*[Enwl-eng] CAN EECCA Newsletter: COP29 gears pp, shadow fleets protests and Caspian pollution transit

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                                Climate Action Network
                                Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia

                                 Digest of news on climate change, energy 
issues




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                                Regional Climate News








                                COP29 Presidency holds first press 
conference
                                The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) 
to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held its inaugural press 
conference on April 15, showcasing key figures such as COP29 
President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev and UN Climate Change High-Level 
Champion Nigar Arpadarai. COP29 Chief Executive Officer Elnur Soltanov 
highlighted the conference's focus on accelerating the transition to green 
energy, while various officials emphasized the significance of the upcoming 
decisions and Azerbaijan's commitment to climate action, as the country 
prepares to host COP29 in November.

                                How Do the “Happiness Knots” Pollute the 
Environment in Uzbekistan?
                                In Uzbekistan, a tradition of tying knots 
with ribbons at "holy" places is evolving into an environmental concern, as 
people increasingly use non-biodegradable materials like napkins and plastic 
bags, causing pollution in public recreation areas such as the Botanical 
Garden in Tashkent. The tradition, believed to bring happiness, has 
historical roots but has expanded due to fabricated stories and 
superstitions, despite warnings and efforts by authorities to prevent 
littering. Environmentalists warn that such practices harm ecosystems, with 
tight knots hindering plant growth and deterring birds, while efforts to 
clean up or prevent further littering face challenges of inadequate 
personnel and widespread adoption of the tradition across various regions.

                                Quicklime (Calcium Oxide) Production Harms 
People and Environment in Tajikistan
                                Residents of southern Tajikistan suffer from 
black smoke and stinking emissions from lime kilns that operate around the 
clock. Nine such kilns are located in one jamoat, and the lime from them is 
sold throughout the country, with waste from the production dumped in the 
surrounding areas. Despite the harmful effects on health and the 
environment, local residents do not complain about them, as many of them 
depend on this production for their income.

                                Afghanistan: From Geostrategic Gate to 
Strategic Mineral Base
                                Afghanistan's lithium potential has drawn 
significant attention, with Chinese investment in the country's mineral 
resources shaping its future. The Taliban government has revealed plans for 
significant lithium extraction, potentially bringing economic revival 
through job creation. However, Afghanistan faces numerous challenges, 
including US sanctions, logistical hurdles, and security concerns, which 
must be addressed for successful integration into the global lithium market. 
The nation stands at a critical juncture, where strategic decisions will 
determine its trajectory as a key player in the lithium industry.

                                Caucasus: Transit trade ambitions compound 
challenges of containing pollution
                                Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are 
investing heavily in international trade corridors, but this development is 
expected to worsen the already serious air pollution problem in the South 
Caucasus, fueled by a lack of environmental regulation and the rapid 
increase in vehicles since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite recent 
efforts to improve air quality, including measures such as fines for 
excessive car emissions and promoting electric vehicles, new infrastructure 
projects and increased trade traffic pose challenges to containing pollution 
levels. Stricter regulations and the adoption of green technologies, such as 
electric vehicles and sustainable building materials, are crucial for 
maintaining progress in combating pollution in the region.

                                Kazakhstani company to explore for lithium 
in salt lakes of the Aral region
                                The Tau-Ken Samruk National Mining Company, 
backed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), is 
exploring salt lakes near the Aral Sea for lithium deposits. The project 
aims to assess whether lithium can be extracted from the region's saltwater, 
similar to methods used in South America, particularly in Chile, a major 
lithium producer. Initial samples suggest the presence of lithium, but 
further research is needed to determine if extraction on an industrial scale 
is viable. The EBRD has allocated a grant of 400,000 euros to support the 
project, which is expected to last two years.

                                Rosrybolovstvo has posted a plan to catch 
cetaceans in 2025. Environmentalists believe that the agency's goal is to 
replenish oceanariums, including foreign ones
                                Rosrybolovstvo has begun discussing the 
total allowable catch of aquatic bioresources for 2025, including a proposal 
to catch marine mammals in the Far East. The proposal includes quotas for 
catching killer whales, beluga whales and dolphins, raising concerns among 
environmentalists about their use in the entertainment industry. Public 
discussions will continue until April 24, and to participate, people should 
fill out a questionnaire and send it to the addresses listed.





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                                World Climate News








                                Did cloud seeding really cause Dubai’s 
record rainfall and flooding?
                                Meteorologists and climate scientists assert 
that the extreme rainfall witnessed in the United Arab Emirates, notably in 
Dubai, cannot be attributed to cloud seeding, as it was forecasted days in 
advance and is characteristic of climate change-induced weather patterns. 
While cloud seeding remains controversial and its effectiveness debated 
within the weather community, it is regarded as a technology that operates 
on a small scale and cannot produce the type of deluge experienced in Dubai.

                                Protest in open sea against Russian oil 
shadow fleet
                                Greenpeace Nordic activists staged a 
peaceful protest against the bunker vessel Zircone, which fuels the Russian 
shadow fleet off the Swedish island Gotland. The fleet, consisting of old 
and poorly maintained tankers, poses environmental and security risks, with 
experts dubbing it "an accident waiting to happen." Greenpeace urges the 
Swedish government to halt the Zircone's operations in the Swedish Exclusive 
Economic Zone to disrupt the financing of the war in Ukraine and mitigate 
environmental threats.

                                Climate Impact of Primary Plastic Production
                                The production of plastics has seen 
exponential growth in recent years, with projections indicating a doubling 
or tripling by 2050. This surge in plastic production, coupled with reliance 
on fossil fuels, has led to significant environmental and health concerns, 
including plastic pollution and its impact on ecosystems, human health, and 
climate change. A detailed analysis of primary plastic production, 
disaggregated by polymer and technology, reveals that it accounted for 5.3% 
of total global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, with emissions expected to 
more than double or triple by 2050 under different growth scenarios.

                                Climate change is coming for our incomes, 
study warns. Which countries will lose out the most?
                                A new study predicts that climate change 
will significantly reduce global income by about a fifth over the next 25 
years compared to a fictional world without warming, with the world's 
poorest areas and those least responsible for emissions facing the biggest 
monetary losses. Despite emission cuts producing only small changes in 
income reduction in the short term, cutting carbon pollution now could 
mitigate future financial losses, with a worst-case scenario predicting a 
financial hit of up to 60 percent by the end of the century.

                                Barcelona is banking on a floating 
desalination plant to fight drought in northeastern Spain
                                Catalonia's drought-stricken region, 
including the city of Barcelona, plans to install a floating desalination 
plant to ensure its drinking water supply amidst historic drought 
exacerbated by climate change. The decision comes after the region declared 
a drought emergency in February, with the new plant offering a more 
economical and environmentally sustainable solution compared to shipping 
water, providing a significant boost to Barcelona's water reserves and 
potentially alleviating the need for tighter water restrictions in the near 
future.









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      From: CAN EECCA
      Sent: Monday, April 22, 2024 4:00 PM
      Subject: CAN EECCA Newsletter: COP29 gears pp, shadow fleets protests 
and Caspian pollution transit



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