Depleted Oxygen in the Ocean Caused by Climate Change Threatens Marine Life

(Photo : Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

How Climate Change Affects Ocean’s Oxygen Level

The continues global warming due to climate change has been known to take its toll to Arctic, melting ice caps at an increased rate, but a new study suggests that the warming climate may be sapping considerably amounts of oxygen from the ocean.

(Photo : Lam Yik Fei/Getty Images)

According to the study published in the journalProceedings of the Royal Society B, scientist have long known that the warming climate can sap oxygen from the ocean, but they have discovered that a considerable amount of oxygen reduction in some oceans are already discernable, and by 2030 and 204 the loss of oxygen level across large oceans around the world will become more apparent.

With the reduction of the ocean’s oxygen level, marine species such as fishes, crabs and squids will have more difficulty of breathing, which can result to the sudden death and development of larger dead zones where no marine life can live.

“Loss of oxygen in the ocean is one of the serious side effects of a warming atmosphere, and a major threat to marine life,” said NCAR scientist Matthew Long, lead author of the study, said in a statement.

If the atmosphere becomes warmer than usual, oceans ability to draw oxygen from the atmosphere will be inhibited leaving it dependent to its other source of oxygen-the photosynthesizing phytoplankton.

In order to have a better grasp in the natural heating and cooling cycles and complex systems of currents and upwelling of oceans, researchers utilized the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s (NCAR) Community Earth System Model. They ran the model multiples times for the years 1920 through 2100. The researchers accounted global warming by making slight manipulations in air temperature.

After running the model, researchers identified that the reduction of oxygen in the ocean that can be attributed to global warming is apparent in 2030.

“Since oxygen concentrations in the ocean naturally vary depending on variations in winds and temperature at the surface, it’s been challenging to attribute any deoxygenation to climate change. This new study tells us when we can expect the impact from climate change to overwhelm the natural variability,” Long concluded.

(Source : 29/04/2016  Nature World News http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/21285/20160428/climate-change-affects-ocean-s-oxygen-level.htm)

Anantaya launches green campaign

The Anantaya Resort chain of Laugfs Leisure Limited has yet again embarked on another green i nitiative as part of its sustainability efforts.

World Bank gives US$45mn to protect Sri Lanka’s natural habitat

The World Bank has approved a 45 million US dollar loan to help protect Sri Lanka’s natural habitats and resources from degradation and exploitation.
The money will also help improve the lives and livelihoods of neighboring communities, who suffer the most from natural resource loss and degradation, a statement said.

“Natural ecosystems in Sri Lanka provide clean water, food, medicine, carbon storage, recreation and habitats for local communities, wildlife and fisheries, and prevent floods and erosion,” said Francoise Clottes, World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

“If well managed, these areas will benefit the national economy, spur Sri Lanka’s nature-based tourism potential, and help address local challenges brought on by poverty, decreased productivity and degradation of land and water, human-wildlife conflicts, and climate change.”

The Eco-systems Conservation and Management Project (ESCAMP) will benefit 15,000 residents; 30 percent among them women, with most belonging to marginalized groups, the bank said.

It will protect and foster the sustainable use of natural resources help create jobs and livelihoods.

Through the Department of Wildlife Conservations and Forest Department, the project will manage protected natural areas through improved landscape management, raise awareness and improve coordination on natural resource management among local authorities, and increase the quality of nature-based tourism.

“The project will improve the management and stewardship of protected areas and other biologically important locations throughout Sri Lanka,” said Darshani De Silva, Environment Specialist and Project Task Team. “It will help establish networks to protect ecosystems, maintain the population of endemic species, while promoting environmentally sound infrastructure development and visitor services to raise the quality and revenue potential of green tourism.”

The project also aligns with the government’s policies to expand forest cover in line with Sri Lanka’s conservation strategy ‘Punarudaya’.  The project, to be done by the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment and Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, will develop human-elephant co-existence mechanism and protect watersheds to boost agricultural productivity, the World Bank said.

“Over time, the project will reinforce the emerging strategy on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation as well as policies to promote sustainable water, agriculture and energy practices, while supporting social inclusion and resilience to climate and disaster risks.”

The loan is provided by the International Development Association – the World Bank’s concessionary lending arm –with a maturity of 25 years, including a 5 year grace period.
(Source : 28-04-2016 Economy Next. http://www.economynext.com/World_Bank_gives_US$45mn_to_protect_Sri_Lanka%E2%80%99s_natural_habitats-3-4832.html)

Agree to be Green

As many as 195 States were parties to the discussions in Paris on the COP 21 Agreement which was accepted in general by consensus. The Agreement will be deposited at the UN in New York and opened for one year for signature on April 22, 2016–Mother Earth Day. The Agreement will enter into force after 55 countries that account for at least 55% of global emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification

It was recently reported that Cabinet approval had been given for Science, Technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayantha to sign on behalf of the Sri Lankan government the Paris Agreement adopted by the Conference of The Parties (COP 21) to The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC) held in September 2015. It is understood that Cabinet approval was granted not for the mere signature of the treaty (which is not sufficient for the treaty to be applicable to Sri Lanka) but for the ratification of this Agreement by which Sri Lanka will be bound by the principles enunciated in the Agreement. Minister Premajayantha is to participate in the high level signature ceremony on April 22 at The Headquarters of the United Nations in New York.

As many as 195 States were parties to the discussions in Paris on the COP 21 Agreement which was accepted in general by consensus. The Agreement will be deposited at the UN in New York and opened for one year for signature on April 22, 2016–Mother Earth Day.

The Agreement will enter into force after 55 countries that account for at least 55% of global emissions have deposited their instruments of ratification. The overall aim of the Agreement is to maintain a global temperature rise in the 21st century to well below 2 degrees Celsius and to strive to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the lower level recognized as a buffer against worst case scenario impacts of climate change. Another important goal of the Agreement is to strengthen the capacity of States to effectively address and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Article 2 of the Agreement stipulates that the Agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, including by: holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change; increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production; and making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.

Article 2.2. is explicit in stating that the Agreement will be implemented to reflect equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.

The Agreement also recognizes the need to put in place appropriate financial tools in order to achieve the aforementioned ambitious goals with a view to enabling developing states to face the challenges of mitigating climate change at their own pace and in accordance with their own national objectives.

There was considerable hope that the agreement would truly promote sustainable development.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said: “We have entered a new era of global cooperation on one of the most complex issues ever to confront humanity.

For the first time, every country in the world has pledged to curb emissions, strengthen resilience and join in common cause to take common climate action. This is a resounding success for multilateralism.”

National climate action plans

The critical areas covered by the COP 21 Agreement are: mitigation – reducing emissions fast enough to achieve the temperature goal; a transparency system and global stock-take – accounting for climate action; adaptation – strengthening ability of countries to deal with climate impacts; loss and damage – strengthening ability to recover from climate impacts; and support – including finance, for nations to build clean, resilient futures. The Agreement espouses a long term direction that would enable States to reach a peak in their emissions as soon as possible and continue to submit national climate action plans that detail their future objectives to address climate change.

A UNFCCC Secretariat statement claims that, in the spirit of the Agreement, 188 countries have undertaken to contribute climate action plans in accordance with the new agreement, which is calculated to dramatically slow the pace of global greenhouse gas emissions. The basic philosophy of the Agreement is that future national plans will be no less ambitious than existing ones, which means these 188 climate action plans provide a firm floor and foundation for higher ambition. It has also introduced nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – updated plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions – once every five years, which will regularly and consistently improve their strategy towards achieving their overall goals in the long-term.

The Agreement also provides for action to be taken even before 2020 where States are required to continue to engage in a process on mitigation opportunities and will put added focus on adaptation opportunities. Furthermore, since reaching the ambitious target of 1.5% below industrial levels would mean keeping at least 75% of the current flow of fossil fuels on the ground, and using renewable energy instead, States will raise climate finance up to $ 100 billion by 2020 that would assist developing countries to develop such energy resources. States will, in this regard, work towards defining a clear roadmap on ratcheting up climate finance to USD 100 billion by 2020 while also before 2025 setting a new goal on the provision of finance from the USD 100 billion floor.

A roadmap in this regard will be developed by States. There will also be put in place a robust transparency and accounting system that would allow for special circumstances and respective capabilities of States to be recognized and taken as part of the equation. Support and cooperation are the main themes of this philosophy. The Agreement also strengthens international cooperation on climate-safe technologies and building capacity in the developing world to address climate change.

Developing countries

All States are required to submit adaptation communications, in which they may detail their adaptation priorities, support needs and plans. There is also provision for developing countries to receive increased support for adaptation actions, for which there will be an assessment of the adequacy of this support that will be given. As already mentioned, the Agreement has incorporated a robust transparency framework for both action and support. The framework will provide clarity on countries’ mitigation and adaptation actions, as well as the provision of support. At the same time, it recognizes that Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States have special circumstances.

According to the UNFCCC Secretariat, the agreement includes a global stock-take starting in 2023 to assess the collective progress towards the goals of the agreement. The stock-take will be done every five years and the agreement includes a compliance mechanism, overseen by a committee of experts that operates in a non-punitive way.

From a technical standpoint, COP 21 addressed a number of issues which go to say that under the Kyoto Protocol – which is an international treaty which extends the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits State Parties to reduce greenhouse gases emissions, based on the premise that (a) global warming exists and (b) man-made CO2 emissions have caused it – there is now a clear and transparent accounting method for carry-over credits for the second commitment period, creating a clear set of rules; and the first round of international assessment and review process (IAR) that was launched in 2014 was successfully completed. A number of technical and implementation issues related to the existing arrangements on technology, adaptation, action for climate empowerment and capacity building were also successfully concluded.

The Stern Review of October 2006 titled The Economics of Climate Change stated that if no action is taken to reduce emissions, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could reach double its pre-industrial level as early as 2035, virtually committing us to a global average temperature rise of over 2 degrees centigrade. In this context, Sri Lanka’s ratification of the Paris Agreement shows an abiding sense of responsibility and awareness on the part of the State.

Source :26-04-2016 Dailly News  http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/04/26/features/79789

Sri Lanka among worst marine polluters

Source – 26-04-2016 Dailly News http://epaper.dailynews.lk/art.asp?id=2016/04/26/pg19_13&pt=p&h=

New bills to create efficient environment for investors: FM

Sri Lanka hopes to introduce new bills in its parliament by June in order to create a more efficient, dynamic and secure business environment conducive for investment, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said here Monday.

Speaking at a media briefing after holding discussions with his Swedish counterpart, Margot Wallstrom, who arrived in Sri Lanka on an official visit on Sunday, Samaraweera said that as Sri Lanka improves market access to the subcontinent by deepening existing free trade agreements with India and Pakistan, it is also negotiating to sign a Free Trade Agreement with emerging markets like China.

Therefore, he said, the government was confident that the Swedish trade delegation led by Wallstrom would find Sri Lanka an attractive gateway to the subcontinent and the Indian Ocean rim.

In addition to emerging market access, Samaraweera said that Sri Lanka was also consolidating its position in developed markets such as the United States.

“We are also buoyed by the EU Commission lifting the red card on Sri Lanka’s fish exports, and we will soon be in a position to regain GSP plus concessionary access to the EU market,” Samaraweera said.

“By June a number of important bills will be introduced in Parliament to create an even more efficient, dynamic and secure business environment conducive for investment. Sri Lanka then will be truly open for business.”

Wallstrom is accompanied by a seven-member trade delegation comprising of leading Swedish companies and both Sweden and Sri Lanka discussed ways of strengthening partnership in development assistance, bilateral trade, tourism and investment.

During her visit, Wallstrom is expected call on President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and meet the Speaker of Parliament, Karu Jayasuriya.

She will also visit the former war-torn northern city of Jaffna where she will meet with government officials and civil society.

Source : 26-04-2016 Daily News  http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/04/25/local/79770

Happy Earth Day!

International Mother Earth Day

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network,and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year. (Wikipedia)

This year, Earth Day coincides with the signing ceremony for the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which will take place at UN Headquarters in New York. The Agreement was adopted by all 196 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change at COP21 in Paris on 12 December 2015. In the agreement, all countries agreed to work to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and given the grave risks, to strive for 1.5 degrees Celsius. The signing ceremony takes place on the first day that the Agreement will be open for signatures, marking the first step toward ensuring that the Agreement enters into legal force as quickly as possible.

The General Assembly, recognizing that Mother Earth is a common expression for the planet earth in a number of countries and regions, which reflects the interdependence that exists among human beings, other living species and the planet we all inhabit, and noting that Earth Day is observed each year in many countries, decided to designate 22 April as International Mother Earth Day in 2009,

2016 Theme: Trees for the Earth

Earth Day was first celebrated in the United States in 1970 and is organised by theEarth Day Network.  Its mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle to build a healthy, sustainable environment, address climate change, and protect the Earth for future generations. With this year’s theme, looking forward to its 50^th anniversary, it sets the goal of planting 7.8 billion trees over the next five years.

Why Trees?

Trees help combat climate change.
They absorb excess and harmful CO₂ from our atmosphere. In fact, in a single year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the same amount of CO₂ produced by driving the average car 26,000 miles.
Trees help us breathe clean air.
Trees absorb odors and pollutant gases (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide and ozone) and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark.
Trees help us to counteract the loss of species.
By planting the right trees, we can help counteract the loss of species, as well as provide increased habitat connectivity between regional forest patches.
Trees help communities and their Livelihoods.
Trees help communities achieve long-term economic and environmental sustainability and provide food, energy and income.

Biodiversity safeguards mooted in building contracts

April 2, 2016

ECONOMY NEXT –Sri Lanka’s private sector is considering ways to introduce safeguards in construction contracts to protect the island’s rich biodiversity which is threatened as economic growth gathers pace amid a building boom.

Companies which voluntarily include biodiversity safeguards at higher cost risk losing contracts to bidders without the same regard for the environment, a forum on ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity in the Construction Sector’ was told.

The island’s construction sector has emerged as the fastest growing sector since the ethnic war ended in 2009.

Construction projects funded by foreign donor agencies come with stringent controls like built in biodiversity safeguards, speakers told the forum organised by the biodiversity unit of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

But most locally funded contracts lack such safeguards while local agencies do not have the same strict monitoring of foreign donor agencies.

Anandalal Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law and former consultant to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, suggested all contracts come with build-in biodiversity safeguard clauses.

“Safeguards should not be part of competitive bidding. “They should be fixed, which every client has to take into account and budget for.”

Saranga Gajasinghe, Safeguard Specialist and Consultant to Asian Development Bank, said donor funded projects have special safeguard clauses but that’s not the norm in most projects.

“Whether it’s donor funded or not we are polluting the environment and we should not do it. We should take our own protective measures,” he said.

Gajasinghe, who has also worked for Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority, said environmental management plans are part of RDA bid documents.”So bidders must consider mitigation measures and price on that.”But he noted that in practice where such conditions are not enforced, construction firms ignore biodiversity safeguards to reduce their costs and win bids by offering lower prices.”I know of a well-known project where the environmental management pricing was zero and the contractor got the contract and there was no money even to spray water,” Gajasinghe said.

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