Gibraltar once again takes part and supports the global Clean up the World taking place on Saturday 18th September 2021.

With most teams registered we can now consider only accepting individuals who can be added to teams.

Thanks Gibraltar for supporting Clean up the World

The ESG welcomes the recent statement by a member of the Taxi Association that it has successfully trialled electric taxis in the Upper Rock.

The group hopes that Government notes the passion and interest expressed by Ronnie Ignacio of the Association over the possibilities that running a fully electric taxi service in Gibraltar could bring in terms of reducing noise and air pollution particularly in the Upper Rock.

The ESG believes the issue of creating charging stations and a suitable location should be possible.  It further hopes that despite Covid impacts on our economy, co-financing such necessary changes to Gibraltar’s transport, which in turn would bring dividends from reducing fossil fuel consumption, could form part of measures to reduce emissions and improve our air quality.

This would also improve our tourism product and help meet climate change targets

Key Topics:  Developments & next DPC/ Climate Change/ Clean Up

It’s been some time since our last broadcast. The intense heat and heavy humidity we have experienced hasn’t made things too easy but we are glad to be back on the airwaves today, sharing our thoughts and concerns about our environment.

You may have seen our Press release this week regarding a proposal to build a rural hotel in our Nature Reserve. Regardless of the status of the land it is its location, which most concerns us. The GDP refers to the possibility of some type of rural accommodation at this site, but, as stressed by the Deputy Town Planner when this project came forward before DPC last year, it would be for minimal infrastructure and for a few clients, not a full blown hotel, with all the associated transport, lighting, noise pollution etc. this would create in an otherwise predominantly green area.

We also feel most strongly that development in Gibraltar has, over the years, eaten away at our natural habitat seeing significant parcels of land fall under diggers making room for ever more major structures. So the ESG urges everyone concerned to plse send objections to the Town Planners. Please see our website for press releases on this and on other issues.

Also on developments we see news of fresh ideas for the Caleta Hotel site and will wait to see the plans before passing any further comment. The Coaling Island reclamation is also set to go ahead to accommodate much of the Rubble Mountain on the eastside and we have called for a number of measures to be considered and for information to be presented regarding the logistics and transport associated with these major projects.

The next DPC meeting is set for the 8^th September with the agenda posted on the Town planning website a week beforehand. Meetings continue to take place online although we hope that physical meetings will resume as soon as Covid restrictions allow.

Listeners familiar with our work will know that we have lobbied and pushed for the Climate Strategy for Gibraltar to be released for some time and are therefore feeling more optimistic that Government has announced this will happen sometime in the next few weeks. We will obviously be very keen to see its implementation rolled out.

Although summer is coming to a close we would like to remind everyone to be more responsible with litter and waste. This can include cigarette butts, furniture and pretty much everything you need to dispose of. If unsure what to do you can always email us or check the Dept of Environment’s Thinking Green Facebook page for advice on current facilities for different waste types. It’s incredible and a little shocking that food related waste, in the main, is found almost everywhere you look, in street corners, beaches or green area, in fact, wherever there are people. Despite 17 years of Clean ups littering continues, to a lesser degree, but it’s still not good enough.

We shall raise the profile of these issues once again on 18^th September during our Clean up campaign and hope we can rely on the strong support of our community to get involved once more following Covid directives.  Please register to take part either as an individual or a team at esg@gibtelecom.net to be kept informed as plans for this begin in earnest.

Thank you for listening!

Lewis Battery Project

(Former Pig & Poultry Farm)

The ESG notes with concern that the Lewis Battery Hotel application, inside the Nature Reserve, is once again active on the planning website and calling for objections to be filed before the deadline of the 16^th September 2021. The ESG urges those concerned to file an objection with Town Planning as soon as possible.

Minutes of the discussion on this project, when the application first came to DPC, are published on the DPC website. Entry is dated the 29^th October 2020 and states in detail what was said. The Deputy Town Planner and Department for the Environment advised firmly against this development outlining the various clauses within the Gibraltar Development Plan and ecological reasons as to why.

The ESG fully concurred with their advice believing we have sacred, remaining pockets of habitat in our Reserve, which must not only be preserved, but, in light of climate change, enhanced and expanded wherever possible.

This was the key point we raised at the DPC meeting, that, rather than build and develop a brown site of past human activity, in an otherwise rich, green and protected environment, that the correct action would be to re-landscape and reforest this site, especially given the habitat loss suffered recently with the Old Casino Site, expansion of the top station and other excavation works related to development in areas near or buffering our Reserve.

The ESG is firmly opposed to commercial development of this type in our Nature Reserve that will see increased disturbance to our wildlife and believes many in our community share these views.

Best Available Technology and Shipping

The ESG shares concerns recently expressed in the media about the excessive, and lengthy emissions of thick, black smoke from the vessel FRONT UII, on Saturday 17^th July.

The group awaits news from the Port on what action it will take against such practice by vessels availing themselves of services provided by Gibraltar based companies.

Irrespective of the length of time of the incident, with more than a few eye witnesses claiming this to be happening for more like 5 minutes, this incident highlights the need for Government to further tighten our regulations in order to raise standards on this 24 hour major industrial activity off our shores.

The Chief Minister was interviewed just this past Friday and took a question on bunkering. He stated that Gibraltar could fill every anchorage point possible and that the approach should be to ensure that client and supply vessels, ie, local vessels, should be applying best available technology, thus reducing chronic air and noise pollution issues from this industry affecting our community.

The ESG agrees with the Chief Minister that best available technology, widely applied, is essential in all industrial activity in our hometown as our size demands over and above usual safety and environmental standards. The group adds that this must be supported by strict penalties when this fails.

We hope, therefore, that vessels such as FRONT UII, and others that have clearly demonstrated far from best practice standards in our waters, will be penalised to ensure that the vision as expressed by the Chief Minister is delivered.

ESG Radio Newsletter 3rd June 2021 

CUTW/ Recycling/Litter/ World Ocean Day / La Linea protest / Cycle Ride

-A date for your calendar is Clean up the World that will take place on Saturday 18^th September. Some teams have registered already and we invite those interested to please contact esg@gibtelecom.net.

– Organisers hope that this event, now in its 17^th year, will be able to include our vibrant parade important for awareness raising to take place alongside teams cleaning up the usual hot spots.

-So has littering improved on the Rock? Are more of us recycling?  Are businesses, bars and restaurants recycling?  We can see for ourselves that many are still not and more should do so.

-As we become more mobile and active post Covid and warmer weather we consequently produce and see more waste left behind. We begin to see the effects of this in our full to bursting bins and littered green spaces and beaches.  We need to wake up and do more as a community – need to monitor, enforce and change attitudes. As we approach the Clean up we shall be actively engaging with clubs, schools, associations and partners who have worked alongside us each year to remind and reinforce good attitude and responsible behaviour among us all – to help protect our environment.

-However, active policing and enforcement against late night littering should be invested in by Government as the results are all too clear to be seen – degraded amenities for ensuing users and damage to infrastructure and natural environment. Some examples are Little Bay and Rosia leading to chronic littering, vandalism and the obvious offensive remains from public toilets either not available, or closed after sundown.

BBQing has become a must for many beachgoers – however beaches do not have adequate facilities for these throwaway kits, leading to greasy and dirtied areas greeting users the day after, used coals flung into green areas, onto shore etc. or, at times, into a plastic waste bin by a well meaning BBquer, leading to some actually catching fire! More action on this please, including the long awaited permits, which have not yet materialised. CUTW will present recommendations to Government as it does each year during  our Gib wide clean up.

Other topics:  World Ocean Day is being recognised this weekend on 5^th June with activity taking place on both sides of the border. A mainly underwater dive clean up is being planned for Rosia led by the Dept of the Environment involving various associations and entities, and a Protest is also taking place at La Linea’s ‘La Torre Beach’ near Santa Margarita on Saturday at 11am to march against the threatened major substation and marine cable project that will destroy another natural and increasingly rare stretch of coastline in Spain.

Also….for cycle enthusiasts this Saturday is World Cycle Day and a cycle has been organised by OTWO and the Gibraltar Cycling Association to promote cycling. This starts at 10.30 from Casemates.

Great to see such activism in the region on such an important global environmental date!! Hope you can support one of these actions.

Go to: esg-gib.net for more info on other issues.

Thanks for listening.

The ESG urges Government to give a public assurance that plans for action on Climate Change remain high on its agenda.

With summer fast approaching the group is eager to see its Climate Action Plans, to address the Climate Emergency, presented to Parliament prior to the summer recess.

This would provide time for debate, consideration and accord, before the Glasgow summit, COP26, in the fall.

Fresh Oil Spill Unacceptable

The ESG was yesterday alerted to yet another oil slick off our coastline, which was later traced to have landed at three of our beaches including Rosia, Camp and Little Bay.

The thick black sludge was present in worrying levels at Rosia Bay and reports were made with the Department of the Environment responding promptly to establish immediate clean up operations with the help from Brightside.

This oil spill could have originated elsewhere and is the subject of yet another investigation following the spill seen within our harbour waters over the weekend.

Large or small these spills are becoming all too frequent and are damaging our natural environment and are unacceptable. The Port is called upon to fully apply its resources to ensure standards are being followed and identify and fine polluters.

The ESG thanks all those who responded late last night to begin clean up operations that continue today.

Keywords: ESG Meetings/ Sandy Bay Development / EMF Monitors/ Trading between Gib and UK / Upper Rock and Traffic access / Cycling event

As situation Covid continues fairly quietly now, life is beginning to get busy for everyone. So too is our environment and the ESG is also busy following up on the many issues contained in our Objectives, which can be found on our website at: esg-gib.net.  Meetings with Government and Industry continue as we lobby for action in several areas such as Climate Change, Sewage and LNG, the next Development Plan, Shore power, etc. You can find our list of issues and recommendations on the website too.

Most recently we joined 2 other key local NGOs: Gibraltar Heritage Trust and the GONHS in releasing a joint press statement over what we consider an unacceptable development proposal for Sandy Bay. Please visit all 3 NGO websites for the press release.

Some of you may have read or heard about the setting up of new monitoring units which look at electromagnetic fields produced by the mobile masts dotted around Gibraltar. As these continue to grow our group has pressed for the stepping up of monitoring of the impact this could be having in our physical spaces. You can check for yourself the data gathered by these machines which is published online on the GRA website, or Portal as it is called. The issue here is that the GRA follow ICNIRP standards which we do not think recognise other possible harmful effects, as yet fully understood, by saturating environments with this growing technology. We therefore call for the stepping up of monitoring resources and will also be checking data collected ourselves through the Portal.

One very interesting development was an article in the local media referring to a UK Govt report carrying information on how the UK trades with Gibraltar. You can find this link on line by searching for Gibraltar Trade and Investment Factsheet dated 12^th Feb 2021. Breaking down various areas of economic activity, though not all info is available, it’s an enlightening document showing where focus for greater sustainability could be given.

As you may well be aware the ESG takes a keen interest in all things to do with our traffic and transport issues on the Rock. After the U turn on Linewall Road, which we consider to be a shame and lost opportunity, another issue came up recently with the access to the Upper Rock by local vehicles. It is a complex subject, which also divides public opinion. We think that controlled access by all is ultimately what is required via a holistic visitor plan. We are working on this as a group and are lobbying for partial access for everyone – walkers, cyclists, drivers, visitors and tourist traffic in a controlled and managed approach that will enhance the experience and protect our wildlife from what can become a terribly overrun situation from mainly mass tourism traffic, once this returns.

Congratulations to the Cycle lobby on the Rock for a successful event on Good Friday which saw a healthy turn-out of local cyclists and cycling families demonstrate that interest in cycling is alive and kicking in Gibraltar while highlighting the need for safer roads and reduction of traffic.

Thanks for listening!!!

The ESG welcomes the recent rollout of the new Electromagnetic Field monitors (EMF) and online Portal in Gibraltar by the GRA. 

The group has been calling for such monitoring for many years and their arrival is therefore heralded as good news.

Nevertheless as one can easily observe when going onsite the GRA are applying ICNIRP levels to establish safety and compliance. The ESG has to clarify that it follows recommendations based on much lower exposure levels related to a-thermal/biological effects following a worldwide appeal of January 14, 2021, signed by 255 EMF scientists from 44 nations and 15 Supporting Scientists from 11 nations. They are urgently calling upon the United Nations and its sub-organisations, the WHO and UNEP, and all U.N. Member States, for greater health protection on EMF exposure:   https://emfscientist.org/

“We will continue to press for the expansion of the monitoring system and will carefully observe data collected from the new monitors going forward”, said a spokesperson for the group.