ESG warn there is 'no cohesive plan' on climate change in Gibraltar

Gibraltar ecologist group, the Environmental Safety Group (ESG), warned Gibraltar authorities last week, that they are "heading headlong in the other direction with no cohesive plan" on climate change.

The warning follows the publication of an EIA report, which was referred to by the GBC (Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation) last week, on global carbon consumption figures.

The report suggests that Gibraltar leads the world in having the highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption and flaring of fossil fuels.

The EIA (Energy Information Administration) is a US Government agency who provide "policy-neutral data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment".

Commenting on these somewhat alarming statistics, Gibraltar's ESG, said that these figures are in fact "misleading".

In a statement, the ESG explained that these figures are likely to be linked with the vast amount of fuel sold locally for export to the many Spanish (and other nationals living in the Costa del Sol) who visit Gibraltar daily to purchase the much cheaper fuel available in Gibraltar.

The EIA report statistics, the ESG also pointed out, include the bunkering services that Gibraltar's port offers to international shipping.

The EIA statistics apportion Gibraltar's small population size with this reported high 'energy' consumption, by way of handling, to a per capita level of 160 metric tons, far outreaching any other country in the world.

The ESG parallel this distortion of the figures to Luxembourg, who are also affected in a similar way.

An ESG spokesperson said:

"Including the amount of fuel sold to non-native residents in these calculations would also explain the distorted carbon dioxide emissions per capita in Luxembourg.

Like in Gibraltar, fuel is less expensive than in neighbouring countries, which explains why Luxembourg has 26,3 per capita while the average German, Belgian or Frenchman 'only' produces 10.4, 14.2, 6.6 per capita carbon dioxide metric tons per year." 

The ESG however, note cautiously, that while Gibraltar "may not be emitting such high carbon dioxide levels locally", it nevertheless, still "carries a responsibility for the impact this will have elsewhere and on climate change".

The ESG add that Gibraltar must realise that fuel economy is "finite with cheap oil in the decline making this an unsustainable industry".

The ESG believes Gibraltar should be developing alternative and sustainable economies which will also "help slow down the worst impacts from global warming".

The ESG statement concluded with a renewed and worrying warning to Gibraltar:

"New statements, issued only this week by Climate Change scientists in Copenhagen, reiterate the need for urgent and collective action on our carbon emissions.

We appear to be heading headlong in the other direction with no cohesive plan for change."

Nuclear submarine collision in Gibraltar... what if?

As you may have heard on the news yesterday, both Britain and France admitted that two of their nuclear powered submarines, HMS Vanguard, armed with Trident nuclear ballistic missiles and Le Triomphant, also armed with strategic nuclear missiles, collided while submerged in the Atlantic earlier this month.

As I took in the news yesterday, I wondered how long it would be, before this event would be connected to the polemics of nuclear submarine visits to Gibraltar and transitting the Bay of Gibraltar area. Well, I didn't have long to wait.

Today, a couple of esteemed colleagues, British expats who write on matters that surround them, (and whatever else takes their fancy... ) in Southern Spain, Andalusia and Gibraltar, over at Tilting at Windmills and JimenaPulse, both made the connection to the issue in blog posts.

I suppose, understandably, they pose the question, "Nuclear submarine collision in Gibraltar - what if?"

While the usual suspects in the area, such as the 'greens', some PSOE politicians and no doubt one or two of the communities' mayors, will get all a'fluster, in their usual way... they just love any opportunity to stir this one up... there really is very little real cause for concern.

The collision, undoubtedly embarassing to both Navies, was from a point of view of nuclear threat, minimal. For starters, these submarines' hulls are designed and built to withstand extremes of pressures. Even a collision at speed would be unlikely to rupture the actual hull. The fact that these submarines enter and leave or transit the whole of the Bay of Gibraltar area at slow navigating speeds, often even being aided by tugs, (at slow speeds) makes the possibility of hull ruptures, never mind damage to reactors, through a collision, completely negligible if not farcical.

As for the nuclear weapons themselves.... the chances of one of these going BANG!... due to a collision, again is nigh on impossible. These weapons have to go through a myriad of sequential steps, before they are properly armed or able to be triggered and ready for launch.... never mind accidentally going off. It's just not physically possible for this to happen accidentally.

I know what you are thinking.... after all... they did also say the Titanic was 'unsinkable' right? But... I think we really need to get real here. Alarming the local communities about risk to life and limb... or their health is ludicrous in this particularly context, in my humble opinion.


There are much more real threats to health to all the communities in the Bay of Gibraltar. I am referring of course, to the very well documented issues of pollution in the Campo de Gibraltar area. Huge, uncontrolled and unacceptable pollution caused by the CEPSA Refinery, Acerinox and other industrial plants along with the endless and again, totally unacceptable levels of benzene, often because of bunkering activities in Gibraltar itself, that are constantly experienced throughout the area!

The Plataforma por el Estudio Epidemiologico (which includes the ESG and Bay Bucket Brigade) have been campaigning on these issues for a very long time. In November 2002, a complaint was lodged with the EU and is still awaiting a substantive response!

These groups have been seriously questioning the legality of pollution and especially benzene levels present in the Campo and Bay areas for decades.

This, to my mind, is far more worthy a cause to complain about... even to raise the alarm about... as a matter of urgency, for the better health of the people and communities of the Bay of Gibraltar and Campo de Gibraltar areas! It's long overdue. For some... it's actually too late... I suspect, yours truly included!

Will they ever stop banging on about Gibraltar's Sovereignty?

The PSOE's (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) Foreign Affairs spokesperson in the Spanish Senate, José Carracao, has re-opened the question of sovereignty over Gibraltar and the jurisdictional water surrounding the Rock.

Following what is described as a "cordial" meeting with Andrew Whittaker, the Political Affairs Secretary at the British Embassy in Madrid on Wednesday, Carracao said that the "matter of sovereignty has been put aside for too long and should be debated without further delay". Senator Carracao added:

"It is a bilateral matter that must be dealt with by Britain and Spain and can therefore not be included in the Tripartite Forum on Gibraltar".

Senator Carracao, who represents the Campo de Gibraltar in Spain’s upper chamber, also spoke of the need for better maritime control by Gibraltar, categorising the Rock’s maritime authorities as "dangerous for navigation and the environment". As an example, Senator Carracao referred to the ‘New Flame’ disaster, saying "the ship left Gibraltar without permission". He also quoted the founding of the ‘Fedra’ in October 2008, "which had engine trouble and was not reported to the maritime authorities" on the Rock.

During the meeting with Andrew Whittaker, Senator Carracao also spoke of the need for better police control at the border, expressing concerns over "an increase in tobacco smuggling that the Gibraltar authorities are doing nothing to stop". For good measure, Senator Carracao also threw in criticisms about bunkering, the landfill work at East side and the ‘Odyssey’ saga. Carracao believes Odyssey Marine Exploration are intending to return to the area to continue its search for sunken treasure.

Pulling Caruana's chain

Earlier this month, the Spanish senator also had a go at Gibraltar's Chief minister Peter Caruana, saying he should have a "permanent contact with the Mancomunidad de Municipios, the Community of Municipalities of the Campo de Gibraltar, the Junta de Andalucia and the special Spanish delegate in the Campo", presumably referring to himself. He pointed out that he has made this and other suggestions to the Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Sr Carracao wants changes in the Tripartite Forum and is not happy with the way Mr Caruana has "elevated himself to the position of almost a secretary of State". Sr Carracao wants to bring him down to the level of the mayors in the Campo, it would appear, urging that Mr Caruana should have talks with the mayors of Algeciras, San Roque and La Linea. On the other hand he says he is not against Mr Caruana being "at a higher level", but he "should also deal with the municipalities".

Sr Carracao is also of the view that the Opposition leader Joe Bossano should be brought into the picture, because he represents a high percentage of Gibraltarians.

Sr Carracao also wants a greater Spanish economic presence in Gibraltar, he wants to see Spanish businesses established on the Rock.

For a Spanish politician with a long tradition of towing a 'soft line' on Gibraltar, these statements and new tone are quite a turnaround. It makes one wonder what his new agenda is... and why has he turned to banging on about the sovereignty of Gibraltar again? I'm sure many had hoped that the Tripartite Dialogue Forum's Cordoba Accord had put an end to all this nonsense. Well, to be fair, only a very naive optimist would ever think that Spanish politicians would stop banging on about OUR sovereignty, I suppose!

So far, I've not seen any reaction to Carracao, from either the Gibraltar Government or from the official opposition, headed by Joe Bossano. But, there is a reaction today from the somewhat (alas) sidelined Progressive Democratic Party.

In a statement issued this morning, the PDP, says "Senator Carracao’s representations to the British Government, that bilateral sovereignty talks should be opened, are a blast from the past and a reminder that fundamentally the political mood in Spain on the most important question – sovereignty – is still stuck in the past".

"Mr Carracao is the Foreign Affairs spokesman for the Governing PSOE in the Spanish Senate – he is not just another lone political voice. As such his comments are representative of a mainstream political view in the governing party in Spain. That view is clearly shared by PP politicians who have made similar comments in the recent past.

This is a stark reminder of what Gibraltar must continue to struggle against."

The PDP statement adds that they "completely reject that insistence on excluding Gibraltar and its representatives on the most important issue of concern to the people of Gibraltar".

Keith Azopardi, the leader of the PDP, concludes the statement by urging Spain to "carry out a fundamental reassessment of its position":

"Gibraltar’s sovereignty, morally, legally and politically, vests in its people. Spain must carry out a fundamental reassessment of its position on the long-term future of Gibraltar and come to accept that if we are really to move forward and enjoy a modern relationship with our neighbours!"

Well said Keith! I've always thought so too... which is why I asked, will they ever stop banging on about Gibraltar's Sovereignty?!

We've said it before and I shall repeat it here again (I use it as a intro slogan on my blog's side margin... and it's always good to remind one and all!!):

Gibraltar belongs to the People of Gibraltar. It is neither Spain's to claim nor Britain's to give away!