• This is our first 2012 newsletter and we look ahead with guarded optimism that a new Government in office committed to open governance and action on long standing environmental issues will bear fruition.
• One key 2012 development concerning the ESG is our appointment to the DPC, that is, the Development and Planning Commission. For years we have been calling for greater transparency and access to information for the citizen with respect to planning applications and decisions behind those projects given the green light. Government projects to date have not required any form of screening or environmental impact assessments, but this is now also set to change. We hope to learn more about how the democratisation process of planning will be carried out over the next few weeks when the second meeting of the revised DPC is scheduled to be held.
• For those who believe that the ESG would simply oppose all development let us please offer some reassurance that our role will be to promote good practice and use of best available technology and standards with respect to all projects especially when they risk impacting people and the living environment. Longer term we would be urging policy makers within Government to put in place a greening up programme for Gibraltar to ensure that we fall in line with other communities trying to play a responsible part in meeting the serious challenges of global warming and climate change. Gibraltar is not and will not escape the impact in future years from resource depletion, global energy crisis, climate instability and we believe we also have to inform, equip and prepare ourselves for an unpredictable future that our children and future generations will likely face. But the ESG are also realists and we know we cannot perform miracles overnight; we also know, however, that there is much that can be done to restore a healthier environmental balance in our community today without sacrificing the shorter term, but nevertheless critical “progress” which is so important to today’s’ families.
• Moving on we have already begun a series of talks and presentations covering issues like last years Clean Up as well as familiarisation talks on local and regional environmental issues. The film, carrying the central message of the Clean Up Campaign which in 2011 was “Our Place, Our Planet, Our Responsibility”, will be screened at our local cinema soon and we shall be promoting dates and times shortly. You can also catch the film online by visiting ESG homepage and clicking on film link posted there. Our website: esg-gib.net.
• We would like to refer briefly to the recent heavy pollution from both generating stations on Rosia Road which caused terrible pollution recently and on which we issued a press release. The situation, as we all know, is getting from bad to worse and after many years of lobbying we know that the only solution to this problem is the new replacement power station. We shall be meeting with the new Minister for the Environment on this issue in late January when we shall be pressing for a date to be announced for the completion of the new power station
• Towards the end of 2011 the ESG held its AGM and a call was made for subscription renewal to all ESG members. Many have already sent in their subs but we would like to remind you to please send in yours if you haven’t yet done so. Thank you.
• Future clean ups on the horizon include revisiting Witham’s Cemetery where last year, together with the Gibraltar Heritage Trust and other volunteers we started clearing overgrown vegetation and rubbish material and plan to do so again soon. If you are listening and would like to get involved please do contact us at: 200-48966/or 200-42844, and leave your details. You can also reach us at 54960000 or on email: esg@gibtelecom.net
Thanks for listening
