The ESG is pleased to confirm strong support once again from the Gibraltar community for the global Clean up the World Event taking place Saturday 23rd September. Millions of volunteers in 100s of countries will be taking action in their neighbourhoods to help their environment. With the long established theme ‘Our Place, Our Planet, Our Responsibility’, this campaign provides an opportunity to give something back to the natural environment we so enjoy while exercising civic pride and respect for our surroundings. It also places a spotlight on ongoing problems regarding littering and fly tipping.

Over 25 teams, including several schools, will be equipped and ready to go Saturday morning, tackling multiple sites throughout Gibraltar ranging from green areas, coastal, open and underwater as well as urban sites. These partnerships have become well established over time and are deeply appreciated. The campaign also sees essential support from agencies and specialists so that difficult to access areas are included. Special mention must be given to the Department of the Environment and Britannia for their assistance with logistics involved at some sites.

With the summer dominated somewhat with oil related pollution from the shipping world we now turn our sights to homegrown waste which continues to pervade and mar our beautiful Gibraltar.

The Clean up Campaign will stimulate discussion and highlight issues among those who take part and reach the wider community via the media. Among key aims are:

• Greater visibility of fines and enforcement of dumping and littering rules to act as a real deterrent
• Increased and improved facilities and more signage to be displayed to promote pride in our environment (info for residents/ rubble tipping/ rubbish in hotspots)
• Stricter monitoring of shared public spaces used by businesses and the community often leading to dangerous conditions and eyesores

While teams can no longer apply, fit and active people are welcome to get in touch to be added to existing teams before Wednesday the 20th. Please email to: esg@gibtelecom.net

Reports on the outcome of the busy day will be published in the media.

Visit esg-gib.net for posters and other information over the next week.

https://www.gbc.gi/tv/programmes/gbc-news-1202/episode/150823-11565

Follow above link for TNP and ESG interview from 3.50 to 10.30 minutes.

The ESG would like to share its relief and gratitude to all those involved in the recent removal of the stricken vessel OS35 from our shoreline.

Gibraltar and the nearby marine environment did not escape entirely unscathed, but it’s clear a major incident was averted by the careful handling undertaken by the Port and advisory team.

We thank our teams of volunteers who were on standby throughout the presence of the vessel and dedicated their free time when called to, to assist in the very tricky business of removing sticky, tarry oil from our shoreline. 

It thanks all at the Port led by its Captain, and other agencies as well as the Department of the Environment who kept NGOs and volunteers appraised of the environmental threat from the vessel on a constant basis.

The ESG confirms this years Clean up Campaign will be held alongside the global event on the 23rd September.

We welcome longterm teams and new volunteers to sign up and do your bit to promote civic pride and help reverse some of the damage we inflict on our natural environment in this beautiful corner of the world we are so lucky to inhabit.

New Poster and additional information will be posted this week.

Meanwhile please email us at: esg@gibtelecom.net to register your interest to participate as an individual or team. A rough idea of numbers, ages and fitness as well as a mobile contact number for our records would be very useful.

Thanks once again to those who have already been in contact and we welcome the opportunity to meet with everyone a few weeks before the day itself for discussions on the issues as well as practical information on logistics. Watch this space for more details that will be published in local media as well as emailed to team leaders. Thank you!

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ZERO IMPACT MEANS ZERO OIL

Sunday 13^th August 2023

As the first milestone in the Rosia oil clean up is reached, with round the clock efforts in place to save the coastline stepping down to a more moderate level, news has filtered through of a very minor oil spill from a bunkering barge within the harbour itself. As far as we can tell not much detail has been published such as the barge company involved, qty of spill and most importantly why did it happen? One would think that after this most recent bunkering oil spill debacle that extra care would be ordered from top down to ensure efforts were doubled to avoid such accidents? Was this also negligence one asks? Will fines follow?

The ESG would also like to correct the statements being made of the zero impact of this latest in the run of oil spills. Zero impact means zero oil.

As an NGO that has followed the evolution of shipping and bunkering in Gibraltar the group has pressed for best technology and practice to be followed to protect the environment and eliminate air/noise and marine pollution to the least possible.

While some of these targets are being achieved, there is no doubt that much more needs to be done, and done quickly, to review why these incidental spills keep happening. The public should be told of the bunkering firms involved in selling the fuel along with whatever vessel is being serviced when an incident occurs. The ESG also believes the Port must exercise greater physical presence over the multiple bunkering operations going on in our waters as the ultimate authority for Pollution Prevention and Control. We would also insist that the industry is large enough to fund dedicated bunker inspectors to ensure standards by all operators are being adhered to during all transactions.

Bunkering is not only an economic pillar for Gibraltar. It is also a major multi million profit making business for the owners. As such, when mistakes are made, and spills occur, we think that huge fines must be given to all to ensure changes are made on the ground and tighter controls are put in place to act as serious deterrent. Instead we see some fines, clean up costs covered, a few local companies and departments working frantically to save our environment while bunkering continues, until the next one.

We need change.

News of yet another oil spill of heavy fuel oil is just what no one wanted to hear given the recent and successful departure of the OS35 – although even this vessel may still return to the Rock due to bad weather.

While details are still emerging it appears the spill came from a ship receiving bunker. It was an accident that should not have happened, given it was during a normal procedure, and the ESG asks why the spill occurred and what level of oversight was in place at the time. Given ship-to-ship bunkering is conducted 24/7 this rings alarm bells for all checks to be reviewed.

The thick, heavy fuel oil stated by the Port to have been released into our marine environment is toxic and will not evaporate – it will affect marine and bird life and will impact the coastline wherever it lands.

Indeed we have seen 3 beaches closed today: Rosia, Camp and Little Bay. In the peak of our summer any beach closure will also cause much frustration to our citizens given the searing temperatures we have at present.

That the polluter must pay for ecological damage goes without saying but the ESG would like to see an investigation into this oil spill and awaits further information on the scale and volume of heavy fuel oil released.

The ESG has been calling for our bunkering trade to diversify away from fossil fuels given the very high carbon emissions attributable to Gibraltar from this practice. However, it is also the air and noise pollution, as well as environmental impacts from oil spills, which also concerns the group.

Once again the Bluefin Tuna Fishing Season has opened in Gibraltar. Sadly, as per every year, the quota also continues to rise.

The ESG continues to oppose the practice of sport fishing of such an important marine species previously endangered, now ‘in recovery’, or other status, depending on the source of information. 

It was an important moment for the ESG to meet with Tony Juniper at the Aspire Conference, a major trailblazer for the environment for decades, and an inspiration for action.

In his Chronicle interview it was heartening to hear his recommendations to Gibraltar as to the need to diversify from our trade in fossil fuels for bunkering of ships and other vehicle fuel sales. This trade accounts for approximately 90% of our overall GHG emissions total.

This is a big issue for the group that has campaigned for years to see this major greenhouse house contributor feature far more prominently on our climate target aspirations.

“Overall, his reflections and comments were spot on”, says a spokesperson for the ESG,  “and we hope he will continue to visit Gibraltar and hopefully see us rise to the challenges laid before us.”