New trade rules will also apply to 13 species of animals from Pakistan.

The Governments of Nicaragua, the Russian Federation and Pakistan have requested the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to list sixteen new species in CITES Appendix III, including high-value timber species, mammals and birds.

The listing of the tree species Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) and Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandshurica) by the Russian Federation and the Yucatan rosewood (Dalbergia tucurensis) and thirteen species of animals by Pakistan in CITES Appendix III means that all cross-border shipments now have to be authorized by the issuance of a document certifying the legal origin of the products covered by the listing.

Russian Federation requested the inclusion in CITES of two tree species Mongolian oak and Manchurian ash. The illegal logging and uncontrolled trade of these two valuable hardwood species in the Far East Primorsky and Khabarovsky Provinces is leading to the degradation of forests in the range of the Amur tiger.  Oak is a key source of food for animals such as the wild boar, which in turn are prey for the Amur tiger and Far Eastern leopard. Ash is often found in floodplain forests, which are key habitats both for big cats and their prey. This new measure could therefore provide multiple benefits.

Nicaragua has requested the help of CITES Parties to control the trade in the Yucatan rosewood (Dalbergia tucurensis) a species from Central America used in the timber industry. This wood closely resemble to other ‘dalbergias’ that are already protected under CITES. The fact that the species appear visually similar render trade controls very difficult to Customs officers. This species is moderately hard, tough, and strong with orange-colored heart-wood with more or less pronounced violet striping that becomes brown or purplish upon exposure.

Commenting on the entry into effect of these measures, CITES Secretary-General John Scanlon said: “the voluntary decisions of the Governments of Nicaragua, Pakistan and the Russian Federation, show that range States are increasingly recognizing the value of CITES in controlling international trade in high-value timber at the both ends of the value chain. Appendix III listings are key to helping importing countries verify that such trade is legal and traceable”.

For more information: juan-carlos.vasquez@unep.org

Sand and gravel are mined world-wide and account for the largest volume of solid material extracted globally. Formed by erosive processes over thousands of years, they are now being extracted at a rate far greater than their renewal. Furthermore, the volume being extracted is having a major impact on rivers, deltas and coastal and marine ecosystems, results in loss of land through river or coastal erosion, lowering of the water table and decreases in the amount of sediment supply. Despite the colossal quantities of sand and gravel being used, our increasing dependence on them and the significant impact that their extraction has on the environment, this issue has been mostly ignored by policy makers and remains largely unknown by the general public.

Using cement production has proxy, the world’s use of aggregates for concrete can be estimated at 25.9 billion to 29.6 billion tonnes a year for 2012 alone. This represents enough concrete to build a wall 27 metres high by 27 metres wide around the equator (just for 2012).

Added to this are all the aggregates used in land reclamation, shoreline developments and road embankments (for which the global statistics are unavailable), plus the 180 million tonnes of sand used in industry. Hence a conservative estimate for the world consumption of aggregates may exceed 40 billion tonnes a year. This is twice the yearly amount of sediment carried by all of the rivers of the world, making humankind the largest of the planet’s transforming agent. Such high extraction has tremendous impacts on the environment.

Sand extraction impacts several sectors: tourism through beach erosion, fisheries due to destruction of benthic fauna and flora, insurances, as sand extraction in river can lower the water table (leading to more severe drought) and exacerbate flooding, coastal erosion increase the impacts from storm surges.

A global mechanism is needed to monitor the sand extraction and its impacts. Scientific and environmental impact assessments should be systematically implemented prior any authorisation for sand extraction.

Other solutions include optimization of the building infrastructure. Replacement of sands by recycling concrete, using ash from waste, substitution of concrete by recycled material in the construction.

The report is available at:
http://na.unep.net/geas/archive/pdfs/GEAS_Mar2014_Sand_Mining.pdf

More information: Pascal.Peduzzi@unep.org

Delegations of the current members of the Customs Union between Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia and those of the prospective future members Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan drew up − after 3 days of intensive discussions in the plenary and bilateral working groups − a set of recommendations and action points on how to enforce the provisions of the Montreal Protocol.

These referred in particular to mandatory reporting of imports, exports, production and destruction of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), mandatory national import/export licensing systems for any type of ODS and trade restrictions with non-Parties.

During the meeting, the representative of the Ozone Secretariat (Nairobi) explained the Party’s obligations under the Montreal Protocol. A policy expert from the European Union (Warsaw) shared information on the specificities of the European Union as the only existing regional economic integration organization. And the coordinator of UNEP’s Regional Ozone Network for Europe & Central Asia (Paris) briefed on the status of illegal /unwanted trade in ODS in the region and presented the informal Prior Informed Consent Initiative (iPIC) − a voluntary enforcement mechanism to prevent illegal / unwanted shipments at the stage of issuing trade licences.

Staff of the Turkish National Ozone Unit presented (remotely) their electronic system for monitoring ODS movements, as well as registering and licensing of traders, service companies and end-users in Turkey. Experts from UNDP (Bratislava) and UNIDO (Vienna) explained their projects and activities in the countries, and the delegation of the  Eurasian Economic Commission (Moscow) presented the Customs Union legislation relevant to implementing the Montreal Protocol.

Major efforts need to be undertaken to harmonize national legislation with the non-tariff regulations of the Customs Union, including import bans / restrictions for equipment and products containing or relying on ODS.

The import of such equipment and products to the Customs Union is already banned. Should the prospective member countries consider it premature to implement such import bans at the time of accession, they could request the Eurasian Economic Commission to consider an exemption during a well-defined transition period. However, this would require a mechanism to prevent the re-export of such equipment and products to the member countries that have developed country status (non-Article 5) under the Montreal Protocol.

For the meeting documents, including the agenda, concept note, list of participants, meeting highlights, as well as presentations, see: http://www.unep.org/ozonaction/ecanetwork/ ContactGroupmeetingMinsk/tabid/133799/Default.aspx

On 9 February last, Haiti set up its first electric cooperative, bringing together some 372 members for the inaugural meeting. In a country where less than 40 per cent of the population have access to energy, the electric cooperative marks an important step towards more accessible and sustainable energy. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Energy Security.

UNEP, as part of the broader initiative, is helping the Government develop a hybrid mini-grid system to cover three neighbouring municipalities in the South Department: Roche-à-Bateau, Coteaux and Port-à-Piment.

By July 2014, the system will generate 130KW by solar and 200KW by diesel. It will be managed as a sustainable local business that will benefit some 1,600 households. Training of the local technicians and system managers is needed and over 52 kilometres of voltage lines will be put in place. Local residents have lauded the project and welcome its potential for stimulating income-generating activities.

This project is part of the Programme Energie Sud promoted by UNEP, also in the frame of the Côte Sud Initiative.

For more information: Cassidy.travis@unep.org