ESG Press Release

Maritime Accidents –Investigations Needed

26^th July 2016

There has been some confusion in recent days with the emergence of two separate maritime accidents linked to our port, which demands more clarity and information on how these, in fact, could have happened.

Wednesday saw HMS Ambush, a nuclear powered submarine collide with a chemical carrier, which mercifully retained full integrity with no known spills into the sea. The submarine, we are also told, sustained external damage only with no impact on its nuclear reactor.

This is however pending a full check-over by the relevant experts and it is hoped that technical reports will confirm the initial assessment with information being made available to the public.

Another incident, this time on the Thursday night, involved a collision between Vemaoil XIII and another commercial vessel with the oil carrier sustaining a large gash on the exterior hull. Thankfully, legislation demands that vessels are now double hulled thus eliminating otherwise potentially large volumes of polluting cargo to enter the marine environment.

While luck may have prevailed this time round in minimising the impacts from these collisions on the natural environment, questions must be asked as to how these accidents occurred in the first place. There must also be a review of all monitoring systems in place as well as of the information sharing processes between civilian and military port activity.

Two accidents in one week is alarming and demands a full and open investigation and reassurances given to the public that the growing levels of maritime activity in the area can be managed safely.

“ESG welcomes the announcement by the Minister for the Environment that his Government will continue to endorse and apply EU environmental legislation despite the Brexit result.

We strongly believe that our quality of life and a healthy environment require tight environmental controls and we have always advocated for “higher than EU standards” given our small footprint and therefore greater susceptibility to polluting activity. On this the Environment Minister also declared support in Parliament.

We further believe that our local environmental laws and EAMP (Environmental Action and Management Plan) must step up to the challenge and become reliable and effective tools in helping Gibraltar manage the many conflicting activities which exist in our community today.

We would like to see greater and accelerated use of sustainable power generation, such as the eco wave project, underwater turbines, solar and other technologies as these are even more relevant in a potentially tight economy, and a probable exit in the next few years.

We also call upon Government to urgently finalise plans for the Sewage Treatment Plant and for clear confirmation that the new Power Station will incorporate best available technology as pledged during the EIA assessment for this project last year.

Finally, we offer any help possible in working with Government and the environmental lobby in Gibraltar to ensure that with or without Brexit we continue to address local, and cross border environmental issues.”

ESG Radio Newsletter 30^th June 2016

-In the run up to the referendum on Brexit we urged the community to support a Remain vote to continue to have the best chance at a better quality of life and a healthier living environment.

-While there have been and continue to be environmental problems facing our community, both at local and regional level, the support, backbone and framework provided over the decades by the EU on environmental management and improvement has been of utmost value to our group and critical to our many fights at every level. People have been talking to us about what now on the Refinery, for example?

-Indeed this has been a major campaign for us since 2002 and one that we have only been able to fight at European level. The Leave vote, for now at least, threatens our ability to do this but let me say that we are determined to continue to fight such Bay pollution and will be exploring what options these may be. We have already begun discussions with our cross border colleagues on the implications from this vote on our existing work and campaign.

-While the environment did not feature in the referendum in great detail, only referred to broadly as environmental protection, the EU legislates in all aspects of our lives to ensure we reduce negative environmental impacts and increases sustainability. In our case, as a grassroots Env NGO we campaign for clean air and water, renewable energy, on pollution, traffic, shipping and other industry, waste and more. All linked to EU management, research, legislation and enforcement.

-These are fundamental to a decent, safe and modern society that looks after its people, biodiversity and the living environment and it is heartening to see our Government and Opposition united to take strident steps in efforts to retain the link to the EU which has served us so well on so many different levels. Good luck and the support of the community is clearly with you!

-In the midst of so many upsets, uncertainties and political upheavals, we, as an environmental NGO, have to remain focused on our area of concern and interest. We also need to think about potential scenarios where we may not be able to slip easily into maintaining our EU links.

-In this case we have always advocated for EU standards and above to be applied in Gibraltar regarding environmental impacts, given the size of our small nation, and thus the direct impact of any polluting activity.

–Our team will continue to highlight the need for Gibraltar’s own Environmental plans and laws to be of the highest possible standards and rigorously applied and will also continue to promote ideal solutions as we have done for over fifteen years.

Todays newsletter has focused on this issue because of the magnitude of the impact of the leave result on all our lives and especially from an environmental point of view. Do please email us at esg@gibtelecom.net or visit our website esg-gib.net if you would like to know more about the issues we follow.

Thanks for listening.

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Press Release

Re Airport Bird Strike

9^th June 2016

The ESG considers that we are facing an increasingly dangerous situation regarding plane activity and gull numbers, given the recent aborting of a plane due to a bird strike incident.

Gulls are frequently seen flying across the runway while planes are taking off and landing, and this, combined with a growing number of flights from our airport, is potentially increasing the odds of a serious accident.

Unfortunately their numbers are such that yellow-legged gulls are considered a pest and there is a dangerous overpopulation of them due to the abundant human waste available as food.

Due to the sheer impossibility of removing feeding grounds in Los Barrios, which accounts for their high population numbers, it remains incumbent on us to significantly reduce the numbers of breeding gulls that come to Gibraltar.

The effective reduction in numbers of these birds would increase aircraft safety, benefit migratory birds and reduce the spread of infections from their droppings – recent evidence suggests that they are helping to spread antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Government is no doubt following a culling programme it believes sufficient in dealing with this problem; however, the dangers exposed by the recent aborted flight due to a bird strike is a stark reminder that much more needs to be done to control their numbers more effectively and avert a potential tragedy in the future.

ESG Radio Newsletter 9^th June 2016

Hi there! Recent developments have prompted great interest in our environment once again. It was positive, for example, to have the launch of the Eco Wave Pilot project take place, a measure we hope can and will be replicated at appropriate locations throughout Gibraltar. It will be interesting to learn how well this technology works for our local conditions. We know marine turbines, that is, underwater turbine technology, could also be highly beneficial to us in Gibraltar given the power of the currents meeting off Europa Point making this particular technology most suitable. We have heard plans for wider application of solar technology and hope these can soon be activated.

Renewable energy is fast becoming the A word as we consider the impact already occurring from the burning of fossil fuels throughout the world in terms of global warming and climate extremes.

Something that I saw recently online and would like to share with you is a TED talk given by Al Gore in February this year called: The case for optimism on climate change. He spends the first half of his talk outlining the problems, the issues, in his own inimitable style, full of authoritative data, impressive graphs, footage etc., basically painting a frightening and very convincing picture of the growing consequences of a warming world, highlighting the practices that need to change. The second half is very positive – this is where the optimism comes in, with Mr Gore commending the efforts that countries and commerce have made in response to the environmental problems highlighted ten years back, citing that response has so far surpassed all expectations, and, that while it still may not be as fast enough, is certainly moving in the right direction. It’s a compelling and memorable talk – simply Google “Al Gore” and “The case for optimism on climate change” and the right link should come up. Lots of material there for good discussion too.

This week has seen a visit to Gibraltar of an economic contingent from the Faroe Islands, announced in the media as looking at ways of working together. We have issued a press release highlighting the annual whale and dolphin slaughter carried out by the Faroe Islanders, an action that continues to provoke outrage around the world as well as a plethora of well-supported petitions. We urge them to look at our own Nature Protection laws and hope that they will finally take measures to stop this annual massacre that is out-dated and a threat to endangered wildlife.

Another issue rearing its head is that of seagulls. Once again, public interest has been such that we are releasing a press release on this today also. The aborted flight a few days ago should ring alarm bells that more needs to be done to drastically reduce number of gulls in Gibraltar. This time the plane had time to take corrective steps and safeguard its passengers. We urge Government to review this matter with some urgency.

Last week we supported the World Environment Day street stall event held in the Piazza for most of the day. A steady trickle of people came through the stalls and many a good discussion was had about various local environmental matters.

Quick update re DPC, date has been changed to 28^th June.

Another buzzword at present is the EU Referendum. The ESG has been fighting to improve environmental issues at a local and cross border level for the past 15 years and we know full well how crucial EU environmental legislation has been for our work. We therefore urge everyone to vote to stay within the EU to safeguard the environment and protect our quality of life. May not be perfect but the EU guarantees minimum standards and that is critical when it comes to the environment!

Visit our page at esg-gib.net for more info. Contact us at esg@gibtelecom.net.

ESG call for sharing of Gibraltar Nature Conservation Laws with the Faroe Islands

8^th June 2016

The recent visit of the Faroe Islands Financial Delegation should not be logged in the local press as simply that of reaching out and sharing ideas between two small nations.

Many know, and are concerned by the annual slaughter of dolphins and whales undertaken by the Faroe Islanders. A historic practice which continues today and has outlasted the passage of time, of new rules and understanding of threatened wildlife, and of the need for global conservation practices.

Whales and Dolphins are already struggling to fight extinction in many parts of the world, from pollution, loss of habitat, overfishing and climate change.

This annual practice of the taking out of entire pods cannot help sustain these species and has seen numerous petitions and campaigns over the years.

We urge our Government to share our own Nature Protection and Conservation laws with the Faroe Islands administration as one positive way of future collaboration between the two small nations in a bid to express concern and firm opposition to this cruel and unsustainable practice.

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ESG Radio Newsletter 26^th May 2016  

A number of areas to cover today. Firstly a reminder that the Heritage Trust, GONHS and the ESG are inviting members of the public to send feedback on their Views and Vistas document announced earlier this month. The deadline for comments is the end of May. You can send these to heritage@gibraltar.gi or to the esg@gibtelecom.net. The document, collaboration between all three NGOs is proposing for a number of strategic Gibraltar vistas and views to be safeguarded. We truly welcome public participation on this important matter.

We were also delighted and honoured to have been one of the nominee’s for this year’s Independent Civil Society awards, for roles in the advancement of civil rights and shaping modern Gibraltar. We thank Equality Rights Group Chairman Felix Alvarez and Unite the Union for recognising the ESG and our efforts in helping place environmental issues squarely on the social and political agenda of Gibraltar.

With warmer weather upon us pollution levels always seem to rise and take longer to disperse. This is particularly significant and worth focusing on further, on a week that we see the DPC discussing and approving an EIA certificate for the new LNG Storage facility for the upcoming and new Power Station, when Gibraltar’s environmental NGOs call for a “remain in” vote on EU membership, and the WHO issues its biennial, that’s every two years report, on air quality data in European cities showing Gibraltar faring poorly on PM10’s and PM2.5’s which are small sized particles produced from diesel combustion and known to have damaging health impacts.

The three aging power stations we have used in Gibraltar over the past few decades have not been able to meet EU Directives in recent years. The data being quoted by the latest WHO report is demonstrating this fact and we all know how urgently we need to finally and permanently close all three stations. Although Government and technical advisers on the new power station maintain predominant LNG use, the fact is there is a combination of dual and single fuel engines with diesel still being used at the new plant. This is why the ESG called for conditions to be included on the permit for the new plant to ensure that the highest filtering equipment is used, known as electrostatic precipitators, and for stack monitoring to be installed to carefully measure all emissions. Only in this way, do we believe, can Gibraltar’s air quality, from an energy point of view, improve and lift our ratings from its current poor position. Of course, diesel combustion is present all around us and not only in power stations, from our roads and vehicular activity, to the intense shipping activity in our port and harbour, to the Dockyard, airport, border traffic – and then, of course, cross border with a large chemical industry and Oil Refinery setting a toxic backdrop which is simply always there and not being adequately monitored from our side.

To this end, and as we did back in 2014, when La Linea was being targeted by the WHO as having worst air quality in Spain, we called for and continue to lobby for real-time monitoring in the north-western flank of Gibraltar, home to a growing residential area and increasing industrial activity. We have been discussing this with Government in recent weeks and call for action to be taken soon on the matter. People’s health and quality of life must be protected and we should respond to expert reports, such as that of the WHO, with appropriate and timely action.

Gibraltar’s Renewable Energy Programme must gather pace over the next year or so with the current launch of the EcoWave pilot study, an indication that such technologies could soon be more prevalent and ease the load on our fossil fuel energy production. The ESG will continue to monitor and lobby for the cleaning up of our environment and welcome enquiries and questions on any of these issues to esg@gibtelecom.net. You can also visit our website esg-gib.net.

Thanks for listening.

GONHS and ESG support Remain In EU Campaign

Joint Press Release 20^th May 2016

The Environmental Safety Group (ESG) and The Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society (GONHS) have for decades lobbied for a clean, healthy and biodiverse environment.

We fully recognise the importance of our membership of the European Union to the environment, so that our legislature continues to meet the standards set in Brussels.

Indeed, EU Directives are in many ways considered the gold standard in environmental legislation.

The EU Habitats and Birds Directives protect our most vulnerable species, habitats and ecological formations. Gibraltar’s extensive network of protected areas is due to the Habitats Directive, whereas European Law protects some of our most emblematic species, from the Barbary Partridge to the Gibraltar Funnel-web Spider.

The quality of our air and water is monitored regularly and should meet EU standards. The EU aims to ensure that the air that we breathe and the water in which we bathe are healthy and clean. Gibraltar’s intended Sewage Plant is also due to a EU Directive. Its Waste Policy and Legislation provide targets for recycling and waste management that Member States must meet, whilst it’s Renewable Energy Targets compel us to combat human-influenced climate change.

The EU seeks to tackle the most pressing environmental issues of our time, and it sets an example for the world to follow.

Gibraltar’s environment does not exist in a bubble. However intractable and politicised environmental issues can become at a transborder level, impacts and solutions can only be addressed via European Directives.

Our exclusion from the European Union would significantly set back environmental progress and protection at every level, within and beyond our borders.

GONHS and the ESG therefore strongly support remaining in the EU. In doing so, we join major environmental organisations such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the UK’s own Wildlife Trust in calling for a ‘Remain In’ vote.

We urge all Gibraltarians to vote ‘IN’ on June the 23^rd. Our environment and health demand it.

Radio Newsletter 12^th May 2016

Recent activity has been focusing on noise nuisances from harbour area, clean up issues and cross border vigilance and meetings.

With noise pollution emanating from shipping activity we followed up with all parties concerned regarding the need for onshore power connection and conversion technology and continue to wait for a substantive response. Fortunately the primary cause, the RFA, was remediated with the relocation of the vessel to the South Mole. Should this vessel come in to dry dock for works it is hoped that it will be able to secure onshore power supply to avoid the worst of its impact affecting south district residents, especially at night-time.

ESG hopes for a long-term solution to this matter which happens all too often at the dockyard and can be remedied with the right investment in available technology.

In assessing areas for Clean up the World, it is very sad to say that we continue to have littering issues in Gibraltar. The Campaign is working throughout the year by promoting the need for more education; enforcement and improved facilities and maintenance to raise our standards as well as display true civic pride in our hometown.

Our coastal environment means we have “quite some responsibility” in containing our waste, and we need to improve on this at a holistic level.

Globally, plastics, the main non-biodegradable offender, is being considered for redefining as “hazardous waste”, such is its impact on the natural world. It is also headlining as carrying increasing threat with projected volumes to be found in our oceans by 2050 to be equal that of fish. Whether this is an accurate prediction or not, we cannot argue the reality facing us today when a fishing fleet publish their recent catch in the Med showing 20kgs of plastic waste for every 80kgs of fish!! This is disturbing and shocking fact but not surprising…a lot more needs to be done by modern communities everywhere to stop this.

Just take a walk along our coastline, especially on the western part of our coast and you will see what washes up on a regular basis. Of course late night trashing and littering at our beaches compounds this problem, which results in rubbish blown into the sea. More action needs to be taken here and attitudes need to change.

We hope to join other NGOs around the Med this year carry out a joint coastal clean up, information and awareness campaign under the Clean up Banner and ensure it has year round objectives.

With the Refinery and associated industry in the campo area polluting steadily we are working hard behind the scenes once more to use the EC to address this blot on our landscape and threat to populations health throughout the bay. One has to ask where we can take our complaints to should Britain pulls out of the EC?

Re DPC and next mtg – please note this will take place on the 24^th May at 9.30am at the John Mackintosh Hall, with the agenda published a week beforehand. Remember meetings are held in public.

Visit following link for draft document launched today by the Heritage Trust, the ESG and GONHS regarding the need for protection of specific views and vistas in Gibraltar:

http://gibraltarheritagetrust.org.gi/uploads/documents/inline/pdf/moorish-castle-views-vistas-v3c.pdf

PLEASE NOTE THAT FEEDBACK ON DOCUMENT SHOULD REACH ESG, GONHS or HERITAGE TRUST BEFORE END OF MAY 2016.

Thank you