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Climate Action
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Eastern Europe, the
Caucasus, and Central Asia
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Regional Climate and
Energy News
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CAN
EECCA has joined the Global Week of Action from
September 13-20, 2024, to advocate for phasing
out fossil fuels and increasing climate finance.
This initiative aligns with key global events
such as the UN Summit of the Future and the UN
General Assembly, with the goal of holding
governments accountable for reducing their
dependence on fossil fuels. CAN EECCA calls on
regional governments, many of which heavily
subsidize fossil fuels, to commit to renewable
energy, redirect public funds away from fossil
fuels and nuclear energy, and avoid greenwashing
as part of a collective effort to limit global
warming and ensure climate
justice.
Plans to build a
nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan face criticism
from experts, activists, and local residents due
to significant economic and environmental risks,
including potential cost overruns and threats to
Lake Balkhash. Concerns are also raised over the
involvement of foreign companies, seen as
creating an "enclave" of another country within
Kazakhstan. Experts advocate for exploring
alternatives like renewable energy sources,
which could be developed more quickly and
cost-effectively.
In
April 2024, Moldova adopted a groundbreaking
climate law, committing to net-zero emissions by
2050 and aiming for a 70% reduction by 2030. The
law aligns Moldova with EU standards,
particularly the Green Deal, and reflects the
country's ambition for deeper integration with
the EU. Georgia and Ukraine are following
Moldova's lead, drafting similar laws to
strengthen their climate actions and advance
toward EU membership.
Vladimir Slivyak,
co-chair of the environmental group
"Ecodefense!", discusses Rosatom's plans to
build 34 new reactors, many of which rely on
outdated designs that have never been used
before. These plans are controversial due to
their high costs, lack of operational experience
with these reactor types, and the increased risk
of accidents. Slivyak also notes that by 2042,
Rosatom will need to decommission more than half
of its existing reactors, potentially leaving
insufficient funds for new
construction.
Dmitry Kalmykov,
founder of the Karaganda EcoMuseum, discusses
the region's pressing environmental challenges,
including pollution from the coal industry and
the legacy of the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear
Test Site. He underscores the close ties between
politics and environmental protection,
emphasizing the need for civil society's active
participation in tackling ecological issues. The
EcoMuseum plays a vital role in raising
awareness of local environmental threats and
promoting sustainable solutions for the
region.
A
regional conference, "Climate Change Education
in Central Asia: Think and Act, Creating the
Future," was held in Almaty, organized by the
Kazakhstani think tank CAPS Unlock. The event
highlighted UNESCO's call to make environmental
education mandatory in all schools globally by
2025 to better equip young people to confront
the climate crisis. Despite the active
development of civil society initiatives in
Central Asia, a significant gap remains between
governmental goals and
capabilities.
Pine forests in Belarus
are being severely affected by the spruce bark
beetle, whose spread and heightened
aggressiveness are linked to rising
temperatures. The share of pine forests in the
country has dropped from 58% to 48%, with these
forests gradually shifting from the south to the
north of Belarus. Scientists are working on a
biopreparation to control the beetle population,
with testing scheduled for
2025.
The
Komi Republic, abundant in oil, forests, and
coal, is grappling with serious environmental
issues caused by outdated infrastructure and
insufficient regulation. In 1994, the region
suffered one of the worst environmental
disasters in modern Russia when several hundred
thousand tons of oil spilled. Despite efforts by
activists and local communities, these problems
continue as extraction companies frequently
prioritize minimal investments in social
projects over genuine environmental protection
measures.
Despite the growing
number of women in leadership positions in
Uzbekistan, environmental management remains
heavily male-dominated, as shown by the
dismissal of Ruzigul Safarova, the only female
head of a regional environmental department.
Safarova, recognized for her bold and effective
measures to combat environmental degradation,
was forced to resign despite 35 years of
dedicated service. Her removal underscores the
persistent challenges faced by women leaders in
traditionally male-dominated sectors like
environmental protection.
Russia has announced it
will not contribute to the international fund
established to compensate developing countries
for the damages caused by climate change,
despite being the fourth-largest emitter of
greenhouse gases globally. This decision follows
a proposal from the EU suggesting that major
emitters, including Russia, should help finance
the fund, which will be discussed at the
upcoming COP29 climate summit. Experts note that
Russia's stance reflects a consistent reluctance
to commit to climate financing, opting instead
to propose funding from its frozen national
reserves.
Construction of
Kyrgyzstan's first 100 MW wind farm has begun in
the Issyk-Kul region, led by the Russian company
Rosatom Renewable Energy with a budget of $120
million. The wind farm is expected to be
operational by 2026, generating 280 GWh of
electricity per year. Once completed, the new
roads built for the project will be accessible
to local residents, and the site will also be
available for agricultural and livestock
use.
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World Climate and Energy
News
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Civil society leaders
are urging the Global North to provide $5
trillion annually to the Global South to address
the climate crisis, with the new global
goal on climate finance (NCQG) set to be a
central topic of discussion at the upcoming UN
COP29 negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Representatives from trade unions, indigenous
organizations, environmental groups, youth, and
women’s and gender groups will speak at a press
conference to highlight the need for climate
finance and a just energy transition. The event,
part of a broader global mobilization during
Climate Week NYC and other international
summits, calls on wealthy countries to
compensate for the climate damage
disproportionately affecting the Global
South.
Wind and solar energy
have reached record highs in the EU, generating
half of the bloc's electricity in the first half
of 2024, surpassing fossil fuels for the first
time. The European Commission's latest report
shows wind power has overtaken gas as the
second-largest electricity source after nuclear,
and solar energy installations reached a new
peak in 2023. While the EU is well-positioned to
meet its climate neutrality goals, challenges
remain, including energy efficiency, an ambition
gap in renewable targets, and the need for
updated climate plans from member
states.
French economist Thomas
Piketty, in his new book, argues that addressing
inequality is crucial to combating climate
change, as the wealthiest individuals and
countries are the biggest contributors to
greenhouse gas emissions. He suggests that just
as countries in the 20th century expanded access
to health care and education outside of
capitalist frameworks, a similar shift is
necessary to tackle climate change effectively.
Piketty believes that reducing inequality and
moving certain sectors away from profit-driven
motives can drive the global changes needed to
preserve the planet's habitability.
The
Hague has become the first city in the world to
pass a law banning advertisements for fossil
fuel products and high-carbon services,
including petrol, diesel, aviation, and cruise
ships, effective from next year. This legally
binding legislation aims to reduce the promotion
of unsustainable behavior and follows a call by
the UN for such bans, similar to those against
tobacco advertising. The move is expected to
inspire other cities to adopt similar
measures.
Wine and wasabi
producers in the UK are struggling with
increasingly unpredictable weather patterns,
marked by both hotter and wetter conditions.
Winemakers Karen and Simon Priestman face
challenges like downy mildew during wet years,
while Jon Old, who grows wasabi, finds that
rising temperatures threaten his crop's growth.
As climate conditions fluctuate, both wine and
wasabi growers are finding it harder to maintain
consistent production.
Brazil is urging the
European Union to delay implementing its new
deforestation law, which could affect up to
one-third of Brazil’s exports to the EU,
including soy, beef, coffee, and other products.
The EU law, set to take effect at the end of
2024, aims to prevent imports linked to
deforestation but faces opposition from Brazil,
which considers it a “unilateral and punitive
instrument.” While the EU remains committed to
the law, officials are considering a possible
delay or simplification in response to the
concerns raised by Brazil and other trading
partners.
Italy's largest fossil
fuel company, Eni, has been issuing
"green-labelled" bonds that allow it to continue
funding carbon-emitting activities, raising
concerns about greenwashing. These
"Sustainability-Linked Bonds" are marketed as
supporting climate goals but are not required to
fund specific environmental projects, and may
instead finance fossil fuel operations. Critics
argue that Eni's strategy undermines the goals
of the energy transition, with many investors
unknowingly supporting activities that
exacerbate the climate crisis.
A
new report reveals that human activity is now
responsible for two-thirds of global methane
emissions, reaching their highest concentration
in 800,000 years, with agriculture—particularly
livestock and rice paddies—accounting for 40% of
these emissions. Despite international pledges
to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030,
emissions have continued to rise, especially in
China, southern Asia, and the Middle East. The
study warns that without significant action,
these trends could increase global temperatures
by more than 3°C above pre-industrial levels by
the end of the century, jeopardizing climate
goals.
A
new study published in iScience reveals that
soil pollution, particularly from pesticides and
heavy metals, is the leading cause of declines
in underground biodiversity, surpassing the
impacts of climate change and land use changes.
This finding has surprised scientists, who
expected other factors like climate change to be
more significant, and highlights the need for
further research into soil pollution's broader
effects. The study emphasizes that much is still
unknown about life below the surface, calling
for a greater focus on soil biodiversity and the
impacts of various pollutants, including
microplastics and persistent
chemicals.
A
new study surveyed 211 IPCC authors to explore
their views on future climate outcomes. Most
authors are skeptical that global warming will
be limited to the Paris Agreement target of well
below 2°C, but they are more optimistic about
achieving net zero CO2 emissions in the second
half of this century. The study also found a
strong correlation between personal beliefs and
perceived peer beliefs, indicating that
individual views are often mistakenly assumed to
represent the community average.
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Climate and Energy
Opportunities
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On
September 18, 2024, at 10:00 AM Astana time, an
online panel discussion titled "Does Kazakhstan
Need Nuclear Energy?" will be hosted by the "AES
Kerek Emes" platform and the "Energy Transition"
Public Foundation, featuring environmental
groups, public organizations, and expert
speakers. The event will be broadcast in Russian
with simultaneous translation into Kazakh. The
discussion will cover topics such as the role of
nuclear energy in politics and its place in the
future of the energy transition.
Online registration for
the Third Central Asian Air Quality Conference
(AQCA) 2024, scheduled for September 19-20 in
Almaty, Kazakhstan, closes on September 18. The
conference will gather representatives from
government bodies, international organizations,
experts, and activists to discuss air quality
and dust storm issues in the context of climate
change. The event is organized by the
Association of Practicing Ecologists of
Kazakhstan, MoveGreen (Kyrgyzstan), and the
Youth Environmental Group (Tajikistan), in
partnership with UNEP.
The
Eastern Partnership Civil Society Facility,
funded by the EU, in collaboration with CAN
EECCA, is organizing a series of webinars for
civil society organizations (CSOs) to engage
with the upcoming COP29 climate conference in
Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024. These
sessions will offer key insights into climate
policy, finance, and strategies for effective
engagement. Open to both local and international
CSOs, the first webinar took place on September
16, with the next sessions scheduled for
September 18 ("How Can Local Civil Society
Engage with COP29") and September 20
("Understanding Climate Finance"). Participants
should register in advance.
The
Tashkent Creative MOC Hub, in collaboration with
the British Council and Black Mountain College,
has developed a 20-week online course on climate
change adaptation for the creative industries.
The course will cover the causes of climate
change, how to identify its impacts, and explore
the role of art in addressing environmental
challenges. It will be conducted in English and
will start on October 7.
UNESCO invites children
and youth from nine countries, including
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, to join the 2024 Youth
Innovation Contest, which focuses on addressing
global challenges like climate change,
biodiversity loss, and sustainable living.
Participants can submit their creative
works—ranging from paintings and stories to
poems and research essays — by September 30,
highlighting themes such as marine and
terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable cities, and
climate action. Winners will be honored with
various awards, including the opportunity to
attend the closing ceremony in China, with their
projects potentially showcased on international
platforms.
The
IRENA Youth Forum: The New Generation of
Decision Makers will take place from 9-13
January 2025 in Abu Dhabi, alongside the 15th
IRENA Assembly. This event will connect young
people with global leaders, government
representatives, and experts to contribute to
accelerating the deployment of renewable energy
and achieving climate and sustainable
development goals. Interested youth aged 16 to
35 can apply for participation by 24 September
2024, with full sponsorship available for up to
35 selected participants.
The
Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) will host
International Youth Climate Adaptation Day on
October 12, 2024, the largest annual event of
its kind, bringing together young people from
over 100 countries. This day is dedicated to
mobilizing, showcasing, and celebrating the
potential of youth in developing and
accelerating climate adaptation solutions. Young
people worldwide are encouraged to participate
in various activities, including the "My
Adaptation Solution" video competition and
organizing Youth Climate Adaptation Lighthouse
Events.
The
UNFCCC secretariat invites media organizations
to apply for workspace and facilities to cover
the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) taking
place from November 11-22, 2024, in Baku,
Azerbaijan. Media attendance is welcomed at
local, regional, and international levels;
however, due to limited facilities, approvals
will be granted based on applications submitted
online by the October 14, 2024, deadline. Media
accreditation began on June 2 and is currently
open.
YPP
recruits global talent with diverse backgrounds
and technical skills to work across the World
Bank and World Bank Group, with the goal of
tackling development challenges and advancing
its mission. The program offers a competitive,
five-year contract with opportunities for
learning, growth, and rotational assignments,
and is open to candidates born on or after
October 1, 1992, with a master’s degree or
equivalent, and at least four years of relevant
experience. Applications close on September 30,
2024, and selected candidates must be ready to
start full-time employment on September 8,
2025.
The
Global Greengrants Fund Small Grants Program is
still accepting project proposals from public
environmental organizations and initiative
groups in Central Asia, with a focus on projects
related to environmental justice, climate change
adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and other
environmental initiatives. There are three types
of grants available: in-country project grants,
regional project grants, and travel grants.
Applications will be accepted until October 1,
2024.
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Sent: Tuesday, September
17, 2024 11:46 PM
Subject: CAN EECCA
Newsletter: UPDATED | Moldova’s Groundbreaking Climate Law, Nuclear
Delusions in Kazakhstan and Russia, and Lots of Opportunities to
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