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  • Radio Broadcast 24.01.19


    Key words:  New Year new issues/ CUTW outreach work/ Pollution Hotspots / elections & the environment / citizen reports and controls / CEPSA Refinery /  Hassan’s Centenary / Next DPC mtg

    The New Year is bringing up many environmental issues and it is positive to recognise that in broad terms there is far more awareness about the problems behind certain issues and also where the community can help with direct action in others.

     

    As is the norm for us we start the year with several talks and certificate presentations to the many educational establishments that participated in the Gibraltar wide clean up. This gives us a welcome opportunity of discussing issues, pinpointing underlying problems and identifying solutions.   With election year now in sight and the added complication of Brexit, this also provides fertile ground for constructive and important debate about all the issues we follow particularly on how the environment will feature in these dynamic and worrying times.

     

    More debate needed!

     

    Locally we have many discussions with members and the public alike on pollution hotspots on the Rock and within the Bay as well as the heavy toll from multiple developments and associated construction vehicles, which add to an already very busy traffic situation in Gibraltar. We hope to meet with the Minister for Transport soon to highlight our concerns.

     

    We start the year with energy also and we will be publishing our environmental lobbying document for use in this important election period. We are planning to hold awareness days to be able to discuss our concerns and interests directly with the community. Dates to be announced soon.

     

    The ESG continues to receive steady complaints from residents in the south district in particular pointing to chronic pollution situations that demand solutions. We are in active discussion with many parties at present in the hope that solutions will be found and a better environment will prevail. It is vital that industry applies best technology and standards and that regulators apply strict controls. Only in this fashion can true progress be achieved.

    We recently also publicly welcomed progress made at the LNG Power Plant given the improvements this will create on some of the current pollution sources once plant is fully operational. Please visit our website for more information on these issues – that’s esg-gib.net.

     

    If we briefly revisit the CEPSA Oil Refinery, a long-term and major regional issue of ours, we confirm that the last 7 days have seen heavy flaring, sulphurous emissions staining the skies, and nauseating smells brought across by northerly winds. We are mindful of the additional challenge we face of taking this dangerous industry to task with the loss of the EU membership but it is still in our sights and we thank and welcome all reports and material received from members of the public which we shall put to good use.

     

    Also coming up soon will be a dedicated DPC meeting for the Hassan’s Centenary application on the eastern side of the Rock-taking place at 2.30pm on the 11th February. The ESG is concerned about the landscape impacts from the location of these buildings as well as their excessive height and is presenting its concerns as we speak.

    Thanks for listening you can also email us for more info at esg@gibtelecom.net



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