This Theme Park is dirty, corrupt & mismanaged
and when i say dirty...i mean -
Pollution: Another reason for Population immune suppression.
Aug 2021 -
Pollution Fears From Kib-Tek Fuel Continue
North Cyprus News - Teknecik Power PlantQuestions continued to be asked regarding the quality of fuel purchased directly for Kib-Tek without going to tender, Yeniduzen reported.
The newspaper has asked Kib-Tek to publish the reports of the fuel analysis. By way of response, Kib-Tek Chairman of the Board, Turan Büyükyilmaz said "the fuel we imported fits all standards". Yeniduzen reported that only five of 22 content analyses were shared with the newspaper.
The first five items on the list which are within limits are:
Sulfur, Density, Kinematic viscosity, Flash Point, (Pouring Point), Water in Fuel (Water by distillation).
Kib-Tek's Chairman of the Board, Turan Büyükyilmaz, stated that the sulfur ratios are below one in incoming fuels and said, "There is no problem in terms of environmental concerns".
However, A number of experts in the environment and energy sector are demanding to see the full list and are asking if all elements of the fuel analysed are within limits, why not make the findings public?
Ali Murat Cellatoglu, President of the Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO) that they have requested the test results under the Freedom of Information Law and want to test the fuel for themselves.
He said that if the fuel does not comply with acceptable standards there will be environmental damage and machinery at Kib-Tek will also suffer damage. This could lead to further power cuts, he said.
Explaining that the Chamber has requested the test results but no report or explanation has been given to them yet. The President of the Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO), has said that this leaves a very big question mark in their minds.
Cellatoglu said, "If it is a standard product, the results are not explained. The only reason is that it does not conform to the standard". Stating that substandard fuel will create a big dilemma especially in the future, Cellatoglu said the following:
"The smoke from the flues is now coming out of the other flues. This is very serious environmental pollution. As a result, [this affects] the food we consume and the air we breathe.
If it does not comply with the standard, it can cause serious damage to machine engines. The mechanical problems it will cause may cause us very serious mechanical problems in the future. The plant can be seriously damaged. Performance degradation may also occur.
"Kib-Tek has serious problems. The maintenance time of the machines has already passed. The use of poor quality or non-standard fuel can cause serious damage to machines. Even though there is fuel, days without electricity could be waiting for us".
El-Sen Threatens Indefinite Strike Over Contaminated Fuel
The Electricity Authority Employees' Union El-Sen has threatened to go on indefinite strike over the poor quality fuel purchased without tender, Yeniduzen reported. Additionally, Kib-Tek has been very reluctant to release the full details of the quality test results for the latest delivery of fuel for the Teknecik power station.
A statement issued by El-Sen reads as follows:
"For months, we have been emphasizing how bad the fuel that the Cyprus Turkish Electricity Authority has purchased illegally and without a tender is. Again, because of this fuel, the health of all our people, especially Teknecik Power Plant Employees, is being played with, while generators in Teknecik are damaged due to bad fuel.
"The lawlessness of the Minister of Economy and Energy, Erhan Arikli, and the Kib-Tek Board of Directors, as well as their disregard for the country's values, are dragging us towards disaster. In particular, the fact that even the source of the fuel purchased is not known, one of the Kib-Tek Deputy Director's confessions in the court that the fuel is bad, and the court also officially declaring that the incoming fuel is bad by giving an interim order, clearly heralds the coming disaster. It is a disgrace that Arikli acted in the stature of a sultan and the government partners remained silent on this issue, while there are very serious allegations about the fuel that caused the explosion in Lebanon.
"As the Electricity Authority Employees' Union, we are informing the public that we will hold a meeting at Çatalköy Municipality on September 16 at 09:00 in order to put a stop to this "dirty" game, and that we will exchange ideas with the representatives of the people of the region for a great action.
Çatalköy Municipality, Esentepe Municipality, representatives of the surrounding communities and representatives of environmentally sensitive non-governmental organizations will attend this meeting.
We will say "Stop" to this illegality, while the judiciary, police and government cannot say "Stop" and ignore the public's health. Our action plan will be shared with the public after the meeting tomorrow. We want it to be clearly known that our union will not hesitate to strike indefinitely, if necessary, in order to prevent the bad and dangerous fuel that will come."
Flashback to September 2019 - Huge explosion hits Arms dump
Was Ammonium Nitrate being stored there?
Are the Electricity Union revealing a huge secret to leverage power?
Blast at TRNC ammunition depot sparks fire,
causes damage in nearby hotel
by Compiled from Wire Services - ISTANBUL Turkey - Sep 12, 2019 12:15 pm GMT+3
Fires triggered by an explosion at a munitions depot in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have been brought under control, Turkey's defense ministry said Thursday.
In a statement, it said the explosion occurred at a depot under the Turkish army's munitions command in Arapköy village located east of the port town of Kyrenia (Girne) at 1:30 a.m. Thursday (1030 GMT Wednesday) and that there were no major injuries as a result of the blast.
Earlier reports suggested that an undetected fire that broke out in the area had triggered the explosion.
Investigators have already launched a probe to determine the blast's exact cause, the ministry said.
TRNC Foreign Minister Kudret Özersay said on Facebook that some people suffered cuts from shattered windowpanes and that electricity has been cut for those 6 kilometers (4 miles) east of Kyrenia.
People in Arapköy had initially fled the area as a precaution during the blasts but residents had started returning home, he said.
Turkish Cypriot media reported that some tourists staying at the nearby Acapulco Hotel in nearby Çatalköy were treated for minor injuries. The hotel's guests were evacuated to the beach as a precaution for possible blasts and for evacuation if necessary.
"It is pleasing that there was no loss of life in the explosions that occurred in an arsenal in the military zone in the eastern Girne," President Mustafa Akıncı told reporters after arriving at the scene along with Prime Minister Ersin Tatar and Özersay.
He said there is no reason to worry at the moment and vowed to stay in touch with Turkey and would call for help if necessary.
Akıncı also went to the Acapulco Hotel to reassure tourists and said those who have flights in the morning would be taken safely to the airport. Tatar urged calm and hoped the explosions would be soon be stopped.
Stating the importance of not losing any lives, he said the region is under the control.
Ali Pilli, the Turkish Cypriot health minister told broadcaster BRT that only two people were hurt slightly and were treated by ambulance paramedics.
Transport Minister Tolga Atakan urged caution because the blast spread unexploded ordnance over a wide area. One of the two key roads crossing from Beşparmak (Kyrenia) Mountains and connecting Kyrenia with Mesaoria Plain and Famasgusta crosses from Arapköy.
The largest power plant of the TRNC is also located in Çatalköy.
In July, Turkish Cypriot officials said that a Syrian, Russian-made S-200 anti-aircraft missile that missed its target and reached Cyprus around 120 miles away was the likely cause of an explosion outside a village near Nicosia (LefkoÅŸa).
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey used its guarantor rights to intervene on the island after a far-right Greek Cypriot military coup sponsored by the military junta then in power in Athens sought to unite the island with Greece. The coup followed decadelong inter-ethnic violence and terrorism targeting Turkish Cypriots, who were forced to live in enclaves when Greek Cypriots unilaterally changed the constitution in 1963 and stripped the island's Turks of their political rights.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), established in 1983 on the northern one-third of the island, is only recognized by Turkey and faces a longstanding embargo in commerce, transportation and culture. Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot Administration enjoys recognition by the international community as the Republic of Cyprus, established in 1960.
Turkey keeps more than 35,000 troops in the north.
July 2021 - Israel Times reveals only a portion of Ammonium Nitrate shipment
was at Lebanon storage facility in the Port
FBI probe: Chemicals that caused Beirut blast only a fifth of original shipment
By TOI staff 30 July 2021, 11:47 pm
Investigation doesn't give reason for discrepancy or share where rest of ammonium nitrate may have gone ” adding to suspicions that much of it went missing before port explosion
The amount of ammonium nitrate that exploded at Beirut's port last year in a massive blast was just one-fifth of the original shipment that arrived at the Lebanese capital in 2013, according to an FBI investigation whose findings were published Friday by Reuters.
The probe added to suspicions that most of the stockpile of the chemical, used to make either fertilizer or bombs, went missing or was diverted before the August 2020 blast that rocked Berut and killed more than 200 people.
The FBI probe from last October found that while 2,754 tons of ammonium nitrate had arrived in Lebanon seven years before the blast, only 552 tons went up in flames on the day of the explosion, Reuters reported.
The probe did not provide an explanation for the discrepancy or explain where the rest of the ammonium nitrate may have gone.
The news agency reached out to a senior Lebanese official for comment, and he agreed with the FBI's findings regarding the quantity of chemicals that exploded.
Many officials in Beirut say privately that much of the shipment was stolen, Reuters said, adding that another theory heard is that not all of the cargo detonated.
The 2013 shipment was being transferred from Georgia to Mozambique on a Russian-leased cargo ship when the captain says he was instructed to make an unscheduled stop in Beirut, Reuters said, adding that the shipment never ended up leaving from there and the cargo docked at the Lebanese port.
According to an unsourced assessment publicized on Israel's Channel 13 news last August, Hezbollah may have planned to use the ammonium nitrate stockpile against Israel in a "Third Lebanon War,"
Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah has denied that his group stored any weapons or explosives at Beirut's port.
Ammonium nitrate is used in the manufacture of explosives and is also an ingredient in making fertilizer. It has been blamed for massive industrial accidents in the past, and was also a main ingredient in a bomb that destroyed a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995.
In 2019 reports in Israel claimed that the Mossad had tipped off European intelligence agencies about Hezbollah storing caches of ammonium nitrate for use in bombs in London, Cyprus and elsewhere.
Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah gives a speech in the aftermath of a deadly explosion in Beirut, on Friday August 7, 2020 (al-Manar screenshot)
The Channel 13 report noted that "the material that exploded in the port is not new to Nasrallah and Hezbollah."
It detailed Hezbollah's previous connections to ammonium nitrate, including incidents in Germany and the UK, both widely reported at the time, in which its agents were reportedly found with substantial quantities of the material.
In London in 2015, following a Mossad tip-off, British intelligence found four Hezbollah operatives with 3 tons of ammonium nitrate held in flour sacks, the TV report said, citing foreign reports.
A similar process led to the discovery in Germany of Hezbollah operatives with enough ammonium nitrate "to blow up a city," the report said. Germany subsequently banned Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
Traffic And Power Station Emissions Threat To Health
22nd Sep 2021
Nitrogen dioxide levels in North Cyprus are quite high, Professor of Environmental Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering at Marmara University Mete Tayanç has said, Kibris Gazetesi reported.
Data from the Sentinel 5P satellite, which takes air pollution measurements within the framework of the European Space Agency’s Copernicus programme, shows the density of nitrogen dioxide in the TRNC is fairly higher and pollution is higher in the north of the island compared to the south, he said.
The pollution is from the Tekenecik and Kalecik power plants which provide 90% of North Cyprus’ electricity. The high density of traffic is the other culprit.
Research Into Effect On Health
A team from the University of Athens led by Evangelia Samoli has been researching the effects of nitrogen dioxide gas for three years. According to the research, it was determined that ten micrograms of nitrogen dioxide gas in one cubic metre of air increased the risk of death by 0.3%. Additionally, Sulfur dioxide, causes numerous health problems such as pulmonary edema, heart failure, circulatory problems, asthma, chronic bronchitis, increased illness and deaths in the elderly and infants.
Professor Tayanç said that aside from the cost to human health, plants and animals were negatively affected by nitrogen dioxide emissions produced by burning fuel oil at high temperatures from the two power stations.
Tayanç said, “Emissions are increasing as is the human demand. Everyone is responsible for this situation”. He went on to say, “Yes, the state runs old-style power plants, uses fuel-oil, and these emissions are real, but we demand more, we waste electricity and we never adopt energy-saving methods“.
He believes that traffic emissions are worse than the power plants, Tayanç said, “When you look at it now, there are two to three cars in every household. We use a lot of vehicles. The stopping and starting of vehicles is the biggest cause of air pollution”.
Professor Tayanç pointed out that when lockdown was in place across Europe, nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere fell by between 50-60%.
To reduce emissions, the two power plants need to have catalytic converters fitted, the use of vehicles needs to be reduced and solar power should be more widely available in a country that has 300 days of sunshine per year, he said.
TRNC = Environmental disaster: public health at risk?
Dumping is happening all the time - this from 2014 - it's still rife
North Cyprus “ A new environmental disaster
By tfr secretary on March 3, 2014
A new environmental disaster
Individuals or organisations, who are not allowed to dispose their waste in the Güngör solid waste storage area in the Kyrenia district, have been littering an area on the way to the village south of the Five Finger Mountains.
According to the news report by Osman Kalfaoglu in the Kibris newspaper, the fact that only municipal trucks can use the Güngör landfill has led to a new environmental disaster. A total of nine municipalities are currently using the Güngör landfill. The other municipalities are disposing their waste in other areas.
Some individuals or organisations, who do not have access to the Güngör landfill have been disposing their waste in an area on the way, creating a huge environmental pollution.
In the hills leading up to the solid waste storage area, there are animal carcasses, food packaging, food waste, construction materials and discarded house appliances among other solid waste.
Incidence of cancer in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Abstract
Background/aim: This study analyzed the incidence, trends, and common types of cancer in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Materials and methods: This study is based on data collected from the office of the North Cyprus Cancer Registry, Ministry of Health, for 2007-2012. Data were arranged on the basis of age group, sex, and cancer site. Age standardized incidence rates (ASRs) were estimated with the world standard population. EVIEWS (version 9) software was used for statistical analysis.
Results: Of 1395 registered cases, 52.33% (730) were reported in men and 47.67% (665) in women. The crude incidence rate was 96.41 in men and 101.74 in women. The average annual ASR was 88.88 in men and 87.76 in women with the cumulative rate of 21.47% and 14.69% in men and women, respectively. The most common cancers in men were skin (ASR 15.62), prostate (ASR 11.23), bladder (ASR 11.71), lung (ASR 8.01), and colorectal cancer (ASR 7.61), while in women these were breast (ASR 24.07), thyroid (ASR 14.93), skin (ASR 10.75), colorectal (ASR 6.05), and lymphoma (ASR 4.79). Linear regression analysis confirmed rising trends for both men's (10.79, P = 0.03) and women's (14.67, P = 0.04) cancers.
Conclusion: Our findings revealed an increasing trend of cancer incidence in the TRNC. For control and prevention, public awareness of the risk factors and proper screening programs should be recommended.
Heavy Metal pollution...nothing to worry about? really?
in 2017...more research was needed. Yeah right, sure.
This is the first of a two-part review dealing with cancer issues in North Cyprus (NC). Here we give an account of what is known about the cancer status of the island, which has been debated quite intensely over the years.
From several independent reports, it is concluded that the epidemiology of cancer in NC has been steady around 200-230 per 100,000 for more than 20 years. This level is in line with the rest of Europe.
Nevertheless, there are some potentially worrying signs.
First, the "age-standardized rate" of some cancers (lung, skin, and liver) appears higher. Second, the "average age of incidence" is lower for breast and skin cancer in NC than in the rest of Europe.
Relevant environmental factors of current interest that could contribute to these issues include the environmental levels of potentially carcinogenic heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, cadmium and lead) and the levels of vitamin D in the population. The particular case of the copper mines in the Lefke region is also covered.
We conclude that
(i) the overall cancer status of NC is broadly comparable to the rest of Europe,
(ii) continuous monitoring of epidemiology is necessary, and
(iii) research is needed into the possible cause(s) of cancer, especially environmental factors
Pollution of coastal region impacted by acid mine drainage in Morphou bay, northern Cyprus
Abstract
Abandoned copper mines, located in Lefka-Xeros area by the Morphou bay were primarily producing copper.
Secondary products, such as silver and gold were also produced for a century by cyanide leaching method.
The residues of mining processes were deposited in large tailing ponds that were constructed with primitive technology. In this research, water samples from several different points of tailing ponds, Lefka river and coast of Morphou bay are collected.
The laboratory analysis of the samples is then carried out, considering basic pollutant parameters such as copper.
The cross-shore and Longshore numerical modelling technique is applied associating the wave climate and the morphologic characteristics of the Morphou bay with the laboratory results to measure long-term effects of the pollution, diffused into the Mediterranean sea.
Seasonal Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Street
Dust of Nicosia City in North Cyprus
Heavy metals concentration is increasingly becoming health concern in the world, particularly on
street dust of urban cities with high density traffic. Road dust samples were analyzed for
determination of concentrations of the environmentally sensitive elements As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb,
and Zn in fraction of dust smaller than 100 µm.
The dust particles were collected during winter and
summer seasons from highways, residential and industrial areas representing different activities
across the Nicosia city. The dust samples were measured for their contamination levels and particles
size distribution.
The assessment of pollution was based on single pollution indices, integrated
pollution indices and Pearson moment correlation in order to determine their possible source, spatial
distribution and seasonal variations. Single Indices include Contamination Factor (Cf), Index of
Geo-accumulation (Igeo) and the integrated indices include degree of contamination (Dc) and
Pollution Load Index (PLI). The general pattern of occurrence of heavy metals follows the order of
Cr>Zn>Cu>Ni>Pb>Co>As.
The highest levels of Cr, Zn and Cu were found in the high traffic
density area, and strong positive correlations were found between these metals, implying that
automobile exhausts are the dominant source of these metals.
There are limited published data
on recent cancer incidence and mortality trends worldwide.
We used the International Agency for Research on Cancer's CANCERMondial clearinghouse to present age-standardized cancer incidence and death rates for 2003“2007. We also present trends in incidence through 2007 and mortality through 2012 for select countries from five continents.
High-income countries (HIC) continue to have the highest incidence rates for all sites, as well as for lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer, although some low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) now count among those with the highest rates.
Mortality rates from these cancers are declining in many HICs while they are increasing in LMICs.
2020 cancer figures:
An estimated 10 million men, 9 million women: 19 MILLION People
Wheres the emergency panic for this cancer epidemic?
Oh no i forgot The hospitals were out of bounds for cancer victims (UK report)...because the authorities worldwide closed wards & prioritised hospital treatments for Covid 19.
The W.H.O says Pollution causes 7 million deaths a year
Covid causes?
Fuel / energy crisis enables coal fired power again...
increased pollution along with increased unregulated pollution via big oil etc
would see a knock on effect in deaths due to poor air quality - these deaths would be previously labelled as "atypicle pneumonia", are now labelled Covid as a syndrome (SARS)
Linking to Climate change
and the future of controlled population behavior
to keep the planet & global health, in check
WHO says air pollution kills 7 mn a year, toughens guidelines
By Robin MILLARD - Geneva (AFP) Sept 22, 2021
The World Health Organization strengthened its air quality guidelines on Wednesday, saying air pollution was now one of the biggest environmental threats to human health, causing seven million premature deaths a year.
Urgent action is needed to reduce exposure to air pollution, said the UN body, ranking its burden of disease on a par with smoking and unhealthy eating.
"WHO has adjusted almost all the air quality guideline levels downwards, warning that exceeding the new... levels is associated with significant risks to health," it said.
"Adhering to them could save millions of lives."
The guidelines aim to protect people from the adverse effects of air pollution and are used by governments as a reference for legally binding standards.
The UN health agency last issued air quality guidelines, or AQGs, in 2005, which had a significant impact on pollution abatement policies worldwide.
In the 16 years since however, the WHO said more evidence had emerged showing that air pollution effected health at lower concentrations than previously understood.
"The accumulated evidence is sufficient to justify actions to reduce population exposure to key air pollutants, not only in particular countries or regions but on a global scale," the organisation said.
- COP26 report -
The new guidelines come just in time for the COP26 global climate summit held in Glasgow from October 31 to November 12.
The WHO said that alongside climate change, air pollution was one of the biggest environmental threats to human health.
Its climate change chief Maria Neira said the WHO was preparing a major report to present in Glasgow to stress the "enormous health benefits" of reducing air pollution through mitigating climate change.
"You can imagine the incredible number of lives we will save," she told journalists.
The new WHO guidelines recommend lower air quality levels for six pollutants, including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide.
The other two are PM10 and PM2.5 -- particulate matter equal or smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns in diameter.
Both can penetrate deep into the lungs but researchers say PM2.5 can even enter the bloodstream, causing mainly cardiovascular and respiratory problems, but also affecting other organs, said the WHO.
In response, the PM2.5 guideline level has been halved.
In 2019, more than 90 percent of the world's population lived in areas where concentrations exceeded the 2005 AQG for long-term PM2.5 exposure, with southeast Asia the worst-affected region.
- Premature deaths -
"Almost everyone around the world is exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"Inhaling dirty air increases the risk of respiratory diseases like pneumonia, asthma... and increases the risk of severe Covid-19."
Air quality markedly improved since the 1990s in high-income countries, the WHO noted. But the global toll in deaths and lost years of healthy life barely declined because air quality deteriorated in most other countries, in line with their economic development.
"Every year, exposure to air pollution is estimated to cause seven million premature deaths and result in the loss of millions more healthy years of life," the WHO said.
In children, this could mean reduced lung growth and function, respiratory infections and aggravated asthma.
In adults, ischaemic heart disease -- also called coronary heart disease -- and strokes are the most common causes of premature death attributable to outdoor air pollution.
The evidence since 2005 showed how air pollution affected "all parts of the body, from the brain to a growing baby in a mother's womb", said Tedros.
Evidence is also emerging of other effects such as diabetes and neurodegenerative conditions, said the organisation.
Professor Alastair Lewis, of Britain's National Centre for Atmospheric Science, said the guidelines "dramatically increase the scale of challenge to society" in cutting air pollution.
But he said the PM2.5 guidelines were "the most contentious" as they come from natural sources too -- even from cooking -- and can stay airborne for weeks.
"PM2.5 is, to an extent, also an inevitable and unavoidable consequence of living a 21st-century life," said Lewis.
2019 -
Mastercard and Doconomy Launch
the Future of Sustainable Payments
February 25, 2019 | By Rose Beaumont
New collaboration focuses on fighting climate change and enables users to track, understand and take accountability of their carbon footprint.
Doconomy and Mastercard announce their joint effort to combat climate change by enabling DO – a free and easy-to-use mobile banking service that lets users track, understand and reduce their CO2 footprints through carbon offsetting. The launch of DO sets a new standard for purpose-driven payment services and is a major step in Mastercard’s commitment to drive innovation for a sustainable future.
DO Credit Card
By implementing DO Mastercard and Doconomy lets users’ values guide their everyday consumption towards more sustainable choices. DO also enables carbon offsetting via UN certified projects. As part of the service DO offers a possibility to invest in funds with a positive impact on people and the planet. This way the solution gives the consumer insights into the environmental effects of their consumptions, paired with tools for creating change by making sustainable choices.
“Together with Doconomy we can engage consumers, retailers and businesses in the fight against climate change. This collaboration is an important part of our focus on sustainability, and this innovative solution offers people a simple way to take responsibility for their carbon footprint, based on what they consume,” commented Mark Barnett, Divisional President of Mastercard UK, Ireland, Nordic and Baltics.
In addition to offering users to make their consumption more sustainable, customers can also apply for the physical, climate-friendly and biodegradable DO Mastercard payment card. The card, which is printed with recycled pollution (Air-Ink) and with no magnetic strip is the first of its kind in the world. The DO card is the most tangible payment service effort on the global SDG 12 scene.
”Via Mastercard’s global network Doconomy can reach and leverage the power of consumers all over the world and direct capital towards sustainable initiatives. For us, there is no partner better suited than Mastercard, given their sense of purpose and leading technical expertise,” says Nathalie Green, CEO at Doconomy.
DO has attracted attention from some of the world’s most prominent actors. The United Nation’s UNFCCC-secretariat wants to explore a collaboration with Doconomy and Mastercard to promote climate action and awareness among citizens and organizations globally.
“DO represents a new and interesting way of bringing climate action directly to the consumer, which is one of our strategic objectives in our work on Global Climate Action.” says Niclas Svenningsen, Manager, Global Climate Action at UNFCCC.
The DO app will become available during April. To join the movement and read more about how we fight climate change through consumption you can visit: https://doconomy.com.
This will link up to Government / state based social credit system
Swedens covid stance makes more sense now?
Not a good little doggie? no Credit
Revisiting eco-friendly credit cards – The DO card from Doconomy
Sweden: the country of the flight-shaming movement and Greta Thunberg
Perhaps what sets Sweden apart is a combination of citizen engagement, collective ambition, and high awareness of climate change challenges.
The message we get from Sweden is clear: we need to make radical changes in our daily habits if we want a survivable future— it happens now, and it's up to us.
For Swedes, 78% believe that they can personally act to slow down climate change, and it comes as no surprise that many innovative climate-conscious programs are coming from the Kingdom.
So let's take a close look at this one initiated by Doconomy.
This initiative combines eco-conscious spending with eco-friendly credit cards, highlights one of the many noticeable changes in consumer attitudes.
The DO card: Revisiting the green credit card approach
In 2018, the United Nations released an urgent report stating that we need to cut CO2 emission by half in 2030 to avoid an irreversible carbon crisis.
In 2019, a Swedish Fintech, Doconomy, took on the challenge and launched DO, a mobile banking service for every day's climate action.
Doconomy wants to inspire personal change in behavior, reduced consumption, and compensation with the digital banking service DO.
The free Do app is connected to a credit card that enables the cardholder to track and measure its carbon footprint for each purchase and to compensate for its impact day by day.
Do works differently from so-called green credit cards that donate a percentage of every purchase to the green economy with more or less transparency. Beyond that, it is notorious that some banks issuing green cards also fund fossil industries.
Being conscious of the impact of your purchases might be better for the climate than selecting an eco-friendly or "green" credit card.
Let us explain.
Reduce your carbon footprint day by day
The DO mobile banking service lets users track and reduce their CO2 footprints through carbon offsetting.
It's a very tangible tool for those who want to make a difference.
The carbon impact metrics displayed alongside the transaction provide essential visibility to fully inform the consumer for a conscious decision.
The information is based on the Åland Index developed by the Bank of Åland. It calculates an approximate impact from the goods and services bought with the DO card.
Users are also invited to compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions through projects meeting the UN-certified green project criteria.
UN-certified carbon offset schemes allow clients to invest in environmental projects worldwide to compensate for their carbon footprint. These projects are developed to reduce future emissions and are often located in developing countries. DO offers different themes for these projects.
They range from cleaner-burning cooking stoves and wind-generated electricity to clean waste disposal, all of which contribute to global emission reduction.
Initially, the service is being rolled out in Sweden with other European countries to follow.
But there's more.
Doconomy DO Black is even more radical.
We've seen that users can make their daily purchases with the DO card, tracking the carbon emissions associated with their spending with the DO app.
Doconomy goes one step further by adding a premium card to its offer.
But instead of introducing a premium black credit card with its specific benefits to encourage further consumption, Doconomy does the opposite with Do Black.
It's the world's first credit card with a carbon limit, setting a maximum to your footprint for the year.
In other words, it's the first credit card ever to stop you overspending based on the level of CO2 emissions generated by your consumption.
Yes, you read that right.
The DO Black card won't let you buy anything else after you've hit your carbon quota.
It's presented as an educational effort, according to one of the founders.
The carbon limit is tailored to the national limit defined by the world leaders under the Paris agreement and aligned with the 2-degree target for 2030.
In Sweden, the average consumer is responsible for approximately 19 tons of carbon emissions each year from consumption. The 2030 monthly limit is 791,5 kg CO2 per capita (9,5 tCO2e – carbon dioxide equivalent).
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH), GEH SMR Technologies Canada, Ltd. (GEH SMR Canada), Cameco Corporation (Cameco) and Synthos Green Energy (SGE), a member of the Synthos Group S.A., have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to evaluate the potential establishment of a uranium fuel supply chain in Canada capable of servicing a potential fleet of BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs) in Poland.
Synthos, a manufacturer of synthetic rubber and one of the biggest producers of chemical raw materials in Poland, is interested in obtaining affordable, on-demand, carbon-free electricity from a dependable, dedicated source. In 2019 SGE and GEH agreed to collaborate on potential deployment applications for the BWRX-300 in Poland. SGE and GEH signed a strategic agreement in 2020 that further advanced the cooperation.
Cameco supplies uranium, uranium refining and conversion services to the nuclear industry worldwide. In July 2021, GEH, Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas (GNF-A) and Cameco agreed to explore several areas of cooperation to advance the commercialization and deployment of BWRX-300 SMRs in Canada and around the world.
"We believe nuclear energy will play a major role in helping countries and companies around the world achieve their net-zero emission targets," said Cameco president and CEO Tim Gitzel. "This MOU is a great example of the kind of innovative solutions businesses like Synthos Green Energy are exploring and how SMRs could contribute to industry-driven efforts to decarbonize."
"We look forward to working with Cameco and GEH in understanding the uranium requirements for a fleet of BWRX-300s in Poland and the support that Canada has to offer," said Rafal Kasprow, President of the Board of SGE. "In addition to this MOU, SGE is working closely with GEH to identify supply chain opportunities in Poland that complement the export capabilities being developed in Canada for the BWRX-300, which could enable us to successfully deliver carbon-free electricity to the grid."
"GEH is honored to be working with Cameco and Synthos Green Energy to deploy the BWRX-300," said Jay Wileman, President and CEO, GEH. "Through our collaboration we look forward to the opportunity to bring carbon-free energy generation to Poland and support the creation of valuable uranium supply jobs in Canada."
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH's U.S. NRC-certified ESBWR. Through dramatic and innovative design simplification, GEH projects the BWRX-300 will require significantly less capital cost per MW when compared to other SMR designs.
By leveraging the existing ESBWR design certification, utilizing the licensed and proven GNF2 fuel design, and incorporating proven components and supply chain expertise, GEH believes the BWRX-300 can become the lowest-risk, most cost-competitive and quickest to market SMR.
"We need cheap and clean energy to develop as a State and society. Atom is a clean and ecological source of energy and this project brought us together with Michal. A common goal, that is a clean and competitive Poland, is worth taking up the challenge and I am convinced that together we can achieve it"
- Zygmunt Solorz.
"Global warming is unfortunately a reality. Deep decarbonisation is a necessity and is driven not only by concern for the planet, but also by real economic needs and cost efficiency. The obvious answer to this crisis is nuclear technology - modern, but nevertheless based on proven past solutions. Poland is the manufacturing hub of Europe, which requires emission-free and stable sources of energy. If we want to continue developing at a fast pace and become a more affluent society, and attract further foreign investment to us, we must have access to attractively priced energy. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to implement this project together with an outstanding and experienced Polish entrepreneur and colleague, Zygmunt Solorz"
- Michal Solowow - Synthos plays two roles in this project: as an investor and technology provider.
the synthos group
clean air? or glow in the dark radiation sickness?
Cameco is one of the largest global providers of the fuel needed to energize a clean-air world. Our tier-one operations have the licensed capacity to produce more than 53 million pounds (100% basis) of uranium concentrates annually, backed by 455 million pounds of proven and probable mineral reserves (our share). We are also a leading supplier of uranium refining, conversion and fuel manufacturing services.
Utilities around the world rely on our nuclear fuel products to generate power in safe, reliable, carbon-free nuclear reactors. Together, we are meeting the ever-increasing demand for clean baseload electricity while delivering safe, reliable solutions to today's clean-air crisis.
It all starts with the Small Modular Reactor (SMR)
technology of the BWRX-300, the next evolution in nuclear energy.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates nuclear power output will need to double by mid-century to meet 2050 Net-Zero Emission goals. Canada is one of over 120 countries who have committed to these goals.
Net-zero emissions means the economy either emits no greenhouse gas emissions or else create offsets to emissions that capture carbon before it is released into the air.
What makes nuclear energy critical to achieving net zero in Canada is that it doesn’t create any carbon emissions. In fact, used in combination with solar and wind, nuclear energy already helps avoid about 2.2 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions annually – the equivalent of taking half the world’s passenger vehicles off the road.
April 27 2018 -
Protesters are urging the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot authorities to step up their protests against a nuclear power plant Russia is building on Turkey’s Mediterranean coastline.
Around 250 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot protesters on April 26 linked arms across a 250-foot (75-meter) stretch of the United Nations controlled buffer zone splitting the capital Nicosia to protest against the plant they say could pose a grave threat to Cyprus and the region because it will be built in a seismic region, the Associated Press reported.
The Greek Cyprus government should have the EU take up the issue with Turkey, which aims to join the bloc, Greek Cypriot Charalambos Theopemptou said.
Many Turkish Cypriots know the risks and oppose the plant, but their leaders must end their silence and speak out, Sener Elçil, General Secretary of KTOS, the Turkish Cypriot Primary Teachers Trade Union said.
Anti-nuclear activists from both sides of Cyprus are fighting side-by-side against a project they worry will damage marine life and cause another Chernobyl
from 2012
The two Cypriot parties, representing Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots alike, voiced their protest against the scheduled establishment of a 4800 MW reactor (4 units x 1,200 MW) in a seismicaly prone area, a mere hour's distance from the island's shores. Construction is scheduled to start in 2013 and it will be built, operated and financed by the Akkuyu Electricity Generation JSC, a subsidiary of the Russian state-owned nuclear company "Rosatom", which will retain 51% controlling stake of the project. The agreement also provides for Russia and Turkey to cooperate in other areas of the nuclear fuel cycle, including the treatment of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, decommissioning and the possible construction of a Turkish nuclear fuel fabrication plant.
It will be the first of 14 nuclear reactors that the Turkish Government is planning to construct all across the country. South Korea is also currently involved in the preparation of a bid to build the next four nuclear reactors at the Sinop site on the shores of the Black Sea.
Turkey imports much of its energy – just under 75% in 2019. Improving energy efficiency and energy security are high priorities1. About one-third of its gas comes from Russia2, and in February 2016 Gazprom arbitrarily increased the gas price by 10.25% regardless of contracts, and cut supply when Turkish firms declined to pay the extra.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources' (EKTB) base scenario, consumption will rise to 376 TWh by 20233. Plans for nuclear power are a key aspect of the country's aim for economic growth, and it aims to cut back its vulnerable reliance on Russian gas for electricity. The state generation company is Elektrik Uretim AS (EUAS).
Plans are to have 30 GWe of coal-fired capacity by 2023, along with 4.8 GWe of nuclear capacity. However, much of the country’s coal resources are lignite with low calorific value – less than 12.5 MJ/kg – and a substantial amount (Afsin Elbistan) at less than 5 MJ/kg (one-quarter of typical steam coal) with high sulfur.
The country’s National Renewable Energy Action Plan set out by the ETKB aims to boost the share of renewables in the energy mix to 30% by 2023, adding 61 GWe to enable secure energy supply and reduce carbon emissions. This means adding 34 GWe of hydropower, 20 GWe of wind, 5 GWe of solar, 1 GWe of geothermal, and 1 GWe of biomass capacity. The plan will be assisted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Imagine running a power station into the ground, polluting the environment -
until the political decision is made
to update the energy infrastucture to be totally reliant on Turkish mainlands Nuclear Power.
Climate change worries fuel nuclear dreams
Concern over global warming is reopening the debate about shutting down nuclear power plants.
By America Hernandez - September 2, 2021 6:00 am
Nuclear power has some really big problems, which is why many EU countries are shutting down their reactors — but the accelerating pace of climate change is prompting second thoughts.
There is growing queasiness in parts of Europe over plans by France, Germany, Spain and Belgium to shut down 32 nuclear reactors, representing 31.9 GW of CO2-free electricity capacity, by 2035.
“We can’t afford to shut down nuclear because we’re going to build more coal like Germany has done over the last 15 years — frankly to its shame," said Sean Kidney, CEO of Climate Bonds Initiative and a member of the European Commission’s advisory Platform on Sustainable Finance. "Emissions reduction is a critical metric, you can’t discount something just because you don’t like it."
It's not that there's a wave of enthusiasm for building new nuclear capacity in Western Europe — but the climate cost of shutting down plants instead of squeezing more years of operation out of them is increasingly acute. That's highlighted by grim warnings from climate scientists about the dwindling amount of CO2 the world can afford to emit in the next decade.
"Some of those reactors are in good enough shape for regulators to authorize an extension, with the necessary maintenance and security precautions, for two, five, 10 years," European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton said Friday at an annual business conference, adding: "Why deprive ourselves of this production capacity?"
That line of thinking mirrors recommendations from the International Energy Agency to "authorize lifetime extensions of existing nuclear plants for as long as safely possible."
A very small but growing movement to rethink nuclear shutdowns is bolstering that idea.
On September 11, a "Stand Up for Nuclear" demonstration pitching the atom as a decarbonization solution is scheduled to take place in Brussels.
This summer, regular tiny demonstrations organized by Nuklearia and Mothers for Nuclear Germany-Austria-Switzerland were held at Germany's six remaining reactors, calling for a reversal of the policy to shut them down by the end of next year. The groups cite opinion polls showing declining, albeit still majority, support for the phaseout.
"We need both nuclear and renewables in order to phase out fossil fuels — our political message and top priority is to save the six remaining reactors in order to avoid emissions of 70 million tons of CO2 each year," said Rainer Klute, volunteer chairman of Nuklearia who works in IT and data protection by day.
So far that pressure hasn't changed any national policies.
Germany is sticking with its plan to close down its nuclear plants — a process sped up by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Belgium also still aims to close down its reactors; a request by utility Electrabel to extend the lives of several by another 20 years was nixed by the government last year. Instead, Belgium is preparing an auction in October to replace the first nuclear reactor to turn off with a fleet of gas-fired plants.
Last week, a group of nuclear engineers published an open letter to Prime Minister Alexander De Croo asking for a reconsideration.
"The construction of new gas-fired power plants will probably be necessary, yet extending the most recent nuclear reactors could still reduce their number," the letter reads.
France gets more than two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear — giving it the lowest emissions of any major economy. That's a stark contrast with Germany, where nuclear generates 11 percent of power, while fossil fuels account for 44 percent — 24 percent of that from coal.
French President Emmanuel Macron is sticking with his promise to reduce the nuclear share in the power mix to 50 percent by 2035, but he has yet to decide whether to invest in replacing the oldest reactors with a new generation of very expensive and technologically troubled European Pressurized Reactors, like the one now under construction in Flamanville.
Atomic angst
Rethinking nuclear is happening elsewhere in the bloc.
Sweden's decision to halt nuclear expansion after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in the U.S. — and shut off reactors by 2010 — was deferred as demand for clean power rose. Nuclear now generates 42 percent of electricity — and expanding that share is a lively part of the debate ahead of next year's parliamentary election.
In Spain, the Socialist government announced in 2019 that it would switch off the country’s seven nuclear reactors between 2025 and 2035, with the goal of relying fully on renewables by mid-century. But this year's soaring power prices, caused largely by spikes in natural gas and EU carbon prices, are drawing public attention to the nuclear power that provides one-fifth of the country's electricity.
The conservative opposition People's Party thinks that should prompt a reassessment of "clean, cheap and safe" nuclear power if national regulators determine lifetime extensions beyond 2035 are possible.
Nuclear still has outright advocates in the EU. France, Slovakia and Finland are building new plants, with nuclear plans in various stages of preparation in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
In Italy, newly appointed Ecological Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani suggested this spring that his country — which has twice rejected nuclear by popular referendum — consider futuristic small modular reactors (SMRs) when they become available.
"Should the European Commission consider it a source of clean energy, it would be our duty to have a discussion and consider mini-reactors ... leaving aside any ideology," said Cingolani, a physicist by training.
SMRs are being touted in other countries as a potential way to build cheaper nuclear power stations that could provide a low, stable base of electricity to undergird fluctuating renewables, without the massive price tag and construction time of a full-sized unit.
The Commission convened a closed-door workshop on SMRs this summer to hear the latest updates from the industry. It will decide whether to include nuclear in its taxonomy list of sustainable investments before the fall.
"In nuclear, just accept that what’s there is low-carbon, separate it from new nuclear. I sort of think we need to accept renovation and maintenance of existing nuclear," said Kidney.
