Last time we focused on a review of 2010 and highlights of an environmental importance. In case you missed this you can get a copy by emailing us on esg@gibtelecom.net or visiting our website: esg-gib.net where it is posted under latest news.

Looking ahead to 2011 we shall continue to work for a healthier environment for our local and bay communities. There is much hard work ahead. Raising our families in this region is a mixed blessing. We live in an amazing natural environment bursting with fantastic attributes and potential, and yet, we still have a long way to go before we co-exist in this special area in a sustainable
and respectful manner. The exploitation of our geographic location and the opportunities this gives businesses to continue to expand in the line of fossil fuel industry is an issue that does not sit well with environmentalists, or frankly, anyone who wants a healthy and safe environment for their families to live in – especially when best available technologies are not practised.

Since our last newsletter our group spoke out in the media against the very real possibility of new bunkering activity on the eastern flank of Gibraltar. As we said in our interview: increased safety by way of a modern vessel tracking system should not equal increased bunkering. The ESG will continue to monitor this situation with plans to step up its campaign as necessary.

Also these past few days we learnt that CEPSA, the major Oil Refinery in the Bay, saw a doubling of product output in 2010 as compared to 2009, and all this with a non-compliant operating licence!! We shall be focusing on this important issue which is also affecting our health and quality of life during the first qtr of this year.

Talking about health, it was quite a milestone we reached on Monday, when Gibraltar finally saw the first report from the Epidemiological Study carried out by the Danish team looking at specific cancer concerns. Naturally we welcome this importantstep and have since been going through the report with great interest. The ESG is issuing a press release today and has also consulted our international public health advisers. A second press release will be sent to the media and posted on our websiteonce we receive their feedback. Our press releases will be posted on our website and copies of this can also be made available on request- call 200-48996 or 54960000 or again, look at our website.

On Western Beach and “No to sewage at sea”, campaigners are renewing efforts to collect signatures over the next few weeks. Please note that the online petition is still open. A protest is now planned for Thursday 10th February at 6pm at Western Beach and efforts are currently being made to widen support for this. Please tell your friends and families to come and support this
important action. Meanwhile we hope that political efforts between our own Govt and the Spanish authorities manage to get things moving and note that steps are also being taken to lodge a formal complaint at the European Commission. Frankly the beach needs to be up and open come the summer which will be upon us before we know it! Please call Karen on 56800000 if you need any help
with either the petition or protest details.

On a positive note the ESG is very glad to learn that Gibraltar’s Action Plan on the Environmental Charter will be published by the end of this month. It can’t come soon enough as we shall then learn how Govt intends to tackle the many difficult challenges of increasing environmental safety and quality of life for the community while addressing serious and heavily impacting activities. More on that soon!!
During 2011 we shall also continue to lobby the Tripartite Forum together with the GONHS and three Spanish NGO’s, Verdemar, AGADEN and Greenpeace – to improve cross border, regional environmental issues. We are currently meeting and planning our strategy for progressing on this important agenda- watch out for some exciting news on this front soon!

Finally, under CUTW banner a positive step is seen in the recent advertisement for jobs for highway officers among whose many responsibilities will be monitoring vandalism and littering! This is welcome news. Let’s hope 2011 brings more positive than negative developments for our environment – we shall be keeping you posted as best we can! Thanks for listening!