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AESC Environmental and Climate Change Consultant, Mebeelo Kafungwa achieves NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
The NEBOSH International General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (IGC) provides a broad understanding of health & safety issues and is an essential qualification for anyone working in or wanting to work in safety & health anywhere in the world. The NEBOSH IGC is the Worlds most popular and trusted health and safety qualification, and one of its most difficult to obtain. Mebeelo’s resilience and dedication has paid off in securing this internationally recognised qualification, validating his work in providing Health Safety and Environmental support to our clients. AESC joins Mebeelo in celebrating this achievement.
ZESCO Commissions Unit 1 of the 750MW Kafue Lower Hydro Project
On July 23, the government of Zambia celebrated commissioning of the first unit at the 750-MW Kafue Gorge Lower hydropower station. The 750MW Kafue Gorge Lower (KGL) hydroelectric power station on the Kafue River in the southern Chikankata district, 90km away from the Lusaka will include 5 x 150MW Francis Turbines supplied by General Electric. Construction is being undertaken by Power China and the Project will be the third biggest hydropower station in the country on its completion.
Kafue Gorge Lower - Dam Wall
KGL - Reservoir
A new dawn for Zambia
On Tuesday 24 August 2021, his Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema was sworn in as Zambia’s seventh democratically elected president. Following an election heralded as free and fair, the leadership of the People of Zambia was transferred to the opposition and leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND). It is an election dominated by Zambia’s youth who have great hopes and expectations for improved governance, development and employment.
Key messages of President Hakainde Hichilema’s inauguration speech included:
A focus on macro-economic stability promoting growth of the economy, lowering the fiscal deficit, reducing public debt and restoring social and market confidence.
A focus on stable economic and sector policies and key priority sectors namely agriculture, mining, energy, financial services, tourism, technology, health and education. Specifically:
Agriculture – to enhance production, agricultural extension services, market access, value addition and lowering the cost of inputs;
Mining - to increase production, processing and the participation of Zambians in the sector; and
Energy - an ambitious energy investment plan to increase power generation and further broaden the energy mix; and have a conducive policy environment to encourage private investment in generation, transmission, distribution and retail in the sector.
Restoring the rule of law, general order in public places and communities, with zero tolerance to corruption;
Freedom of the press and media;
Removal of political interference in public institutions and parastatals; and
A commitment to:
ensure environmental sustainability and inclusiveness;
mitigate against climate change and strive to build a green economy; and
respect, promote and protect the rights of one another.
The mining sector will be grateful for his intent to increase processing and production and goal of a more stable policy agenda.
The energy sector will be interested in the ambitious energy investment plan encouraging private participation in generation, transmission and distribution. The sector will be keen to find out the details around any potential restructuring of ZESCO and IDC, revitalisation of GETFIT, and the implementation / amendment of the 2019 electricity act which allows for such private participation in the sector. Investors will be keen to know the new key tariff structures from ERB and the implementation of Statutory Instrument 24 (2021) which declares parts of ZESCO transmission and distribution infrastructure specific as a common carrier (e.g. ZESCO transmission or distribution infrastructure that can be used by a third party at an agreed rate).
His statement regarding environmental sustainability, climate change mitigation and striving towards a green economy are welcome. At AESC we look forward to continuing to contribute towards this vision of environmental sustainability and a green economy and congratulate his Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND on this historic achievement.
Code Red for Humanity.......Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issues its latest Climate Change Report
The IPCC released its latest Climate Report on 9 August 2021 - the Physical Science Basis. Media has reported this a “Code Red” for humanity and an urgent call to do more to limit Greenhouse Gases.
Key findings for policy makers:
The Current State of the Climate: It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred;
Possible Climate Futures: Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least the mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered. Global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded during the 21st century unless deep reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades;
Climate Information for Risk Assessment and Regional Adaptation: With further global warming, every region is projected to increasingly experience concurrent and multiple changes in climatic impact-drivers. Changes in several climatic impact-drivers would be more widespread at 2°C compared to 1.5°C global warming and even more widespread and/or pronounced for higher warming levels
Limiting Future Climate Change: From a physical science perspective, limiting human-induced global warming to a specific level requires limiting cumulative CO2 emissions, reaching at least net zero CO2 emissions, along with strong reductions in other greenhouse gas emissions. Strong, rapid and sustained reductions in CH4 emissions would also limit the warming effect resulting from declining aerosol pollution and would improve air quality.
Chartered Environmentalist
In 2004, the Society for the Environment was granted a royal charter to award Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) status to dedicated and experienced environmental professionals. Today there are over 7,500 Chartered Environmentalists registered, drawn from a range of diverse fields such as engineering, forestry, ecology, waste management and many more.
For environmental professionals independent of discipline, Chartership reflects a high level of skill and experience, proven expertise, and commitment to professional standards setting Chartered Environmentalists apart from others working in their field.
In the UK and across the world, Chartered Environmentalists utilise their specific expertise to lead departments, advise Governments and work hands-on as practitioners.
On 20 August 2021, Nyundo Armitage, Director of AESC was awarded Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) status and full membership of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (MIEMA).
It is a great honour to be recognised with some of the leading sustainability professionals in the world. Chartered environmentalists must uphold the highest professional standards, providing leadership in sustainability, sharing knowledge and supporting other sustainability professionals whilst being dedicated to continual learning and improvement. This marks a new chapter for me and a renewed commitment to environmental protection and social equity. There is a lot of work to do. Thank you to colleagues and family who have supported me and to IEMA and the Society for the Environment for this award.
IHA sustainability assessment fund expands to more countries including Zambia and DR Congo
The International Hydropower Association (IHA) has expanded funding for Projects to evaluate their Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) performance using the Hydropower sustainability Tools. One million Swiss Francs (US$ 1.02m) are to be released to 40 or more hydropower projects over four years. The fund was recently used to evaluate Renewable Energy Holdings (REH) Stortemelk Project in South Africa. AESC Director, Mr Nyundo Armitage assisted in the review to become more familiar with the Hydropower sustainability tools, after recently qualifying as a certified user. The deadline for applications is May 2021 and the application can be downloaded here. The ESG reviews not only help companies to improve ESG performance and sustainability, but can also be used to access additional green funding.
Nyundo Armitage certifies as a Greenhouse Gas Reservoir (G-RES) Tool user.
Nyundo Armitage certifies as an official G-RES user. The GHG Reservoir (G-res) Tool is a web-based tool for hydropower companies and researchers to estimate and report net greenhouse gas emissions from a reservoir. The results of which can be used to develop specific mitigation measures to minimise GHG emissions and, in some cases, the results can qualify a project for climate financing.
AESC Director Nyundo Armitage certifies as a Hydropower Sustainability Tools User
Nyundo recently completed the certified hydropower sustainability tools training. The Certified User Training covers the Hydropower Sustainability Tools and how they can be used to improve the sustainability performance of hydropower projects.
“It was an excellent course covering a number of sustainability topics and how hydropower projects can achieve not just good practice but proven best practice. I look forward to applying these tools for the ESIA work we are doing for a number of hydro projects in Zambia, as well as now being able to manage and support Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol (HSAP) and Hydropower Environmental and Social Governance (HESG) assessments”, Nyundo Armitage
The tools are used to benchmark the sustainability of Hydropower projects at any stage from early phase to operations and may be used by financial institutions for project financing, to access green bonds and for the upcoming hydropower sustainability standard which may be rolled out next year.
Deploying Drone Technology
As we continue to develop our capacity and capability in remote sensing. AESC has begun to utilise the power of drones to develop more accurate terrain and surface models, aerial imagery and even 3d mapping of buildings. Watch this space!
