ESG Radio Newsletter 26^th April 2018  

Key Words:  Zero Waste Target  CUTW 2018    Plastic Pledge   15% Drop in CO2 emissions    Ship Emissions and NABU       The Bay

We start todays newsletter by providing an update on Clean up preparations for this years campaign. Our Zero Waste target mentioned in our last newsletter on running the Campaign itself is a challenge but one that we believe we can rise to and are working hard at present to achieve. Since we announced our new vision we have secured funding for a number of items helping bring our plans to reality. An outreach programme is now underway to discuss the new plans with our Clean up Volunteer teams and partners and the response we are getting is very encouraging indeed.

Also in today’s UK press we hear about how over 40 companies have signed up to a Plastic Pledge to take immediate, short and long term action regarding not only packaging, but single use plastics. The ESG has long called for the critical issue of packaging to be tackled at source, ie manufacture, because it is an essential part of global trade and the transporting of goods over distance. BUT! This packaging must be produced from harmless, biodegradable, or at worst fully recyclable materials – all of which makes complete sense and is the way forward. While this campaign has started in the UK it is attracting international support which is excellent news. We must mention and recognise local efforts to tackle single use plastic waste with main supermarkets, Nautilus Project and several companies getting increasingly behind this hot issue. Government support and engagement is also playing an important role and we will be doing our bit under our flagship Clean up Campaign to highlight litter issues and encourage the reduce reuse recycle message as we have done since 2005.

Plans for workshops; presentations and fundraisers will be released very soon.

On pollution it is good news indeed that through efficiency and conservation of energy measures from Gibraltar’s land based energy use there has been a reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 15% over the past 3 years. This can only improve with the greater harness of renewable energy measures and we follow this with much interest. Well done to all!

There is no doubt that Ship emissions affect our local environment and we are currently researching all factors regarding regional, European and international regulations on emissions to better understand what possible improvements could come our way from future changes. Locally we continue to call for best practice and technologies to be used that will require a combination of regulation, infrastructure changes and also on companies investing more in reducing environmental impacts.

We also wanted to refer to the recent air sampling carried out by a German NGO, to record a snapshot of emissions from a departing liner leaving Gibraltar. We have contacted NABU and are presently waiting for their reply. In sharing with them our Objectives we hope to highlight our longstanding efforts to tackle pollution both locally and regionally, in fact even carrying out spot sampling ourselves throughout the Bay. We also expressed interest in their Med wide study on shipping emissions and enquired whether CEPSA Oil Refinery and Algeciras Port were included in similar spot checks as their environmental impacts are major given the nature of their industry and scale of operation.

We now wait for news from NABU.

Visit our website at: esg-gib.net for all our press releases on topical issues.

ESG Press Release re GibDock impacts

Key Words:  GibDock Impacts    Onshore Power Connection and Conversion   Paint Overspray and Daytime working hours

ESG is concerned that despite the Govt statement issued in February 2018 of its aims to reduce GibDock impacts, citizens continue to experience noise and air pollution from the Dockyard area. Apart from the onshore connection and conversion provision that will be set up with the new LNG Power Station, control of works to daytime hours and paint over spray were two further issues that were also going to be addressed.

The ESG calls upon Government to publish its intentions on how these environmental impacts will be contained and over what period of time, to at least inform the community, and those most impacted in particular, of the length of time present conditions must be tolerated. As achieved with the closure, or mothballing, of the two highly polluting stations, people are right to expect a step plan on how Govt will help deliver a pollution freer south district for all residents.

ESG Press Release

NABU Air Sampling on the Rock

The ESG recognises the issues flagged up by NABU members on the Rock on high pollution levels near the port area but is surprised there was no contact made with the group prior to their visit on the Rock. Had they done so they would have realised that we have been campaigning and fighting for a pollution free Bay for close to two decades. The ESG has targeted local and regional sources of pollution with the CEPSA Oil Refinery forming a major part of its work in the early years.

Shipping emissions are also of concern to the ESG who has for some time now been advocating for onshore power connection for berthed vessels throughout the Port area also calling for best practice in vessels anchoring off Gibraltar to minimise emissions at anchor. We have also called for real-time monitoring to be set up in the NW region of Gibraltar to better understand the impacts from shipping and other activity with appropriate actions to then follow.

Details on all the groups concerns can be found on its website under List of Objectives. (See extract on Pollution below)

What is clear however, is that as NABU has been carrying out a Mediterranean wide study on coastal emissions from shipping they should have taken similar snapshot samples at each hotspot throughout the Bay especially the Algeciras Port and CEPSA Terminal and then release pollution data, in order to portray similar impacts from shipping activity of all types in the Bay area.

The ESG will be contacting NABU scientists and will also share with them its concerns about the serious environmental problems of the area in the hope that they will look at the Bay situation holistically and take all factors into account.

“Extract from ESG List of Objectives 2017 available at www.esg-gib.net ”

4. POLLUTION – There are many areas we follow regarding air and noise pollution matters in Gibraltar and Bay area. As indicators the following represent most of the areas and issues in question:

a. Real time air monitor for NW district

b. Mobile air pollution monitor

c. Onshore Power Supply (connection and conversion)- coming on stream –ESG following closely especially for Dockyard/Port and Extension Jetty facilities

d. Ships at anchor – best practice to be applied by all visiting vessels to keep funnel emissions to a minimum

e. Vapour recovery technology from shipping to eliminate fugitive fumes

f.  Best practice and available technology

g. Road idling –rules regarding unnecessary idling of engines by all road vehicles need to be enforce

h. Airport air and noise impacts

i. Border issues including traffic

j. Fuel Stations relocation once runway road open   
                More details on request and in other sections in Document

ESG Radio Newsletter 

Key words:          CUTW 29th September   Zero Waste Campaign     Cepsa Oil Refinery Expansion   Traffic & Transport  

                                 Noise & Air Pollution in South District    DPC    New Harbour Rooftop Renewable Energy programme

Hi there. Some updates coming up in our key campaigns and we also look at some local and regional environmental issues, of concern to our members and the wider public.

To start with we can report that preparations for this years CUTW are going extremely well especially networking with partners and equipment preparations. We shall be contacting team leaders very soon to brief them on 2018 plans and aims. With early bird planning, preparations for an impacting parade, exhibition and activities leading up to the Clean up should help us achieve more of our goals. This years date for the main event is the 29^th September. The media is awash with the blight of plastic in the natural environment – indeed one of the key motivators for our clean ups when we started back in 2005.

Each year we have become less reliant on single use items ourselves and 2018 will see us improve our own impact further. We are aiming for a Zero Waste Campaign applying reusable tools, systems and equipment and eliminating the plastics use as much as we can. Our volunteers are producing hardwearing equipment sacks, which are very impressive. We are calling upon the community to help by donating strong buckets and we shall also be sourcing these second hand as much as possible. However this will be a key component in replacing single use bin bags and so we are also looking for sponsors to ensure we have a good number in place to equip our hundreds of volunteers. Please contact us on 200-48996 or drop in on a Tuesday with your bucket donation to our premises in Wellington Front, Vault number 12! Thanks to all once again.

In other news we are concerned about expansion plans at CEPSA Oil Refinery in the Spanish press given that any increase in production will result in an increase in localised pollution. This particular expansion relates to a section of the plant that lies a mere stone throw away from an already heavily impacted Puente Mayorga area. No doubt residents will be objecting to this proposal despite the, albeit temporary, 250 jobs created in the construction phase. We shall be sharing our concerns over the proposed expansion in Brussels given the need for the company to instead invest in reducing its toxic environmental impacts.

The ESG is monitoring traffic and transport issues, which affect Gibraltar and are currently looking at emissions and idling in private sector vehicle fleets. We shall be releasing more details on this soon. We continue to receive complaints about noise and air pollution affecting south district residents from GibDock and nearby bunkering vessels and are following up on these as usual.

A note for your diary is the Development and Planning Commission will next sit on the 25^th April. Be sure to check the agenda items a week before on the Town Planning website for details of what is coming up and you can also check all validated applications that will be seeking approval at some stage on egov.gi.

We would like to finish on a positive note and have seen works going on at New Harbours rooftops. We hear these are in preparation for a large solar project. This is great news and a measure we have been calling for, for some time. Hope Government releases more details soon.               Visit out website esg-gib.net for all our press releases and more.