The “corporatization of America” – Noam Chomsky

 

 

© 2014

The age of fossil fuels is over

 

One theme that is emerging loud and clear from the UN Climate Talks (much more so than any other previous negotiation) – if the world is serious about addressing the climate crisis, we must get off fossil fuels— completely. We can't just leave it up to governments, will you be a part of creating the solution we need?

Read more —> http://buff.ly/1zVkaM7 #COP20

 

© 2014

The Age Of Fossil Fuels Is Over

 

© 2014

“A Partnership Success Story” – 5Cs hosts side event at COP 20 (video)

caribbeanclimate

The Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean are minute contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, but are among the most vulnerable countries in the world to Climate Change. We are already experiencing its impacts. More frequent extreme weather events, such as the 2013 rain event in the Eastern Caribbean; the extreme droughts being experienced across the region, with severe consequences in places like Jamaica; the 2005 flooding in Guyana and Belize in 2010 are prime examples of the need for ambitious global action on climate adaptation and mitigation.

Inaction on Climate Change is simply too costly for our region. An economic analysis focused on just three areas – increased hurricane damages, loss of tourism revenue and infrastructure damages – shows it could cost the region US$10.7 Billion by 2025. That is more than the combined GDP of the nine countries that make up the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States…

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“Partnering for Survival” – Dr Kenrick Leslie calls for deeper partnerships to address Climate Change at COP 20

caribbeanclimate

Dr Kenrick Leslie, CBE, Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, addressed delegates at the UNFCCC COP 20/MOP 10 on December 12, 2014. 

Dr Leslie's address focused on the Caribbean's successes in tackling Climate Change in spite of significant challenges and urged greater partnerships to address Climate Change.

Peruse Dr Leslie's "Partnering for success / Partnering for survival" speech and watch the Centre's Partnership Success Story feature video.

Dr Leonard Nurse (L), Chairman of the Board of Governors, CCCCC, and Carlos Fuller (R), International and Regional Liaison Officer, CCCCC, converse during COP 20

In a region plagued by vulnerabilities, recognizing fragility is easy. However, addressing this fragility is not as straightforward. Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community group of Nations took the bold step in 2002 and established a regional Centre whose mandate was simple – help us to address the impacts of climate change.

In its…

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Bahamas takes on renewable energy challenge – Missed Opportunity for Cayman?

The Bahamas has become the latest recruit to Richard Branson's green energy drive for Caribbean islands.

Branson's Carbon War Room NGO is aiming to help islands in the region transition from expensive fossil fuel imports to using their own renewable energy resources as part of its Ten Island Challenge programme.

This week the Bahamas joined the push, committing to developing 20MW of solar PV generation in the outer Family Islands, bringing energy efficiency and solar solutions to a local high school, and replacing streetlights across the nation with energy efficient LED lights.

Carbon War Room plans to support these goals by providing the country's government with a range of technical, project management, communications, and business advisory services.

The Bahamas joins the islands of Aruba, Grenada, San Andres and Providencia in Colombia, Saint Lucia, and Turks & Caicos in the challenge, which aims to generate how small states can decarbonise in a cost-effective manner.

“The Bahamas' entry into the Ten Island Challenge signals another step forward for the Caribbean region in the effort towards a clean energy future,” Branson said in a statement. “The progress made in The Bahamas will help inspire other islands to work towards accomplishing their renewable energy objectives.”

While the focus to date has been on Caribbean islands, earlier this year Peter Boyd, Carbon War Room's chief operating officer, told BusinessGreen the programme could expand into the Pacific and to isolated communities, military bases, or mines. “There are island energy economies even if the 'island' isn't surrounded by water,” he said at the time.

 

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Vacancy: Belize & Saint Lucia National ESD Project Coordinator/Consultant (NC)

caribbeanclimate

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) is recruiting a National Coordinator/Consultant (NC) for the Energy for Sustainable Development in the Caribbean Buildings Project (“ESD”). The overarching goal is to develop and implement measures for promoting sustainable energy development within the buildings sector and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and make the energy sector more efficient and increase the use of renewable energy in five (5) pilot countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

Peruse the advertisement for the ESD Project Consultant here.

Qualified candidates should send an email expressing interest in the position (in less than 250 words), work references and a CV to EDSapplication@caribbeanclimate.bz.

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Disconnected: Hundreds live with no power in Grand Cayman

(CNS): A freedom of information request to the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has revealed that more than 640 CUC customers have been cut off by the power supplier, mostly as a result of non-payment of bills. Many of those cut off are families who have been living without electricity for 90 days or more. This is another reason that Small Islands Developing States need alternative energy.

The request, which was submitted by a CNS reader, asked for the details of residential customers who had been cut off because their bills were not paid. The statistics show hundreds of people, including children, across Grand Cayman have been without a power supply for more than three months, confirming fears that the number of people living in real poverty is increasingly significant.

The ERA said it was not able to break down all the statistics because CUC merely tracks non-voluntary disconnections, which may also be due to safety reasons and not always because customers failed to pay their bills.

The ERA also explained that CUC did not indicate whether these more long term cut offs were commercial or domestic. Although some businesses may indeed be involuntarily disconnected, the situation would not be for extended periods, as any commercial enterprise without power would not last for very long. It is fair to assume that the disconnections are predominantly residential.

The largest number of disconnections are in the capital, where 306 premises have been cut off for more than three months, as at 24 November. Another 119 customers in Bodden Town were disconnected by CUC and some 117 in West Bay. Meanwhile, another 29 people were cut off in North Side and a further 23 in East End. A spokesperson for the ERA explained that the missing 47 are accounts that have been written off as CUC believes they are abandoned premises.

In addition, the ERA was able to state that 273 residential consumers had been disconnected for a period of less than 90 days, but these figures are constantly changing and any number could have been reconnected to the supply while additional households could have been cut off.

However, on 24 November there were 51 households in Bodden Town, six in East End, 50 in George Town, Seven in North Side and 59 in West Bay without power that had been disconnected within the last 90 days.

CUC recently confirmed to CNS that the firm is now cutting off power suppy without warning to customers who fail to pay their bills within 30 days. More

 

 

 

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