Author: Ella Kiyomi Dobson

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The European Union Passes a Groundbreaking Law to Reduce EU-Driven Deforestation and Forest Degradation

an aerial view of a dirt road in the middle of a forest

30 May 2023 – by Ella Kiyomi Dobson

Agriculture is the most significant contributor to deforestation globally. Commodities linked most greatly with deforestation are cocoa, palm oil, timber, rubber, cattle, coffee, and their derivative products (leather, chocolate, and furniture). The EU import of these agricultural products is the second largest contributor to deforestation globally, after China. As a result, the European Union proposed the Regulation to curb EU-driven deforestation and forest degradation in November 2019 to rectify its contribution to the degradation of some of our world’s most important ecosystems. The passing of the law in the April 2023 European Union plenary session means the law will come into effect in the coming days. 

This law requires operators to collect geographic coordinates of where the commodity was produced. The law will allow a strict-level of traceability to ensure that products entering the EU market are sourced from deforestation-free areas. This law is the world’s first to tackle deforestation and curb the impact deforestation has, particularly on indigenous communities whose livelihoods depend on forest ecosystems. More importantly, it tackles legal deforestation and illegal deforestation, which sets this law apart from other global initiatives. By sanctioning legal deforestation, the EU hardens the environmental protection level rather than other countries that may lower environmental protections to sell products on the European market. In addition, the EU Commission has proposed Forest Partnerships for producing countries to support a just transition to sustainable value chains. Partnerships with these producing countries would create socio-economic opportunities for people living in communities reliant on agricultural output for their livelihoods. 

This law is groundbreaking, could have wide-reaching impacts, reduce carbon emissions by 31.9 million metric tons a year, and reduce the number of communities displaced by agricultural expansion. This ambitious regulation has direct environmental and social implications and impetus for other nations to follow suit. For example, in the US, the FOREST Act was drafted by lawmakers in 2021. With similar but less stringent parameters, this act would sanction those companies involved in “illegal” deforestation. However, with Republicans taking control over Congress in November 2022, there are fears the Forest Act will be blocked. With the passing of this EU regulatory law, there will be pressure on the US government to sanction products coming from regions with continued forest degradation. If India, China, the US and Japan followed the EU’s footsteps, “75% of the world’s imported deforestation could be eliminated”. This law is the first of its kind, but hopefully a stepping stone for improving biodiversity loss, human displacement, and CO2 emission outputs.

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Imperial Oil Leak: Negligence Towards Indigenous Communities

smoke going out on pipe during golden hour

30 May 2023 – by Ella Kiyomi Dobson

Two leaks from an Imperial Oil  tailings pond in Alberta, Canada, occurred in May 2022 and again in January 2023. Imperial Oil did not report the first spill to Athabaskan Chipewyan First Nations and Northwest Territories government officials until the second spill occurred nine months later. The Alberta Freedom of Information Act of 2015 requires companies to notify the public of environmental or public health and safety risks within 24 hours; this incident was a clear breach of this agreement.

First Nations have a large hunting and fishing presence in the Athabasca River and its connected tributaries. As a result of the failure of Imperial Oil to notify the public, First Nations were harvesting and collecting water from contaminated regions for nine months. The seepage contained high levels of iron, sulphates, and arsenic, among other toxins. This reporting error represents a massive breach of trust between the Indigenous communities, the oil industries, and the Alberta Energy Regulator. While the CEO of Imperial Oil has apologised for the incident and stated they are working tirelessly to prevent further leaks, some community members feel they may have to leave their homes due to health risks. 

Federal inspectors have ordered Imperial Oil to stop the leak and take measures to prevent future incidents. However, this is not the first time Imperial Oil has been found in violation of environmental regulations. In July 2022, another wastewater leak in the Northwest Territories, not far from the Kearl Pond sites, led to the closure of the pipeline at Norman Wells. In 2021, they failed to disclose contamination in over 200 locations in Saskatchewan, some of which they had known were contaminated for years. These are just two examples of repeated incidents in which Imperial Oil has failed the communities that neighbour their operations by allowing harmful incidents to occur and, consequently, not communicating such harms to those involved. 

The impact of the oil sands industry on Indigenous communities is often overlooked in discussions of the industry’s economic benefits. For Imperial Oil, 2022 saw record earnings and cash flow. However, First Nations rely on the Athabasca River for their livelihoods, and incidents like this highlight the importance of recognizing the environmental and social harms of oil sands extraction. It is imperative that the oil sands industry takes a more proactive approach to environmental stewardship and engages in genuine consultation with Indigenous communities, whose land they have directly benefited from, to ensure their well-being is the highest priority. Until this paradigm shift happens, marginalised communities worldwide remain most at risk from these extractive industries. 

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Hurricane Fiona Has Left Thousands Without Power One Month After Making Landfall on Puerto Rico

Hurricane as seen from space

13 October 2022 – By Ella Kiyomi Dobson

On Sunday, September 18th, Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico. The island’s southwestern region was devastated by 140kmh (85mph) winds, with the rest experiencing severe flooding. Flash floods and torrential rain continued through Monday 19th, with as much as 30 inches of rain in some areas.

Approximately 3 million people were without power in the days following. One week after the storm, about half of the electrical consumers on the island were still without power. Two weeks after, about 100,000 electrical customers were still without power. As of Wednesday, October 12th, nearly a month later, there are still up to 40,000 people without power. In the southwest city of Cabo Rojo, people are still unsure when they will have power back in their homes. 

Frustrations are high amongst the residents with no power, a situation some Puerto Ricans experienced not long ago. Hurricane Maria in 2017 left parts of the island in the dark for a year, weakened the power grid, and some regions are still not fully recovered from the damage from 5 years ago. Another prolonged blackout is something most people do not have the time, energy, or resources to contend with. There has been some critical backlash against Puerto Rico’s governor, Pedro R. Pierluisi, and US-Canadian conglomerate LUMA Energy, who took over power transmission on the island in June 2021. Energy prices have soared in the past year, almost doubling, and is said to be one of the highest of any US territory or state.  

Aside from the immediate dangers of natural disasters, the long-term economic, social and political impacts pose a mounting threat. The 2017 hurricane showed that many Puerto Ricans struggled to recover immediately after an extreme weather event. If, as is predicted, these weather events become more common, the time for Puerto Ricans to re-establish following a storm will diminish. As these events begin to compound, there will be little choice but for residents to evacuate with less and less preparation. This cycle of an underprepared disaster response paired with a severe storm may well be underway, with the only hopes of long-term sustainability resting in comprehensive and preventative action by/for Puerto Ricans. 

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The Democratic Republic of Congo auctions land for oil drilling in the Congo Basin

white bird beside body of water

19 September 2022 – by Ella Kiyomi Dobson

The Congo Basin is the second largest old-growth rainforest and is set in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In May, DRC released a statement online suggesting that they are accepting offers on blocks of land for oil and gas exploration projects in the Congo Basin to bolster its economy. The number of parcels of land up for grabs was increased from 16 to 30 at the end of July when the auction began. 

Oil and gas are at the forefront of global issues right now. At the end of 2021, global leaders joined at COP26 to agree to protect the Congo Basin with international pledges of $500 million. Within a few months, however, many global leaders have shifted their climate attitudes, particularly on oil and gas, due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The President of the DRC, Felix Tshisekedi, and other leaders of African countries have expressed that there remains a double standard for oil and gas. Western nations have built their wealth from exploiting fossil fuels; why should they have to forego their reserves to protect everyone else? 

While President Tshisekedi and the DRC government argue that new oil and gas fields would boost DRC’s economy, empirical observations in high-yield oil-producing African nations suggest only a small fraction of the population would reap the benefits. Currently, DRC is a large player in the mining of cobalt, copper, gold, and diamonds. While these have high economic returns, the country remains deeply impoverished due to mismanagement and corruption. Looking at these realities, the Congolese people would unlikely see any financial benefits from further environmental exploitation.

The environmental damages that exploration and drilling of oil and gas in the Congo Basin could be a tipping point for the global environment. The proposed bidding lands are crucial areas like swamps and peatlands that have a high environmental value. Astoundingly, peat/wetlands only comprise around 3% of the globe’s surface, yet they hold over 30% of soil stored carbon. The infrastructure required to explore and drill in these areas would release billions of tons of stored carbon into the atmosphere due to the draining process necessary for drilling. 

After the auction began in mid-august, the hydrocarbons minister for DRC announced that they would accept bids from carbon credit and cryptocurrency companies as opposed to purely oil and gas companies. These companies would not be looking to drill but, rather, promisingly, sell carbon credits for carbon offsetting. In theory, this structure would return the capital generated to local communities and the government in exchange for protecting the areas. There is much scepticism about whether the carbon offsetting market will bring sufficient cash flow to match the economic outputs of oil. However, if these companies successfully win the blocks of land, this would be more financially and environmentally sustainable for the DRC. Success in this endeavour may also encourage other countries to adopt a similar approach to environmental preservation, so long as they can afford to do so.

Finding alternative means like this to support countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo will be a pivotal example for other countries hoping to move away from oil and gas dependence. In addition, efforts like this may allow for a just transition to renewable energy which will be an essential means of protection for both people and the planet. 

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Torres Strait Islanders Finally Speak to the Australian Government over Climate Change Concerns

aerial photography of islands during daytime

29 July 2022 – by Ella Kiyomi Dobson

Torres Strait/Zenadh Kes Islander communities have been fighting for years to meet with the Australian government to express the devastating impacts climate change has on their homes. The lack of concern from the government resulted in a group of Torres Strait Islander people filing a complaint about the Australian government’s inaction to the UN Human Rights Committee, in addition to filing a lawsuit against the government. Still, last year the government refused to acknowledge the effect climate change has on this group of islands.

Torres Strait is a region on the northern tip of Queensland, Australia, home to low-lying islands inhabited by First Nations Australians. Previous research shows that the sea level rise on these islands is double that of the global average. From 2017 to 2021, Torres Strait Islanders saw a considerable amount of their land disappearing, with “eight metres get[ting] taken away” in just four years due to erosion, rising sea levels, and flooding. The shallowness of the islands lends itself and its communities to coastal inundation, which can contaminate water supply, destroy crops, wash away roads and the remains of loved ones, and damage sacred cultural sites. The communities rely on the sea for a large part of their diet, and one community member notes that “certain fish are not found on a particular reef when they used to be in the abundance. They are not there.” These threats of erosion, rising sea level and high investment in infrastructure are significant concerns that will continue to worsen over the coming years. 

After years of fighting, the Torres Strait Islander communities finally met with the Australian government to express the need for change and protections at the beginning of July. The Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, has conceded that climate change does pose a “real and substantial” threat to these communities. Chris Bowen visited the Torres Strait Islands to hear first-hand what their concerns are, as well as to see the impacts these people are facing. While this may be a good first step, governments need to acknowledge and prioritise the concerns expressed by its people before it is too late to act. The consequence of the impacts on these islands may lead to the displacement of Torres Strait Islander people who have lived on the islands for more than 65,000 years.