May

New power station opens in Cork

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Micheál Martin TD, officially opened ESB’s new gas-fired power station at Aghada in Cork today (31^st May). This power station is now the largest in Ireland and is ranked as one of the most efficient and cleanest in Europe.

Aghada Power Station is expected to generate enough electricity to meet the needs of almost 500,000 homes. This is the latest move by ESB to alter its profile by becoming more involved in cleaner, more environmentally-friendly power generation. The company is investing €22 billion until 2020 with the aim of making ESB a carbon neutral company by 2035. Speaking about the Aghada plant, ESB Chairman Lochlann Quinn said:

“This development at Aghada illustrates how ESB really is an innovative and far-seeing energy company. In spite of extremely difficult economic conditions, the company has proceeded to deliver a plant of this calibre and to press ahead with its overall strategy of providing low-carbon electricity to our customers.”

Call for Entries: South Tipperary County Council Environmental Awards 2010

The South Tipperary County Council is calling for entries to this year’s Environmental Awards competition that will be run over the course of the summer. This competition aims to encourage the public to enhance, promote and take responsibility for their local environment. Previous categories of awards include Tidy Burial Grounds, Tidy Schools, Tidy Towns and Villages, and this year five new categories will be included:

• Golden Mile Award
• Community Involvement Award
• B for Biodiversity Award
• Environmental Champion Award
• Best School Travel Project

For further information on this Environmental Awards competition, please contact the Environmental Section of South Tipperary County Council, Parnell St., Clonmel at 1800 20 26 27.

EU Ecolabel Communication Award

The European Commissions and the EU Ecolable Helpdesk will host the EU Ecolabel Communication Award ceremony in Brussels on October 18^th and applications are now being accepted. The award aims to recognise the best communication initiatives to promote the EU Ecolabel. The application package must be received by June 14^th. For further information on the awards and to receive an application form, please contact the EU Ecolable Helpdesk at ecolabel@biois.com. There is also an FAQ page on the EU Ecolabel at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/faq/faq_en.htm.

EU carbon emissions reduction target to remain at 20%

European companies have welcomed an announcement from the European Commission (EC) that it is not recommending an increase in the EU’s carbon reduction target by 2020. This statement follows speculation that the EU may increase its carbon reduction target from 20% to 30% by 2020 due to the substantial drop in carbon emissions in 2009.

Recent reports from the European Commission show that there has been a low uptake of Kyoto carbon credit allowances from European companies, partly due to the economic downturn and subsequent dip in industrial activity. In April, data on the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) for 2009 was released and showed a decrease in carbon emissions from each of the EU Member States, with an average drop of 11%. As this figure had crossed the half-way mark to achieving the 20% emissions reduction target by 2020, there was speculation that the EC would increase the target to 30%.

While many European companies welcome this announcement, others believe that increasing the target to 30% would have boosted the carbon market created under the ETS. The EC also acknowledges that the current target of 20% carbon reduction falls short of the 25%-40% scientists estimate is essential to give a 50/50 chance of keeping global warming within 2C of pre-industrial temperatures.

Active Environmental Education Roscommon Summer Programme 2010

The Active Environmental Education Roscommon Summer Programme 2010 will take place from Thursday 1^st to Wednesday 7^th July. This summer programme is primarily aimed at teachers and provides an opportunity to exchange activity ideas for green schools. There is a great mix of activities planned, and the breakdown is as follows:

Day 1: Water, Water Everywhere Workshop and local eco field trip
Day 2: Learn how to make your own environmentally friendly cleaning products and ecocosmetics
Day 3: Outward Bound, Earth, Wind and Water Tour to Ballaghaderreen Area
Day 4: Notice Nature, visit to the hidden gem
Day 5: Biodiversity walk in Frenchpark area with wildlife expert Michael Bell

Some other activities planned include an SEAI energy workshop, visit to a home composting demonstration site, trip to ESB Shannon, and a water conservation workshop.

The course fee is €50 and includes materials and lunches. For further information, please contact the Environmental Awareness Officer Suzanne Dempsey on 0906 637268 or email sdempsey@roscommoncoco.ie. An application form can also be downloaded from the Roscommon County Council website.

Energy-efficient solutions: wind turbine meets mobile mast

Carlow-based energy company Cinergy has developed a new energy-efficient system to meet the operating needs of mobile networks, primarily targeted at developing countries. This system is based on combining the site requirements for wind turbines and mobile phones.

Developing countries are rapidly rolling out mobile networks. However, many areas are still unable to connect these networks as power grids do not extend to the high ground required for signal. In many cases, this results in the use of fuel-hungry diesel generators. Cinergy’s sytem would use renewable wind-generated energy, removing the dependence on the local grid. As co-founder of Cinergy Colin Cunningham remarks:

“Putting a wind turbine on top of a mobile phone mast structure seemed like a logical step given that both require very similar sites to work effectively...Our whole focus is on green energy solutions for those markets.”

Cinergy’s new system is currently being tested by a mobile phone operator in Ireland.

SEAI Report: Renewable Energy in Ireland 2010

Wind turbine
Copyright Environmental Potection Agency

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has released the Renewable Energy in Ireland 2010 report (26^th May). The report indicates the huge strides Ireland has made in supporting the generation of wind energy and that Ireland is now one of the world’s leading countries for wind generated electricity. The steady growth in renewable energy is reported alongside a drop in electricity and gas prices.

The SEAI report reveals that Ireland is on track to meet the Government’s renewable energy target for this year. It shows that renewable energy sources generated enough electricity to supply half of the homes in Ireland in 2009, but that growth in the use of renewable energy for heating and transport was slower than for electricity generation. Speaking about the report, Prof. Owen Lewis, SEAI’s Chief Executive, said:

“This is a good starting point. The renewable energy statistics show a real opportunity for Ireland, but challenges still remain and more progress is needed if we are to realise the benefits that renewable energy offers and improve our energy security.”

The Renewable Energy in Ireland 2010 report is available for download from the SEAI website.

Memorandum of Understanding for electric cars

ESB Electric Car Charge Point

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Government, ESB and Mitsubishi Motors, MC (Automobile) Europe, and MMC Commercials to further promote the electric vehicle (EV industry in Ireland.

This promotional move coincided with ESB’s announcement of the first e-car trial for Ireland, in which the Mitsubishi i-MiEV will be used to aid infrastructural planning for charging points across Ireland. This trial will be conducted by the School of Engineering in Trinity College.

The first registered EV arrived in Ireland in March and the ESB anticipate that there will be 2,000 EVs in Ireland by the end of 2011. The i-MiEV can be fully charged within six hours using a standard three-pin socket at an estimated cost of €2 per charge and has a journey range of about 160km.

US report: carbon emissions could rise by 43% by 2035

A new report published by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) warns that global carbon emissions could rise to 43% by 2035 if current trends in energy use continue without restrictions. According to the EIA’s International Energy Outlook 2010, this rise in emissions would result from a projected 49% increase in global energy consumption by the same year.

The report also predicts that there will be a growth in renewable energy sources. However, even though there will be a drop in the share of total energy use of petroleum, the report predicts that it will remain as the largest single energy source in the world. It also emphasised the need to establish low-carbon energy technologies in developing economies, as EIS deputy administrator Howard Gruenspecht writes:

“With strong economic growth and continued heavy reliance on fossil fuels expected for most of the non-OECD economies under current policies, much of the projects increase in carbon dioxide emissions occurs among the developing non-OECD nations.   In 2007, non-OECD emissions exceeded OECD emissions by 17 per cent; in 2035, they are projected to be double the OECD emissions.”

Top 50 eco-cities in the world announced

Dublin ranked as 33rd eco-city in the world

A new eco-city ranking has been included in this year’s annual Worldwide Quality of Living Survey conducted by Mercer, with Calgary, Canada, taking the number 1 position. The eco-city ranking is based on optimisation of renewable energy sources, sustainability, availability and quality of water, waste management, quality of sewage systems, air pollution and traffic congestion.

Honolulu was ranked second in the eco-city index, while Ottawa and Helsinki were joint third. Nordic cities also fared well in this index, many of which have been designed with sustainability and environmental impacts in mind. Dublin was ranked at number 33, while Belfast scored slightly higher at number 30.

European cities continue to dominate the top of the list of 50 cities with the world’s best quality of living, according to the Mercer 2010 Quality of Living Survey. Vienna remains at the top of the list, followed by Zurich and Geneva in second and third place. Dublin also features on the list, and has been ranked as 26^th city with the best quality of living in the world.

The Mercer list is compiled using a point-scoring index for the 221 cities surveyed, using New York as the base city against which all others are marked. The data largely collected between September and November 2009. The full index rankings can be viewed on the Mercer website.

Department of Defence publishes Biodiversity Action Plan

On May 25^th, Minister for Defence, Mr Tony Killeen TD, announced the publication of his Department’s Biodiversity Action Plan. It is a welcomed announcement as the country celebrates National Biodiversity Week (21^st-30^th May).

The Department of Defence administers large tracts of military training lands, many of which are wilderness areas in the countryside. Some of the main holdings include the Curragh (Kildare), Glen of Imall (Wicklow), and Kilworth (Cork). The Biodiversity Action Plan aims to maintain and encourage the biodiversity of theses grounds “whilst balancing the training needs of the Defence Foreces.”

The Department’s Biodiversity Action Plan will cover the period from 2010 to 2012 and is set out into six target and action areas:

1. Implementation of the National Biodiversity Action Plan
2. Land Use and Management
3. Habitats
4. Identification and Monitoring
5. General Measures and sustainability
6. Managing Biological Data

The full Biodiversity Action Plan is available on the Department of Defence website.

Deadline approaching for Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund 2010

This coming Friday, 28^th May, is the deadline for receipt of applications for the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund 2010.

This fund aims to encourage sustainable development through supporting small scale environmental projects at a local level. If you have a project that could promote environmental awareness and sustainable community living in your locality, you may qualify for funding.

Please contact your local Environmental Awareness Officer for further details. An application form may be downloaded from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government website. This must be completed and returned by 5pm on 28^th May.

GEF and UNEP: major environmental initiatives announced

The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) have announced their involvement in two major environmental initiatives this year: the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, and Brazilian conservation projects.

For the FIFA World Cup, the GEF and UNEP will assist in Government projects to reduce carbon emissions under a National Greening Programme. GEF has given US$1 million towards retrofitting solar panels on billboards, street and traffic lights, and stadia in the six cities that will host the tournament.

The second project will see the GEF and UNEP supporting the Brazilian Government with conservation projects, which ties in with and promotes the 2010 UN International Year of Biodiversity. This project will involve making information on Brazil’s biological collection available for free online through the Brazilian Biodiversity Information System. It is estimated that between 15 and 20 percent of the world’s animal and plant life occur in Brazil.

National Biodiversity Week (21st-30th May)

Corncrake
Copyright Mike Brown

Focus on: Natura 2000 Network

Natura 2000 is a Europe-wide network of protected wildlife sites. This programme of site designations was set up with the aim of preserving Europe’s natural heritage and to ensure their survival for future generations. It is the largest network of protected areas in the world.

In Ireland, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is responsible for designating sites for conservation. There are three main types: Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and Special Protection Area (SPA). There are many rare species in Ireland, such as the corncrake and the Marsh Orchid. Conserving these species in their natural habitats promotes a healthy environment and is one way in which Ireland, and other EU Member States, can help prevent further loss of biodiversity.

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Mr John Gormley TD outlined his progression in protecting Ireland’s habitats earlier this month (17^th May). He noted the success of many projects aimed at promoting biodiversity such as the Golden Eagle Project, reintroduction of Red Kites to Wicklow and White Tailed Eagles to Kerry. The positive effect of protecting wildlife areas has also boosted the Peregrine Falcon population, while Ireland’s native Red Squirrel has been introduced to the west to provide a habitat safe from the Grey Squirrel.

Minister Gormley added:

“Already this year I have signed 32 Orders protecting a diverse range of sites throughout the country from coastal cliffs and islands to our larger inland lakes. The area covered by these sites extends to over 20,000 hectares and within a matter of weeks I expect to be in a position to sign a further 20 Orders.”

Site synopsises of Ireland’s NHAs, SACs and SPAs are available on the National Parks and Wildlife Service website at http://www.npws.ie/en/.

National Biodiversity Week (21st-30th May)

Focus on: Protecting Biodiversity

In 2002 world leaders agreed to significantly reduce the rate of global biodiversity loss by 2010. Despite this, the recent third edition of the CBD Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3), based on national reports of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), indicates that Governments have failed to meet their 2010 targets. The GBO-3 publication will be central to the discussions at the Nagoya Biodiveristy Summit that will take place in October this year.

GBO-3 shows that no significant decline in the rate of biodiversity loss has been achieved and that the pressures facing the world’s ecosystems, habitats and species are still rising. The conclusions also warned that further biodiversity loss will result in a severe reduction in many essential services to societies around the world.

  “Humanity has fabricated the illusion that somehow we can get by without biodiversity or that it is somehow peripheral to our contemporary world: the truth is we need it more than ever on a planet of six billion heading to over nine billion people by 2050.” Dr. Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environmental Programme

It is the responsibility of each person to help conserve biodiversity around us, so we can avoid the consequences of further biodiversity loss. Read about protecting biodiversity in Ireland and the how you can become involved in our Biodiversity Section.

Government support price structure for bio-energy sector

The Minister for Energy, Mr Eamon Ryan TD, has announced a new guarantee price support structure for bio-energy. This will enable over 200MW of renewable electricity to be connected to the national grid, boosting the sustainable biomass supply sector in Ireland.

REFIT (Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff) will help drive the move to a green economy by greening electricity generation as well as reducing Ireland’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. It will also help to boost the economy in rural areas as businesses will be able to produce their own electricity on site and selling the surplus to the national grid.

The price will depend on the type of technology deployed and will range from 15 cent per kilowatt hour to 8.5 cent an hour. The bio-energy technologies supported through REFIT include Anaerobic Digestion Combined Heat and Power (CHP), Biomass CHP, and Biomass Combustion. There will also be a 30% provision for co-firing of biomass in the three power stations at Edenderry, West Offaly Power, and Lough Ree Power.

National Biodiversity Week at the Burren, Co. Clare

The Burren at sunset
Copyright Mike Brown

The Burren in Bloom festival has been taking place over the month of May in celebration of the extraordinary botanical wealth of the region. This festival coincides with National Biodiversity Week and a number of events are planned to mark it.

Wednesday 26^th, 2pm: Walk with Stephen Ward of Burrenbeo Trust, on Flowers of the Burren. Meet at the Burren College of Art car park.

Thursday 27^th, 8.30pm: Talk by Emma Glanville of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, on Ranging over the Burren. Talk takes place at the Burren College of Art.

Saturday 29^th & Sunday 30^th: Walk and workshop on Setting live moth traps at 8.30pm on Saturday, followed by Identification and release of overnight trapped moths at 9am on Sunday.

Sunday 30^th, 2pm: Simon Berrow & Sabine Springer of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Kilrush, lead a whale watching group on Whale & Dolphins off the Burren.

For full details of the Burren in Bloom festival events, please see the following PDF brochure.

Innovation for Biodiversity Photo Challenge!

To mark the UN International Year of Biodiversity, National Geographic, the UN Environmental Programme and Myoo Create are running the Innovation for Biodiversity Photo Challenge. The top three winners will share the $3,000 prize fund.

This competition aims to raise awareness of innovative solutions for conserving and restoring biodiversity. Biodiversity is essential to all forms of life on earth, and by failing to protect it we are damaging our own life support system.

Enter the competition

To enter the Innovation for Biodiversity Photo Challenge, you must first create an account at http://myoocreate.com. You can then upload your photo and provide a description of up to 200 words, including the date and location the photo was taken. The competition is open to anyone over the age of 13, and guardian consent is required for anyone under the age of 18.

Entries must be submitted by 23.59pm on 31^st May 2010. The finalists will be announced on World Environment Day (June 5^th) and the winners will be contacted by 25^th June.

Further details are available on the Myoo Create website.

Take part in ECO-UNESCO's Biodiversity Photography & Film Exhibition

Enlarge image

To celebrate the UN International Year of Biodiversity, why not take part in ECO-UNESCO’s Biodiversity Photography & Film Exhibition Life, Camera, Action! This exhibition will be part of ECO-UNESCO National Youth ECO-Forum 2010 ‘WORLD WILD WEB: Young People Exploring Biodiversity’.

To get involved, simply send your photos or short films on biodiversity to exhibition@ecounesco.ie or by post to ECO-UNESCO, The Greenhouse, Andrew St., Dublin, and you could win a masterclass in wildlife documentary making.

Each entry should include a title, a short introduction, and must be in high resolution. Please also include full contact details. The deadline for submission is 17th September 2010 and the exhibition will be launched in The Greenhouse on 16th November 2010.

For further details please see the ECO-UNESCO website, or contact youth@ecounesco.ie with any queries.

Green companies to get priority in Government contracts

Speaking at the Green Economy Expo that took place in Croke Park at the weekend, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Mr. John Gormley TD said that draft plans are being made to give companies with environmentally-friendly policies priority in competing for State contracts.

The aim is to make at least half of the Government’s annual contracts more eco-friendly. The plan, which meets with EU environmental regulations on public spending, would provide a good opportunity for ‘green’ Irish SMEs to compete with larger companies.

How are YOU celebrating Biodiversity Week?

The United Nations (UN) is marking 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), and from this Friday 21st May until Sunday 30th May, Ireland is celebrating Biodiversity Week.

Eco-systems and species are disappearing at a rate 100 times greater than 50 years ago. This unsustainable trend has serious consequences for the huge myriad of life on Earth, including climate change, and much of this has been caused by human behaviour and lifestyles.

Let’s make Biodiversity Week the time to turn over a new leaf and start making positive environmental changes in our lives by living sustainably, conserving our natural resources, protecting biodiversity and reducing our global footprint.

To find out more about biodiversity in Ireland and the different events that are happening across Ireland for Biodiversity Week and IYB, please see our Biodiversity Section where events will be updated as they are announced. You'll also find lots of interesting information on our ENFO Kids Biodiversity pages.

Organising an event?

If you are organising an event to mark the IYB, you may be interested to learn about the IYB Travelling Exhibtion.

As part of the celebrations for IYB, a number of bodies including UNESCO, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the Centre Sciences, have joined forces to create the IYB Travelling Exhibition.

The aim of the IYB Travelling Exhibition is to communicate the key messages on biodiversity and raise public awareness of the importance of biodiversity to all forms of life on earth. It also outlines the various measures taken to ensure global conservation and sustainability.

The exhibition panels and text can be downloaded from the UNESCO website.

Download panels

Download text

Danish researchers discover new way to produce bio-degradable plastic bags

Researchers from Topsoe, a Danish company, and the Technical University of Denmark have developed a process to convert carbohydrates from biomass into lactic acid using a catalyst, which in turn can be used in the production of bio-degradable plastic bags.

Currently, lactic acid from biomass can only be extracted following a fermentation process. However, using an inorganic catalyst will make it possible to produce the lactic acid in a more cost-efficient manner. According to the researchers, lactic acid products have the potential to replace many chemical products that are produced from fossil resources today, reducing carbon emissions.

The results of the research were published in the Science magazine on 30^th April.

Less Kyoto credits used in 2009 by EU companies

Data published by the European Commission (EC) on Tuesday (18^th) shows that European companies bought few international carbon credits through the Kyoto carbon credit allowances since the start of the second EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) phase in 2008.

The flexible mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol allowed the EU ETS to be introduced in 2005 in an effort to combat the high level of greenhouse gas emissions within the EU. Under the scheme, carbon dioxide emissions from large industries were capped, but trading of excess carbon dioxide allowances between industries was permitted. In the second phase of the ETS, EU companies have so far used just 12% of the 1.4 billion Kyoto credits available to them for the period.

This low uptake of the Kyoto credits is due partly to the economic downturn and resulting dip in industrial activity. The companies are easily able to comply with their emission caps and many have gained carbon allowance surpluses, which can be banked for use until 2020.

Data on the ETS for 2009 released in April also showed a decrease in carbon emissions from each of the EU Member States in comparison to 2008. Italy and Spain had high percentage drops in carbon emissions at 16% each, with an overall drop of 11%. This figure shows that the EU has passed the half way mark to achieving the 20% emissions reduction target by 2020. As a result this target may now be increased to 30%, a move that has the support of the German Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen.

The National Trust beekeeping initiative

Due to consecutive years of heavy rainfall, honeybees are under threat in Northern Ireland and the honey supply is running out. The diminishing numbers of bees is something ecologists have been warning about for some time. They are central to the ecosystems of the world, and are vital to food production as they pollinate many of the world’s farm crops.

In order to help re-establish the bee populations of Northern Ireland and the UK in general, The National Trust has announced a beekeeping initiative. This beekeeping revival initiative will involve introducing 45 new bee hives across the UK, including one at Rowallane, Saintfield, Co. Down. The progress of this new hive in Northern Ireland will be followed on BBC Radio Ulster over the course of the summer as part of the Bee Part of It campaign.

Airtricity to create new jobs and enter gas market

Yesterday, Tuesday 18^th May, the green energy company Airtricity announced that will be creating 200 jobs between now and April 2011 as it enters into the gas market. These new jobs will include positions in sales, customer support, billing and support services.

Airtricity will be creating sustainable competition within the domestic energy market. The company says it will be offering customers a 10% discount on Bord Gáis rates, and last year it entered the electricity market. The announcement has been welcomed by Minister for Energy, Mr Eamon Ryan TD.

New EC strategy aims to reap benefits of bio-waste

On Tuesday 18^th May, the European Commission (EC) outlined plans to maximise the environmental and economic benefits of bio-waste. Improving the management of bio-waste will be central to the EC plans.

The main environmental threat posed by bio-waste is the production of methane gas in landfills, a greenhouse gas that is roughly 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Under the EU Landfill Directive, Member States are obliged to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste that goes to landfills to 35% of the 1995 levels by 2016. However, bio-waste could also be treated and used to produce compost and biogas. This bio-gas has the potential to provide up to a third of the EU’s target for renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020, and the EC plans to improve the EU support initiatives to harness this potential.

The EC recognises that actions need to be taken to promote composting so that markets for bio-waste compost can develop and partially replace non-renewable mineral fertilizers. It also recognises the importance of establishing high environmental standards to treatment facilities and compost across Europe to ensure high product quality as well as gaining consumer confidence.

Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik stated:

“We already have a significant body of legislation governing bio-waste in the EU. But through better implementation and enforcement, we can squeeze even more benefit from bio-waste. This will not only help in the fight against climate change: producing good quality compost and biogas will contribute to healthy soil and slow biodiversity loss.”

GreenShoots Programme: application deadline this week

Those interested in applying for the GreenShoots Programme should submit their applications by this Friday, 21^st May.

The GreenShoots Programme is targeted at emerging entrepreneurs and provides participants with business training, networking, and other skills necessary to establish and run their own businesses. This 9 month programme will start in June 2010 at the Macroom E Enterprise Centre, Co. Cork.

National Bike Week 2010 events announced

Details of National Bike Week 2010 (13^th-20^th June) were announced earlier this week by Ministers Noel Dempsey and Ciarán Cuffe, together with the ambassador for event, cycling legend Sean Kelly. National Bike Week aims to raise awareness of the health, social and environmental benefits of cycling, and encourage people to choose the bike as their main mode of transport.

Some of the key events include Cycling Ireland’s Raleigh Around Ireland (Sunday 13^th), a Workplace Cycle Challenge (Monday 14^th), An Post Tour de Burren (Saturday 19^th), and Cycle to School Day (Wednesday 16^th). Detailed information on the events during National Bike Week is available on www.bikeweek.ie, together with a list of participating local areas.

National Bike Week is part of the National Cycling Policy, which Minister Dempsey launched in April 2009. Under this policy, over 100 different actions will be taken over the coming years to promote a culture of safe cycling in Ireland by 2020. The National Cycling Policy aims to increase the number of bike users by 125,000 by 2020.  

First Grow it Yourself (GIY) group meeting in Lucan

Grow it Yourself (GIY) is a non-profit initiative that is becoming increasingly popular nationwide. GIY organises group meetings both in the community and online to pass on practical advice and provide necessary skills to to those interested in growing their own food. GIY also organises garden visits, produce bartering, demonstrations and mentor panels.

The first meeting of the GIY Lucan will take place this evening, Monday May 17^th from 7.30-8.30pm in St. Mary’s Parish Church Centre.

Membership is free and people of all levels of experience of growing their own produce are welcome. For further details on this initiative, please visit www.gitireland.ie.

ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards winners announced at Ireland’s biggest celebration of ECO-Action!

The Glen take top spot

Young people from all over Ireland were awarded at the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards 2010 ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, 12^th May in the Round Room of the Mansion House, Dublin 2.  

The Overall Junior Young Environmentalist Awards 2010 went to young people Friends School, Lisburn, Co. Antrim with their project Spring into Action. The Overall Senior Young Environmentalist Awards 2010 went to the young people from Youthreach, The Glen, Cork city, with their innovative community project Our School Garden. There were 50 short-listed projects competing for awards in fifteen categories.

“We’ve had such an outstanding range of projects this year focusing on diverse environmental issues including climate change, biodiversity, water and waste issues. We are thrilled with the young people’s creativity and dedication to their projects and happy to be celebrating their achievements at the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards ceremony.” Comments Elaine Nevin, Director of ECO-UNESCO.

Sixteen groups of young environmentalists from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland were awarded in various categories. Highlights included Senior Energy Category Winners, Salerno Secondary School, Galway, with ‘Re-Juice your Journey’ a cycling awareness campaign which included cycle powered smoothie-makers, and a ‘Bling your bike day!’ St Brendan’s in Wicklow’s ‘Plastic Fantastic Greenhouse’ made entirely of recycled plastic bottles was also hit.

“The young participants of the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards programme concretely show what it means to act as agents of positive change and make a difference”, commented Walter Erdelen UNESCO Assistant Secretary General for Natural Sciences in a special message of support to the young environmentalists.

This year’s two special prizes were the COMHAR SDC prize for Sustainable Development, presented to Presentation Secondary School, Limerick and the Toyota Club of the Year Award presented to the ECO-UNESCO Peer Education Club for “The Greenhouse Gig” an awareness raising extravaganza of music and recycled fashion, hosted at the Greenhouse on St Andrew Street.

Young people’s TV personality Aidan Power was master of ceremonies, after the awards were opened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emer Costello. Ciaran Cuffe, TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for Sustainable Transport, Horticulture, Planning and Heritage, presented the overall winner prizes and Youth Group ‘Kyle & Ashley’ shook the Round Room with their tunes closing the event.

ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards Programme has been running since 1999 and has attracted the participation of over 20,000 young people and reached countless others with awareness raising campaigns in over 750 schools and communities in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

For complete list of winners, visit: http://www.ecounesco.ie/news.aspx

Science for Environmental Policy

This month’s European Commission Science for Environmental Policy newsletter focuses on Ecosystem Services, giving an overview of the most recent research in this area. The articles included in this special issue include:

• Evaluating biodiversity and ecosystem services in Frances
• The importance of social and political context for classifying ecosystem services
• Dispelling myths around ecosystem service projects
• Improved biodiversity and ecosystem services go hand-in-hand
• REDD improves forest provision for ecosystem services
• Mapping Europe’s Potential to provide ecosystem goods and services

This newsletter is available on the European Commission website.

UNEP: increased recycling rates for metals needed

At a meeting of the United Nation’s (UN) Commission on Sustainable Development last week, two reports entitled Metal Recycling Rates and Metals in Society were released. Their findings show that just 1% of speciality metals used in electronics are recycled. This is in stark contrast to the 50% recycling of common metals.

These are the first in a series of reports on metal stocks and recycling that are being prepared by the UN Environmental Programme’s (UNEP) International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. The panel has examined the lifecycles of over 60 speciality metals, and findings show that very few have recycling rates higher than 25%. It is urging the use of recycled metals, which can cause up to 75% less carbon emissions in comparison to that of new metals. The reports project that unless recycling rates are dramatically improved, many metals will become exhausted and unavailable for future generations.

This would be an essential move to ensure an environmentally-friendly, green global economy for the future. However, Mr. Khosla, Co-chair of the International Panel, also pointed out that while recycling metals is vital to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, one of the major impacts of the industry was the mining itself on health, biodiversity, water and land resources.

‘Green’ TV turns off if you sleep

A new range of Sony televisions will include a number of ‘green’ features that are designed to reduce their energy consumption. One such feature will be based on facial recognition technology, whereby if you fall asleep while watching TV, it will automatically switch to sleep mode too.

This new range of televisions will also include a heat and motion sensor, so it will register when you leave the room and again will automatically switch to sleep mode. The TV backlight will also adjust to the light in the room. Overall, Sony believes that this technology could result in a 50% reduction in power consumption compared to other LCD TVs.

Sony aims to reduce the energy consumption of all of its products by 30% by 2015.

Primary students competition: ‘Design a Scarecrow’ for Bloom

This year, the Grow it Yourself (GIY) group are creating a GIY Ireland Edible Garden for the Bloom Fesitval weekend in June, and are calling on all primary school children to enter the National ‘Design a Scarecrow’ Challenge.

Why not see if the children at your local school can design a scarecrow to keep the pesky birds away from the GIY Ireland Edible Garden vegetable patches and fruit bushes?! To take up the challenge, primary students should design and build a miniature scarecrow and email a picture of it to giyscarecrow@gmail.com. The closing date for entries is 28th May.

This competition is being run by GIY in association with Incredible Edibles. Further information is available on the GIY Ireland website.

National Walk to School Week: 17th-21st May 2010

As part of the Green-Schools programme, a national Walk to School Week will take place from 17^th-21^st May.   As part of the week’s events, the 19^th May has been designated national WOW Day (Walk on Wednesday). The Green-Schools programme aims to reach a target of 20,000 children walking to school for national WOW Day.

If you want to get your school involved in national Walk to School Week, you can download a Green-Schools challenge poster to announce events and set targets.

Green-Schools teacher training courses 2010

The Green Schools programme will be hosting a number of teacher training courses in July and August. These courses will help teachers to guide students in the various themes of the Green Schools programme: Litter & Waste, Energy, Water, and Travel. Course dates and contacts are available from the Green Schools website.

Students’ project encourages energy efficiency

Students at St. Mary’s National School in Tallaght have received first prize in a national competition to encourage schools and local businesses to promote energy efficiency. The An Taisce Green-Schools Energy Project is the second theme of Green-Schools programme and aims to educate young people about the benefits of energy efficiency.

Students at the school teamed up with the local Westpark Fitness Centre and devised a plan to offer a ‘walker pass’ to gym members who left their cars at home. This ‘walker pass’ allowed them to bring a friend to the gym free of charge for a month. This encouraged members to be more aware of their fuel consumption, while at the same time reducing the gym’s carbon footprint.

Another part of the pupil’s energy project was to introduce a Low Energy Day each month in their school.

Please see the Green-Schools website for more information on the programme.

Business leaders seek Government leadership on green procurement

A coalition of leading Irish businesses has been formed over the past number of weeks in order to exert pressure on the Government to show leadership in green procurement. Members of the group include Siemens Ireland, Glen Dimplex, SSE Renewables, Ecocem Ireland, Kingspan and Greenstar.

The Green for Growth group will be officially launched today (Friday 14^th May) at the Alexander Hotel in Dublin and those attending will sign an open letter to the Government. The launch of Green for Growth comes just before the National Conference on Green Public Procurement, which will take place on 21^st May. The aim of the group is to ensure “robust, ambitious and green” public-procurement guidelines are announced at the conference.

New strategy for EU Single Market

As the twenty year anniversary of the European Union approaches (2012), the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso aims to relaunch the Single Market as the Commission’s key strategic objective as it needs “renewed political determination so that it can fulfil all its potential”. The new strategy will be base on a report by Mario Monti, former EU Internal Market Commissioner, entitled A New Strategy for the Single Market.

A number of environmental-related recommendations were made in the report, including a call for new regulatory frameworks for the use of renewable energy sources and smart-metering. Monti recommends that a Single Market should be created for green products by developing EU standards for measuring and auditing the products’ carbon footprints.

The report also addresses the differing approaches to green, eco-friendly technologies and products in the various Member States, warning that national eco-labels should be avoided as “this risks fragmenting the market”. The full report is available on the European Commission website.

UNEP: Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism

The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has announced a global partnership initiative to promote tourism as an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable sector. Currently, tourism worldwide accounts for 5% of the global GDP, one of the biggest industries in the world.

The Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism will initially be spearheaded by the French Government and will be housed at the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics in Paris. An official vote will be held at the inaugural meeting in Costa Rica later in the year.

This new partnership will enhance existing regional and global networks, such as the Tourism Sustainability Council and the Sustainable Investment and Finance in Tourism network. The initiative aims to identify successful sustainable tourism projects around the world and make them applicable to other regions. The new partnership will provide support for the implementation of the projects, and will also work towards developing new tools and projects for areas of tourism that have no existing solution.

Some examples of sustainable tourism projects are available on the UNEP website.

Burren in Bloom

For the month of May, a series of ‘talks and walks’ based on the Burren in Co. Clare will take place as part of the Burren in Bloom festival, celebrating the extraordinary botanical wealth of the region.

A wide range of topics is planned for the talks, from climate change and the Burren to flowers and management, disappearing lakes, identifying bumblebees and the Burren’s medicinal herbs. A wildflower hunt in the Burren will take place on Saturday 22^nd of May in celebration of International Biodiversity Day, as well as a weekend-long Festival of the Valleys from 28^th-30^th.

For full details of the Burren in Bloom festival events, please see the following PDF brochure.

WED Baby Gorilla Naming Competition

This year the main World Environmental Day (WED) event will take place in Rwanda and as part of the celebrations, the government of Rwanda have given participants the chance to name two of the country’s baby gorillas. This is a great honour, as the naming of Rwanda’s new baby gorillas usually takes place at an annual cultural festival called Kwita Izina.

The official vote for the names will begin on 18^th May, so there are only a few days remaining to enter the competition! You can submit your name suggestions for the newborns on the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) Facebook or Twitter pages. The winning names will be announced on June 5^th at the WED ceremony in Rwanda.

ECHA new guidance

The European Chemicals Agency has published a new guidance on chemical waste and recovered substances for companies involved in these areas. While such recycled or recovered substances do not necessarily require registration under REACH, this new guidance advises companies on the obligations set out by REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances) and how they can fulfil the requirements in order to benefit from exemption. If these criteria are not met, companies will be obliged to register their recycled and recovered chemical substances.

The full guidance on recycled and recovered substances is available from the ECHA website.

IEA: potential for 25% solar power by 2050

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has published two raodmaps for the development of photovoltaic power (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP). Based on their findings, the IEA have estimated that up to 25% of global electricity supply could be produced by solar power by 2050.

The PV and CPS roadmaps were requested by the G8 ministers and were presented at the ministerial Conference on the Mediterranean Solar Plan in Spain on 11^th May. They identify the various policies, financing and technologies required to reach the full solar power potential by 2050.  

These two roadmaps are part of a series of low-carbon energy technology roadmaps by the IEA. Further information on technology raodmaps is available on the IEA website.

Dublin students win SEAI One Good Idea National Competition

Students from Loreto High School, Beaufort, Dublin were announced as the overall winners of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) One Good Idea competition. This is a national competition open to post-primary students, who must develop an innovative campaign to raise awareness of climate change and energy efficiency.

The Loreto High School students impressed the judges as they showcased their project The Sandwich Stops at the national final, which took place at Dublin Castle on May 6^th. Students from Blackwater Community School, Waterford were awarded the Senior One Good Idea for their project The Foodies, while the Junior One Good Idea went to Scoil Mhuire, Cork for their project Green Beings.

The students were presented with cash prizes for their school, iPod Touches and iTunes vouchers by Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Mr Eamon Ryan TD. More information on the winners is available on the SEAI website.

SEAI launches Miscanthus Pilot Demonstration Programme

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has launched the Miscanthus Pilot Demonstration Programme, funded by the Renewable Energy RD&D Programme. This programme will provide a grant towards the installation of miscanthus-fuelled renewable heating systems in industrial, commercial and public premises.

At present, there is very limited use of miscanthus as a renewable energy fuel in Ireland. The SEAI Miscanthus Pilot Demonstration Programme aims help establish up to 15 miscanthus-fuelled boiler sites in order to assess its future potential as a boiler fuel in Ireland.

Further information on the programme and a grant application form are available on the SEAI website.

Closing Date for Envirocom Awards in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown

The annual Envirocom Awards in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown honour outstanding environmental leaders who have exemplified inspiration, vision, innovation, leadership and action for the environment in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. The closing date for entries this year for best examples of energy management, waste prevention, water conservation and environmental performance and innovation is Friday, June 25^th 2010. Further details and an application form can be found at www.dlrchamber.ie/envirocomawards.

Spring-clean in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

Local scouting groups and TidyTowns volunteers organised a spring-clean in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown over the weekend 8th and 9th of May, in a bid to keep the environment ‘on the radar’ for businesses and communities and to help raise awareness for the EnviroCom environmental awards scheme. Targeting local businesses, not-for-profit organisations, government agencies and community groups, the annual EnviroCom Awards recognise the best examples of energy management, waste prevention, water conservation and environmental performance and innovation in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

More bikes for Dublin bike scheme

Dublin bikes

As a result of the soaring number of subscribers to the Dublin bike (DB) scheme, Dublin city councillors have now voted to provide an additional 100 bikes around the city. Four new DB stations will also be opened at Smithfield, Eccles Street, Harcourt Terrace and Charlemont Terrace.

DB is Ireland’s first bike share rental scheme, which was launched in September 2009. Dublin city councillors were initially expecting just 1,500 subscribers in the first year of the DB scheme, but it has more than surpassed expectation with over 30,000 subscribers to date. On average, each bike is used ten times each day.

NUI Galway Researchers Produce Volcanic Ash Forecasting Model

Researchers at the Centre for Climate & Air Pollution Studies (C-CAPS) at NUI Galway have developed Ireland’s first volcanic ash plume forecasting model. Using this model, they are able to forecast the diffusion of the volcanic ash plume from the Eyjafjallajokul volcano in Iceland.

At present, this new forecasting model can produce four-day forecasts twice a day of the diffusion and density of volcanic ash. Over the coming weeks, researchers will further refine the model to enable it to produce six-day forecasts four times a day.

This volcanic ash plume forecasting model may help people to plan their travels during the summer, but the London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre will continue to make official decisions regarding air travel.

Plastics Seminar for Recyclers and Convertors Rescheduled

The Plastics Seminar for Recyclers and Convertors that was due to take place on Wednesday 12th May has been rescheduled due to disruption to flights from volcanic ash problem. It will now take place on Tuesday 25th of May.

The venue for the Plastics Seminar for Recyclers and Convertors will be Enterprise Ireland, The Plaza, Eastpoint Business Park in Dublin 3. The seminar will be presented by Enterprise Ireland together with the European Plastic Recyclers’ Association (EuPR).

This seminar aims to assist Irish companies to develop their businesses through a series of presentations on the current European market, opportunities and regulations. It will also focus on recyclers and convertors, and how Irish companies can develop within Europe.

The seminar is free to attend but booking is essential. Please contact orla.cotter@enterprise-ireland.com for further details.

Transforming Ireland Seminar Series: Seminar # 8

The eighth seminar of the Transforming Ireland Seminar Series will take place on 14^th May from 12.30-14.00 pm, at the O’Callaghan Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin 2. Making Innovation Happen will be presented by Eddie Cummins, Manager Applied Innovation Dept., Enterprise Ireland, and Werner Kruckow, Siemens Ireland CEO will present The Electricity Age.

This seminar series is presented jointly by the TCD TrinityHaus and the University College Dublin (UCD) Earth Sciences Institute. Attendance is free and all are welcome. To reserve a place at this seminar, please contact ESI.ADMIN@UCD.ie.

LIFE+ Call for Proposals

The EU financial support body for environmental conservation projects, LIFE+, has announced a call for proposals 2010. Up to €243 million is available under LIFE+ funding for co-financing environmental projects under three categories:

• nature and biodiversity
• environment policy and governance
• information and communication

The deadline for receipt of project proposals is September 1^st 2010, with the chosen projects expected to start in September 2011 at the earliest. Applications should be sent to the relevant national authority, which will send them on to the European Commission. An information session in Ireland for those interested in applying will be presented by Morgane Cappelle on June 3^rd at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin.

Further information and details of registration for the information session are available on the LIFE+ website.

Young Environmentalist Exhibition

The fifty short-listed entries to this year’s Eco-UNESCO Young Environmentalist competition will be exhibited in the Mansion House, Dawson St., Dublin on Wednesday 12^th May from 11am until 3pm. The winners will be announced at the National Showcase and Awards Ceremony following the exhibition. The exhibition is open to the public, but the awards ceremony is invitation-only.

The Young Environmentalist projects conducted by secondary school students from all counties of Ireland, and some of them may be viewed on the Eco-UNESCO website.

Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day this Saturday (8th May)

The Curlew is classified as Critically Endangered

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is being celebrated across the globe this weekend, from 8^th – 9^th May, and is supported by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). This annual event was started in 2006, and this year’s theme is ‘Save migratory birds in crisis – everty species counts!’.

It is estimated that 19% of known birds are migratory, and of this 11% are classified as ‘Globally Threatened’ or ‘Near Threatened’. Threats to these migratory birds are mostly due to human activities, from destruction of habitats due to land-clearing for agriculture, to sprawling urban centres, pollution and hunting.

A list of activities around the world for WMBD is available on the event website, or if you are organising an activity, encourage others to get involved by registering it online.

100% renewable electricity by 2050?

A new study has recently been published on the potential for generating electricity exclusively from renewable sources for the entire region of Europe and North Africa by 2050. 100% Renewable Electricity: A 2050 Roadmap for Europe and North Africa was prepared by environmental experts at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the European Climate Forum, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the International Institute for Applied System Analysis.

The study provides a comprehensive roadmap for policy makers and business leaders on how it would be possible to achieve 100% renewable energy sources by 2050 for Europe and North Africa. It shows that the technology to achieve such an ambitious target does exist, but only if new policies influence strategic inverstment in the necessary infrastructure.

Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund 2010

Applications are now opened for the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund 2010, which aims to encourage sustainable development through supporting small scale environmental projects at a local level. If you have a project that could promote environmental awareness and sustainable community living in your locality, you may qualify for funding.

Please contact your local Environmental Awareness Officer for further details on the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund 2010. An application form may be downloaded from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government website, which must be completed and returned by 5pm on 28^th May.

OECD water attitudes survey

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has published the results of a survey taken in 2008 to guage attitudes towards water use. Some 10,000 responses from ten countries were analysed and results found that households whose water charges were based on consumption, rather than a flat rate or free access, used on average 25% less water. This survey follows three earlier surveys published in March 2010, which project that competition for water between households, industry and agriculture is likely to increase significantly. These surveys also indicated that the agricultural sector remains the highest consumer of water and that subsidies within the this sector lead to wasteful use of water resources.

Following these results, which clearly show that water charges encourage responsible ‘water-saving’ behaviour, the OECD reaffirms the case for higher water prices in order to conserve this vital resource. The OCED short video Water – The right price can encourage efficiency and investment may be viewed on the OECD website.

Arthur Guinness Fund Award for GIY

The nationwide Grow It Yourself (GIY) initiative has received an Arthur Guinness Fund Award worth €100,000. GIY was one of the ten projects to receive funding at the end of April 2010. Over the next two years, Guinness will invest €2.5 million in social entrepreneurs “with a business head and a social heart”, such as the GIY scheme, through the Arthur Guinness Fund Award.

Supervalue Tidy Towns Pack

As sponsors of the national Tidy Towns Competition, SuperValue have developed a starter pack for local Tidy Towns Committees. The pack is full of useful items to help Tidy Towns groups prepare their local environment for this year’s competition. It includes a digging fork, spade, gardening gloves, refuse sacks, litter pickers and seeds.

Complete Poultry and Vegetable Show

Hand feeding a chicken
Courtesy of Frank Keane

On Saturday 8^th May, the Complete Poultry and Vegetable Show will be held at Larchill Arcadian Garden, Kilcock, Co. Kildare from 11am to 5pm. This event provides an opportunity to gain advice from experts on keeping chickens and other fowl, bee-keeping, growing your own vegetables, fruit and herbs. It is a worthwhile and fun day out for all interested in making a change to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Admission is €7 but children are free. For further details, please contact 01-6287354.

Comhar SDC Media Fund applications

Applications are open for this year’s Comhar Sustainable Development Council’s Media Fund. The themes for 2010 include:

A workshop will be held on June 1^st for those interested in applying and the deadline for receipt of applications in June 18^th. Application forms are available from the Comhar SDC website.

 

Win a trip to Rwanda for World Environmental Day Celebrations

Ever dream about visiting Africa? The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) is running a World Environmental Day 2010 Blogging Competition to win a trip to Rwanda for World Environmental Day.

All you need to do is write a post about ‘The importance of individual action to celebrate World Environment Day, and how individual actions when multiplied can make a difference to the planet’' and link it to the UNEP Facebook fan page. Entries must be posted from 3^rd-10^th May and the winners will be announced on 20^th May.

Full details on the competition are available on the UNEP’s World Environmental Day website.

Global biodiversity loss still rising despite CBD 2010 targets

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was signed by governments around the world in 2002 in an effort to drastically reduce global biodiversity loss by 2010. Despite this, an assessment of the progress of the CBD has been outlined in a new research paper published in the journal Science, and shows the governments have failed to meet their 2010 targets.

Over 30 indicators were used in the study to measure the various aspects of biodiversity. The overall result shows that no significant decline in the rate of biodiversity loss has been achieved and that the pressures facing the world’s ecosystems, habitats and species are still rising.

Governments from around the world will meet again to discuss the 2010 biodiversity targets from May 10^th – 21^st in Nairobi, Kenya. This meeting will coincide with the release of the CBD Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 publication.

Do you enjoy birdwatching? Help compile Ireland’s Bird Atlas!

Blue Tit
Copyright Mike Brown

BirdWatch Ireland is calling on the public to get involved in this year’s Bird Atlas summer season project (1^st April – 31^st August). After viewing the list of species for your chosen 10km square area, go birdwatching and start filling in the gaps in your ‘Roving Records’. By submitting these records, you will be contributing to the distribution maps, or ‘Bird Atlas’, of Ireland.

For further information and lists of bird species in your area, please see the BirdWatch Ireland website.

Sustainability ratings of carmakers released

A study on the overall sustainability of carmakers, including environmental and social performance, was published at the end of April with French carmaker Renault and German carmaker BMW achieving the highest ranking (B).

The sustainability issues were rated on a scale from A+ down to D- and were based on indicators such as CO2 emissions, climate policies and health and safety at work. Renault and BMW were both commended for their long-term emission reduction targets. While Japanese and Korean carmakers achieved high scores for environmental issues, these were balanced against low scores on social issues.  

The study was published by the rating agency Oekom and a summary of the findings is available to download from their website.

Significant contribution to UN Adaptation Fund by Spain

Spain has pledged €45 million towards the United Nation’s (UN) Adaptation Fund. This fund was established in 2001 by the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol of the Convention on Climate Change to help finance essential climate change adaptation projects in developing countries that are also Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

The pledge shortly follows the first call for project proposals by developing countries, which was issued at the beginning of April. The Spanish contribution should help to strengthen to aims of the Adaptation Fund and encourage other countries to follow suit.

EC strategy on green vehicles in Europe

The European Commission (EC) has published its strategy on promoting energy-efficient, green vehicles in Europe. This closely follows the Environmental Protection Agency (EEA) Term Report Towards a Resource-Efficient Transport System (published 27^th April 2010), which found that there is still a persistent growth in emissions from the transport sector despite improvements to mobility and efficiency.

The EC strategy will include a number of legislative and non-legislative measures to promote the use of green vehicles within Europe. Among the areas affected will include fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, electric vehicle and car taxation. The EC also announced plans to alter the CO2 labelling for cars to help consumers make their choice.

Please follow the full PDF link to the EC’s A European strategy on clean and energy efficient vehicles for further details.

Surprising results for study on environmental impact of plastics

A study on the impact of reducing plastics in Europe that was commissioned by PlasticsEurope was presented to the European Parliament in Brussels last week. The findings show that reducing the use of plastics would actually lead to an increase rather than a decrease in Europe’s carbon footprint.

The researchers compared the lifecycle analysis of plastics with other alternative materials, and concluded that replacing plastics would produce 50% more emissions and result in 46% more energy being used. The study shows that plastics often consume fewer resources than alternative materials, and that at present they account for a small proportion of Europe’s carbon footprint at 1.3%. It also noted that plastics play a central role in renewable energy generation.

The final results of this study are expected to be published in June, following peer review. More information is available on the PDF of the study’s presentation.

Seminar: Growing Your Business Offshore

The National Offshore Wind Association (NOW) Ireland and Enterprise Ireland will present a one day seminar on Growing Your Business Offshore: Offshore Wind Energy Supply Chain Opportunities. The seminar will also act as a networking forum for companies seeking to supply services to offshore wind facilities. The seminar will not only focus on opportunities through Irish offshore wind projects, but also the 32GW of offshore wind being developed in the United Kingdom by 2020.

The event will take place from 9am-1.30pm on May 7th, at the Alexander Hotel in Dublin. It  is free to attend but booking is necessary. To make a reservation, please contact info@nowireland.ie or call 043-9322952.