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WE Magazine is entirely dedicated to cover worldwide environmental issues such as Global Warming, Water, Energy, Global Warming, Waste Management, Sustainable Development, Green Economy and Biodiversity. Through, articles and interviews to the most in fluent environment experts we aim to educate and promote an awareness and respect of the environment.
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MAGAZINE |
WORLD E N V I R O N M E N T
SPAIN
Leading Europe’s Green RevolutionWIND ENERGY AS A KEY CLIMATE SOLUTION
THE WORK OF THEUNESCO CHAIR IN
SUSTAINABLE URBANDEVELOPMENT
THE WORK OF THEUNESCO CHAIR IN
SUSTAINABLE URBANDEVELOPMENT
LEARNING TO THINKECOLOGICALLY
LEARNING TO THINKECOLOGICALLY
SPECIALENERGYBilbao 09: European Future Energy Summit
Free Copy
SAUDI ARABIA
A Solar Future
No03
/Ju
ne 2
009
SPEC
IAL E
NERG
YW
ORLD
ENV
IRON
MEN
T M
AGAZ
INE
03
3
As occupants of this planet, it is our duty
and responsibility to make sure that we
do not leave this planet behind in a mess
for the coming generations.
In today’s society we have realized that it is es-
sential to create a more sustainable world for us
and for future generations. Global warming, in-
creasing CO2 emissions and a fragile environ-
ment are reasons why we must act now, and not
later. Renewable energies, reducing CO2 emis-
sions and waste recycling are just some of po-
tential solutions. That is why we have all
gathered here today to talk about these prob-
lems and to make our world a cleaner place.
There is no shortage of sun in the GCC, therefore
Saudi Arabia’s plans is to invest in solar and pho-
tovoltaic technologies to create alternative ener-
gies, rather than relying on fossil fuels. The country
enjoys excellent location on the planet, where solar
energy is one of the best in the world.
Japan is one of the very active countries in Pho-
tovoltaic energy. As a country; it is very close to
the environment and therefore tries to give back
to our planet what it has been taking from it.
Sweden is the leader in Europe in environmen-
tal friendliness. The trend towards environ-
mental concern is very important because
research has shown that if people do not
change their way of living and thinking on how
to preserve their natural environment, it will
have catastrophic outcomes.
The GCC has not enjoyed living a positive exam-
ple so far when it comes to carbon credits, this is
about to change. Even so Saudi Arabia has still
plenty of its natural resources oil, it wants to give
back to the world, by using its fortune and invest
in the renewable energy solar.
Starting from delivering energy to the local com-
munities, over covering whole Saudi Arabia, till
exporting solar generated energy to South of Eu-
rope and North Africa through grids is our plan.
After 20 years the investment will have paid off
and considerable profits will be gained.
Saudi Arabia believes that if it starts the ball
rolling in the GCC with solar energy, other coun-
tries within the GCC will jump on the bandwagon
and also invest in renewable energies. Leading a
good example and education other countries and
cultures has proven itself successful over many
years. Technologies learned and developed in
other countries can be used to improve its own
techniques, because we understand that it is ab-
solutely important to keep improving ourselves.
Achieving a more sustainable environment and
world for our children our children’s children to
live in should be in everybody’s agenda.
What kind of society would it be if we don’t react
and correct the mistakes we have been and are
doing?
Therefore we are proud to announce that as
Saudis we are trying to make a difference.
Especial thanks to my brother HH Sheikh Mo-
hamed Ben Zayed El Nahyan, for his creativity in
the Environmental world and his generous initia-
tive to Masdar.
Finally, I would like to thank the Saudi Ambassa-
dor in Spain, HRH Prince Saoud Ben Nayef Ben
Abdelaziz, for his support and encouragement
and to the Spanish goverment and the Basque
authorities for their hospitality.
Prince Faisal Bin Turki AL-FAISAL
European Future Energy summitBilbao, June 2009
Bis millah alrahman alrahim,Ladies and gentlemen;
4
SPECIAL ENERGY> 12 Future Energy Policy
> 16 Spain Leading Europe’s Green Revolution
> 20 Germasolar: 171 million Secured to Fund Germasolar
> 24 Saudi Arabia: A Solar Future
> 28 Saudi Future Energy Company
> 32 Zayed Future Energy Prize
> 34 Archimede Solar Energy
> 38 Med Enec: Implementation Gap for Energy Efficiency in Buildings
> 42 Scotland’s Developing Energy Policy
> 44 Wind Energy as a Key Climate Solution
WORLD ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINE’s policy is to use papers that are natural, renewable, recyclable and
made from wood grown in sustainable forests. In addition, all waste is sent for recycling
Number 03 | June 2009
CHAIRMANAndrea Tucci [email protected]
EDITORIAL DIRECTORCathy Chami Tyan [email protected]
EDITORIAL PROJECT COORDINATORMarc Wiliam [email protected]
CONTRIBUTORSFaisal Bin Turki Al-Faisal, Samir Anwar Al-Gamal, Tala Al-Khatib, ChristopherBoyes, Piercarlo Crachi, Lara Fahs, Alya Kebiri, SteffenLehmann, Mark William Lowe,Fiorella Minicucci, GabriellaPorilli, Jonathan F.P. Rose,Simba Russeau, Mai Samaha,Elsa J. Sattout, Steve Sawyer,Cathy Chami Tyan, Klaus Wenzel
CONCEPT & DESIGN
PHOTOGRAPHYAPJM, A Sea Change, GarissonInstitute, GWEC, Mike Hales,Ibsar, Shark Alliance, Med-Enec,SPNL, Studio Crachi, Tom DiMauro, UNESCO ChairAsia/Pacific.
SALES [email protected]
PUBLISHED BYWorld Environment GroupAvenue Mongi Bali - Imm. El Misk4000 Sousse, Tunisia
PRINTINGRAIDY | www.raidy.com
COPYRIGHTThe articles become part of the magazine’s archive. Furtherpublishings on other issues mustbe authorized by the editor following the author’s consent.
REGISTERED UNDERINNORPI, Tunis, TunisiaET080360March 26, 2008
WORLD ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINEMAGAZINE |
WORLD E N V I R O N M E N T
5
Contents
WORLD>3 Editorial: Prince Faisal Ben Turki Al Faisal
>6 Editorial: It’s never too late
>8 Agenda: Future Environmental Events
Sustainable Development:
>54 The Work of the UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Urban
Development for Asia and the Pacific
Global Warming:
>58 Climate-Induced Conflict Risks Over Shared Water Resources
in Africa,
Water:
>66 Africa: Protecting Watersheds Saves Billions
>70 Egypt: Water Pricing; a Viable Solution for Egypt’s Water Crisis
Waste Management:
>76 Waste Not, Want Not
>78 Promoting the Eco Print Attitude
>82 The Greenhouse
Biodiversity:
>84 Conservation and the Indigenous People
>90 Ibsar: Sustaining Education Through Tree Power
>94 Jabal Moussa: A Surprisingly Rich Mosaic
>98 Shark: Indian Ocean Shark Finning Ban Defeated
>102 Save Your Logo: A Revolutionary Fundraising Approach
Ecoliving:
>104 Learning to Think Ecologically
>108 The Green Party of Lebanon
>112 Eco-Innovation: The Key to Europe’s Competitiveness
>116 A Sea Change: Imagine a World Without Fish
Eco Tourism:
>118 Siwa: Adrere Amellal Ecolodge
>122 Lebanon: Qoleileh Marine Hima
>126 Lybia: Future Inauguration of Lybia’s New Museum
TV |
WORLD E N V I R O N M E N T
Energy >11
Sustainable Development >54
Global Warning >58
Water >66
Waste management >76
Biodiversity >84
Eco-Living >104
Eco-Tourism >118
WORLD ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINE is available on line at www.worldenvironment.tv
6
Despite the economic crisis and following the success of the World Energy
Summit this past January in Abu Dhabi, 5000 World leaders will be gathering
at the European Future Energy Forum in Bilbao to debate, demonstrate, and
discover the most efficient ways to develop the future of Energy.
Why Spain? Why Bilbao?
Because Spain such as the Gulf countries is strongly committed
to the development of renewable energies, and with it unlimited
business opportunities. The wind power energy market in Spain
will grow this year by almost 50% in terms of sales. The business
in solar-photovoltaic and thermoelectric-energy will reach 470
million Euros (an increase of 125%). In 2008, the sales of both
kinds of energies generated a business of more than 3,600
million Euros.
The Basque region is energy rich and has invested over €4 billion
in combined-cycle power plants, cogeneration, and a variety of
renewable energy sources aiming to triple its electricity
generation.
This Special Energy issue not only tackles the state of Energy in the world, but it also
tries to find solutions to the major problems our planet is facing: from global
warming, to water scarcity, rapid urbanization, exhaustion of landfill capacities,
deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
While this magazine is dedicated to all environment lovers, to decision-makers and
businessmen in the environment field, it is a call to all those who feel they need to
do something to protect their environment and don’t know where or how to start.
To them, we say, it is never too late to act. There is always a beginning.
Our planet needs us.
As we are printing this third issue I would like to thank all those who believed in this
adventure and encouraged us through their unconditional support.
A special thank you note to Prince Faisal Ben Turki al Faisal a visionary leader who
through his work and commitment for this planet deeply believes in social and
environmental change.
Many thanks to our sponsors; the Global Strategic Studies Institute (GSSI), the Saudi
Strategic Studies Institute (SSSI), Farhan Al Farhan (F&F), and the First Energy Bank.
Cathy CHAMI TYAN
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
June, 2009
It is never too late
FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTSJune 1st, 2009 International Forum on Integrated Sherbrooke, Canada
Water Management
June 2, 2009 2009 International Symposium Shanghai, Chinaon Environmental Science and Technology
June 3, 2009 Waste Conference and Exhibition Brisbane,Australia
June 14, 2009 ICLEI World Congress 2009 Edmonton, Canada
June 15, 2009 http://www.greenenergy-jo.com/ Amman, Jordan
June 15, 2009 http://www.energyexpo.bh/ Bahrain Bahrain
June 21, 2009 2009 ISIE Conference: Lisbon, Portugal5th International Conference on Industrial Ecology
June 23, 2009 Energy and Sustainability 2009 Bologna, Italy
June, 24 2009 EESD 2009 - International Conference on Energy, Paris, FranceEnvironment, Sustainable Development
June 28, 2009 ISA-RC-24- International Conference on Water, Firozabad, Agra India Environment, Energy and Society
June 30, 2009 Advances in Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Tehran, Iran
July 5, 2009 Global Conference on Global Warming 2009 Istanbul, Turkey
July 6, 2009 The IASTED International Conference on Environmental Banff, CanadaManagement and Engineering (EME 2009)
July 7, 2009 The 15th International Interdisciplinary Daytona Beach, FloridaConference on the Environment USA
July 10, 2009 8th Global Conference: Environmental Justice Oxford, United Kingdomand Global Citizenship
July 20, 2009 Air Pollution 2009 Tallinn, Estonia
July 20, 2009 3rd National Conference on Ecosystem Los Angeles, CA Restoration (NCER '09) USA
August 9, 2009 Energy and Sustainability 2009 Newark, Delaware - USA
August 16, 2009 10th International Congress of Ecology Brisbane, Australia
August 26, 2009 4th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference Savannah, Georgia
August 26, 2009 ICEE 2009 - International Conference on Singapore, SingaporeEnergy and Environment
September 3, 2009 CEST2009 - 11th International Conference Chania, Greeceon Environmental Science and Technology
September, 7th 2009 AMIREG 2009 - Towards sustainable Athens, Greecedevelopment: Assessing the footprintof resource utilization and hazardous waste management
September 8, 2009 8th International Conference Cape Town, South Africaon Corporate Social Responsibility
September 13, 2009 Healthy Buildings 2009 Syracuse, New York
14 September 14, 2009 The Second International Environmental Cracow, PolandBest Practices Conference
September 21, 2009 Environmental Health Risk 2009 New Forest, UK
September 23, 2009 ICESE 2009 - International Conference Toronto, Canadaon Environmental Sciences and Engineering Amsterdam, Netherlands
September 23, 2009 EESD 2009 - International Conference on Toronto, Canada Ecosystems, Environment and Sustainable Amsterdam, NetherlandsDevelopment
October 19, 2009 International Conference on Emerging Technologies Aligarh, Indiain Environmental Science an Engineering
October 25, 2009 Young Earth-Scientists Congress 2009 Beijing, China
October 27, 2009 The Energy Exchange, Tunis, Tunisiahttp://www.theenergyexchange.co.uk
October 28, 2009 ICESE 2009 - International Conference Chicago, USAon Environmental Systems Engineering
October 28, 2009 ICCEE 2009 - International Conference Chicago Other, USAon Civil and Environmental Engineering
October 29, 2009 ICESE 2009 - International Conference Venice, Italyon Environmental Systems Engineering
November 2, 2009 Sustainable Infrastructure and Built Environment Bandung, Indonesiain Developing Countries (SIBE 2009)
November 2, 2009 Congress on Alternative Energy Applications Kuwait
November 7, 2009 Opportunity Green Business Conference 2009 at UCLA Los Angeles, California
November 9, 2009 International Conference on Solid Waste Management: Khulna, BangladeshTechnical & Socio-economical Context
November 12 2009 Green Conclave Delhi, India
November 12, 2009 The Integration of Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Agadir, MoroccoDevelopment in the Context of Climate Change, the Energy Crisis and Food Insecurity
November 23, 2009 East Asian Seas Congress 2009 Manila, Philippines
November 25, 2009 ICEET 2009 - International Conference Sydney, Australia on Environmental Engineering and Technology Johannesburg, South Africa
December 9, 2009 Communication and Environment: Penang, MalaysiaTransformation for a Sustainable Tomorrow
Sponsored by:
SPECIALENERGY
MAGAZINE |
WORLD E N V I R O N M E N T
By Marc William LOWE
12
The 2nd World Future Energy Summit, staged inAbu Dhabi between 9-11 January 2009, saw thepresence of delegates and visitors from over 80
countries. This in itself is evidence of the importanceof the event.
However, should further proof be required the officialstatistics speak for themselves; 18,240 visitors – 7,000more than the previous event, 734 members of theinternational press, 145,000 unique visitors to thesummit’s website and 350 exhibiting companies.
Given the level of attention dedicated to the summit itis hardly surprising that some of the world’s biggestbrands and companies sponsored the event. At theWorld Future Energy Summit's closing ceremony, TonyBlair, the former British prime minister, commentedthat: “this is a remarkable summit, it is now establishedas the premier future energy summit of the world”.
Following the success of the Abu Dhabi Summit thenext appointment is in Europe. The first EuropeanFuture Energy Forum will be held in the Spanish city ofBilbao between 9-11 June 2009. The choice of theBasque capital as a location for the Forum is significant;on the whole Spain is a shining example to the rest ofEurope, but the Basque Region in particular has madeconsiderable investments in renewable energy sourcesas part of its aim to treble its electricity generation. Bilbao is also an excellent stage to examine anddiscuss the future of energy technologies, the city is a
vibrant centre for innovation and technology with atwenty-fold increase in investment in research anddevelopment activities over the past two decades.
This edition of World Environment Magazine featuresan article on Spain’s commitment to the developmentof renewable energy sources. The SpanishGovernment’s position is an example to otherEuropean countries. Massive progress has been madein a number of fields, especially in the harnessing ofsolar and wind power. The central Government’sstance on investment and development in renewablesis reflected in the strategies of many regionalgovernments, the Basque Region being an excellentexample.
If Spain is to be considered a prime example ofsupport and investment in the development andimplementation of innovative green technologies whatis the situation in other Europe countries?
Although at times difficult to understand the underlyingstrategy, the United Kingdom is strongly committed torenewables. Despite a number of set-backs, the BritishGovernment would like to see the United Kingdomemerge as a global leader in green energy. At the timeof writing one project in particular is suffering a numberof difficulties; the London Array scheme, situated in theThames Estuary, may require the support of theEuropean Investment Bank (EIB) if it is ever to becomethe world’s largest offshore wind farm.
Can the Requirement to Further Develop InnovativeTechnologies in the Field of Renewable Energy Sources leadto an Opportunity for Industrial and Economic Growth?
FUTURE ENERGY POLICYAS AN OPPORTUNITY FORECONOMIC GROWTH
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
In the Euro-zone the situation is far from serene: a number of countries have suffered set- backs torenewable projects, due to the credit crunch andthe consequent reluctance of banks to lend onlarge projects.
Energy
Although it has a strong personalbacking from British Prime Minister,Gordon Brown, the project isfacing severe financial difficulties,due to a number of high-profilecompanies pulling out and fearsover its overall funding. The £3billion project, which Brown wouldlike to see completed in time forthe 2012 Olympics in London, is a crucial part of the UnitedKingdom’s commitment to fulfillingits ambitious target of generating35% of electricity from renewablesources by 2020.
The London Array project has beenin difficulty since Shell withdrew itssupport on account of concernsabout increased costs.
The other main backers, the GermanE.ON and the Danish companyDong Energy, remain committed tothe project. In October 2008Masdar, the renewable energy fundcontrolled by the Government ofAbu Dhabi, announced that it wouldacquire Shell’s former stake.
Although the EIB will not commenton specific project a spokespersonrecently confirmed that the bankis “committed to funding offshorewind projects in the UK”. The EIB has already funded a number of renewable energy projects,including a number of solar energydevelopments in Spain and France.
A final decision from the EIB inregards to partially financing theLondon Array project is expectedby this summer.
There is no doubt that the currenteconomic crisis is having strongimpact on a number of projects,globally there has been a 53% fallin investment in clean energybetween the first quarter of 2008and the same period in 2009.Compounding difficulties in theUnited Kingdom, the fall in thevalue of the pound has forcedprices of imported equipment up bymore than 20%.
In the Euro-zone the situation isfar from serene: a number of
countries have suffered set- backsto renewable projects, due to thecredit crunch and the consequentreluctance of banks to lend onlarge projects.
The European Union is well awareof the necessity to develop andsupport initiatives aimed ataddressing the major energychallenges faced today, in particularclimate change, Europe’s increasingdependence on imports, andsecure energy sources. The EU isworking on an ambitious energypolicy that addresses all forms ofenergy sources and aims to sparkindustrial development with theconsequential creation of new jobsin innovative technologies.
13
�
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Analysis
Another EU proposal is the creationof a trans-European energy network,an important part of this project isthe proposal to link into the networkplants that harness renewablesources of energy, for exampleConcentrated Solar Power (CSP)plants in southern Spain. In theUnited States of America, Presi-dent Barak Obama’s administra-tion will have to face a number ofchallenges; none as daunting orimportant as energy.
It is fair to say that energy plays apart in almost all of the othermajor challenges facing the currentadministration; the economy, theenvironment, foreign policy andforeign conflicts. All of this while
the United States faces an almostunprecedented energy crisis that isworsening by the day.
President Obama’s administrationneeds to urgently define a strategythat addresses, amongst others,the following issues: the reductionof oil’s contribution to America’senergy supply, a goal in whichtechnological innovations in thefield of renewables will play animportant part; reducing America’sreliance on coal and consuming it in a climate-friendly manner,something that can only be reachedthrough government support for thedevelopment of carbon capture andstorage technology; and dramaticallyincreasing the level of renewable
energy sources to America's totalenergy mix, an objective that requiressubstantial public investment in newtechnologies. The challenges aheadare worldwide and require evergreater collaboration. World leadersshould not lose sight of the urgencyof the climate crisis and the necessityto invest more in renewable energysources because of the globalfinancial crisis.
In his address during the closingceremony of January’s WorldFuture Energy Summit, Tony Blaircongratulated Barack Obama on hisinauguration as President and calledfor a greater US role in a new globalclimate treaty. The former BritishPrime Minister noted that “2009should be the year we summonthe will and wit to conclude a newtreaty on climate change, one thatshould have the United States asa signatory”, adding that “thedecisions of 2009 will determinethe world in 2029 or 2049. Let us puteconomic growth and combatingclimate change in alliance, notopposition.”
The forthcoming European FutureEnergy Forum in Bilbao represents aplatform for dialogue, collaboration,and the development of a frameworkfor greater investment in renewableenergy sources. Future energypolicy is critical to the environmentbut is also an opportunity foreconomic growth.
14
“2009 should be the year we summonthe will and wit to conclude a new treatyon climate change, onethat should have theUnited States as a signatory”
Tony Blair
�
impaginato4.indd 9 06/01/2009 19.34.13
16
SPAIN:LEADING EUROPE’SGREEN REVOLUTION
Following the success of the second edition of the
World Future Energy Summit, held in Abu Dhabi
in January 2009, a special European Future
Energy Forum will be held in the northern Spanish city
Making massive progress in the field of renewable energy, Spain’s solar,hydro and wind technologies are harnessing green power and demonstratingjust what can be achieved through strong administrative support.
By Mark William LOWE
of Bilbao in June. The choice of Spain as a location for
what represents Europe’s largest ever exchange of
knowledge on future energy solutions is far from
casual. Indeed, the European Future Energy Forum
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT’SCOMMITMENT TO GREENTECHNOLOGIES IS NOTONLY ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS BUT CREATING JOBS ANDBOOSTING LOCAL INDUSTRIES.
17
Energy
aims to gather over 5,000
manufacturers, investors and
technology providers from around
the world in a nation that is rapidly
emerging as a showcase for the
potential of renewable energy
sources and technologies.
A strong commitment to energy
diversification and the development
of business opportunities on the part
of the Spanish Government has led
to an astounding level of investment
and growth in the renewable energy
sector. Industry experts estimate
that the value of the wind power
market will rise by over 50% in
2009, whilst business linked to solar-
photovoltaic and thermo-electric
technologies will rise by 125%. The
sales of energy derived from these
technologies increased by 55% from
2007 to 2008 and the forecast for
2009 is equally impressive. With
specific reference to the Basque
Region, the implementation of
forward-looking energy policies and
strong investments over the past
20 years have led to over 33% of
the power demand of Basque
homes being met through energy
derived from renewable and
environmentally-friendly sources.
Power generation from solar, ocean,
hydro, wind, biomass and thermal
sources has been coupled to greater
energy use efficiency through the
application of energy efficient
technologies aimed at reducing
consumption. Amongst the Basque
Region’s stated long-term ambitions
is that of tripling overall power
generation, as part of this plan to
date over 4 billion Euros have been
invested in combined-cycle power
plants, co-generation and a series of
renewable energy sources.
Central government supportfor renewable energyAt national level, Spain is committed
to legislative and financial support
for both the development and
implementation of renewable energy
technologies and the lowering of
carbon emissions. One excellent
example of commitment to the
development of alternative energy
is the current and promised futu-
re support to the growth of
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)
technology. Currently CSP energy
generation costs are double those of
traditional methods.
However, to counteract the high
investment and running costs, CSP
projects across Spain are being built
in the knowledge that the Spanish
Government will pay a premium,
known as a feed-in tariff, for CSP
electricity delivered to the national
grid. This form of government
incentive, as well as the fast-tracking
of approval for the construction of
CSP plants, has led to Spanish
companies charging ahead with
more than 50 CSP projects
throughout Spain.
Industry and Government experts
estimate that by 2015 over 2GW of
power will be generated from CSP
plants, a figure in excess of current
national targets. The companies
involved in the development of CSP
technology are exporting know-
how and experience to North
Africa, particularly in Morocco and
Algeria, as well as the United States
of America.
Such is the interest in CSP
technology that the European
Commission has identified CSP as
part of its future clean energy
technology strategy. Indeed, experts
from the European Union’s Joint
Research Centre (JRC) have argued
that CSP could represent an
important part of the proposed
European Union “Supergrid”; a
project that envisages the
transporting of electrical power
generated in solar plants in southern
Europe and northern Africa
throughout Europe. The “Supergrid”
concept has received political
support from the United Kingdom’s
Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and
the President of France, Nicolas
Sarkozy, who has gone as far as to
commission a feasibility study.
Greenpeace and WWF enthusiasticAccording to José Luis García
at Greenpeace in Spain, CSP
technology is destined to boom in
those countries that have the
correct atmospheric conditions. �
18
renewable sources. Some experts
believe that the 30% target could
even be reached as early as 2010.
In February 2009, partially due to
heavy rainfall that increased
hydroelectric production, renewable
energy sources provided 31% of
Spain’s total energy supply. Willstedt
believes that Spain will be able to
cover half of its energy requirements
from renewable sources by 2020 if
the current enthusiasm, as well as
legislative and financial support from
the Government, continues.
Spain’s clean energy targets are
well in line with European Union
plans for member countries to
source 20% of primary energy
from renewables. According to the
European Union plan, around 30%
of electricity would have to be
generated from carbon free sources,
this figure may be raised to 40%.
However, according to Greenpeace’s
José Luis García Spain could
comfortably consider arriving as
high as 50%.
Is Spain in the grips of a GreenRevolution? All of the signs would certainly seem
to point to just that, not least the
Spanish Government’s efforts to
reduce levels of CO2 emissions.
One example of how this is being
addressed is the level of investment
in the ultramodern high-speed rail
network. Industry experts calculate
that passengers on the high-speed
AVE train connection between Madrid
and Barcelona account for one-sixth
of the carbon emissions of airplane
passengers travelling the same route.
Straight tracks and limited stops also
mean that the 220mph AVE trains
use around 19% less energy than
conventional trains. It is estimated
that hundreds of thousands of
passengers have abandoned air
travel for the space and convenience
of the new rail system, some
estimates put the fall in air passenger
numbers over the past year as high
as 20%. Given that many Spanish
cities are more than 500 km (300
miles) apart, air travel has been the
preferred option for many years.
Until the beginning of 2008 aircraft
carried around 72% of the 5 million
long-distance passengers travelling
by rail or air. That figure is now
down to 60% and some experts
believe that within two years the
share will be equal.
Whatever the precise figures actually
are, there is no doubt that Prime
Minister José Luis Rodríguez
Zapatero’s boast that Spain will soon
have Europe’s most extensive high-
speed rail network demonstrates
not only a commitment to putting
infrastructure projects at the heart of
an anti-recession surge in public
spending, but also demonstrates
an important commitment to redu-
cing CO2 emissions and energy
consumption.
Certain areas of Spain, particularly
the southern region of Andalucía,
have exactly the right environmental
conditions that allow the harnessing
of the sun’s energy. García is of the
opinion that, given the abundance
of sunshine hours in the southern
regions, Spain is in a position to
be a leader in the development
and implement of this innovative
technology.
Greenpeace are not alone in praising
the renewable energy situation in
Spain - the World Wildlife Fund has
commended the country’s efforts to
develop renewable energy sources
over the past decade. According to
Heikki Willstedt of the World Wildlife
Fund Spain’s commitment to
renewable energies is paying off,
recent figures are impressive and
Spain is well on the way to reaching
the target of producing 30% of
annual demand for electricity from
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Spain
�
20
GEMASOLAR171 MILLION EUROS SECURED TO FUND GEMASOLARThe world’s first solar power plant with central tower andsalt receiver technology commences construction in Spain.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
“The construction ofGemasolar represents a gigantic step forwards in Torresol’stechnologicaldevelopment andpositions us as worldleaders in centraltower solar thermalprojects.“
Energy
21
first utility grade solar power plant
with central tower and salt receiver
technology and will provide clean
and safe energy as well as create
more than 1,500 jobs in Spain. The
plant is located in Fuentes de
Andalucía, in Seville. The funding
which has been secured through
the open market with Banco
Popular, Banesto and the Instituto
de Crédito Oficial acting as mandated
lead arrangers, highlights the
attractive proposition that the
strategic alliance offers in this
Torresol Energy, the strategic
alliance between Spanish
engineering group SENER
and Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi
faceted renewable energy initiative,
has announced a 171 million euro
financing deal which will allow
construction to commence on
Gemasolar. Masdar is driven by the
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company
(ADFEC), a wholly owned company
of the government of Abu Dhabi
through the Mubadala Development
Company. Gemasolar is the world’s
About Torresol Energy, S.A.Torresol Energy, a company set up inMarch 2008, with a 60% SENERstockholding and 40% Masdarstockholding (company for thedevelopment of renewable energieslaunched by the investment companybelonging to the Abu Dhabi Emirate,MUBADALA DevelopmentCompany). The new company was setup with the objective to become theworld´s leader in the sector and with theaim of promoting the development andexploitation of an average of two largesolar thermal energy plants around theworld, particularly in the so-called“sunny belt': Southern Europe,Northern Africa, the Middle-East andSouthwest USA. According to theseforecasts, the production capabilitywill be 320 MW at the end of 2010and should reach 1,000 MW in 10years. At the same time, each newTorresol Energy project will introduceand test new technologies with the aimof making Concentration Solar energyan economically competitive option anda real, viable, ecological andsustainable alternative to traditionalpower sources.www.torresolenergy.com
About MasdarThe Masdar Initiative is Abu Dhabi’smulti-faceted, multibillion dollarinvestment in the development andcommercialization of innovativetechnologies in renewable, alternativeand sustainable energies as well assustainable design. Masdar is driven bythe Abu Dhabi Future EnergyCompany (ADFEC), a wholly ownedcompany of the government of AbuDhabi through the MubadalaDevelopment Company. In January2008, Abu Dhabi announced it willinvest $15 billion in Masdar, the largestsingle government investment of its kind.For more information about the MasdarInitiative, please visitwww.masdaruae.com.�
22
challenging financial market. The
plant will be operational in 2011 and
will produce 17MWe of renewable
energy reducing C02 emissions by
more than 50,000 tonnes a year.
“The construction of Gemasolar
represents a gigantic step forwards in
Torresol’s technological development
and positions us as world leaders in
central tower solar thermal projects”,
said Enrique Sendagorta, Torresol
Energy’s Chairman.” This strategic
alliance brings the best of Abu Dhabi
and Spain together to help drive
forward the large scale deployment
of renewable energy projects. The
response of the financial markets is
further proof that the industry will
continue to advance. “ The project is
the first of its kind in the world due
to the application of this technology
in a commercial environment.
The project will open the way for a
new solar thermal electricity
generation technology that is a
better alternative to cylindrical –
parabolic type commercial solar
thermal power plants that are
currently being built. “Gemasolar is
an important milestone for the CSP
industry and its success is likely to
revolutionize this industry, “ said Dr.
Sultan Al Jaber, Chief Executive
Officer at Masdar. “Masdar is very
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Solar Energy
excited at the prospect that this
technology promises to deliver and
look forward to building similar but
larger capacity towers in Abu
Dhabi and elsewhere using this
technology.” The EPC contract has
been awarded to a consortium,
including SENER and AMSA, a ACS
Cobra subsidiary.In the consortium,
SENER will be in charge of providing
the technology, and the detail
design and commissioning of the
plant, The technology which includes
Sensol software and SENER’s world
class receiver, which is able to
absorp 95% of the radiation from
the sun’s spectrum and transmit this
energy to the salt compound that
circulates within the receiver. The
technology provided includes the
innovative thermal molten salts
storage system, which is capable of
reaching temperatures over 500
degrees centigrade.
In terms of performance and
operation, the technology inherent
within the Gemasolar plant will
treble electricity production in the
rest of the thermoelectric solar
power plants with the same power
but under conventional technology
basis. This is due to the fact that the
majority of thermoelectric plants,
that are being developed, do not have
a thermal storage system, whilst
Gemasolar has high temperature heat
storage that extends the normal
operating period of these plants.
Salts, made up by sodium and
potassium nitrates, are kept molten
using the solar energy collected from
the heliostats, so that they store
excess accumulated heat during
sunshine hours, which makes it
possible to continue to produce
electricity even when there is not
enough solar radiation. Due to this
advanced technology, Gemasolar’s
autonomy will be 15 hours without
sunlight. Furthermore, the high
temperature at which solar energy in
captured in the salt receiver allows to
have more pressurised and hotter
steam, which considerably increases
the steam turbine’s performance.
�
23
About SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas, S.A.
SENER Ingeniería y Sistemas has been present for years inthe renewable energy field. It started to work in the solarenergy field in the 1980s, designing the first heliostats thatare currently working in the Almería Solar Platform(Spanish acronym PSA). At the end of 2001, the companyembarked upon the Solar Tres project, an experimental plantwith central tower technology with heliostats, and sincethen it has made considerable progress in solar energytechnology. SENER has developed software, with theSensol computer programme, which allows to size andoptimise plants, to components, such as the heliostats,heliostat axis drive mechanisms, tower receivers, storagesystems, direct steam generation systems and beam-down orplant control systems, as well as cylindrical-paraboliccollectors. In the case of collectors, SENER has patented theSENER trough design, with an appreciably lower steelweight and assembly time than other similar collectors.However, the big technological difference of SENER’s solarthermal plants lies in the innovative molten salts storagesystem, which doubles the energy exploitation level of aconventional thermosolar power station. SENER’s capacityfor anticipation in the Concentrating Solar Power field, aswell as its ambitious technological development programmehave always been directed at obtaining electricity from solarenergy on a large scale, and the company is therefore theleader in cost efficient solar innovations. In this sense,
SENER offers practical solutions that can be seen andtested, being Gemasolar the seventh solar project SENERhas developed.At the moment, SENER is taking part in four thermosolarprojects under construction for several customers. They aretwo 50 MW plants with SENERtrough cylindrical-parabolic technology, Andasol 1 and Andasol 2, currentlybeing built in the province of Granada near Guadix, in aconsortium with ACS-Cobra, and two plants, Extresol 1and Extresol 2, that are being built in Extremadura. Thecompany is also taking part in other projects, whoseconstruction will be spread over 2008 and 2009, concerningsimilar plants to those mentioned above located in Andalusia,Extremadura and Castile-la Mancha. SENER is anengineering, consultancy and systems integration companythat has become an international benchmark engineering firmin the Aerospace, Civil and Architecture, Energy andProcess and Marine Engineering sectors. It has a workforceof more than 2,000 employees and a turnover of over 350million euros, with offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao,Valencia, Seville, Algiers, Buenos Aires, Lisbon, Mexico DF,Okayama (Japan), San Francisco and Warsaw. SENERIngeniería y Sistemas forms part of SENER Grupo deIngeniería, one of the largest Spanish engineering groups,with more than 4,500 employees and a turnover of over 753million euros. www.sener.es
Energy
24
SAUDI ARABIA:A SOLAR FUTURE
Although synonymous with oil
production the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia has a long history of innovation
in the field of solar energy. In 1960, only a few
years after the first ever demonstration of the
potential of solar power, a small photovoltaic
plant was installed in the airport of Medina.
Since this first experiment Saudi Arabia has
invested significant resources towards the
development of solar energy in the Kingdom.
Another important milestone was the Saudi
Solar Village Project launched in the early
nineteen eighties. The project was one of
several solar experiments sponsored by
the Saudi Arabian National Centre for Science and
Technology. The experiment was part of a joint
cooperation agreement, signed in 1977, with the United
States Department of Energy. Within the framework of the
agreement each country provided approximately fifty
million dollars towards specific technical projects over a
five year period.
The Saudi Solar Village Project was one of the most
significant results of this important financial and
technical research commitment. Costing around twenty-
six million dollars at the time, the project was the largest
within the framework of the agreement. Upon
completion the village, and two others nearby, became
not only the first the Kingdom, but in the world, to be
continuously powered by solar technologies.
After more than sixteen months continuous use the Saudi
Solar Village Project was declared a success. At the time
the project was unique, although far from being the
largest photovoltaic power system in the world the Solar
Village was the only example of a community deriving its
With more than twice as many sunshine hours thanthe European average Saudi Arabia is well on its wayof becoming a Solar Power House.
By Christopher BOYES
primary source of power from the sun. Following the
success of the Saudi Solar Village Project plans were made
to build and operate a solar energy water desalination
plant in the industrial city of Yenbo. Several other projects
followed. Collaboration with foreign governments and
corporations has meant that know-how and experience
gained in Saudi Arabia has been used far afield.
A clear vision for a clean futureOver two and a half decades have passed since the
launch of the Saudi Solar Village Project and support for
solar energy within the Kingdom is stronger than ever.
As regards future development of solar projects sights
are being set high. The crucial elements towards
achieving the ambitious goals are in place; vision and
institutional support. Past projects demonstrate that,
over the past three decades, institutional support for
solar power initiatives has always been high. Indeed
government spending and support has been such that
the valuable lessons learned in the Kingdom have not
only advanced research in the field of solar power in
Saudi Arabia itself, but have also proved of particular
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
25
Energy
value to other countries with similar
climatic conditions.
As regards vision the Kingdom is
well placed to take a leadership role
at international level. Government,
institutions and the private sector
all recognise that, while being a
major oil producer, Saudi Arabia
could also become one of the
world's major solar power sources.
The Kingdom lies at the centre of the
most potentially productive region on
the planet for harvesting power from
the sun. Saudi Arabia is located at the
centre of the so-called Sun Belt, the
vast, rainless region that stretches
from the western edge of North
Africa to the eastern edge of Central
Asia. This huge area boasts the best
solar energy resources on Earth.
More importantly Saudi Arabia is
well placed to supply power to
surrounding nations, a fact that has
not escaped the attention of several
regional and European leaders. It is
by now recognised that the Kingdom’s
role in the future solar power is one of
both technical innovation and the
supply of clean, environmentally
sound energy.
Global Strategic Studies InstituteOne of the key-players in developing
the Kingdom’s future role in
renewable energy is HRH Prince
Faisal Bin Turki Al-Faisal. In 2007
Prince Faisal founded Saudi
Arabia’s first environmental NGO,
the Global Strategic Studies Institute.
In its turn the Institute has established
a think-tank which will be crucial
to developing the policies and
guidelines that will shape the future
of renewable energy throughout the
Middle East.
The GSSI has come out in favour of
large projects, in fact one of the
Institute’s current activities is the
building of the first Saudi Arabian
solar farm and factory. The plant
will be built on a 5 square mile plot
just outside of Riyadh. The scale of
the project is impressive; the plant
will be around twice the dimensions
of the Masdar Environmental City in
Abu Dhabi.
HRH Prince Faisal Bin Turki Al-
Faisal is well placed to guide the
GSSI, not only does the Prince have
an MSc in Environmental Policy
Planning and Regulation form the
Saudi Arabia could also become one of the world's major solarpower sources.Located at the centre of the so-called Sun Beltthis huge area boaststhe best solar energy resources on Earth.
�
26
less than in countries, such as Spain,
where the sector is already highly
advanced. The second is that
reliable forecasts indicate that,
within a relatively short period,
Saudi Arabia could produce in
excess of 1 Gigawatt more than all
European solar power combined.
With more than twice as many
sunshine hours than the European
average, clear future vision,
investment capability, government
sponsorship, and a rapidly developing
long-tem strategy, Saudi Arabia is
already well on its way to becoming a
Solar Powerhouse.
London School of Economics, but he
has been involved in a number of
environmental organisations and
initiatives for several years. In addition
to his academic qualifications and
practical experience Prince Faisal
also has a very clear idea and
understanding as to Saudi Arabia’s role
in the future of renewable energy. The
Prince recently summarised his
thoughts as follows: “As Saudis, we
have to admit to the errors which
have been carried out in the past
due to the lack of environmental
awareness or planning. We must
learn from those past mistakes and
begin to build a newer, greener
kingdom.”
The Solar PowerhouseIn line with the desire to respect
new models of low carbon growth
and sustainable development, Saudi
Arabia is investing heavily in the
development and implementation
of renewable energy sources and
technologies. The investments include
changes to legislation and attention
to the creation of new professional
figures. The role of the media is
also being examined, Saudi Arabia
recognises the need to influence
public opinion and behaviour through
information and education. All told
the potential for the generation of
solar power in Saudi Arabia is
enormous. The raw resources are not
enough in themselves, what is
required is a clearly defined long-
term strategy. To this end the
Global Strategic Studies Institute is
working closely with a number of
strategic international partners
from both the governmental and
private sectors. Their experience
and expertise in areas such as
environmental legislation, sustainable
development, assessment methods,
and Carbon Credits will assist the
Kingdom to become the world’s
Solar Powerhouse.
However ambitious this goal may
seem there are two simple obser-
vations that give it credit. The first
is that recent studies have proved
that the cost of generating power
from solar energy in Saudi Arabia is
“As Saudis, we have toadmit to the errors whichhave been carried out inthe past due to the lack ofenvironmental awarenessor planning. We must learnfrom those past mistakesand begin to build a newer,greener kingdom.”
Prince Faisal Bin Turki Al-Faisal
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Saudi Solar
�
28
An ambitious plan and study presented
by the Saudi Strategic Studies
Institute, to make Saudi Arabia
the most important producer of Solar
power and Solar photovoltaic energy.
The feasibility study, presented by the
Saudi Strategic Studies Institute, was
based on a long term study and includes
detailed explanations, tables, graphs and diagrams.
Available Technologies and GoalsThere are two major technologies which generate
power; Solar power and Solar photovoltaic. There are
three different technologies for solar cells and panels
(Crystalline-Si, which has proven itself over the last
30 years, and with 95% presence is the most
popular technology, Thin-film technology and New
Technologies). Different raw materials, sources, and
technologies can be used.
So far Japan has been the leader in PV technology, but
the Saudi Strategic Studies Institute’s goal is to make
Saudi Arabia the first producer of solar power and PV
energy. To realise this vision, Saudi Solar has taken
partners on board, such as Suniva, Conergy, Titan and
Inventux.
The long-term goal is to export energy outside of Saudi
Arabia through grids and to become well known globally
for this. Such a project by Saudi Solar will create
approximately 200.000 jobs within Saudi Arabia in
direct and indirect employment in areas such as
Research & Development, Manufacturing, Installation,
Maintenance and Monitoring.
Why The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?Sustainable development plays an
important role in every society today.
Considering renewable energy is a big part
of that. Sustainability is not only important
to protect the environment today, but also
to protect future generations. Therefore
global warming and CO2 emissions are
major concerns. However, besides the environmental
aspect, one day fossils fuel reserves will run out due to
the fact that natural resources are limited.
Solar energy and Photovoltaic development are
important for Saudi Arabia, it shows a commitment to
preserving the planet, which therefore puts the country
in a positive light, and it will earn the country carbon
credits. One might ask why invest a great amount of
money in alternative energy if there is still a vast amount
of oil within the country, but it is essential to understand
that it makes more sense to invest in advance rather
than waiting until it is an absolute necessity.
Solar energy is renewable, but the traditional energy
resources, such as gas or oil will one day be depleted. At
the current moment oil prices are increasing. Investing
in an environmentally conscious project such as this one
will not only protect the environment but it will create
approximately 200,000 jobs within Saudi Arabia
through Research & Development, Manufacturing,
Installation and Operation. In these difficult economic
times it is important to create jobs and to think about
creating a sustainable future. After the investment has
paid off Solar farms and Photovoltaic energy will
produce considerable profits, generating solar energy
Saudi Strategic Studies Institute Presents:
SAUDI FUTURE ENERGY COMPANY
INC 2009 – PLC 2011Establishment in july 2009 To be listed in the GCC Market, july 2011
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
29
Energy
used for construction, direct supply
to homes and power supply to grids.
The most commonly used technology
for solar energy is Crystalline Si,
which has proven itself over the last
30 years and is said to be the best.
Covering 95% of the market, it is a
well established ecological system, it
offers the highest wattage per unit
area, the cost per watt can be
reduced significantly and it does not
have toxic effects of silicon.
The ProjectThis project proposal is based on
the production of 600MW of power,
however the plan is to bring the
total plant capacity online in
stages. The first stage is to set up a
60MW plant module that can be
added to as and when the power
demand requires. Commercially
the project will adopt best in class
technologies with implementation
results in a timeframe that will
provide attractive economic returns.
Technically we are striving for KWh/y
and not MWp, which should be the
criteria. The goal is to achieve an
increase in plant uptime, due to the
nature of the product, with relative
maintenance free periods of 20
years plus. Sustainability from an
Environmental perspective is the
future long-term goal. The Arabian
environment is adapt and a reduction
in maintenance manpower levels can
be achieved. Execution planning
and implementation will allow the
possibility of reducing time-to-market,
adapting to the changing market and
technical requirements by allowing a
phased development program, will
allow new technologies to be adapted.
Saudi Arabia is urged to review its
90% subsidies backing for fossil fuel
based projects, renewable projects
can ease these subsidies, while
generating employment and value
added products
� For a 600 MW project, the subsidy
is approx. $4.9B over 25 years.
As signatory to Kyoto Protocol,
Saudi Arabia can offset credits for
GHG using solar projects
� A 1MW solar project carbon credit
offsets carbon charges for 3MW
thermal based projects.
Project priorities are to begin work on
the 1st large scale Saudi Solar
Photovoltaic Project. Obtain Local
Buy-in from City governments and to
close financing issues. Initiate High-
Solar energy and Photovoltaic developmentare important for SaudiArabia, it shows a commitment to preservingthe planet, which therefore puts the country in a positive light,and it will earn the country carbon credits.
level Vertical Integration & R&D
Strategies.
The use of solar power in the world
today (0.1%,) hardly makes a dent
in the worlds power requirements,
therefore before the world is
inundated with suppliers of this
technology we propose to step into
the market now to give Saudi Arabia
an advantage in a market place in
which there is a lot of room for
expansion and development.
Japan, India & Germany A good example of where renewable
energy has paid off big time is Japan.
They are the world’s leader in
Photovoltaic energy. Japan does not
only feel committed to being
environmentally friendly, but has also
saved considerable money over time �
Partners to the project
30
residential power needs, which is the
equivalent of about10 % of Japan’s
entire electricity supply.
The PV price targets to be achieved
by means of R&D, large scale
deployment and export sales are
23¥/kWh (USD 0.24/kWh) by 2010
and 7¥/kWh (USD 0.07/kWh) by 2030.
Thus, the goal of 7¥/kWh by 2030
corresponds to the current industrial
rate (about what U.S. electric rates are
today). All price goals are defined in
terms of 2002 Yen.
As PV Systems spread across the
world, Japan has deliberately and
intelligently placed itself as the
global leader to meet future PV
demand. The Japanese industry
model is outwardly focused towards
export markets and the majority
of Japanese produced PV product is
exported. In particular, there is a
focus on key developing Asian
markets (e.g., China, Mongolia,
Vietnam), as well as European
markets (Germany, Spain) and North
America (U.S. and Mexico).
Japanese industry has now set up
overseas manufacturing operations
in Europe, U.S., and Mexico, thus
gearing itself for the challenges of
the future.
As the Japanese are planning for the
future it is the right time for an
industrial power such as Saudi Arabia
to take note of future trends. The
suitability for solar thermal power
plants in Saudi Arabia compared to
the rest of the world is excellent due
to its location.
The vertically integrated system
brings the following benefits to the
local region:
� Technology transfer
� Manufacturing on site
� Mega renewable energy power
stations
� Carbon Credits
� Research and Development
� 200,000 new Jobs
by using renewable energy. Japan
as a country is about 70% to 80%
forested, mountainous, and unsuitable
for agricultural, industrial, or
residential use and with a population
in excess of 128 million people is one
of the most densely populated
countries in the world.
With the lay of the land as such, Japan
relies heavily on fossil fuel imports
such as oil and gas to provide power
for it’s highly developed industries.
This means that consumers pay the
highest price for power per kWh in
the world. The signing of the Kyoto
agreement by Japan meant a
commitment was given to the world
and it’s people to reduce carbon
emissions mainly from industrial
pollution, therefore a commitment to
finding alternative power supply
means was needed. The development
of solar/photovoltaic power is the
means of power generation the
Japanese government sort to
promote, with Japan now being the
market leader in the production and
use of Solar/PV cell technology, a
position attained by heavy backing
from the government in the form of
government subsidies of 50% of the
cost of installation to homeowners as
an incentive.
These incentives in 1994, when the
cost of the systems was high, led to
increased demands for solar cells
due to affordability. Thus the cycle
of the production trend started. The
greater demand led to increased
production, which led to lower
production costs, which led to lower
initial capital costs for the end user.
In 2003 the government achieved its
goal in bringing down the costs of
Solar/PV system installation by 50%
based on 1994 prices, meaning the
consumer is paying the same price as
they did in 1994 allowing the
government to plan the complete
phasing out of subsidies in 2005.
The bonuses that were derived
from government investment in
Solar/PV systems included the
money brought into Japan via
exports as the Japanese systems
lead the world market. In addition to
this employment opportunities were
generated by the growing industry.
Spin-off industries from these
systems popularity have come in
the form of the peripheral
industries, such as silicon feedstock
manufacturing, ingot and wafer
production, inverters, and reinforced
aluminium frames all adding to the
increasing Japanese work force and
industrial economy.
The Japanese government and
industry have a view that the next
25 years will be a critical period for
the creation of a full-scale PV
market. A cumulative capacity of 83
GW of photovoltaic power production
in Japan is seen achievable by 2030,
by which time PV could meet 50 % of
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Saudi Arabia
�
Energy
31
The long-term agendaof this project is notonly to protect the environment but also toset up Saudi Arabia asthe economic hub forthe production of solarand photovoltaic cells.
Through smart sustainable energy
development Saudi Arabia will be
able to gain benefits and opportunities
to secure energy and power, to create
jobs and also generate revenue.
Depleting natural resources, such as
gas and oil, will lead to a loss of
revenue, a loss of international jobs,
and threaten the future stability of
the natural energy resource based
economies.
The long-term agenda of this
project is not only to protect the
environment but also to set up
Saudi Arabia as the economic hub
for the production of solar and
photovoltaic cells. This will create
revenue for the country through
export from manufacturing, jobs
and employment, business interaction,
and the knock on effect of setting
up manufacturing in Saudi Arabia.
The country can use this massive
opportunity by investing now and
becoming the global leader vying
with Japan in this technology
market in the production of
renewable energy.
Future scenario plans include
developing new energy markets and
setting-up a global grid agenda,
through exporting power to North
Africa and Southern Europe. This is
where the plan for Saudi Arabia
differs significantly from that of
Japan in that we shall be targeting
the provision of power to an
international grid spread across
Asia, Africa and Europe as opposed
to individual residents and exporting
the technology.
After calculations it shows that in 10
years the initial scenario plan costs
would be covered and for the
further scenario, cost plans will have
been covered and profits will have
been generated after only 20 years.
The costs of generating energy
through the sun will be equal to the
costs of generating energy through
oil by that time.
After looking at research statistics it
can be seen that the population of
Saudi Arabia will grow steadily in the
coming years, therefore the demand
for energy will also increase. That is
why 2009 can be seen as the
window of opportunity for strategic
investment to build a strong
foundation for the next generation
and further generations to come.
The growth potential in this sector
is massive. Material shortages are
easing, demand has been reduced
due to the financial crises,
therefore there is a surplus of
materials at competitive prices and
others, who prior to the crisis were
strong financially, will be willing
to partner now. For 2010 the
forecast is that the inventories will
be low, demand will increase,
weaker players will be filtered out,
the Obama factor will start to
matter, and remaining players will
grow and prices will increase.
Saudi Arabia, like Japan, should be
looking to future in terms of power
provision, but unlike Japan, Saudi
Arabia has a vast quantity of oil
reserves from which profits should
be used to help diversify an already
strong economy and make it a
bigger player in the shaping of the
world in the sustainable energy
market by being at the forefront of
development.
32
ZAYED FUTURE ENERGY PRIZE
Inaugural prize awarded to Dipal C.Barua for bringing renewable energy torural communities.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
The first annual Zayed Future Energy Prize was
awarded on January 19 by His Highness General
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown
Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of
the UAE Armed Forces, to Mr. Dipal Chandra Barua,
Founding Managing Director of Grameen Shakti for his
visionary efforts to bring renewable energy solutions to
the rural population of Bangladesh. The Zayed Future
Energy Prize finalist, Dr. Martin Green, was also recognized
at the award ceremony for his groundbreaking research
in photovoltaic (PV) technology that will result in
increased efficiencies, bringing solar energy closer to grid
parity. The Prize was launched in January 2008 at the
inaugural World Future Energy Summit to honour the
legacy of environmental stewardship of the UAE’s late
ruler and founding father, His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin
Sultan Al Nahyan. The award winner, Mr. Barua, and the
finalist, Dr. Green will receive US$1.5 million and
US$350,000, respectively, to accelerate the development
of their innovations. Mr.Barua’s organization, Grameen
Shakti (GS), has installed more than 200,000 solar PV
systems that currently provide power for more than two
million rural people. Under Mr. Barua’s leadership, GS has
developed a number of other innovative initiatives,
including a biogas technology that converts cow and
poultry waste into gas for cooking, lighting and fertilizer.
GS has installed more than 6,000 biogas plants and
plans to construct 500,000 more by 2012. In addition,
GS has trained rural women to be solar technicians
hereby enabling green entrepreneurs through a highly
successful micro-credit program. “It is a great honour to
receive this recognition inspired by the vision of HH the
late Sheikh Zayed,” said Mr. Barua. “I consider myself a
global Ambassador of the Prize, and would like to carry
forward the message of environmental sensitivity that is
being championed by the leadership of Abu Dhabi.” “We
share this award with the rural people of Bangladesh who
have demonstrated incredible ambition and innovation
in adopting clean, renewable technologies to solve their
daily energy challenges in the rural areas,” added Mr.
Barua. The finalist, Dr. Green is a leading researcher in
the field of PV. He is currently developing “third-
generation” solar cells that will help decrease costs to
less than US$0.50/W, to potentially $0.20/W or better,
which will drastically increase the economic viability of
this technology. “I firmly believe that many of our future
energy needs can be addressed by photovoltaic
technology,” said Dr. Green. “I’m proud that as one of the
first recipients of this award, PV technology and its
importance in the renewable energy mix is also being
recognized as a commercially viable solution.”
“I am confident that the Prize will help boost our efforts to
accelerate the development, and market entry of third-
generation PV modules,” he added. “It is quite
inspirational to be a part of Zayed Future Energy Prize,”
said Nobel Laureate Dr. RK Pachauri, Chairman of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and
Chairman of the jury for ZFEP. “The technologies and the
innovative solutions that we’ve seen through the
submission process are a good reminder of the ability of
human innovation to solve our global challenges.”
“These winners and their innovations embody the very
qualities the Zayed Future Energy Prize aims to recognize
pioneering, ambitious ideas that provide us with a more
sustainable future,” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Director
General of the Prize and Chief Executive of Masdar. “This
prize encourages us to be bold, to innovate, to strive and
to act. A quality that we inherited from our father, the late
HH Sheikh Zayed who taught us to make a meaningful and
sustainable impact on the world we live in,” added Al
Jaber in the ceremony’s opening.
About Zayed Future Energy Prize The Zayed Future Energy Prize was created in honor ofthe legacy of the late Ruler of Abu Dhabi and FoundingFather of the United Arab Emirates, HH Sheikh Zayedbin Sultan Al Nahyan. The prize aims to inspire thenext generation of global energy innovators – creatingsolutions for the future. The Prize is awarded annuallyto up to three individuals, companies, organisationsand/or NGOs that have made significant contributionsin the global response to the future of energy, climatechange and sustainable global energy resources.
هيئة المدن الصناعية ومناطق التقنيةSaudi Industrial Property Authority
34
Environment). In 1932 “Angelantoni
Industrie” started its activity in the
refrigeration sector, and over the
years, became renowned in three
main industrial fields one of which is
testing.
Since 1952 under the ACS brand,
Angelantoni Industrie has introduced
world-wide environmental test
chambers for all types of tests on
materials, components, and finished
The CompanyArchimede Solar Energy (ASE), in
partnership with Siemens Renewable,
is a subsidiary of Angelantoni Group
headquartered in Italy, Massa -
Martana (Perugia).
Archimede produces receiver tubes
for thermodynamic solar power
plants (CSP) licensed by ENEA
(The Italian National Agency for
New Technologies, Energy and
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
products. ACS brand has now a
strong leadership in the aerospace
sector, the most challenging
environment for simulation.
After the first space simulator
in 1988, Angelantoni Industrie
became one of the three leading
international manufacturers, and a
supplier for the most important
Space Research Centers testing
satellites and satellite parts.
ASE’s HEMS08 is theworld‘s most advancedsolar receiver tube,designed forthermodynamic solarpower plants, operatingat high temperature withmolten salts as HeatTransfer Fluid (HTF).
ARCHIMEDE SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR RECEIVER TUBES: THE NEWFRONTIERS OF MOLTEN SALTS
In 2008, Archimede Solar Energy furnished HEMS08 receiver
tubes for the first Solar power plant in the world using Molten
Salts technology ( ENEL - Priolo Gargallo (SR), ITALY-
Integrated Solar Combined Cycle Plants (ISCC) ) .
In 2009 and following the strategic alliance with Siemens
which acquired 28% of Archimede Solar Energy. The company
invested in:
� Buiding the new manufacturing facility
� The Establishment of a Demo Plant (Operational in
October 2009):
A complete Stand Alone CSP Demo Plant using
molten salts with storage system and turbine.
In 2010 the Factory will increase the production of Solar tubes to
50.000 a year.
In 2011 the production will be of 100.000 tubes a year.
ENEL-Priolo Gargallo5MWCSP
35
The vacuum experience achieved in
space simulation, combined with
the coating know how, permitted
to Angelantoni Industrie to
develop a revolutionary receiver
tube, core business of Archimede
Solar Energy.
Archimede Solar Energy is the
world’s sole company using molten
salts as heat transfer fluid in its solar
receivers for parabolic-trough power
plants. Compared to plants using the
customary thermo oil the efficiency
of solar thermal power plants can be
significantly enhanced. Molten salts
can also be used as a heat store, with
the stored energy being used in solar
thermal power plants to also produce
electricity at night.
Solar thermal power plants work on
the same principle as conventional
steam power plants – with the
difference that the heat for steam
generation is not produced by
combusting fossil fuels but with the
aid of solar energy. To this end
parabolic mirrors bundle the
incident solar radiation and reflect
it onto receiver tubes, through
which a heat transfer fluid flows.
The salt used exclusively by ASE is
heated to temperatures up to 550
degrees Celsius and then flows
through a heat exchanger, in which
the steam is produced to drive a
steam turbine-generator.
The receiver tubeASE’s HEMS08 is the world‘s most
advanced solar receiver tube,
designed for thermodynamic solar
power plants, operating at high
temperature with molten salts as
Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF). ASE
produces also Parabolic Trough
Receiver Tubes (HEOI09) using
ordinary mineral oil. �
36
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Solar Energy
Thanks to a revolutionary patented
coating process (CERMET) the solar
receiver tubes have an absorbance
equal or higher to 95%, an emissivity
lower than 10% at 400°C and 14% at
580°C. Kept in a vacuum, Archimede
tubes ensure the maximum sunlight
yield and thus they are the most
technologically advanced solar
receivers available for high
temperature range. The surface
coating deposited on the tube is
constituted of a thin film multilayer
structure including an inferior layer
of metal, reflecting in the infrared,
and a superior layer of antireflective
ceramic material.
The external glass has an antireflective
coating on both surfaces with a
solar transmittance higher or equal
to 96.5%.
The metal bellows adjust the
difference in thermal expansion
between the hot absorber tube and
the cooler external glass envelop
during operating conditions. In order
to achieve outstanding vacuum tight
enclosure, each bellow is welded on
one side to the absorber tube and to
the glass on the other side by glass-
to-metal junction. Innovative glass-to-
metal junctions are made by a special
machined and vacuum heat treated
stainless steel rings.
The internal shields have been
dimensioned to optimize the thermal
characteristics and reliability of the
The Angelantoni Industrie Group wasestablished on 1932 and has aworkforce of 750 employees at eightmanufacturing plants in Italy, France,Germany, India and China. It postsannual revenues totaling EUR130million revenues. The two traditionalcore business are biomedical andlaboratory equipment, and testequipment for automotive, electronicsand aerospace applications. The testequipment includes environmental testchambers, space simulators forsatellites, car and car component testbenches, and electrodynamic shakers
www.angelantoni.it
“By acquiring a stake in ArchimedeSolar Energy Siemens is underlining its intention to become the leadingprovider of solutions for solar thermal power plants,“The Siemens Energy Sector is theworld’s leading supplier of a completespectrum of products, services andsolutions for the generation,transmission and distribution of powerand for the extraction, conversion andtransport of oil and gas. In fiscal 2008(ended September 30), the EnergySector had revenues of approximatelyEUR22.6 billion and received neworders totaling approximatelyEUR33.4 billion and posted a profit ofEUR1.4 billion. On September 30,2008, the Energy Sector had a workforce of approximately 83,500.
www.siemens.com/energy
Archimede Solar Energy is member ofSolare XXI. A consortium commited todesign produce and market aninnovative parabolic trough solarcollector, having unique characteristicsin the worldwide scenario.
Archimede Solar Energy SpA
Angelantoni Group
Massa Martana (PG), ITALY
Loc. Cimacolle, 464 - 06056
tel. + 39.075.89551
fax. + 39.075.8955200
www.archimedesolarenergy.it
Your contact person for Solar
Receiver Tubes: Paolo Martini -
Business Development and Sales
Director
tube with an irradiated surface/total
surface ratio equal to 0.95. In order
to ensure the designed vacuum
conditions, inside the glass enclosure
during the entire working life of the
tube, a quantity of getter strip is
wrapped around each shield.
HEMS08 has an expected lifetime of
more than 25 years at working
temperature (of up to 550°C) under
normal installation, operating and
maintenance conditions.
Archimede Solar Energy will be
present at The European Future
Energy Summit, Bilbao: Pavilion 2,
D49.
Archimede Solar Energy newmanufacturing facility.
�
38
MED-ENECThe Implementation Gap for Energy Efficiencyin Buildings. Experiences from the MENA-region
Huge technical potentials exist for energy
conservation in buildings. But why are these
opportunities hardly tapped? This article
provides some evidence and conclusions from the
perspective of the EU-financed regional MED-ENEC
project, which supports energy efficiency in the
construction sector of 10 southern and eastern
Mediterranean countries.
The Energy Efficiency Gap in BuildingsAccording to several recent studies, the building sector
is the biggest single consumer of final energy world
wide, using 35-40% of energy resources and
Figure 1 >Economic mitigation potential by sector in 2030, 2007 IPCC Report, Fig. 4.2
<20
Energy supply Transport Buildings Industry Agriculture Forestry Waste
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
GTCO2EQ/YR
World totalOCECDEITNon-OECD/EIT
US$/
TCO 2
-EQ
<50
<10
0
<20
<50
<10
0
<20
<50
<10
0
<20
<50
<10
0
<20
<50
<10
0
<20
<50
<10
0
<20
<50
<10
0
contributing about a third of all energy-related CO2
emissions. At the same time, this sector has the
highest potential for energy savings and the use of
renewable energies. What is even more important:
buildings also have the highest mitigation potential
with no-cost and low-cost measures, e.g. by just
improving the building design and applying well-
known technologies such as insulation, solar-water-
heaters, efficient lighting, etc. The 2007 IPCC report
assessed the conservation potential per sector in
different country groups and came to the conclusion
that the building sector has the highest saving
opportunities as shown in the following figure.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
By Klaus WENZEL, MED-ENEC Team Leader, GTZ International Services
Energy
39
Med-Enec pilot projectsin Algeria, Egypt, IsraëI, Morocco and Jordan..
Why is Market Developmentso Slow for Low-EnergyBuildings?If the potential is so high at least
on the aggregate level of country
groups, why then the wide
dissemination of these available and
mature technologies in the southern
and eastern Mediterranean countries
is still lacking? In most of these
countries, with some exceptions for
urban regions in Israel and Turkey,
the energy efficiency (EE) standards
of new buildings remain very poor.
So what are the constraints for market
development? The EU-financed
MED-ENEC project supported 10
low-energy buildings in 10 MENA
countries, shown in the pictures
below, and found some answers to
this question. �
40
Performance Data of theMED-ENEC Pilot ProjectsThe high technical potential for
energy conservation could be fully
confirmed with the Pilot Projects
(PP). The PP buildings save on an
average 57% of primary energy
for heating and cooling, compared
to a conventional building in the
same country. However, the
economic performance data seem
to be less attractive as shows the
following table.
Reasons for the Dissemination GapOnly the PP in Lebanon (refurbish-
ment) is financially very attractive.
Five PP are moderately attractive
with a payback of around 10 years
and the remaining four PP exceed
17 years. Although the PP have
received high visibility and public
attention, only few have been able
up to now to disseminate the used
EE technologies on a larger scale.
An analysis of the reasons for the
PP with moderate and bad financial
performance indicators shows the
major constraints for energy
efficiency investments, not only in
buildings.
1| Some of the PP promoters
want first of all demonstrate high
the technical potential for EE,
using highly innovative and less
cost-efficient technologies, such
as solar cooling or photovoltaic
devices. In the case of Tunisia and
Figure 2 > Economic performance indicators of MED-ENEC Pilot Projects
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
ALG EGY ISR JOR MOR PAL SYR TUN TUR
Year
s (a
)
LEB Primary energy savingsIncremental costsPay back period
..Lebanon, Palestinianterritories, Syria,Tunisia and Turkey.
Projects funded by the European Union.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Energy Efficiency
�
Energy
41
Israel, this increased considerably
the payback time.
2| For some countries, the most
important constraint is subsidized
energy tariffs. In the case of the
PP in Algeria, the 57% reduction
of primary energy consumption
results in a financial saving only of
70 Euros per year, while the
incremental investment is around
4,500 Euros! This is a clear
disincentive for EE-investments.
3| In all countries, the PP promoters
experienced market failures and high
transaction costs. The three most
important bottlenecks are:
� Information and know-how gaps:
potential clients are not aware of
the technical and financial
potential and suppliers/developers
lack know-how for identification,
procurement and implementation
of appropriate EE-technologies. The
corresponding search cost as well
as additional monitoring needs on
the building site did increase
significantly the cost for the PP.
� Lack of financing for the incre-
mental costs: potential clients often
do not have the financial capacity
and liquidity to bear the higher up-
front cost of EE-investments, even if
they are aware of the profitability.
Banks are usually not interested in
the corresponding relatively small
credit amounts and do not take into
account the higher available income
of the borrowers through energy
cost savings.
� Diversity of actors and split in-
centives: the value chain of the
construction sector is particularly
diversified. Investors, developers,
architects, construction companies,
subcontractors, banks, owners
and inhabitants all have different
interests and risk perceptions.
The economic benefits of EE-
improvements do not always accrue
to the investor (landlord-tenant
problem).
Conclusions for Energy PolicyThe MED-ENEC PP experiences
suggest a clear need for strong
government intervention in order
to tackle market failures and high
transaction costs for EE.
MED-ENECMED-ENEC aims at boostingenergy efficiency and the use ofrenewable energies in buildingsin 10 countries south and east ofthe Mediterranean. MED-ENEChas an integrated project approach, combining activities forthe improvement of frameworkconditions such as laws, standardsand incentive programs withdemonstration projects, capacitybuilding and the promotion ofbusiness cooperation and technology transfer.
For more information:www.med-enec.com
The reduction of energy subsidies
in a socially acceptable way is a
necessary but not sufficient measure
in this respect. Comprehensive and
country specific policy packages
are necessary combining “carrots”
(smart credit programs, tax holidays,
public procurement, etc.) with
“sticks” (enforced EE building codes,
mandatory standards and quality
control, etc.) and with “tambourines”
(information and awareness cam-
paigns, education/training, etc.).
42
SCOTLAND’S DEVELOPING ENERGY POLICY
By Fiorella MINICUCCI
To emerge as a leader in green energy Scotland’sleaders need to resolve a number of issues beforeachieving the nation’s ambition
There is no doubt that Scotland would like to see
itself as a leader in Green Energy, an ambition
championed by the Scottish Parliament and
industry alike. However, there is significant doubt with
regard to Scotland actually fulfilling its potential. In the
words of Scotland’s Energy Minister, Jim Mather: “We
need to face the fact that Scotland's growth record over
the last three decades has been mediocre.”
The Royal Society of Edinburgh recently estimated that
there will be a 50% increase in Scotland’s energy
demand by 2050. At the same time it is expected that
Scotland will lose around 30% of its electricity
generating capacity from large power stations in 10
years and around 70% in 20 years. So with a far from
excellent past history in development and an urgent
requirement to increase energy production just what can
Scotland do to resolve the situation whilst, at the same
time, respecting the need, and the will, to promote and
develop the renewable energy sector?
According to the Scottish Council for Development and
Industry as matters currently stand, there will be a
growing gap between energy supply and demand in
Scotland and the UK in general, and a growing global gap
between greenhouse gas emissions and targets for
stabilising the climate. Of particular concern is the fact
that there has been underinvestment in the energy
industry over many decades. This state of affairs will need
to be redressed in the next 10-15 years to close these gaps.
Towards a Green FutureThe Council is concerned that the scale of the challenge
is without precedent. The problem is not simply
financial, but also one of mindset and skills. These
considerations are of particular concern as, according
to the Council, Scottish industry risks losing position in
the clean energy market that is estimated as being of
a $1 trillion vale by 2030. Thus the immediate issues
that Scotland needs to address are twofold; resolving
the ever increasing demand for energy and encouraging
growth in the development of know-how and technologies.
To do this a coherent, well-planned and forward-looking
national strategy has to be developed and implemented.
This strategy is beginning to emerge and although far
from complete it has considerable political and
industrial backing.
Scotland is ideally placed to benefit from technologies
developed to harness the power of the wind, tides,
rivers, and sea. Many green sectors, for example
hydroelectric and wind power, have been heavily
invested in over the years, some of these investments,
as is the case of many of Scotland’s hydroelectric plants,
date back to the early 1930’s. Indeed while the United
Kingdom average for electricity generated from
renewable sources is around 5% Scotland can boast a
figure slightly in excess of 20%. Scotland’s potential for
generating power from renewable sources should not
be underestimated, the country possesses some of the
best natural resources in the world for harnessing
energy from the three Ws: waves, water and wind.
Amongst the most significant examples of innovation in
the harnessing natural power are the Clyde wind farm,
the largest approved onshore wind farm in Europe, the
recently approved commercial wave farm off the
Western isles and the planned marine energy plant
situated in the Pentland Firth – an area considered the
Saudi Arabia of marine energy.
Nuclear Power? No ThanksScotland’s Energy Minister considers nuclear power as
having proven costly and dangerous, this coupled to
Scotland’s vast natural resources, makes the integration
of nuclear energy in the country’s energy policy
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT’SCURRENT GOAL ISTO GENERATE ASMUCH AS 10% OFSCOTLAND’S ELECTRICAL POWERFROM WAVE TURBINES BY 2020.
Energy
43
completely unnecessary. It is also
difficult to make nuclear power co-
exist with the ambition of making
Scotland the Green Energy Capital
of Europe. Rather then consider
nuclear power the Minister is currently
involved in consultations regarding
the proposition to build a series
of thermal power stations. Final
decisions would appear to remain
far off, especially due to the fact
that it is not clear how emission
reduction targets would be reached
and just how Carbon Capture and
Storage (CSS) would be implemented.
It is Mather’s stated belief that any
new power plants will have to reduce
their emissions via CCS, the Minister
is also of the opinion that CCS offers
Scotland opportunities to become a
world leader. Mather believes that
Scotland possesses the necessary
technical expertise in carbon capture,
the sponsorship of the power
industry, and unrivalled storage
capacity in the North Sea to achieve
this vision. On an equally ambitious
note last December the Scottish
government unveiled the £10
million Saltire Prize, one of the
most important scientific innovation
awards in history. The prize will be
awarded to the team that develops
a system capable of harnessing
a minimum of 100 GW output over
a two year period from wave or
tidal energy.
The prize has attracted over 70
declarations of interest from around
the world. The Scottish Government’s
current goal is to generate as much
as 10% of Scotland’s electrical power
from wave turbines by 2020. It is
hoped that by establishing a new
industry as many as 7,000 jobs could
be created. For a long time wave
power has been considered the poor
relation of the renewable energy
sector, this despite that costs are
lower than those of wind power.
Scotland has for many years been at
the forefront of research into the
development of commercial wave
power generators, in fact one of the
world’s first commercial scale wave
power plants has been operating for
some time on the Island of Islay.
Priorities for DevelopmentIt is ironic that a nation traditionally
at the forefront of inventions and
innovation today faces a series of
challenges in the development of its
energy industry, perhaps the greatest
is recruiting and training sufficient
skilled people to work in the fields of
research and development, design,
and manufacturing. According to the
Scottish Council for Development and
Industry Scotland’s key priorities for
developing its renewable energy
industry can be defined as:
� Education/ Training - Increasing
participation in science, technology,
engineering and maths. Retraining
and upskilling the workforce for
existing and emerging technologies
e.g. the training for plumbers,
electricians and building profes-
sionals to become installers of
micro-renewables.
� Fresh Talent – Many graduates are
now from overseas so the availability
of work permits must meet demand.
To promote and facilitate the North
East and Highlands and Islands as
attractive places to live and work in
order to encourage and retain high
calibre, skilled professionals.
� Collaboration – Collaboration on
skills utilisation and crossover would
be beneficial.
In conclusion it can be said that
overall Scotland’s Government is
aware of the urgency to address lost
time in the renewable energy sector
and is making progress towards
addressing future requirements.
Although still in its definition phase
the country’s future energy policy is
already taking shape and is taking into
consideration practically all of the
necessary issues and components.
44
WIND ENERGYAS A KEY CLIMATE SOLUTION
By Steve SAWYER | Secretary General, Global Wind Energy Council
Climate change is happening, and it is happening fast.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
Pict
ures
pro
vided
by:
Glo
bal W
ind
Ener
gy C
ounc
il
Energy
45
W hen climate change first
started to worry the
scientific community in
the 1980s, the idea of a carbon free
energy economy was still a
technological fantasy – maybe it
could be achieved in the far distant
future. Back then, fossil fuels
seemed plentiful, and they were
cheaper than ever. Moreover, most
renewable energy technologies
were in the early stages of
development, they were expensive,
and they were inefficient.
Back in the 1980s, the dire warnings
of scientists largely fell on deaf ears
both in the energy business and the
political arena. The build-up of CO2
concentrations in the atmosphere
was something that could safely be
put in the ‘to be worried about in
the future’ basket.
But much has changed since then;
we have learned more about how
quickly this ‘future’ is approaching.
Climate change is here, it is
happening, and much faster than
initially thought. Melting polar ice,
shrinking glaciers in Greenland,
Antarctica and around the globe,
rising sea levels, severe weather
events, heat waves and droughts are
getting ever harder to ignore. The old
questions about ways to combat
climate change are back on the table,
and need to be addressed urgently.
The IPCC’s 4th Assessment Report
showed that climate change is
developing faster than previously
thought. It also sent the clear
message that if we are to have any
chance of avoiding the worst and
irreversible damages of climate
change, then global greenhouse gas
emissions must peak and begin to
decline before 2020. In addition, a
number of independent studies,
such as the report for the British
government by former World Bank
Chief Economist Sir Nicholas Stern,
have highlighted concerns that the
economic and social costs associated
with the increasing impacts of
climate change far outweight the
costs of effective mitigation of
greenhouse gas emissions.
Not only has our scientific
understanding of the threat we
face deepened to the point that no
serious policymaker can ignore;
public awareness has also increased
dramatically, with citizens around
the world demanding action and
demanding change – the recent
‘Earth Hour’ campaign is just one
example of this public engagement.
Citizens are becoming increasingly
aware of the threat of climate
change every day, as part and
parcel of the whole mix of energy
insecurity, the scourge of air
pollution in major cities around the
world, and the economic disaster of
the reliance on imported fossil fuels.
Renewable Energy Technologies are Available-Here and NowSomething else has changed, too. We
now have the technology to begin
the move to a sustainable energy
economy, here and now. In fact, it is
already happening; we have entered
the renewable energy age, and
investors have flocked to the sector.
In 2008, total investment in the
clean energy sector reached $150
billion, up from just 34 billion in
2004. Particularly in the electric
power sector, traditional energy
giants such as General Electric,
Iberdrola, Siemens, EON, Florida
Power and Light, RWE, and even
French nuclear utility AREVA are
staking more and more of their
future on renewable energy. Most of
the asset investments are going to
wind power.
Even the International Energy
Agency has begun to pick up on
the renewable energy revolution.
In its recent publications, the IEA
has started to acknowledge that
renewable energy will dominate the
”WE HAVE ENTEREDTHE RENEWABLE ENERGY AGE, AND INVESTORS HAVE FLOCKED TO THE SECTOR.”
Steve SawyerGlobal Wind Energy Council
�
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Wind energy
46
power sector in any sustainable
energy future. While the IEA’s
estimates still err on the conservative
side, the starting recognition of the
role that renewables can play is
finally picking up on the explosive
development of so-called ‘new’
renewable energy technologies. Wind
energy is the most developed of
‘new’ renewable technologies, and its
story is indeed remarkable. Global
installed capacity growth has
averaged over 28% over the last 10
years, doubling installed capacity
globally every 2.5 - 3 years. 2008
was another banner year, with more
than 27,000 MW installed globally,
bringing the total installed capacity
up to over 120,000 MW.
Wind Power: Potent CO2 Saver… and Boosting the EconomyWind power is a key tool in the fight
against climate change, with the
potential to save billions of tons of
CO2. But not only does it provide
clean power from an inexhaustible
indigenous source, it also boosts
economic development by creating
jobs, channelling investment into a
sustainable energy model and
saving billions in foreign imports of
fossil fuels.
Wind Energy and the Environment:While the power sector is far from
being the only culprit when it
comes to climate change, it is the
largest single source of emissions,
accounting for about 40% of CO2
emissions, and about 25% of overall
emissions. The options for making
major emissions reductions in the
power sector between now and 2020
are basically three: energy efficiency
and conservation; fuel switching from
coal to gas; and renewable energy,
primarily wind power.
Modern wind technology has an
extremely good energy balance. Wind
power does not emit any climate
change inducing carbon dioxide
nor other air pollutants which are
polluting the major cities of the world
and costing billions in additional
health costs and infrastructure
damage. The CO2 emissions related
to the manufacture, installation and
servicing over the average 20 year
lifecycle of a wind turbine are
“paid back” after the first three to
six months of operation, while
substantial CO2 savings continue
throughout the lifetime of a turbine.
Further, in an increasingly carbon-
constrained world, wind power is
risk-free insurance against the long
term downside of carbon intense
investments.
The Global Wind Energy Council1
has presented a scenario showing
that wind power is on track to
reducing CO2 emissions by a total
of 10 billion tons by 2020, far more
than any other power sector
technology. It will help revitalise our
economies, and create millions of
jobs in the process. But this will not
happen by itself.
Figure 1 > GLOBAL CUMULATIVE INSTALLED CAPACITY 1996-2008
150 000
120 000
90 000
60 000
30 000
0
1996
6.10
0
1997
7.60
0
1998
10.2
00
1999
13.6
00
2000
17.4
00
2001
23.9
00
2002
31.1
00
2003
39.4
31
2004
47.6
20
2005
59.0
91
2006
74.0
52
2007
93.8
35
2008
120.
798
MW
�
WIND ENERGY IS THEMOST DEVELOPED OF‘NEW’ RENEWABLETECHNOLOGIES.
Energy
47
According to the GWEC scenario,
global wind energy capacity would
increase from the current 120 GW to
over 1,000 GW by 2020, generating
2,600 TWh of electricity annually,
which would represent around 12 %
of global electricity demand. This
would save more than 1.5 billion
tons of CO2 per year, adding up to
10 billion tons of CO2 saved by
2020, and make a substantial
contribution to global efforts to
curb greenhouse gas emissions.
Given the crucial timeframe up to
2020 during which global emission
must start to decline, the speed of
deployment of wind farms is of key
importance in combating climate
change. Building a conventional
power plant can take 10 or 12 years
or more, and until it is completed,
no power is being generated. Wind
power deployment is measured in
months, and a half completed wind
farm is just a smaller power plant,
starting to generate power and
income as soon as the first turbines
are connected to the grid.
An Investment and Job Dynamo:Wind energy makes sound economic
sense. In contrast to new gas, coal or
even a nuclear power plants, the
price for fuel over the total lifetime of
a wind turbine is well known: it is
zero. For conventional generation
technologies, the volatility of fuel
price developments are a significant
risk factor, with oil prices recently
fluctuating between 50 and 150 USD
in the course of just one year.
Wind farm owners, however, know
how much the electricity they
generate is going to cost. No
conventional technology (except
hydro – the ‘established’ renewable
power generating technology) can
make that claim. This is of
fundamental concern not only to
individual utilities and power plant
operators, but also to government
planners seeking to mitigate their
vulnerability to macroeconomic
shocks associated with the vagaries
of international commodity markets.
In addition, at many sites, wind
power is already competitive with
new-built conventional technologies,
and in some cases much cheaper.
Although nothing can compete with
existing, embedded conventional
generation plant that has already
been paid off (and was mostly
constructed with significant state
subsidies: governments still subsidize
conventional technologies at the rate
of about 250 billion USD/year), wind
power is commercially attractive,
especially when taking into account
the price of carbon, which is a factor
in a growing number of markets.
Already in 2008, over €36.5 billion �
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Wind energy
48
were invested in wind energy
worldwide, and the sector is now
employing well over 400,000 ‘green
collar’ workers. According to the
GWEC scenario, the annual value of
global investment in wind energy
would reach €149.4 bn by 2020 and
account for over 2.2 million jobs.
Although these figures may appear
large, they should be seen in the
context of the total level of
investment in the global power
industry. During the 1990s, for
example, annual investment in the
power sector was running at some
€158-186 billion each year. Especially
at times of economic uncertainty
and high unemployment rates, any
technology which demands a subs-
tantial level of both skilled and
unskilled labour is of considerable
economic importance, and likely to
feature strongly in any political
decision-making over different
energy options.
Regional economic development is
also a key factor in economic
considerations surrounding wind
energy. From Schleswig-Holstein in
northern Germany, to Andalucía in
Spain; from the US Pacific Northwest
to west Texas to Pennsylvania; and
from Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia in
China to Tamil Nadu and Gujarat in
India, the wind power industry is
revitalising regional economies,
providing quality jobs and expanding
tax bases in rural regions struggling
to keep their economies moving
ahead in the face of the global flight
to the cities.
No More Imported DirtyFuels at Volatile Prices:Global demand for energy has been
increasing at a breathtaking pace,
and this is particularly true in China,
India and other rapidly developing
economies. This sharp increase in
world energy demand will require
significant investment in new power
generating capacity and grid
infrastructure, especially in the
developing world.
Industrialised countries face a
different but parallel situation. While
demand is increasing, the days
of overcapacity in electricity pro-
duction are coming to an end. Many
older power plants will soon reach
the end of their working lives. The
IEA predicts that by 2030, over
2,000 GW of power generation
capacity will need to be built in the
OECD countries, including the rep-
lacement of retiring plants.
Just as energy demand continues to
increase, supplies of the main fossil
fuels used in power generation, are
becoming more expensive and more
difficult to extract. One result is that
some of the major economies of the
world are increasingly relying on
imported fuel at unpredictable cost,
sometimes from regions of the world
where conflict and political instability
threaten the security of that supply.
In contrast to the uncertainties
surrounding supplies of conventional
fuels, and volatile prices, wind ener-
gy is a massive indigenous power
source which is permanently available
in virtually every country in the
world. There are no fuel costs, no
geo-political risk and no supply
dependence on imported fuels from
politically unstable regions.
Every kilowatt/hour generated by
wind power has the potential to
displace fossil fuel imports, improving
�
�
50
both security of supply and the
national balance of payments, which
is not only an issue for the United
States which sends more than half a
trillion dollars a year out of the
country to pay its oil bill. This is an
even larger issue for poor countries
in Africa, Asia and South America
whose economies have been
devastated by recent oil price hikes.
Wind power also has the advantage
that it can be deployed faster than
other energy supply technologies.
Even large offshore wind farms,
which require a greater level of
infrastructure and grid network
connection, can be installed from
start to finish in less than two years,
a crucial asset given the pressing
threat of climate change.
The Road to Copenhagen -What Matters to the Wind Industry?Even in this time of financial crisis
and economic downturn, the climate
issue remains high on the agenda.
The first commitment period of the
Kyoto Protocol is coming to an end in
2012. While this agreement is not
perfect, it is the only international
policy tool we have to curb carbon
emissions and combat climate
change, and coming to an agreement
for the period post-2012 is essential.
In December 2007, at COP 13 in Bali,
the participating countries agreed
that the negotiations should be
formally launched and successfully
concluded by COP 15, to be held in
December 2009 in Copenhagen.
However, the last 14 months have
seen little progress, and there is
now pressure to meet the December
deadline.
Danish authorities expect up to
18,000 people in Copenhagen for two
weeks. In addition to the negotiators,
this includes Heads of State and
Government; Environment, Energy
and Finance Ministers; thousands of
reporters from outlets around the
world and advocates representing
business and industry, environmental
groups, research NGOs, trade unions
and indigenous people’s groups.
For the wind sector, the outcome of
these negotiations is critical, and the
wind power industry has mounted
the Wind Power Works2 campaign
during this ‘Year of the Climate’, to
highlight the key role of wind
power in meeting greenhouse gas
emission reduction targets.
In particular, three points are of key
interest to the wind industry: the rigour
of the emissions reduction targets,
technology transfer agreements and an
expanded carbon market.
Targets:The emission reduction targets for
industrialised countries under
consideration (minus 25-40% in
2020 compared with 1990 levels)
are much greater than those
under the Kyoto Protocol’s first
commitment period. If targets in
this range are agreed and enforced,
this will have an immediate impact
on the framework conditions of the
wind sector. Firstly, the price of
carbon will rise substantially and
drive energy investment decisions.
We are already beginning to see this
as a result of the modest targets
agreed by the EU, most clearly in the
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Wind energy
�
51
recent decision by a major German
utility to cancel a series of new
coal-fired power plants in the wake
of the EU’s landmark ‘20/20/20’
decision agreed in December
2008. Under the new emissions
trading rules where electricity
producers need to buy emission
reduction credits at auction to
compensate for their emissions,
the price risk of new coal-fired
generation capacity was deemed
too high. We have also seen plans
for dozens of new coal-fired power
plants cancelled in the US, merely
in the anticipation of a price for
carbon. With a new climate agree-
ment in place, this trickle should
turn into a flood.
In reality, reaching an international
agreement on substantial targets will
be hard. Although negotiators in Bali
agreed to negotiate in the 25-40%
reduction range, only the EU has to
date agreed to a 20% cut by 2020 (to
be increased to 30% as part of a new
international agreement), and to
sourcing 20% of its final energy
demand from renewable sources by
the same date.
In the US, President Obama pledged
to return the country to 1990 levels
by 2020, which would mean an
approximately 16% reduction below
today’s levels. This may be ambitious
given the recent history of the US,
but nowhere near enough.
Australia has announced very
disappointing national targets – 4%
below 1990 levels (5% below 2000
levels) by 2020.
Japan, Canada and Russia, the
other notable players among
industrialized countries, have yet to
lay their cards on the table.
The Flexible Mechanisms: The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) has
already had a substantial impact on
wind energy development in China
and India. The CDM also impacts to a
lesser extent other developing
countries, and income from Certified
Emission Reductions (CERs) can
make a substantial contribution to a
project’s profitability. There are
more than 25,000 MW of wind
power projects currently in the
CDM pipeline 3. While this unique
mechanism has made a good start,
it can and must be expanded and
improved, creating the conditions
for wind energy and other clean
development in a much broader
range of developing and emerging
economy markets.
To achieve this, the wind industry is
arguing in favour of a Sectoral
Crediting Mechanism which would
provide a much broader means for
industrialising countries to use the
carbon markets and private
finance to decarbonise their power
sectors. For developing countries,
preliminary analysis has shown
that such a mechanism could
leverage hundreds of billions of
dollars for clean energy investment
in the developing world between
now and 2020, and result in
emissions reductions of many
hundreds of millions of tons.
The Basic Concept for theSectoral Mechanism is QuiteSimple:a) define a voluntary ‘no regrets’
target on the basis of national
efforts with some assistance from
international funding for the
electricity sector in a given indus-
trialising country; the target would
be ‘no regrets’ in the sense that
there would be no penalty for not
reaching the target.
b) any reductions below the ‘no
regrets’ target would generate
tradable credits;
c) technology cooperation and other
funding could be utilised to create
the conditions which would facilitate
both domestic and international
capital investments in clean energy
technologies.
THE BASIC CONCEPT FOR THE SECTORAL MECHANISM IS QUITE SIMPLE.
2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
Crediting period
GHG
emis
sion
s in
the
sect
or
Historical emissions
BAU emissions
Crediting baseline
Actual emissions
Credits issued
Energy
�
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Wind energy
52
“THE FUTURE OF OURPLANET DEPENDS ONMAKING THE RIGHTCHOICE, AND THE WINDINDUSTRY STANDSREADY TO PLAY ITS PARTIN A SUSTAINABLEENERGY FUTURE.”
Steve SawyerGlobal Wind Energy Council
Technology transfer: The discussion surrounding tech-
nology transfer has been going on in
various UN forums for 20 years,
but has been largely abstract.
Discussion was based on the notion
that a) governments owned tech-
nology; and b) they would give it
away; and c) that there is some
theoretical model from which a
mechanism could be derived to
achieve this.
There is some indication that this
discussion might now be changing.
But there is a fundamental confusion
between the relative roles of public
and private sector which needs to
be overcome before the UN system
can come up with anything that will
be useful in the real world.
The aim must be to reach an
agreement that works to support
the rapid and widest possible
diffusion of existing renewable
energy and energy efficiency
technologies, as well as adaptation
technologies.
Some say that reaching robust
agreements in all four pillars laid out
in the Bali Roadmap (mitigation,
adaptation, technology and finance)
is too much to achieve in time for
Copenhagen.
A lot of work ahead for a newclimate dealThere is indeed a lot of work ahead
in the next six months, but with the
right political leadership it can be
done. For the first time in a very long
time, there is hope that the US, as the
new Congress and President Obama
turn their attention to domestic
greenhouse gas emission reduction
legislation, the sine qua non for
engagement by the US in the
international negotiations. With the
US on board, anything is possible.
Whatever the outcome in Copen-
hagen, we are at a crossroads in
relation to our energy future, the
design of which will be fundamental
to the future of the wind energy
industry. Policy makers have the
choice between the path of
sustainability, energy security,
clean air and water, which would
strengthen our economies and
reduce our dangerous dependence
on imported fuels, or they can
continue our disastrous business
as usual.
The future of our planet depends on
making the right choice, and the wind
industry stands ready to play its part
in a sustainable energy future.
�
TV |
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54
By Steffen Lehmann, the University of Newcastle (Australia) and UNESCO
The Work of the UNESCOChair in Sustainable Urban Development for Asiaand the PacificIdentifying plausible responses to the rapid urbanization.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
Daily traffic collapse in NewDelhi, India; the traditionalrole of the Indian streetscapeas the traditional ‘publicdomain’ has been lost.Reducing car dependencycould be achieved throughthe concept of the ‘City ofShort Distances’ and a strong focus on publictransport integration.
Sustainable Development
55
R ecent research has delivered clear evidence that
global warming and urbanization are closely
interlinked. Rapid urbanization, and its impact on
communities and the environment, is now one of the
most pressing issues of today. The UNESCO Chair in
Sustainable Urban Development for Asia and the Pacific
Region (including the Middle East Region), established
in 2008, is a joint initiative of
the UN and the University of
Newcastle. The mission of this
Chair is to conduct pragmatic
and innovative strategic research,
as well as to offer advice and
capacity building in order to
support sustainable development
in the Asia-Pacific region.
The UNESCO has made sus-
tainability a key topic in its
development oriented activities
and has launched a new ini-
tiative - with the University of
Newcastle, Australia (NSW) - to
address the increasing concern of non-sustainable
urbanization which currently occurs in the Asia and
Pacific region.
Cities in the Asia-Pacific region have currently an
urbanization rate of 42 percent and growth rate of 2.5
percent p.a., which means that they will have to
accommodate an additional 1.7 billion people in the next
40 years. This represents a doubling of the current
urban population. Given this situation, it is obvious that
environmental urban strategies for the Asia-Pacific
region are desperately needed.
It is a region of rapid change, cultural alienation and
environmental crisis, with a threatening divide between
city and countryside. The interdisciplinary research
initiatives conducted by the newly established UNESCO
Chair in Sustainable Urban Development will lay-out a
roadmap for the next ten years to facilitate sustainable
growth, strengthen international, high-level research
collaborations with other universities and consult city
governments in the Asia-Pacific region.
The challengeIncreasing urbanization is one of the hallmarks of global
change, characterized by gradual and continuous
growth of cities to urban mega regions. Lack of
affordable housing and scarcity of water and energy are
just some of the consequences from the uncontrolled
urbanization process, which poses huge challenges
ahead, accelerated by climate change. It is projected
that in the next 50 years, two-thirds of humanity will be
living in towns and cities. A forecast of the UN Habitat
Forum (2008) indicates that over 90 percent of the
urban growth over the next 15 years will occur
primarily in developing countries. Asia alone will
account for more than half of the world’s urban
population. In fact, the Asia-Pacific region is the world’s
fastest growing region and one of the major sources of
greenhouse gases; it is also likely to
be severely affected by the impact
of global warming on regional
economies, environment, society
and the lives of ordinary citizens.
While the Asia-Pacific region is expe-
riencing rapid economic growth
and extensive urbanization, coupled
with continued population increases,
the region faces also the challenging
issues of poverty and insufficient
sustainable management of its
urbanization processes. Many of the
current developments negatively
impact on natural resources and the
environment through poor planning, misinformed
urban design, air and water pollution and an increase
in waste generation.
Towards a new urbanism in the Asia-Pacific region Cities are the engines of economic growth. As architects
and urban designers we are in the business of the
future. The task that the people charge us with is to
anticipate, to comprehend, and to deal with the
challenges of future cities and then to imagine and
identify a vision for their future. Regarding the Asia-
Pacific Region this means that there is a need to identify
effective strategies and propose practical solutions to
support sustainable urban development.
Moreover, it is vital to carry out appropriate urban
development proposals based on the conditions specific
to each area of the region characterized by great
diversity in terms of economy, politics, culture, climate,
and the natural environment. In this context, the
UNESCO Chair will support managing this rapid
urbanization and globalization process and enhance
collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders.
Research results will be disseminated freely,
contributing to the transition towards a more sus-
tainablesociety. Cities (both in developed and
developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region) can
make a real difference in terms of mitigating their global
environmental impacts for example through the
application of international best practice in urban
design and climate-responsive urbanism. In this sense,
Cities are the engines of economic growth.As architects and urban designers we are in the business of the future. The task thatthe people charge us with is to anticipate, to comprehend and to dealwith the challenges of future cities. And then, to imagine and identify a vision for their future.
Steffen Lehmann
�
56
quality urban design should be the
first strategy utilized to reduce the
need for fossil-fuel energy.
It is important to note that many
improvements do not require heavy
financial investment. In many cases
measures that bring global envi-
ronmental benefits can also bring
economic savings to a city or town,
creating new jobs and a future-
proofed economy. With the end of
the fossil energy system, a new
relationship between city and
countryside is emerging, where the
city does not exist or grow on the
expense of its rural hinterland.
Compact communities will be stop-
ping urban sprawl, and decentralized
energy production will allow
reconnecting the energy production
with the place of final energy
consumption.
The aims of the UNESCO ChairThe UNESCO Chair in Sustainable
Urban Development for Asia and
the Pacific has the mission to
operate in the following areas:
� conducting scientific research in
sustainable urban development in
resonance with the local and
regional needs of the Asia-Pacific
region and in line with the priorities
of UNESCO’s Medium Term Strategy
(2008-2013), including a focus on
the impact of climate change on
migration and urbanization;
� contributing to capacity building
and professional training, and
acting as a think tank;
� enhancing international coopera-
tion in higher education and re-
search, attracting post-graduate
candidates to conduct research;
� advising and consulting in the
area of sustainable architecture
and urban design;
� strengthening inter-university and
inter-disciplinary cooperation in trai-
ning, education, publications, confe-
rences, seminars, master classes,
and curricula development;
� exchanging knowledge of inter-
national best practice, establishing
knowledge sharing in practical and
achievable sustainable urban deve-
lopment for a new urban society;
� disseminating research-based best
practice for re-engineering existing
cities into sustainable cities, sharing
experience and developing an
action plan;
� transferring knowledge to deve-
loping countries, offering UNESCO
Scholarships and Visiting Fello-
wships to graduates of Asia-Pacific
universities;
� inspiring and supporting people to
live in a more environmentally
friendly way.
Urban design provides our highest
ability to influence sustainable
outcomes. The first projects have
now started in China (retrofitting
existing building stock), India
(Green Campus initiative), and
Thailand (Hua Hin Development).
Other urban developments in
Jordan and UAE (zero-emission
eco-cities), and in Vietnam (eco-
tourism and heritage) are about to
take shape.
The various priority researchareas of the UNESCO Chair.
Methods to increase energy-efficiency. (UNESCO Chair, 2008)
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Sustainable UrbanDevelopment
�
57
> Short Biography Dr. Steffen Lehmann holds the UNESCO Chair inSustainable Urban Development for Asia and thePacific, the Professorial Chair of Architectural Design inthe School of Architecture and Built Environment at theUniversity of Newcastle (NSW), and is FoundingDirector of the s_Lab Space Laboratory forArchitectural Research and Design (Sydney-Berlin), aninternational interdisciplinary research cluster:www.slab.com.au.
Steffen’s expertise is in sustainable cities, ‘Green Urbanism’, and energy-efficient buildings. Since 1990, he has presented his work at more than200 conferences in 12 countries. He has researched,built and taught on informal urban design, urban renewaland energy-efficient cities since the early 1990s. Heis the editor of the US based Journal of GreenBuilding (2006 – to date) and an advisor to go-vernment, city councils and industry in Europe, Asiaand Australia.
Steffen holds three post-graduate degrees; aftergraduating in Germany and from the ArchitecturalAssociation School of Architecture in London (1989),he worked one year with James Stirling in London, and3 years with Arata Isozaki in Tokyo. Before beingappointed to a Professorial Chair in December 2002 inAustralia, he ran his own ideas-driven practice in Berlin,
for more than 10 years, where he designed numerousaward-winning and energy-efficient buildings. Hecompleted his doctoral research on ‘Modernism andRegionalism’ at the TU-Berlin.
Steffen has a particular interest in sustainable strategiesfor urban regeneration of the post-industrial city.During the 1990s, he was instrumental in the urban re-development of Berlin’s city centre and has built smalland large-scale buildings in Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz,Hackescher Markt and Pariser Platz (for instance, theFrench Embassy in partnership with Christian dePortzamparc).
In recognition of the international significance of hiswork, he has been invited as Visiting Professor to leaddesign studios at leading universities in six countries.He has been a leader in large research projects and isfrequently appointed as jury member of designcompetitions. In 2008, he received a Vice-Chancellor’sAward for Teaching Excellence, the highest awardpossible for teaching.
The prestigious UNESCO Chair in SustainableUrban Development for Asia and the Pacific is thefirst UNESCO Chair in the area of Sustainabilitywhich was established in the Asia-Pacific region, withthe aim to consult governments on sustainableurbanization models to harmonize extreme conditionsof rapid urban growth.
Professor Steffen Lehmann(born in Stuttgart, Germany) works as urban designer, architect and University educator/researcher. Email: [email protected]
Publications:Steffen has published over 200 academic papers and 7 books (2008). A full publication list can be found onSteffen’s homepage: www.slab.com.au
More information:Further information can be found on Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_Steffen_Lehmann
Sustainable Development
58
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
The study was designed to inform policymakers and
stakeholders about the implications of climate
change and the scarcity of water due to climatic
and non-climatic factors. This scarcity in shared water
By Prof. Dr. Samir Anwar Al-GAMAL
CLIMATE-INDUCED CONFLICT RISKS OVERSHARED WATER RESOURCES IN AFRICA
Ecosystems in Africa are currently under threat from avariety of impacts and climate change is likely to be anadditional stress.
resources could leads to a dispute over its distribution
and use. Consequently, the study is specifically aimed at
shedding light of negotiation as a mitigation tool for
conflict resolution in water-stressed areas.
Global Warning
59
Both historic and scientific data
showing the frequent occurrences
of a water dispute among African
countries are used. Conflict resolution
technique to disputing parties is
proposed.
The results of the analysis suggest
that threats to water security are
already the primary cause of some
of the most intractable conflict in
Africa. Salinization of coastal
aquifers due to heavy withdrawals
of fresh water, pollution of rivers,
lakes, and reduction in hydropower
energy as direct conse-quences to
climatic changes as well as other
abuses of water resources, could
lead to extremely serious disputes.
The study has also shown that even
though technical solutions are now
available for solving most of the
existing problems related to water
resources and other environ-mental
issues, the social and political
mechanisms for realistically imple-
menting these solutions within the
sustainable development paradigm
are still unknown. Furthermore,
Conflict over the utilization of water
resources within a sustainable
development paradigm is specially
pronounced in the context of
transboundary river basin as well as
transboundary aquifers that cross
international boundaries. Negotiation
on water in areas of conflict could
be used as a valuable tool to help
negotiate policies, treaties and
laws that promote sustainable
development throughout the basin,
and especially with respect to the
equitable utilization of water from
both quality and quantity viewpoints.
Clearly, there is inherent conflict
between the forces of development,
which would prefer continued
economic growth, and the group
concerned with protecting our
natural environment. If disputes
arising are not solved using creative
negotiations and consensus building,
many controversies could eventually
lead to warfare.
Climate change and freshwater demands in AfricaWater access and water resource
management are highly variable
across the continent. In order to shed
light on water resources in Africa on
“vise-a vise “ basis, it should be noted
that out of the 261 transboundary
river basins in the world that
represent surface water resources, 61
are recognized in Africa which cover
62% of Africa’s surface area. In West
Africa 25 transboundary rivers
basins are shared among 17 African
countries of which 11 for Niger-
Benue , 4 for Senegal , 6 for Volta and
4 for Comoe. Transboundary increa-
singly disputed as a result of
increased freshwater demand and
decreased availability (due to
worsening climate conditions)
The 17 countries in West Africa that
share 25 transboundary rivers
have notably high water interde-
pendency. Eastern and southern
African countries are also characte-
rised by water stress brought about
by climate variability and wider
governance issues. Significant
progress has, however, been recorded
in some parts of Africa to improve
this situation, with urban populations
in the southern African region
achieving improved water access
over recent years.
As far as the shared groundwater
resources are concerned, 38 Trans-
boundary aquifers are recognized in
Africa (UNESCO) within the scope of
the present paper case examples
from West Africa will only be notably
considered.
Observational records and climate
projections provide abundant evi-
dence that freshwater resources all
over the world and in Africa in
particular are vulnerable and have
the potential to be strongly im-
pacted by climate change, with
wide-ranging consequences for
human societies and ecosystems.In
global-scale assessments, basins are
defined as being water stressed if
they have either a per capita water
availability below 1,000 m3 per year
(based on long-term average runoff)
or a ratio of withdrawals to long-
term average annual runoff above
0.4. A water volume of 1,000 m3
per capita per year is typically more
than it is required for domestic,
industrial and agricultural water
uses. Such water-stressed basins
are located in northern Africa.
In water-stressed areas, people
and ecosystems are particularly
vulnerable to decreasing and more �
60
variable precipitation due to climate
change. As a direct consequence
Habitats and ecosystems in Africa
are currently under threat from a
variety of impacts and climate
change is likely to be an additional
stress. Higher temperatures and
increased variability of precipitation
would, in general, lead to increased
irrigation water demand, even if
the total precipitation during the
growing season remains the same.
The impact of climate change on
optimal growing periods, and on
yield-maximising irrigation water
use, has been modelled assuming no
change in either irrigated area
and/or climate variability.
Difficulties , constrains andlimitations related to climaticchanges in AfricaLow adaptive capacity of African
countries, as well as consecutive
dry years with widespread disrup-
tions are reducing the ability of
the society to cope with droughts
by providing less recovery and
preparation time between events.
Furthermore, Future rainfall patterns
are not clear cut but it is likely that
over the next 50 years there will be a
decrease in rainfall of 10 to 25 per
cent over northern parts of Africa in
the months of June, July and August
and a 10 to 60 per cent decline in
March, April and May. In contrast,
western Africa may see an increase in
rainfall of 10 to 35 per cent in the
December, January and February
period which is normally a dry time
with an increase also during
September, October and November
of between seven and 28 per cent.
Another difficulty arises from the low
distribution density of weather
stations which is one per 26,000
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Water Conflict
�
Global Warning
61
square km—eight times lower than the
World Meteorological Organisation’s
minimum recommended level. In
addition to the lack of good
monitoring of the El Nino Southern
Oscillation as it relates to Africa;
the onset of the Sahel precipitation
and the interaction of Saharan dust
with climate.
Case Studies on African water conflicts� 1. Cameron versus Nigeriaon the Lake Chad � Problem definitionThe flooded area of Chad Lake has
declined drastically as a direct
consequence to climatic change
from 37,000 Km2 in 1963 to 25,000
in 1973 and then to 2000 Km2 at
present. So the total area of the lake
was splitted; with only southern part
now as perennial Surface water
body. Accordingly fishermen from
Nigeria shore had to follow the
receding lake. A situation which
has ended by settling in the Came-
roon territory. Eventually, the
government of f Nigeria followed its
citizens: administration, school,
heath facilities, police, military i.e.
border dispute Cameroon-Nigeria
(Transboundary Freshwater Dispute
Database, 2000).
� 2-Senegal versusMauritania� Problem definitionThe Senegal River has its main
source in the Fouta-Djalon Mountains
in Guinea and provides water to the
semiarid parts of Mali, Senegal and
Mauritania. The basin has a total area
of ~483,000 km2 and the river course
is 1,800 km long. Mauritania has the
largest area of the basin with 50%,
followed by Mali with 35%, Senegal
with 8%, and Guinea with 7%. Eight
severe drought events have occurred
during the period from 1970 to 1980.
The whole area has suffered from
chronic rainfall deficits particularly
from 1986 to 1988 where in
September 1988, the traditional
transboundary land use practices
constitute a dispute and it was the
beginning of real crisis and the
consequent loss of lives in both
countries. Eventually 75,000 Sene-
galese & 150,000 Mauritanians �
threats to water security are already the primarycause of some of the most intractable conflict inAfrica. Salinization of coastal aquifers due toheavy withdrawals of fresh water, pollution ofrivers, lakes, and reduction in hydropower energyas direct consequences to climatic changes aswell as other abuses of water resources, couldlead to extremely serious disputes.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Water Conflict
62
repatriated. In June 2000 new
tension under the same reasons has
occurred (Transboundary Freshwater
Dispute Database, 2000)
� 3- Ghana. Versus BurkinaFaso (1998)� Problem definitionWhite Volta & Black Volta contribute
to 56% of inflows into Akosombo
Reservoir of Akosombo & Kpong
Dams which produce more than
90% of Ghana’s electricity.
Consequently any decline in rainfall
will be expressed directly on the
decline in water level in Akosombo
Reservoir. This situation will be
impacted directly on energy pro-
duction in Ghana, provided that
total storage capacity of all Burkina
Faso reservoir is about 1.49 billions m3
which constitutes less than 5% of
the Volume of the Akosombo
Reservoir (Fig.1). So Burkina Faso can
not be blamed for any decline in the
reservoir producing hydroelectricity
for Ghana ( Niasse) .
� 4-Niger versus Nigeria onthe Niger River Basin� Problem definitionThe Niger River basin, located in
western Africa, covers 7.5% of the
continent and spreads over ten
countries (Fig.2). The area of the
Niger River basin in Guinea is only
4% of the total area of the basin, but
the sources of the Niger River are
located in this country. The quantity
of water entering Mali from Guinea
(40 km3/yr) is greater than the
quantity of water entering Nigeria
from Niger (36 km3/yr), about 1800
hen further downstream (IUCN-IWMI-
Ramsar-WRI).
This is due among other reasons to
the enormous reduction in runoff in
the inner delta in Mali through
seepage and evaporation combined
with almost no runoff from the whole
of the left bank in Mali and Niger.
According to Nigerian point of view
more than 10% of increased
withdrawal compared to current
situation is considered not accep-
table. Eventually, risks of water
conflict could be due to blaming
upstream countries for what would
be due to climatic change.
� 5-Eastern Africa (IGADREGION)� Problem definitionMore than 70% of the population
of Eastern Africa is rural and
practices subsistence agriculture.
Rapid population growth and
increasing demand for food,
combined with the high variability
in rainfall and frequent droughts,
are putting growing pressure on
natural resources. Analyses of
current economic and environmental
trends reveal increasing competition
over access and use of freshwater
resources, at the same time that
population growth, industrialisation
and climate change are adding
stress to these resources. There is
also competition for ac-cess to
water resources between countries,
some of which depend on fresh water
not only for domestic, agricultural
Level 1
Dif
fere
nces (
m3)
90
85
80
75
7065 70 75 80 85 90 95 00Year
Level Min Level
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
-100
-200
-300
-400
-500
195
0
165
4
195
8
196
2
196
6
1970
1974
149
78
198
2
198
6
199
0
199
4
199
8
In water-stressedareas, people andecosystems areparticularly vulnerableto decreasing and morevariable precipitationdue to climate change.
F. 1 Water level in Akosombo Lake (Niasse,2007)
F. 2 Annual discharge of Niger River at Niamey
�
Global Warning
63
References:� Ashton, P. J. 2002. Avoiding Conflicts over Africa’s Water Resources,Ambio, Vol. 31, No. 3, 236-242.
� Ashton, P. J. and Ramasar, V. 2002. Water and HIV/AIDS: Some strategicconsiderations in Southern Africa.In: (Turton, A. R. & Henwood, R. eds.)Hydropolitics in the Developing World: A Southern African.
� Döll, P. (2002) Impact of climate change and variability on irrigationrequirements: a global perspective. Climatic Change ,54(3), 269–293.
� Döll, P. & Hauschild, M. (2002) Model-based regional assessment ofwater use: an example for Northeastern Brazil.Water Int. 27(3), 310–320.
� Gibb, A. and Partners 1987. Etude de la gestion des ouvrages communsde l’OMVS. Rapports phase 1, Volume1B, Optimisation de la crueartificielle. Electricité de France Euroconsult.
� FAOSTAT 2000: AQUASTAT Database: FAO, Rome.
� IUCN, IWMI, Ramsar and WRI, 2003. Water Resources eAtlas:Watersheds of the World_CD.World Resource Institute.
� Le Barbe, L. T., and Tapsoba D. ,(2002), Rainfall variability in West Africaduring the years 1950-90. Journal of Climate vol. 15 pp.187-202.
� Nachtnebel,H.P.(1990):Comparison of Hydropower utilization andenvironmental impacts along the Danube downstream of Vienna.ingenieurs
et architectes Suisse,No,18,412-415.
� Niasse, M.,(2007), Climate-Induced Conflict Risks overShared Waters in West Africa, The Third InternationalConference on Climate and Water 3-6 September 2007,Helsinki, Finland
� Perspective Pretoria: African Water Issues Research Unit(AWIRU), 217-235.UNDP, UNEP, World Bank and WRI 2000. WorldResources 2000-2001: People and Ecosystems: The FrayingWeb of Life. World Resources Institute, Washington D.C.
� Ramsar sites: List of Wetlands of InternationalImportance, http://www.ramsar.org/Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database, 2000: Facingthe Fact; Assessing the Vulnerability of Africa’s WaterResources to Environmental Change ,UNESCO/UNEPPublications.
� UNESCO, WWAP.2006.The 2nd United Nations WorldWater Development Report: 'Water, a shared responsibility'
� Vlachos,E.(1996):Hydro diplomacy and disputeresolution in private water resources conflicts. In; Tranboundary water resources Eds: Nato Asi Series 2,Vol.7,Springer Verlag, Berlin, Deutschland.
� WHO/UNICEF 2000. Global Water Supply andSanitation Assessment 2000 Report. World HeathOrganisation, Geneva.
and industrial consump-tion but also
for hydropower generation. Fresh-
water availability and access are
thus priority issues for the entire
region. The major river basins in
Eastern Africa that are interna-
tionally shared include: Rufiji,
Juba, Victoria/Upper Nile, Turkana
and Shaballe. Eastern Africa has
experienced at least one major
drought each decade over the past
30 years. There were serious
droughts in 1973/74, 1984/85, 1987,
1992/94, and in 1999/2000. There is
evidence of increasing climatic
instability in the region in terms of
increasing frequency and intensity of
drought. Eastern Africa is fairly well
endowed with fresh water, with a total
average renewable amount of 187
km3/yr. Uganda has the largest share
of this, with 39 km3/yr (1,791
m3/capita/yr) while Eritrea has the
smallest, with 2.8 km3/yr (data on per
capita resources are not available;
UNDP et al, 2000). �
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Water Conflict
Conflict resolution techniquesTheoritically, collaboration for addres-
sing a wide range of environmental
disputes involves three phases:
� Problem definition or problem
architecture.
� Direction setting (predominantly
negotiations over substantive
problems).
� Implementation (systematic ma-
nagement of inter-organiza-tional
relations and monitoring of agree-
ments). Some countries adopted
environmental standards from the
EU while others modified their
existing guidelines for assessment
and impact studies.
Subsequently we assume a hypothe-
tical case study derived from a real
world problem (Nachtnebel) by
modifying a purely Austrian conflict
about hydropower utilization into an
international dispute.
This case study is a good and typical
example for the upper section of the
Danube. However its replication to
cases in Africa could be of paramount
nature It is assumed that:
� The country act rationally;
� There is complete information
about the system
� There exist an agreed set of
alternatives;
� There is full communication
among the partners involved;
� The countries may have different
objectives and criteria;
� They have different preferences;
� The project’s impacts are different
in each country
Conclusions and recommendationsCase examples from Africa show that
risks of water conflicts are real.
Lessons learned from the foregoing
64
Prof.Samir Al-Gamal is a university professor in Environmental Hydrology. He has been seconded to theInternational Organization known as Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS) as an advisor in waterresources since August 2006.Before joining OSS he was the chairman of Siting and Environment Dept. inEgyptian Atomic Energy Authority and Professor of Fluid Mechanics and Isotope Hydrology in MUSTUniversity and visiting professor. to Stockholm University Department of Physical Geography.He has published more than 40 different articles in recognized journals such Journal of Acta Mineralogica(Belgium), Journal of Theoretical Climatology (Sweden), Journal of Hydrology(Netherland),Journal ofEnvironmental Hydrology(USA), Turkish Journal of Environmental Engineering (Turkey) and Journal ofNuclear Sciences (Egypt) most of which center most widely around the use of Isotope HydrologyTechniques in assessing water resources.
A brief autobiographical note about the main author
Prof.Dr./Samir Anwar Al-Gamal Professor of Environmental HydrologyAdvisor in water resourcesSahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS),Tunisia Boulevard du Leader Yasser Arafat, PB-31,Tunis-1080E-mail address :[email protected] phone:(00216)21708526 / Fax ( 00216)71.206.636
water-conflicts have shown that,
though high water interdependency
can be opportunities for promo-
ting international cooperation, they
can also be causes for aggravated
conflict risks, especially where the
following factors are combined in a
lumped parameters approach
Decreased water demand to
respond to growing deve-
lopment needs.
Decreased water availability
as a direct consequence to
climatic change and climatic
variability.
Large water infra-structure
projects planned in isolation by
individual riparian countries.
Weak coordination that result
in conflict prevention accom-
panied by the absence of
resolution mechanisms.
Eventually, it is recommended to
recognize the impact of climate on
water resources on ad.hoc basis in
order to reduce risks of climate-
inducing water conflict.
4
3
2
1�
93
66
Protecting watersheds provides many of the world’s
megacities with freshwater – and saves billions of
dollars. This is the result of a new compilation of
case studies by IUCN, published ahead of the World
Water Forum.
“Many of the world’s big cities have understood that
protecting their catchment areas makes economic
sense. Rather than chopping down the forests or
draining their marshlands, they are keeping them
healthy and saving billions of dollars by not having to
AFRICA:PROTECTING WATERSHEDSSAVES BILLIONSHealthy river systems are essential to maintain the livelihoodsof local communities. The objectives of sustainable developmentcan only be achieved if nature continues to provide freshwaterthat everyone needs,” David Sheppard
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
67
Water
pay for costly infrastructure to store
water, clean it or bring it from
elsewhere,” says Mark Smith (Head
of IUCN’s Water Programme). The
Indonesian capital Jakarta gets its
freshwater for free from some 60
rivers originating in the nearby
Gunung Gede Pangrango National
Park. The water is worth an
estimated US$1.5 billion. The
Venezuelan capital Caracas relies on
the rivers from Guatopo and Macarao
National Parks for its freshwater
provision. Today, those rivers
continue to supply a constant flow of
freshwater to the city’s 5 million
inhabitants, consuming some 17
thousand litres of water per second.
Protecting freshwater sources also
benefits nature. In and around
South Africa’s Kruger National Park,
better river management has
helped improve water provision for
some local rural communities –
whilst at the same time preventing
loss of aquatic life in the park.
“Kruger’s main five rivers have
suffered from pollution and
unsustainable water use upstream
which led to some of them drying
up completely. After implementing
a large river-related programme
with the agriculture, forestry and
mining industries, we have seen an
improvement in flows. Previously
disappeared species have re-
colonised, and fewer unnatural fish
kills have occurred,” says Harry
Biggs, (Programme Integrator at
South African National Parks and
leader of IUCN’s World Commission
on Protected Areas Freshwater
Task Force).
During drier times, expensive
arrangements like water transfers
IUCN, the International Union forConservation of Nature, helps theworld find pragmatic solutions toour most pressing environment anddevelopment challenges by supportingscientific research; managing fieldprojects all over the world; and bringing governments, NGOs, theUN, international conventions andcompanies together to develop policy,laws and best practice.The world's oldest and largest globalenvironmetal network, IUCN is a democratic membership union withmore than 1,000 government andNGO member organizations, andalmost 11,000 volunteer scientistsand experts in some 160 countries.IUCN's work is supported by over1,000 professional staff in 60 officesand hundreds of partners in public,NGO and private sectors around theworld. IUCN's headquarters are located in Gland, near Geneva, inSwitzerland.
About IUCN
and trucking of water had to be
made to meet basic needs of some
rural communities living along rivers
near the park, when they could no
longer, as in the past, access water
from rivers. For some of these
communities, cleaner and more
water is now available.
The study by the IUCN Species
Programme, in collaboration with the
South African Institute for Aquatic
Biodiversity and the South African
National Biodiversity Institute, shows
that seven percent of species are
known to be regionally threatened
or extinct. But this figure will
skyrocket unless freshwater spe-
cies conservation is considered in
development planning. These species
provide food for local people and
some of them, such as the mollucs,
help purify the drinking water. The
study shows that while 77 percent �
SOUTHERN AFRICA’S FRESHWATERSPECIES IN FIRING LINEMany freshwater fish, crabs, dragonflies, molluscs and aquaticplants are at risk of extinction in Southern Africa if its rivers and lakesare not protected from developers.
68
of species are not threatened with
extinction, there is not enough
information for the remaining 16
percent to determine their threat
status.
“Here at the World Water Forum the
trend is to think about water supply
in terms of irrigation, hydropower
and drinking water,” says William
Darwall (Manager of IUCN’s Freshwater
Biodiversity Unit). "People tend to
forget about the species that live in
the water but we can no longer afford
to do this. We want developers to use
the information on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species to work out
how they can minimize the impact
on freshwater species when they
develop water resources.”
The results from the assessment of
1,279 freshwater species in Southern
Africa show that the more developed
a country is, the more species are
threatened with extinction. Of the 94
species threatened in southern
Africa, 78 of these are found in South
Africa, the most developed country
in the region.
“We are in a unique position in Africa
to avoid an extinction disaster,” says
Julia Marton-Lefèvre (IUCN Director
General). “Most developers have
not taken freshwater species into
consideration because they simply
don’t have the information they
need. We hope this study will change
that and show that Africa’s water
resources can be developed without
causing thousands of extinctions.”
Three hotspots of species diversity
have been highlighted in the report,
including the area where the upper
Zambezi meets the Kwando and
Chobe rivers above Victoria Falls,
the Komati and Crocodile river
tributaries of the Incomati system
in Mpumalanga, South Africa, and
the Mbuluzi river basin, also in
Mpumalanga, South Africa, and in
Swaziland. Many of southern Africa’s
coastal drainages have sites which
contain species that only occur in
that area, including the Kunene and
Kwanza rivers on the west coast of
Angola, and the Rovuma and Pungwe
and Buzi systems on the east coast of
Mozambique.
According to Marc Smith: “To really
save these species we must protect
the rivers and lakes by looking at
river basins as a whole, we can’t just
look at the parts that interest us
economically or as natural areas.
For our plans to work, we must
manage them together, using all the
tools we have to meet the needs of
people and nature for water.”
The results of this report will be
combined with similar studies
currently being conducted in the
rest of Africa. Case studies will be
used to develop a series of Good
Practice Guidelines to help developers
and governments take freshwater
species into consideration when
planning water projects in Africa.
For additional information:
David Sheppard : Head of IUCN’s
Programme on Managing Ecosystems for Human
Well-Being | East and Southern Africa
www.iucn.org
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Africa
�
70
T he challenges policymakers face in managing the
supply and demand of water in a developing
country, where water is scarce, are enormous.
There are not only massive human and health costs to
pay for in the mismanagement of water, but the
implementation of any successful management program
requires public consensus and acceptance of the inherent
social and economic rights people have to water.
It is now a widely accepted view that water is an
economic good and, therefore, must have a value
assigned to it; while that might sound like a platitude it
was not a stated view until 1992, when it was articulated
in the fourth principle of the "Dublin Statement" at
the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro.But the Dublin
Statement tempered this principle with a caveat about
the responsibility of managing water: in order for water
to be managed effectively its economic value must be
treated as mutually exclusive with its non-economic
human value.
Like all goods, therefore, water must have an economic
price assigned to it but that price must also reflect its
human value. Water pricing, the topic of this article, is
the policy of assigning value to water in order to
manage its demand and, by extension, its supply. This
article aims at analyzing how the policy of water pricing
can be effectively implemented as a solution for Egypt.
Focus will be on the economic benefits of water pricing,
and recent water pricing policies in Egypt and the
obstacles it faces; it then presents an analysis of the
Algerian experience in implementing water pricing and
gleans the lessons learned for Egypt.
By Alya KEBIRI
EGYPT Water pricing; a viable solution for Egypt’s water crisis?
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
71
Water
Economic Effects of Pricing PolicyThere are three well known econo-
mic effects of pricing policy. The
first is that it reduces demand for
water - when users have to pay for
their consumption, they do not
consume more than they need to.
This initiates behavioral change
that encourages conservation and
changes consumption habits. The
second effect, a direct result of a
reduction in demand, is that it
increases the supply of water - users
have an economic incentive to reduce
water use and water loss. The third
effect is an efficient, market-driven
reallocation of water across sectors -
household, agricultural, and industrial;
the reallocation occurs as a result
of higher prices which make waste
expensive and encourage more
responsible distribution, thereby
removing from the system any
inefficiencies.
The total cost of water, for consumers
or industry, is usually comprised of
several elements, such as flat
tariffs, block tariffs, subsidies, and
volumetric pricing through metering.
In their article -"Water is an
economic good: How to use prices to
promote equity, efficiency, and
sustainability"- Rogers et al rightly
argue that tariffs and prices rarely
reflect the true "full-cost" of water,
which they are in favor of imple-
menting as a policy. "Full-cost"
pricing includes three important
concepts of water economic: cost,
value, and price. Cost includes
operating and management costs,
capital costs, and other economic
costs. Value is the benefit of the
good to users, both in direct and
indirect values. Price is the amount
that the political and social systems
assign to water to ensure equity
and efficiency. Full-cost water
pricing is the sum of these three
concepts. These policies are
discussed in further detail in the
context of Egypt's recent water
pricing program and the case study
on Algeria which is discussed below.
Although many people at the 1992
UNCED seemed to agree that water
should be treated like an economic
good, it was unclear what the
implications were, and as a result
the Dublin statement came with a
number of disclaimers, among them
that water is also a "social" good
and should be kept available to
the poor. What this ultimately
meant was that water should be
supplied to the poor through
government subsidies, and sold to
urban households and industry at
economic value, which may exceed
production costs, for demand
management purposes; the revenue
funds the subsidies
However, while subsidies have long
been used in development to
promote growth, there is growing
recognition among water policy
scholars that subsidies and cross-
subsidies (when revenues from
profitable enterprises the poor) are
not the best means to achieve
economic or social goals. This is
especially true when these support
measures are used to prop-up ailing
industries that invariably contribute
to significant environmental damage.
General reduction in water prices
shields all consumers from important
economic and environmental signals.
The question of what price to assign
to users is particularly relevant to
developing countries like Egypt,
where many households, removed
from centralized water distribution,
are not accustomed to paying for
water and could not afford sudden
price hikes. These communities are
also the most vulnerable to water
shortages, due to droughts or
sanitation.
Egypt's History with Water PricingEgypt's history with water pricing is
an illustrative example of what
happens when prices are assigned
to water based solely on its
economic cost, without also taking
into account its domestic or local
human cost.
The Egyptian government is in the
process of liberalizing its water sector
through a recent privatization
program that removes government
control - and operational and bureau-
cratic inefficiencies. In May 2004,
President Mubarak announced the
privatization of all the water mana-
gement and purification services
in each governorate. As a result,
drinking water management autho-
rities of each governorate are now
part of one big enterprise centralized
in Cairo: a Holding Company for water
and purification.
The Holding Company is a public
property with a private sector
mandate: they are subject to the
laws of private sector companies,
do not receive any government
subsidies, and must efficiently
deliver their product, water, to a
wide customer base. The Holding
also has to cover a deficit estimated �
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Water Crisis
72
at L.E. 14 billions. Its water mana-
gement mission is to purify,
desalinize, transport and distribute
drinking water, and to collect, treat
and safely get rid of sewage.
According to the first decree
declared by President Mubarak in
May 2004, the Holding's capital will
be determined by the sum of capitals
from each of the companies formerly
operating independently and now
operating as one. Moreover, the
General Assembly and the Board of
Directors will be formed according to
the private sector's rules but will
have to include a representative
from the Ministry of Finance. In
parallel, a Regulatory Agency for
Water and Waste and a Customer
Protection Agency has been
created in order to evaluate and
determine water pricing. The
agency's budget will be determined
by the government.
Yet, just like a private company, the
Holding's aim is to create profits.
The cost of production of water is
around 60-65 piasters per cubic
meter. Water is currently sold at
less than 23 piasters per cubic
meter. According to experts and
economists, this price remains too
low to cover costs, maintain the
integrity and quality of water
infrastructure, and invest in
upgrades. Still, a lot of Egyptians
are opposed to the increase in
water prices. In November 2004,
prices were increased from 12 to 23
piasters per cubic meter; the
increase saw a strong reaction from
the public including riots and
people not paying their bills.
Once the bills started arriving, the
angry reactions intensified.... In
Matariya, more than 500 people
demonstrated in front of the district
headquarters, refusing to pay their
bills. One family was shocked at the
LE100 they were being asked to
cough up....In Al-Wayli and Al-Zawya
Al-Hamra, angry residents chased
bill collectors down the streets.
Most Egyptians have not taken a
principled stance against water
pricing; they simply do not have the
means to get by with it as a policy.
While the advantages to Egypt are
great, the lower classes rightly object
to financing such an overhaul. In
response to the intensity of the
protests, the increase in prices was
partially adjourned. In fact, the
modalities of payment have been
changed and lower prices were set
for people living in poor areas. The
government justified this increase
in prices by its willingness to open
the market to privatize this sector.
The public justification was,
unfortunately, less apparent in the
short term, as people who could
once afford water all of a sudden
could not.
However, it is obvious that the
Holding's status remains unclear in
part because of the important role
the government still plays in
decision making. Furthermore, the
companies affiliated to the Holding
Company have not changed much
from their previous incarnations.
Also, it is surprising to see how these
decrees have managed to increase
the centralization of the power by
concentrating it in Cairo. Indeed,
before the decentralization policy,
the different governorates had their
own management authorities that
made them partially autonomous.
There are many different ways to
promote equity, efficiency and
sustainability in the water sector and
water pricing is probably the simplest
conceptually, but maybe the most
difficult to implement politically.
There are two main political-
economic questions governments
must face when adopting water
pricing policies: how to implement
new prices and how high to raise
them. The political risks of water
policy rise in direct proportion to the
level of government involvement
required, which is almost universally
very high.
Governments cannot introduce
water pricing too quickly. It is
important that the water pricing
program transfers the responsibility
of managing the utility over to
users incrementally or gradually,
There are many differentways to promote equity,efficiency andsustainability in the watersector and water pricingis probably the simplestconceptually, but maybethe most difficult toimplement politically.
�
73
Water
thereby giving them a stake in the
investment of the operation.
Algeria's Experience
Algeria's experience managing their
water supply in the 1970s represents
a good case study and cautionary
tale in implementing ambitious
water schemes requiring high levels
of involvement from the government
and the abrupt removal of subsidies.
Algeria's experience shows that
neither policy works well on their
own, but when coupled together
they fare even worse. In the 1970s,
the government of Algeria founded
the National Water Distribution
Company (NWDC) and gave it the
responsibility of distributing the
country's water. The decision to
consolidate this responsibility in one
company was designed to remove
many of the enterprises that were
controlling the water supply, from
government agencies, local utilities,
and private sector companies. Since
many of those companies were not
financially sound or did not have the
knowledge to operate a water
infrastructure, the NWDC was
founded to replace them all.
The company was expected to
operate without state subsidies and
recover their costs from water users.
The company operated for 13 years
but did not ultimately succeed for
several reasons. The first problem
was that the full-cost prices
remained too low for the NWDC to
have any meaningful financial
autonomy. As a result, localities
could successfully undermine and
challenge the NWDC since they were
the ones who had traditionally
managed the water supply anyway.
As a result, responsibilities were
divided into two: the localities would
distribute the water and the NWDC
would handle the supply. Algeria did
not design and implement a more
nuanced and effective water pricing
policy until the early 1980s. Until
then, not only did water prices not
reflect the full-cost of water, they did
not distinguish between the cost of
production and the cost of distri-
bution; that lack of accounting made
cost recovery nearly impos-sible. The
Algerian government applied the
lessons of their past in the form of
their 1985 Water Code, which
distinguished between four types
of users (domestic, industry, servi-
ces, tourism) and sub-categorized
domestic users into four separate
tariff blocks based on consumption.
While these are positive steps and
relatively impressive policy achieve-
ments, Algeria still faces obstacles
unique to their land. Operating costs,
for example, are very high since
Algeria is largely dependent on
surface water supply which requires
high investments in infrastructure
such as dams, transportation
facilities, and treatment plants. The
major challenge is that tariffs have
not, and could not, rise as fast as
operating costs. Users simply could
not pay. In the 1990s, as Algeria
began liberalizing its economy, the
government began implementing
more progressive reforms to its
water pricing policies, including
allowing more private sector and
NGO participation, drawing finer
distinction in the application of its
tariffs (for example, implementing
them by region based on where
operating costs are more expensive),
and, in 1995, reinstating the NWDC to
manage Algeria's subsidy program.
The experiences of Algeria teach
other developing countries several
lessons: to be bold yet pragmatic in
reforming stagnant water pricing
policies; to account for, if not
implement "full-cost" water pricing;
and to remain flexible, politically and
economically - the Algerians, after
all, did not begin to see real reform
in their water economy until the rest
The water managementmission is to purify, desalinize, transportand distribute drinkingwater, and to collect,treat and safely get ridof sewage.
�
74
of their economy moved forward in
tandem. For emerging markets,
where certain sectors lag behind
others, that lesson is especially
relevant.
Implementation of WaterPricing One of the most salient points that
consistently emerged in the research
is that for water pricing to be
effective its implementation must be
localized; there are few universal
rules that dictate how much the
utility should charge or to what
degree subsidies should be applied.
As mentioned previously, the
Egyptian water Holding is currently
unable to cover its expenses due to
low prices on drinking water. This is
the case in many developing
countries where the community relies
on the municipal budget to bear the
deficit of the utility. This results on
one hand, in diminishing strategic
financial resources (environment,
health, education, for instance)
needed for developmental purposes;
or on the other hand results in the
progressive degradation of the water
system and services over time. Some
argue that public subsidies raise the
cost of the service in the long term by
increasing users' long term reliance
on the service's low cost; when
subsidies aren't targeted they
provide no incentives, only "free
rides." A sound tariff system in one
that delivers services while
improving the service's quality, and
makes efficient use of scare
resources. In many poor
communities the best way to do
this is by showing users the cost of
water and the price they pay by
not conserving it.
Also, the workshop revealed that
misguided subsidies benefit the rich
more than the poor - the exact
opposite of its intentions. Tariffs are
needed to promote water
conservation but they also exist to
promote conservation and increase
the poor's supply to water. Subsidies
cannot succeed in an economic or
political vacuum. The role water
plays in society is such that remo-
ving or limiting people's access to it,
even minutely, can severely alter
even the most stable civic balances;
in developing countries such as
Egypt and Algeria, where the balance
is even more delicate, people see
water as a humanitarian right and
will not take gently any threats to
its removal. One source of the
problem is that opinion in those
governments is often crystallized
in a vacuum, with scant attention
seeming to be paid to how inextri-
cable the problem is - subsidies are
necessary, but can also be an
unnecessary crutch; people must
pay for water, yet no government
has the legal or moral authority to
deny it to its citizens; people must
reduce their demand for water, but
are not incentivized to do so
unless they are forced to pay for
excessive use.
Though as a policy tool water pricing
has several goals, -to manage water
demand, conserve supply, recover
operating costs- those goals reflect a
singleness of purpose: to get the
greatest possible value from the
economic good. That is, however, an
incomplete definition when the good
is a vital human need such as water,
and one whose supply cannot be left
to market forces alone. The goal of
pricing policy is to find a balance
in which the true cost of water -
economic, social, and humanita-
rianis reflected in its price and the
resource is then put to its most
valuable use.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Water Crisis
The water managementmission is to purify, desalinize, transportand distribute drinkingwater, and to collect,treat and safely get ridof sewage.
�
83
76
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
The modern consumer lifestyle enjoyed in the
majority of developed nations is the cause of a
huge worldwide waste problem. The
consumption habits of the developed nations have led
to the exhaustion of landfill capacities in a number of
countries and the consequential exporting of refuse to
less developed nations. The result of this is often a
devastating impact on the environment, delicate
ecosystems, and local cultures.
In India the amount of waste generated per capita is
estimated to increase at a rate of up to 1,5% annually,
according to this forecast it can be estimated that within
the next forty years the country will generate over 260
million tons of refuse per year.
If this waste is not dealt with in a systematic fashion
then in excess of 1400sq. km of terrain will be required
for landfills. Dealing with internal waste will be a
massive challenge in itself therefore
local authorities cannot afford to add to
the problem by allowing other nations to
send their waste for disposal in India.
Solutions need to be found rapidly to
the problem of ever increasing volumes
of waste, the challenge is not localised
to the more developed nations but is a
global issue. Incorrectly managed
landfills may be considered a local
problem, however, the burning of refuse
and the poisoning of groundwater create
problems that are of international
relevance.
The dependence on landfills can be
addressed in a number of ways, including
burning waste and recycling. Simply
burning waste in an incinerator is far
Simply burning waste in an incinerator is far fromdesirable, unless the process involves generating orextracting energy.
By Christopher BOYES
from desirable, unless the process involves generating
or extracting energy.
Recycling, volume reduction and waste-to-energyRecycling can take many forms, one of the most
interesting is a process known as Mechanical Biological
Treatment (MBT). In the United Kingdom, where it
is estimated that twice as much waste is sent to
landfills than in Germany which has a bigger population,
the waste management company Shanks uses MBT
technology developed in Italy.
The process involves using bugs which are present in
waste to absorb moisture; the end result is that the
original weight of the treated waste is reduced by almost
a quarter. What remains then has the metals extracted
from it followed by elements such as glass, ceramics and
stone, all of which can be recycled.
In one specific case, a contract
awarded to Shanks for the handling of
500,000 tons of waste produced in
east London every year, the objective
was to reduce the amount sent to
landfills from 97% to 30%. Similar
results are critical to achieving the
targets set by the British Government
for the amount of household waste
local authorities can send to landfills.
Limits have been set whereby local
councils have to reduce the amount of
biodegradable waste dumped in the
ground to 75% of the 1995 total by
2010, then down to 50% by 2013, and
to 35% by 2020.
Far more than in the United States of
America waste-to-energy technologies
The consumption habits of the developed nations
have led to the exhaustion of landfill capacities
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
77
Waste Management
have been implemented in Europe
and Asia. Considerable investments
have been made in technologies
capable of reducing waste volume in
an environmentally-friendly manner
that generates energy and reduces
greenhouse gas emissions.
Several European countries have
adopted waste-to-energy as the
preferred method of waste disposal,
indeed legislation has been
introduced by the European Union
aimed at limiting the amount of
biodegradable waste that can be
sent to landfills.
According to figures released by the
Confederation of European Waste-
to-Energy Plants (CEWEP) over 50
million tons of waste are treated in
European waste-to-energy plants
each year. The technologies used
are capable of generating energy
that is sufficient to supply the
electricity requirements of over 25
million people.
Waste-to-energy technologies at a glanceAlthough there are a number of
technologies available for the
process of transforming organic
waste into energy there are three
main paths that can be followed;
thermochemical, biochemical and
physicochemical.
Thermochemical conversion is the
process of reducing waste volume
and neutralizing the harmful
elements within it. Heat recovered
from the combustion process can
be used to power turbines for
electricity generation or provide
heating.
Biochemical conversion is preferred
for wastes that contain a high
percentage of biodegradable matter.
Organic waste is broken down via
anaerobic digestion and composted in
controlled, oxygen-free conditions
resulting in the production of biogas
used in the production of electricity
and heat.
Physico-chemical conversion involves
a series of processes aimed at
improving the properties of solid
waste. The combustible elements of
the waste are converted into high-
energy fuel pellets.
Landfill gasWhere landfill sites are still the
preferred option there are a number
of ways in which alternative energy
companies are transforming waste
into energy. The potential for
further development is of interest to
a number of investors.
One example of harnessing the
energy potential of landfill sites
is the American company Waste
Management’s operations. The com-
pany runs nearly 300 sites and
handles the disposal of millions of
tons of waste per year. The sites
provide a vast supply of a natural,
renewable energy source; methane.
This product, commonly known as
landfill gas, is created through the
decomposition of waste in landfills
and can be collected and used to fuel
turbine driven electricity generators.
Albeit the product of an undesirable
landfill the gas is a reliable and
economic form of energy that is an
environmentally sound alternative
to fossil fuels such as coal. Waste
Management calculates that the
collection and use of landfill gas
provides the equivalent of 470
megawatts of energy, enough to
satisfy the power requirements of
over 400,000 homes, and offsets
the requirement for over 2 million
tons of coal per year. As such
landfill gas is considered a natural
resource that provides clean energy
and is a vital part of the United
States’ attempt to develop sources
of environmentally sustainable
alternative energy.
An excellent example of harnessing
the potential of waste is the
decision by IT giant Dell to use
green power supplied by Waste
Management. Around 40% of the
power required by Dell’s global
headquarters comes from a nearby
landfill gas-to-energy plant, in
order to respect the commitment
to becoming carbon neutral Dell
buys corporate headquarters’ remai-
ning power requirements from local
wind farms.
The next step is for the more
developed nations to export waste-
to-energy technology to developing
countries rather than simply sending
their waste.
The World is facing a huge waste problem which has a devastating impact onthe environment.
78
PROMOTING THE ECO-PRINT ATTITUDE! Beirut based Print Expert and Paris based PackagingExpert meet in the Design Pack Museum in Paris, todiscuss the Eco-Pack Attitude.
The Eco-conscious packaging unveals out of the box installations and recycled art objects.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
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Waste Management
The Design Pack Museum was founded by Fabrice
Peltier, Managing Director of P’References (a
design packaging studio in Paris), in September
2008. Its opening Exhibition focused on international
Water packaging. The second show focused on the
historical and modern relationship between Art and
packaging. The third, currently showing, is focused on
Eco-Packaging, and showcases a variety of recycled
packages and art objects imported from different
parts of the world (Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia,
to name a few). Every object displayed at The Design
Pack is recycled. What used to be a beer can is now a
bracelet or a penholder, what used to be a bottle is
now a coat holder, and what used to be a cigarette is
now a beautiful necklace.
The Design Pack Museum received a newly released
book in its store and private collection. Published by
Rotovision, this publication is entitled “Print and
Production Finishes for Sustainable Design” and
portrays a selection of innovative and eco-friendly print
works by world leaders in the field, and works as a
platform and source of inspiration to graphic designrs,
printers, packaging designers and a wide audience of
people interested in adopting eco-friendly directions to
promote their products, services and companies.
On page 94-95, features the work of Award-winning
eco-friendly printer, Raidy Printing Group, with whom
the pages of W.E. magazine are meticulously designed
and printed. MarieJoe J. Raidy, Graphic Print Expert for
“Capsules”, hand-made soft drink can tongue bag.
Water Bottle Lamp
“Stella” Collar ni beerbottle tongues
�
Recycled Cola Bags
The Design Pack Museum,Paris, France.
80
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Reuse,Reduce,Recycle
Raidy Printing Group and print
production professor for Saint
Joseph University, adopts the
Eco-Print Attitude. In her office, you
first notice that what used to be a
car is now a candy case and pen
holder and what used to be a water
bottle is now a coat rack. In April
2009, she meets with Mr. Peltier, to
discuss the Eco-Print Attitude.
“There are numeral ways to be eco-
friendly, from the moment we
awake to every decision we make.
Many consumers are under the
impression that the only way to be
eco-friendly is to use recycled
paper, when there are many more
ways to that.”
Raidy highlights some of the many
ways to adopt the eco-print
attitude, from the layout size used,
to the paper ordered, to the inks
chosen, to the print techniques
adopted.
On Monday April 20, 2009, Fabrice
Peltier gives a lecture on the eco-
pack attitude. From books to
magazines and catalogues,
adults and even children
today are more informed,
more aware and more
concerned with the
world environment.
Statistics made in
Europe show
that in 2003,
less than
15% of the
population
was eco-
conscious. In
2005, numbers increased to
19%. In 2006, they almost doubled
with 32% of eco-active consumers
concerned with their current health
and the future generations (from bio
products, to eco-friendly packaging).
Statistics made in France in 2006
showed that each citizen throws
about 86 kgs of packaging waste
yearly, which equates to 235 gs daily
(or 4 to 6 packages). However small,
this waste takes up volume space
(35% of the waste volume, and 25%
of the actual weight of waste).
Today, more than 55% of this waste
is recycled in Europe. With enough
indivisual effort and marketing
strategies, these numbers can
increase worldwide to ideally reach
the zero waste target.
Help the world spread the message.
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle! Preserve,
Optimize your waste, Sort your
Trash, Avoid using plastic bags.
Make sure your purchases go
around recyclable products.
Adopt the Eco-Print Attitude today,
for a better tomorrow.
“Print and Production Finishes for Sustainable Design”, an indispensable ideas sourcebook and practical guide to what has become an important consideration for many designers: sustainability. Printing innovations and specialized printing techniques using environmentally friendly ingredients are included.
“Ecodesign, cheminsvertueux”, by FabricePeltier, a book published with thecurrent exhibition on the Eco-Pack Attitude.
�
T he Greenhouse by Joost is an Australian first in
sustainable design and innovation. Built entirely
from recycled and recyclable materials this pop-up
event venue is completely self sustained and is made
entirely from detritus. 'The Greenhouse' came as an
artistic and intrinsic response to waste in the events
industry, challenging the current vernacular on minimizing
our impact on the planet, whilst dishing up degustation
fare (in part dug from the garden of its own roof-top
space) and operating as a unique gallery, café and bar.
The imperative of this ‘waste of space project’ is to show
how simply trash turns into treasure with minimal cost to
the pocket and at no cost to the planet setting example to
a city on how simple and straightforward sustainability
practice can be if each individual gives a thought to the
life-cycle of the things they consume. Born into a dynasty
of Dutch flower growers, Joost is a discipline-crossing
creative who constantly draws on his ‘horti-culture’ to
make artful commentary on the world’s wasteful way.
Joost was pushed by event entrepreneur, Corina
Baldwin of ‘bigger than ten bears’, his co-collaborator
on some of Melbourne’s most memorable events, to take
up the opportunity of a three month tenure at
Federation Square to dial up the ‘waste’ principles on
which his own home is built in one of Melbourne’s
prominent public spaces.
Extrapolating the experiment of his own home, an
extraordinary pot-plant veiled structure made from
By Mai SAMAHA
THE GREENHOUSE If you think guerilla gastronomy is a load of old rubbish – then wait‘til you see what’s been dumpedin Melbourne’s Federation Square.
82
The Greenhouse' cameas an artistic and intrinsic response towaste in the events industry ... and operating as a uniquegallery, café and bar.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
Waste Management
straw bales and furnished entirely and exclusively with
the discard from and with other’s waste, Joost decided
to take the opportunity to project its possibilities into a
more commercial structure in a dense city environment.
Conceiving a building made from straw bales - one of the
world’s biggest and most problematic waste products -
set into a 100% recyclable steel framework (uncoiled
and cut on site), he envisaged a ‘Greenhouse’ that whilst
serving as a platform for Spring to Summer exhibition
that would serve to instruct a city on how simple and
straightforward sustainability practice can be if each
individual gives a thought to the life - cycle of the
things they consume. And so it began, The Greenhouse
was literally dumped and built within 14 days in one of
Melbourne's most prestigious cultural locations', Fe-
deration Square. As the structure had not been built
before, the best one could describe and illustrate the
project is by illustrating the materials, methods and
contributors to the project – the recycling guy, the
compost man, the builders, the raw ingredients, the
food, straw bails, steel, the furniture, the fittings…
Hundreds of hay-bales were set into a steel-structure roll-
formed on site, one truck delivering a machine capable of
making all parts as opposed to the eight trucks required to
move the factory made equivalents. Enlisting the material
donation and promise of voluntary labour from all manner
of like-minded industry and individuals, Joost took his
Waste of a Space idea – with its floors of deconstructed
shipping crates, feature wall of wild strawberries planted
in old plastic palettes, tables fabricated from redundant
fire hydrants, beverages served in re-cycled glassware
(jam-jars), chairs of re-structured street signs and shade-
cloths woven from tiles discarded by the Melbourne
Cricket Club and ‘de-registered’ shopping trolleys – to
officials at Melbourne City Council and expected the
bureaucracy to baulk at the precedent.
Now the Question was “Who’s going to rubber-stamp
a roof-top garden in Fed Square complete with
compositing vats, a burgeoning vegetable patch, rows
of bay trees in recycled CHEP bins and buzzing-alive
bee-hives?” But the director of design and urban
environment at the City of Melbourne, Professor Rob
Adams instantly saw in The Greenhouse a small salve to
the heat island effect and an accessible, artful
opportunity to make the public think about how
technology, processes and materials are impacting on
the planet and how they might make a difference. So the
red-tape was cut through and planning went underway for
its imminent launch.
The Greenhouse by Joost will instantly deconstruct
leaving not a single trace of waste. Plans are afoot in
the very near future to take The Greenhouse to Milan
for the Trienalle.
www.greenhousebyjoost.com
83
Forests cover 12% of theplanet and nearly all are inhabited. Many of the peoples who live in andhave customary rights totheir forests have developed ways of life andtraditional knowledge thatare attuned to their forestenvironments. Yet forestpolicies commonly treatforests as empty lands controlled by the State andavailable for 'development'- colonisation, logging, plantations, dams, mines,oil wells, gas pipelines andagribusiness. These encroachments often forceforest peoples out of theirforest homes. Some conservation schemes to establish wilderness reserves also deny forest-dwellers' rights. Cut offfrom their ancestral territories, forest peoplesface poverty, the erosionof their customaryinstitutions, loss ofidentity and culturalcollapse.
84
“If I do not go into the forest, I do not eat”, An old Baka from a village lying between twonational parks.
CONSERVATION ANDINDIGENOUS PEOPLES
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
Biodiversity
85
Forest Peoples Programme (FPP)
advocates an alternative vision
of how forests should be
managed and controlled, based on
respect for the rights of the peoples
who know them best. We work with
forest peoples in South America,
Central Africa, and South and South
East Asia to help these communities
secure their rights, build up their
own organisations and negotiate
with governments and companies
as to how economic development
and conservation is best achieved
on their lands.
Assessing the Progress since Durban: As far as indigenous peoples areconcerned the conservation move-ment’s ‘New Paradigm’ declared inDurban in 2003 exists more on paperthan in practice. Isolated examplessuggest that delivery of this newparadigm is possible, but lack oflegal reforms, limited knowledge ofconservationists and lack of priority inpractical implementation on theground mean that really very little haschanged. Protected Areas are stillbeing run in top down ways thatexclude indigenous peoples and denytheir rights.
Since 2003 a trend by conservation
organisations to adopt policies on
indigenous peoples and to develop
programmes that target their needs
shows that the conservation com-
munity is aware of the need to
respect indigenous peoples’ rights.
However implementation lags far
behind. Work to address the rights
of indigenous peoples is not central
to any organisation interviewed.
The necessity of national legal and
policy reforms to accommodate indi-
genous peoples’ rights in protected
areas was highlighted in the Durban
Accord. The review found little evi-
dence that conservation organi-
sations are attempting this. At the
national level reforms are blocked
by officials’ vested interests, preju-
dicial attitudes towards indigenous
peoples and conservative thinking.
Despite conservation organisations
accepting the need to respect the
right to Free, Prior and Informed
Consent in their operations, few
resources have been invested to put
this principle into effect.
Two years’ away from Durban’s 2010
target for the establishment of
mechanisms for the restitution of
indigenous peoples’ lands taken for
protected areas without their
consent, there is no indication of
conservation organisations taking
up the challenge. There also appears
to be little progress at national level.
Key facts� The 1990s heralded a call for
radical change in the nature of
conservation provision, particularly
in Africa, and sought to go beyond
the colonial and neo-colonial
construct of ‘Fortress Conservation’
and develop a new conservation
paradigm.
� At the IUCN ‘World Parks
Congress’ in Durban in 2003 the
3000 participants – including scien-
tists, politicians, industry leaders,
non-governmental organisations and
indigenous peoples – issued the Dur-
ban Accord and Action Plan, new
commitments and policy guidance
for protected areas worldwide based
on respect for rights and full and
effective participation of indigenous
peoples and local communities.
� In 2004 decisions at the 7th
Congress of Parties (COP7) to the
Convention on Biological Diversity
called for similar changes in conser-
vation approaches, in particular the
inclusion of Indigenous and Mobile
Peoples in decision-making and
management of Protected Areas.
� With the ‘New Paradigm’
Conservationists committed them-
selves to respect the rights of in-
digenous peoples. No new parks
should be established without
consent, forced resettlement should
be strictly eliminated, lands taken
without consent should be returned
to their traditional owners and
indigenous peoples should be
effectively involved in the mana-
gement of protected areas and
should share in the benefits.
Implementation of the 2003Durban Action Plan and CBDProgramme of Work onProtected AreasPolicies and Guidelines: following
the Durban Accord several agencies
have modified their policies and
programmes towards indigenous
peoples.
The World Bank adopted a revised
safeguard policy on indigenous
peoples in 2005; this was criticised
by indigenous peoples for its
unclear protections of indigenous
peoples’ land rights and because it
did not explicitly uphold their right
to ‘free, prior and informed consent’.
The World Bank now plans to review.
The IUCN has issued renewed
guidance aimed at promoting co-
managed and indigenous and
community conserved areas, also
guidance about sacred sites.
However the IUCN international
and regional offices have not
undertaken the implementation
review as agreed in Durban and
efforts to provide guidance for the
reform of national laws and policies
have been patchy at best.
Conservation International and the
WWF have adopted revised policies
and set up small programmes to
relate to indigenous peoples and
can point to important examples
where they have helped them
secure land rights and a place in
protected area management plans.
They have yet to mainstream this
approach into their work and push
for legal reforms and land restitution.
The Nature Conservancy has not
adopted a policy on indigenous
peoples and the degree to which its
field programme has begun wor-
king with indigenous peoples to
promote conservation through �
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Conservation andIndigenous Peoples
86
Key facts� The Batwa, previously forest-
dwelling hunter-gatherers, are widely
regarded as the first inhabitants of
South West Uganda; approximately
6,700 Batwa now live within Uganda,
half in the South West.
� In Bwindi, Mgahinga and
Echuya forests the Batwa lived in
coexistence with the environment
and in full reliance on the forest for
their physical, economic, spiritual
and social sustenance.
� In 1964 Forest and Game Acts
made it illegal to reside, hunt and
farm inside parks.
� In 1991 the establishment of
Bwindi and Mgahinga forests as
national parks resulted in the
eviction and exclusion of the Batwa
from their homeland; 17 years later
the Batwa remain marginalised from
management of the parks and from
any deriving benefit and rights to
access and use the resources.
� The majority of Ugandan
Batwa suffer severe isolation, discri-
mination and socio-economic exclu-
sion. Their customary rights have not
been recognised in Uganda and they
have received little or no compen-
sation for their losses. Almost half
remain landless (squatting on others’
lands and working for non-Batwa
masters in bonded labour agree-
ments) and almost all live in abso-
lute poverty. They have poorer
levels of health care, education and
employment than their ethnic
neighbours.
securing rights varies greatly. In
Asia and Africa this is not evident; in
South America TNC has initiated an
active programme with indigenous
peoples to secure conservation
values in protected areas.
The Wildlife Conservation Society has
not adopted a policy on indigenous
peoples to guide its field pro-
grammes. While promoting con-
ventional protected areas, parti-
cularly in Latin America, WCS has
started to works with indigenous
peoples to involve them in protected
area management and seeks to build
partnerships, especially in Bolivia.
ACTIONS AT THENATIONAL LEVEL:
UGANDAA Review of South West Uganda
‘Conservation’ is missing its main bestchance to be effective. Mainstream
conservation still marginalises andignores indigenous peoples, continuingto impose an old model of ‘fortressconservation’ that marginalises theBatwa in protected area management.This despite growing evidenceshowing that respect for the rights ofindigenous peoples is effective insecuring both livelihoods andconservation.
While certain frameworks exist
and there is a growth in recognition
of community rights, genuine
participation remains illusory. The
Batwa continue to suffer multiple
layers of marginalisation in protected
area management. Having been
arbitrarily evicted they now get the
least attention from the Government
as it tries to make protected area
management more socially respon-
sible. Despite Durban’s rallying call in
2003 for a new ‘conservation para-
digm’ protected area managers still
see indigenous peoples as external
to conservation. As a result the trans-
lation of the Durban Action Plan
into action on the ground is not
satisfactory.
�
In Uganda ‘conservation’ is missing its mainbest chance to be effective. Mainstreamconservation still marginalises and ignoresindigenous peoples, continuing to impose anold model of ‘fortress conservation’ thatmarginalises the Batwa in protected areamanagement. This despite growing evidenceshowing that respect for the rights ofindigenous peoples
87
Biodiversity
Implementation of the 2003 Durban Action Plan and CBD Programme of Work on Protected AreasSocial Benefits: Despite a firm policy
commitment to the needs of the
Batwa and an increase in funding
from national parks to local
communities in the last few years,
funding is still not reaching the
Batwa. No money has been put
towards land purchases since 2003,
despite extreme landlessness.
Customary Use: Forest uses consi-
dered critical by the Batwa – including
wild honey collection, hunting of
small animals, worshipping of ances-
tors – have not been addressed by
a programme meant to enable
access to forest resources by local
communities. Such forest uses are
therefore illegal.
Participation in Management: The
review found no evidence of a
national-level review of protected
area management since 2003;
Bwindi and Mgahinga national parks
continue to be managed with a top-
down approach by the Uganda
Wildlife Authority without meaningful
participation of the Batwa. Removal
of Barriers to Participation: Govern-
ment officials often cite low educa-
tion and literacy levels as a barrier
to Batwa participation; however
there is no targeted government pro-
grammes to address these barriers.
Capacity Building: There is a gap
between policy and practice of the
IUCN. The Durban Action Plan calls
for the IUCN to help disseminate
guidance but the IUCN country
office does not have a budget for
this; consequently guidelines have
not been disseminated to protected
area managers since 2003.
Resettlement of Indigenous People:
The 55% of Batwa who have
received land have been given it by
NGOs and religious groups; title has
yet to be transferred to the Batwa.
They therefore remain in a position
of dependency and lack security of
land tenure. The resettlement
scheme has now stopped.
Tran boundary Protected Areas: The
Batwa from Rwanda, Uganda and
the DRC are soon to send a letter to
Ministers demanding to know why
they were not asked for their free,
prior and informed consent for a
new initiative to create a single
biosphere reserve out of national
parks in the three countries.
Some Recommendations for Change
� Stakeholders at both the
national and international level
should continue to educate relevant
government agencies on legal and
human rights obligations as they
relate to indigenous land and
natural resource rights.
� The Government should
amend national policy to acknow-
ledge the internationally recogni-
sed definition of indigenous peoples.
This must then lead on to the Batwa
being specifically acknowledged as
the indigenous peoples of the
south-west of Uganda.
� The Government should
urgently implement a long-term
programme, developed in consul-
tation with the Batwa, to increase
Batwa capacity to participate in
decision-making bodies and pro-
cesses, including: adult literacy
programmes and information on pro-
tected area management in appro-
priate languages and formats.
� The IUCN secretariat should
launch a specific programme of work
to sensitise its members and their
staff to the background and context of
the Durban Action Plan. It should not
be left to individual members to
interpret the agreements as they wish.
CAMEROONLittle progress has been made inCame-roon to secure forest
communities’ rights. With a few no-table exceptions, conservation organi-sations, donors and the Governmenthave done almost nothing to imple-ment their interna-tional commitmentsto protect indigenous peoples’ rightsin their conservation projects. Most ofthe new international standards towhich they have signed up remainunknown at the local level.
� In addition to being impeded by
a persistent lack of information and
support, government officials at
the local level are also constrained
by outdated laws which contradict
the Government’s international
commitments.
� There is a tendency by Go-
vernment, conservation agencies and
donors to organise workshops and
conferences without any follow-up.
Initiatives that conservation orga-
nisations claim target communities
are having little real impact. Most
remain unknown to communities, the
main beneficiaries.
� There are some positive
examples of progress since 2003, but
almost all have been delivered by civil
society organisations working with
selected conservation NGOs rather
than by the Government.
Implementation of the 2003 Durban Action Plan and CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas
� Participation in Management:
The centralised nature of Govern-
ment management of natural re-
sources has not changed since 2003.
Indigenous peoples are little involved
in the management of national parks,
logging concessions or safari areas.
� Traditional Knowledge: The
creation of protected areas has done
nothing to protect the rights of
indigenous people to their traditional
knowledge. Under law entry to protec-
ted areas is forbidden to all and this
has taken precedence over measures
to protect customary use of biological
resources. Indigenous peoples are
prevented from carrying out tra-
ditional activities, representing a �
88
serious threat to the survival of
their way of life.
� Access and Benefit Sharing:
The Government has done very little
to share the benefits of protected
areas with communities. Forest autho-
rities recognise that benefit sharing
still needs to be addressed. The Baka
are increasingly informed about these
issues and have recently questioned
WWF Yokadouma about the benefits
arising from the ‘Jengi Project’, the
target of substantial funding.
� Tran frontier Protected Areas:
The Sangha Trinational protected
area was formally established at
Durban, grouping protected areas in
Cameroon, CAR and Republic of
Congo. Considerable financial sup-
port has been raised. All will go to
conservation, with indigenous
peoples excluded entirely.
� Decisions about how to reach
communities to help is left up to
conservation agencies without signi-
ficant community input.
� Lack of dissemination of
information: Civil servants are una-
ware of the Durban Accord, as are
local and indigenous peoples. There
is the need for rapid diffusion of
lessons and guidelines deriving from
science, traditional knowledge and
field practice.
Key Players� Conservation organisations:
Relationships between most conser-
vation organisations and indigenous
peoples have not changed much
since 2003. Most conservation orga-
nisations, despite the language of the
Durban Accord, focus on the preser-
vation of wildlife. A ferocious attack
against poaching since 2003 has had
a serious impact on local people.
Baka and Bagyeli indigenous peoples
regularly hide or avoid cars belonging
to conservation organisations when
they arrive in their communities,
fearing government eco-guards are
coming to search or arrest them.
On the ground the IUCN has not
helped to bridge the gap between
communities and conservation.
� Funders: The United Nations
Development Fund, World Bank and
Global Environment Facility have
financed the fight against loss of
biodiversity, climate change and
water degradation. However funding
for social issues has not been
forthcoming. Conservation organi-
sations in Cameroon focus on wildlife,
not indigenous peoples.
What can be achieved?A participatory project, supported by
Forest Peoples Programme, is wor-
king in collaboration with WWF to
help indigenous Baka defend their
rights and document their ancestral
lands, and participate directly in
forest planning. As a result conser-
vation efforts will also be supported.
The maps FPP and WWF are sup-
porting communities to create will
form the basis of negotiations with
Government authorities that manage
the national parks and will identify
the traditional cultural practices
compatible with conservation. Ulti-
mately the customary rights of Baka
in and around Boumba Bek and Nki
national parks will be protected in
written management plans approved
by the Government.
Key Recommendations� Conservation organisations
should focus on applying the
guidelines – agreed at the interna-
tional level – on the ground.
� Conservation organisations
should open substantive dialogues
with communities. Indigenous peoples
need to understand what conser-
vationists are trying to achieve and
why. It is vital that trust is established.
� Local government agencies
need to ensure that they are informed
about international standards, as
should the local staff of conservation
projects. The IUCN must support this.
Without this flow of information the
standards simply cannot be applied.
� The test of success will be
represented by progress on the ground,
not by the number of papers produced.
The Conservation movement must
move beyond just talking.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Conservation andIndigenous Peoples
�
MALAYSIAReviewing and Promoting Progress:
Sabah, Malaysia
Many conflicts arise from protectedareas in Malaysia, often due to the lackof legal recognition of indigenouspeoples’ traditional land and way oflife. In Sarawak and Sabah customaryrights to land and customary law arepartly recognised by state law,introduced by the British duringcolonial times. However these arenot properly implemented and aresometimes ignored by governmentagencies. In Peninsular Malaysia theindigenous peoples, now a smallminority, have few rights to their landunder statutory law.
� In Sabah the gazettement of
national parks extinguishes the rights
of communities living within their
boundaries. This happens often,
demonstrating the fragility of local
community rights. Ambiguous legal
status of customary rights exacer-
bates conflict between Park autho-
rities and communities.
� In practice indigenous peoples
continue to use and occupy their
customary areas throughout Ma-
laysia, even within parks. In Sabah
the administration has introduced
measures to accommodate local peo-
ple, such as the requirement of ‘Occu-
pation Permits’, recruitment of local
people as ‘Honorary Park Rangers’
and the establishment of Community
Use Zones. Although not amounting
to proper recognition of indigenous
rights, these are positive steps.
� In Sabah (but excluding
protected areas) customary systems
of land use and conservation have
been partially recognised. In parti-
cular the Tagal system of controlling
community fisheries has been
officially acknowledged in law.
Indigenous peoples have also been
involved in the drafting of laws
recognising indigenous peoples’
89
Biodiversity
rights to their traditional knowledge
and to benefits from its use.
Key facts� Malaysia was formed in 1963
through a federation of former
British colonies and includes the East
Malaysian States of Sabah and
Sarawak on the Northern coast of
Borneo.
� The forest cover in Malaysia is
estimated to be 59.5% of the total
land area of which 44% is managed
by the Forestry Department; protected
areas amount to 16.3% of land area.
� The total population of Malaysia
is 28.6million people; 12% are
considered indigenous. Sabah has a
vast indigenous diversity with at least
39 different indigenous groups who
speak more than 50 languages. They
comprise 60% of Sabah’s population.
� Most indigenous peoples in
Malaysia live in rural areas and are
typically subsistence farmers. Many
also rely on plants in the forest for
their food, medicine, fuel and building
materials. Hunting and fishing are
important for livelihoods.
� Some indigenous communities
continue to live in many of the parks
in Malaysia. In Sabah the Crocker
Range National Park has been
home for generations of indigenous
communities, in particular the
Kadazandusuns and the Muruts.
� In Sabah Forest Reserves are
classed in seven categories, most
under the jurisdiction of Sabah
Forestry Department. A forest reserve
is gazetted under the provisions of the
Forest Enactment of 1968, which
requires notices to be posted to forest
communities to allow for objections.
The test of success will be represented
by progress on the ground, not by the
number of papers produced. The
Conservation movement must move
beyond just talking.
Implementation of the 2003 Durban Action Plan and CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas
� Customary Use: The Parks of
Sabah are totally closed. Com-
munities living in and around them
have no access or user rights to the
resources, impacting on daily lives and
livelihoods. Crocker Range Park is the
largest in Sabah and has 17
communities living in its vicinity. This
causes conflict with Park authorities.
� Free, Prior and Informed
Consent: Sabah law requires local
inhabitants to be properly informed
and consulted about plans for
establishment of new forest reserves,
in line with the ‘Free, Prior and
Informed Consent’ of the Durban
Action Plan. Many elders however
told the review that they were
unaware of any notice given, and so
lost the rights to their land.
� Resettlement of Indigenous
People: If authorities in forest
reserves view local people as
encroachers they have the right to
evict the community. The establish-
ment of parks results in enforcement
of the Park Enactment, which do
not allow settlements. Most parks
choose to allow communities to stay
but no laws have been made to
secure the future of the communities.
� Participation in Management:
Many conflicts arise fromprotected areas in Malaysia,due to the lack of legalrecognition of indigenouspeoples’ way of life.
Crocker Range Management Plan
consultation was 60 days. The plan
was in English and it was necessary for
a local community based organisation
to visit the villages to gather feedback.
At end of the process the com-
munities’ recommendations were not
taken into account.
Positive Developments� Customary Use: A project in
Crocker Range Park, Sabah, is
piloting Community Use Zones. The
aim is for communities to regain their
user and access rights, whilst at the
same time being responsible for the
management of the area. This could
be a win-win situation: communities
get user and access rights and
authorities have more human
resources to care for the park.
� Traditional Knowledge: The
indigenous resource management
practice of Tagal has been recognised
in law and promoted by the Sabah
Fisheries Department. An example of
community participation in the sustai-
nable utilization and management of
resources, fish can only be harvested
when the community decides.
Significant growth in fish stocks has
resulted. Such inclusion of indi-
genous knowledge in conservation is
a turning point in Sabah. However it
is not yet used in protected area
management.
Key Recommendations� Renewed dialogue is needed
between indigenous peoples and
protected areas to study and explore
options for implementing the Durban
Accord.
� Training needs to be given to
local authorities on the obligations of
State parties under the CBD.
� Conservation NGOs need to
promote their own policies on
indigenous peoples, the Durban
Accord and the CBD decisions
relevant to indigenous peoples in
their field programmes.
For further information:www.forestpeoples.org
90
Arab countries are facing extreme challenges
regarding the conservation of natural resources
and protection of the environment. The region is
characterized by a wide diversity, not just in ethnic,
social, cultural, and economic terms, but also in terms
of rich fertile land and biodiversity. According to a
284-page report by the Arab Forum for Environment
and Development titled, “Arab Environment: Future
Challenges,” Arab countries’ policies and decision makers
are ignoring environmental issues and the importance of
sustainable education and nature conservation. The
report emphasized the importance of sustainable
education as a means of promoting biodiversity and
linking the individual back to their land. In an effort to fill
the gap, the American University of Beirut’s Nature
Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures (IBSAR) has
created the Power of Planting Initiative aimed at
promoting tree planting by involving rural communities
and propagating tree species native to Lebanon.
IBSAR was founded as an interfaculty center in 2002
by AUB academics to promote the conservation and
IBSARSUSTAINING EDUCATION through TREE POWER
By Simba RUSSEAU
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
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Biodiversity
“People here don’t have the money or governmentfunding to reform the lands; otherwise you wouldsee more trees or gardens”
Hakkam Hassan, Mayor of Kwashra.
preserving native species of Leba-
nese trees and shrubs in open
spaces and public areas within
towns and villages.
The campaign will ensure biodi-
versity conservation and decen-
tralization of reforestation efforts
in Lebanon thus improving the
communities’ immediate neigh-
borhood environment and ensu-
ring the diversity and sustainability
of Lebanese flora and landscapes.
Reforestation efforts by non-
governmental organizations mainly
focus on large nature reserves
that rarely involve community
stakeholders directly. IBSAR is
interested in projects designed to
utilize practical areas for growth
like parks, private yards, and other
community green areas.
This approach places the respon-
sibility in the hands of the local
villages so that they can create self-
sustainable communities.
“Educating the community on theessentials of developing a relationship withthe environment will not only raiseawareness of Lebanon’s diverse trees butalso stimulate communities to becomeguardians of biodiversity in their villagesand region,” adds Sarkissian.
Self-sustainable communitiesOne of IBSAR’s main objectives is to
exchange experience and knowledge
with the local community of the
importance of maintaining nature’s
cycles. According to IBSAR using
sustainable utilization of biodiversity
in Arid and Mediterranean regions, by
providing an open academic plat-
form for innovative research and
development.
“Protecting biodiversity and natural
resources begins by helping people
become more aware of the impor-
tance of their environment, their
connection to it and essential role in
conserving its biological diversity,”
explains IBSAR outreach project
manager, Arbi Sarkissian. An
essential component to IBSAR’s
Power of Planting Initiative is the
‘Seeds of Hope, Trees for
Tomorrow’ campaign, which is
intended to complement existing
reforestation programs in Lebanon
through community-based tree
planting initiatives that focus on
�
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Conservation
92
IBSAR planting 1,300 trees and we
also organized an entire day of bio
activities with the kids where they
were able to learn about biodiver-
sity,” says Zeina Zouain, Community
Development officer with the
Economic Social Fund for Deve-
lopment (EFSD).
“Unfortunately, the local media fails
to understand the importance of
reporting issues related to the
environment,” she adds.
native trees in reforestation projects
enhances the forests’ survival rate
because trees and animals depend
on one another for their survival,
which is referred to as species
interdependence.
Partnering with local municipalities is
another key component of the Power
of Planting Initiative in that it
engages local communities as active
partners in biodiversity conservation.
Deputy Mayor Pierre Khoury from
the village of Kwashra in Northern
Lebanon expressed the importance
of continuing tree-planting events
like this.
“Tcharafna ESFD and IBSAR!” says
Mr. Khoury.
“It’s important that we preserve ourheritage and our connection to the land.”“People here don’t have the money or
government funding to reform the lands;otherwise you would see more trees orgardens,” says Hakkam Hassan,
Mayor of Kwashra.
“It was only in the last fives years that wehave been able to plant olive trees again.”
Teaming up with organizations like
the Center for Civic Engagement
and Community Service (CCECS)
and the Economic Social Fund for
Development (EFSD) provides the
much-needed financial support for
IBSAR to continue these kinds of
interactive community nature-
based projects.
An absence of these kinds of
sustainable education activities will
eventually create a society of
uninterested people with little
respect or special attention towards
their environment. “Today we have a
project in collaboration with AUB’s
� “It’s important that wepreserve our heritageand our connection tothe land.”
Pierre Khoury,Deputy Mayor of kwashara
93
Biodiversity
Community participation is essential for biodiversityconservation according to IBSAR’s vision, becausewithout local participation, reforestation initiatives willnot be as successful and enduring.
Dedication is apparent for the various IBSAR volunteerswho sacrifice early hours of their weekends to donate muchneeded labour to aid in preserving Lebanon’s nature andenvironment by planting trees.
“I volunteered last month with CCECS and wanted to getinvolved with the same type of community service so Ivolunteered with IBSAR today because I wanted to havefun and do something for the local community,” saysLoulwa Kalash, a 20 year old Political Science andManagement student at the American University of Beirut.
“I came here because I don’t think that the environment isgetting enough attention in Lebanon and it should becausethis is our country and this is where we live,” says HalaKaraki, a 19 year-old Electrical Engineering student atthe American University of Beirut.
“Actually there is a whole section that we are learningabout in my studies about renewable energies and I amstrongly considering taking my profession in this directionbecause eventually I want my work to do something usefulfor the environment.”
“There are buildings sprouting up everywhere in Lebanonand I wanted to do something for my country to counterthis and planting trees is one way,” says Nassib ElKhoury, a 21 year old Business and Human Rightsstudent at the American University of Beirut.
“Today we planted almost 700 trees. Our goal is to plant50,000 trees in as many municipalities as possible by the endof 2010, which is less than two years,” says Sarkissian.
“As you may know the trees that we are planting arenative Lebanese trees and there are 30 different species andwoody shrubs that are relatively unknown that you wouldnot see in the wild. That’s why we’re cultivating them atour Agricultural Research and Education Center (AREC)in the Beqqa where we have a farm and then we willdistribute them to municipalities for planting.”
IBSAR has planted a total of 9,306 trees from 18 speciesof native Lebanese trees and shrubby perennials in 34municipalities. They still require another 40,000 trees to
be planted in order to reach their goal of planting50,000 native trees in around 100 villages in Lebanonby 2010 and hopes to achieve its future goal of up to 1million trees by 2020.
In the future, IBSAR plans to use native trees as seedstock for developing micro-nurseries, which would allowvillagers to produce trees for reforesting the landsaffected by continuous forest fires as well as using treesto monitor climate change in the region.
For further information:www.ibsar.org
POWER OF PLANTING
94
Jabal Moussa "JM", a typical Mediterranean moun-
tainous landscape, lying on the foothills and high
peaks of the Mount Lebanon Chain is located
at the heart of Eastern shores of the Circum-
Mediterranean Basin.
JABAL MOUSSAA Surprisingly rich mosaic of biological,cultural & historical diversity
By Elsa J. Sattout | APJM member
“Extinction does not simply mean the loss of one volume from the library of nature. It means theloss of loose-leaf book whose individual pages, was the species to survive, and would remainavailable in perpetuity for selective transfer & improvement of other species”
Prof. Eisner, T.[ Cornell University]
The Basin is considered a reservoir of plant diversity
and has been shown to contain hot spots that are
recognized in some countries as relics. Located at the
heart of one of the 34 recognized world ‘hotspots’ for
conservation priority, Lebanon harbors 2600 plant
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
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The past civilizationsand new societies haveimprinted the villageswith historical recordsshowing anthropogenicactivities and a longhistory of human interaction with forestin this part of theMediterranean region.
95
Biodiversity
old Lebanese houses that are
made from arcades and stones.
The residents of villages depend
heavily on agriculture [mainly olive
groves, grape and apple orchards,
cereals and vegetables], charcoal
production and pastoral farming
and/or pastoral transhumance as a
source of income.
Recognizing the environmental
degradation threatening JM area,
the Association for the Protection
of JM, was founded in May 2007.
This Lebanese Non-Governmental
organization was established to
protect the mountain and its
surroundings from quarrying, over
grazing, hunting and illegal wood-
cutting practices. At present, the
association is investing much effort
to protect the site while providing
an environment-friendly alternative
for nature lovers/city dwellers at
the heart of Mount Lebanon chain
to enjoy the beauty of natural,
cultural and historical prints
inherited from old civilizations.
Richness of Biodiversity JM mountainous landscape em-
braces high biodiversity richness.
The diversity indices varied from 25
to 65 plant species per 400 m2
which in comparison with other
biodiversity-rich areas is amongst
the highest. This is also applicable
for the richness in mammal's
species. The region is shelter to 11
endemic plant species among which
4 are specific to Lebanon and 7 are
species with a high percentage of
endemic plant species (12%) among
which 221 are broad endemics and
90 are narrow endemics.
A UNESCO Biosphere ReserveIn February 2009, the Association
for the Protection of Jabal Moussa
Association celebrated the decla-
ration of JM a UNESCO Biosphere
Reserve. JM, imprinted by biolo-
gical footprints, cultural history and
social mingles, extends on 1250 ha
and over altitudes ranging from
500 to 1500 meter. It is home to
more than 20 tree species and
250plant species. The area gathers
Mediterranean, Montane and Supra-
Mediterranean vegetation commu-
nities. The mountainous area, domi-
nating two rivers [Nahr Eh Dahab
and Nahr Ibrahim], reflects a typical
Mediterranean landscape sheltering
mosaics of plant communities.
These communities represent a
nature refuge harboring mixed and/
or pure patches of Hop horn beam,
alder and Storax populations and
Turkey oak and kermes oak and
Calabrian pine tree species. The
hop horn beam and the alder are
spontaneous, endemic and occupy
limited surface areas in Lebanon.
The past civilizations and new
societies have imprinted the
villages with historical records
showing anthropogenic activities
and a long history of human
interaction with forest in this part
of the Mediterranean region.
Historical records integrate ancient
wells, carved rocks, mosaics, ruins
of Roman thermes, abandoned
terraces, old charcoal production
sites, old mulberry trees from the
last century when sericulture was
at its peak, old wine presses and
�
96
endemic to Lebanon, Syria and
Turkey. Nine observed species figure
on the list of species to be protected.
Few of the plants are categorized as
peculiar to the Mediterranean region.
The richness in bulbous species,
among which many are of broad and
narrow endemism, pinpoints the
importance of conserving the area
and considers it as a refuge for
species listed nationally and inter-
nationally of great importance. The
Mountain is a land mark for 13
species of mammals including
wolves, hyenas, foxes, jackals, stone
martin, weasels, wild cats, badgers,
hedgehogs, hyrax, wild boars,
porcupine, squirrels and small
mammals such as rodents and bats
[Expert Mounir Abi-said]. It has
been found a bottleneck site where
at least 20,000 storks or raptors or
cranes regularly pass during spring
or autumn migration.
A Rocha – a Non-Governmental Orga-
nization specialized in birds-
reported a total of 13,000 and
27,000 to 41,000 soaring birds
were observed at JM during spring
and autumn respectively. Several
species that are known for their
scarcity on migration through
Lebanon have been noted from
Jabal Moussa, including Bonelli’s
Warbler, Wood Warbler and Garden
Warbler. The organization stated
that bird species observed at JM
are considered biome restricted
species that are only found in a
certain type of habitat in a parti-
cular geographical area.
JM area is categorized in need ofnational conservation efforts by theLebanese Council for Developmentand Reconstruction incorporated,in collaboration with theDirectorate General of UrbanPlanning, the Ministries ofEnvironment and of Agriculture{SDATL, 2005}.The association has succeeded inSeptember 2008 to get aMinisterial decision on thedeclaration of the area as aProtected Forest. The requireddocuments for its declaration asNatural site have been submittedto the Ministry of Environment.In February 2009, the UNESCO'sMAB programme declaration of JMas a Biosphere Reserve recognizesinternational acclaim for the area'swild and unspoiled habitats, itsrenowned Adonis Valley with itsancient agricultural terraces andtrails, and the strong supportexpressed among the localcommunities for the nomination. In March 2009, JM was declaredby BirdLife International asImportant Bird Areas.
'For as long as Man continues to bethe ruthless destroyer of lowerliving beings, he will never knowhealth or peace. For as long as menmassacre animals, they will kill eachother. Indeed, he who sows theseeds of murder and pain cannotreap joy and love.' Pythagoras.Since its foundation, APJM hasbeen seeking all the supportneeded to seed conservation andsustainable management effortswhile involving local and nationalstakeholders in the implementationof its mission and vision. In thatlight, a new internationally fundedproject will be launched in May2009. The project aims atpromoting the conservation ofbiological, cultural, historical andsocial heritage found in JMBiosphere Reserve and to leveragethe social and economic aspects oflocal communities. Theimplementation aspect will focuson the establishment of the basicinfrastructure for eco-tourism andrecreational activities and thepromotion of the ruraldevelopment initiatives.
FACTS
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Conservation
�
98
Proposals from the European Community (EC) and
Australia that threatened to create new loopholes in
the Indian Ocean ban on shark finning – the wasteful
practice of slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the
body at sea - were defeated at the annual meeting of
the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), which took
place at the beginning of April 2009. The outcome
resulted in a statement from Australia in favour of
prohibiting shark fin removal at sea altogether, as
recommended by conservationists and scientists.
SHARKEuropean and Australian Proposals to WeakenIndian Ocean Shark Finning Ban Defeated
By Cathy CHAMI TYAN
The EU had proposed two new options to replace the
existing method for enforcing the Indian Ocean Tuna
Commission (IOTC) finning ban with untested methods
which involved placing severed shark fins in plastic bags
or numbering and separately storing bodies and fins.
Australia proposed a similar option for storing fins
attached to shark bodies, but not necessarily in plastic.
"We are pleased by the defeat of the dangerous EC proposalsthat threatened enforcement of the Indian Ocean shark finning
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Biodiversity
Most sharks are highly vulnerable to overfishingbecause they grow slowly, mature late and producefew young. These limitations, along with high fishing pressure and lax fishing limits, have led tothe decline of most European shark populations.One-third of EU species are now classified by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) as Threatened with extinction. Some localpopulations have already been wiped out.
fishing & diving organisations from
around the world opposing both
proposals because of concerns
about enforcement and risks that
plastics pose to wildlife. The 70
groups which include the Pew
Environment Group, Greenpeace,
Ocean Conservancy, and Shark
Trust, amongst many others, called
on the IOTC to instead simply ban
the removal of shark fins at sea.
During the IOTC meeting, the EC and
Australian proposals were merged
and the reference to plastic removed,
but loopholes that could allow
unpunished finning remained.
Opposition to changing the finning
ban’s ratio from Japan and Korea
resulted in the defeat of the joint
proposal. Australia reacted by ex-
pressing a general view that landing
sharks with their fins naturally
attached was the best option for
dealing with the associated scientific
and enforcement issues.
Like most international fisheries
bodies, the IOTC enforces its finning
ban by limiting the weight of shark
fins on vessels to 5% of the weight
of the shark bodies on board, in an
effort to ensure amounts are
proportional.
The EC proposal on finning rules for
IOTC was a complete departure from
the European Commission’s brand
new European Community Shark
Action Plan, which was released in
February 2009. Joe Borg, European
Commissioner for Fisheries and
ban and promoted increased use of plasticbags at sea; however the Shark Allianceremains concerned that the IOTC did notadopt its scientific committee advice torequire that sharks be landed with theirfins naturally attached, which is by farthe best method for preventing finningand collecting shark fisheries data," said
Sonja Fordham, Shark Alliance
Policy Director.
"We encourage the European Commissionto collaborate with its conservation com-munity and not only its fishing industrywhen developing and negotiating inter-national shark fishing proposals,"Fordham continued.
Shark Alliance representatives
brought to the meeting a letter
signed by 70 conservation, scientific,
�
100
“To secure a better future for sharks, the ECshould cooperate with its conservation community and Australia to advance proposalsfor prohibiting the removal of shark fins at sea inall oceans,”
Sandrine Polti, Fisheries Policy Advisor for the Shark Alliance.
Maritime Affairs, announced the
intention to “introduce stronger controlmeasures to ensure the strict terms of thefinning ban are properly respected” and towork with “international partners topersuade them to take an equally strong lineon finning wherever it may occur.”
“The European Commission claims that themost important goal of its proposal tooverhaul the Indian Ocean finning banwas to address the need for scientific dataon shark catches, but IOTC scientists haveclearly stated that the best means forcollecting this information and for enforcingthe finning ban is to have sharks landedwith their fins naturally attached,” added
Sandrine Polti, Fisheries Policy
Advisor for the Shark Alliance.
The EU Plan includes a commitment
to strengthen the EU finning ban by
reducing the fin to carcass ratio,
currently the highest (and therefore
most lenient) in the world. The EC
proposal for IOTC, however, aimed
to abolish the ratio system, in line
with industry wishes, in favour of
new methods that are likely even
more difficult to enforce. The EU is
obligated to apply measures
adopted at IOTC back home in EU
waters, as well in the Indian Ocean
where hundreds of EU vessels fish.
FAST FACTS� The current members of the IOTC are
Australia, Belize, China, Comoros, Eritrea,European Community, France, Guinea,India, Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran,Japan, z Malaysia, Mauritius, Sultanate ofOman, Pakistan, Philippines, Seychelles, SriLanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, UnitedKingdom and Vanuatu. Senegal, SouthAfrica and Uruguay are cooperating, non-contracting Parties.
� Nearly 500 fishing vessels from EUcountries, primarily Spain, are registered to fishin the IOTC area and are responsible for 16%of the Indian Ocean shark catches reported byIOTC Parties and cooperating countries.
� The IOTC Scientific Committee warnsthat catch records are likely to under-represent shark catches.
� Australia is the only Party to submitcomplete shark catch data to IOTC.
� The EC delegation to the IOTC meetingwas dominated by Spanish and Frenchcommercial fishing interests (11 out of 19members). Conservation grouprepresentatives were not invited on the ECdelegation or to delegation meetings whereamendments to the shark finning proposalswere discussed.
� The IOTC Scientific Committee hasreported that blue, oceanic whitetip, scallopedhammerhead silky, and shortfin mako sharksare targeted in the Indian Ocean andvulnerable to overfishing.
� The IOTC currently has no system forplacing observers on fishing vessels to monitorcatches and compliance with fishing rules.
� Spain ranks 5th in the world for sharkcatches. France ranks 12th, Japan 8th andIndonesia 1st.
� EU limits on shark fishing are either non-existent or too lenient to allow populations torecover.
� The disparity between high value sharkfins and lower value meat too often leads to“finning” – slicing off a shark’s fins anddiscarding the body at sea. The EU ban onfinning is among the weakest in the world.Its loopholes allow for this wasteful practiceto continue unpunished and set a poorexample for other regions.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
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�
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T he World is facing an extinction crisis. Biodiversity
loss is increasing at an unprecedented rate,
threatening the very basis of sustainable
development. According to the IUCN Red List, at least 1
in 8 birds, 1 in 4 mammals and 1 in 3 amphibians are
listed as threatened. It has been estimated that 15 to
37% of all species are committed to extinction by 2050
unless widespread and effective conservation actions
are undertaken soon and maintained. There is some
good news, however. Species can recover with con-
certed conservation efforts. One of the key factors
constraining effective efforts to conserve biodiversity
is funding availability. Although considerable efforts are
expended worldwide on species conservation, many of
those efforts are targeted on just a few charismatic
species and rely on public funds and public donations
for funding support.
Many companies, entities and organizations are using
symbols of biodiversity as logos or for their commu-
nication needs. Often, they are using the image of animal
or plant species that are threatened or who may be one
day. The idea is to involve them in the preservation of
species that have contributed to their success.
An Innovative Project for the Global BiodiversityThe Save You Logo Fund will provide the private sector,
and other donors, with a mechanism to contribute to, and
support, efficient and coordinated conservation action.
Many companies and organizations are already using
animals in their logos and marketing strategies. These
animals are a signature part of these companies’ logos
or brands, be it the crocodile for Lacoste and hundreds
more. According to the IUCN “Red List” of threatened
“SAVE YOUR LOGO”A Revolutionary Fundraising Approach for Biodiversity Conservation.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
By Gabriella PORILLI
103
Biodiversity
species, many of these species are
either threatened or endangered and
will need serious and comprehensive
conservation actions to survive. To
date much conservation funding has
come from governments, private
individuals and NGOs. The SYL
campaign provides an exciting
opportunity to engage the private
sector, encouraging companies to
support their species brands and
other threatened species. Invite all
interested companies to join this effort
to save globally threatened species.
There has already been considera-
ble interest in this new initiative.
Discussions are being held with
numerous other big companies on all
continents with species logos. The
cost of effective implementation of
species conservation action plans
varies widely, anything between $2-5
million USD per species. Therefore
each of the participating companies is
expected to contribute at least 1.5
million Euros over 3 years.
All interested companies are invited
to join this effort to save globally
threatened species.
For further information:www.saveyourlogo.org
THE 3 STAGESOF “SAVEYOUR LOGO”1 | FINANCING OF CONCRETE ACTIONS OF CONSERVATIONThe financial contributions from theprivate sector will be invested into theSave Your Logo fund to complement theinitial funding. Private sectorcontributions will be targeted both tologo signature animals and to supportmuch-needed conservation for some ofthe less charismatic and often “forgotten”threatened species – the “logo orphans” -on IUCN’s Red List.This new public-private partnership willbring new partners from the privatesector into the conservation communityto provide new financing andcomplement existing conservation efforts.A strong media and outreach campaignwill bring up-to-date information onspecies status to the general public.
2 | PROJECT AND GLOBALMULTI MEDIA PLATFORMA strong media and outreach campaignwill bring up-to-date information onspecies status to the general public.Given the universal nature of thisproject, the Internet will be an importantvehicle for communication to engage theglobal community. Information aboutprojects will be postedwww.saveyourlogo.org.In a fully interconnected world wheretransparency is the norm, our goal is tocreate a global community gatheredaround a common interest: Thepreservation of the world heritage. Toachieve this, we will create an new andstrong interactive platform.
3 | AN INTERACTIVE EDUCATIVE PHASE:Our mission is to engage a high levelof interactivity between all thestakeholders, through comprehensiveand quality content, which will createstrong and dedicated communitiesaround the various projects.
It has been estimated that 15 to 37% of all species are committed to extinction by 2050 unless widespreadand effective conservation actions areundertaken soon and maintained.
E instein famously said we can’t solve a problem
with the same mindset that created it. To
transform the current grim outlook on climate
change and biodiversity loss, we need to transform the
way we think. The good news is that we are already on
the brink of a major shift in our thinking.
The current economic crisis is helping drive us to it. The
environmental and social impacts of the crisis are
complex and painful, but among other things it reduced oil
demand and prices, and increased energy savings and
investment. It revealed how the American subprime crisis
was based on bad land and resource use, destroying
farmland for suburban sprawl housing that wasn’t even
needed, just driven by environmentally oblivious
speculation. The bursting of the oil and housing bubbles
point up an underlying truth about the run up to the
downturn: our economic system virtually ignores
environment as an “externality,” and this ultimately
destabilizes the system. In the US it has resulted in bigger
home sizes, more debt and waste and fewer resources for
health care or education. It is clearer than ever that all
By Jonathan F. P. ROSE
LEARNING TO THINKECOLOGICALLY“We can’t pursue slash-and-burn environmentalexploitation without eventually slashing and burning theeconomy and our own well being.”
104
The Garrison Institute,an NGO which has programs in"transformationalecology," is housed ina former monastery onNew York's HudsonRiver.
Phot
o: M
ike
Hale
s
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
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has given us neither longer life nor
greater happiness. This underscores
how we can’t pursue slash-and-burn
environmental exploitation without
eventually slashing and burning the
economy and our own well being.
We are now forced to view the
perennial pursuit of economic
growth in a new way, weighing the
dream of eternal expansion against
the nightmare of catastrophic envi-
ronmental losses.
These are the basic parameters of the
current debate over how to imp-
lement a carbon regime without
hurting economic recovery. We can
and must do both. In the US, a recent
study by Yale University and George
Mason University showed that the
economy is still the overweening
concern among Americans, and cli-
mate change ranks only 10th out of
11 top issues. Yet American opinion
about global warming is evolving.
Even in the economic meltdown, over
90 percent of Americans said that
the U.S. should act to reduce global
“To transform the current grim outlook on climate change and biodiversity loss, we need to transform the way we think”
Jonathan F. P. Rose
that, we need a revolution in the way
we think about the economy and the
environment. Just as the Newtonian
physics we are most familiar with
fairly describes the motion of a
single object in an isolated gra-
vitational field, but ignores the
larger system of fields, the Adam
Smith view of markets most of us
have internalized is good at
predicting transactions between
buyer and seller, but utterly fails to
understand the larger effects of
those transactions. Einstein desc-
ribed the larger system of physical
fields a whole century ago; now we
need a new kind of relativity theory,
a whole systems view of economics.
Fortunately, such a holistic view is
emerging. It’s coming from cutting
edge technology and fields like
industrial ecology, behavioral eco-
nomics and neuroeconomism,
which are hinting at an evolution
in consciousness that is already
underway.
For example, psychologist Daniel
Goleman’s new book Ecological
Intelligence: How Knowing the Hid-
den Impact of What we Buy Can
Change Everything deals with how
we are beginning to consider the
larger environmental impact – not
only carbon footprint and but the
entire life-cycle assessment (LCA) – of
the economic choices we make.
Technologies like GoodGuide. com
or new iPhone barcode-reading
applications will help change our
thinking by allowing consumers to
instantly view the whole life-cycle
environmental impact of a product
before they buy it. That’s one
factor among others that will tend
to expand our now very narrow
awareness of the true environmental
warming. Meanwhile, climate legis-
lation is percolating in the US
Congress, although the debate
promises to be contentious. But cap-
and-trade or carbon pricing are
currently designed as reallocation
systems, a kind of patch on the
current system of economic
incentives and behavior. The larger
opportunity now is to tie calls for
coordinated economic regulation to
calls for a whole systems approach
that stops treating the environ-
ment as an externality, and starts
factoring environmental impacts
directly into pricing and economic
policy. Our goal should be not just to
smooth out this rough patch in the
economic cycle, but to make the
whole economy sustainable. To do
A transformational ecology retreat for climate leaders at the Garrison Institute
Phot
os: G
arris
son
Inst
itute
�
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
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106
impacts of our decisions. "We can
know the causes of what we're
doing, and we can know the impact
of what we're doing," Goleman told
TIME Magazine recently. "It's going
to have a radical impact on the way
we do business."
The emerging field of neuro-
economics draws on brain research,
economics and psychology to un-
derstand how we make economic
decisions in the biological substrate
of the brain. The related field of
behavioral economics uses experi-
ments to generate formal models
that predict how people will decide.
These fields illuminate our blind
spots, and support the deve-
lopment of economic models that
acknowledge the influence of
emotional factors on decision-
making behavior. They account for
how our neurologically program-
med competitive, fear-based beha-
viors encourage economic systems
that disregard environmental
“externalities,” mask our inter-
dependence with one another and
the natural world, degrade the
environment and threaten the
climate, even though the pattern is
ultimately irrational. Our short-
sighted wiring can cut two ways. It is
clannish, making us powerfully
resent what we perceive to be
“freeloaders” or outliers who con-
sume the community’s resources
without a legitimate claim on them,
hence the fury over AIG bonuses
and Wall Street “outliers” from the
Main Street core community. But
the flip side of this fury is feeling
comfortable and happy about
collaborating with people inside
one’s community.
Today, social networking sites and
other technologies are fast ex-
panding our interactions with com-
munity, and making our sense of
belonging evolves into global scale.
Given our wiring, this should help
us toward a stronger sense of satis-
fying global cooperation.
Neuro and behavioral economics
research suggest new ways to
construct more holistic worldviews
and systems that can take exter-
nalities into better account and
transform negative impacts of
human activity. But in truth, such
worldviews have long existed and
are the foundation of successful
social regulation, stewardship and
religious ethics in many cultures,
from Bhutan’s Gross National
Happiness or southern Africa’s
Ubuntu. Ideas about how we assign
value or what the right relationship
is in a transaction vary from place to
place and are profoundly influenced
by culture.
In Ghana, most people can sing you
the song of their genealogy for
dozens of generations. When two
people meet they may spend all day
telling their stories.
This grounds them as part of a
holistic network, expresses their
understanding of their interde-
pendence. It can’t help but inform
their ideas about economic ex-
change. American culture on the
other hand evolved an idea of rugged
individualism, which has helped
make our economics blinkered and
fractious.
But that’s not the way human
brains are wired. Neuro-economics
research may help us step outside
cultural determination and provide a
scientific framework for under-
standing how the global economy
can evolve a holistic, interde-
pendent, systems view in the face of
global environmental threats.
The current crisis may offer us prac-
tical opportunities to reorganize in
ways that are better for the earth
and more consonant with our true
natures.
The Garrison Institute,is a New York-based NGO working
to induce the shifts in perspective
and shifts toward holistic systems
thinking that can help enable that
reorganization. It is planning a pro-
gram for climate change movement
leaders on neuro-economics explo-
ring how we evolved neurologically,
how our make-up is culturally pro-
grammed, and how our seemingly
automatic behaviors that accelerate
and react to climate change can be
Gandhi's grandson and biographer Rajmohan Gandhi at the Garrison Institute's 2008 forum onsatyagraha and climate change.Ph
oto:
Tom
DiM
auro
�
107
Eco-Living
Jonathan F. P. Roseis co-founder of the Garrison Institute, with his wife, Diana Rose.Jonathan F.P. Rose’s business, not-for-profit and public policy workfocuses on integrating transportation, housing, environmental andopen space policies to create healthy equitable metropolitan regions.In 1989, Mr. Rose founded Jonathan Rose Companies LLC, a multi-disciplinary real estate development, planning, consulting andinvestment firm, as a leading green urban solutions provider.
The company’s mission is to repair the fabric of communities. The firmdraws on its human capital, financial depth and real estate expertise tocreate highly integrated solutions to real estate challenges.
For more information on the Institute and its Transformational Ecology programs, write to: transformationalecology@garrisoninstitute.orgwww.garrisoninstitute.org.
reprogrammed through contem-
plative and intentional practices.
Just as learning networks and new
management approaches are trans-
forming business models, repro-
gramming our framework for eco-
nomic decisions could transform
economic models and give us new
forms of local economic develop-
ment, financing, food systems, and
other alternatives to the unsus-
tainable aspects of the current
global system.
The program is part of the Institute’s
Initiative on Transformational Eco-
logy, seeking to reframe and solve
ecological problems through a
more holistic understanding of the
world as an interconnected web of
life, looking beyond technocratic
approaches to an integrative one
that appeals to shared values, shifts
worldviews and changes behavior in
ways that resonate throughout the
culture. It takes a whole-systems
approach to problem-solving, and
combining the insights of ecology,
neuroscience, cognitive science, orga-
nizational development, systems
thinking and contemplative traditions.
A decade ago brain researchers
discovered the phenomenon of
“neuroplasticity,” whereby the brain
changes physiologically in contem-
plative practice as little as eight
weeks of meditation can stimulate
new dendritic growth in the brain,
at any time of life. This doesn’t just
stimulate new thinking; it literally
changes minds, actually building
new structures and capacities in the
brain. Research shows that even in
crises and other adverse situations,
from captivity to conflict zones,
contemplative practitioners res-
pond to the world around them with
decreasing negativity, anxiety or
aggression and increasing com-
passion, creativity and altruism.
The power of this inner experience
can inspire and has inspired social
transformation, breaking through
old obstacles to achieve systemic
change. Gandhi tapped it with
his satyagraha movement and
transformed India.
Imagine what impact a new Gandhi
or Martin Luther King might have
on climate change today. Last year
the Garrison Institute did just that,
gathering climate change and
Gandhian movement leaders from
around the world to envision ways
that Gandhian ideas and tactics,
and the larger lineage of nonvio-
lent thought, could transform the
climate movement.
Now imagine what impact a large
number of ordinary people can
have on the global environment and
economy as our thinking and our
brains themselves literally evolve.
Armed with new technology and
much more information about the
impacts of our choices, finally
undeceived about the shortcomings
of the existing system and the
centrality of the environment to
economics, able to perceive the
larger systems within which we
make decisions and to experience
our sense community and inter-
dependence on global scale, ca-
pable of great mental resilience,
creativity, adaptation and growth,
ordinary people embracing new
modes of thought hold the key to
solving our environmental and
economic problems. Luckily, unlike
approaches to change that rely
exclusively on markets, money,
energy, technology or hard power,
new thinking is an unlimited and
infinitely renewable resource.
108
A PIONEER in Lebanon and the Arab world
After decades of
unconsciousness,
neglect and voluntary
degradation, environment in
Lebanon finally has a strong
voice to defend it and speak
on its behalf: the Green
Party of Lebanon.
The idea first emerged in 2004 but it was until June
2008 that key persons coming from different
backgrounds decided to work hand in hand with well
established environmental experts to found the Party.
A unique political party with
an environmental aim in the
Arab world and more spe-
cifically a first in Lebanon, it
defines itself as an envi-
ronmental,developmental,
secular, democ-ratic and
modern party en-deavoring
for Lebanon to remain an
inherited national treasure,
protected by a modern secular
state that adopts sustainable
development in all of its
economic and social policies.
The Party’s motto is that “Earth
has no Sect” and that all
Lebanese of all ages are res-
ponsible for preserving their
inherited legacy.
The Party’s mission and roleThe Green Party of Lebanon strives to preserve the
environment for the sake of the health of future
generations and to stop environmental degradation and
repairing what can be repairable. The Party works
towards prioritizing environmental issues and
participates in raising environmental awareness of
Lebanese citizens. The Party will also focus on putting
out a global environmental strategy for Lebanon
and on integrating sustainable developmental in
environmental policies. At the policy level, the Green
Party of Lebanon will keep a watchful eye over the
ministry of environment to support it and at the
same time hold it accounta-
ble and will do the same
with other ministries working
on environmental issues. The
Party will promote environ-
mental issues so that envi-
ronmental concerns become
an integral part of political
programs of other parties. The
Party will work to energize the
role of environmental NGOs and
civil associations in order to
improve their performance. The
Party will also work on reviving
the local environmental press
and on developing a close
collaboration with the United
Nations and other International
programs in order to accompany
global environmental progress.
THE GREEN PARTY OF LEBANON
Mr. Philippe Skaff, president of the Party.
By Lara FAHS
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Eco-Living
These objectives have been set based on theParty’s 10 principles:
� One: The Oneness of Man and NatureThe Green Party of Lebanon believes that man and
nature are inextricably linked and share a common
future on this planet. The Party supports human
modernity on condition that it leverages the
exploitation of limited natural resources and does not
upset the balance of natural systems whereas future
generations will enjoy a healthy environment and a
proud inherited legacy.
� Two: Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable development is the improvement of the
quality of human life through the rational and insightful
exploitation of environmental resources. The Party
believes that real development and modernization reside
in people’s conscience and in the availability of a wide
variety of choices that do not exclusively result from
technological and economic progress. The resources
available on this planet are limited hence, boundless
economic consumption damages life on earth; to this end
the use of resources should be leveraged and the
reliance on alternative energy increased.
� Three: Respect for Diversity and DifferenceThe Party believes in the richness of diversity and
the right to be different. The Party respects political,
cultural, religious, ethnic and gender diversity and
endeavors to improve interaction and dialogue. The
Party also endeavors to understand the peculiarities of
diversity and difference.
� Four: Equal Rights and Duties for Men and WomenThe Party believes in the central role of women in
politics and public policy and encourages women to
prove themselves and their abilities in politics by joining
the Party to straddle its causes and assume the highest
responsibilities.
� Five: Democracy, Freedoms andHuman RightsThe Party believes in a democratic system that fosters
human rights and guarantees personal and public
freedoms. The Party endeavors to render the people as
the source of all powers by providing ample opportunities
of empowerment. The Party seeks a modern electoral law
with proportional representation that promotes the
principles of fairness and equality between citizens and
allows youth and women the opportunity to take part in
the core of political life in Lebanon.
� Six: Modern State and CitizenshipThe Party endeavors to found the pillars of a modern
state in Lebanon by extracting sectarianism from
political texts and from people’s minds and by adopting
secularism and the respect for religious beliefs while
promoting citizenship. The Party believes in a state with
integrity free of corruption and bribery and in the
capacity of Lebanese society to advance a system based
on accountability, monitoring and transparency.
� Seven: Sound Administrative DecentralizationThe Party believes in a modern and sound
administrative decentralization system where people
at the local level are able to make decisions on issues
affecting their daily lives and in a way that they can
utilize natural resources responsibly and rationally
while appreciating the value and scarcity of these
resources and protecting the cultural legacy.
� Eight: A Free and Orderly Economic SystemThe Party believes in a free economic system where
the modernization of society, promoting individual
entrepreneurship and a defined role of the state are its
main objectives. The Party recognizes the importance
of thoughtful economic planning to promote new,
income generating productions in rural areas;
protecting manual labor; preventing monopoly; and a
taxation policy that protects low-income citizens. The
Party endeavors to leverage public spending; the
biggest waste and the largest debt are environmental.
� Nine: NonviolenceThe Party believes in life and world peace; in a land
free of weapons of mass destruction; and in limiting
ownership and abuse of arms. The Party apposes all
forms of violence, terrorism and wars; and all forms of
intimidation and domination wherever they came from
and irrespective against whom they are practiced.
� Ten: Openness and International CooperationThe Party sees Lebanon’s relationship with its Arab
neighbors as voluntary, open to modern trends and
based on good neighborliness. Lebanon is a vital
nation in the international system especially in the
Mediterranean basin, abiding by international
conventions and the respect of sovereignty and
independence of each country. The Party believes in
positive nonalignment and rejects political axes. The
Party supports all countries that respect human rights
and the principles of environmental protection and
respect Lebanon’s freedom and independence. �
110
Despite the deeply rooted sectarian
mentality in the Lebanese political
system and the current tense and
critical political juncture, more than
500 members to date have joined
the Party. Members come from all
Lebanese regions, residents and
expatriates, representing various
movements, affiliations and deno-
minations sharing the Party’s prin-
ciples and ideals as their common
ground. This proves that an envi-
ronmental conscience started to
emerge in Lebanon not only thanks
to the images and messages spread
by international and local media but
also due to the fact that Lebanon,
once a natural haven, needs unfor-
tunately to take some immediate
measures to tackle this fierce and
soon to be irreversible environmental
degradation.
The Green Party of Lebanon’sEnvironmental Pact: laws andmeasures to stop theenvironmental bleedingBased on this critical situation, the
Green Party of Lebanon declares the
“environmental State of emergency”
and launches its Environmental
Pact that includes a twenty-point
program, notably draft laws to
establish a “Green Brigade”, which is
an environmental security body that
falls under the authority of the
Lebanese Armed Forces and is
composed of security forces assig-
ned by the different ministries in
charge of environmental issues; an
environmental attorney general
office; as well as the adoption of a
national reforestation plan. The
themes that the Environmental Pact
addresses include legal means to
protect the environment; the minis-
try of Environment; the Directorate
of Urban Planning; national forest;
biodiversity; rural development,
administrative decentralization, as
well as suggestions regarding water,
energy and waste management. The
Environmental Pact has adopted a
large number of studies as well as
technical and legal proposals, such
as: the right for NGOs to sue for
environmental violations, affiliate the
municipalities with the ministry of
Environment, adopt the national
master plan for managing the
Lebanese territories, free the public
maritime and non-maritime proper-
ties from all kind of occupations,
increase green spaces up to 20% of
Lebanon’s total area.
The Green Party of Lebanon also
called for increasing the budget of
the ministry of Environment, as well
as obtaining a permanent com-
mitment from future governments to
designate a minister of Environment
with a background in environmen-
tal activism and expertise. The
Environmental Pact also included
practical measures to ration energy
consumption and improve waste
management. The Green Party of
Lebanon has started to contact other
political parties and leaders to
present the Pact to them for
signature and to collaborate toge-
ther to implement it. Recently, a
delegation from the Party met
officially with Prime Minister Fouad
Sniora who showed a lot of interest in
the Party’s goals and fight. The Prime
Minister, who personally also declared
until this moment, the Kataeb Party
represented by Sheikh Sami Gemayel
signed the Pact on March 21st 2009
during a joint press conference
with the Green Party of Lebanon
represented by its president Mr.
Philippe Skaff and its Vice-president,
Mrs. Nada Zaarour. The heads of the
parliamentary Environment and
Health committees, MPs Akram
Chehayeb and Atef Majdalani also
signed the Environmental Pact.
The Green Party of Lebanon might not
be able to solve all the issues at hand
because of all the obstacles that are
standing in its way. However, many
tend to see the Party as a national
necessity by playing a vital role in
transforming the mentality of the
Lebanese and by putting forward
environmental issues on the political
and socio-economic national agenda.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Lebanon
Signing the environmental pact in this picture, Sheikh Sami Gemayel with Mr. Philippe Skaff and Mrs. Nada Zaarour.
�
112
ECO-INNOVATIONThe key to Europe’s future competitiveness
� Eco-innovation is any innovation (new technology, product,process or service) that can contribute to environmental protection or a more efficient use of resources.
� Environmental technologies are a central element of the European Union’s approach to major environmental challenges such as climate change, natural resource scarcity and dwindling biodiversity.
� Viable technological solutions are already available to remedy many of the environmental challengeswe face, but their commercial take-up can be hampered by numerous obstacles.
� If environmental technologies are to be adopted widely, economic and regulatory barriers must be removed and research,investments and awareness must be promoted.
� Opportunities for environmental technologies are greater in the European single market than in smaller national markets.
� Research is crucial to realizing the full potential of the fast-growing eco-industries sector and to triggering a wave of innovation and job creation.
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Eco-Living
New challenges call for new solutionsThe world is facing serious envi-
ronmental problems such as climate
change, the depletion of natural
resources, air pollution and bio-
diversity loss. All of these issues
have potentially disastrous impli-
cations for life on earth. Novel
solutions and more environmentally-
friendly technology must be
developed if such problems are to be
avoided or minimized.
Europe needs to do more with less.
Maximizing efficiency at all stages of
production is crucial. Eco-innovation
is the innovation process to develop
and bring to the markets new
environmental technologies, pro-
ducts and services that reduce the
overall impact on the environment.
Business and innovation can
together create sustainable
solutions that make better use of
precious resources and reduce the
negative side-effects of our
economy on the environment.
Environmental techno-logies can
help reduce energy and resource
consumption and produce less waste
and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
For example, emissions avoided as
a result of energy saved during
production or by driving more
environmentally- friendly cars, con-
tribute to fighting climate change.
Boosting competitiveness andenvironmental protectionA clean and healthy environment is
essential for maintaining pros-
perity and a high quality of life in
Europe. But the strength and
competitiveness of the economy is
also essential if this quality of life is
to be maintained. Developing and
promoting new solutions is fun-
damental to triggering the potential
for economic benefits through cost
savings, innovation and inter-
national trade.
Eco-technologies can unlock po-
tential markets, foster innovation,
increase European competitiveness
and create new high-skilled jobs. The
European Union recently launched
the Lead Market Initiative and
identified several market sectors
which are future high-growth areas in
Europe. Most of the sectors identified
as lead markets, such as sustainable
construction, recycling, bio-based
products and renewable energy, are
prime markets for eco-innovation.
A growing business sectorIt is not just the environment which
stands to gain from eco-innovation.
The world market for environmental
products and services is growing
every year. Europe is in a strong
position to lead the way in using the
power of innovation to meet today’s
environmental challenges and also
has a great opportunity to step up its
investment in this relatively new
sector. In recent years, the eco-
industries have emerged as an
important segment of the European
economy. This sector has an
estimated turnover of around €227
billion, corresponding to 2.2% of
EU GDP – greater than the Euro-
pean aerospace or pharmaceutical
industries – and employs 3.4 million
people directly.
The market for environmental
technologies grows as their poten-
tial continues to improve. Certain
sectors are expanding at a remar-
kable rate in Europe and around the
globe – over 20% annually for some
renewable energy sources such as
wind power. Europe has roughly one
third of the world market of eco-
technologies, which is projected to
double from its current level to
€1000 billion by 2020.
Obstacles to getting from research to marketWhile Europe has a reputation for
being a leader in new technology
development, it isn’t always easy
getting a product or service from
the research stage to the market.
There are many barriers to the
development and wider use of
environmental technologies.
WHAT ARE ENVIRONMENTALTECHNOLOGIES?Environmental technologies aretechnologies that are less environmentallyharmful than the alternatives. Theyinclude technologiesand processes to manage pollution,products which are less resource-intensive,and services and processes that manageresources more efficiently. Environmentaltechnologies can be found in nearly alleconomic sectors, including pollutioncontrol, water and waste management, and energy generation. These technologiesalso produce fewer emissions,generate less waste, have a limitedimpact on health and biodiversityand generally help reduce costsand improve competitiveness.
WHAT IS ECO-INNOVATION?Eco-innovation refers to all formsof innovation – technological andnon-technological, new productsand services and new businesspractices – that create businessopportunities and benefit the environmentby preventing or reducingtheir impact, or by optimising theuse of resources (including energyuse). Eco-innovation is closely related tothe development and useof environmental technologiesand also to the concepts of ecoefficiencyand eco-industries. Thecommon aim is to contribute tomore sustainable production andconsumption patterns.Practical examples of eco-innovationinclude processes to recovervaluable substances from wastewater, more efficient food packaging, theproduction of constructionmaterials from recycled waste,eco-products and new managementmethods. For examples visitthe ETAP website (see back page)and the EU’s European BusinessAwards for the Environmentwebsite at: http://ec.europa.eu/
environment/awards/index_en.htm.�
The market forenvironmentaltechnologies grows as their potentialcontinues to improve.Certain sectors are expanding at a remarkable rate in Europe and around the globe.
114
Encouraging market take-upThe challenge is to improve the
overall environmental performance
of products throughout their life-
cycle, to boost the demand for
better products and production
technologies and to help consumers
make informed choices. Sustai-
nable consumption and production
maximises the potential for busi-
nesses to transform environmental
challenges into economic oppor-
tunities and provides a better deal
for consumers. To encourage greater
take-up of environmentally-friendly
technologies the European Union is
using tools such as green public
procurement(the process by which
public authorities seek to reduce the
environmental impact of good and
services they buy), eco-labelling,
financial incentives, voluntary
agreements, industry standards and
market mechanisms like tradable
permits. Eco-labels, for example,
enable consumers to easily identify
and select environmentally friend-
ly goods and services, while
environmental technology verifi-
cation, which provides reliable
information on the environmental
performance, will help producers to
convince markets of the merit of
new technology. The EU has also
designed specific financial mea-
sures to share the risks of inves-
ting in eco-innovation. The rules on
state aid for environmental pro-
tection have been adapted to allow
more effective support for inno-
vative technologies. Evidence shows
that well designed environmental
The European Commission set up theEnvironmental Technologies Action Planin 2004 to speed up the removal offinancial, economic and institutionalbarriers to the development ofenvironmentally friendly technologies andto increase market take-up. The planincludes nine priority measures in threebroad areas: getting from research tomarket; improving market conditions; andacting globally. The measures areundertaken by the European Commission,national and regional authorities, industriesand research organizations. EU countrieshave developed and are implementing
national roadmaps for environmentaltechnologies under the plan.Current key priorities are mobilizingfinance and other actions to promote marketopportunities for businesses involved inenvironmental technologies This includes establishing credibleverification of environmental performanceto boost confidence in eco-technologies.Tools will be also developed to monitor,benchmark and boost the uptake of eco-innovation. For example, a networkedobservatory on eco-innovation will providerelevant statistics and analysis on emergingtrends and global business opportunities.
THE EU ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES ACTION PLAN (ETAP)
THE SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION ANDPRODUCTION AND SUSTAINABLEINDUSTRIAL POLICY ACTION PLAN
The European Commission launched an Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption andProduction and on Sustainable Industrial Policy in July 2008. It aims to improve theoverall environmental performance of products throughout their life-cycle, promoting andstimulating demand for better products and production technologies, and helpingconsumers to make better choices.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Eco-innovation
�
115
Eco-Living
legislation in areas such as waste
electronics, eco-design, soil reme-
diation and industrial pollution
control acts as a driver for inno-
vation. Results from companies that
comply with such legislation show
that their overall costs have
decreased significantly.
Working togetherEU Member States have an
important role to play in supporting
and promoting new technologies.
The majority of them have
established national roadmaps to
implement the Environmental Tech-
nologies Action Plan (see box),
highlighting national programmes
that support innovation and
environmental technologies. The
European Union is also working with
other countries and regions to
promote sustainable development
on a global scale. It is especially
important for developing countries,
where addressing the detrimental
environmental impact of production
activities and lessening the impact
of a growing population on scarce
resources is becoming increasingly
urgent. In international discussions,
the European Commission actively
advocates the reduction or removal
of trade tariffs on environmental
products, technologies and services.
Changing the way we consume and produceThere are many areas where
technology is helping us to solve the
major environmental challenges
facing us. But technology alone is not
the answer. Big changes are needed
to the way we consume and produce
goods and services. The market price
of many conventional products and
services often does not reflect their
true costs. The manufacture of
products often involves emissions but
these are not included in the price.
The healthcare costs arising from
illnesses relating to correspondingly
higher pollution levels are similarly
not included. European consumers
and producers need to play their part
in a low carbon, highly energy-
efficient economy in order to
protect and preserve the planet.
To encourage investment inenvironmental processes andtechnologies, the EU hasdeveloped a range of instrumentsthat focus on environmentalinnovation and entrepreneurship.Under the EU’s newCompetitiveness and InnovationFramework Programme (CIP), atotal of €430 million is availablefor the promotion of eco-innovation through different formsof assistance, like risk capitalfinancing or networking activities.€195 million has been earmarkedto support first application andmarket replication projects oneco-innovation, reaching out tothe business sector. For more information, visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/ecoinnovation/
Under CIP Intelligent Energy Europe Programme €730 millionis available to foster energyefficiency and renewable energies.The programme aims to improvemarket conditions for untappedopportunities to save energy andencourage the use of renewableenergy sources. For more information, visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/
intelligentenergy/
There are also financingopportunities for environmentalservices and technologies underthe EU’s funding programmeLIFE+. It will co-finance projectsthat contribute to the developmentand demonstration of innovativepolicy approaches,technologies,methods and instruments, mainlytargeted at the public sector. For more information, visit: <None>
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/
life/ funding/lifeplus.htm
FUNDING FOR ECO-INNOVATION
European Commission ETAP website:http://ec.europa.eu/environment/etap/index_en.htm
European Commission Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policies Action Planhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/escp_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/environment/sip_new_pages/sip_a1_en.htm
European Commission Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme webpagehttp://ec.europa.eu/cip/index_en.htm
Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation webpage :http://ec.europa.eu/eaci/
LIFE+- Financial Instrument for Environment : http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm
Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development : http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/
Information provided by the European Union CommissionFor Further information
116
Some of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
is dissolving into seawater. It's changing the pH,
making seawater more acidic; some say "corrosive."
This water actually dissolves the shells of certain shellfish
and coral reefs. The effects are working their way up the
food chain. A Sea Change is a new documentary about
ocean acidification directed by Barbara Ettinger and
produced by Sven Huseby of Niijii Films. Chock full of
scientific information, the film is also a beautiful pane to
the ocean world and an intimate study of a family. The
USA premiere was on March 14, 2009, at the DC
Environmental Film Festival, Baird Auditorium, National
Museum of Natural History.’ The premiere at the DC
SEAWATER+CO2= ACID OCEAN & NO MORE FISH"Ocean acidification is the flipside of global warming.Whatever you put into the air winds up in the ocean. It affects everything about how we live."
Elizabeth KOLBERT, The New Yorker magazine
Environmental Film Festival was full to overflowing.
Attendance broke all records in the history of the
Baird Auditorium, and the 17 years of the festival. 565 seats
filled, another 40 people standing and 150 who couldn't get
a seat; among which NBC4 Anchor Wendy Rieger's.
The Director Barbara Ettinger and co-producer/protagonist
Sven Huseby were received with a standing ovation
following the screening. And two-thirds of the audience
stayed for the Questions & Answers , moderated by Brad
Warren, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. The panel
included special guests Dr. Richard Spinrad, Assistant
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
117
Eco-Living
Administration (NOAA), Dr. Richard
Feely of NOAA and the University of
Washington, and David Rockefeller,
Jr., Co-Founder of Sailors for the
Sea. While in DC, Barbara and Sven
met with Rep. Norman Dicks a
senior member of the House Appro-
priations Committee. They also met
with Erik Solheim, the Norwegian
Minister of the Envi-ronment and
International Deve-lopment. Televi-
sion segments on NBC, ABC, Link
TV, and NRK, national Norwegian TV
covered the event.
What else is in the worksThe team is especially interested in
events leading up to COP-15 right
now; Which begins at the end of
November 2009, and is the inter-
national follow-up to Kyoto.
“WE HAVE BIG DREAMS! and, we
want A Sea Change to make a
difference in Copenhagen. Whether
by informing Americans so that we
become more active participants in
the discussion, raising awareness
among the international community
> MARCHAlaska Marine Conservation Councilhosts a series of sneak previews incoastal Alaska, linking marineconservation, climate change, andsustainable fisheries.
Explorers Club NY Open House--screening the film's opening at theinvitation of the MaineEnvironmental Research Institute(MERI), to kick off their panel on theocean
Ocean Crisis Day, Sacramento, CA--NRDC California screening an excerptof the film for state officials.
> APRILAlaska Conservation Foundation NRDC New York
Earth Day Eve at NationalConstitution Hall in Philadelphia
Earth Day screenings the NY YachtClub (members only), and StonyBrook University for Earth stockEuropean Geosciences Union
Conference in Vienna, Austria--screening an excerpt in a lunchtimesession, with Q&A including ocean acidification expert Dr. Jelle Bijima following.
International Symposium in MarineSciences, in Vigo, Spain.
West Coast premiere of A Sea Changeat the San Francisco International FilmFestival, three screenings; April 25,April 27, and April 30. (For detailsplease visit the festival website,beginning March 31.)
> JUNEWorld Ocean Day, celebratedSaturday, June 6, will have its seriesof screenings of A Sea Changearound the world. Screenings alreadyconfirmed in the USA and Spain.Other possibilities include venues inCanada, Israel, France, Iceland, andAustralia..
> JULYThe Leadership Forum at Silver Bay(for conference participants)
2009 screening events, public and private:
regarding the threat of ocean
acidification, touching people's
hearts, actually screening during
COP-15, or all of the above.”
The producers are inviting any
interested person by either setting
up a series of screenings which
might kick off on World Ocean Day;
or by helping them to strategize
about setting up the syndicated
panel that will be visualizing for
World Ocean Day. The other pos-
sibility offered by the producers is
to use a 20-minute excerpt of A Sea
Change to complement discussion
of climate or ocean issues among
policy makers.
The film producers would like as
well the film A Sea Change to
screen on university campuses
across the US and the world to
support raising awareness about
COP-15. Many NGOs are already
leveraging the film to support their
missions. Like Seafood Choice
Alliance, People for Puget Sound,
Montezuma Climate Action Network,
and more in the works.
For further information:www.aseachange.com
"A Sea Change," which was co-produced by Huseby and directed by BarbaraEttinger, looks terrific, with lots of breath-taking footage of the natural world, fromthe tiniest pteropod (the fluttery, planktonic sea snail that is most threatened byacidification) to the most majesticNorwegian scenery. And, at a time whenplenty of documentaries want to be the"Inconvenient Truth" of fill-in-the-issue,"A Sea Change" brings a genuinelyimportant subject to the fore with a wel-come lack of jargon and preaching."
Ann HornadayThe Washington Post
118
SIWAADRÈRE AMELLAL ECOLODGE
The ecolodge has been built with great socio-cultural and environmental sensitivity. It is an all-natural Casbah styled lodgethat blends perfectly with the rugged stone cliffs at its back.
By Alya KEBIRI
"At night it is so quiet that you begin to hear the stars.”Benedict Allen, “Desert Retreats”, Harper’s Abroad, June 2002
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
Siwa was renowned inancient times as one ofthe world's most important oracle centers. Alexander theGreat braved the dangers of the Saharaand traveled to Siwa onhorseback seeking inspiration before heading off to conquerthe world.
119
Eco-Tourism
Travelling and tourism is the
third biggest industry world-
wide and has been growing
at a fast rate. The WTO forecasts
1.6 billion international tourist trips
for 2020, 400 million of which
being long distance trips between
continents.
We all know it by now: travelling is
bad for the environment. Eco-friendly
travelling does not exist, only less
eco-hostile. So, if travelling is bad for
the environment, then what is
ecotourism? And why is it considered
“ecotourism” when 15 people visit a
northern Thai village that never
heard about recycling, and not when
500 people sort their waste in a
Spanish resort? Is there anything at
all that could be called ecotourism?
The first principle as noted by The
International Ecotourism Society
(TIES) is to minimize impact which
implies running your business on a
smaller scale. But that is not the
only reason why the bigger resorts
fall short when it comes to provide a
less eco-hostile tourist experience.
Five other principles are listed by
TIES and which have been more or
less adopted:
� Build environmental and cultural
awareness and respect.
� Provide positive experiences for
both visitors and hosts.
� Provide direct financial benefits
for conservation.
� Provide financial benefits and
empowerment for local people.
� Raise sensitivity to host coun-
tries' political, environmental, and
social climate.
This is about respecting the limita-
tions of a location and its ability to
withstand visitors. Ecotourism must
not create friction between different
locations within an area. Sometimes
the analysis and debriefing after a
trip is as important as the initial
planning, occasionally you might
have to re-evaluate whether or not
your trip was ecological. Maybe local
guides and partners no longer res-
pect your wish to have a miniscule
footprint on your surroundings. Many
trips labelled as ecotourism to sub-
Saharan Africa during the late 80’s
have left substantial scars in the form
of damaged biodiversity and erosion.
Egypt’s Ecotourism CommitteeIn contrast to ecotourism in other
countries in the Middle East, such as
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran,
there is an extremely active Eco-
tourism Committee in the Egyptian
Tourism Federation, which makes
ecotourism in Egypt especially
diverse, authentic, and unique. Since
1997 Egypt’s Ecotourism Commit-
tee, holds over 14 meetings a year
that include top environmentalists,
cabinet ministers, scientists, and
ecotourism professionals.
They do important work, including
protecting natural areas and cracking
down on illegal hunting. The passage
of a law in 1983 has also led to the
declaration of 27 Protected Areas
in Egypt (seen in the map above)
that represent most of the habitats
and ecosystems in Egypt. But the
Committee isn’t willing to stop there,
they want to increase the number of
Protectorates to 40 by the year 2017.
Egypt's Western DesertOne destination where a successful
ecotourism spot has developed is
Egypt's Western Desert. Located
about 70km east of the Libyan
border, lies the fertile depression of
Siwa, one of the largest oasis in
Egypt. Siwa is inhabited by a com-
munity that recently emerged from
centuries of isolation. The Siwan peo-
ple have their own culture and cus-
toms and, beside Arabic, they speak
own Berber (Amazigh) language.
Women still wear traditional cos-
tumes and silver jewellery and Siwa
remains one of the best places to
buy traditional local handicrafts.
The projects in place aim at promo-
ting Siwa’s environment and its
cultural and artistic heritage by
working closely with both investors
and tourists, cooperating with the
local authorities and the private
sector to promote ecotourism,
training the local guides and foste-
ring the creation of an ecotourism
association, enhancing natural and
cultural resources and advocating
for sustainable development as a
mean to increase the income of the
local people.
The Siwa Sustainable Development
Initiative, for instance, is a private
sector led initiative, underwritten by
private investment rather than the
traditional development framework.
It demonstrates that a socially �
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Egypt
120
responsible and environmentally
sound business approach can be
financially rewarding. The initiative
is an integrated development plan
that addresses economic, cultural,
and environmental challenges. It has
revived traditional Siwan architec-
tural styles as well as traditional
embroidery skills, both of which
were becoming extinct, and created
awareness among the local commu-
nity and the authorities of economic
value of preserving the Siwan
cultural heritage, thereby ensuring
sustainability of the approach.
the Adrère Amellal ecolodge The centerpiece of the initiative is
the Adrère Amellal ecolodge: an
11th century style mud-brick palace,
in Egypt's untouched western
desert, an all-natural Casbah styled
lodge that blends perfectly with the
rugged stone cliffs at its back. The
man behind this “peace of heaven” is
Cairo’s businessman, Mounir Nea-
matalla, seeking to turn Siwa into
Egypt's premier eco-tourism desti-
nation. The Ecolodge offers tra-
velers a return-to-nature experience
in a unique ecological and cultural
setting. With the help of the old
generation of builders, the Ecolodge
has revived centuries-old building
that were being replaced by modern
and inappropriate technologies.
Derelict Siwan houses were restored
and extended, using kershef - a mix-
ture of rock salt and mud - to build
the walls, a method that keeps
indoor temperatures moderate and
ensures that the structures blend
with the environment. The entire
lodge is free of electricity and
telephones, in keeping with the
lifestyle of the oasis. Natural
breezes produced by strategically
placed doors and windows eliminate
the need for air conditioning, while
oil lamps and candles are used for
lighting and braziers for heating.
Adrère Amellal- which means "White
Mountain" - nestles in a remote oasis
fed by some 230 natural freshwater
springs, where the locals have lived
their culture for more than 10,000
years and where electricity and TV
were unknown until the late 1990s.
Overlooking ancient olive and palm
groves, Siwa's largest salt lake, and
the dunes of the Great Sand Sea
Adrére Amellal the 11th century style ecolodge in Egypt untouched western desert
�
Siwan master buildersand craftsmen whosetrades were becomingextinct, has led to a revival of traditionalbuilding techniques inthe oasis.
121
Eco-Tourism
Adrère Amellal is truly in harmony
with its environment. The simple
furniture draws exclusively on natural
materials, traditional design, and
local skills. A team of trained Siwan
staff offers quality hospitality servi-
ces and the ecolodge, which is a pro-
duct of the ancient wisdom and
creativity of Siwan master builders
and craftsmen whose trades were
becoming extinct, has led to a
revival of traditional building tech-
niques in the oasis.
Within a few days, you'll find yourself
shedding your crazily restrictive
clothes in favour of the loose-
flowing djellaba, just as you lose
touch with the trivial annoyances of
everyday life in exchange for the
slow and steady rhythm of the lodge
with its ancient olive and palm
grove, slow bubbling Roman springs
and the great Sahara stretching out
into the distance. Who knew life in a
mud hut could be this good? Siwa
was renowned in ancient times as
one of the world's most important
oracle centers. Even Alexander the
Great braved the dangers of the
Sahara and traveled to Siwa on
horseback seeking inspiration before
heading off to conquer the world - no
doubt you'll be inspired as well.
Mr. Neamatalla's company; Environ-
mental Quality International (EQI),
also runs the Shali Lodge, located on
the other side of Lake Siwa. Under
the ecotourism component, EQI
introduced the concept of resto-
ration and commercial utilization of
dilapidated and abandoned proper-
ties surrounding the historic fortress
of Shali, near the center of the town.
As a result, the heritage hotel, called
Albabenshal was created. A total of 11
rooms are now operating in this
once abandoned area, serving as a
demonstration of the economic and
environmental soundness of the
approach.
122
LEBANON:QOLEILEH MARINE HIMAVisitors will be filled with a sense of awe as the sun creepsinto the deep blue sea.
By Tala AL-KHATIB
One trip that’s well worth doing is a one hour
thirty minutes ride from Beirut towards the
south of Lebanon, a whirlwind journey that
whisks into a very different world, Qoleileh village that
will never be forgotten for the way it extends charm and
magic to the world-weary.
Qoleileh is a coastal village located in the southern
corner of Tyre Caza, surrounded by Ras El-Ein from the
North, Henneyeh from the South, Zibqeen from the East
and the Mediterranean Sea from the West.
It is inhabited by 6,000 people, mostly farmers and
fishermen, with whom connection provides an insight
into the area’s history, archeology and rich cultural
heritage, and how they are related to the local
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
123
Eco-Tourism
The drama of this landscape is
evident at the moment of arrival.
Sweeping in towards the coastline,
visitors are welcomed by the waves
that lash gently from the endless
body of water against the golden
sand.
Moving further into the Hima,
visitors will come across a small
house coupled with a huge watching
tower, surrounded by areas densely
cloaked with bands of citrus trees
and banana plantations, many of
which are festooned with green
patterns clinging to the land and
melting into the panoramic sea vista.
Visitors can’t but notice that the
Hima is also a rich haven for a large
variety of shore birds, sea mam-
mals and turtles, multi-colored fish,
geography and climate. It supports
an ecosystem of high value, parti-
cularly protected within the wet part
of the village, Qoleileh Marine Hima,
which lies at the heart of the
southern Lebanese coast.
What is a Hima?Many of you must be asking “what
is a Hima”? A Hima is a traditional
system of natural resource tenure
that has been practiced for more
than 1500 years in the Arabian
Peninsula. The Arabic word “Hima”
literally means “a protected area”
that is employed for the public good.
While the concept is simple, the
idea is not new; it tends to get
well known for securing sustainable
use of natural resources by and for
the people. In other words, it is
community-based conservation area
that considers interaction between
nature conservation and human
well-being.
“Why Qoleileh?” It is probably the question arising
now. Shedding the light back on
Qoleileh Marine Hima, it was
declared by the municipal council,
and established by the Society
for the protection of Nature in
Lebanon (SPNL), in January 2007.
It is characterized by a sandy
beach with few rocky areas,
extending to around 4 km along
the coastline at a width of 100m,
and is unique in that it promotes
Qoleileh’s natural and cultural
heritage in a truly dramatic setting
that is dominated by natural
scenery that possesses exceptional
coastal landscapes.
Qoleileh is characterized by asandy beach with few rocky areas, extending to around 4 km along the coastline at a width of 100m
�
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Lebanon
marine Hima is successful in prote-
cting the marine environment,
which has been spared the ravages
of fishing by dynamite and poison,
and has been marked with suitable
diving spots.
Turning off the marine Hima into
the village, visitors will arrive at the
shrine of Prophet Umran, father of
Virgin Mary, a known destination
for tourism, in addition to other
unexplored Romanian ruins. They
will also be welcomed by the
hospitality of the courteous villagers,
who have always held liberality and
good will within their hearts.
Apart, there is so much to see and
pebbles and sand altogether. This
provides a setting of enchanting
beauty for wildlife treasure, and a
source of income for local fisher-
men, who have taken the Hima as
their home for thousands of years,
and are always spotted making their
way into the water to collect fish
either for consumption by their
families or for sale in the local
market of Tyre, displaying a hardy
character that they are able to cope
with the difficult fishing conditions.
Gazing from the shoreline for about a
few kilometers, a peppering of Tyre’s
historical marks could be seen,
arranged in a decorative pattern
presenting a remarkably smooth
center face to the Hima. These were
what the Roman left when they had
once pre-occupied this area.
Climbing up the tower, eyes open
onto a viewing platform from
where one could look out towards
the village hills and across the
rugged picturesque blend of the sea
plain supinely mingling with the
green mangrove and stretching
away into the hazy distance, the
scene which is the most attractive
feature of the Hima that could be
seen from the tower.
Protecting the MarineEnvironmentAs far as can be ascertained, this
124
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nrettap evitaroced a niylbakramer a gnitneserp
ot ecaf retnec htooms.amiH eht
125
Eco-Tourism
do in Qoleileh to experience the
delights on offer. The marine
Hima has exciting potential nature
tours such as swimming, bird
watching, camping and other
nature-based pursuits for the
adventurous, who will get the
chance to explore the clarity of
the historic connection between
the village and the sea.
Visitors get to congregate by the
Hima to enjoy nature with the
locals and awaken their awareness
to the area’s rich cultural heritage,
which is very heartening indeed.
Visitors even get to try locally
made food treasures, whose exqui-
site quality is a testament to the
«Perhaps, it is in Qoleileh MarineHima that I have learned toappreciate the beauty and diversityof the sea and its maritime resources,and to make a long story short, thatis why it comes that I am pleased tobe its Site Manager for three yearsnow. Yet, several parties have beeninstrumental in allowing QoleilehMarine Hima to come to life.Accordingly, and on behalf ofSPNL, I would like to express ourgratitude to all those who gave usthe possibility to materialize thisproject. I want to thank BirdLifeInternational, Care International,Euronatur, Jensen Foundation, TheSwiss Agency for Development andCooperation (SDC), The WorldConservation Union (IUCN), andThe World Wildlife Fund (WWF),all of whom have contributedsignificantly in developing thisHima. Qoleileh’s municipality andits local community are as well to bethanked for their facilitation of allthe activities under the project of theHima. Additionally, I would like tothank World Environment TVMagazine for giving those whohaven’t heard of Qoleileh MarineHima the chance of visiting it inwords and pictures. »
Tala Al-Khatib
skills of the local women of Qoleileh
village. Visitors will also be filled with
a sense of awe as the sun creeps
into the deep blue sea, when the
sight and sound of the sea make a
fascinating evening stroll.
Heading back to Beirut and refer-
ring to the very well-known motto
“please take only pictures and leave
only footprints”, one can not but
think about the motto once more.
Having certainly taken lots of pic-
tures, one fully intends to return very
soon to leave still more footprints in
those yet to be further explored
areas of this wonderful Marine Hi-
ma, where humans can make no
exception to the rules of nature.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
MAGAZINE |
126
FUTURE INAUGURATION OFLYBIA’S NEW MUSEUMAn Unforgettable Voyage into Ancient and Moderntimes. A journey into Libya’s Environment.
Libya's new modern and open image. Allocated in the
actual People’s Palace, the museum was built buy the
Italians between 1924 and 1939. The project was origi-
nally designed, in a neo-mauresc style by the Milanese
By Piercarlo CRACHI
On September, 1st 2009 and on the occasion
of the fortieth anniversary of the Libyan
revolution; the “Museum of Libya” will be
inaugurated. This museum will be a reflection of
New technologies areused to reproduce the environment virtually giving a tridimensional vision and certainsense of reality to thevisitor.
Eco-Tourism
127
Engineer Saul Meraviglia Mante-
gazza but was then executed in
a more classical Arabic architec-
ture. All the characteristics of this
architecture are present: domes,
wooden decorations, arcades,
loggias, a big central court with its
fountain covered by polychrome
glass, and a large surrounding
garden.
An Interactive Approach:The concept of the museum is
rather a new modern interactive
approach than a traditional way
of conceiving a museum. Based
on the “Edutainment” concept
(education and entertainment);
this new technology uses many
different tools to guide the visitor
in an unforgettable journey in
modern and ancient times. The
Museum offers a wide panoramic
view of Libya’s diverse environ-
mental aspects creating a path
which involves the five senses
of the human being: A 360
degrees experience, inside the
travel of knowledge.
To enrich the traditional visual
experiences; and while the sight
remains the more used sense with
modern and antique sculptures,
paints and texts explaining the
masterpieces exhibited; the five
senses “sight, touch, hearing,
taste and smell” are solicited in
many different ways during the
visit to the museum. �
128
Thematic Areas: The museum is divided in six
thematic areas presenting a wide
vision of what was Libya’s history
and what is Libya nowadays. A
beautiful country characterized by
its rich heritage and traditions.
The areas divided according to
themes are split among different
rooms and floors.
The archeological rooms on the
ground floor are dedicated to
prehistoric sites such as L'Akakus as
well as to the most important
Archaeological Roman sites of
Sabbratha, Leptis Magna and Cirene.
Inside these rooms are exposed
rare and of incredible beauty archaeo-
logical master pieces representing
essentially that historical period
giving the visitor a logical se-
quence of historical events. The
visitor finds himself physically
crossing a wall made of words and
ideograms that take the viewer
back to the past and into the present
throughout the Libyan culture,
traditions and environment.
Rooms dedicated to the desert, to
traditions, arts and antiques, modern
Arab architecture, technological
innovations, the revolution of 1969,
the Green Book, music, leisure,
modern art pieces expressing the
desert, the sea and the capital are all
located on the first floor.
The big central court has been
conceived in a way which makes it
possible to organize shows and
exhibits. At the center of this court
hangs a big cube made of mirrors.
On each facade are projected black
and white and colored pictures
with a high iconological meaning.
Different movies and virtual repro-
ductions linked to each area’s
theme are projected in all rooms.
Through the tridimensional holo-
gram projection representing the
fog screen with mist water, or the
Helios display (gas and elios), the
visitor is able to see, feel, and touch
(touch screen); the fog, the mist and
the gas.
The hearing is solicited with the use
of “ringing bells” located inside each
room. The viewer attracted by the
sound hears the comments by
standing under each bell, becoming
during this moment the only person
to enjoy the interactive moment.
All These technologies are used to
reproduce the environment virtually
giving a tridimensional vision and
certain sense of reality to the visitor.
These truly interactive tools make
it possible to the visitor to recons-
truct virtual environments such as
archaeological sites.
The museum is divided in six thematic areas presenting a wide visionof what was Libya’s history and what isLibya nowadays.
WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Architecture
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WORLD ENVIRONMENT
Architecture
130
Technical information:� Project and direction of works:
Studio Crachi- Roma
� General Contractor:Aldebaj – Tripoli – Libyan
� Ordered by:The Libyan Government
� Execution:Soc. Delma- Gruppo Maltauro,
Italy- Lybia
An Unforgettable Experience:But above all the most unforgettable
experience will remain the smell of
the Libyan nature which is speed up
through a nebula of aromas and
typical essences from specific
geographic areas. Throughout this
journey; not only, one can smell the
green tea or the odor of the sea, but
one can also smell the spices used
in the typical Libyan cuisine. The
smell of; a large variety of citrus
fruits, the majestic cedar trees, the
magnificent palm trees, the date
fruits, and the aroma of the jas-
mine flower are all an invitation to
discover more about the wide, yet
still unknown Libyan biodiversity.
�
