Posts filed under ‘Environment’
Green Motoring a possibility
By Sibusiso Mvitsho (s.mvitsho@my.westminster.ac.uk)
The future looks green as the government is encouraging car makers to make motoring greener and help save the environment from carbon emissions.
As the Transport secretary, Geoff Hoon announced a new green motoring initiative as part of wider government plan to make the most of low carbon economy, a new generation of public service vehicles is being introduced.
Postal vans, police vehicles and ministerial limousines are part of the green plan to speed up the introduction of low emission technology on Britain’s roads.
A number of ministers in the climate change secretary, Ed Miliband are according to the Guardian newspaper, chauffeured in petrol-electric hybrid cars.
All of the Department of Transport’s official cars are hybrids.
Speaking at a meeting for international experts in electric car technology, Geoff Hoon said: “Electric cars and other low carbon vehicles, like plug in hybrids, cut fuel costs and reduce harmful emissions.”
He added: “If we can inspire more people to use them, it will help us to make a positive impact on climate change.”
Electric cars
Electric cars are powered by an electric motor rather than a normal car engine. From the outside it is not obvious that a car is electric with the only likely clue being the very quiet engine.
They create less pollution than fuel powered cars, so they are environmentally friendly compared to the counterpart.
Though the outside of the cars are virtually the same, the inside has a number of differences:
· The fuel engine is replaced by an electric motor.
· The electric motor gets its power from a controller.
· The controller gets its power from an array of rechargeable batteries.
The problem
There are already several electric car models on the market such as the Toyota Prius hybrid.
The main problem stopping the number of electric cars in use is not the car technology but the power infrastructure needed to make them practical.
A few private electric car charging points are available at local councils in London but these will not be able to cater for a large number of owners.
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHING GREEN MOTORING SCHEME
By Sibusiso Mvitsho (s.mvitsho@my.westminster.ac.uk)
The Government is launching new schemes to promote the benefits of green motoring and create thousands of jobs.
Car companies have been given the opportunity to take part in a £10m project to run electric and ultra-low carbon vehicles demonstration projects.
The Idea
The project overseen by the Technology Strategy board, will introduce around 100 green cars to various cities and towns.
It is hoped this encourage motorists to get involved with green motoring and give feedback on the cars and the steps needed to make green motoring an everyday reality.
The project could leads to the creation of 10,000 new British jobs, as the scheme is part of a wider Government plan to make the most of the low-carbon economy.
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said: “We must look at these things not only in terms of the impact on the environment but in terms of the impact of our economy. Using low-carbon vehicles can be cheaper than using their carbon emitting counterparts.”
The Government says the investment is part of its commitment to cutting all greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050.
Research
According to the Independent newspaper, £20m has been dedicated to UK research into improving technology that could make electrical and other green cars more affordable.
The Independent reports this follows research findings which say, correctly managed, UK power stations could support use of electric cars and charging needs without needing large numbers of new power stations.
Who is involved?
The mass production of green vans will be encouraged for the first time as part of a £20m programme to ensure all road transport emissions are reduced.
A number of companies have been shortlisted in an announcement by the Department for Transport to provide electric and low-carbon vans to some councils and public sector bodies like the Royal Mail.
Coventry, Gateshead, Glasgow, Leeds and Liverpool will be among the first to trail green vans on their streets.
The companies are:
- Ford Motor Company
- Ashwoods
- Mercedes-Benz UK
- LDV Group
- Citroen UK
- Nissan UK
- Allied Vehicles
- Land Rover
- Smith Electric Vehicles
email: s.mvitsho@my.westminster.ac.uk
Trees under threat
By Sibusiso Mvitsho (s.mvitsho@my.westminster.ac.uk)
Britain’s woodland has come under attack as developments including roads, houses, airports and golf courses are on the increase according to Wood land trust.
A study by Woodland Trust shows that over the last ten years 800 woods, covering a total of 26,000 hectares, have been threatened (five per cent of the total amount of ancient woodland remaining in the UK).
Ed Pomfret from Woodland Trust said: “This is a worrying picture, half of the ancient woodland that existed in 1930s has been destroyed or degraded. Ancient Woodland is the UK’s equivalent of rainforest and is irreplaceable having been wooded for over 400 years.
The government recently announced a pledge to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 but allow developments to go ahead that remove trees which could help reduce carbon emissions.
Trees are removed but are not being sufficiently replaced as shown by the February 2008 report by the Communities and Local Government, Trees in Town II.
In 140 towns and cities surveyed for the report, just 0.4% of the projected number of urban trees promised in London had been planted in London and the south east in the last five years.
But tree felling increased in many areas particularly London, where 7,600 tress were cut down in boroughs of Croydon and Harrow alone, with just 2,600 replacements.
Trees and carbon
As more fossil fuels are burnt, both for industrial domestic and industrial purposes greenhouse gas emissions have increased dramatically.
Carbon in fossil fuels combines with oxygen in the air to produce carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas. Land clearance and deforestation have also contributed to the process.
Trees play an important part in combating this process as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They clean the air, reduce temperature and counteract our polluting lifestyles.
Benefits of trees
Trees are important as they have countless befits to the environment.
- A large beech tree can provide enough oxygen for the daily requirements of ten people.
- 1 hectare of woodland grown to maturity and looked after forever would absorb the carbon emissions of 100 average family cars driven for one year.
- Trees help to lock up the carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.
- Trees play a vital role in the urban ecosystem, by helping to support a great variety of wildlife.
- Trees reduce noise in cities by acting as a sound barrier.
WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT?
By Sibusiso Mvitsho
Britain’s ancient woodland is being destroyed at a faster rate than the Amazon according to new research.
In the past 80 years almost half of all woods in the UK that are more than 400 years old have been lost. New roads, electricity pylons, housing and airport extensions now threaten more than 600 ancient woods.
Report
The report by the Woodland Trust says:
- In the last decade 100 square miles of ancient woodland in the UK has come under threat, the equivalent to the size of Birmingham.
- Only 1,193 square miles of woodland survive in Britain.
- Rate of ancient woodland lost in UK is the fastest in world and compares with the Amazon.
According to Ed Pomfret, campaigns director of the trust, the government needs to provide better protection for the remaining woods. Many of the woods are designated for scientific and conservation importance but this does not guarantee protection.
A big problem with Britain’s woodland is that nearly 85% of ancient woodland has no designation at all. This figure includes five of England’s 12 largest woods.
Pomfret says for the woods that are already protected, loopholes in the planning system allow this protection to be overridden if a developer can prove an economic need.
The culprits
The south-east is the worst affected area as nearly half of those woods are threatened with more than 30 in East Sussex. Road schemes threaten 243 woods, power lines 216, housing 106, quarrying 61 and airport expansions 45.
These figures are worrying as there does not appear to be a slowdown in the amount of woodland destroyed to build facilities viewed as beneficial to the society.
A large number of woods are currently under threat because of various projects around the country.
Weymouth relief road: road expansion linking Weymouth to Dorchester would partly destroy Two Mile Coppice ancient woodland.
Aberdeen Western Bypass: new dual carriage way risks the damage of 15 ancient woods. Currently at public enquiry stage.
Lake Wood, Uckfield, East Sussex: local council application for 750 threatens Lake Wood. The developers appealed after planning permission was rejected. Results of a public enquiry are expected shortly.
Stanstead Airport, Essex: 5 ancient woods could be destroyed as BAA is planning a new runway. Planning application has been submitted by BAA and the case will be considered at a public enquiry next year.
Pomfret is quoted in the Guardian as saying “If these woods were buildings they would be protected to the highest grading. But natural heritage is not afforded the same importance.”
New Climate Department a good move
By Sibusiso Mvitsho
Gordon Brown’s creation of a new department of energy and climate change in his government reshuffle has been welcomed by green groups.
Until now the UK’s energy policy and climate strategy had been divided between two separate government teams.
The new department, headed by Ed Miliband brings together much of Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) existing climate change responsibilities and the energy component from the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) to focus on the challenges of climate change and energy supply.
Green Groups
Green Alliance hopes the move will result in a more joined-up approach to cutting emissions.
The Alliance’s director Stephan Hale said in BBC report: “Hallelujah. A department of energy and climate, and not before time. Ed Miliband’s in tray is piled high with issues that the old structure did not resolve.”
He added: “The new department puts climate change where it belongs, with its own seat at the cabinet table.”
The Department
According to the Guardian newspaper, Government insiders the department was restructured because of the rising political importance of energy prices and efficiency.
Climate change is described by BERR as probably being the greatest long term problem facing the human race.
Craig Bennet, director at Prince of Wale’s Corporate Leaders on climate change gave the new department a cautious welcome in an article by Business Green.
He said: “Having a dedicated department for climate change should help move it up the political agenda and having climate change championed in cabinet will be useful.”
“But the devil will be in the detail… you could see it working very well, but you could also see it working very badly.”
Bennet warned that managing climate change through one department could allow other departments that have a direct impact on carbon emissions, such as transport and food to sideline the issue.
The Secretary
In a statement Ed Miliband says the new department brings together the Government’s work on three long-term challenges that face Britain:
- Ensuring that we have energy that is affordable, secure and sustainable.
- Bringing about the transition to a low carbon building.
- Achieving an international agreement on climate change at Copenhagen in December 2009.
He added: “Those are our goals, and the new Department recognises that when two thirds of our emissions come from the use of energy, energy and climate change should not be considered separately but together.”
NEW UK CARBON EMISSION TARGET
By Sibusiso Mvitsho
The government has pledged to cut UK carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050 in a bid to tackle climate change.
Secretary for the newly created Department for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband announced that Britain will become the first country in the world to introduce the legally-binding pledge.
Miliband’s 80% goal will replace the former target of 60%, after recommendations from a government-appointed committee.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Ed Miliband said: “We will amend the Climate Change Bill to gut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, and that target will be binding in law”.
Committee
The government appointed, Climate Change Committee (CCC), chaired by Lord Turner will advise on the first 15 years of carbon budgets in December according to the Guardian Newspaper.
CCC said all industries including aviation and shipping will be covered by the cuts and other industries would have to make up any shortfalls in those areas to ensure the 80% target is met.
The committee was set up to advise on how far the UK needed to cut emissions to keep greenhouse gases below what official scientists consider to be a dangerous level.
In a statement, Lord Turner said: “Climate change poses a huge potential threat to human welfare.”
He added: “If we do not act soon, in developed and developing countries, it will become too late to avoid serious and potentially catastrophic consequences.”
According to the CCC, the target is achievable at an affordable cost of between 1-2% of GDP in 2050.
Campaigners
The pledge is widely welcomed by environmental campaigners. Dr Doug Parr, Green peace‘s chief scientist said in the Guardian: “This is a hugely encouraging first move from the new climate change secretary.”
“In a decade in power Labour has never adopted a target so ambitious, and internationally significant as this. To meet it will require determination from Gordon Brown and every one of his successors.”
Head of the climate change at the Royal Society for the protection of birds, Ruth Davis said: “This is one of the most far-reaching climate change initiative any government could take. It is testament to the efforts of campaigners.”
Carbon emissions a challenge
By Sibusiso Mvitsho
The Government is still battling to reduce green house gases since the Act on C02 campaign was launched in 2007.
The initiative aims to get homes and businesses to reduce their CO2 emissions in a bid to cut down green house gases.
Latest studies by the Met Office show that drastic action is needed to cut green house gas by 3% each year from 2012 to slow down climate change.
Despite the government’s campaign, official figures published this year showed a slight fall overall, emissions from energy, transport and aviation actually increased.
Figures show total emissions were down 0.5% on 2005 from 665m tonnes to 652m tonnes but C02 emissions which make up 85% of all emissions are only down by 0.1% from 555m tonnes to 554m tonnes.
The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) launched the campaign in a bid to make people aware of the link between their everyday behaviour and climate change. According to DEFRA, carbon emissions cause climate change and 40% of emissions in the UK come directly from individual behaviour.
Main artcle: Greenhouse gas cuts a must by 2010
GREENHOUSE GAS CUTS A MUST BY 2010
By Sibusiso Mvitsho
Drastic action must be taken within two years to reduce greenhouse gas pollution if the world is to avoid the worst effects of climate change.
These are the findings of a new study that shows cutting global emissions by 3% a year from 2010 offers the only hope of avoiding a global temperature rise or more than 2C.
According to the UK Met Office’s Hadley Centre, failure to act rapidly will lead to dire consequences for the global environment. A rise beyond the 2C threshold could bring significant environmental risks with the worst impacts of drought seal level rise.
Scientists have warned that at 2C at least one fifth of species are at risk and 1 to 2 billion people could suffer increased water stress. Above 2C plants and soil significantly reduce the amount of carbon they absorb.
The solution
Three possible agreements to cut global emissions have been analysed by the Hadley Centre.
Early and rapid
- If cuts begin in 2010 and quickly reach 3% a year the most likely mid-range forecast temperature rise would be 2C above pre-industrial levels by 2100.
- Based on cutting emissions by 50% globally by the middle of the century as advocated by the UN.
Early but slow
- Cuts begin in 2010 at a moderate rate of 1% leads to a likely temperature of 2.9C by the end of the century.
Late and slow
- Cuts beginning in 2030 could generate temperature increases of 4C by 2100.
Vicky Pope, the Met Office’s leading adviser on climate change to the government, writing in the Guardian warns that failure by governments to agree to “large and early” cuts or to meet those targets in future “could have worrying and significant consequences for the world’s climate”.
The report by the Hadley centre, partly funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) could lead to huge pressure for the UK to abandon plans for a third runway at Heathrow and new coal-fired power stations, reports Telegraph newspaper.
Warnings from the Hadley centre come ahead of a United Nations meeting later this year when a replacement for the Kyoto protocol is due to be agreed.
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