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10 Pacific Island Journalists Invited to Cover COP23 - Winners of Media Competition Announced

As the result of a journalism competition that concluded this week, ten journalists from the Pacific island region have been chosen to travel to and report from this year’s UN climate conference taking place in Bonn, Germany (COP23, 6 – 17 November).

The ten outstanding journalists from print, on-line and radio/TV will receive sponsored participation in the conference, media training at the prestigious DW Akademie and access to UN and other experts.

The Pacific island journalism competition reflects the important role the small island developing State of Fiji will be playing at the 23rd Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change - the official title of the conference.

Fiji will be presiding over COP23 and the Fijian Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, will undertake the key role of COP President on behalf of all countries attending.

The competition was generously funded by the German Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nick Nuttall, Director of Communications of the UNFCCC and Spokesperson for COP23, said:

“We are impressed by the high standard of the entries to the competition and would have liked to invite everyone who submitted their work under the competition, but that is unfortunately not possible. We’re now looking forward to welcoming the 10 winners in Bonn in November.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Germany’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for financially supporting this competition, and to the Fijian COP23 Presidency for its advice and getting the message out about the competition in the Pacific region. The Presidency, the government of Germany and the UNFCCC were concerned that the costs of getting to and from Bonn would have been prohibitive for many journalists from that region.”

“We all acknowledged that it was vital to have media from that location here to report to their publics and witness the negotiations, the rich array of Global Climate Action events taking place and the cultural activities that surround such conferences,” he added.

The 10 participants were selected by a judging committee consisting of two members of the UNFCCC; two from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communications branch; and two independent judges representing the Fijian COP23 Presidency. Their decision of the jury is final.

The jury selected six winners from print and online, two from radio and two from TV.

The winners are:

Print and Online

Ofani Eremae (Solomon Star, Solomon Islands)
Iliesa Tora (The Nuku’alofa Times, Tonga)

Lani Wendt Young (Samoa Planet, Samoa)

Jared Koli (The Island Sun, Solomon Islands)

Lice Movono (The Fiji Times, Fiji)

Anita Roberts (Vanuatu Daily Post, Vanuatu)

Radio

Mereoni Mili (Wansolwara – University of the South Pacific, Fiji)

Georgina Kekea (Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, Solomon Islands)

Elenoa Turagaiviu (FBC News, Fiji)

Florence Jonduo (EMTV, Papua New Guinea)

More information can be found on the relevant DW Akademie web page here.

Photo Credits: Flickr/birdyartworks

Too Close (play)

Timezone:

Too Close, a play with two actors from the World Bank and written by Luigi Laraia, an advisor to the Italian ED, is a metaphor about how we handle climate change. It recently won the DC Fringe Festival Award and was performed to a full house on June 5 on World Environment Day at the Inter-American Development Bank.

A Big Green House

Development of sustainable buildings is moving fast, pushing them to be energy producers rather than energy consumers. An early and futuristic example is the United Nations regional headquarters in Copenhagen, UN City, with its vast solar panel-covered roof, seawater cooling system, and rain-water-flushed sanitation.

A bird’s eye view is essential for gaining a true appreciation of UN City. From up here the building’s eye catching contour, an irregular eight-pointed star, is clearly visible. Zoom a little closer and the roof provides a first hint that it is more than the building’s design and dockside location that make it stand out. Stretching in serried ranks across the entire roof surface is more than 1400 solar panels, turning slowly to follow the sun as it arches across the sky. They meet one-third of the huge building’s energy demand. Under the panels a white membrane, fabricated from reusable plant-based materials, reflects heat away from the roof in summer and acts as insulation in winter, reducing energy used for cooling and heating.

Aerial view of the UN City in Copenhagen.

“It’s called Derbibrite; from Derbigum,” says Gry Kjær knowingly, with a nod towards the membrane. She was the building’s main architect when Danish company 3xNielsen won the bid to design it in 2011.

A different perspective of UN City.

According to the World Bank, buildings account for 19% of total carbon emissions today; they use 60% of the world’s electricity and account for 25% of water used and 50% of materials. The upside is that the building sector has the greatest potential for cutting carbon emissions at little or no cost, states the Bank.

UN City building's roof is covered by solar panels.

UN City uses roughly 45% of the energy consumed in a similarly sized conventional office block. The roof collects about three million litres of rainwater a year, used in the sanitation system. The 1300 workers, from more than 100 countries, who occupy UN City, may flush the toilets (low-flow, of course) with rainwater up to 5300 times a day. Together with low-flow and intelligent faucets throughout, the total volume of water saved in the kitchens, toilet facilities and shower rooms is 61%.

Only in public areas of the building, visited by people from all corners of the world, are the toilets not flushed with rainwater. An exception that Kjær explains with barely a twitch of a smile: “This is to prevent children and others who might drink the water from the toilet.”

Platinum performance

UN City is not alone in its sustainability efforts. It is a Danish example of a global trend in building design, from Copenhagen to Cincinnati. What the buildings share in common is the right to use one or more of a jumble of acronyms awarded in recognition of their sustainability credentials, such as LEED, BREAM, or DGNB. UN City proudly displays a LEED platinum sign, the highest accreditation achievable for this certificate. Selection for the award is based on a comprehensive points system, in which a minimum of 80 out of a possible 110 is required in categories such as material use, energy saving, water conservation, nearness to public transport, and so on. One of the UN’s demands from the outset was that the building had to contribute to the organisation’s mission to lead the way on all aspects of sustainability by achieving a platinum accreditation.

Inside UN City building in Copenhagen.

The UN could have chosen to strive for BREEAM, HQE, or DGNB certification but decided on LEED because it is the “toughest,” a statement that LEED’s competitors might take issue with. No matter which certificate is aimed for, the qualification process is demanding of human resources and costly. UN City’s construction company hired a full time employee whose sole job was to manage LEED documentation from start to finish of the building work. A fee of up to $1 million on large projects is also the norm. According to American analysts, the accreditation process adds 2% to construction costs, made up for by a 4% increase in the building’s value and savings in running costs, which often have a payback time of just seven years.

Proven to work

The desire to lead by example, as displayed by the UN in Copenhagen, lies behind the whole idea of certifying buildings for sustainability. No matter which of the four main certificate bodies asked, each points to the importance of setting a standard that companies have to meet. A sustainable operation is also good for business.

“The American construction sector understood that sustainability would be a key factor for both growth and showing environmental responsibility. LEED expresses the sector’s desire to improve,” says Jennivine Kwan from the US Green Building Council (GBC). Her words are echoed by Mette Qvist at GBC Denmark: “When Danish architects and construction companies lead the way in a space that everyone wants to occupy, I hear the sound of rattling coins.”

UN City at night.

Architects 3xNielsen must have got something right with UN City. LEED Platinum is not the building’s only accolade for sustainability. In 2012 it received the European Commission’s Green Building Award for New Buildings. Significantly, UN City was not a demonstration project; all the sustainability solutions implemented were already well known.

“The main contractor wanted proven systems. On the other hand, it was a lot to implement all in one building, at least at the time we were constructing it,” says Kjær, in a comment that directs attention to the building’s basement and yet another system rumbling along — the seawater cooling apparatus. The cold water that laps directly under five of the star-shaped building’s eight points, helps keep the structure cool, minimising energy use for air conditioning in summer months. It also cools UN City’s data servers.

Unexploited and untapped. The building sector has the greatest potential for cutting carbon emissions at little or no cost, according to the World Bank.

Intelligent walls

Between the roof and the basement, staff employed at the eight UN organisations housed in the building carry out their daily work, around the clock. A fitness centre is located on the premises and while managing the world’s crises, employees enjoy what are probably the best views on offer in Copenhagen from a building with inbuilt intelligence.

“When I go into my office the building notices. The air, temperature and window blinds take on a life of their own,” says employee Eva Egesborg. She and her colleagues can also create their own office climate using the “My Office” program installed on every computer terminal, selecting desired heat, light and other preferences.

An example of an office space inside UN City in Copenhagen.

Best of all, the UN City building is a pleasant place to be. LEED also gives points for indoor climate, green space, bicycle parking and other feel-good factors. For Egesborg, who has previously worked in the depths of the Danish Foreign Ministry, the view she has enjoyed for the past three years over the capital city’s inner harbours and the green spaces around the eight-pointed green house of Copenhagen has been a welcome daily gift. “I just love this building,” she says.

A Big Green House - FORESIGHT Climate & Energy Business

TEXT Rasmus Thirup Beck / PHOTO Adam Mørk

Source: FORESIGHT Climate & Energy Business

G7 throws weight behind sustainable finance movement

The G7 today joined the G20, other countries and markets in throwing its weight behind a growing movement to turn the power of the global financial system to sustainable development.

In a communique released at the end of a two-day meeting in Bologna, hosted by Italy, G7 environment ministers – including the US – called increased sustainable financing “fundamental” to the achievement of sustainability and climate goals.

The final statement also saw the G7 pledge continued action on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, resource efficiency, marine litter, green jobs and climate change. The US backed the final statement, except for the climate action section, which it said it could not sign up to given its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

Gian Luca Galleti, Italian Minister of Environment, Land and Sea

Gian Luca Galletti, Italian Minister of Environment, Land and Sea. Photo Credits: Riccardo Savi/Connect4Climate

“Climate change, the unsustainable management of resources and the pollution of our oceans demand immediate, coordinated action to create a healthy environment capable of supporting our growing populations,” said Gian Luca Galletti, Italy’s Environment Minister.

“This is why Italy asked the G7, for the first time, to look at how to boost the role of the global financial system in sustainable development, and turn trillions of dollars in capital towards green investments.”

Sustainable finance is a rapidly accelerating global movement. Countries from China to France and the UK have launched initiatives to boost flows of private capital for climate and sustainability. The G20 has set up a green finance study group. The value of investment assets committed to the Principles for Responsible Investment is now over US$73 trillion.

Meanwhile, the green bond market almost doubled to more than US$80 billion in 2016, and is expected to increase to US$150 billion in 2017. However, despite this impressive growth, green bonds still represent less than 1 per cent of global bond issuance, point to the need for further action.

UN Environment’s Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System is a prominent champion of the movement, which seeks to unlock the finance needed to deliver on the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. The Inquiry has supported Italy’s G7 presidency over the last year as it explored the potential of sustainable finance.

Catherina McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada. The 2018 G7 Summit will be held at Le Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie, Quebec. Photo Credits: Max Thabiso Edkins/Connect4Climate

Canada is next in line to take over the G7 Presidency from Italy. Catherine McKenna, Canada’s Minister of Environment & Climate Change, said they would continue the work, saying it was clear that “the environment and economy went together”, and pointing to how trillions of dollars of financing would create good jobs and grow economies.

According to Nick Robins, Co-Director of the Inquiry, the G7 now has a unique opportunity to quicken the pace of sustainable finance and do just that.

“G7 nations hold the bulk of the world’s financial assets and often lead the pack in terms of making environmental and social factors a core aspect of banking, investment and insurance,” he said. “We need to take this positive momentum to scale, so that finance supports the transition to a sustainable economy, particularly the needs of entrepreneurs and small businesses.”

Robins presented two reports, commissioned by Italy for the G7 and written by the Inquiry, at the meeting. The reports, the findings of which were endorsed in the final communique, outline strategies to ensure SMEs and financial centres are part of the sustainability solution.

“SMEs are the bedrock of the economy in terms of growth, employment and innovation, but often find it hard to find finance for essential investments in sustainability,” said Robins. “What is really exciting is the new range of mechanisms to help close this funding gap.”

SMEs are particularly important in Italy. The Italian economy is dominated by nearly four million SMEs, which make up 95 per cent of all companies.

The big task is to improve access to tailored financial services, both for SMEs wishing to improve their sustainability performance and those providing goods and services for the growing green economy (such as clean-tech pioneers). UN Environment’s first report, Mobilizing Sustainable Finance for SMEs, outlined practical ways of making progress.

For example, public finance institutions such as France’s BPI are offering low-interest loans to SMEs to improve energy efficiency. Canada’s BDC has launched venture capital funds for clean-tech innovators. In the US, state-level green banks are crowding in private capital in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

In Germany, the GLS Bank has led a financing partnership for green entrepreneurs. The Borsa Italiana is promoting green “mini-bonds”, which enable small businesses to raise capital from investors. Innovations in financial technology can also help through crowdfunding for the green economy, for example, by UK investment firm, Abundance.

G7 Environment Ministers meeting in Bologna.

G7 Environment Ministers met in Bologna, Italy, this past weekend. Photo Credits: Riccardo Savi

The Inquiry’s Financial Centres for Sustainability report found that the G7 and other countries could encourage their financial centres to develop strategies that scale up green and sustainable finance – including through international cooperation that would create “a race to the top”.

“In financial centres, the supply and demand for finance come together and action to connect finance and sustainability becomes tangible.” said Robins. “Over the past year, some G7 financial centres (such as Frankfurt, London and Paris) have launched green and sustainable finance initiatives, but there is still huge scope for improvement.”

Environment World Leaders gather for the traditional group picture in Bologna, Italy. Photo Credits: Max Thabiso Edkins/Connect4Climate

Working with UN Environment, Italy’s Environment Ministry made the G7 meeting climate neutral, offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions (estimated at around 250 tonnes of carbon dioxide) through the Clean Development Mechanism. The emissions credits used for the meeting support project in Bangladesh (solar energy), Pakistan (renewables) and Rwanda (Fluorescent lamp CFL distribution).

Climate Change Impact Presented in the Book "Il Mondo Trasformato"

Nadelini, Righi and Rebeschini: three photojournalists from Bologna portray the climate change consequences through photos taken in every single part of the planet. The book was presented during the All4TheGreen week held in Bologna.

The book “Il Mondo Trasformato [The Transformed World]” compiles 33 images of the world and, specifically, the Emilia Romagna region in Italy, describing climate change. It is the result of an emotional journey that started on the Hurricane Mitch that affected the center of America in 1998, and it continued with the 2005 tsunami in Sri Lanka. The book also describes the environmental catastrophes that happened in Emilia Romagna.

Looking at these images, you can understand the absolute power that humankind has protecting or destroying the environment. In fact, the future of our planet depends on our actions.

"Il Mondo Trasformato" book presentation in Bologna (All4TheGreen)

The book “Il Mondo Trasformato [The Transformed World]” presentation in Bologna included in the "All4TheGreen' week of activities.

The photographers intend to make people aware of the consequences of climate change, to reflect on the subject and ask questions. Informed people are more capable of taking the right decisions. Also, the professionals have also produced a documentary called “Buonasera Clima [Good Morning Climate]," featuring Franz Campi and Federico Taddia, renowned experts on climate change. As said during the book presentation, there were so many external contributions that it allowed them to create a five episodes series available to the public.

The TV show “Buonasera Clima” finished with a Skype call live from the Artic where Simonetta Saliera, President of the Italian Legislative Assembly, was able to connect with CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche) researchers located in the South Pole.

This book presentation happened during the Green Social Festival and created the opportunity to the Legislative Assembly of Emilia Romagna to be part of the #All4TheGreen program presented by the Italian Minister Gian Luca Galletti, regarding the G7 Environment meeting which will take place during this weekend, June 10 and 11.

As said during the event by Franz Campi, “there is a lack of Italian materials that talk about climate change and its consequences." There are also many people who disagree with this topic, as so the video connection with the South Pole aimed to inform people on this issue.

Unfortunately, climate change does exist, and time only worsens this global problem. We have to do more to leave a better future for generations to come. On our point of view, it is necessary to make people aware of the climate change consequences, and to stimulate them to act.

Banner Photo Credits to Leigh Vogel/Connect4Climate