06 Feb 2009 - Turkey has
this week ratified the Kyoto Protocol, following
an overwhelming vote in the national parliament.
The decision fulfils
a promise first revealed by Turkish President
Abdullah Gül at WWF’s international
conference in Bodrum, Turkey, in May 2008.
A month later, Turkey signed the protocol,
becoming the 178th nation to do so, but
it required ratification to come into effect.
WWF and other environmental
NGOs and civil society organizations had
long pressed for the decision over government
fears it would impede development. Turkey’s
ratification leaves the United States and
Kazakhstan as the only significant large
nations still out in the Kyoto cold.
Also a probable factor
in the decision has been pressure for Turkey
to close the gap between its environmental
standards and those of Europe.
“Everyone should embrace
this protocol,” said Veysel Eroglu, Turkey's
Minister of Environment and Forest, addressing
parliament after the vote. He added that
the government was taking necessary precautions
for a better environment in the country.
Being late in participating
the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
and ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, Turkey
misses the possibility of becoming a “party”
to the protocol and benefiting from its
financial tools. Meanwhile, ratifying the
Protocol does not imply putting a significant
additional burden on Turkey until 2012.
Turkey was not a party to UNFCCC in 1992
when the Kyoto Protocol was being negotiated.
Turkey was not in the Annex B of the Protocol,
which includes 39 developed countries that
are obliged to reduce their emissions to
11000 levels between 2008-2012.
“We welcome the decision
taken by the Turkish Government, though
it was rather late,” said Dr Filiz Demirayak,
CEO of WWF-Turkey.
“Turkey ranks first
in terms of its rate of emission increase
and has to take considerable steps under
current circumstances and future predictions.
“We should consider
Kyoto and the post-Kyoto process as an opportunity
to improve the quality of life for our people,
rather than a barrier against development.
It is also important for us to reduce its
ecological footprint and take steps on the
road to sustainable development."
Dr Demirayak also proposed
that “a voluntary commitment of keeping
the emission rate at its current level at
least until 2012 would be meaningful under
the framework of ratifying the protocol
and this achievement would be a stimulus
to meeting new targets which would be set
in 2012 Copenhagen process”.
+ More
Greece wins acclaim
saying yes to clean energy, no to new coal
and nuclear
10 Feb 2009 - Athens,
Greece - Greece yesterday outlined an energy
future of strong support for renewable energy,
with development minister Kostis Hatzidakis
ruling out investment in new coal-fired
or nuclear power plants.
The announcement was
especially gratifying to WWF-Greece, founder
with other partners of a “No-to-coal” coalition
which has enlisted strong community support
– particularly in areas proposed or suggested
for new coal-fired plants.
“We congratulate Mr
Hatzidakis for ending the coal drama and
the rumors regarding the introduction of
nuclear energy,” said WWF Greece CEO Demetres
Karavellas.
“We feel that our efforts
to prove that Greece does not need coal
power plants and nuclear energy have been
justified. Today, we can be more optimistic
that Greece might make the necessary shift
towards a more sustainable and competitive
green economy.”
WWF Greece last November
published a low carbon energy vision for
the country which proposed CO2 emissions
reductions of close to 70% by 2050, outlining
specific ways to achieve the reductions.
“No-to-coal” involved
WWF Greece working together with local authorities
in seven different sites that would have
been affected by new coal power plants as
well as organizing mass rallies for outside
the Greek Parliament.
The initiative also
involved locally specific “yet-to-renewables”
campaigns, offering alternative less polluting,
destructive and disruptive power solutions.
The government change
of stance on the issue was signalled by
legislative changes to streamline and assist
investment in renewable energy and by Mr
Hatzidakis emerging from a cabinet meeting
in late January to say "We want 2009
to be the year of renewable energy sources
."
WWF Greece plans to
intensify its efforts over the next few
months to ensure that Greece plays a positive
role within the EU in the critical negotiations
towards getting a new and adequate global
climate deal at the UN climate change conference
at Copenhagen in December.
+ More
Green light for solar
panels in Scotland
12 Feb 2009 - The majority
of householders in Scotland will be able
to install solar panels and other energy
generating equipment without planning permission
from now on, although government ministers
have yet to decide whether to exempt wind
turbines and air-source heat pumps.
Ground-source and water-source
heat pumps will get the green light, as
will flues for biomass systems which use
organic materials. The move was announced
by finance secretary John Swinney, who said
the concession would cut red tape, help
householders cut heating bills and reduce
emissions.
“By encouraging greater
use of micro-generation technologies we
are letting householders play their part
in reducing emissions while creating new
jobs in an emerging industry,” said Swinney.
Solar panels will be
allowed if they are on a pitched roof or
on a wall and do not protrude more than
200mm. But permission will still be needed
for panels on the walls of buildings containing
flats, and extra safeguards would apply
in conservation areas or work heritage sites.
Elizabeth Leighton,
Senior Policy Officer with WWF Scotland,
said: “This move will help fuel the micro-generation
revolution we need to fight climate change
and fuel poverty. Now homeowners can begin
to realise the full energy producing potential
of their homes without the hassle and unnecessary
restrictions.
“However, while the
rules have been relaxed for some householders,
those in flats who want to install micro-renewables
on outside walls have been left out in the
cold. We see no reason why flat dwellers
should not have Permitted Development Rights,
the same as residents of other buildings.
“We urge the Scottish
Government to engage with the industry as
soon as possible to resolve permitted development
rights on wind turbines and air source heat
pumps without delay so the full package
is available to all homeowners.”
