Buchanan Renewables Power (BRP) began commercial operations in Liberia two years ago with a complete rejuvenation package for the non-producing rubber tree estates. The deal for the farmers includes $2 per tonne of tree trunks, free of cost re-plantation and for self-use or sale tree remnants which do not go into the production of wood chips.

Liberia is estimated to have more than 600,000ha of overgrown and moribund rubber farms. The new model of rubber re-plantation rids of farmers’ laborious task of re-claiming their estates by cutting down trees and re-planting them spending money without revenues for a long period. After planting, the trees take nearly seven years to start producing rubber.

Usually rubber trees need to be replaced once they are over 25 years old, and most of them in Liberia are between 30 and 60 years old. While helping farmers, the new project will also provide electricity to communities in the vicinity as well as has opened up exports to the woodchip markets of Europe.

BRP uses massive diggers to uproot trees and a giant mincer to produce rubber wood chips out of the trunks. The company has exported 45,000MT of chips last year with contracts of about 90,000MT for this year; and plans to clear 10,000ha annually.

The Buchanan claims that it has the capacity to produce 400,000 tonnes of woodchips per annum. Besides, on many farms, it has been able to plant two trees for every one that has been harvested.

For Liberia it means that many of its citizens will be re-injected to the market with jobs and businesses, a dire need of the country that promises opportunities and improved living standards after the end of seven years of civil war. BRP says its vision is to achieve success in Liberia and repeat this model in other countries in Africa and, to the extent possible, worldwide.

The firm which emphasizes on cheap, environment-friendly and sustainable energy production with a social commitment to Liberia is putting back some of its revenues for power generation using the locally sourced wood chips. However, the proposed 35MW power generation plant at Monrovia which is supposed to provide electricity for half the price has not been installed yet even two years after its approval.

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The report recommends reducing the number of large industrial fishing vessels and redirecting counter-productive subsidies. It identifies human activities has dire effect on the world’s oceans and seas.

The vulnerable marine ecosystems, such as corals, and important fisheries are being damaged by over-exploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing practices, invasive alien species and marine pollution, especially from land-based sources. Besides, increased sea temperatures, sea-level rise and ocean acidification caused by climate change also pose a greater threat to marine life which will eventually impact the lives of coastal and island communities and economies.

It is estimated that 11 to 26mn tons of fish or one-fifth of the global reported catch annually fall under the category of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Similarly, only about 25 percent of commercial stocks are in a healthy or even reasonably healthy state. Some 30 percent of fish stocks are considered collapsed and 90 percent of large predatory fish like the blue fin tuna, so prized by sushi aficionados have almost disappeared since the middle of the 20th century.

Nonetheless, the five-day conference on fish conservation opened at the UN Headquarters in New York on Monday gives hope on taking stern measures to contain all kinds of man-made oceanic hazards. The review is held every four years to address the declining numbers of fish stocks under the UN agreement, which took effect from 2001.

The conference is reviewing implementation of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement that establishes a legal regime for long-term conservation and sustainable use of straddling and highly migratory fish stocks. It will provide an opportunity for countries to consider new measures to tighten implementation of the legal regime.

The day one of the conference witnessed the UN Ambassador for the tiny Pacific nation of Palau, Stuart Beck, condemning the killing of 73mn sharks a year, for shark fin soup alone. “The slaughter of sharks for their fins to make soup is as needless and cruel as the killing of elephants for their tusks to make ornaments,” he said.

Sharks are susceptible to overfishing because of their low fertility rates and long life spans. But shark fishing has boomed since the 1980s triggered by demand from China and other nations for shark fin soup, a prized symbol of wealth.

The global seafood consumption has doubled over the past 40 years with many switching to seafood diet as it was found healthier than other meat products. With the UN estimation of about 20mn boats with fishing capacity of 1.8 to 2.8 times larger than the oceans can sustainably support, the industry leaders as well as governments may have to make grave compromises on ocean management to see a sustainable ocean in the coming decades. The UN lists the top 10 nations with the biggest fisheries hauls as China, Peru, the US, Indonesia, Japan, Chile, India, Russia, Thailand and the Philippines.

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The US consumes nearly a quarter of the world’s oil production but just produces about 10 percent. It buys around $400bn worth of foreign oil or about the same as last year’s balance of payments deficit with its trading partners.

One of the companies that has established itself in used cooking oil energy domain is Minnesota-based Restaurant Technologies (RTI), the leading provider of bulk cooking oil management services to the restaurant industry. RTI has generated $240mn revenue by collecting used cooking oil, and more than 100mn gallons of used oil have been sold to biodiesel manufacturers, animal feed and other buyers.

Likewise, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Dakota Community has recently celebrated its first anniversary of producing bio-diesel from waste soybean oil used in frying chicken, French fries and other foods. The bio-diesel is used to fuel shuttle buses that transport guests and employees among properties around the community. The success of the tribal community on implementing the bio-diesel program indicates that it made economic and environmental sense virtually practical even for small communities to engage in such initiatives.

The Dakota community extracts bio-diesel by pumping 100 gallons into the BioPro 380 processor at a time. Twenty gallons of methanol (wood alcohol) and small amounts of potassium chloride and sulphuric acid are added to the machine with minimal usage of vinegar late in the process. About 48 hours later, around 95 gallons of biodiesel and 25 gallons of glycerine are produced.

Last week, East Ridge, Tennessee has decided to utilize a self-produced new biodiesel blend to fuel its city operations fleet. It is estimated that this clean alternative to conventional fuel not only would make the air cleaner in East Ridge but also expected to provide revenue, eventually helped to lower taxes.

As per the program, the residents may pick up or drop designated or non-designated collection containers at any East Ridge Swap Center. These containers, once full with cooled used cooking oil—may be exchanged for an empty one. By switching to a biodiesel blend, the city of East Ridge is expected reduce its operating costs on civic amenities such as garbage collection, mowing, roadway maintenance, fire/rescue and street sweeping.

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The Sultanate of Oman is conducting this workshop to enhance its interest and scientific advancement in the fields of architecture control, eco-tourism and environment protection. In the past few decades, Oman has been able to leapfrog various eco-friendly projects including renewable energy, management of waste, water resources and anti-pollution drive on marine world.

The study meet which is jointly organized by Ministry of Heritage and Culture and French Embassy is expected to promote sustainable development programs with emphasis on green architecture and eco-tourism. Oman industry heads would be primarily interested in technology transfer and other inputs from France to take their green industry to the next level of development.

French Ambassador to the Sultanate Malika Berak is of the opinion that the three-day event will prove to be an opportunity to expand bilateral ties as 10 leading architecture agencies with good number of experts from France have agreed to take part in the workshop. The event will target French and Omani architects, researchers, institutional representatives and officials in charge of sustainable development affairs to put accent on an eco-friendly comprehensive plan for all future developments in possible sectors.

According to sources, Jean Gautier, Director of Architecture at French Ministry of Culture and Communication, will give a presentation on the urban planning project ‘Grand Paris’. Besides, the Muscat municipality projects are also likely to be featured at the event to draw expert feedback.

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