ESG Radio Newsletter Feb 14th 2013
Hello- in today’s newsletter we continue our focus on our election wish list of 2011.
Last time we looked at issues ranging from climate change to bunkering and how these need to be addressed from a local perspective. Today we look at: sewage treatment, conservation, planning, the environmental action management plan, cross border issues and epidemiological studies. By the way, if you miss any of these bulletins you can always find radio scripts and press releases on our website at: esg-gib.net.
Our environment is precious to us all, it is life giving, and its own health is crucial to our very own quality of life. It is the fundamental premise that drives the ESG in pursuing our aims through lobbying, campaigning and generally promotion of these issues.

• We begin this week with Sewage- not a savoury topic, we know, but a growing problem: to our north, we suffer direct discharge of Spanish sewage into still waters affecting an important beach, to the south, we discharge our entire sewage into open water, untreated, and illegal. The good news is that at recent meetings with the authorities, we understand that we will see action on this front for Gibraltar’s sewage management, at long last but we shall continue to monitor this. Our compliance should hopefully have a bearing in Brussels taking a firmer stand with Spain over La Linea’s sewage problems but we shall continue to keep up the pressure.
• Conservation- the protection of our natural environment is very important to the ESG. We have lobbied for some years now to see tree planting programmes throughout Gibraltar and for the expansion and upkeep of green areas within the urban environment. The Commonwealth Park will provide such a haven in the town centre. It is important that 2013 doesn’t go by without the implementation of recommendations made in the Upper Rock Management Plan produced by GONHS some 8 years ago. We shall continue to lobby for this.
• On Planning the ESG welcomes our seat on the DPC as we have been able to present concerns and recommendations directly within the decision making process. We have called for a review of the planning procedure- the current open nature of the DPC meetings addresses some of our concerns that previously existed. However, with various statutes and aged practices still in place, a new Town Planning Act is overdue and needs to go out to public consultation. Today we are still seeing the fruits of bad planning decisions made in the past. Such bad decisions will have long-term repercussions on our quality of life and that of our children so it’s critical to get the new Town Planning Act just right. For info, next planning mtg on the 19th Feb at 9.30am at the John Mack Hall.
• Next we come to Gibraltar’s Environmental Action and Management Plan. This was first published in February 2011 after the signing up to an Environmental Charter in 2005. At the time we said it did not address all core issues with enough urgency, intent or transparency. Two full years later, and after mtgs and discussions along the way a new, revised version of the Plan is due to be published. We call upon Government to release this without further delay.
• Next in our list is Cross Border issues – a big one, for sure. Just today looking south a thick band of smog sits upon the horizon, to the north, a thick sulphurous band of fumes is discharged from the refinery into a beautiful blue sky, beginning the filthy cycle of daily pollution into the bay environment once again. We had reached an important point some time back with a cross border group of NGOs lobbying a team of politicians apparently willing to listen under the Tripartite Process. Like a house of cards, this collapsed, and we are very much back where we started. We cannot and will not give up. We are in touch with some NGOs in Spain and are discussing joint strategies to continue the fight against bay pollution. This has to be tackled together and we shall persevere.
• Now for Epidemiological Studies. After the Govt funded Epid Report was published, our advisers found the conclusions seriously lacking, and various recommendations were made to Govt at the time, and repeated again to the new administration. Discussions continue on this and we are now of the mind that long-term studies are an integral part of public health understanding and management but that reducing pollution to start with, is probably the more immediate way of bringing about a healthier society – we shall continue to lobby for both.

For more information plse contact us at 200-48996 or 54960000. You can also join up and become a member. Check out our website for more local environmental news and also for a snapshot view of the biggest environmental stories making headlines in Europe today. That’s on esg-gib.net

The ESG wishes to highlight the following link which provides important articles on major environmental stories in Europe. plse click on the following:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/subscribe.htm

ESG Radio Broadcast January 31st 2013

In today’s broadcast we re-visit our wish list presented to all political parties at the last election. The core issues contained on our list have been in our sights since we first began campaigning for environmental change. We look v briefly at what progress and change has taken place so far. The full Wish list, published on our website, contains twelve core issues. Today we look at the first six: climate change, energy, pollution, traffic, recycling and bunkering.

• Climate Change: It’s vital that we have regular public debate on this critical issue which affects every single citizen of the planet. We would like to see Government hold open meetings when presenting its reports on climate change and invite public input and participation. Businesses, NGOs, all political parties and the public at large should be encouraged to participate. In our view the debate should look at Gibraltar’s long term sustainability, and consider alternative strategies to move us away from our fossil fuel reliance and economic stability.

• Next is Energy – though Government is looking at alternative energy options for Gibraltar, and inclusion of green technology is now compulsory in new housing developments, we still await the announcement of the new energy plan by Government which has been mentioned publicly several times. Many local citizens would also like to install solar equipment and facilities for this should be set up without further delay.

• Pollution – this has always been one of our strongest issues; we have invested a lot of time and energy as a group in trying to reduce pollution both locally and in the Bay area. Because of our size, population spread and lack of buffer zones to any industrial activity, we have campaigned vociferously for higher than EU stds to be applied to protect public health and quality of life. We advocate the Precautionary Principle be used when assessing environmental impact from any industrial activity because, no matter how important economically an activity may be, our health and that of our families, is priceless. The ESG notes that although some progress is being slowly achieved to reduce excessive pollution locally there is still a long way to go and we shall continue to campaign for a cleaner Gibraltar.

• Next is Traffic: we have seen various traffic consultation plans over the years looking at ways to address the problems caused by the high numbers of cars and motorbikes on our roads. Apart from improving traffic flow and better equipment to support this, cycling must be made safer, and a pavement study Gibraltar-wide should also be carried out to ensure that walking is provided for, even if this means some loss of parking spaces. Plans to rule out two stroke motorbikes and incentivising low emission vehicles are seen as welcome measures.

• For our fifth issue we look at Recycling- The recently expanded recycling service now provided by govt brings us more up to date with the rest of Europe and is long overdue! Recent complaints on the street now refer to bins being too full –clearly services have to be stepped up but this is at least positive compared to years of virtually little recycling activity on the Rock. There continues to be an urgent need for netting to be installed at the City Dump to prevent airborne waste, and for a dedicated Eco park, a one-stop shop, to be created to encourage the public to dispose of all waste responsibly. This is also long overdue. On littering also there is a growing problem with cigarette smuggling related waste, visible in almost every corner of our town. Perhaps the ubiquitous black plastic bag could be banned as its impossible to trace the retailer who could be brought on board with guidelines on what their customers should do with their rubbish!!

• Finally, we look at Bunkering. ESG concerns of fumes from bunkering have been taken seriously and measures implemented to reduce these within industry. Not all fumes or risks to the environment are eliminated however, and so we hear plans by current administration to move fuel storage to land based installation. While not supporting the oil industry per se, our group presses for best available technology and the precautionary principle to be applied in any planned installation to ensure minimal impact and maximum public safety.

OK – that’s all for today! If you have found anything you have heard of interest and would like more information please contact us on : esg@gibtelecom.net or call us on 200-48996.Join us in a fortnights time when we shall be looking at: Sewage Treatment, Conservation, Planning, the Environmental Action Management Plan, Cross Border issues and Epidemiological Studies.
Thanks for listening!

ESG Radio Broadcast on 17th January 2013

• The New Year will hopefully bring greater advances locally for Gibraltar’s environment, and in turn, for our quality of life. As an NGO that has been fighting for such advances for the past 13 years, the palpable improvements of 2012 provide room for optimism. For instance, when one considers Gibraltar’s record on recycling, it’s clear that within a short space of time, you and I are now able to recycle much more of our daily waste than ever before…this is good news.

• While south and west district residents wait to feel the full benefits of reduced noise and air pollution at night with closure of engines from the OESCO and GIBELEC power stations, they can take heart that steps are finally being taken to address their long-term suffering. The ESG hopes to visit the North Mole site in early February when we hope to learn more about what the temporary generators can deliver and the impact on the surrounding area.

• Last year was also significant in terms of efforts made to better manage our territorial waters and marine environment with the fresh enforcement of local fishing laws and practices. The ESG believes that if the result leads to greater environmental protection and management of all activity in the Bay then we naturally support these efforts. However, this issue is being driven from one side only and is looking at one of several regional, environmental problems.

• When the Tripartite Forum was at its peak the environment featured highly on the agenda coinciding as it did with maritime accidents and the strongly supported cross border campaign for a bay-wide epidemiological study. Env NGOs from both sides of the border tabled a number of critical environmental issues that affect Bay citizens and the common environment; for example, the impacts from the Oil Refinery and Petrochemical Industry, and the need for greater cross border co-operation to safely manage the busy Bay and Strait environments. We hope to see a resumption of such talks (Tripartite Forum)

• For those who think that Spanish environmental NGOs only scream about Gibraltar, we urge you to visit: www.apuntanoticias.com and www.algecirasalminuto.com for online articles on the work carried out by AGADEN, an Algeciras based NGO, to highlight their local environmental issues. These include: sewage contamination, protection of green areas, lack of environmental monitoring in the Campo area due to cutbacks, and also about spills and slicks in the Port of Algeciras area. Contact us for the links and we are happy to forward you these: that’s at email esg@gibtelecom.net or call 200-48996.

• The trouble, as many of us know, is the censorship within the campo mainstream press of the voices of NGOs and citizen groups especially when it comes to the environment. Its only when such groups criticise Gibraltar that they get mentioned in the mainstream press often making headline news!!

• Of course some groups are less objective with an article in the Spanish press only this week claiming that Gibraltar is planning to build a new Incinerator!! This was NEWS to us and on verifying the story with the Minister for Health and the Environment, we were immediately reassured that this was totally untrue and not the policy of the current administration.

• The ESG welcomes the long planned objective currently being discussed by Govt of bringing fuel storage to shore in Gibraltar. We trust, however, that prevailing issues of land and water oil contamination from aging infrastructure linked to the decommissioned Fuel Depot inside the Rock will be fully addressed before any new Depots are considered. We also hope that any such project will carry widespread public consultation.

• Finally we were interested to hear Government and the Opposition in Parliament discuss particular DPC applications. The new Tank Farm for lubricant oil in the Port area is one such example. The ESG believes that 2012 was a far less stressful year all round because of the major shift in planning policy to hold all DPC meetings in the public domain. We congratulate Government for taking this bold but necessary and democratic step.

• Happy recycling! And thank you for listening…………………………………………………………………..

ESG WELCOMES PLASTIC AND PAPER RECYCLING ON THE ROCK

The ESG is delighted to see the expansion of recycling of waste in Gibraltar with the appearance of plastic and paper recycling bins on our roads. This is a key aim under the Clean up the World Campaign and we strongly welcome the expanded service. Full details are posted on the ESG website as well as Governments’ own website.

ESG hopes the community will use the new facilties and make 2012 our greenest Christmas ever.

ESG Press Release
Dated 20th December 2012

WESTERN BEACH SAGA

The ESG has been following up the issue of ongoing sewage discharge into Western Beach area with the European Commission. The EC advises they are following up the matter with the Spanish authorities who claim they no longer discharge sewage into this area from as far back as December 2011.

The ESG has corrected this misinformation from Spain by sending evidence from the local Environmental Agency’s water sampling records to the EC. The data clearly confirms the continued presence of illegal levels of sewage in Western Beach waters outside of the bathing season period.

The group spoke to Sir Graham Watson last week who, back from attending the Climate Change talks in Qatar, was already knocking on doors in Brussels on this issue.
The ESG believes this issue must be resolved before the next bathing season in 2013 and will do whatever it can to help bring about this outcome.

Following link gives you details of ALL bin locations as well as a clear map showing recycling points in Gibraltar today-
This is a major step forward and will help us all to recycle. Any thoughts useful as the service is changing/improving all the time now and could benefit from user feedback.

http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/images/stories/PDF/environment/recycling_leaflet.pdf

Having a green Christmas in 2012 is now a real possibility. Have a peaceful and happy time with friends and family!

Check out our Flickr page on home page bottom left hand corner for many more great pictures of our major CUTW event- this time of workshops, our parade, monster tour etc. Hope you enjoy!!

ESG Radio Broadcast 131212

First, some local, practical news: at long last the Upper Town gets some recycling bins! Locations are dotted about and linked to existing bin stores. This is good news! Also on recycling, bins placed at Commonwealth Car Park which has been fenced off on commencement of works, can now be found on the other side of the road at the entrance of the temporary car park. Please, spread the word- this is a large catchment area for many residents and important that the bins get used. One final bit of news is the start of collection of plastic for recycling on the Rock! Please support this latest Government initiative on recycling and use the yellow bins for your plastic and tetra bricks as well as your cans. See Govt Press Release with details:

“GOVT PRESS RELEASE: RECYCLING IN THE UPPER TOWN
The Upper Town is the latest area to have the recycling service extended.
New recycling bins have been placed at Flat Bastion Road (south, by refuse cubicle) Willis’s Road (by New Police Block) Prince Edward’s Road (by refuse cubicle at Hargreaves) Castle Road (by refuse cubicle below Sacred Heart Church) Moorish Castle Estate (by main refuse cubicle) Tarik Road Car Park (by refuse cubicle) Calpe Road (by Anderson House).
Residents will be able to deposit glass, cans, plastic bottles and tetra brik containers in new bins which are slightly smaller than the bins elsewhere, enabling them to be collected from the narrow streets of the Upper Town.
“It is hoped that these new facilities will encourage people to start recycling on a more regular basis, particularly in the build up to the festive period which generates larger amounts of waste than usual,” said a Government spokesperson”

In writing this end of year broadcast, it finally hit me that this past year has gone by in a flash! Nevertheless a lot has happened and the ESG has worked steadily throughout, both in our new role at the DPC, with the new administration, and on our own campaigns. We hope we have contributed positively on key issues which have arisen and towards the management of Gibraltar’s environment in general. It must be said that the environment, on the whole, has risen in stature locally under the new team and we welcome seeing many of the environmental pledges delivered on over the next few years. Still, this little Rock, precious though it is, makes up only a very small part of the big wide world: a world which faces significant environmental challenges, both from present day activity to ever rising levels of human population and the accompanying pollution that is necessary to support them.

With Climate Change talks recently held in Qatar, which predictably delivered no substantial change, we are reminded more than ever, the importance of grassroots action to clean up our environment and not only rely on major fora of this type to deliver tangible results. Some positive spin has been given in the international media, following the Qatar talks, about the fact that finally, oil rich middle eastern countries are openly recognising the very real threat of climate change, and need for diversifying economies away from fossil fuels. However, any progress on securing urgent action by the developed, richer nations, failed to materialise at this latest international conference. This leaves less developed countries in a precarious and impossible position – the pressure to industrialise, and yes, increase CO2 emissions, is unavoidable for poorer countries that, as yet, do not have easy access to clean technologies. Yet, many of these countries are manufacturing items that fill our homes in the west – while emissions produced in the manufacturing process continues to be their responsibility. This unfair situation must change and we must accept responsibility to redress global health and wealth inequality to help change people’s lives and also combat climate change.

A media story entitled “Beggars and Polluters” describing what the Qatar climate talks really stood for also caught my attention: Why not Google “Beggars and Polluters, Qatar”, for the full article online –you may find it of interest.
So as we look ahead, immediately to Christmas, and then the New Year, let’s remember that we in Gibraltar share and rely upon the rest of the world to enjoy the very privileged lifestyle we have today. That overconsumption is not the answer to happiness or environmental sustainability and that what really counts is to be mindful and respectful in all we do. Thanks for listening and for your support throughout the year. Please visit our website which is being updated to carry latest reports and end of year summary etc. on www.esg-gib.net . Have a peaceful and happy time during the festive period with your friends and family and remember to recycle your waste!!

ESG Radio Broadcast 29th November 2012

Today’s newsletter will touch on a few topics – to start with you may have caught sight of our great plastic monster on tour around Gibraltar last week – perhaps you saw him in the streets or in local papers and wondered what was going on? Well, this was the creature’s swansong tour helping promote awareness of the imminent launch of plastic recycling on the Rock, before heading away for recycling itself. The monster was the product of many hours of work during the summer month workshops by the ESG, Eco Art and the Gibraltar Youth Service, piecing together a huge mass of plastic containing over 1,000 plastic bottles and many hundreds of plastic bags. Material came from local company, Saccone & Speed, and the Gibraltar community. The CUTW Parade was the main stage for the monster. The inspiration for the model came from a similar sculpture built elsewhere in Europe as part of an educational and awareness programme on the dangers and issues surrounding plastic waste in our communities today. So a very serious message, delivered in an eye catching and rather comical way. Thanks to Eco Art, Master Services and the GBC Production team.

Just a final word to those of you interested in this topic- if you still don’t know where your nearest recycling bins are, look in the Gibraltar Telephone Directory, under section Around & About in Gibraltar, pages 8 & 9, for a detailed breakdown on rubbish disposal guidelines. We hope that Government will soon give the green light for recycling of plastic.

Last week’s DPC meeting packed in a detailed agenda. The Charles Hunt Room was equally packed with standing room only, as several items of public interest were discussed. On the agenda were listed buildings, tree felling, extensions, demolitions, add-ons, you name it, it was on there and lively discussions were held in an open, public format, which really is a breath of fresh air. No longer do we suffer major developments being pronounced with no or little forewarning. At the very least today, we may not always like what is proposed to the DPC, but, at the very least, the public has a right to hear, object and follow the rationale for planning approval, if given. This is a tangible and very important step towards the democratisation of Gibraltar’s planning matters. With the Town Planning Department being provided additional human resources, this also means that a more holistic and thorough service can be delivered to the community. The 1999 Town Planning Act is also currently under review and will be up for public consultation before such review is completed.

The ESG has now sat in on eleven DPC meetings. We hope we are making a positive contribution in the area of environmental safety in planning and have found the whole process, so far, of great interest.
Please contact us if you have any queries or simply want information on any local environmental issue- we are always willing to try and help. A word to our members that we shall be renewing subscriptions before the end of the year as usual and hope we can count on your support.

Contact us on: 200-48996 or 54960000, email at esg@gibtelecom.net and visit our website at: www.esg-gib.net