ESG Comment on USA pulling out of Paris Agreement on Climate Change

“As environmental campaigners where Climate Change tops our core objectives we naturally see the USA’s pulling out of the Paris Agreement, itself a long awaited and major effort, as sad and shocking, but not surprising, given the sharp U-turn taking place in the States at present on matters of environmental protection and on letting loose the fossil fuel industries.

Nevertheless it has been heartening to see the rest of the world unite in a resolute manner determined to continue with their efforts to mitigate against the worst impacts of climate change. It is also good to know that despite their announcements the USA will not be able to simply pull out overnight and that therefore the impacts of this baling out may be less drastic than feared.

It is also enlightening to learn, despite their administration signalling withdrawal, that there are many organisations, groups, businesses and politicians in the US that have committed to following the Paris Accord. This will also help to reduce the effects of President Trump’s regrettable stance and send a message to those in power.

Locally we must do what we can to also reduce our own impact and live as sustainably as possible.”

The ESG was recently given a detailed tour of the new Power Station site by Chief Bouygues Engineer Jean-Francois Conci, and GibElec’s CEO, Michael Caetano. Of particular interest to the group was to learn more about the stack monitoring and real-time equipment, which has not yet arrived.

Nevertheless the group was very impressed with the scale of the project and the thoroughness in which it is being undertaken. It will also be glad to take up another chance to visit the plant once the specialist monitoring equipment has arrived in Gibraltar.

The group welcomes the opportunity to have been able to raise several technical questions about the new facility directly with the project leaders and would like to thank them for their time during our lengthy visit.

The ESG also thanks the Minister for the Environment for making the visit possible.

See ESG Facebook page for pictures of site visit

This week we focus on a number of environmental initiatives including:

• the recent launch of the Redibike scheme
• more about the STTPP (that’s the Sustainable Traffic and Transport Parking Plan)
• we look at World Environmental Day
• DPC
• CUTW registration

The new Redibike Scheme was launched last week at a press conference and now the racks and the red and white bicycles can be seen dotted about Gibraltar. It is good to have the service reinstated once more. At the launch, we asked about helmets? ….and cycle lanes? and were also interested to learn how this new and second such scheme for Gibraltar, would succeed, where the previous system had been dropped by this administration. We know that the use of helmets is the best and safest practice and people are urged to take their own when renting a Redibike. Cycle lanes remain a challenge we were told, with few areas available where there is enough space to provide these. Parts of some of our roads could be converted and we hope that where possible these will be phased-in. The top of the old walls will also provide a great option to walk and cycle along – of course cyclists will need to respect pedestrians too and as mentioned in the plan, awareness campaigns for all road users are planned. We were given a number of reasons as to why the 1^st scheme could not be continued, lessons that have been learnt in order to safeguard the new system well into the future.

The ESG covers various aspects of our environment, as part of our core objectives and Traffic and Transport issues is one such area. Some of our traffic concerns include air and noise pollution, road congestion, difficulties faced by pedestrians, border issues, emissions from idling of engines and their impacts on health, the phasing out of diesel fuels for cleaner alternatives such as hybrid and electric and many other concerns. We believe the launch of the plan is the start of the traffic and transport conversation. We need to involve the community in the changes we need to make in this part of our day-to-day lives. We would like to see open and public debate with the public voicing their questions and concerns about aspects of the plan, on how current problems affect them, and what could be done about these. We also call for a firm timeline with tangible targets to be laid out to reduce traffic hotspots, pollution and create a better environment for ourselves and our families. The option of walking, cycling and using public transport will seem even more attractive then. Watch out for the second Viewpoint tonight on Traffic issues for more discussion on these topics. You can also find out more from our website: www.esg-gib.net

World Environment Day is coming up on the 5^th June, an all-day affair at the Commonwealth Park. Organised by the Department of the Environment, the event will see a number of stalls including those manned by NGOs, and the ESG will be there. Take a few moments out of your busy schedule and drop in and catch up with local environmental issues.

With Clean up the World a key event for the ESG we shall be promoting this campaign at our stall and inviting volunteers to register. We are presently gathering teams together and details of workshops and planning meetings will be released in June. This years Clean up takes place on the 23^rd September with a Parade planned for the launch.

The next DPC meeting will be held on Wednesday the 31^st May at 9.30am, Charles Hunt Room, John Mackintosh Hall, with the agenda now available online. These meetings are open to the public.

Remember you can contact us by emailing esg@gibtelecom.net and we’ll be happy to help with your CUTW registration or any other query you may have. Thank you for listening.

Redibike Scheme launched

17^th May 2017

The ESG welcomes the launch of the Redibike scheme, which took place this week. Following the release of the long awaited and welcome Sustainable Traffic, Transport and Parking Plan (STTPP), this measure signals a positive step away from motorised transport.

This is the second such scheme to be set up in Gibraltar and the ESG hopes that Redibike will be sustainable into the future.

The group urges cyclists to use helmets when cycling and for motorists and cyclists to travel with care especially in peak traffic periods.

The ESG recognises the focus being given at this time by the Ministry for Transport on improving alternatives to car and motorbike use in Gibraltar, something which is obviously a challenge, and wishes it success in the rolling out of measures and targets as set out in the STTPP.

ESG on SEWAGE TREATMENT

The ESG has campaigned and lobbied for a sewage treatment plant since 2003. The issue is still clearly unresolved as we now face fines from the EU, legitimately so since we were warned, via the UK, of infringement proceedings back in 2009.

The technical aspects for this facility have been studied and realised under the current administration and the group hopes that steps will now follow to set it up without further delay. There is no question that this is an important environmental issue for Gibraltar that has to be resolved.

What is also a worry for the ESG is that present developments indicate that infringement proceedings from the EU can several years to result in action, and that therefore, the Western Beach sewage issue, affected by La Linea storm drains, herself also charged recently with infringement proceedings, is still some years off from being similarly charged. This, despite the immediate and highly impacting nature of the sewage contamination, which has directly polluted a public beach for the past 7 years in a cross border situation.

However, public and political pressure is fortunately resulting in significant improvements in bathing water quality at Western Beach in the first few months of 2017. What is not known is if this is a temporary reprieve or the result of infrastructural works already carried out to correct the 2010 diversion.

The ESG will continue to press for progress on both local and cross border water treatment facilities.

 Keywords:  CUTW / Dockyard and Air, Noise Pollution and ISO / New Premises /  Britain 24hrs without burning coal / Gibraltar Renewable Energy Programme

The ESG has been busy these past few weeks working on a number of key issues. Some of this relates to CUTW and preparations for Septembers annual event. We are setting up a number of mtgs with key participants and organising workshops that will run through the summer – should prove to be a busy but rewarding time that will help spread environmental awareness and engage the community in a campaign that now spans 12 years on the Rock. Send your interest to support and or take part to esg@gibtelecom.net. Global media has highlighted the plight of plastic waste in our environment. It is a major problem that seems to point evermore towards enforcement and a manufacturing solution. We can ban the bag but what about industrial plastics and all other grades of plastics???

This week we have released a Press Release on excessive noise from the Dockyard, which is a very busy hub in Gibraltar right now, explaining how concerned we are as to how such an activity can qualify for environmental accreditation while impacting as heavily as it does on surroundings neighbourhoods. As an active NGO, that has periodically felt necessary to speak out, on behalf of those suffering its impacts, we would have wanted to have had an opportunity to participate in the process of any such accreditation, which forms part of the ISO assessment framework, alongside regulators, communities etc. We’ll be taking this forward in hope that operational impacts from the Dockyard can be mitigated further with the use of available technologies.

After many years the ESG is now thankful to have been awarded centrally based premises that are currently being set up and formally opened this summer. We have been busy moving our gear and are grateful to all those who have lent a much needed hand. The ESG will be seeking donations to help resource the new base. More news on this soon.

It was very heartening to hear that last Friday was the first full day since the height of the Industrial Revolution in the 1800’s that Britain did not burn coal to generate electricity, described by officials and climate change activists as a watershed moment. Similar news of how wind power is becoming ever more efficient and important as a growing part of power generation, both in the UK and around Europe, is also good news.

Here in Gibraltar we remain optimistic that renewable energy will also form a greater role in our power generation and we continue to work and lobby for this outcome.

Please visit our website at esg-gib.net for more information. Thanks for listening.

Press Release 25^th April 2017

GibDock and ISO recognition

The ESG has recently been receiving calls from residents affected by noise pollution from the GibDock facility. On further investigation the group understands that Government and the Environmental Agency are onto this issue in efforts to bring such activity under control, especially at night.

However, last weekend drew further calls from residents and it appears the activity and problem continues: of excessive noise levels from GibDock keeping people awake at night.

The group was incredulous to learn, a few days ago, that this same company has only this month been accredited with ISO14001: 2015 for “Quality and Environmental recognition”. Naturally any efforts in improving any work or industrial practice is welcomed but an honest environmental audit into the dockyard activity and impact would have confirmed that noise and air pollution levels can be onerous and carry heavy environmental consequences for neighbouring areas.

The group will be contacting Lloyds Register and Mabbett, involved in this ISO compliance assessment for GibDock, to check precisely what has been assessed and specifically whether it has examined the impacts from noise and other nuisance which the company continues to cause in the vicinity. We shall also ask with whom they have spoken outside of GibDock to ensure they are producing accurate and verifiable assessments.

Given the close proximity of residents to GibDock the nature and timing of works carried out by the company must be very carefully managed. Major works should be prohibited at night and all vessels in for servicing must be able to connect to onshore power to eliminate noise and air pollution from running of engines at berth. Best available technology and practice under ISO should also, in our view, direct the facility to limit pollutants, from sand blasting and the painting of vessels and hulls, from crossing the fence line and entering adjacent neighbourhoods.

If Lloyds and Mabbett have not assessed these core functionalities of the dockyard in terms of environmental impact under ISO, then improved waste segregation and use of LED lighting and solar panels stated in the media, welcome though they are, as a gauge of the company’s environmental impacts, is merely window dressing.

The ESG has approached GibDock in the past on noise and air pollution with no response from the company and will continue to monitor this issue closely.

(See full article re ISO compliance here:

Gibdock secures Quality and Environmental recognition

ESG Radio Newsletter 13^th April 2017   There have been a few developments in some of our key campaigns we would like to share with you today.

You may have heard us talk about our new Wish List in the past, recently renamed as our List of Objectives. We have now finalised our 2017 paper and will be presenting this to Ministers and Opposition MPs in the coming weeks. The document will also be published on our website shortly.

We have just received confirmation directly from the European Commission that infringement proceedings against Spain, on the breaking of EU law in respect of illegal sewage discharge at various points around the Bay, including from La Linea into Western Beach waters, have now started against the Spanish Authorities.

It appears that after 7 years of campaigning and lobbying, of calling upon our MEPs to place pressure in Brussels, and more recently of action taken by the Gibraltar Government, we are finally starting to close the circle and see decisive action from the Commission.

Still, during these long campaigns, and in the last year or so, the combined pressure has resulted in a reduction in the volume of sewage discharged into Western beach waters and this is a positive outcome for sure. Pollution levels are still of concern though and relatively consistent meaning that further work must be done to eliminate this altogether. Visit environmental agency.gi, go to monitoring, and then click on bathing water for details on the state of waters at all beaches for more information.

It’s important that the health of Western Beach waters is restored to its pre 2010 conditions and we shall continue to fight for this final outcome. We are in touch with our legal advisers, co-petitioners, and the Gibraltar office in Brussels and are currently preparing a follow up to this latest official response. We shall also contact our MEPs for assistance. The commission have also informed us of advanced plans to take action against the UK on Gibraltar’s lack of sewage treatment facility, which we sincerely hope will be addressed and actioned during 2017.

The big news this week is the launch of the STTP, or the Sustainable Traffic and Transport Plan. It’s a comprehensive set of documents that require time to appraise its contents and the ESG is in the process of doing just that. Committee members met with Minister Balban and Cortes and staff in the run up to the launch and placed several questions and concerns, which were discussed at some length at the meeting. The issue for us now is to establish how well the new plan addresses key ESG concerns and where we shall need to continue to direct our efforts. We recognise and welcome the hard work carried out by Minister Balban and all supporting staff to finalise this very important plan that aims to calm Gibraltar’s streets and help reduce air and noise pollution.

We shall shortly be releasing a statement on best available technology and the new Power station as we have held a number of meetings with Govt technical advisers and exchanged correspondence, and as many know, is an issue we have been very vocal on. An update will be published soon.

We also want to confirm that Clean up the World Campaign will this year take place on Saturday 23^rd September. With plans for workshops and preparations for an awareness parade soon to get underway look out for details on our website and in the local press. Last week saw a few volunteers from the ESG and the Gibraltar Heritage Trust together clear a beautiful green area, smothered in plastic and take away waste, where we filled close to 30 sacks in just under 2 hours! Our litter problems in nature spots continue -especially in certain hotspots – and the need for our Clean up, and awareness of these issues, as important as ever. Please help and get involved. Email to volunteer at: esg@gibtelecom.net. Check out our website for more news at esg-gib.net.

Thanks for listening!

The Environmental Safety Group would like to publicly welcome the launch of the STTP (Sustainable Traffic and Transport Plan), a measure long campaigned for by the group.

The group is now taking time to digest the full contents of the comprehensive Plan and will produce a fuller and more detailed response on how the plan is meeting measures called for by the ESG to address traffic issues, and the growing impact this is having on the environment in Gibraltar.

ESG Radio Newsletter 30^th March 2017

So many major news stories making headlines these days it is hard to keep up with everything. We have been busy issuing our own statements on sewage issues and the new plant so needed for Gibraltar. We have also come out strongly in response to claims by La Junta that they intend to rein in emissions from the large chemical plants located in the Campo area. The one main point we would like to highlight here is that emission levels can only be accurately measured if carried out independently of industry, and ideally via real-time stack monitoring managed by external operators. So we are sure that NGOs from both sides of the border will regard this tightening of controls by La Junta somewhat sceptically until such time as the data gathering is run transparently and free from industry control.

With the exit from European membership all but sealed we focus on ensuring that our environmental standards will continue. We hope to meet with the GONHS and Ministry for the Environment as soon as possible to continue discussions on the way forward in this respect and in our different areas of work. It was interesting to meet the UK Under Secretary of State for exiting the European Union, Mr Robin Walker, recently in Gibraltar on a fact finding mission to hear concerns from different sectors of the community. The ESG made clear that our cross border health and environmental problems can only be addressed directly with the EC given the issues are transboundary and cannot be tackled by any single member state. Mr Walker suggested there could be other tools available to us in Europe post Brexit and we agreed to follow this up.

The ESG has finalised its updated “2017 List of Objectives”. A very comprehensive document covering 15 key areas from Climate Change to Recycling, Pollution to Planning and much more. The document studies environmental issues and makes recommendations for their resolution. We shall be submitting copies directly to Government and opposition political parties and will also be placing a copy on our website alongside previous and earlier versions. Naturally many of these issues are dynamic and we shall strive to keep our document as up to date as possible.

Finishing on a global note, it can’t have escaped many of you that the USA is set to enter a very dark period on the environment if current threats and promises are followed through. This relates to the revoking of controls on coal extraction, radically reducing the powers of the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as weakening the US position and support for collective action on climate change. We recall the Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth moment when urging the world to take action on this crucial issue, also then his own country’s harshest critic in terms of being one of the worst offenders. Things changed under Obama and it helped achieve universal solidarity with other global leaders finally getting to a point where we could start believing that real action was possible. Could Trump really reverse this major milestone for humanity?

There is much dissent and outrage in the US itself on this – lets hope that, along with other Trump recent pledges that have failed, that this backward and chillingly frightening reversing of environmental gains will also fail. For more information on issues we follow more locally please visit our news page on esg-gib.net or contact us at esg@gibtelecom.net. Thanks for listening.