Topic: europe

STATEMENT: Climate Talks Wrap Up with a Deal in Doha

James Anderson — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 09:30:41 -0500

The climate talks (COP18) wrapped up today in Doha, Qatar, with package of decisions, including an agreement to move forward an international climate agreement by 2015.

Following are key developments:

The parties resolved the Second Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol by adopting amendments;
They wrapped up and closed the long-term cooperative action (LCA) track, including rules around finance, accounting and review; and
They agreed to move forward with the core elements of the Durban Agreement, including a workplan for 2013 to begin negotiating the 2015 legally binding agreement.

Following is a statement by Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy Program, World Resources Institute:

“It wasn’t pretty, but Doha delivered just enough to keep the process moving. By resolving the key issues, all countries are now on a single track to enter into a new international climate agreement by 2015.

“Yet, much more remains to be done. Over the coming year, negotiators need to step up their intensity and hammer out a plan that will lead to an agreement that is ambitious and fair for all. Moreover, they need to raise their level of ambition in the near term, even before a new agreement kicks in.

“Getting on the right track will take a greater commitment and sense of urgency than we saw in Doha. There were a couple of bright spots, including the EU countries that stepped up with important financial pledges. But the United Nations is primarily a reflection of the political will of its members– and right now we’re lacking leadership on climate from most world powers.

“Following President Obama’s re-election and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, many people were watching to see if the United States would shift its strategy. The US made some gestures, but it didn’t significantly change course. All eyes will be on the administration to see what further action it takes to lower emissions at home. President Obama’s legacy– like all world leaders– will in part be measured by his response to the climate crisis.

“The stakes are high. Whether it’s events like Typhoon Bopha and Hurricane Sandy, or record-breaking droughts and rapidly rising seas, the dangers of a warming planet cannot be ignored.

“The door is now open. It’s up to all countries to step through and get on course to a strong and fair climate agreement.”

Coming Soon: Global Forest Watch 2.0

James Anderson — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:03:32 -0500

Welcome to the home of Global Forest Watch 2.0, a powerful near real-time forest monitoring system that unites satellite technology, data sharing, and human networks around the world to fight deforestation.

GFW 2.0 is currently under development, and will launch in late 2013.

Read more below, and email gfw2@wri.org to participate in the pilot testing period or be notified when GFW 2.0 launches. Please note that as we prepare for the launch, the original Global Forest Watch website has been redirected to this page.

Watch a Short Preview of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the UN Forum on Forests 10, in Istanbul.

Watch the full version here

Speakers:

Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Forestry, Indonesia
Kerri-Ann Jones, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute

Photo by David Gilbert

WHY FORESTS, WHY NOW?

Forests provide food jobs, raw materials, climate benefits and more. But without clear, up-to-date information, governments, companies and communities lack the tools to monitor and manage these resources.

We can track a company’s financial information daily, but information about forests is often years out of date.

Deforestation continues today in part because by the time satellite images are available, analyzed, and shared, the forest clearing is long done. The illegal loggers have moved on; cattle are already grazing amidst stumps; the oil palm plantation has been established. We simply find out too late.

New technologies can overcome these challenges

Fortunately, a convergence of technologies and human networks offers the ability to address these challenges for the first time:

Advances in satellite and remote sensing technology, including the launch of NASA’s Landsat 8 in early 2013, and new private systems, enable higher spatial resolution analysis and much more rapid updates of information. This has enabled the development of near-real-time forest cover change detection.
Brazilian partner IMAZON, is making its Amazon Alert System available through GFW 2.0, and also the DETER system which is innovating in detection of forest degradation. Brazil has seen a remarkable drop in deforestation in the Amazon of almost 80 percent partly due to improved linked to more effective use of satellite imagery.
Cloud computing and open source software can now be used to rapidly process and interpret large volumes of satellite data at low cost by utilizing clusters of servers scattered around the world. Google Earth Engine’s team is partnered with Global Forest Watch 2.0 to optimize easy access to cloud computing-based forest cover information.
High speed internet connectivity enables sending data and forest maps processed in North America, Europe, or Singapore to laptops and mobile phones in Jakarta, Kinshasa, Lima, Vladivostok, and other corners of the globe.
Smartphones are more common than ever and can be used by anyone in the field to download maps and satellite images, as well as upload GPS coordinates and photographs from the ground.
Crowdsourcing using simple web interfaces can empower thousands if not millions of people to gather and share information, participate in forest monitoring, and hold decision-makers accountable. • Social media outlets are creating a flat, networked world in which information travels fast, communities self-organize, and people get mobilized.

ABOUT GLOBAL FOREST WATCH 2.0

These enhanced technologies and social movements are the foundation for Global Forest Watch 2.0. GFW 2.0 will unite a near-real-time deforestation alert system, complementary satellite imagery and monitoring systems, WRI’s data-rich collection of maps, mobile technology, and a networked world to create never-before-possible transparency for faraway forests.

The platform is currently under development, and will be launched in late 2013.

This powerful new platform will enable responsible companies, NGOs, the media, and progressive government leaders to hold those responsible accountable for forest management.

GFW 2.0 can be useful to multiple groups of users involved with the sustainable management of forests:

Buyers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will enable buyers of sustainably sourced commodities―such as certified timber, palm oil, soya, and beef―to confirm adherence to or violations of supplier commitments to “no deforestation,” “no clearing of high conservation value forest,” and related criteria.
Suppliers of sustainable commodities. GFW 2.0 will help suppliers of sustainable commodities prove to buyers, investors, governments, and NGOs that their commodities are adhering to best forest management practices, national laws, criteria of the relevant commodity roundtables, or investor lending conditions.
Governments. GFW 2.0 is designed to help progressive elements in governments better enforce sustainable forest management and forest protection laws. GFW 2.0 is also designed to be a trusted, independent, and user-friendly way to help investors in REDD+ and other forest conservation projects monitor performance and hold countries accountable to their commitments on greenhouse gas emission reductions and forest conservation.
Conservation and community organizations. GFW 2.0 will enable NGOs dedicated to forest conservation, indigenous rights, and forest communities to identify deforestation hotspots as they arise and quickly mobilize action to curtail further clearing.
The media. GFW 2.0 will enable local, national, and international media to ring the alarm bell on deforestation hotspots around the globe at a pace never-before-possible, and thereby put pressure on governments, companies, and others to curtail forest conversion and illegal logging in time

Applying new technology

GFW 2.0 combines satellites, new algorithms, cloud computing, mobile phone technologies, and WRI databases to connect images, maps, photos, and data with forest clearing alerts ultimately within two weeks of significant deforestation occurring.

Because GFW 2.0 will be powered by Google Earth Engine and Earth Builder, it will bring to target users a seamless experience of the best technology offered by WRI, Google, and their partners, as Bloomberg does for the world’s vast, complex array of financial information.

Mobilizing human networks

GFW 2.0 will mobilize networks of people to ensure sustainable management of forests and greater forest conservation. Global Forest Watch “anchor” NGOs in each priority country or region, will actively use and contribute content in an open-source, network model.

These groups will include ScanEx and its non-profit affiliate Transparent World in Russia, Imazon in Brazil and their Amazon-wide network of partners across the seven neighboring countries, the Observatoire Satellital des Forêts d’Afrique Centrale (OSFAC) which covers the Central Africa region. More partners in Canada, China, Europe, and the United States are joining every day.

Watch a Sneak Peek of GFW 2.0 presented at Rio+20

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Carlos Souza Jr., Senior Researcher, IMAZON
Charles Barber, Forest Division Chief, Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, U.S. Department of State
Rebecca Moore, Google
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch UNEP’s press conference featuring GFW 2.0 at COP18 in Doha

Speakers:

Mr. Heru Prasetyo, Deputy I, Presidential Delivery Unit on Development Monitoring and Oversight, Government of Indonesia
Tim Christophersen, Senior Programme Officer, Forests and Climate Change, UNEP
Jane Feehan, Natural Resources Specialist, European Investment Bank
Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forest Initiative, World Resources Institute

Watch a Sneak Peek of Global Forest Watch 2.0 at the U.S. Pavilion, COP18 in Doha

Video streaming by Ustream

Speakers:

Nigel Sizer, Director, Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute
Nirarta “Koni” Samadhi, Head of REDD+ Task Force Working Group on Moratorium Monitoring, Presidential Work Unit on Monitoring and Development Oversight (UKP4), Government of Indonesia
Per Fredrik Ilsaas Pharo, Director, International Climate and Forest Initiative, Norwegian Ministry of the Environment, Government of Norway
Tim Christophersen, Senior Program Officer, Forests and Climate Change, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Read more about WRI’s forest work here.

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in the EU: An Overview of the Current Policy Landscape

Sarah Parsons — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:33:42 -0500

Executive Summary

In 2009, the European Union (EU) pledged a unilateral greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target of 20 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, rising to 30 percent if “other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission reductions” (European Council 2009). The EU’s GHG target forms one pillar of a so-called 20-20-20 package that, in addition to the 20 percent GHG reduction, demands a 20 percent share of renewable energy sources in gross final energy consumption along with a 20 percent improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. In addition to its 2020 targets, the EU has also set a long-term GHG reduction goal of 80 to 95 percent from 1990 levels by 2050.

In the context of these goals, this report provides a summary of existing and emerging EU policies that are likely to reduce GHG emissions across the EU. Our analysis focuses on policies that are mandatory or provide a financial incentive, such as the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) – a cornerstone of EU climate policy – the Renewable Energy Directive, and the Biofuels Directive. We discuss the relationship of these policies to the EU’s GHG and energy targets, and identify key issues to watch in the EU’s evolving policy landscape.

This report draws on projections from the “Energy Roadmap 2050” to assess whether the EU is on track to reach its GHG, renewable energy and energy efficiency targets. We find that the EU is on track to surpass its 2020 GHG reduction and renewable energy targets based on current policies, but that additional measures will be required to meet the 2020 energy efficiency target and the 2050 GHG reduction goal.

New and emerging policies, including the Energy Efficiency Directive, reforms to the EU ETS, and a proposed Energy Taxation Directive, which aims to restructure taxes on energy products, provide options that can begin to bridge this gap. It will be important to monitor these developments, as well as the EU’s positioning in the international community vis-à-vis the possible strengthening of its 2020 target.

COP 18: Doha

Kevin Lustig — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:09:59 -0400

WRI Experts at COP 18

WRI Events at COP 18

COP 18 Commentary

From November 26 to December 7, 2012, the United Nations will host the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP) in Qatar.

WRI experts will be in attendance at this latest meeting under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help inform the talks. Here, you can find a variety of materials from the World Resources Institute that shed light on key areas of international climate policy.

WRI Resources for COP 18

RELEASE: EMBARQ Turkey Officially Established in Istanbul

James Anderson — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:10:30 -0400

Regional Hub Joins Global Transport Network to Advance Sustainability and Road Safety

EMBARQ Turkey (Türkiye) was officially established in Istanbul, becoming the sixth hub in EMBARQ’s global network of sustainable transport research and implementation centers.

“EMBARQ Turkey represents an important foothold in a region to help improve sustainable mobility ,” says EMBARQ Director Holger Dalkmann. “By bringing together new partners from government, business and non-profit sectors, we can identify and scale-up transportation solutions that improve health and road safety, boost quality of life, and promote sustainability.”

Since 2005, EMBARQ—WRI’s center for sustainable transport—has been conducting research and implementing projects in Turkey, such as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Istanbul, cycling projects in Antalya, and more. The center’s new legal presence offers an opportunity to engage even more deeply.

At the opening general assembly, Arzu Tekir, EMBARQ Turkey’s new executive director, presented updates on activities and financial reports, while the 16-member assembly voted on an advisory board of experts and leaders in the field.

The newly elected board members are Ayşe Canan Ediboğlu, Ali Rıza Danış, Tayfun Bayazıt, M. Pınar Mengüç and Sibel Bulay.

EMBARQ Turkey’s staff consists of Arzu Tekir, Executive Director; Ali Doğan Şalva, Transport Engineer/Planner; Elif Can Yüce, Urban Planner; and Pınar Köse, Administrative Assistant. The team will be expanding in the coming months to include a senior transport engineer.

“We are very excited to build on our foundation and enter a new phase for our organization,” said Tekir. “Working through our global network, we are eager to develop innovative and lasting solutions that will improve the lives for millions of people in Turkey and beyond.”

Bloomberg Philanthropies has provided the initial funds for EMBARQ Turkey, which will focus on health and road safety programs.

Online: www.embarqturkiye.org
Twitter: @embarqturkiye
Facebook: https://www.fb.com/embarqturkiye

# # #

The World Resources Institute is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. WRI’s transformative ideas protect the earth and promote development because sustainability is essential to meeting human needs and fulfilling human aspirations in the future. www.wri.org

EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport, catalyzes and helps implement sustainable transport solutions to improve quality of life in cities. www.embarq.org

Open Climate Network Analysis

Kevin Lustig — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:16:37 -0400

Use the list to the right to explore available analysis from the Open Climate Network »

RELEASE: New Global Database on Bus Rapid Transit Launched

Lauren Zelin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:57:59 -0400

BRTdata.org provides most robust data to improve mobility and reduce carbon emissions from transit

Three global organizations have teamed up to launch the most comprehensive, public database of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems around the world. The new site, http://BRTdata.org, was created by EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute’s center for sustainable transport, and the Across Latitudes and Cultures - Bus Rapid Transit Centre of Excellence (ALC-BRT CoE), in collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA).

BRT is one of the fastest growing public transport systems. Approximately 134 cities worldwide— from Bogota to Beijing— have implemented BRT systems or priority bus corridors, serving more than 22 million passenger trips daily.

BRT is a mode of public transport that flexibly combines stations, vehicles, services, running ways and intelligent transportation system elements into an integrated system.

“The new website provides reliable and up-to-date data to help researchers, transit agencies, city officials, and NGOs understand and make better decisions to improve BRT and bus corridors in their cities,” said Dario Hidalgo, Director of Research and Practice, EMBARQ. “This is the first time that all of this publicly available data has been compiled in one place, but there is still more information available. We invite transit agencies and researchers to help us improve the knowledge base by sharing additional data to fill in the gaps.”

The new website allows users to compare BRT systems and bus corridors in all 134 cities in 36 countries. The database includes 95 different indicators on system operations, design and cost, including metrics like the number of passengers per day, commercial speed, and the length of corridors.

There is growing interest and demand for BRT as cities seek low-cost, sustainable urban transportation solutions. As the number of BRT systems increases, it is important to have current, accurate, and complete information about existing and planned systems.

The development of an online database was a joint data-sharing effort. EMBARQ and ALC-BRT CoE collected data mostly from Latin America, and the IEA contributed data from other regions.

“Previously, there was no single point of publicly accessible information about the worldwide BRT industry, and it was especially difficult to get an assessment of the industry’s size and how it was changing over time,” ALC-BRT CoE Director Juan Carlos Munoz said. “We finally have the right tools to set standards for this dynamic industry.”

Using information from this dataset, the IEA has estimated the energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) benefits of BRT implementation, and outlined several CO2-mitigation scenarios that rely in part on modal shift from light duty vehicles to public transit, including BRT. The IEA plans to recognize the extensive potential of BRT in its upcoming biennial report, “Energy Technology Perspectives 2012,” calling for the total network length of BRT systems to double by 2020.

“BRT is growing in importance as a transit alternative,” said Tali Trigg, energy analyst, IEA. “This database will be helpful to planners, and is an essential component in calculating energy efficient scenarios which inform decision makers of practical ways of transitioning to a more secure, sustainable and affordable energy future.”

Following are just a few examples of the data that is available from the new website:

Worldwide, 129 new corridors have been implemented since 2000, and 37 since 2010.
Latin American systems move more than 50 percent of global BRT daily passenger trips.
25 Brazilian cities have 87 bus corridors, totaling more than 560 kilometers– more than any other country.
18 of Asia’s 24 BRT systems began operations since 2006.
Systems in 13 U.S. cities together carry nearly 600,000 passenger trips each day.

Experts from the three organizations will be participating in a webinar on Tuesday, April 10, at 12:00 p.m. EDT. Register here to participate: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/949999098.

Watch a screencast tutorial on how to use new website: http://youtu.be/KJU-fWvSBY0.

# # #

EMBARQ catalyzes environmentally and financially sustainable transport solutions to improve quality of life in cities. To date, EMBARQ has supported the planning, implementation, and evaluation of BRT systems in at least 14 cities. www.embarq.org

Across Latitudes and Cultures - Bus Rapid Transit (ALC-BRT) Centre of Excellence works as a consortium of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Technical University of Lisbon, The University of Sydney and EMBARQ. It develops new frameworks for planning, design, financing, implementing and operating bus based transit systems in different urban areas. www.brt.cl

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is an autonomous organization, which works to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for its 28 member countries and beyond. www.iea.org

Additional Resources

Visit the website: http://BRTdata.org
Webinar April 10, 12:00 p.m. EDT. Hear expert commentary from EMBARQ Director of Research and Practice Dario Hidalgo, ALC-BRT CoE Director Juan Carlos Muñoz, and IEA Energy Analyst Tali Trigg. Register now: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/949999098
Watch videos of BRT systems around the world: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9C8FFA2249C3B7DA

Watch a Screencast Tutorial of the new BRTdata website

[Top]

STATEMENT: A Climate Deal Comes Together in Durban

Michael Oko — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:40:27 -0500

As the climate talks concluded today, Parties agreed to move forward with a “Durban Package” that includes a pathway forward on a legally-binding instrument for all countries, an agreement on a second commitment for the Kyoto Protocol, and a set of decisions to implement the Cancun Agreements, including the Green Climate Fund.

Following is a statement by Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy Program, World Resources Institute:

“A roller-coaster two weeks ended with a major climate deal in Durban. Significantly, countries will now negotiate a legally-binding agreement covering both developed and developing countries by 2015, which would cover post-2020 emissions targets and actions. However, there was little progress to close the significant gap between countries’ emissions levels and what’s needed to stay within two degrees Celsius of warming.

“Durban represented a fork in the road between a legally-binding system and a voluntary one. In the end, the European Union, the United States, China, India, along with vulnerable countries in Africa and small islands opted for a path toward an international climate regime.

“The European Union, in particular, came into the conference with a willingness to enter into a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol. Working closely with allies in the least-developed countries and small island nations, the EU injected ambition into the talks. The result is a clear pathway for countries to enter the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

“Countries also pushed ahead with the implementation of the Cancun Agreements. Most notably, they agreed to make the Green Climate Fund operational, and set up a work plan to mobilize significant climate funds from both private and public sources. Currently, however, the funding level is insufficient to meet the commitments. Though details remain to be sorted out, there was also progress on other core issues, such as adaptation, REDD+, and technology.

“On the other hand, the lack of a common accounting framework for developed countries is a significant step backward. This will make it very difficult to know how countries targets compare against the 2 degrees Celsius goal.

“Finally, while negotiators forged a hard-won agreement, countries need to take further steps to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shift to a lower-carbon and safer future.”

-End-

Note to reach Jennifer Morgan in Durban, Tel. +27 (0) 72 579 5783; jmorgan@wri.org

ADVISORY: Press Teleconference: What To Expect at the Durban Climate Talks

Michael Oko — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:03:33 -0500

As the climate meetings in Durban, South Africa, approach, it is a key moment to find a way forward with international cooperation to address climate change.

On Tuesday, November 22, WRI will host a press teleconference where leading experts will discuss the state of play, and key issues such as the future of the Kyoto Protocol, climate finance, and the role of the United States and other countries.

You can read WRI’s overview blog post on the Durban talks, here.

WHAT
Press teleconference on UNFCCC climate negotiations in Durban (COP17)

WHO
Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate & Energy Program

Jacob Werksman, Director, Institutions & Governance Program

Edward Cameron, Director, International Climate Initiative

Clifford Polycarp, Senior Associate, International Financial Flows & Environment Project

WHEN
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
9:30 a.m. EST//14:30 GMT
Media should dial-in 10 minutes prior to the start time

DIAL-IN (CORRECTED) U.S. Toll Free: 866-803-2143
International/U.S. Toll: ++1-210-795-1098

Access code: DURBAN

You can find WRI’s resources for Durban and follow developments, here

RELEASE: Leaders Announce Global Effort to Restore 150 Million Hectares of Deforested Land

Michael Oko — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:54:06 -0400

New Global Restoration Council to be led by former Swedish Prime Minister Persson

A global effort to restore 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested lands by 2020 is being launched in Bonn, Germany. The announcement comes during the Bonn Challenge Ministerial Roundtable, where a select group of government officials, business leaders, and international forest experts are gathering to catalyze support for global forest and landscape restoration.

At the meeting, Göran Persson, former Prime Minister of Sweden, will propose a new Global Restoration Council to help galvanize action for forest and landscape restoration and build support to achieve The Bonn Challenge. The Council will be facilitated by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

“Restoring 150 million hectares of degraded lands represents an exciting and largely untapped opportunity to create more jobs and economic growth, while also protecting our climate,” said Prime Minister Persson, who is also a member of WRI’s board of directors. “I am delighted to be announcing this new Council to raise attention and generate action to strengthen our forests, our economies, our climate, and our lives. I look forward to working with world leaders, businesses, and other colleagues in an effort that will send a strong signal that forest and land restoration must be pursued globally.”

The Bonn Challenge builds on a new global assessment identifying that more than 2 billion hectares of the world’s deforested and degraded lands are available for restoration. This assessment, carried out by WRI, the South Dakota State University, and IUCN on behalf of the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration, nearly doubles the previous estimate, reflecting greater precision and a better understanding of the conditions needed for forests to grow.

“Forest restoration is big idea that carries many benefits. It will improve food security, enhance biodiversity, protect our climate, and generate jobs,” said Manish Bapna, interim President for WRI. “With this new 150 million hectare target– and support from leaders like Mr. Persson— we have a great opportunity to take action that will enhance the resilience of people and nature.”

Restoring 150 million hectares of land reflects a significant contribution to implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Target 15 and the REDD-plus agreement of the UNFCCC. The CBD Target 15 calls for the restoration of at least 15 percent of degraded ecosystems by 2020, and the REDD-Plus goal is to slow, halt and reverse forest cover and carbon loss, including through the enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

Find maps and information behind the 2 billion hectare analysis.

Find out more about IUCN forests work.

Learn more about the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Corporate Ecosystem Valuation Event at World Resources Institute

Michael Oko — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:54:26 -0400

Business and NGO Leaders Discuss How to Integrate Ecosystem Valuation into Planning and Financial Analysis

Business and environmental leaders are participating in an event at the World Resources Institute to discuss the new Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV) and how businesses can incorporate ecosystem valuation into their planning and financial analysis. The event is being hosted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on Tuesday, May 3 from 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Speakers include representatives from Goldman Sachs, Holcim, and Weyerhaeuser, along with leading NGOs, and more.

Ecosystem goods and services – like freshwater, fiber, food, flood control, water purification and waste treatment – enable business and society to function and therefore it will be imperative that business understands how it impacts and depends on its ecosystems.

That’s why the WBCSD created the first-of-its-kind Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV), a framework that allows business to recognize the actual benefits and value of ecosystem services, giving them new information and insights to include in business planning and financial analysis.

The event is open to media and other interested parties– full agenda below

WHO
Representatives from Goldman Sachs, Holcim, and Weyerhauser

Representatives from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and more

WHAT
Event on the Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation

WHERE
World Resources Institute, 10 G St NE, Washington D.C., 8th Floor, Main Conference Room

WHEN
Tuesday, May 3, 2011

TIME
10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

AGENDA
Moderation by Janet Ranganathan (WRI), Suzanne Ozment (WRI) and Mary Beth West (IUCN)

Introduction and Welcome
Janet Ranganathan, WRI

The Wall Street Perspective
Kuyung-Ah Park, Goldman Sachs

CEV Overview
James Griffiths, WBCSD

Corporate Ecosystem Valuation Road-Tester Panel
Kieran Sikdar, US Business Council for Sustainable Development, Erika Guerra, Holcim, and Jody Strickland, Weyerhaeuser

The Dow Chemical Company and The Nature Conservancy Valuing Nature Collaboration
Mark Weick, Dow, and Michelle Lapinski, TNC

# # #

For more information, please contact:

Michael Oko, Director, Media Relations, World Resources Institute, moko@wri.org, (202) 729-7684

Peter Paul van de Wijs, Managing Director, Communications, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, vandewijs@wbcsd.org, +41 22 839 3141

Nicki Chadwick, Media Relations Officer, International Union for Conservation of Nature, nicki.chadwick@iucn.org, +41 22 999 0229

High Wire Act: Improving the Grid for Renewable Energy

Letha Tawney — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:22:58 -0400

China, the United States, and the European Union take on transmission upgrades

The European Union, China, and the United States have all made significant commitments to renewable energy deployment, at either the central or regional levels. But they all face a major challenge: how to integrate this power into the existing grids. As a new WRI report shows, policies to help transmit renewable energy have not kept pace with renewable energy ambitions.

Despite its potential, renewable energy puts new pressure on transmission infrastructure as it scales up. Excellent sources of sun, wind, and wave power are rarely conveniently located next to industrial centers and cities. The energy generated in remote places must be transmitted to heavily populated areas.

Renewable energy is also intermittent–that is, dependent on the sun shining or the wind blowing. Typically the most cost-effective way to manage intermittency is to draw energy from a large geographic area. This requires moving electricity across a more widely integrated grid than has historically been necessary.

Read the Report

Today’s transmission infrastructure is simply not up to the job. But just adding new wires will not resolve all of the obstacles to integrating renewable energy in the grid. Transmission policy, such as how electricity markets incorporate planning for intermittent sources and operations that keep the power flowing smoothly, must also evolve.

A new report from World Resources Institute, High Wire Act examines the relationship of renewable energy and transmission in the European Union, China, and the United States. Supported by the HSBC Climate Change Centre of Excellence, the research highlights how, in all three markets, transmission is currently a bottleneck to maximizing renewable energy’s cost-effective contribution to the power mix.

The main message for policy makers crafting renewable energy policies and for investors seeking to be a part of this $240 billion a year market is a simple one. Transmission constraints have to be addressed upfront to improve the chances of reaping the long-term rewards of a future powered by renewable energy.

As the report highlights, transmission policy has not kept pace with clean energy ambitions, largely as a result of concerns over associated costs and reliability. Transmission decisions are also shaped as much by complex politics as they are by economics. A deep tension between locally borne costs and national or supra-national benefits emerges over and over again. Local communities are reluctant to accept large infrastructure when most of the benefits are seen at the national level rather than locally. Each region examined in this report is uniquely grappling with this “local” versus “larger society” tension, based on its own political and regulatory norms.

The European Union

The renewable energy market is large and growing in the European Union, stoked by both EU-wide goals and national incentive programs. Recognizing that transmission policy and infrastructure has to evolve, the EU is in the midst of implementing the 3rd Legislative Package on Energy Markets, which is pushing towards more integrated electricity markets by 2014 and assistance for transmission projects that have an EU-wide strategic importance. However, it is unclear how much authority the countries will cede to the EU-wide bodies or whether they will remain largely advisory instead. The wide range of transmission cost policies across countries is also shaping the renewable energy market – driving projects to locate where the transmission costs are lower, rather than where the best renewable energy resources are.

China

China’s renewable energy growth – particularly through wind farms in the remote North and Northwest of the country – poses transmission companies with a large physical challenge. For this reason, among others, China is investing heavily in groundbreaking research into ultra-high voltage transmission, which will allow more efficient transmission over far larger distances.

However, the dramatic growth in new wind turbines has yet to translate into growth in renewable energy in the grid. A lack of connection standards for generators to follow, a lack of coordination between wind farm planning and transmission planning, inflexible electricity dispatching, and a lack of financial incentives for grid operators to buy renewable energy power have all contributed to the problem. As a result, many of these wind turbines are not contributing as much as they could to the national grid. The central government attempted to resolve several of these issues through the 2009 Amendments to the Renewable Energy Law, but it will take time for the effects to be widely felt.

The United States

While Congress is considering President Obama’s proposed Clean Energy Standard, currently renewable energy goals are set at the state level in the United States. This state-by-state approach is also reflected in very strong state control of transmission decisions, which has made large-scale projects or coordinated planning very challenging to accomplish –. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is considering new federal rules for cost allocation, but substantial reform would likely face both legal and legislative challenges.

**Table 1. Incentives Driving Transmission Action**
	RE Goals	Coordination Efforts	Innovations
European Union	EU Renewable Energy Directive (June 2009) sets goal of 20 percent power from RE sources by 2020 and mandates grid connectors to provide access to new RE to achieve EU climate policy	The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) have transmission coordinating missions	EU Priority Projects defined and assigned an EU coordinator to push the project forward
China	Renewable Energy Law (2005, 2009) obligates power grid companies to connect all RE generation sites that fall in their grid coverage	Renewable Energy Law Amendments (2009) require coordinated RE and transmission planning	Development of UHV infrastructure with $59.7 billion in investment
United States	Thirty-one state Renewable Portfolio Standards	Federal efforts encourage regional transmission planning, though there are no requirements	Innovative cost allocation resolutions such as the Tehachapi and Southwest Power Pool projects

**Table 2. Roadblocks to Sufficient Transmission Action**
	Local Interests	Costs
European Union	Transnational coordination and enforcement powers of EU institutions remain unproven while local opposition to large-scale infrastructure projects is significant in some areas	Transmission investment will be difficult in an era of austerity and slow economic growth
China	Disagreement between the grid operators and wind developers on technology standards and planning complicate RE generation connection	Vast distances between generation and load sites and chronic grid congestion necessitate massive transmission expansion
United States	Weak jurisdictional coordination in the transmission siting and approval process slows or stops transmission projects	Transmission cost allocation issues remain largely unresolved or are resolved at local level, reflecting narrow local interests

Going Forward

In a time of austerity, the issues raised by this report are all the more pressing. Public subsidies for renewables are under pressure and raising consumer costs to pay for renewable energy is even less palatable. Meeting renewable energy goals in the most cost effective manner is critical to the industry’s long-term success. But if the transmission issues highlighted by this research continue to fester, achieving competitive pricing with fossil fuel electricity will be all the more difficult and the goals themselves may fall by the wayside.

The lesson from this report is clear: if renewable energy investors and policy makers are to build a vibrant global renewable energy industry they must first transform the transmission landscape.

High Wire Act: Electricity Transmission Infrastructure and its Impact on the Renewable Energy Market

Maggie Barron — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:37:13 -0400

Executive Summary

Context

Renewable energy (RE)—electricity from wind, solar, and other naturally renewing energy sources— has drawn increasing attention in the quest to reduce greenhouse gases on a scale commensurate with the dictates of climate science. Renewables have the potential to substitute for a significant proportion of the conventional fossil fuels prevalent in today’s electricity generation. However, two key features of renewable energy complicate this promise. First, renewable energy resources are location constrained and often available only in remote areas. Their energy must therefore be transported via connected transmission lines (the grid) to demand centers, such as cities. Second, because RE resources are typically intermittent, this energy must be stored or managed with other generation sources to provide a stable and reliable service to consumers. One effective way to address this intermittency is widespread interconnection to diverse resource areas so that low production in one location can be balanced by high production in another. These two important attributes, location-constrained generation and intermittency, mean that transmission is critical to unlocking the promise of renewable energy.

About this Paper

This paper examines transmission developments and challenges in the European Union (EU), China, and the United States—three regions that present entirely different pictures in terms of governance structures, institutions, and traditions for making decisions about transmission.

Transmission infrastructure can be either a roadblock or an enabling technology for meeting renewable energy deployment goals and thus presents a poorly understood risk to RE investment. To provide context for renewable energy investors, this report examines the policy challenges of providing transmission to:

Move electricity from large-scale renewable energy generation in remote areas to distant demand centers; and
Facilitate regional grid interconnections necessary to manage intermittency. Because transmission is highly dependent on government decisions at both the political and administrative level, this paper emphasizes the regulatory trends in transmission that in turn affect renewable energy investments.

Key Findings

The transmission challenges impacting RE investment in China, the EU, and the United States have some commonality but occur in three unique regulatory and governance landscapes that establish different incentives and roadblocks to reform. Financing new or upgraded transmission capacity faces the difficult task of allocating cost across users (RE generators, power consumers in various jurisdictions, and society broadly) while ensuring low-cost energy and profitable business models that attract private investment. In all three markets examined, transmission planning and siting is primarily constrained by ongoing tension between national (or in the case of Europe, pan-European) interests and local, state, and member-state interests. In all cases, unlocking greater RE potential through improved transmission is highly dependent on government and regulatory decisions that try to steer through these challenges.

European Union

The European Union uses a mix of private and public investment for grid development, has aggressive targets for developing renewable energy, and is making progress toward those goals. It is also using Directives and other policy tools to push member states to integrate their grids and make the necessary technical and policy changes for cross-border transmission that will allow the flow of renewable energy. The challenges to reaching these objectives can be seen in the still fragmented planning processes and the resistance of member states to fully integrate, making the EU efforts a work in progress. Member states also currently retain the authority to determine whether projects will have a net benefit or cost to domestic customers, and thus to thwart crossborder objectives that do not yield enough local benefit.

The differences among member states in determining cost allocation for transmission expansion, preferential regimes for network usage charges, or the technical grid connection requirements creates additional complexities for planning generation projects across Europe.

China

China has aggressive plans to continue the grid spending surge of the past five years in an effort to keep pace with growing electricity generation. The central government is planning for a likely doubling of electric power generation capacity by 2020 (from 2009 levels), driven by a large increase in electricity demand. Wind farms that are largely located in northwest China, where grid coverage is currently sparse, will provide a large part of anticipated new renewable energy. China recognizes the compelling need to transfer energy from such remote locations conducive to wind and solar generation to its growing megacities and is focusing on new approaches such as investing in ultra high voltage (UHV) transmission research.

Despite a clear commitment to renewable energy, China faces several challenges when integrating RE into the grid, including a lack of connection standards for generators to follow, uncoordinated build-out of new generation, inflexible dispatching, and a lack of financial incentives for grid operators to take up RE power. The central government attempted to resolve several of these issues through the 2009 amendments to the Renewable Energy Law, but it will take time for the effects to be widely felt.

United States

Even more so than the other two markets, United States electricity generation and transmission planning and siting are managed in a highly local and fragmented manner. Renewable energy goals are currently set by states, rather than by the federal government, complicating broader regional planning for renewable electricity generation and supporting transmission. Whether the 112th Congress will set national goals, move transmission siting responsibility (in whole or in part) from states and local authorities to the federal government, or facilitate multi-state transmission project approvals is highly uncertain after the power shift during the 2010 midterm elections.

Cost allocation negotiations are also a significant challenge for proposed transmission projects, particularly those that cross utilities and/or states. Methods for allocating costs exist but cost allocation disputes between transmission companies or their regulators jeopardize large-scale transmission projects, particularly those not directly related to improved system reliability. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is considering new federal rules for cost allocation, but reform would face both legal and legislative challenges.

**Table 1. Incentives Driving Transmission Action**
	RE Goals	Coordination Efforts	Innovations
European Union	EU Renewable Energy Directive (June 2009) sets goal of 20 percent power from RE sources by 2020 and mandates grid connectors to provide access to new RE to achieve EU climate policy	The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) and the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) have transmission coordinating missions	EU Priority Projects defined and assigned an EU coordinator to push the project forward
China	Renewable Energy Law (2005, 2009) obligates power grid companies to connect all RE generation sites that fall in their grid coverage	Renewable Energy Law Amendments (2009) require coordinated RE and transmission planning	Development of UHV infrastructure with $59.7 billion in investment
United States	Thirty-one state Renewable Portfolio Standards	Federal efforts encourage regional transmission planning, though there are no requirements	Innovative cost allocation resolutions such as the Tehachapi and Southwest Power Pool projects

**Table 2. Roadblocks to Sufficient Transmission Action**
	Local Interests	Costs
European Union	Transnational coordination and enforcement powers of EU institutions remain unproven while local opposition to large-scale infrastructure projects is significant in some areas	Transmission investment will be difficult in an era of austerity and slow economic growth
China	Disagreement between the grid operators and wind developers on technology standards and planning complicate RE generation connection	Vast distances between generation and load sites and chronic grid congestion necessitate massive transmission expansion
United States	Weak jurisdictional coordination in the transmission siting and approval process slows or stops transmission projects	Transmission cost allocation issues remain largely unresolved or are resolved at local level, reflecting narrow local interests

Looking Forward: Signposts for Investors

Transmission siting and construction in general may be marginally easier to approve in the EU than in the United States; therefore, RE expansion may be more likely if the current European cooperative efforts succeed on schedule by 2014. This will depend on whether the controlling nature of the relevant EU directives and policies can prevail over local interests in practice. The potential generation that could be unlocked through transmission expansion in the United States and China may, however, be relatively greater, due to the large domestic tracts of land with significant RE generation potential that are currently inaccessible because of transmission constraints.

These opportunities could prove tougher to capture in the United States as a result of difficult-to-resolve regulatory and political uncertainties. If reform efforts bring greater certainty to the United States, investors will be able to respond and shape renewable energy projects accordingly. Even if not all roadblocks are addressed with legislation or regulatory reform, any increase in certainty regarding transmission siting coordination, cost allocation, and national energy policy would unlock new potential in the United States. Perhaps the market most likely to remove transmission barriers and unlock the real potential of RE is China, as the central government methodically works to reform transmission to support its national renewable energy goals. China faces primarily technical and capacity barriers rather than the paralyzing political debate seen in the United States. China’s future market depends on its ability to overcome the resistance of grid companies in a regulatory environment that at least appears more opaque than those in the United States or EU.

PRESS RELEASE: 75% of World’s Coral Reefs Currently Under Threat, New Analysis Finds

Michael Oko — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:55:53 -0500

“Reefs at Risk Revisited” report presents comprehensive analysis of threats to coral reefs

A new comprehensive analysis finds that 75 percent of the world’s coral reefs are currently threatened by local and global pressures. For the first time, the analysis includes threats from climate change, including warming seas and rising ocean acidification. The report shows that local pressures— such as overfishing, coastal development, and pollution— pose the most immediate and direct risks, threatening more than 60 percent of coral reefs today.

“Reefs at Risk Revisited,” the most detailed assessment of threats to coral reefs ever undertaken, is being released by the World Resources Institute with the Nature Conservancy, the WorldFish Center, the International Coral Reef Action Network, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center, along with a network of more than 25 organizations. Launch activities are taking place in Washington, D.C., London, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Caribbean, Australia, and other locations around the world.

“This report serves as a wake-up call for policy-makers, business leaders, ocean managers, and others about the urgent need for greater protection for coral reefs,” said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “As the report makes clear, local and global threats, including climate change, are already having significant impacts on coral reefs, putting the future of these beautiful and valuable ecosystems at risk.”

Local pressures – especially overfishing and destructive fishing – are causing many reefs to be degraded. Global pressures are leading to coral bleaching from rising sea temperatures and increasing ocean acidification from carbon dioxide pollution. According to the new analysis, if left unchecked, more than 90 percent of reefs will be threatened by 2030 and nearly all reefs will be at risk by 2050.

“Coral reefs are valuable resources for millions of people worldwide. Despite the dire situation for many reefs, there is reason for hope,” said Lauretta Burke, senior associate at WRI and a lead author of the report. “Reefs are resilient, and by reducing the local pressures we can buy time as we find global solutions to preserve reefs for future generations.”

The report includes multiple recommendations to better protect and manage reefs, including through marine protected areas. The analysis shows that more than one-quarter of reefs are already encompassed in a range of parks and reserves, more than any other marine habitat. However, only six percent of reefs are in protected areas that are effectively managed.

“Well managed marine protected areas are one of the best tools to safeguard reefs,” said Mark Spalding, senior marine scientist at the Nature Conservancy and a lead author of the report. “At their core, reefs are about people as well as nature: ensuring stable food supplies, promoting recovery from coral bleaching, and acting as a magnet for tourist dollars. We need apply the knowledge we have to shore up existing protected areas, as well as to designate new sites where threats are highest, such as the populous hearts of the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, East Africa and the Middle East.”

Reefs offer multiple benefits to people and the economy – providing food, sustaining livelihoods, supporting tourism, protecting coasts, and even helping to prevent disease. According the report, more than 275 million people live in the direct vicinity (30 km/18 miles) of coral reefs. In more than 100 countries and territories, coral reefs protect 150,000 km (over 93,000 miles) of shorelines, helping defend coastal communities and infrastructure against storms and erosion.

For the first time, the report identifies the 27 nations most socially and economically vulnerable to coral reef degradation and loss. Among these, the nine most vulnerable countries are: Haiti, Grenada, Philippines, Comoros, Vanuatu, Tanzania, Kiribati, Fiji, and Indonesia.

“The people at greatest risk are those who depend heavily on threatened reefs, and who have limited capacity to adapt to the loss of the valuable resources and services reefs provide,” said Allison Perry, project scientist at the WorldFish Center and a lead author. “For highly vulnerable nations – including many island nations – there is a pressing need for development efforts to reduce dependence on reefs and build adaptive capacity, in addition to protecting reefs from threats.”

The report is an update of “Reefs at Risk,” released by WRI in 1998, which served as an important resource for policymakers to understand and address the threats of reefs. The new report uses the latest data and satellite information to map coral reefs— including a reef map with a resolution 64 times higher than the original report.

“Through new technology and improved data, this study provides valuable tools and information for decision makers from national leaders to local marine managers,” said Katie Reytar, research associate at WRI and a lead author. “In order to maximize the benefits of these tools, we need policymakers to commit to greater action to address the growing threats to coral reefs.”

Find out more at: www.wri.org/reefs

# # # #

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. (www.wri.org)

The Nature Conservancy(TNC) is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than one million members have protected more than 480,000 sq km of land and engage in more than100 marine conservation projects. The Conservancy is actively working on coral reef conservation in 24 countries, including the Caribbean and the Coral Triangle. (www.nature.org)

WorldFish Center is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture. Working in partnership with a wide range of agencies and research institutions, WorldFish carries out research to improve small-scale fisheries and aquaculture. Its work on coral reefs includes ReefBase, the global information system on coral reefs. (www.worldfishcenter.org)

International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) is a global network of coral reef science and conservation organizations working together and with local stakeholders to improve the management of coral reef ecosystems. ICRAN facilitates the exchange and replication of good practices in coral reef management throughout the world’s major coral reef regions. (www.icran.org)

United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is an internationally recognized center for the synthesis, analysis, and dissemination of global biodiversity knowledge. UNEP-WCMC provides authoritative, strategic, and timely information on critical marine and coastal habitats for conventions, countries, organizations, and companies to use in the development and implementation of their policies and decisions. (www.unep-wcmc.org)

Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is an operational unit of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) charged with coordinating research and monitoring of coral reefs. The network, with many partners, reports on ecological and socioeconomic monitoring and produces Status of Coral Reefs of the World reports covering more than 80 countries and states. (www.gcrmn.org)

NEWS RELEASE: Independent Global Network Launched to Track Countries' Climate Change Progress

Jessica Forres — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:58:01 -0500

Open Climate Network (OCN), a global network that will track countries’ progress toward cutting emissions and providing climate finance, was launched this week at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties in Cancun, Mexico. Led by the World Resources Institute (WRI), OCN convenes independent research institutes around the world to provide consistent and peer-reviewed information on major economies’ actions on climate change.

“Major economies have made high-level commitments to tackle climate change, but it has been difficult to access information about their progress that is consistent and trusted at the international level,” said Jennifer Morgan, director of the Climate and Energy Program at WRI. “OCN fills this gap by tapping the world’s leading research institutes to develop a highly credible source of information about countries’ progress.”

The network is expected to complement official reporting systems – an ongoing source of tension in the UNFCCC negotiations – by improving consistency for key topics, such as climate financing, and drawing on national experts to shed light on what is working, what isn’t, and why.

“Understanding where others are going is absolutely vital – that mutual trust is fundamental,” said Lord Nicholas Stern, speaking at the OCN launch on December 4. “What is happening under the OCN will complement the official line,” he continued, referring to the national communications and inventories prepared under the UNFCCC.

OCN is now developing a consistent framework for tracking progress on mitigation and financing. “Getting the metrics right is the first step,” said Taryn Fransen, who manages OCN at WRI. “By tracking the right information, we’ll not only be able to monitor progress, but also help stakeholders design more effective policies.” The network will then develop national profiles and implement an extensive review process before publishing the first assessments in late 2011.

To date, OCN partners include Australia’s Climate Institute, Canada’s Pembina Institute, China’s Renmin and Tsinghua Universities, Denmark’s CONCITO, France’s Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), Germany’s Oeko Institute (which will also provide information on the European Union), India’s The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Japan’s Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Mexico’s Mario Molina Center, and Norway’s Zero Emission Resource Organisation. WRI will serve as the Secretariat and the point organization for the United States, and is exploring additional partnerships in the UK, Brazil, South Africa, and elsewhere.

For more information about Open Climate Network, please visit http://www.wri.org/project/open-climate-network.