Key words: CUTW 2018 update World Environment Day Bathing Water Data DPC Wildflowers Various Projects
Since our last newsletter the ESG has been busy pushing forward with its usual focus on local and regional environmental issues, works at our new premises, and setting up all provision for the Clean up Event in September. This last project is set to change this year with our Zero Waste target to reduce the amount of single use plastic we actually use when clearing up litter in the natural environment. Progress is being made and we are getting great support from the community at every level and are confident we can achieve this target.
The date for our awareness parade and clean up event is the 29th September. This will be our 14th year running – we already have volunteers signing up and we invite you to contact us to register at: esg@gibtelecom.net. Long-term partners will be contacted before the end of May and planning sessions for July and August will be published soon.
World Environment Day is coming up on the 5th June at the Commonwealth Park. This event is organised by the Dept. of Environment and involves many local NGOs and schools. With our schools developing their own, and growing, year round environmental programmes, the 5th June will no doubt be a great event reflecting this successful effort. The ESG will be supporting World Environment Day with our own stall aimed at sharing our interests and promoting our group’s key messages. Hope you will find time to pop round on the 5th – it is being run the whole day, from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
With the weather picking up more and more of us are heading to our shores to cool down and a timely reminder therefore to check the bathing water monitoring site where you can find data on past and current water quality at your beach of choice. While in the main most Gibraltar beaches are in good health, the one that has been highly problematic for the past 8 years has been Western Beach and records show that during 2018 winter months, and rainfall conditions, sewage contamination persists. Therefore it is useful to check available data and also to avoid the area during any rainfall. No final solution has yet been achieved despite NGO and Govt action and indeed EU legal action proceedings started against Spain on this. The ESG hopes that with the progress on cross border business cooperation currently underway due to Brexit matters that this issue will be also given necessary attention.
For bathing water data simply search for: environmental-agency.gi, go to monitoring and click on bathing water.
DPC – that’s the Development and Planning Commission- meet for their monthly session on the 23rd May as from 9.30am at the John Mackintosh Hall, Charles Hunt Room. These meetings are open to the public and you can find the agenda on the DPC Town Planning Website.
It continues to be a walker and birders season at present with an explosion of wildflowers everywhere and birds gracing our skies. The heavy and persistent rains have transformed many of our nature spots to tropical and vibrant conditions – life is truly abuzz! right now, very special indeed. Get out there if you can- Upper Rock, Europa Foreshore, Botanic Gardens and our coastline are just some examples.
We continue to follow and monitor progress on the upcoming Waste Plant, Sewage Treatment Plant, LNG Power Station, New Cleaning Contract and others. We also remain vigilant on heavy pollution incidences and act on reports received etc.
Please visit our own website at esg-gib.net where we post all Radio Newsletters and Press Statements for more information and for our comprehensive List of Objectives which sets out our views on Gibraltar’s environmental challenges. Thanks for listening.
Gibraltar has been ranked the 3rd worst polluted UK city in a recent WHO report on fine particle matter. Many in Gibraltar have been shocked at this ranking even though it doesn’t come as a total surprise to the ESG. Over the years we have pressed every administration in office for improvements in key polluting activity in Gibraltar. We have also campaigned at an EU level on major cross border pollution sources. These concerns were highlighted recently by the ESG during the NABU visit and more details can be found on our website under List of Objectives. (See www.esg-gib.net).
WHO recommendations and reports help drive health-based regulatory standards and are therefore very important.
The ESG continues to work for environmental improvements and for action to be taken to reduce air pollution levels in Gibraltar and the wider Bay area.
