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!

The ESG is concerned about air quality in the South District last week, notably between Wednesday and Saturday. Fumes from the GibDock area, together with heavy pumping of noxious smoke from both power stations were also compounded by bunkering fumes blown ashore due to prevailing winds.

All together made for a cocktail of pollution which affected a large section of our population for often unbearable stretches of time.

It is true that much of the time our air space is flushed clean because of our constant wind flow. The downside of this is when the winds drop or turn inland as this results in pollution from certain fixed points in Gibraltar to directly impact on the community. Several recommendations on these matters have been made in various papers submitted to previous and present Governments over the years by the group.

This key issue affects our quality of life and our health and the ESG calls upon Government to do what is necessary to bring these polluting sources under control.

ESG Radio Newsletter 260712

Hello, in today’s broadcast we look at a number of issues which have arisen recently that you will hopefully find of interest.

• To begin with and since we have formed part of Gibraltar’s Development and Planning Commission, a growing matter concerns applications for mobile phone mast installations. Over the years, the ESG has been approached by concerned members of the public regarding the siting of such equipment and it’s clear that in recent times, and reflecting current demand for services, this type of activity is on the rise. It may interest you to know that for the past four months the ESG has had numerous meetings with Govt and related agencies regarding the need for a review of the current criteria applied to such installations. The ESG hopes that a new policy will be formed without further delay.

• A word on our website which has experienced problems recently- this has thankfully now been sorted out with a backlog of postings going up as we speak – that’s at: esg-gib.net

• A few weeks ago the ESG was invited to attend a demonstration by Steelmac at Coaling Island on its Oil Spill Response capability. The professionalism and equipment on display was most impressive – however when one imagined the brightly coloured equipment in action on a major oil spill, it also took on a more depressing mantle. Clearly prevention is better than response, but still, important to know that as well as being a major bunkering provider, Gibraltar is building up its preparedness and response. There was an interesting mix of govt officials with the business world showcasing their services and equipment. Let’s hope the outcome is that we continue to invest in essential equipment to safeguard our marine environment.

• On a different note we issue a reminder of the protest planned on the 4th August at Valdevaqueras –what we call the gorgeous Tarifa stretch of coastline – this will take place near the sand dunes as from 11.00am and is essentially for the protection of the pristine area and natural environment. If you enjoy this part of the world- then try and support the protest!

• We have received a few calls recently from Gibraltar residents reporting excessive air pollution and we have acted on these as well as advised callers to notify the new Govt hotline announced recently which carries the double role of compiling a pollution picture in Gibraltar. Therefore as well as contacting us, please make a note of the following: daytime: 200-70620 and after hours mobile 58297000. Also write in yr complaint to: info@environment@gibraltar.gov.gi if you have access to a computer.

• Finally a reminder that we want your waste plastic, especially plastic bags and bottles and bottle caps…The Youth Service has kindly offered to receive these for us and we confirm this is possible so please, call 200-75020 and check someone is there first, this from Monday to Friday between 9am and 2pm.

Thanks for listening –

Extra……Next CUTW workshop on the 1st August at 7pm, Plater Youth Club 1st floor

In a week that began with a “minor oil spill” from bunkering operations in Gibraltar last weekend, we end with an explosion on board a vessel off the South Mole. “Luckily” the explosion took out a high powered boiler and produced a lot of black smoke but did not cause injury or marine pollution -once again we breathe a sigh of relief.

Minutes later, however, we learn of another “minor oil spill”, this time across the Bay in Algecrias with a clean up response rapidly being implemented to avoid oil reaching Getares coastline.

See following link:

http://www.diariodesevilla.es/article/andalucia/1284067/operativos/limpieza/se/preparan/las/playas/algecirenas/ante/la/posible/llegada/vertido.html

All these incidents and minor spills place the ecology in the area under tremendous strain as it strives to support the great biodiversity which exists and which we should preserve at all costs.

Raising standards and accountability has to be the way forward as removing fuel industry would be well nigh impossible. Making the “Polluter Pay” and imposing severe fines should reduce avoidable and careless incidents which all add up and together place enormous strains on the living environment.

ESG regards Friday’s minor oil spill in the harbour and nearby area as a reminder of Port impact on the marine environment. Smells of fuel in the residential areas close to the Port were noted on Friday evening when the accident occurred and details emerging today have shed light on the cause. Bunkering operations were believed to have been behind this latest incident and the ESG is advised that Govt and the Port have responded very quickly to avert the worst impact from the spill.

ESG also understands that a full statement from Government and the Port will be issued shortly on the matter. The group nevertheless remains concerned that it is perhaps due to the proximity of the oil spill occurring close to the Port area that on this occasion we have been better able to identify the culprit, respond with a full on clean up, and hopefully apply the polluter paying principle.

Had the bunkering operation taken place at a greater distance to shore, the results could have been very different. The group recognises this is a minor spill but it is an indicator of what can happen with far worse consequences for the natural environment had the volume, believed to have been around 1 to 2 cubic metres, been greater and out at sea. It only takes a little oil to destroy wildlife like seabirds and fish, and our water intakes located in the area can also be put at risk.

With bunkering taking place at four separate ports in the Strait of Gibraltar all minor oil spills add up and impact on the natural environment stressing the need for utmost vigilance and best practice to be applied on all such activity.”

ESG Radio Newsletters: 31st May round up!

• Concerned about the rising levels of air pollution from our power generating stations– situation can only get worse during the hot summer months and the ESG is meeting with Government regularly but knows that a decision for a replacement, clean solution continues –see ESG PR for more details:
http://www.esg-gib.net/esg-power-station-pollution-may-2012/
• Another Planning meeting took place on the 24th May. Here there were some items of interest: more mobile phone mast applications demanding the need for a protocol to establish criteria when permitting such applications to go through; another “hot” topic is the proposed new Tank Farm in the Port area which is going through with an EIA screening report and not a full blown EIA. The ESG has issues with this as this additional tank farm will add to the heavy industry in the region which has seen residential areas grow ever closer. The potential impact also on the water intakes for the desalination plant nearby is another reason why we are concerned about no EIA. We continue to lobby on these issues
• For bunkering fumes and other air pollution issues we have been providing a number for the public to call, that of the bunkering superintendent- this is 56001652. We are told this is about to change but the ESG does not have the replacement contact number – so do use the number here and the official can always give you the new number if that is operational
• Many of you will be aware of the CUTW Campaign which we have organised on the Rock for the past seven years. While the campaign has undoubtedly achieved a lot over the years we still wait for proper enclosure at the City Dump, enforcement on littering and better coordination between all agencies and NGO’s so that Gibraltar’s physical, urban and natural spaces can be better managed. The revival of a Litter Committee including all the main bodies called by the Minister for the Environment was another milestone achievement for our group. Date for 2012m is 22nd September for the clean up with a week- long exhibition following on at the John Mackintosh Hall.
• World Environment Day was celebrated by our local schools this week with energetic musical renditions of carefully crafted songs and dance focusing on environmental messages. Was very impressive, well done to all involved and organisers: Dept of Environment
• Sewage pollution at our beaches continues to result in a closed Western Beach and two Spanish beaches also closed on the eastern coastline, just north of Eastern beach. ESG is busy exchanging information with MEP’s and others on this latest situation and has also been in correspondence with the EC. It is truly astonishing how long it takes for problems such as these to be tackled by the EC. Even when they acknowledge there is a case their ability to take action appears limited and long drawn out. Still, we shall persevere until this situation is resolved
• Fishing etc. Talks continue and it’s possible that with the help of the UK Govt the latest effort by the Gibraltar Government to enforce nature protection laws will prevail and some changes will be seen in the fishing practices of the Spanish vessels. We continue to wait alongside everyone else to see what transpires and hope that a more sustainable outcome will result from all the effort.

Thanks for listening

ESG Radio Newsletter

In this newsletter we shall aim to inform you about various items of environmental news we hope you will find of interest. We would like to start by mentioning the sharp increase in air pollution we are currently experiencing locally due to the balmy weather. It will have been plain to residents close to our power stations that conditions are worsening due to rising temperatures and we have considered it necessary to issue a press release on this issue this week. You can find this in full on our website: esg-gib.net. The ESG will continue to campaign for action on this matter as it remains a top priority with us.

On planning issues, a reminder to those interested that the next DPC public meeting will take place on the 24th May at 9.30am at the John Mackintosh Hall. For details of the agenda which we understand will contain interesting projects, please visit website: gibraltar.gov.gi/dpc closer to the date when the agenda will be posted by the Town Planners. Remember, the community has long called for transparent planning practices – why not make use of the open planning policy we have today by attending a public session?

A reminder that a useful number to make a note of is 56001652 –this is for the Bunkering Superintendent for the Port who is happy to take your calls and reports on a 24hr basis if you consider there is a problem with air or sea pollution emanating from a port related activity. Having given this number out a few times this week we thought it useful to remind listeners in case you need to make a similar report yourself sometime – so that’s 56001652. The ESG will soon meet with the Minister for the Port, the new Captain of the Port and various officials to discuss issues of concern to the ESG and its members. More news posted soon!

Moving on to CUTW news and progress – we are delighted to welcome the return of a Litter Committee on the Rock to review and monitor all aspects of littering in our home town. CUTW goals have been widely published based on countless discussions and debates with community leaders and ESG members. The ESG fully intends to table these goals at Litter Committee sessions also. It has to be said that slowly but surely, these shared goals are slowly coming to fruition but there is still much work to be done. The decision by the Minister for the Environment to revive the Litter Committee, last active nearly 20 years ago, is strongly welcomed as a huge step in the right direction.

For more details on our CUTW Campaign for 2012 plse refer to our website, news section – that’s esg-gib.net/news.

ESG is receiving a growing number of complaints from residents near port area and we are directing them to the official complaint route which is:

Bunkering Superintendent, John Ghio 56001652

ESG invites the public to also notify us when making your call to the port official, call 54960000.

A report published in the Science for Environment Policy April 2012 discusses the impacts on Marine and Coastal Environments in the Mediterranean from Offshore Exploration and Exploitation.
ESG comment:
It is a seven page highly readable document which gives a stark warning about the implications from this type of exploration for our marine environment already under threat from industrial pollution, shipping/bunkering and over fishing. The Bay ecosystem is part of the wider Mediterranean and is also threatened by increasing industrial activity in this region.
This writer can reveal that on a recent visit up the south western coast of the Iberian Peninsula an offshore oil rig was seen in the Strait and explosions could be heard throughout a short stay in the area during the Easter weekend.

This report, providing a lot of detail and research behind what is going on in the far distance hidden from view and unknown to most of us, is therefore a timely paper to help us understand this latest potential hazard to our marine environment.

Please read and fwd link to your contacts

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/FB3.pdf

As examples of direct impacts on marine environments from such explorative practices the report mentions:

Death of a wide variety of marine species
Behavioural disturbances, including changes in feeding, reproduction and migration
Airborne emissions of chemicals from controlled burns
Microbial blooms
Hypoxia -lowering of oxygen concentrations in water
Toxic effects of chemicals used to disperse oil”

The report also states that “many of the impacts of offshore activities on marine environments are uncertain, due to the complex interactions between many different species within marine ecosystems and difficulties associated with conducting research at depth.”

Also of concern and mentioned in the report is the following:

“Oil spills are not the only potential hazards posed by offshore oil and gas activities. Other important considerations are:-

Noise
Seafloor and geological disturbances caused by explosions and drilling
Drill cuttings (barium rich drilling by-products deposited on the seabed)
Produced water (seawater mixed with oil)

See also map lifted from report highlighting what is believed to be oil spills detected from satellite – very disturbing picture is being painted here and one that demands responsible and well managed resource appropriation and a major global drive to move developed nations towards renewable energy use and maximum recycling drives.

Map represents possible oil spills detected in the Mediterranean offshore environment by satellite imaging (1999-2004), from both ships and offshore installations as an indication of the scale of existing oil pollution.
Full map can be found on page 4 of report along with a multitude of references and other important information on this critical issue.

9TH March 2012

GROWING PETROCHEMICAL BUSINESS IN THE BAY AND STILL NO
TRIPARTITE PROCESS

ESG is most concerned with news of a massive fuel farm setting up in Algeciras, as confirmed in the Spanish and local media this week. Vopak Terminal has set up a total of 22 tanks with over 4million ton capacity in a bid to “compete” with Gibraltar for bunkering business. This new industry comes at a time when cross border co-operation under the Tripartite Process is at an all time low.

In 2009, during the 3rd Ministerial meeting of the Trilateral Forum, a communiqué was issued citing the need for greater co-operation at cross border level on matters of environmental protection. This protection was intended to address: “pollution from maritime activity and traffic, bunkering operations, industrial emissions and water discharges, waste disposal and land reclamations, among others. This co-operation was intended to take the form of liaisons, establishment of contact points and urgent means of communication, rehearsed co-operation in co-ordinated incident response, and other means. (see 2nd para, Pt 6 Communique 21.07.09). No such co-operation exists today at a formal level, yet heavy industry continues to grow increasing risk to people and the environment.

The Vopak fuel depot carries a significant environmental and safety risk, and such a project demands detailed transfer of information at a cross border level – This relates to Environmental Impact Assessments as well as response preparedness in the event of accidents.

The ESG asks whether the Gibraltar Government has been presented with an Environmental Impact Assessment for this fuel farm and if not that it should demand this information from the Algeciras Authorities, if not directly, then via the European Commission.

The ESG hopes that the Tripartite framework set up to address critical issues affecting Bay citizens and environment can be taken forward to safeguard our future against the ever increasing and unsustainable petrochemical industry.