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Climate Action
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Eastern Europe, Caucasus
and Central Asia
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Climate
change, coupled with the legacy of the outdated
Soviet irrigation system, has led to a water
scarcity crisis in Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley,
endangering the survival of its population,
particularly women farmers who oversee 21% of
the valley's farms. Rising temperatures are
causing glaciers that feed critical rivers in
the region to recede rapidly, intensifying the
water crisis, and increasing the risk of climate
refugees in the area, highlighting the urgent
need for global attention and action, as
emphasized in the #WorldWeWant campaign by CAN
EECCA.
Moldova's
attempt to establish a carbon pricing scheme in
line with EU climate laws is complicated by its
breakaway region, Transnistria, a major exporter
of iron and steel to the EU. The EU's Carbon
Border Adjustment Measure (CBAM) could result in
job losses and reduced wages in Moldova, but the
challenge lies in implementing complex carbon
pricing policies in Transnistria, which does not
recognize Moldova's government. Moldova may have
to exclude Transnistria temporarily from its
carbon pricing scheme to meet CBAM requirements,
with long-term cooperation needed for continued
exports to the EU.
Central
Asian cities are experiencing severe air
pollution, with annual PM2.5 concentrations up
to ten times higher than safety limits,
according to a study. The research analyzed
PM2.5 levels and meteorological factors in six
major Central Asian cities, revealing a clear
seasonal pattern of pollution, with winter peaks
in Almaty, Bishkek, and Astana, and pollution in
both summer and winter in Tashkent and Dushanbe.
The primary source of PM2.5 pollution in most
cities was found to be coal combustion,
highlighting the need for policymakers to
address coal use to mitigate air pollution and
improve public health in the region.
Arctic
countries, including the United States, Canada,
Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Sweden,
have suspended cooperation with Russia in the
region since the start of the invasion of
Ukraine, and Russia itself has withdrawn from
the Barents/Euro-Arctic Council. This chaotic
policy could threaten the global community's
efforts to combat climate change and raise
tensions in the Arctic region, which is
strategically important to Russia because of its
rich oil and gas resources and the Northern Sea
Route, although there are doubts about its
long-term sustainability due to high costs and
global trends in renewable energy
development.
The
United States plans to increase security funding
and cooperation with Central Asia by starting a
dialog with the five countries in the region on
mining and energy security. U.S. President Joe
Biden met with the leaders of Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan at the first C5+1 summit and
emphasized the importance of developing
cooperation with the region, which finds itself
between Russia and China, and announced his
intention to create a business platform for U.S.
investment in Central Asian
economies.
Ukrainian
communities, along with 50 local governments,
have sent a joint letter to the United States
government expressing gratitude for humanitarian
support, including diesel generators, provided
to Ukraine. However, they emphasize the
importance of including renewable energy
technologies in such assistance. While the
generators have helped during power outages,
renewable energy solutions are seen as a
long-term strategy to enhance energy
independence, reduce environmental impact, and
support critical facilities like hospitals,
schools, and water supply systems in the
country
Civic
groups Gavigudet and EcoCentre in Rustavi,
Georgia, are collaborating to combat pollution
and enhance living conditions in their city.
They are actively monitoring pollution levels
from the local industrial zone, advocating for
emissions reduction measures, and have
successfully encouraged 13 out of 15 factories
in Rustavi to install air filters and
self-monitoring systems. Their efforts have even
influenced the Ministry of Environmental
Protection's evaluation of air improvement plans
for the city, demonstrating their commitment to
a cleaner and healthier environment for
Rustavi's residents.
As
part of the next reactor overhaul at the
Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), 25% of
the fuel assemblies (TVELs) will also be
replaced. Spent nuclear fuel will be transferred
to a holding pool inside the reactor building,
while fresh nuclear fuel has already been
delivered and is ready to be loaded. As part of
the repair, extensive diagnostics of
technological systems and control of metal and
welded joints will also be carried out. The work
will be carried out jointly by Belarusian and
Russian organizations, with the Belarusian
organizations aiming for full maintenance of
BelNPP in the future.
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The
devastating flooding in the eastern Libyan city
of Derna, which claimed over 11,000 lives and
displaced 30,000 people, has prompted an
outpouring of support and unity among Libyans,
transcending political divides that have plagued
the country for years. Zahra el-Gerbi, a
clinical nutritionist from Benghazi, initiated
an online fundraiser to aid those affected by
the floods, receiving immediate support from
friends and strangers alike. Despite political
differences between the eastern and western
administrations, the disaster has led to rare
instances of cooperation, emphasizing the
collective grief and willingness to help among
the Libyan people.
Global
climate protests, part of the "Global Fight to
End Fossil Fuels" movement, are set to take
place in hundreds of cities worldwide from
September 15th to 17th. Tens of thousands of
climate activists, including those from Greta
Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement, are
demanding an end to the burning of fossil fuels
as the planet experiences severe weather
extremes and record-breaking heat. These
protests are occurring in the lead-up to the
United Nations Secretary General’s Climate
Ambition Summit, with participants urging urgent
action to address climate change and curb
warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius as outlined in
the Paris Agreement.
Adnan
Amin, the CEO and number two official at the
upcoming COP28 conference in Dubai, is aiming
for a "course correction" in climate
negotiations but acknowledges that a complete
phase-out of fossil fuels is unlikely. Instead,
he suggests that a "phase down of fossil fuels
is inevitable." Amin emphasizes the importance
of including fossil fuel interests in the
negotiations, noting the desire of some African
countries to use fossil fuels for development,
while also striving to increase financial aid
for developing nations, decarbonize energy
systems, and involve more groups, including
youth, in the negotiations.
The
fast fashion industry, despite the wake-up call
from the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013,
continues to produce over 100 billion clothes
annually, mostly from oil-based polyester, often
in hazardous conditions. This massive
overproduction of clothing not only contributes
significantly to climate change and plastic
pollution but also fuels conflicts, such as
Russia's war in Ukraine, through the demand for
polyester made from fossil fuels. The use of
synthetic fabrics, like polyester, creates
long-lasting environmental problems, as they do
not easily break down and release microplastics
into the environment, impacting both ecosystems
and human health.
The
power sector generates the electricity that
sustains modern life -- but it's also the number
one contributor to climate change. We need a
swift and equitable shift to renewable energy,
says 2023 Audacious Project grantee and
ReNew2030 executive director Rebecca Collyer. In
conversation with TED's David Biello, she
introduces a new coalition of governments,
businesses and communities that aims to
drastically scale wind and solar capacity in the
30 highest-emitting countries. Learn more about
their plan -- and why Collyer has hope for a
greener, more equitable future. (This ambitious
idea is part of the Audacious Project, TED's
initiative to inspire and fund global
change.)
A
study conducted by researchers from Cornell
University and Microsoft suggests that working
from home full-time can reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by 54% compared to working in an
office. However, working from home one day a
week only resulted in a 2% reduction in
emissions due to factors such as increased
non-commuting travel and home energy use on
remote days. The study highlights the potential
environmental benefits of full-time remote work
but also emphasizes the importance of
considering commuting patterns, building energy
consumption, and other factors to fully realize
these benefits.
French
entrepreneur Adrien Lelièvre has developed the
Pi-Pop e-bike, which uses supercapacitors
instead of traditional lithium batteries for
energy storage. The supercapacitors charge when
the rider pedals or brakes, quickly releasing
energy when needed, making it suitable for
various terrains and ideal for urban commuting.
Lelièvre's design prioritizes sustainability,
avoiding the use of rare-earth materials and
offering a longer lifespan compared to lithium
batteries, and he plans to expand the production
and market reach of these innovative e-bikes in
the future.
The
Brazilian Supreme Court has rejected the "Marco
Temporal" loophole, which could have undermined
Indigenous Peoples' land rights by requiring
proof of occupation since Brazil's 1988
constitution. This victory for Indigenous
Peoples and civil society is crucial for
protecting the Amazon and combating the global
climate and biodiversity crisis, as Indigenous
Territories play a vital role in safeguarding
the rainforest. However, conservative lawmakers
in Brazil are attempting to introduce a similar
bill in the Senate, which not only threatens
Indigenous land rights but also opens up
Indigenous Territories to destructive industries
like mining, posing a grave threat to both the
environment and Indigenous
livelihoods.
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Sent: Tuesday, September
26, 2023 3:56 PM
Subject: 🌏CAN EECCA
Newsletter: Week of climate actions, Lybia floods and new #WorldWeWant
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