Growing support for a Mediterranean ECA. Illustration: © Shutterstock – Aha-Soft

REMPEC considering a Mediterranean ECA

October 2019

On 11–13 June, the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) met in Malta, to address negative effects on human health and ecosystems of maritime activities. The participants – representing among others 19 Mediterranean coastal states and the EU – were generally supportive of the goal to designate the Mediterranean Sea as a SOx Emission Control Area (ECA).

Linked to this topic, the meeting discussed the need for those countries that have not yet ratified MARPOL Annex VI to do so; how to ensure the availability of low-sulphur fuels; the need for fair competition between all the ports in the Mediterranean Sea; and the potential economic impact in some areas heavily depending on maritime traffic.

In addition, at a meeting in Metz, France, on 6 May, the Italian Environment Minister Costa and his French counterpart De Rugy agreed to conduct a joint initiative to get a combined SOx and NOx ECA for the entire Mediterranean Sea.

Information: http://www.rempec.org/rempecnews.asp?NewsID=1508

France
Shipping
Spain
Illustartion: © Lars-Erik Håkansson

Not even 1.5°C is good enough

The international community is still far from agreeing on a clearly defined maximum limit for global warming. Yet, parts of marine ecosystems face catastrophic risks already at current levels of warming.

Photo: Flickr.com / Graham Cook CC BY

Editorial: IPCC Ocean and Cryosphere report is a powerful diplomatic asset

The IPCC’s Special Report on The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate and its summary for policymakers provide scary reading about ongoing changes and risks, as well as projected risks.

Capacity is no longer a reason for subsidies to fossil power

Check the national regulation regarding extreme power shortage situations, and educate either the regulator or the balance responsible power companies. Do not accept capacity arguments for subsidies to fossil fuels.

WIth a high enough “disconnection price” power companies will ensure they have the capicty to avoid power system failures. Photo: Flickr.com / Thomas Claveirole CC BY-SA
Member states should step up and go beyond the bare minimum needed to reach the current 2030 targets for renewables and energy efficiency. Photo: Flickr.com / Mark Chinnick CC BY

Increasing renewable energy targets for the EU

The new European Commission needs to sprint towards climate action to be in line with the Paris Agreement. There is growing support for at least 55% emission reductions by 2030.

Photo: Flickr.com /Gillian Thomas CC BY

EU law instrumental for cleaning up power plants

The EU Large Combustion Plants Directive was the main driver behind the significant air pollutant emission cuts in this sector from 2004 to 2015, according to a new EEA report.

Achieving a sustainable food future

Feeding the world while staying below 1.5°C by 2050 will require increased productivity, shifts in consumption, new technology and massive reforestation, according to a new report.

Photo: Flickr.com /Claire Backhouse CC BY-ND
Sustainable food production, soil organic carbon management, ecosystem conservation and land restoration were identified as land-related actions that will contribute to both climate mitigation and adaption. Photo: © Shutterstock – Luisaazara

Prompt climate action needed to ensure food supplies

IPCC report says that climate change increases pressure on land, meanwhile land use causes almost a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. 

In heavily trafficked waterways as well as in ports and estuaries environmental risks increase exponentially. Photo: © Shutterstock – Frederick Doerschem

Environmental impacts of ship scrubbers

Untreated wash water from open-loop scrubbers contains heavy metals, aromatic hydrocarbons and soot particles, and scientific tests have shown harmful effects on marine organisms.

Ship emissions debate continues

While slightly stricter energy efficiency targets for certain types of ships were agreed by the IMO in May, there was still no progress on introducing effective short-term measures to cut ships’ carbon emissions.

The general enthusiasm for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. Photo: ©Shutterstock – Kristi Blokhin
Germany and Spain have breached their NH3 ceilings for eight years running. Photo: © Shutterstock – Marco.Warm

Six countries still breach binding air pollution limits

In 2017, the national emission ceilings for ammonia were still violated by five member states and total emissions have now increased by more than three per cent over the last four years, preliminary data from the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows.

Norilsk continues to be the largest SO2 emission hotspot. Photo: Flickr.com / Ninara CC BY

Global SO2 air pollution hotspots mapped

The Norilsk smelter complex in Russia continues to be the largest sulphur dioxide emission hotspot in the world.

Swedish refinery at crossroads: 2X fossil future contested

The Preem oil refinery in Sweden wants to expand, greatly increasing its CO2 emissions and those of Sweden. It may wreck Sweden’s climate target. It may also help the Norwegian fossil industry’s effort to pitch CCS. What happens now is up to the government.

Preemraff in Lysekil, Sweden. Photo: Flickr.com / Lars Falkdalen Lindahl CC BY-SA
Photo: ©Shutterstock – petrmalinak

Hydrogen choices

Hydrogen has for several decades been touted as the fuel of the future. It is in fact a big commodity today, and heading for fast growth in a low-carbon future. If it is produced from fossil fuels, which is what Preem plans for, it is not part of the solution, but a big source of CO2.

In Madrid NO2 limits have been regularly breached. Photo: Flickr.com /Luca Sartoni CC BY-SA

Bulgaria & Spain face EU Court over air pollution

On 25 July, the European Commission sent Bulgaria and Spain to court for repeatedly breaching EU air quality standards and failing to guarantee citizens’ right to clean air.

A third of new childhood asthma cases could be avoided. Photo: © Shutterstock – Yuliya Evstratenko

Thousands of childhood asthma cases preventable by tackling air pollution

If the 18 countries covered by a recent study were to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for PM2.5, 67,000 new cases of childhood asthma, accounting for 11 per cent of new diagnoses ...

The protocol enters into force just as the LRTAP convention celebrates its 40-year anniversary. Photo: © Shutterstock – Sandra van der Steen

Amended Gothenburg Protocol now in force

The amended Gothenburg Protocol under the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) came into force on 7 October, after the eighteenth ratification, by Luxembourg in July.

Canned sprat. Photo: Flickr.com /Marco Verch CC BY

Climate impact from seafood

Pelagic species such as sprat, herring and mackerel are preferable choices from a nutritional and climate perspective, according to a recent Swedish study.

Aberthaw B on its last legs. Photo: Flickr.com /Simon Rowe CC BY

RWE to close coal-fired power plant in Wales

The German energy company RWE has announced the closure of its 1.56 gigawatt Aberthaw B power plant in Wales, UK, due to challenging market conditions for coal-fired power capacity in Britain.

Climbing Mount Arafat as part of the Muslim pilgrimage will be more challenging in a warmer future. Photo: © Shutterstock – mirzavisoko

MENA region one of the most threatened by climate heating

Droughts, sandstorms and flash flooding: In the southern Moroccan oasis M'Hamid El Ghizlane, the effects that global warming is likely to have on the Mediterranean region can already be observed today.

Four years after the creatation of the Paris agreement, Russia is onboard. Photo: ©Shutterstock – Frederic Legrand - COMEO

Russia formally joins Paris climate agreement

The world’s fourth largest emitter, Russia, has formally adopted the Paris Agreement.

No legislation is currently in place to specifically limit or reduce particles from tyres. Photo: © Shutterstock – cla78

Action needed to cut PM from tyres and brakes

A recent report from the UK Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) warns about the increasing importance of non-exhaust emissions (NEE) from road traffic.

In a letter to Secretary General Kitack Lim, ten NGOs urge IMO to impose a moratorium for scrubbers. Photo: Flickr.com / Interntional Maritime Organization CC BY

Call for moratorium on ship scrubbers

In May, ten international non-governmental organisations sent a letter to the IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim, calling for an immediate moratorium on the shipping industry’s use of scrubber technology ...

Growing support for a Mediterranean ECA. Illustration: © Shutterstock – Aha-Soft

REMPEC considering a Mediterranean ECA

On 11–13 June, the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea (REMPEC) met in Malta, to address negative effects on human health and ecosystems of maritime activities.

Ellen is the world's largest all-electric ferry. Photo: © Leclanché

The world’s largest electric ferry

On 15 August, the world’s largest all-electric ferry, Ellen, made its maiden voyage connecting the small island of Aerø to the port of Fynshav on Als in Denmark.

Cruise ships are responsible for significant emissions of SO2 and NOx along European coasts. Photo: © Shutterstock – joachim affeldt

Cruise ships poison the air

Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest luxury cruise operator, emitted nearly 10 times more harmful sulphur dioxide (SO2) around European coasts than did all 260 million EU passenger cars in 2017 ...

Illustration: © Shutterstock – yuRomanovich

CO2 standards for trucks

On 13 June 2019, the Council adopted the EU’s first-ever carbon dioxide emission standards for trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles. Under the new rules, which entered into force on 14 August, manufacturers will be required to cut CO2 emissions ...

Considering the lifetime of a modern vessel decisions have to be taken now. Photo: Flickr.com / drburtoni CC BY-NC-ND

IMO and ICAO fail to implement the Paris Agreement

International shipping emissions are not included in national targets, and, like international aviation, are the responsibility of the specialised UN agencies IMO and ICAO.

Critical loads for nitrogen were exceeded in 62% of nitrogen-sensitive habitats in the UK. Photo: Flickr.com / Andrew Wilkinson CC BY-SA

Ammonia pollution damaging more than 60% of UK land

Over 60 per cent of the United Kingdom land area currently receives ammonia concentrations above the critical level set to protect lichens and bryophytes (1μg m-3).

In brief

UK aims for zero-emission ships by 2025

By 2050, the UK shipping sector must be emission-free, and starting 2025, new ships built for UK waters should be able to sail without emitting any greenhouse gases, according to the Clean Maritime Plan from the British government, published on 11 July. The plan is also exploring the possibilities of subsidizing the transition toward a zero-emission shipping sector.

Link to the plan: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-maritime-plan-maritime-...

10,000 EU staff call for coal phase-out by 2025

EU Staff 4 Climate is a bottom-up initiative led by EU staff in their individual/private capacity. It brings together colleagues from across the EU institutions who are deeply concerned about the climate, ecological and social crises facing our planet.  The inititaive launched in March in solidarity with the global Youth for Climate movement. So far more than 10,000 staff have sigend the petition.

Link: https://eustaff4climate.info/

Court rulings on air pollution

On 26 June, the European Court of Justice ruled that citizens have the right to challenge the air pollution monitoring systems in their cities and that the competent courts (in this case the Brussels court) must enforce EU rules to make sure monitoring stations are located where the highest concentrations of air pollution occur. Average values across a whole zone or city are insufficient as they may underestimate the actual exposure to polluted air.

The ruling follows a case brought against the Brussels government by ClientEarth and five Brussels residents for failure to meet EU air quality limits. The case will now return to the Brussels court for the concluding judgment.

On 25 June, France lost a landmark court case brought by a mother and her daughter to hold the French government responsible for failing to tackle air pollution.

The LIFE Project “Legal Actions – Right to Clean Air”, led by Environmental Action Germany (DUH), recently updated its English background information and added new examples of legal actions around several European countries (link below).

Sources: T&E and ClientEarth press releases, 26 June 2019. Link: https://www.right-to-clean-air.eu/en/library/

Climate change and the Andean cryosphere

Glaciers of the tropical Andes are strongly threatened by global climate change, as revealed by a new report from FARN – Fundacion Ambiente y Recursos Naturales – with support from AirClim. The Andes are the longest continental mountain range in the world, extending for more than 7,000 km from Venezuela in the north to Argentina in the south.

Glaciers are retreating along the entire length of the Andes, with some glaciers having lost two-thirds or more of their mass. Glacial meltwater is a critical water source for millions of people living in the Andean highlands.

Link: https://farn.org.ar/archives/27148