SOUTH AMERICA ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND HEALTH NEWSLETTER

217 t h issue, January 22, 2013 The New Climate Negotiations: Ambition, Differentiation and Flexibility

Todd Stern, Special Envoy for Climate Change World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

January 15, 2013

“We face now a fundamental challenge and a genuine opportunity in the multilateral climate negotiations. The recent meeting in Doha – COP 18 – accomplished what it set out to do – concluding both negotiating tracks that were established in Bali in 2007. Most important, the Parties pointed the way forward for development of a new agreement under the new Durban Platform negotiating track. In Durban, we agreed to negotiate a new agreement having legal force and “applicable to all Parties” – in contrast to the Kyoto Protocol, whose real obligations were applicable only to developed countries. So this was a landmark moment. Now we have to deliver. Today, I want to focus on the imperative of making this new agreement work, and I’m going to do that by discussing three broad propositions. First proposition: Our central focus in negotiating a new agreement must be on what is known as “ambition” – doing what it takes to start solving the problem. This, after all, is the point of our entire project: to avoid dangerous climate change and preserve a hospitable world for all of us, our children and those who follow. It is the stated Objective of the entire Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is the UNFCCC’s reason for being. So the question is: how do we construct an international regime with the best chance of accomplishing this? Anyone can say we should demand draconian commitments to slash our emissions and to have those commitments subject to a rigorous compliance regime with tough penalties for non-compliance. But this is really just ambition on paper, because in the real world, countries will reject obligations they see as inimical to their core interests in development, growth and eradicating poverty. What we need is real ambition – to achieve maximum action in a way that nations will embrace because they see it as consistent with their core interests. At the same time, we all must challenge ourselves to take a deeper look at what pursuing core interests really means. The fact that moving to clean energy may have a cost in the short run cannot be taken as an excuse not to act. Some actions can be taken at low or even no cost. Others will have some cost up front but will pay off over time, particularly when the full cost of fuel choices – in terms of pollution, health impacts, and energy security – is taken into account. And even when the benefit of action is farther down the road, it can be every bit as crucial to growth and development. After all, the projected damage of climate change – damage already visible in the storms, floods, droughts, fires, dying coral reefs and rising sea levels we see all around us – will surely threaten the core interests of all countries. So, yes, real ambition has to be consistent with the core interests of countries, but countries need to expand the boundaries of their own thinking about what is and isn’t consistent. We all – whether the United States or China, the EU or Brazil, Japan or Mexico or India – must challenge ourselves. We won’t get where we need to go if countries see climate change as an afterthought.”

Read full remark at: http://www.state.gov/e/oes/rls/remarks/2013/202824.htm

The information contained herein was gathered from news sources from across the region, and the views expressed below do not necessarily reflect those of the Regional Environmental HUB Office or of our constituent posts.

Addressees interested in sharing any ESTH-related events of USG interest are welcome to do so.

For questions or comments, please contact us at quevedoa@state.gov.

* Free translation prepared by REO staff.

Climate Change: The New

Climate Negotiations.

Science: NASA to Test

Bigelow Expandable Module on Space Station.

Energy: Bicycle Road With

Solar Lighting System.

Health: Early HIV Tx

Improves Immune System.

Conservation: Disney

Invests to Conserve Forests in the Peruvian Amazon.

Peru: Will Strengthen

Relations With U.S. in the Forestry Sector.

Colombia: Declares New

Regional National Park.

Colombia: National Park

May Expand to Include Land of Isolated Tribes.

Argentina: Calls for Higher

Investments in Renewable Energies at WFES

February 1, 2013

REO S&T School Contest Launching

February 4, 2013

World Cancer Day

March 22, 2013

World Water Day

March 23, 2013

Earth Hour

April17-19, 2013

IFT Energy, Santiago, Chile

April 22, 2013

Earth Day

June 5, 2013

World Environment Day

July 10-12, 2013

Eolica, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Next events:

In this issue:

U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern. Source: Flickr/IISD). Under Creative Commons License.

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver announced Wednesday a newly planned addition to the International Space Station that will use the orbiting laboratory to test expandable space habitat technology. NASA has awarded a $17.8 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace to provide a Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM), which is scheduled to arrive at the space station in 2015 for a two-year technology demonstration. "Today we're demonstrating progress on a technology that will advance important long-duration human spaceflight goals," Garver said. "NASA's partnership with Bigelow opens a new chapter in our continuing work to bring the innovation of industry to space, heralding cut-ting-edge technology that can allow humans to thrive in space safely and affordably." The BEAM is scheduled to launch aboard the eighth SpaceX cargo resupply mission to the station contracted by NASA, currently planned for 2015. Following the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the BEAM to the station, astronauts will use the station's robotic arm to install the module on the aft port of the Tranquility node. After the module is berthed to the Tranquility node, the station crew will activate a pressurization system to expand the structure to its full size using air stored within the packed module. During the two-year test period, station crew members and ground-based engineers will gather performance data on the module, includ-ing its structural integrity and leak rate. An assortment of instruments embedded within module also will provide important insights on its response to the space environment. This includes radiation and temperature changes compared with traditional aluminum modules. "The International Space Station is a uniquely suited test bed to demonstrate innovative exploration technologies like the BEAM," said William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for human exploration and operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "As we venture deeper into space on the path to Mars, habitats that allow for long-duration stays in space will be a critical capability. Using the station's resources, we'll learn how humans can work effectively with this technology in space, as we continue to advance our understanding in all aspects for long-duration spaceflight aboard the orbiting laboratory." Astronauts periodically will enter the module to gather performance data and perform inspections. Following the test period, the module

will be jettisoned from the station, burning up on re-entry. The BEAM project is sponsored by NASA's Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program, which pioneers innovative approaches to rapidly and affordably develop prototype systems for future human exploration missions. The BEAM demonstration supports an AES objective to develop a deep space habitat for human missions beyond Earth orbit. For more information, read: http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2013/jan/HQ_13-024_Bigelow_ISS_Module.html For more about Bigelow Aerospace, visit: http://www.bigelowaerospace.com For more information about the International Space Station and animation of the BEAM, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station

Dutch scientists have designed a special bicycle road with signs that light in the dark, and with no need for electric power. Hans Goris, manager of Innovation –the company responsible for this research– pointed out that bicycle road signs are made of sunlight-sensitive crystals, making possible that they light at night.

“The government is progressively decreasing spending for power in public places in order to save energy, which is more expensive now” said Dann Roosegaarde, Innovation designer. For this expert, this innovation is safe and self-sustainable.

Another peculiarity of Dutch bike roads is calefaction. The tough European winter makes riding bicy-cles impossible. However, underground water will provide roads with thermal energy to melt ice and snow. Innovation spokesman affirms that although development of bicycle roads is quite expensive, they represent important savings in energy, fuel and accidents over the long term. Read full article at: http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1523364/noticia-cientificos-disenaron-ciclovia-que-se-ilumina-noche-sin-

SCIENCE: NASA To Test Bigelow Expandable Module On Space Station By Trent J. Perrotto

NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver views the inside of a full scale mockup of Bigelow Aerospace's Space Station Alpha during a tour of the Bigelow Aerospace facilities. Photo by NASA hq (flickr user). Under Creative Commons License.

ENERGY: Bike Road with Solar Lighting System*

Bicycle Road in Santiago-Chile. Photo by Jose Vásquez Vallejos (flickr user). Under Creative Commons License.

Treating HIV in the first weeks and months of infection is associated with slower disease progression and better recovery of the immune system, according to two studies in the Jan. 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. In the so-called SPARTAC trial, researchers found that 48 weeks of antiretroviral therapy started within 6 months of infection significantly slowed HIV progression compared with no treatment. In a second study, investigators found that starting therapy during a transient immune system rebound, usually seen about 4 months after infection, was associated with a more robust recovery of the immune system than delayed treatment.

Taken together, the studies add "more fuel to the fire" of increased interest in early treatment, commented Michael Saag, MD, the director of the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The bottom line, he told MedPage Today in a video interview, is that "these studies underscore that by starting (treatment) early, especially in the setting of acute or recent infection, you can get a lot of clinical benefit." The question of when to start therapy has long vexed HIV clinicians and patients, especially in the early years of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART), when drug treatment was often associated with serious adverse events. But in recent years, drugs have improved and the tendency has been to recommend therapy earlier in the disease course, especially with mounting evidence of both better health for individuals and a beneficial effect on HIV transmission rates. The most recent recommendations of the International Antiviral Society–USA, issued last July, urge that anyone with HIV get treat-ment, regardless of the state of his or her immune system. In that context, the SPARTAC trial showed that early treatment of HIV had a clear impact on two important markers of HIV, according to Jonathan Weber, FRCP, of Imperial College in London, and col-leagues. They were looking at the possible long-term effects of a short burst of anti-HIV therapy soon after infection – the trial's acronym stands for Short Pulse Antiretroviral Therapy at Seroconversion. The 366 participants, whose median count of CD4-positive T cells was 599 per cubic millimeter of blood, were randomly assigned to 12 or 48 weeks of triple-drug treatment or to no therapy, which was the standard of care. The primary endpoint of the trial was a composite of reaching a CD4 count of 350 or having to begin anti-HIV therapy if it had been stopped or never started. Read more about this topic at: http://www.medpagetoday.com/HIVAIDS/HIVAIDS/36869

The Walt Disney Company, which for 60 years has portrayed the glories of nature in film, today announced a $7 million investment to protect forests in the United States, in the Peruvian Amazon and in the Congo Basin.

The company said the projects it will support "safeguard ecosystems that benefit climate and quality of life on the planet" by avoiding deforestation, reforesting logged and burned-over areas and improving forest management. "Disney has always been a conservation leader," said Disney President and CEO Robert Iger. "Now, more than ever, it's essential to take swift action to preserve our most vul-nerable natural environments for future generations and to be innovative in achieving that goal."

The investment is being made in partnership with three nongovernmental organizations - Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund. In partnership with Conservation International, Disney is providing $4 million to the Tayna and Kisimba-Ikobo Community Reserves in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Alto Mayo conservation project in the Peru-vian Amazon.

The protection of these forests will reduce carbon emissions and secure vital water-sheds and habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals, many of them threat-ened or endangered, the company said in a statement today. Habitat for the gorilla and okapi in the Congo and the Andean spectacled bear and yellow-tailed woolly monkey in Peru will be conserved.

The majority of Disney's funds will go towards financing community management of the forests within the project areas and expanding sustainable livelihood practices among local villages. The funds also will be used to complete project design, con-duct forest carbon analysis and finance verification of carbon emissions avoided through successful implementation of the projects.

Read more at: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2009/2009-11-02-092.asp

HEALTH: Early HIV Tx Improves Immune System By Michael Smith

Image by AJ Cann (flickr user). Under Creative Commons License.

CONSERVATION: Disney Invests to Conserve Forests in the Peruvian Amazon

Photo by Adriana Quevedo.

Peru and the United States of America agreed to undertake an action plan in order to support forestry reform in the country, and promote implementation of Peruvian commitments under the bi-lateral Free Trade Agreement with the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR in Spanish) declared that it will reinforce ongoing cooperation with the United States, regarding sustainable management of broad-leaf mahogany and Spanish cedar, species protected under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). The United States will support Peru in capacity-building programs. Demetrios Marantis, U.S. Trade Representative, pointed out that this action plan is an important step in bilateral relations. Marantis highlighted the joint commitment to start actions aimed at improv-ing forestry management and promoting the legal trade of harvest-able goods.

Recognition. The vice-minister of Foreign Trade, Carlos Posada, affirmed that within the framework of CITES, it is really rewarding, that in both bilateral and multilateral fora, the world is recognizing the progress achieved by Peru. “The action plan reached with the United States will strengthen the ongoing efforts to achieve a sustainable management of broad-leaf and Spanish cedar. Also, it will contribute to the legal trade of harvestable products under CITES” he said. Read more about this topic at: http://www.elperuano.pe/Edicion/noticia-peru-y-ee-uu-fortaleceran-gestion-del-sector-forestal-921.aspx

More than 12,000 hectares of the department of Santander have been declared national park, preventing mining exploration, re-ported the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The decision was made by the Corporation for Defense of the Bu-caramanga Plateau and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, following a study by the Alexander Von Humboldt Institute. The measure benefits the moor of Santurbán, to the east of Santander. A note from the Ministry of Environment adds that this initiative guarantees the environmental sustainability of this moor, as well as the rights of local communities and water access for more than 2 million inhabitants of the region. “With this decision, the high Andes woods of Suratá and the Cachirí river are protected”, said the Minis-ter of Environment, Juan Gabriel Uribe. He added that “there is a protected area where no mining exploration and exploitation will be allowed” and “this measure was taken after a wide consultation process all over the region and considering the various interests.” The Angostura mining project was to be developed in the localities of California and Vetas in Santander. The mining company ex-pected to obtain 511,000 Troy ounces of gold and 2.3 million ounces of silver per year during the 15 years that the mine would be operative. However, environmentalists and other stakeholders from Santander were against the mining project, because the moor was a “water factory” not only for this department, but for other towns in northern Santander, representing more than 2.2 mil lion people in total . Read more at: http://www.elheraldo.co/noticias/medio-ambiente/declaran-nuevo-parque-natural-regional-en-el-paramo-de-santurban-95668

PERU: Will Strengthen Relations With U.S. in the Forestry Sector*

Santander. Photo by yonolatengo (flickr user). Under Creative Commons License.

COLOMBIA: Declares New Regional National Park in Santurbán*

Tambopata River, Madre de Dios. Photo by Adriana Quevedo.

The Colombian government may double the size of an enormous, diverse reserve, according to news reports. The new park would incorporate the lands of two tribes that have little or no contact with the outside world. The Chiribiquete National Park is home to a dazzling array of plant and animal life, including 300 bird species, seven monkey species and 300 butterfly species, according to mon-gabay.com, an environmental news website. The plan, formulated last year by the govern-ment, would more than double the park's area, to a total of 11,580 square miles (30,000 square kilometers) of pristine rain forest, an area larger than the state of Massachusetts. "The plan to expand Chiribiquete is great for Colombia," said Liliana Madrigal of the Amazon Conservation Team, a nonprofit group that partners with indigenous groups in Colombia to preserve rain forests. "Chiribiquete already protects an enormous wealth of flora and fauna, but its enlargement now also will facilitate the protection of voluntarily isolated indigenous peoples that are believed to inhabit the park and help ensure their right to remain uncontacted," Madrigal said. The park is known for its unusual rock formations and stunning waterfalls. The new park would include at least 32 cave painting

sites with about 250,000 drawings , according to the website. The expansion announcement comes a year after passage of a decree that requires the government to set aside land for voluntarily isolated indigenous groups, and the plan has been approved by seven tribal communities that live near Chiribiquete, mongabay reported. The Colombian Ministry of Environment is now negotiating with the Ministry of Mines to figure out what to do with land scheduled for oil exploration; a final decision is expected by March, according to the website.

Read more at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50476786/ns/technology_and_science-science/

The World Future Energy Summit (WFES), held in Abu Dabhi from January 15-17, attracted world leaders, international policy makers, industry leaders and investors, experts, acade-mia, intellectuals and journalists to discuss practical and sustainable solutions to future energy challenges. Before 150 representatives of different countries, chiefs of state including the Argentine Cris-tina Fernández and the French François Hollande, presented their initiatives for the world to avoid “a global environmental catastrophe”, according to Hollande. In her key-note, Fernandez supported an equal distribution of environmental liabilities and defended universal access to energy to eradicate poverty. According to her, chiefs of state should give a “fair and equal” response to environmental challenges. Equity involves that access to energy has a fundamental role to eradicate poverty. “There is no healthy environment, if there are many sectors in the global population immersed in extreme poverty”, she said. Fernandez recalled that a billion-dollar investment is necessary to achieve a universal access to energy by 2030. “Therefore, strong states are necessary to assume their commitments to provide energy with fair and equal criteria”, she added. The Argentine presi-dent asked developed countries for more responsibility in response to pollution, demanding financial contributions to develop technologies, investments and innovation in renewable energies. For this reason, she made a defense of nuclear energy, “one of the cleanest and healthiest, that can solve problems in terms of cost”. She mentioned also the highly efficient role of Argentina in the use of energy. At the same time, Fernandez met entrepreneurs of the Arabian Emirates’ and invited them to increase their investments in Argen-tina, specially in the sectors of renewable energies, mines and agriculture. French president Hollande highlighted the need to invest 300,000 million dollars in clean and renewable energy, for this year only, in order to prepare the “post-oil era”. “We share the same concerns, and we should also share the same aspirations. This is not the time for words, but actions. We have to act to join efforts and resources”, he pointed out. Read more at: http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/592598-El-principe-heredero-de-Abu-Dabi-abre-la-Cumbre-Mundial-de-Energia-del-Futuro

Colombia: Nat ional Park May Expand to Include Land of Isolated Tribes By Douglas Main

Image by Argonne National Laboratory (flickr user) . Under Creative Commons License.

Chiribiquete waterfall. Photo by Richard McColl (flickr user). Under Creative Commons License.

AR GEN TINA: Cal ls for H igher I n vestmen ts in R enewa ble En erg ies at WFES *