - teaching them to use technology appropriately and not to be ruled by it. Our methods of child rearing have to provide for the whole person: mind, body, emotions, the social and spirit. Effective parenting is about helping children to find their spiritual identity. The spiritual is not just about religion. It embraces the sense of self as a human being, playing a part on this planet and impacting on the quality of life for all on this Earth.

It therefore includes consciousness of both the internal and the external environment.

As we move into a new year, how about taking some time to make an assessment of your parenting? What did you do well over the last year? What could you have done better? Is there anything you can change about the way you parent? If you are really brave and humble you could ask your children these questions about your parenting.

Many of us know instinctively where we need to improve.

Listen to your inner voice and the voices of your children. As you make your resolutions for 2009, remember to include one to upgrade your parenting skills. Keep it simple, something you can work on every day like: • Speaking to your child or children in a calmer, more respectful tone of voice • Showing more affection regularly • Catching them doing something right and acknowledging they are good.

• Being more consistent with discipline or • Making more time to care for your self.

I leave you with the words of family therapist Virgina Satir from The New People Making:

“Rearing a family is probably the most difficult job in the world. It resembles two business firms merging their respective resources to make a single product. All the potential headaches of that operation are present when an adult male and an adult female join to steer a child from infancy to adulthood. Parents in a nurturing family realize problems come along, simply because life offers them, and they will be alert to creative solutions as each new problem appears. Troubled families, on the other hand, put all their energies into the hopeless attempt to keep problems from happening; when they do happen – as they always do – these people have no resources left for solving the crisis.

Nurturing parents realize change is inevitable; children change quickly from one stage to another, nurturing adults never stop growing and changing, and the world around us never stands still. They accept change as part of being alive and try to use it creatively to make their families still more nurturing.”

I wish you and your family a happy and harmonious new year.

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Letters to the Editor Dear Linda: Having thoroughly read cover to cover of your magazine, looking at the pictures and graphics, all I can say is that I’m an environment convert.

Now, I’m going to try to include anyone I can into seriously considering the harm we’re doing to the environment in our daily activities and how we can minimize that impact.

Thanks for helping to open my eyes.

Janice, Georgetown, Guyana Hello Publisher:

Dear Earth Conscious: I came across your magazine – and I love it and kudos for taking the brave big step in attempting to report the progress of our countries in developing environmental sustainability.

We have a long way to go in becoming – as you put it – Earth Conscious – but with everyone doing his/her part, we can achieve some measure of sustainability. I look forward to your next issue.

Trevor Peters Kingston, Jamaica

Good job. It’s time the Caribbean got its own magazine dedicated to the environment. Hope you get the support you need to keep the magazine sustained.

Mike, Castries, Saint Lucia

Editor’s Note: Please write and let us know what you think of Earth Conscious.

You can email your comments to: caribbeanpragency@gmail.com You can also connect with us on Facebook by joining the group “Being Earth Conscious”. We look forward to hearing from and sharing with you.

Dear Linda: Earth Conscious is a magazine whose intention is to make us aware of environmental issues in the Caribbean with a global perspective. The magazine features pieces from many people - kids of all ages as well as adults. Earth Conscious is a definite read for all; the little each one of us does to preserve the environment would eventually add up to make global effort.”

Laurin Persad Canada Dear Linda, Congratulations on the launch of Earth Conscious magazine. This is an important step in educating our people about how absolutely necessary preserving our environment and responsible and sustainable use of our natural resources are, not just to us but for our children and their children. It is my hope that this serves as a platform for encouraging and inspiring our people to do their own little bit in their homes, offices and communities to minimise their own footprint and to also encourage others to do so. Thank you for making this bold move forward and I wish you all success in this venture and your broader mission to preserve our environment for all the generations to come.

Warmest regards, Nicole Joseph, Trinidad

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Upcoming Meetings First quarter 2009 FOUNDING CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY (IRENA): 26 January 2009 - 27 January 2009. Bonn, Germany.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): 10–12 February 2009 Montreal, Canada.

THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMMUNITY BASED ADAPTATION (CBA): 22 February 2009 - 26 February 2009. Dhaka, Bangladesh.

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS ON CLIMATE CHANGE: GLOBAL RISKS, CHALLENGES AND DECISIONS: 10 March 2009 - 12 March 2009. Copenhagen, Denmark.

AWG-LCA 5 AND AWG-KP 7: 30 March 2009 - 9 April 2009.

Bonn, Germany.

SECOND MEETING OF THE CBD AHTEG ON BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: 30 March 2009 - 3 April 2009. Helsinki, Finland.

Discovering this idyllic place, we find ourselves filled with a yearning to linger here, where time stands still and beauty overwhelms

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