I am delighted to welcome Robert Wyse Jackson (graduate of Trinity College Dublin and postgraduate student at the London School of Economics) as a guest contributor to Envirolarm:
Capitalism – the arch nemesis of Mother Nature! At least, that’s what environmentalists would like you to believe. Countless environmental NGOs and activists have argued that immediate and radical social change is imperative, or the environment will pay the price for excessive corporate greed. These assertions might have truthful elements, but it is increasingly apparent in modern business that large corporations are waking up to the financial and reputational risks of failing to go green.
On 20th April 2010 an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig killed 11 men and sent millions of gallons of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. The effect of the explosion has been felt on the coasts of Florida and Louisiana, where beautiful beaches have been swamped by black oil, causing huge environmental impact. Subsequently, there was widespread public and political outrage directed towards the rig’s owners, British Petroleum (BP). At the end of October, BP announced that it expects the crisis to have cost it over $40 billion dollars in clean up costs, financial penalties and legal costs. In addition, vast sums of money have been spent on repairing BP’s tattered reputation to consumers which threaten to harm BP’s long term profitability. The effect of the crisis was manifest in BP share prices, which had fallen by 35% on the FTSE.
What is evident from the BP crisis is that it makes good business sense for corporations to invest in the environment. Many corporate leaders have woken up to the loss of public trust in business, and are taking an active role in conducting their businesses in environmentally sustainable ways. This contrasts heavily with the failure of governments to agree new steps to cut greenhouse gases. Last month, Unilever launched an ambitious plan to halve the environmental impact of its products by 2020. Coca Cola has implemented a programme of water conservation to protect the most important ingredient in its production process. In addition, many banks have recently adopted the equator principles, a voluntary set of standards for determining, assessing and managing social and environmental risk in project financing. By signing up to this agreement, banks commit to not providing loans to projects where the borrower will not or is unable to comply with their respective social and environmental policies and procedures that implement the equator principles.
These are examples of voluntary initiatives by large corporations to address their corporate social responsibilities. They represent an increasing awareness by large corporations that it increasingly makes good business sense to conduct their operations in an environmentally sustainable manner. The BP oil crisis has demonstrated to corporate leaders the huge financial and reputational risks of conducting their business without due regard to the environment. The scepticism towards big business after the financial crisis will only increase corporate awareness of the need to be perceived as environmentally friendly by consumers.
As corporate responsibility increases in business, capitalism will increasingly be viewed less as an enemy to Mother Nature and more as a friend.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Freedom to Roam and Public Rights of Way
Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal in 1842, ‘I am amused to see from my window here how busily a man has divided and staked off his domain. God must smile at his puny fences running hither and thither everywhere over the land.’
Mr Justice McMahon’s judgment (20th Dec 2010) in the Lissadell public right of way case would certainly have brought a smirk to Thoreau’s face. Documentary evidence dating back 200 years, two Senior Counsel asserting private property rights over their demesne and the public’s desire to keep on strollin’ in the free world. This case had it all – a true slobber-knocker.
Eddie Walsh and Constance Cassidy sued Sligo County Council, claiming slander to their title to Lissadell and improper interference with their business interests. They have been unsuccessful. The gist of the High Court’s ruling is that the public has a right of way on the avenues of Lissadell estate in Co Sligo.
The Court established that the onus lay on Sligo County Council to demonstrate that the previous owner had dedicated a right of way across his lands to the public. To discharge this burden, the defendant County Council called 25 witnesses to give evidence as “users as of right.” Judge McMahon was convinced by their testimony – a picture emerged “that since the early 1950s at least many people, who had no specific business or other reason to be there, entered and exited the estate through all four entrances.” Furthermore, the fact that the past owners of the land did not object was interpreted as acquiescence and thus acceptance of the practice.
The evidence offered by people from the town and with long-lasting familial connections to the estate seems to have been decisive to the conclusion reached by McMahon. As a result, it would be inappropriate to exaggerate the importance of this judgment for the future, given how fact-specific the case was. The Court’s response is a positive outcome for those in Sligo. For the rest of us, it offers hope of a possible trend in the courts’ treatment of public rights of way cases that encourages people to open up their land and let others enjoy the countryside.
Mr Justice McMahon’s judgment (20th Dec 2010) in the Lissadell public right of way case would certainly have brought a smirk to Thoreau’s face. Documentary evidence dating back 200 years, two Senior Counsel asserting private property rights over their demesne and the public’s desire to keep on strollin’ in the free world. This case had it all – a true slobber-knocker.
Eddie Walsh and Constance Cassidy sued Sligo County Council, claiming slander to their title to Lissadell and improper interference with their business interests. They have been unsuccessful. The gist of the High Court’s ruling is that the public has a right of way on the avenues of Lissadell estate in Co Sligo.
The Court established that the onus lay on Sligo County Council to demonstrate that the previous owner had dedicated a right of way across his lands to the public. To discharge this burden, the defendant County Council called 25 witnesses to give evidence as “users as of right.” Judge McMahon was convinced by their testimony – a picture emerged “that since the early 1950s at least many people, who had no specific business or other reason to be there, entered and exited the estate through all four entrances.” Furthermore, the fact that the past owners of the land did not object was interpreted as acquiescence and thus acceptance of the practice.
The evidence offered by people from the town and with long-lasting familial connections to the estate seems to have been decisive to the conclusion reached by McMahon. As a result, it would be inappropriate to exaggerate the importance of this judgment for the future, given how fact-specific the case was. The Court’s response is a positive outcome for those in Sligo. For the rest of us, it offers hope of a possible trend in the courts’ treatment of public rights of way cases that encourages people to open up their land and let others enjoy the countryside.
The Pipe - Shell's Law
‘The Pipe’ is a gripping, albeit one-sided, documentary about the struggle between big business and the interests of a local community.
The story will be familiar to most. It all began around 1996, when the Corrib natural gas field was discovered. Development of the project by Shell began in 2004, with a proposal to place an offshore pipeline that would run through the community of Rossport to the refinery at Bellanaboy. This plan was delayed in 2005 by local opposition – five men were jailed by Finnegan J. for contempt of court after refusing to obey a temporary court injunction forbidding them to interfere with work being undertaken by Shell on their land (The Rossport 5).
The film begins in the aftermath of these events. It focuses on the experiences of Willie Corduff and Pat O’Donnell, but also portrays the Rossport community’s campaign for change (for the gas to be refined at sea, rather than inland, as is done with Ireland’s only other producing gas field off Cork) and how divisive this debate is. Enter Maura Harrington.
The residents’ claim that the proximity of a natural gas pipeline is a health and safety risk to local residents and livelihoods is a compelling one. However, without input from Shell or evidence from a more objective 3rd party, it is difficult to assess the legitimacy of these fears.
It’s certainly well worth watching.
Here’s the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0JeVbrDx5M
The story will be familiar to most. It all began around 1996, when the Corrib natural gas field was discovered. Development of the project by Shell began in 2004, with a proposal to place an offshore pipeline that would run through the community of Rossport to the refinery at Bellanaboy. This plan was delayed in 2005 by local opposition – five men were jailed by Finnegan J. for contempt of court after refusing to obey a temporary court injunction forbidding them to interfere with work being undertaken by Shell on their land (The Rossport 5).
The film begins in the aftermath of these events. It focuses on the experiences of Willie Corduff and Pat O’Donnell, but also portrays the Rossport community’s campaign for change (for the gas to be refined at sea, rather than inland, as is done with Ireland’s only other producing gas field off Cork) and how divisive this debate is. Enter Maura Harrington.
The residents’ claim that the proximity of a natural gas pipeline is a health and safety risk to local residents and livelihoods is a compelling one. However, without input from Shell or evidence from a more objective 3rd party, it is difficult to assess the legitimacy of these fears.
It’s certainly well worth watching.
Here’s the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0JeVbrDx5M
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Eye of the Tiger - The Cream of the Fight
Charismatic, independent and capable of arousing the interest of Leonardo di Caprio, Naomi Campbell and Vladimir Putin, the tiger is a majestic animal in serious difficulty.
While tigers once roamed in at least 25 countries at the start of the 20th century, today they are in dwindling, separated communities across just 13 nations. Their demise has been rapid – of the eight original subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct in the last 60 years. Subspecies have also collapsed one after another – the Bali tiger in the 1940s, the central Asia tiger in the 1970s, the Java tiger in the 1980s, the south China wild tiger the 1990s.
The remaining populations are as follows: India 1,200-1650; Indonesia 450-700; Bangladesh 400; Nepal 350; Russia 350; Bhutan 70-80; China 40-50; Cambodia 10-50; Laos 50; Vietnam less than 30; Burma about 100; Thailand 250-500; Malaysia 300-500.
So, what’s going on? How can we explain such an incredible decline?
Well, there are myriad reasons, most of which can be reduced to commercial interest and human exploitation.
Unlike lions, leopards and cheetahs, tigers prefer to live in densely covered land where they can hide in tall grass, camouflaged by their dark stripes, and ambush their prey. However, with population growth, agricultural/industrial expansion and human intervention generally, tigers are being pushed into smaller areas of land. This attack on their habitat makes it easier for poachers to hunt them. As usual, short-term economic gain supersedes longer term environmental concerns. Their skins and body parts are sold as ingredients for traditional Chinese medicines.
It is this backdrop which gave rise to the International Tiger Forum in St Petersburg (Nov 21st – 24th), an event which aims to secure $350m for tiger conservation. There have been some notable contributions already. India, which has the largest wild population, said it planned to establish eight new reserves, while Thailand promised to spend $98.6m over five years to strengthen conservation and tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Russia pledged to crack down on poachers and to work with China to set up a shared, cross-border protected area aimed at adding space for an extra 500 Amur tigers. Malaysia said it would increase its population, but it would need help with the expected cost of $1m per tiger.
Tigers are critically endangered and they don’t stand a chance unless we radically change our behaviour. Putin’s Tiger Forum is a step in the right direction, but it can’t end with a four day photo-op. Long term commitment with regular meetings between these 13 countries and a tightening of the standards of wildlife crime should be next on the agenda.
While tigers once roamed in at least 25 countries at the start of the 20th century, today they are in dwindling, separated communities across just 13 nations. Their demise has been rapid – of the eight original subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct in the last 60 years. Subspecies have also collapsed one after another – the Bali tiger in the 1940s, the central Asia tiger in the 1970s, the Java tiger in the 1980s, the south China wild tiger the 1990s.
The remaining populations are as follows: India 1,200-1650; Indonesia 450-700; Bangladesh 400; Nepal 350; Russia 350; Bhutan 70-80; China 40-50; Cambodia 10-50; Laos 50; Vietnam less than 30; Burma about 100; Thailand 250-500; Malaysia 300-500.
So, what’s going on? How can we explain such an incredible decline?
Well, there are myriad reasons, most of which can be reduced to commercial interest and human exploitation.
Unlike lions, leopards and cheetahs, tigers prefer to live in densely covered land where they can hide in tall grass, camouflaged by their dark stripes, and ambush their prey. However, with population growth, agricultural/industrial expansion and human intervention generally, tigers are being pushed into smaller areas of land. This attack on their habitat makes it easier for poachers to hunt them. As usual, short-term economic gain supersedes longer term environmental concerns. Their skins and body parts are sold as ingredients for traditional Chinese medicines.
It is this backdrop which gave rise to the International Tiger Forum in St Petersburg (Nov 21st – 24th), an event which aims to secure $350m for tiger conservation. There have been some notable contributions already. India, which has the largest wild population, said it planned to establish eight new reserves, while Thailand promised to spend $98.6m over five years to strengthen conservation and tackle the illegal wildlife trade. Russia pledged to crack down on poachers and to work with China to set up a shared, cross-border protected area aimed at adding space for an extra 500 Amur tigers. Malaysia said it would increase its population, but it would need help with the expected cost of $1m per tiger.
Tigers are critically endangered and they don’t stand a chance unless we radically change our behaviour. Putin’s Tiger Forum is a step in the right direction, but it can’t end with a four day photo-op. Long term commitment with regular meetings between these 13 countries and a tightening of the standards of wildlife crime should be next on the agenda.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Competition For Waste
Different coloured bins, each with its own special day, tells us that there must be some semi-sophisticated process for waste disposal. But beyond ensuring that our green, brown or black bin is ready for collection on the appropriate day, have you ever wondered where all your waste actually goes? Does paying for the service obviate a need to consider its consequences? Who are we entrusting the system of waste disposal to?
Well, wonder no more. The Irish Times (Friday 12th November 2010) makes clear that Bord na Móna and Oxigen are two of the big players. They have secured six-month contracts (worth about €10 million) to dispose of Dublin’s general household waste at landfill sites in Cavan and Kildare from January. Both counties are said to be delighted by the prospect of 150,000 tonnes of waste coming from Dublin - a similar pleasure may lie in store for other counties in the near future, with Limerick, Louth and Wexford all tauted as possible contenders for our waste.
Here's the full article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1112/1224283151260.html
Well, wonder no more. The Irish Times (Friday 12th November 2010) makes clear that Bord na Móna and Oxigen are two of the big players. They have secured six-month contracts (worth about €10 million) to dispose of Dublin’s general household waste at landfill sites in Cavan and Kildare from January. Both counties are said to be delighted by the prospect of 150,000 tonnes of waste coming from Dublin - a similar pleasure may lie in store for other counties in the near future, with Limerick, Louth and Wexford all tauted as possible contenders for our waste.
Here's the full article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1112/1224283151260.html
Gormley Beyond His Powers
The Commercial Court has ruled that Environment Minister John Gormley acted outside his powers under the Planning Acts. This occurred when he overturned Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s designation of the Park Village lands in Carrickmines as a “district centre”. (Thursday, 11th Nov 2010)
The basic facts are as follows: Tristor Ltd acquired the lands in 2006 and wanted to develop the Park Village as a “district centre”. Gormley opposed this and claimed that the draft development plan for the area did not comply with the Planning and Development Act 2000 because it failed to set out “an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.” The Minister favoured a “neighbourhood centre” – the development of groups of small shops serving a localised catchment population, rather than a “district centre” which allows for a development with considerably more retail space.
The kernel of the case revolved around the interpretation of Section 31 PDA 2000. Clarke J. found that this provision did not entitle the Minister to issue a direction simply because he disagreed with the strategy contained in the development plan and preferred another. For this section to be effectively invoked, Gormley needed to show that the Council had breached its obligations to agree to a development plan which set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. This had not occurred. Many strategies could be adopted which would be consistent with the requirement for an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of an area and it was for the elected representatives of the Council to decide which of the range of possible strategies was to be included in the development plan. It was not for the Minister to “second guess” the Council.
Fair procedures in planning also featured in this case. Clarke J. ruled that the Minister’s directions were invalid because he failed to give interested parties, including Tristor Ltd, which planned to develop the Carrickmines District Centre, the opportunity to be heard.
The Irish Times article on this case: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1111/breaking55.html
The basic facts are as follows: Tristor Ltd acquired the lands in 2006 and wanted to develop the Park Village as a “district centre”. Gormley opposed this and claimed that the draft development plan for the area did not comply with the Planning and Development Act 2000 because it failed to set out “an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.” The Minister favoured a “neighbourhood centre” – the development of groups of small shops serving a localised catchment population, rather than a “district centre” which allows for a development with considerably more retail space.
The kernel of the case revolved around the interpretation of Section 31 PDA 2000. Clarke J. found that this provision did not entitle the Minister to issue a direction simply because he disagreed with the strategy contained in the development plan and preferred another. For this section to be effectively invoked, Gormley needed to show that the Council had breached its obligations to agree to a development plan which set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. This had not occurred. Many strategies could be adopted which would be consistent with the requirement for an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of an area and it was for the elected representatives of the Council to decide which of the range of possible strategies was to be included in the development plan. It was not for the Minister to “second guess” the Council.
Fair procedures in planning also featured in this case. Clarke J. ruled that the Minister’s directions were invalid because he failed to give interested parties, including Tristor Ltd, which planned to develop the Carrickmines District Centre, the opportunity to be heard.
The Irish Times article on this case: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1111/breaking55.html
Monday, November 8, 2010
Tsunamis - a brief history
Drop a stone into a small pond and it will create a series of ripples. A tsunami is just like those ripples, but rather than a stone, the disturbance which sets it in motion is often an undersea earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption. The seafloor buckles where drifting plates collide and waves emanate, hitting the shore hard with almost all of its initial energy.
Tsu (harbour) nami (wave). The term is said to have originated with Japanese fishermen who, upon returning to port, found the area surrounding the harbour devastated. History demonstrates the Pacific Ring of Fire’s vulnerability to tsunamis, but also shows its impact elsewhere:
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunamis Affecting Southern Asia and Eastern Africa
A massive earthquake measuring over 9.0 on the Richter scale occurred under the Indian ocean floor just off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Tsunami waves slammed into the coastline of 12 Indian Ocean countries (Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Maldives, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, and Kenya) and killed over 230,000 people. The earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
1998 Tsunami Affecting Papua New Guinea
On July 17th, 1998, an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale occurred about 15 miles just off the coast of northern Papua New Guinea, an island nation located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean just south of Indonesia and north of Australia. While the magnitude of the quake was not large enough to create the tsunami directly, it is believed the earthquake generated an undersea landslide, which in turn caused the tsunami. Following the earthquake, a tsunami with waves reaching 12 meters (40 feet) hit the Papua New Guinea coast within 10 minutes, destroying the villages of Arop and Warapu. An estimated 2,200 people were killed.
1976 Tsunami Affecting the Philippines
August 1976 and an earthquake measuring approximately 7.6 on the Richter scale occurred in the Moro Gulf a few miles away from the coast of the Philippine island of Mindanao. The earthquake itself was responsible for causing widespread damage, but its effect paled in comparison to the tsunami it helped created. The massive tsunami that devastated 700 kilometers of coastline destroyed coastal towns and killed over 5,000 people.
1964 Tsunami Affecting the West Coast of North America
The Good Friday Tsunami was caused by an earthquake (9.2) off the coast of Alaska. Waves reached heights of 11.5 meters and killed 106 people.
1960 Tsunami Affecting Chile and Pacific Nations
On May 22 1960, the biggest earthquake ever recorded at the time occurred just off the coast of South central Chile, a nation of South America. The earthquake measured 9.5 on the Richter scale with swarms of aftershock earthquakes that measured as large 8.0 that followed. The earthquakes triggered the creation of tsunami, which was responsible for most of the ensuing devastation and death of 2,000 people. The waves spread outwards across the Pacific, flooding Hilo (on the island of Hawaii), causing 200 deaths in Japan and damage in the Marquesas, in Samoa, and in New Zealand.
Tsu (harbour) nami (wave). The term is said to have originated with Japanese fishermen who, upon returning to port, found the area surrounding the harbour devastated. History demonstrates the Pacific Ring of Fire’s vulnerability to tsunamis, but also shows its impact elsewhere:
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunamis Affecting Southern Asia and Eastern Africa
A massive earthquake measuring over 9.0 on the Richter scale occurred under the Indian ocean floor just off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Tsunami waves slammed into the coastline of 12 Indian Ocean countries (Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Bangladesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Maldives, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, and Kenya) and killed over 230,000 people. The earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshima-type atomic bombs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
1998 Tsunami Affecting Papua New Guinea
On July 17th, 1998, an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale occurred about 15 miles just off the coast of northern Papua New Guinea, an island nation located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean just south of Indonesia and north of Australia. While the magnitude of the quake was not large enough to create the tsunami directly, it is believed the earthquake generated an undersea landslide, which in turn caused the tsunami. Following the earthquake, a tsunami with waves reaching 12 meters (40 feet) hit the Papua New Guinea coast within 10 minutes, destroying the villages of Arop and Warapu. An estimated 2,200 people were killed.
1976 Tsunami Affecting the Philippines
August 1976 and an earthquake measuring approximately 7.6 on the Richter scale occurred in the Moro Gulf a few miles away from the coast of the Philippine island of Mindanao. The earthquake itself was responsible for causing widespread damage, but its effect paled in comparison to the tsunami it helped created. The massive tsunami that devastated 700 kilometers of coastline destroyed coastal towns and killed over 5,000 people.
1964 Tsunami Affecting the West Coast of North America
The Good Friday Tsunami was caused by an earthquake (9.2) off the coast of Alaska. Waves reached heights of 11.5 meters and killed 106 people.
1960 Tsunami Affecting Chile and Pacific Nations
On May 22 1960, the biggest earthquake ever recorded at the time occurred just off the coast of South central Chile, a nation of South America. The earthquake measured 9.5 on the Richter scale with swarms of aftershock earthquakes that measured as large 8.0 that followed. The earthquakes triggered the creation of tsunami, which was responsible for most of the ensuing devastation and death of 2,000 people. The waves spread outwards across the Pacific, flooding Hilo (on the island of Hawaii), causing 200 deaths in Japan and damage in the Marquesas, in Samoa, and in New Zealand.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
The Pacific Ring of Fire - Indonesia and Earthquakes
Comprised of over 17,000 islands, Indonesia is no stranger to earthquakes. Since January 4th 2009, it has experienced them on eight separate occasions, with its lowest magnitude being the Sumatra Earthquake of 6.7 near Siberut, Mentawai Islands.
October 2010 and the trend continues. Mother Nature flexed her muscles and the earth shook. The Mentawi Islands off western Sumatra were on the receiving end, pummelled once again by Gaia. A magnitude 7.7 underwater quake created a 10-foot-tall tsunami, killing hundreds and displacing thousands. Even if the early warning system had been in operation, it would have made little difference. A tsunami that strikes just 13 miles beneath the ocean floor and is followed by at least 14 aftershocks leaves you with no time.
So, what explains this latest display of violent seismic activity?
According to National Geographic, the earthquake was caused by plate movements in the area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly volatile region which circles the Pacific Ocean. Around 80% of the world’s earthquakes occur around this rim. When the build up of stress at the plate boundary causes rock to fracture, the plates grind past each other and release energy in the form of an earthquake. The October earthquake occurred in the Sumatra Subduction Zone which is an area where the Australian and Sunda (Eurasian) plates collide – one of the most active areas for plate movement.
Cursed by the misfortune of geography, Indonesia looks set to fall further into this Ring of Fire.
October 2010 and the trend continues. Mother Nature flexed her muscles and the earth shook. The Mentawi Islands off western Sumatra were on the receiving end, pummelled once again by Gaia. A magnitude 7.7 underwater quake created a 10-foot-tall tsunami, killing hundreds and displacing thousands. Even if the early warning system had been in operation, it would have made little difference. A tsunami that strikes just 13 miles beneath the ocean floor and is followed by at least 14 aftershocks leaves you with no time.
So, what explains this latest display of violent seismic activity?
According to National Geographic, the earthquake was caused by plate movements in the area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly volatile region which circles the Pacific Ocean. Around 80% of the world’s earthquakes occur around this rim. When the build up of stress at the plate boundary causes rock to fracture, the plates grind past each other and release energy in the form of an earthquake. The October earthquake occurred in the Sumatra Subduction Zone which is an area where the Australian and Sunda (Eurasian) plates collide – one of the most active areas for plate movement.
Cursed by the misfortune of geography, Indonesia looks set to fall further into this Ring of Fire.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
The Global Cookie Monster & Food Insecurity.....nomnomnom
Price volatility and food shortages – cousins of our good friend globalisation – have become familiar, albeit unwelcome visitors to the global community.
The food crisis of 2007-08 has given us a taste of things to come. A combination of factors (droughts in grain-producing nations, changes in trade and production, rising oil prices and hence an escalation in the cost of fertilizers, food transportation and industrial agriculture) led to a worldwide increase in food prices. These events triggered violent protests across the world, from Egypt, Haiti and Côte d’Ivoire to Uzbekistan, Senegal and Bolivia.
So where do we stand in 2010? Certainly not in the dire straits of 2007-08, but recent reports don’t inspire much optimism for the near future. According to the Reuters-Jefferies commodity price indicator, global wheat and corn prices jumped nearly 30% in a few weeks, while meat prices are at 20-year highs. World wheat and corn prices have risen 57%, rice 45% and sugar 55% over the last six months and soybeans are at their highest price for 16 months. Food prices are rising around 15% a year in India and Nepal, and similarly in Latin America and China.
Even the big players need to assess their options. America and Russia occupy pivotal roles in global food supply. The latter is one of the world’s largest wheat exporters. Hit by fires and drought which have wiped out a third of the grain crop, Russian authorities banned exports, first temporarily and now until next year’s harvest. As a result, wheat prices spiked: they have nearly doubled since the low point in June of $4.26 a bushel.
America harvests two-fifths of the world’s corn and provides nearly 60% of global exports. On October 8th, news that America’s production of corn would be 4% lower in 2010 than previously estimated sent prices surging by 6%, enough to stop trading on the Chicago Board of Trade.
The recession has demonstrated the degree to which countries are connected. Events, economic or otherwise, no longer occur in a vacuum, their consequences divorced from the rest of the world. As global warming continues, we are less likely to benefit from stable production patterns. Drastic climate changes lie ahead. Whether Russian wheat, Argentinean beef or American corn, we are too reliant on a few big countries. It’s time to start looking inward again and start re-discovering our roots. Home-grown domestic produce could still be the way of the future. It’s food for thought at least.
The food crisis of 2007-08 has given us a taste of things to come. A combination of factors (droughts in grain-producing nations, changes in trade and production, rising oil prices and hence an escalation in the cost of fertilizers, food transportation and industrial agriculture) led to a worldwide increase in food prices. These events triggered violent protests across the world, from Egypt, Haiti and Côte d’Ivoire to Uzbekistan, Senegal and Bolivia.
So where do we stand in 2010? Certainly not in the dire straits of 2007-08, but recent reports don’t inspire much optimism for the near future. According to the Reuters-Jefferies commodity price indicator, global wheat and corn prices jumped nearly 30% in a few weeks, while meat prices are at 20-year highs. World wheat and corn prices have risen 57%, rice 45% and sugar 55% over the last six months and soybeans are at their highest price for 16 months. Food prices are rising around 15% a year in India and Nepal, and similarly in Latin America and China.
Even the big players need to assess their options. America and Russia occupy pivotal roles in global food supply. The latter is one of the world’s largest wheat exporters. Hit by fires and drought which have wiped out a third of the grain crop, Russian authorities banned exports, first temporarily and now until next year’s harvest. As a result, wheat prices spiked: they have nearly doubled since the low point in June of $4.26 a bushel.
America harvests two-fifths of the world’s corn and provides nearly 60% of global exports. On October 8th, news that America’s production of corn would be 4% lower in 2010 than previously estimated sent prices surging by 6%, enough to stop trading on the Chicago Board of Trade.
The recession has demonstrated the degree to which countries are connected. Events, economic or otherwise, no longer occur in a vacuum, their consequences divorced from the rest of the world. As global warming continues, we are less likely to benefit from stable production patterns. Drastic climate changes lie ahead. Whether Russian wheat, Argentinean beef or American corn, we are too reliant on a few big countries. It’s time to start looking inward again and start re-discovering our roots. Home-grown domestic produce could still be the way of the future. It’s food for thought at least.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Overpopulation - the Rise and Fall of Gaia
Overpopulation should be top of the world’s ‘must-do’ environmental list. Nearly everything stems from this. Higher birth-rates put greater pressure on existing structures, thus necessitating further development. This is a driver in climate change, the loss of biodiversity and is a fundamental problem undermining the notion of sustainability – a concept that becomes more elusive every day.
Like a bus that gradually fills up, I appreciate that population increase isn’t always a bad thing. More passengers can be an asset if there is space. This youth bulge is a positive where education, social services and economic activity exists to build a workforce.
The central problem arises from the rate of growth and its location. This is where Africa arrives on the scene, its bus burdened by too many people, its driver all too willing to accept more fares. Nigeria has one of the highest birth rates in the world, not surprising when 92% of married women don’t use contraceptives and 55% say they never intend to. The fertility rate is 5.7 children per woman, and the women think 7 children is the ideal number. The population projection for Uganda also makes for interesting reading. It shows a country heading to a population of 96 million in 2050 from 31 million today. In a previous entry, I wrote about Niger, a country of 15.3 million people, on the verge of mass starvation this summer. Foreign aid covered 80% of Niger’s needs and narrowly averted famine. However, with a population growth of 3.6% and a projection of 50 million inhabitants by 2050, the future looks bleak.
What prospects do children enjoy when their country can’t build schools fast enough, train teachers fast enough and improve health care fast enough to harness the potential of its youth?
Like a bus that gradually fills up, I appreciate that population increase isn’t always a bad thing. More passengers can be an asset if there is space. This youth bulge is a positive where education, social services and economic activity exists to build a workforce.
The central problem arises from the rate of growth and its location. This is where Africa arrives on the scene, its bus burdened by too many people, its driver all too willing to accept more fares. Nigeria has one of the highest birth rates in the world, not surprising when 92% of married women don’t use contraceptives and 55% say they never intend to. The fertility rate is 5.7 children per woman, and the women think 7 children is the ideal number. The population projection for Uganda also makes for interesting reading. It shows a country heading to a population of 96 million in 2050 from 31 million today. In a previous entry, I wrote about Niger, a country of 15.3 million people, on the verge of mass starvation this summer. Foreign aid covered 80% of Niger’s needs and narrowly averted famine. However, with a population growth of 3.6% and a projection of 50 million inhabitants by 2050, the future looks bleak.
What prospects do children enjoy when their country can’t build schools fast enough, train teachers fast enough and improve health care fast enough to harness the potential of its youth?
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Green Machines - Hasta la Revolucion!
A fantastic new exhibition has opened at Trinity College Dublin's Science Gallery: Green Machines. This is not your average, passive gallery experience. At how many exhibitions are you given €5 million and told “invest” it in environmentally friendly innovations?
Revoutionair – There’s nothing like your own wind-turbine. The Revolutionair was designed to empower individuals to generate their own domestic power. Its small footprint and vertical axis means it can be safely used in the city, garden or countryside. Its sculptural form minimises noise pollution.
Latro – A green light for new power? In 2010, scientists from Yansei and Stanford University captured a small electrical current from algae during photosynthesis. With increasingly energy efficient products, plants such as algae will become attractive sources of energy. Latro is a speculative product responding to this potential future market.
Gocycle – A fresh take on the electric bike, Gocycle was designed from the ground up to be the ultimate commuting solution. With a unique cast magnesium frame and bespoke components the Gocycle is an extremely light electric bike with a compact motor
These are just a few examples of the green wave of environmental innovation on display. Perhaps more importantly, the exhibition encourages us to think creatively about sustainability and develop our own ideas. We may not have the necessary €5 million to make our plans a reality, but thinking about new ways to tackle old problems, in a greener light, is always a welcome exercise.
For more information, the Irish Times has written an article about it here: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/1016/1224281227274.html and TCD’s Science Gallery has promoted Green Machines here: http://sciencegallery.com/greenmachines
Revoutionair – There’s nothing like your own wind-turbine. The Revolutionair was designed to empower individuals to generate their own domestic power. Its small footprint and vertical axis means it can be safely used in the city, garden or countryside. Its sculptural form minimises noise pollution.
Latro – A green light for new power? In 2010, scientists from Yansei and Stanford University captured a small electrical current from algae during photosynthesis. With increasingly energy efficient products, plants such as algae will become attractive sources of energy. Latro is a speculative product responding to this potential future market.
Gocycle – A fresh take on the electric bike, Gocycle was designed from the ground up to be the ultimate commuting solution. With a unique cast magnesium frame and bespoke components the Gocycle is an extremely light electric bike with a compact motor
These are just a few examples of the green wave of environmental innovation on display. Perhaps more importantly, the exhibition encourages us to think creatively about sustainability and develop our own ideas. We may not have the necessary €5 million to make our plans a reality, but thinking about new ways to tackle old problems, in a greener light, is always a welcome exercise.
For more information, the Irish Times has written an article about it here: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/1016/1224281227274.html and TCD’s Science Gallery has promoted Green Machines here: http://sciencegallery.com/greenmachines
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Office Recycling Championships - I recycled and I liked it....
How often do we hear the shibboleth “reduce, reuse, recycle”? Whether it’s sung to children to the tune of ‘Eensy, weensy spider”, included in poetry as a part of Earth Day or even backed by Jack Johnson, doing his best to make this a bigger hit than ‘Teenage Dream’ or ‘I gotta feeling’, the battle for waste reduction is an uphill struggle – but one that we seem to be confronting reasonably well, at least in Ireland.
As Recycling Week draws to a close, the latest research from Repak (a non-profit organisation responsible for used packaging recycling) suggests reasons for optimism. According to its findings, 644,000 tonnes of used packaging or the equivalent of 24.3 million green bins was recycled at a cost of €28.9m. This places Ireland at No 8 of the 27 EU member states, with a packaging recycling rate of 65pc, ahead of Sweden, the UK, France and Denmark.
Statistics for the workplace are less encouraging. A survey of 1,000 people found 62% do not recycle regularly from the office or desk and 42% did not recycle their plastic bottles. The conclusion is simple: people are not bringing good recycling habits that have developed at home into the workplace.
I think the reason for this disparity in behaviour is obvious. People are often apathetic when it comes to environmental affairs. In the hierarchy of priorities, the environment has not yet forced its way onto a lot of people’s list. While most profess an interest in addressing waste, acknowledge the dangers of climate change and object to high profile cases of environmental degradation, their daily contributions to changing the environment regularly depends on how little effort they have to make.
This helps to explain the difference between home and work. In Dublin, for example, there are different mechanisms available to householders for the recycling of waste including household wheelie bins (different colours for different types of waste), bring banks and recycling centres. It’s never been easier to recycle at home, whereas at work, it takes initiative and effort. When companies make it easy for employees by setting up recycling systems and awareness advertising campaigns, this is when we’ll see a change.
Recycling is not hard and it serves everyone’s interests – companies can save on their waste charges and also help to improve the work environment for the employees, it saves energy, money, reduces waste, preserves landfill space and is ultimately good for the environment.
As Recycling Week draws to a close, the latest research from Repak (a non-profit organisation responsible for used packaging recycling) suggests reasons for optimism. According to its findings, 644,000 tonnes of used packaging or the equivalent of 24.3 million green bins was recycled at a cost of €28.9m. This places Ireland at No 8 of the 27 EU member states, with a packaging recycling rate of 65pc, ahead of Sweden, the UK, France and Denmark.
Statistics for the workplace are less encouraging. A survey of 1,000 people found 62% do not recycle regularly from the office or desk and 42% did not recycle their plastic bottles. The conclusion is simple: people are not bringing good recycling habits that have developed at home into the workplace.
I think the reason for this disparity in behaviour is obvious. People are often apathetic when it comes to environmental affairs. In the hierarchy of priorities, the environment has not yet forced its way onto a lot of people’s list. While most profess an interest in addressing waste, acknowledge the dangers of climate change and object to high profile cases of environmental degradation, their daily contributions to changing the environment regularly depends on how little effort they have to make.
This helps to explain the difference between home and work. In Dublin, for example, there are different mechanisms available to householders for the recycling of waste including household wheelie bins (different colours for different types of waste), bring banks and recycling centres. It’s never been easier to recycle at home, whereas at work, it takes initiative and effort. When companies make it easy for employees by setting up recycling systems and awareness advertising campaigns, this is when we’ll see a change.
Recycling is not hard and it serves everyone’s interests – companies can save on their waste charges and also help to improve the work environment for the employees, it saves energy, money, reduces waste, preserves landfill space and is ultimately good for the environment.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Pineapple Express in Costa Rica, mae
Costa Rica is a country full of unusual and surprising facts – a place where traditional ice-cream flavours are flouted in favour of green mango, peanut, wild blackberry and even sour cream; where babies and young children are encouraged to drink coffee; where McDonald’s and Burger King will satisfy your every fast-food desire and offer home delivery; and a place which claims more than 5% of the world’s biodiversity.
In the past, it was principally known for coffee and bananas, but pineapples have recently surpassed coffee as the number two agricultural export. Here’s the story of a pineapple boom predicated on environmental degradation and exploitation of workers. It’s another good example of how global food corporations fail to respect human rights, public health and the environment in their supply chains: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2010/oct/01/pineapple-trade-costa-rica
The biggest plantations of pineapples in Costa Rica Costa Rica
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Got Fuel to Burn, Got Roads to Drive - European Mobility Week 2010
Another European Mobility Week (EMW) has passed us by and who can say they noticed? In a week that celebrated Arthur’s Day, Culture Night and saw the return of thousands of students to College, EMW barely got a look in. If last Saturday’s Irish Times article is anything to go by, it isn’t too surprising (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0918/1224279140550.html ). The Botanic Gardens Sculpture in Context exhibition and a Kevin Thornton free workshop on biodegradable waste hardly seem like the biggest efforts or contribution to ensure the success of the week.
Since it began in 2002, EMW has steadily grown throughout Europe. 2,083 cities participated in European Mobility Week this year, with campaigns also being organised in a few other non-European countries – Japan, Colombia, Brazil and Taiwan. Its theme “travel smarter, live better” encapsulates its raison d’être: to encourage public awareness of the detrimental impact that increased motorised traffic is having on the urban environment.
More than half of the global population now lives in urban environments and most big cities are the same. People complain about the reliability of public transport: infrequent bus services, inadequate cycle paths and a Metro line that doesn’t exist or accommodate where I need to go. A feature of 21st century living is the need for immediate satisfaction. Convenience is king. Cars are just one example of this philosophy of consumerism. Despite congestion, pollution and other safety risks, people can’t be enticed from them.
European Mobility Week is intended to challenge this. It offers a unique opportunity for politicians to test innovative transport policies and present them to citizens, to promote alternative forms of travel and show the town/city in another light thanks to reduced motorised traffic within restricted areas. There wasn’t a trace of this in Dublin. It seems as though the Dublin bikes campaign, rather than acting as a catalyst for further improvement, is used to absolve us from the realisation that that campaign was just one of many measures needed to change our relationship with public transport.
Once again, EMW 2010 seems like another opportunity missed.
Since it began in 2002, EMW has steadily grown throughout Europe. 2,083 cities participated in European Mobility Week this year, with campaigns also being organised in a few other non-European countries – Japan, Colombia, Brazil and Taiwan. Its theme “travel smarter, live better” encapsulates its raison d’être: to encourage public awareness of the detrimental impact that increased motorised traffic is having on the urban environment.
More than half of the global population now lives in urban environments and most big cities are the same. People complain about the reliability of public transport: infrequent bus services, inadequate cycle paths and a Metro line that doesn’t exist or accommodate where I need to go. A feature of 21st century living is the need for immediate satisfaction. Convenience is king. Cars are just one example of this philosophy of consumerism. Despite congestion, pollution and other safety risks, people can’t be enticed from them.
European Mobility Week is intended to challenge this. It offers a unique opportunity for politicians to test innovative transport policies and present them to citizens, to promote alternative forms of travel and show the town/city in another light thanks to reduced motorised traffic within restricted areas. There wasn’t a trace of this in Dublin. It seems as though the Dublin bikes campaign, rather than acting as a catalyst for further improvement, is used to absolve us from the realisation that that campaign was just one of many measures needed to change our relationship with public transport.
Once again, EMW 2010 seems like another opportunity missed.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Power of the Message
How do you convince individuals to alter their behaviour? What’s the best way to engage people on an issue they probably don’t care about, but definitely should? Why does public support for several important global events only ever amount to a flash in the pan?
These questions are at the root of an interesting environmental article in The Guardian. Its basic premise is that the climate movement’s approach to climate change risks alienating the average X Factor fan, annoyed by “the yearly cycle of petitions and celebrity endorsements” among other things. Here’s an extract:
“In the months since then, I've become convinced that the movement for a cleaner, fairer future needs to change if it's going to succeed. Whilst the fiasco in Copenhagen wasn't catastrophic and the slanders hurled at climate scientists proved groundless, these events did expose a worryingly shallow level of support for action on climate change. It revealed a public opinion which was fed up with being preached at and frustrated at not listened to enough by campaigners. The movement itself hasn't done nearly enough to reach out beyond the "usual suspects" and to connect with the concerns and aspirations of ordinary people.”
This article is objectionable for a number of reasons. Not only is it full of unhelpful and dull truisms (“It’s time for us to change direction, rather than meandering down same tired path”), it is incredibly disingenuous to the environmental lobby (the climate movement has to have the courage to connect, reach out and build for the long-term, not just the next big media event). This presents the climate movement as if it were some whiny, attention seeking, drama-queen on The Hills, concerned only to enhance its profile at carefully choreographed photo ops. This is ridiculous and unfair. The method of communicating the environmental message is not the problem. Environmental groups have been overwhelmingly clear about what needs to be done to tackle climate change – in a nutshell, people need to drastically alter their way of living, from the cars they buy to the food they eat to the hobbies they enjoy.
Another factor which has halted progress is the fact that carrying out meaningful change requires political leadership, rather than pandering to focus groups. It means taking on powerful special interests and upsetting the status quo. Very few leaders are willing to rock the boat at a national level, let alone make waves on the global scene. That is the reason for piecemeal environmental reform, rather than the author’s flimsy suggestion that the problem lies with the climate movement’s message.
A parallel can be drawn with Africa and poverty relief. This time our focus is Live 8. Anti-poverty wrist bands were the rage, some of the biggest names in music performed (Sting even sang ‘we’ll be watching you’ with extra gusto) and politicians agreed ‘something must be done’. Five years on and little has changed. The disparity between the rhetoric of 2005 and subsequent efforts to tackle poverty highlights how ephemeral these concerts truly were. Disheartening as this is, the fault lies with Joe the plumber for not choosing to pursue or pressurise politicians. Messages advocating poverty relief and campaigns for environmental reform are ubiquitous and convincing. The call to arms is regularly made, but it is apathy that is preventing a reply.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/sep/15/green-movement-approach
These questions are at the root of an interesting environmental article in The Guardian. Its basic premise is that the climate movement’s approach to climate change risks alienating the average X Factor fan, annoyed by “the yearly cycle of petitions and celebrity endorsements” among other things. Here’s an extract:
“In the months since then, I've become convinced that the movement for a cleaner, fairer future needs to change if it's going to succeed. Whilst the fiasco in Copenhagen wasn't catastrophic and the slanders hurled at climate scientists proved groundless, these events did expose a worryingly shallow level of support for action on climate change. It revealed a public opinion which was fed up with being preached at and frustrated at not listened to enough by campaigners. The movement itself hasn't done nearly enough to reach out beyond the "usual suspects" and to connect with the concerns and aspirations of ordinary people.”
This article is objectionable for a number of reasons. Not only is it full of unhelpful and dull truisms (“It’s time for us to change direction, rather than meandering down same tired path”), it is incredibly disingenuous to the environmental lobby (the climate movement has to have the courage to connect, reach out and build for the long-term, not just the next big media event). This presents the climate movement as if it were some whiny, attention seeking, drama-queen on The Hills, concerned only to enhance its profile at carefully choreographed photo ops. This is ridiculous and unfair. The method of communicating the environmental message is not the problem. Environmental groups have been overwhelmingly clear about what needs to be done to tackle climate change – in a nutshell, people need to drastically alter their way of living, from the cars they buy to the food they eat to the hobbies they enjoy.
Another factor which has halted progress is the fact that carrying out meaningful change requires political leadership, rather than pandering to focus groups. It means taking on powerful special interests and upsetting the status quo. Very few leaders are willing to rock the boat at a national level, let alone make waves on the global scene. That is the reason for piecemeal environmental reform, rather than the author’s flimsy suggestion that the problem lies with the climate movement’s message.
A parallel can be drawn with Africa and poverty relief. This time our focus is Live 8. Anti-poverty wrist bands were the rage, some of the biggest names in music performed (Sting even sang ‘we’ll be watching you’ with extra gusto) and politicians agreed ‘something must be done’. Five years on and little has changed. The disparity between the rhetoric of 2005 and subsequent efforts to tackle poverty highlights how ephemeral these concerts truly were. Disheartening as this is, the fault lies with Joe the plumber for not choosing to pursue or pressurise politicians. Messages advocating poverty relief and campaigns for environmental reform are ubiquitous and convincing. The call to arms is regularly made, but it is apathy that is preventing a reply.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/sep/15/green-movement-approach
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Dublin Convention Centre
From the Verizon Building in New York to the bulbous Bolwoningen Houses in the Netherlands and onto the Fang Yuan Building in the Liaoning Province of China, ugly buildings are common to every city. Dublin is definitely no exception, with such gems as Hawkins House, the Central Bank, any number of buildings at the top of O'Connell Street, Bus Aras, UCD in general – a Mecca for lovers of concrete and uninspiring architecture – attesting to this. A lack of imagination, taste and financial constraints probably account for most of these outcomes.
So, it is against this backdrop that the Dublin Convention Centre was unveiled last week, marking the end of a 13-year journey to its place on the North Wall.
A part from the cheap-looking granite cladding on the front, this building is a welcome addition to Dublin’s architecture scene, especially around the IFSC.
For more information about the building itself, here’s a useful Irish Times article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0907/1224278353643.html
So, it is against this backdrop that the Dublin Convention Centre was unveiled last week, marking the end of a 13-year journey to its place on the North Wall.
A part from the cheap-looking granite cladding on the front, this building is a welcome addition to Dublin’s architecture scene, especially around the IFSC.
For more information about the building itself, here’s a useful Irish Times article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/features/2010/0907/1224278353643.html
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Jury's still out
It’s 2005. You’re a swashbuckling property developer. €54 million an acre. €379m altogether for a high profile 6.85-acres in D4 must seem like a bargain, a great investment. Sure, isn’t it the golden days of the acre? The Baron of Ballsbridge, Sean Dunne, certainly thought so. Skip ahead five years. 2010. You’re barely solvent. You have nothing built yet and experts estimate the site’s worth is now €100m. O tempora, O mores!
For a man who invited 44 of his friends on a two-week Mediterranean wedding cruise on the yacht Christina O, whose wealth was so conspicuous during the good times and who gets angry at what he calls ‘the Irish disease’ – jealousy and begrudgery – it’s hard to sympathise with his current predicament. Hubris, recklessness and a lack of foresight contributed to his downfall.
But it’s not all bad news for Dunne. Although there seems to be little appetite for large projects now, Dublin City Council approved his revised plans to construct residential, hotel and retail scheme at the Jurys/Berkeley Court site in Ballsbridge. The scaled-down, mixed-use application includes permission for a 15-storey tower, a 135-bedroom hotel and a range of apartments, shops and offices. A previous application to build to a 37-storey tower, sculpted like a diamond with a 232-bedroom hotel, a new cultural quarter and an embassy quarter had been rejected by An Bord Pleanála citing issues of bulk and over development.
Dunne has not disguised his desire to develop the location along the lines of London’s Knightsbridge, but with considerable opposition against this move (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0810/1224276470257.html ), it will be interesting to see whether his luck will turn.
For a man who invited 44 of his friends on a two-week Mediterranean wedding cruise on the yacht Christina O, whose wealth was so conspicuous during the good times and who gets angry at what he calls ‘the Irish disease’ – jealousy and begrudgery – it’s hard to sympathise with his current predicament. Hubris, recklessness and a lack of foresight contributed to his downfall.
But it’s not all bad news for Dunne. Although there seems to be little appetite for large projects now, Dublin City Council approved his revised plans to construct residential, hotel and retail scheme at the Jurys/Berkeley Court site in Ballsbridge. The scaled-down, mixed-use application includes permission for a 15-storey tower, a 135-bedroom hotel and a range of apartments, shops and offices. A previous application to build to a 37-storey tower, sculpted like a diamond with a 232-bedroom hotel, a new cultural quarter and an embassy quarter had been rejected by An Bord Pleanála citing issues of bulk and over development.
Dunne has not disguised his desire to develop the location along the lines of London’s Knightsbridge, but with considerable opposition against this move (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0810/1224276470257.html ), it will be interesting to see whether his luck will turn.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Long Hot Summer
Warm out today. Warm yesterday. Even warmer today.
In fact, it looks set to be the warmest year since records began in 1880.
No summer in recent memory has highlighted the impact of climate change more vividly than 2010. From flooding in Pakistan (one fifth of the nation is underwater) to more frequent landslides in China to heat-waves around the world, extreme climate events are becoming more regular.
An accelerated pattern of climate anomalies is ubiquitous. Finland experienced a record temperature of 37.2 degrees on July 29th, while Russia has endured its hottest summer since records began 130 years ago. Oppressive heat (temperatures as high as 39 degrees) has led to peat and forest fires across the country pumping smoke into the air. The Moscow Times reported that “the worst smog to hit Moscow in almost a decade has sent pollution soaring 10 times above safe levels”. These circumstances have forced Russia to declare a state of emergency in 23 regions. Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Chad, Sudan, Niger, Burma, Colombia and the Solomon Islands have all witnessed record temperatures. Hundreds have perished in Northern India where temperatures reached 48.5C in Gujarat state several days ago, but the worst may still be to come with forecasts nearing 50C for the weeks to come. The Indian Meteorological Department attributed this to the lack of atmospheric humidity, hot dry winds blowing across the south-western Thar desert and the effects of last year’s El Nino cycle.
Meanwhile, Arctic summer sea ice continues to decline for the 14th year in succession and covered an average of 8.4 million sq km during July – nearly 17% below the 1979-2000 average and the second lowest July extent since records began in 1979, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. This will undoubtedly have an impact on ice sheets and, in the end, sea levels.
In fact, it looks set to be the warmest year since records began in 1880.
No summer in recent memory has highlighted the impact of climate change more vividly than 2010. From flooding in Pakistan (one fifth of the nation is underwater) to more frequent landslides in China to heat-waves around the world, extreme climate events are becoming more regular.
An accelerated pattern of climate anomalies is ubiquitous. Finland experienced a record temperature of 37.2 degrees on July 29th, while Russia has endured its hottest summer since records began 130 years ago. Oppressive heat (temperatures as high as 39 degrees) has led to peat and forest fires across the country pumping smoke into the air. The Moscow Times reported that “the worst smog to hit Moscow in almost a decade has sent pollution soaring 10 times above safe levels”. These circumstances have forced Russia to declare a state of emergency in 23 regions. Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Chad, Sudan, Niger, Burma, Colombia and the Solomon Islands have all witnessed record temperatures. Hundreds have perished in Northern India where temperatures reached 48.5C in Gujarat state several days ago, but the worst may still be to come with forecasts nearing 50C for the weeks to come. The Indian Meteorological Department attributed this to the lack of atmospheric humidity, hot dry winds blowing across the south-western Thar desert and the effects of last year’s El Nino cycle.
Meanwhile, Arctic summer sea ice continues to decline for the 14th year in succession and covered an average of 8.4 million sq km during July – nearly 17% below the 1979-2000 average and the second lowest July extent since records began in 1979, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. This will undoubtedly have an impact on ice sheets and, in the end, sea levels.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Niger - A Case of the Tuareg Blues
Niger should really grab more headlines.
Five times the size of the United Kingdom, it is one of the poorest nations on earth. The statistics are pretty grim – a 2.9% population growth; child mortality worse than Afghanistan; less than a third of the people are literate: boys spend on average five years in school; girls, just three. Two-thirds of people live beneath the poverty line, 85% on less than $2 a day. Half of the government budget derives from donor aid.
Classified by the UN as the world’s least developed country, its location hardly helps. Niger is handicapped by its landlocked position, desert terrain and environmental degradation. Drought cycles and desertification have undercut the economy and with record temperatures of 48.2°C (118.8°F) in Bilma on June 23 2010, there is no sign of any relief.
Since independence from France in 1960, long periods of military rule have devastated the country. Five constitutions and three military juntas later, little has changed. Add to this catastrophic famines (1974, 1984, 2005 and now another in 2010) and you begin to get a sense of how bleak the outlook is for this country.
Forced to eat leaves, wild berries and collect grain from ant hills, 8 million people (more than half the population), are suffering from malnutrition, 3 million of which are on the brink of starvation. Rains and crops failed last year. Take the village of Dailli as an example. Erratic rainfall and a protracted drought led to the complete failure of its cereal production. Elsewhere, it’s a similar story. The absence of regular rainfall throughout 2009 has led to poor harvests, lack of grazing for animals and food reserves exhausted. The result? Soaring food prices and crisis.
Unless we need to exploit their uranium for our nuclear power industry or see how far on their oil production is, we’re really not interested. As usual, West Africa is not very high on the developed world’s priority list.
Five times the size of the United Kingdom, it is one of the poorest nations on earth. The statistics are pretty grim – a 2.9% population growth; child mortality worse than Afghanistan; less than a third of the people are literate: boys spend on average five years in school; girls, just three. Two-thirds of people live beneath the poverty line, 85% on less than $2 a day. Half of the government budget derives from donor aid.
Classified by the UN as the world’s least developed country, its location hardly helps. Niger is handicapped by its landlocked position, desert terrain and environmental degradation. Drought cycles and desertification have undercut the economy and with record temperatures of 48.2°C (118.8°F) in Bilma on June 23 2010, there is no sign of any relief.
Since independence from France in 1960, long periods of military rule have devastated the country. Five constitutions and three military juntas later, little has changed. Add to this catastrophic famines (1974, 1984, 2005 and now another in 2010) and you begin to get a sense of how bleak the outlook is for this country.
Forced to eat leaves, wild berries and collect grain from ant hills, 8 million people (more than half the population), are suffering from malnutrition, 3 million of which are on the brink of starvation. Rains and crops failed last year. Take the village of Dailli as an example. Erratic rainfall and a protracted drought led to the complete failure of its cereal production. Elsewhere, it’s a similar story. The absence of regular rainfall throughout 2009 has led to poor harvests, lack of grazing for animals and food reserves exhausted. The result? Soaring food prices and crisis.
Unless we need to exploit their uranium for our nuclear power industry or see how far on their oil production is, we’re really not interested. As usual, West Africa is not very high on the developed world’s priority list.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
A Sleeping Giant Awakens
The big kahuna! The biggest event in the Arctic in nearly 50 years! An ice island four times the size of Manhattan broke off from one of Greenland’s two main glaciers and it’s now drifting in a remote area called the Nares Strait between Greenland and Canada.
How should this be interpreted? Is this another demonstration of the onward march of global warming? Or is it simply a natural consequence of a series of factors at play around Greenland?
Scientists are divided. On the one hand, Jason E. Box, a glacier and climate researcher at Ohio State University, stated that the coincidence of this area loss and a 30 square kilometre loss in 2008 along with abnormal warmth this year, the setting of increasing sea surface temperatures and sea ice decline are all part of a climate warming pattern. While on the other, Andreas Muenchow, Associate Professor of Physical Ocean Science and Engineering at the University of Delaware, is more cautious about attributing the ice breakup to recent warming. He has referred to boundary layer physics, turbulence, tides, and glacier dynamics as factors relating to its occurrence.
For more detail, here's an interesting article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/aug/07/biggest-ice-island-greenland
How should this be interpreted? Is this another demonstration of the onward march of global warming? Or is it simply a natural consequence of a series of factors at play around Greenland?
Scientists are divided. On the one hand, Jason E. Box, a glacier and climate researcher at Ohio State University, stated that the coincidence of this area loss and a 30 square kilometre loss in 2008 along with abnormal warmth this year, the setting of increasing sea surface temperatures and sea ice decline are all part of a climate warming pattern. While on the other, Andreas Muenchow, Associate Professor of Physical Ocean Science and Engineering at the University of Delaware, is more cautious about attributing the ice breakup to recent warming. He has referred to boundary layer physics, turbulence, tides, and glacier dynamics as factors relating to its occurrence.
For more detail, here's an interesting article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/aug/07/biggest-ice-island-greenland
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Brazil and the Environment
Brazil and the environment. Get ready for a scoop.
The world’s fifth largest country has the greatest primate diversity, the highest number of mammals, the second highest number of amphibians and butterflies, the third highest number of birds, and fifth highest number of reptiles in the world. Not only is it home to the greatest amount of biodiversity on the planet, it possesses the world’s largest extent of tropical forest, 145 million acres, equivalent to one-third of the world’s total, and three times that of Indonesia, the nation in second place.
Commitment to the environment is also enshrined in the Brazilian Federal Constitution. Article 225 states: “Everyone has the right to an ecologically balanced environment, a possession of common use of the people, essential to a healthy quality of life, demanding that those in Public Office and the community in general comply with their duty to defend it for the present and future generations.” Chapter VI expands on this right.
So far, so good.
But there’s another, more conflicted side to the story of this emerging environmental superpower. Intense economic and demographic growth has caused problems. Since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed and despite Ibama’s (Brazilian environment agency) assurances that deforestation fell dramatically last year, it remains a serious issue. The discovery of oil off the coast of Rio – 50 bn barrels of it – could also upset its environmental balance, turning the country into a global petro-power.
The world’s fifth largest country has the greatest primate diversity, the highest number of mammals, the second highest number of amphibians and butterflies, the third highest number of birds, and fifth highest number of reptiles in the world. Not only is it home to the greatest amount of biodiversity on the planet, it possesses the world’s largest extent of tropical forest, 145 million acres, equivalent to one-third of the world’s total, and three times that of Indonesia, the nation in second place.
Commitment to the environment is also enshrined in the Brazilian Federal Constitution. Article 225 states: “Everyone has the right to an ecologically balanced environment, a possession of common use of the people, essential to a healthy quality of life, demanding that those in Public Office and the community in general comply with their duty to defend it for the present and future generations.” Chapter VI expands on this right.
So far, so good.
But there’s another, more conflicted side to the story of this emerging environmental superpower. Intense economic and demographic growth has caused problems. Since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed and despite Ibama’s (Brazilian environment agency) assurances that deforestation fell dramatically last year, it remains a serious issue. The discovery of oil off the coast of Rio – 50 bn barrels of it – could also upset its environmental balance, turning the country into a global petro-power.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Aral Sea
Who’s ever heard of the Aral Sea? It’s a rollercoaster story. The stuff of Hollywood. Man meddling with nature. Nature packing her bags. Man repenting.
In 1960 the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake on the planet. Located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Its fishing industry employed 40,000 people and produced 1/6th of the Soviet Union’s entire fish catch.
In the 1960s the Soviet smart set decided to make improvements. Let’s have more rice and cotton, they said. So they drained the two rivers that fed the sea, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya. The consequences: bad for the ecosystem and bad for people, who began to develop respiratory problems (strong windstorms blew salt and agricultural chemicals around – the water had previously mitigated this).
By 2007 the lake had declined to 10% of its original size; it had actually split into three lakes, crumbled like the Union that had meddled with it. By 2009, the south-eastern lake had disappeared and the south-western lake retreated to a thin strip at the extreme west of the former southern sea.
Good news: the “Kazakh Miracle” has been announced – a multi-million government program for the recovery of the Northern Aral Sea and revitalisation of the dry former seabed, partially supported by loans from the World Bank. The powers that be are now committed to undoing the damage done.
Other big lakes are in a bad way too: the Salton Sea in California’s boarder region and Lake Chad in Central Africa (labeled an ecological catastrophe by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization).
In 1960 the Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake on the planet. Located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Its fishing industry employed 40,000 people and produced 1/6th of the Soviet Union’s entire fish catch.
In the 1960s the Soviet smart set decided to make improvements. Let’s have more rice and cotton, they said. So they drained the two rivers that fed the sea, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya. The consequences: bad for the ecosystem and bad for people, who began to develop respiratory problems (strong windstorms blew salt and agricultural chemicals around – the water had previously mitigated this).
By 2007 the lake had declined to 10% of its original size; it had actually split into three lakes, crumbled like the Union that had meddled with it. By 2009, the south-eastern lake had disappeared and the south-western lake retreated to a thin strip at the extreme west of the former southern sea.
Good news: the “Kazakh Miracle” has been announced – a multi-million government program for the recovery of the Northern Aral Sea and revitalisation of the dry former seabed, partially supported by loans from the World Bank. The powers that be are now committed to undoing the damage done.
Other big lakes are in a bad way too: the Salton Sea in California’s boarder region and Lake Chad in Central Africa (labeled an ecological catastrophe by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization).
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