Vultures and artificial intelligence(s) as death detectors: GAIA develops a high-tech approach for wildlife research and conservation

Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)

 

image: 

AI data scientists and wildlife biologists analyse and interpret data from vulture tags and develop an Artificial Intelligence for behaviour recognition. The GAIA I³ Lab at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in Berlin brings together state of art expertise in Wildlife Biology and Artificial Intelligence development.

view more 

Credit: Photo by Jon A. Juarez

In order to use remote locations to record and assess the behaviour of wildlife and environmental conditions, the GAIA Initiative developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that reliably and automatically classifies behaviours of white-backed vultures using animal tag data. As scavengers, vultures always look for the next carcass. With the help of tagged animals and a second AI algorithm, the scientists can now automatically locate carcasses across vast landscapes. The algorithms described in a recently published article in the “Journal of Applied Ecology” are therefore key components of an early warning system that can be used to quickly and reliably recognise critical changes or incidents in the environment such as droughts, disease outbreaks or the illegal killing of wildlife.

The GAIA Initiative is an alliance of research institutes, conservation organisations and enterprises with the aim of creating a high-tech early warning system for environmental changes and critical ecological incidents. The new AI algorithms were developed by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS and the Tierpark Berlin.

The death of wildlife is an important process in ecosystems – regardless whether this is a regular case, such as the successful hunt of a predator, or an exceptional case caused by the outbreak of a wildlife disease, the contamination of the landscape with environmental toxins or illegal killing by people. For the investigation of mammalian species communities and ecosystems it is therefore important to systematically record and analyse these regular and exceptional cases of mortality. In order to achieve this, the GAIA Initiative makes use of the natural abilities of white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) in combination with highly developed biologging technologies and artificial intelligence. “This combination of three forms of intelligence ­– animal, human and artificial – is the core of our new I³ approach with which we aim to make use of the impressive knowledge that wildlife has about ecosystems”, says Dr Jörg Melzheimer, GAIA project head and scientist at the Leibniz-IZW.

Vultures are perfectly adapted by millions of years of evolution to detect carcasses across vast landscapes quickly and reliably. They have outstanding eye-vision and sophisticated communication that allows them to monitor very large areas of land when many individuals work together. Vultures thus fulfil an important ecological role by cleaning landscapes of carrion and containing the spread of wildlife diseases. “For us as wildlife conservation scientists, the knowledge and skills of vultures as sentinels are very helpful to be able to quickly recognise problematic exceptional cases of mortality and initiate appropriate responses”, says Dr Ortwin Aschenborn, GAIA project head alongside Melzheimer at the Leibniz-IZW. “In order to use vulture knowledge, we need an interface – and at GAIA, this interface is created by combining animal tags with artificial intelligence.”

The animal tags with which GAIA equipped white-backed vultures in Namibia record two groups of data. The GPS sensor provides the exact location of the tagged individual at a specific point in time. The so-called ACC sensor (ACC is short for acceleration) stores detailed movement profiles of the tag – and thus of the animal – along the three spatial axes at the exact same time. Both groups of data are used by the artificial intelligence algorithms developed at the Leibniz-IZW. “Every behaviour is represented by specific acceleration patterns and thus creates specific signatures in the ACC data of the sensors”, explains wildlife biologist and AI specialist Wanja Rast from the Leibniz-IZW. “In order to recognise these signatures and reliably assign them to specific behaviours, we trained an AI using reference data. These reference data come from two white-backed vultures that we fitted with tags at Tierpark Berlin and from 27 wild vultures fitted with tags in Namibia.” In addition to the ACC data from the tags, the scientists recorded data on the behaviour of the animals – in the zoo through video recordings and in the field by observing the animals after they had been tagged. “In this way, we obtained around 15,000 data points of ACC signatures ascribed to a verified, specific vulture behaviour. These included active flight, gliding, lying, feeding and standing. This data set enabled us to train a so-called support vector machine, an AI algorithm that assigns ACC data to specific behaviours with a high degree of reliability”, explains Rast.

In a second step, the scientists combined the behaviour thus classified with the GPS data from the tags. Using algorithms for spatial clustering, they identified locations where certain behaviours occurred more frequently. In this way, they obtained spatially and temporally finely resolved locations where vultures fed. “The GAIA field scientists and their partners in the field were able to verify more than 500 of suspected carcass locations derived from the sensor data, as well as more than 1300 clusters of other non-carcass behaviours”, says Aschenborn. The field-verified carcass locations ultimately served to establish vulture feeding site signatures in the scientists’ final AI training dataset – this algorithm indicates with high precision locations where an animal has most likely died and a carcass is on the ground. “We could predict carcass locations with an impressive 92 percent probability and so demonstrated that a system which combines vulture behaviour, animal tags and AI is very useful for large-scale monitoring of animal mortality”, says Aschenborn.

This AI-based behaviour classification, carcass detection and carcass localisation are key components of the GAIA early warning system for critical changes or incidents in the environment. “Until now, this methodological step has been carried out in the GAIA I³ data lab at the Leibniz-IZW in Berlin”, says Melzheimer. “But with the new generation of animal tags developed by our consortium, AI analyses are implemented directly on the tag. This will provide reliable information on whether and where an animal carcass is located without prior data transfer in real time without any loss of time.” The transfer of all GPS and ACC raw data is no longer necessary, allowing data communication with a significantly lower bandwidth to transmit the relevant information. This makes it possible to use a satellite connection instead of terrestrial GSM networks, which guarantees coverage even in remote wilderness regions completely independent of local infrastructure. Even at the most remote locations, critical changes or incidents in the environment – such as disease outbreaks, droughts or illegal killing of wildlife – could then be recognised without delay.

In recent decades, the populations of many vulture species declined sharply and are now acutely threatened with extinction. The main causes are the loss of habitat and food in landscapes shaped by humans as well as a high number of direct or indirect incidences of poisoning. The population of the white-backed vulture, for example, declined by around 90 percent in just three generations – equivalent to an average decline of 4 percent per year. “Owing to their ecological importance and rapid decline, it is essential to significantly improve our knowledge and understanding of vultures in order to protect them”, says Aschenborn. “Our research using AI-based analysis methods will not only provide us with insights into ecosystems. It will also increase our knowledge of how vultures communicate, interact and cooperate, forage for food, breed, rear their young and pass on knowledge from one generation to the next.” GAIA has so far fitted more than 130 vultures in different parts of Africa with tags, most of them in Namibia. Until today, the scientists analysed more than 95 million GPS data points and 13 billion ACC records.

White-backed vultures and a jackal at a carcass 

Vultures are perfectly adapted by millions of years of evolution to detect carcasses across vast landscapes quickly and reliably. They have outstanding eye-vision and sophisticated communication that allows them to monitor very large areas of land when many individuals work together. Vultures thus fulfil an important ecological role by cleaning landscapes of carrion and containing the spread of wildlife diseases.

Credit

Photo by Jan Zwilling

The development of the AI algorithms require a distinct multi-step process that includes data acquisition in the wild and from vultures under human care, data annotation and AI training. The new AI algorithms were developed by the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS and the Tierpark Berlin.

Credit

IIllustration by Clara C. Anders

---

Journal

Journal of Applied Ecology

DOI

10.1111/1365-2664.14810 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Death detector: Using vultures as sentinels to detect carcasses by combining bio-logging and machine learning

Article Publication Date

18-Nov-2024

 

Adulting, nerdiness and the importance of single-panel comics

Author cites ‘The Far Side’ as one comic that broke barriers

Ohio State University

COLUMBUS, Ohio – While comics have become a culturally popular and widely studied art form in recent decades, one format remains overlooked: the single-panel comic.

 

Comics like “The Family Circus,” “Ziggy” and “Little Lulu” are often seen as simplistic and not worthy of critical attention, argues Michelle Ann Abate, author of the new book Singular Sensations: A Cultural History of One-Panel Comics in the United States.

 

“There tends to be a belief there isn’t much to analyze there. You don’t need a lot of critical thinking skills to see ‘Little Lulu’ slipping on banana peels and get the joke,” said Abate, who is a professor of literature for children and young adults at The Ohio State University’s College of Education and Human Ecology.

 

And while some one-panel comics do rely on slapstick gags, wordplay, and simple puns, Abate said she found while researching Singular Sensations that there’s much more to many of the one-panels.

 

Even comics like “Ziggy” that don’t have a lot of cultural cachet have something to offer when read critically. 

 

“‘Ziggy’ was often about the hassles of ‘adulting’ before adulting was even a word. ‘Ziggy’ has a lot of clever humor about the everyday setbacks that most people can relate to,” she remarked.  “There’s a lot that resonates even now, decades later.”

 

As Abate notes, perhaps no other single-panel comic has been more acclaimed and loved than “The Far Side” by Gary Larson.

 

“It was among the first places in our culture that really celebrated and showcased nerdiness.”

 

While “The Far Side” doesn’t have a recurring cast of characters, it did have recurring types of characters: mainly nerds of all kinds, from geeky middle-aged scientists to dorky adolescent schoolchildren.

 

At the time when Larson started “The Far Side” in 1980, nerdiness was not at the center of popular culture and valued in the way it is now, according to Abate.

 

Even though Larson’s series relied on wordplay and puns, “it was the kind of puns and wordplay that nerds in particular would enjoy and that you don’t see in other single-panel comics before it.”

 

But it wasn’t just the nerdiness that made “The Far Side” stand out, she said: It was the aesthetics, the way Larson drew the characters, particularly the humans. As one critic said, “his people are grotesque.”

 

The very first “Far Side” comic showed the combination of nerdy subject matter and awkward, gangly, and even sometimes “ugly” humans that made Larson famous. The foreground showed two crabs talking to one another, while two human youngsters build a sandcastle in the background.

 

The two crabs were drawn to look friendly and adorable, Abate said. But the kids were distorted and didn’t look cute like the children depicted in most comics. And the caption was true nerdiness: One crab was telling the other, “Yes … they are quite strange during the larval stage.”

 

The way humans were drawn in “The Far Side” was novel at the time.

 

“In Larson’s series, no child was cute, no man was handsome, and no woman was beautiful by conventional standards,” Abate wrote.

 

“The odd, unusual and even unsightly appearance of ‘The Far Side’s’ human characters did not distract readers from the content of the panel. On the contrary, such depictions echoed and even amplified the theme, topic or message.”

 

Abate said Larson’s aesthetic style defied a longstanding trend in American newspaper comics. Much of the emphasis has been on making the case for comics as fine art. And indeed, many cartoonists, especially graphic novelists, are known for the beauty and skill behind their incredible artwork. But Larson’s drawing is intentionally unflattering and awkward.

 

“It just really went against the grain of what was happening in comics,” she said.

 

“It gets readers to think about the aesthetics of ugliness and — paradoxically — what might be called the beauty of ugliness.  Moreover, it also invites us to ponder what we deem ugly and why. It may even get us to learn to value what we thought of as ugly, rather than denigrate it.”

 

While many people have rightly focused on Larson’s impact on nerd culture, Abate hopes to call more attention to his contribution in the realm of comics aesthetics.  The awkward, unflattering, and gangly way that Larson rendered his nerdy characters, Abate argues, is just as important as the nerdiness of their personalities.  Many online comics — such as “The Oatmeal” and “Hyperbole and a Half” — render their human figures in ways can be seen as echoing and even extending Larson’s style.

 

Beyond just “The Far Side,” Abate said that single-panel comics deserve more recognition as an important type of cartoon art. Many of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed titles over the years — from “The Far Side,” “Ziggy,” and “The Family Circus” to “Heathcliff,” “Marmaduke,” and cartoons in The New Yorker — have been single-panel.  Comics as we know them and especially as we love them in the United States would not be the same without the single-panel form. 

 

Singular Sensations examines an array of popular one-panel comics from the 1890s through the present day.  In addition to her discussion of “The Far Side,” she has chapters on political cartoons, comics from The New Yorker, “The Family Circus,” “The Yellow Kid,” “Little Lulu,” the groundbreaking series “Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger” by Jackie Ormes, “Ziggy,” and “Bizarro.”

 

“Single-panel comics are not only comics,” Abate’s book asserts, “they are examples of the medium at its most concentrated, compact and concise.”

 

Gary Larson — and his nerdy characters — would likely agree.

 

Collected climate data from Nigeria that researchers need

Getting accurate information on climate model parameters in Africa like housing types or electricity use isn't always easy. One master's student made it happen for Nigeria.

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

 

image: 

Chibuikem Chrysogonus Nwagwu and colleagues have investigated the resource use associated with different types of housing in Nigeria. This kind of information is critical for climate scientists. Illustration: Chibuikem Chrysogonus Nwagwu, NTNU/SINTEF

view more 

Credit: Illustration: Chibuikem Chrysogonus Nwagwu, NTNU/SINTEF

Climate models are critical for scientists and policymakers in predicting what the future climate will be like. But climate models are no better than the data we feed them.

These critical data can be difficult to access, or practically impossible to produce for certain areas of the planet. But a new study has obtained good data from one of the most important areas in Africa – Nigeria.

Africa’s population is growing rapidly and what happens there will affect us all.

“We have a lot of detail about Norway, but know little about Nigeria," says Edgar Hertwich, a professor of industrial ecology at NTNU's Department of Energy and Process Engineering.

The new study does something about that. The research has been published in Buildings & Cities.

Africa’s most populous country

Chibuikem Chrysogonus Nwagwu took a master's degree in industrial ecology at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He was supported by both Hertwich and by Sahin Akin, a doctoral research fellow in the same department, in obtaining the important figures.

The researchers looked at climate emissions linked to housing in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa.

Nigeria's population has grown rapidly over the last 30 years, nearly doubling from approximately 100 million in the 1990s to over 220 million in 2024, driven by high fertility rates and a youthful demographic. As a result, the country has – and needs – a lot of housing.

The country now aims to reduce climate emissions by 20 per cent compared to 2015 before 2030. The researchers' conclusion is clear.

“If Nigeria is to achieve its emissions targets, energy efficiency must improve, other building materials must be used and the electricity must come less from carbon-based sources,” Nwagwu and his colleagues wrote.

More than 85 per cent of electricity in Nigeria comes from fossil energy sources, largely gas. The country has large revenues from oil and gas but spends relatively little on research and education. In return, the Nigerian government subsidizes the importation of fuel from abroad.

Consequently, there is room for improvement.

---

Nwagwu considered scenarios from 2020 for homes with an average lifespan of 50 years. The result is a study that presents valuable information about structure, geometry, energy use, and opportunities to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from Africa's most populous country.

“This is the type of information that is missing in global climate studies,” Hertwich says.

Hertwich has had Nwagwu as an assistant for two years, which has helped finance his master's studies. Now Nwagwu is employed as a researcher at Sintef Manufacturing and wants to do his PhD.

Norwegian regulations discourage students from abroad

“If we want to do something about the climate, we need people like Nwagwu,” Hertwich says.

Newly implemented tuition fees for students outside of the European Economic Zone make it much more difficult for many foreign students to come here.

That includes students from Africa. However, if the student finds funding, it is quite possible to take an advanced degree in Norway.

“I think we should educate both master's and PhD students on climate protection in Africa. Africa’s population is growing rapidly and what happens there will affect us all," Hertwich said.

Source: Chibuikem Chrysogonus Nwagwu, Sahin Akin, Edgar G. Hertwich. Modeling Nigerian residential dwellings: bottom-up approach and scenario analysis. Buildings & Cities. 2024. Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Page/Article: 521–539 DOI: 10.5334/bc.452

---

Journal

Buildings and Cities

DOI

10.5334/bc.452 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Modelling Nigerian residential dwellings: bottom-up approach and scenario analysis

 

Can sown wildflowers compensate for cities’ lack of natural meadows to support pollinating insects?

Wiley

In a study published in Ecological Entomology, a journal from the Royal Entomological Society, researchers assessed whether a shortage of natural meadows in urban spaces for pollinating insects might be addressed by creating meadows where wildflowers are planted or sown among grasses.

The research, which was conducted in Warsaw, Poland, showed no difference in the composition of insect-pollinated plants between these two meadow types. There was also no difference between the meadow types concerning the species richness of butterflies, bees, and hoverflies. The number of butterflies was twice as high in natural meadows than it was in sown floral meadows, however. No such differences were found for wild bees and hoverflies.

“The proper management of urban greenery involves combining the well-being of city residents and the protection of habitats. In this way, we can alleviate the hostile environment of urban space for wildlife,” the authors wrote. “Our research has shown that sowing flower meadows may be such a method.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/een.13396

 

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Ecological Entomology is a leading journal focusing on original research concerning insects and related invertebrates' ecology. Aimed at ecologists driven by ecological or evolutionary theory, we prioritize innovative contributions testing specific hypotheses. Our journal publishes full-length Original Articles, Reviews, Short Communications, and Methods papers, all intended to advance the field of ecological entomology.

About Wiley      
Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a trusted leader in research and learning. Our industry-leading content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. We empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s biggest obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

---

Journal

Ecological Entomology

DOI

10.1111/een.13396 

Article Title

Sown wildflower meadows: Can they replace natural meadows in urban spaces for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies?

Article Publication Date

20-Nov-2024

 

Sweet tooth- Ethiopian wolves seen feeding on nectar

University of Oxford

 

image: 

An Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) licks nectar from the Ethiopian red hot poker flower (Kniphofia foliosa). © Adrien Lesaffre

view more 

Credit: Adrien Lesaffre

Summary:

• For the first time, Ethiopian wolves have been documented feeding on the nectar of Ethiopian red hot poker flowers.
• This is the first large carnivore species ever to be documented feeding on nectar.
• In doing so, the wolves may act as pollinators – perhaps the first known plant-pollinator interaction involving a large carnivore. 

Content:

New findings, published in the journal Ecology, describe a newly documented behaviour of Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis). Researchers at the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) observed Ethiopian wolves foraging for the nectar of the Ethiopian red hot poker (Kniphofia foliosa) flower. Some individuals would visit as many as 30 blooms in a single trip, with multiple wolves from different packs exploiting this resource. There is also some evidence of social learning, with juveniles being brought to the flower fields along with adults.

In doing so, the wolves’ muzzles become covered in pollen, which they could potentially transfer from flower to flower as they feed. This novel behaviour is perhaps the first known plant-pollinator interaction involving a large predator, as well as the only large meat-eating predator ever to be observed feeding on nectar.

Dr Sandra Lai, EWCP Senior Scientist based at the University of Oxford, and lead author on the new study, said: “These findings highlight just how much we still have to learn about one of the world’s most-threatened carnivores. It also demonstrates the complexity of interactions between different species living on the beautiful Roof of Africa. This extremely unique and biodiverse ecosystem remains under threat from habitat loss and fragmentation.”

Professor Claudio Sillero, EWCP founder and director based at the University of Oxford, describes seeing this behaviour: “I first became aware of the nectar of the Ethiopian red hot poker when I saw children of shepherds in the Bale Mountains licking the flowers. In no time, I had a taste of it myself - the nectar was pleasantly sweet. When I later saw the wolves doing the same, I knew they were enjoying themselves, tapping into this unusual source of energy. I am chuffed that we have now reported this behaviour as being commonplace among Ethiopian wolves and explored its ecological significance.”

The Ethiopian wolf is the rarest wild canid species in the world, and Africa’s most threatened carnivore. Found only in the Ethiopian highlands, fewer than 500 individuals survive, in 99 packs restricted to 6 Afroalpine enclaves.

The Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) was set up in 1995 to protect the wolves, and their unique habitat. It is a partnership between the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford, the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), and Dinkenesh Ethiopia. EWCP is the longest-running conservation programme in Ethiopia, aiming to safeguard the future of natural habitats for the benefit of wildlife and people in the highlands of Ethiopia.

EWCP Website: https://www.ethiopianwolf.org/

An Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) feeding amongst the blooming Ethiopian red hot poker flowers (Kniphofia foliosa). © Adrien Lesaffre

An Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) with its muzzle covered in pollen after feeding on the nectar of the red hot poker (Kniphofia foliosa). © Adrien Lesaffre

Notes to editors:
The study ‘Canids as pollinators? Nectar foraging by Ethiopian wolves may contribute to the pollination of Kniphofia foliosa’ has been published in Ecology at https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecy.4470

Images relating to this release that can be used in articles can be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tdnRo2HpSPhTX1c6jrKrbWQfPmNiQLuK?usp=sharing These are for editorial purposes relating to this press release ONLY and MUST BE credited. They MUST NOT be sold on to third parties.

 

Hong Kong Maps Action Plan on Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering

Hong Kong mapped its action plan to develop green bunkering operations (file photo)

Published Nov 18, 2024 7:31 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

The Government of Hong Kong hosted a presentation on Friday, November 15 to detail its action plan to promote the development of Hong Kong into a high-quality green maritime fuel bunkering center. As one of the busiest ports in Asia, the government looks to catch up and remain competitive with regional rivals such as Singapore while incorporating the central government’s decarbonization plans and anticipated industry demand.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive announced in the 2023 Policy Address the goal to develop Hong Kong into a green maritime fuel bunkering center. In addition, China’s Five-Year Plan calls for measures to promote the development of green ports and enhance the promotion and application of clean maritime fuels.

The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB), in collaboration with the Environment and Ecology Bureau, reports it has conducted a feasibility study and proceeded to formulate the Action Plan released on Friday by taking into account international experiences and the current market developments, as well as in consultation with the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board (HKMPB) and various organizations and players in the industry.

The Action Plan also reflects the expectation that the International Maritime Organization will promulgate a maritime fuel standard and launch a global maritime carbon pricing mechanism by 2027 driving the need to develop green bunkering capabilities. 

Among the goals set for Hong Kong is reducing carbon emissions for Hong Kong registered vessels by at least 11 percent compared to 2019 levels. They are also seeking to ensure that 55 percent of the diesel-fueled vessels in the government fleet switch to using green fuels by 2026. Carbon emissions from the Kwai Tsing Container Terminal are targeted to fall by at least 30 percent compared to 2021 levels.

Among the goals of the Action Plan to to ensure that at least seven percent of Hong Kong-registered ships take up green maritime fuels by 2030. The government projects that the bunkering service will involve over 200,000 tonnes of green maritime fuels by 2030, with at least 60 bunkering operations.

"This Action Plan fully reflects the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's determination to develop green maritime fuel bunkering, and provides clear and definite directions and action targets for Hong Kong to keep pace with the international trends of green shipping,” said Lam Sai-hung, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Transport and Logistics.

The plan sets out five strategies and 10 actions to develop the supply and infrastructure for green maritime fuels. The government reports it has identified a land parcel near the port for green maritime fuel storage and expects to invite expressions of interest from the industry next year in developing the designated site. It will also facilitate the first LNG ship-to-ship bunkering demonstration by the industry within the first half of 2025. It also plans to establish a Green Maritime Fuel Bunkering Incentive Scheme to encourage enterprises to start green maritime fuel bunkering businesses in Hong Kong.

To build the supply chain for green maritime fuels, the government will also seek to facilitate offtake agreements between the green fuel bunkering supplies from the mainland and shipping companies.

By early next year, the government expects to release a comprehensive Code of Practice both for LNG and methanol bunkering. These steps are viewed as a key part of the strategy to build Hong Kong’s role in the future green bunkering marketplace.
 

Vancouver Accredits Seaspan Energy for First LNG Ship-to-Ship Bunkering

Seaspan Energy is building three LNG bunker vessels to start the first ship-to-ship operation based in the Port of Vancouver (Seaspan Energy)

Published Nov 19, 2024 6:03 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

The Port of Vancouver and Seaspan Energy took a key step forward to launching the first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation for a wide range of vessels calling at the port. The company went through an extensive multi-year assessment process conducted by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in collaboration with other Canadian authorities to ensure the safety of the new operation.

Seaspan Energy is working toward launching its LNG bunkering operation along the West Coast of North America. Harly Penner, Senior Vice President of Seaspan Energy called the accreditation a “meaningful step,” towards the start-up of the Vancouver-based LNG bunkering hub.

The first two of three newly built 7600 cbm LNG bunkering vessels are due for delivery in the near future with a third scheduled for 2025. The LNG bunkering vessels are being built by CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering after Seaspan Energy worked closely with the Canadian-based team at VARD Marine to incorporate emerging technologies resulting in a decrease in emissions and underwater noise.

Each of the vessels will be approximately 113 meters (approximately 370 feet) in length with a design speed of 13 knots. Seaspan reports the design is focused on safe, efficient, and economical refueling of multiple ship types with an ability to transfer to and from a wide range of terminals. The vessels will be engaged in ship-to-ship LNG transfer along with coastal and short-sea shipping cargo operations.

 

Three vessels due for delivery in 2024 and 2025 will provide the new ship-to-ship bunkering operation (Seaspan Energy)

 

The first of the vessels, Seaspan Garibaldi was launched in January 2024. It was followed by the launching of Seaspan Lions in April and Seaspan Baker in July.

The Port of Vancouver highlights that it is a key step in its efforts to meet industry demands and proceed with sustainability programs.  They expect to be able to provide bunkering operations to a wide range of vessels including Ro-Ro vehicle carriers, tankers, containerships, and cruise ships expanding the role of the port in the West Coast trade.

The safety assessment program incorporated international best practices, assessed operational procedures, and produced a risk assessment. Vancouver approved designated locations for LNG bunkering operations within the port area. 

The port authority is also requiring Seaspan Energy to renew its license annually to ensure it continues to meet the highest LNG bunkering safety standards and procedures.

Activists at U.N. Climate Talks Push Rich Countries to Pay for Green Transition

By Asad Rehman, Amy Goodman

November 19, 2024

Source: Democracy Now!

We are broadcasting live from the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, which has entered its second and final week, and already there is frustration over a lack of progress on the key issue of financing the energy transition and climate adaptation in Global South countries. Asad Rehman, executive director of War on Want and lead spokesperson for the Climate Justice Coalition, says this year’s summit is supposed to be “the finance COP” and calls for about $5 trillion a year in financing, but “rich, developed countries are putting pennies on the table.” He also addresses the overwhelming presence of industry lobbyists at the annual summits and calls from some activists to boycott the talks. “If we, as civil society, weren’t here also holding the feet of Global North governments to the fire, we would see much worse outcomes than we are seeing already,” says Rehman.

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.

We’re broadcasting live from the United Nations climate summit here in Baku, Azerbaijan, which has entered its second and final week. There’s already frustration over a lack of progress on the key issue of financing the energy transition and climate adaptation in Global South countries. This comes after last year’s climate summit, COP28 in Dubai, where world leaders agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, after past summits just called for restrictions.

We just heard voices of protest. Now we’re joined by one of those people, Asad Rehman. He’s executive director of War on Want and lead spokesperson for the Climate Justice Coalition.

Well, another COP, another interview with you, Asad.

ASAD REHMAN: Yes.

AMY GOODMAN: We’re here in Azerbaijan, a leading petrostate in the world, following last year’s COP summit in another petrostate, in the United Arab Emirates. Can you talk about, for people who aren’t familiar with these U.N. gatherings, the significance of this, what you expect to come out of it, and what you’re seeing actually happen through this last week?

ASAD REHMAN: Well, Amy, the last time we spoke, I think it was in Dubai. The bombs were dropping on Gaza. We, as civil society, were standing in solidarity with our colleagues who were dying in Gaza, and saying, “We must stand up for human rights.” And a year later, of course, we have now the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, countless human rights reports all talking about war crimes, crimes against humanity, a genocide taking place, genocide taking place in Gaza — and, of course, all with impunity and active complicity of some of the most powerful countries in the world — the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union. And the very rules of war — rules of the international rules system, multilateralism is being burnt to the ground. So we came in here with a very heavy heart. Our colleagues are still being killed. We see food being used as a weapon of war. The importance of human rights propelled us to, of course, use this moment to raise our voice and still call for a ceasefire and, of course, call for end to complicity.

But the negotiation themselves, it’s often been called the finance COP. And the reason why it’s called the finance COP is this COP is meant to agree what the next quantum, which is the collective goal of money that is meant to be provided from the Global North to the Global South because of the responsibility of the Global North for causing this crisis — and what that figure will be, what the quality of that money will be. Will it be in public finance, or will it be in debt-created loans? Will it be in private finance? All of these things are being thought out over here in week one and in week two.

AMY GOODMAN: So, I want to ask why you’re here and why so many thousands of people have come to this climate summit. Prominent climate activist Greta Thunberg announced last week she’s not attending this COP summit over Azerbaijan’s climate and human rights record. She spoke Friday in Yerevan, Armenia.


GRETA THUNBERG: I think we have to stop pretending that conferences like the COP, that currently are not leading to any even close to meaningful climate action that we need — for example, last year, we saw an all-time high of greenhouse gas emissions, and 2024 is set to be the hottest year ever recorded. These COP processes are failing us. … Having these conferences as greenwash platforms for politicians to pretend that they’re taking action, of course, it’s also greenwashing the human rights abuses that these countries are committing. So, it’s both greenwashing and greenwashing the climate action and greenwashing their ethnic cleansing.

AMY GOODMAN: So, that’s Greta Thunberg, the well-known Swedish climate and human rights activist. Asad Rehman, you made a different decision.

ASAD REHMAN: Yes, because I see these spaces as fundamentally being about a question about power. We know that the rich and powerful have got way more power than ordinary people, and this is a contested space. And we have to build our power, make sure our politicians act in our interests, in the interests of the planet, and not of the rich and the elite and big business. And that’s true at national level as in a global level.

But it is important that we’re here, because we’re the ears, eyes and voice of those on the frontlines. Many people come here with the hard evidence to try and influence these negotiations. And knowing the imbalance of power that exists between the richest nations and developing countries, if we, as civil society, weren’t here also holding the feet of Global North governments to the fire, we would see much worse outcomes than we are seeing already.

AMY GOODMAN: So, I wanted to play another clip. This is of Azerbaijan’s minister of ecology and natural resources. Mukhtar Babayev is COP29’s president. Previously, he spent 26 years at the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic, known as SOCAR. Ahead of the summit, the group Global Witness released covert recordings of Azerbaijan’s COP29 chief executive, Elnur Soltanov, promoting possible fossil fuel deals with someone, well, posing as an investor. The fake investor told Soltanov they were considering sponsoring COP29 in exchange for deals with Azerbaijan’s state energy firm SOCAR. This is Soltanov.


ELNUR SOLTANOV: As I said, we have a lot of pipeline infrastructure. We have a lot of gas fields that are to be developed. We have a lot of green projects that SOCAR is very interested in. There are a lot of joint ventures that could be established, potential joint ventures. Our SOCAR trading is trading oil and gas all over the world, including in Asia. So, to me, these are the possibilities to explore.

AMY GOODMAN: So, while it’s so critical — again, that was Soltanov thinking he was talking to a fossil fuel exec. In fact, it was someone from Global Witness. But you have at this COP — you could consider them a delegation — the largest delegation here, and that’s of fossil fuel lobbyists. And you have this chief executive making fuel and oil deals while he’s here. So, why do you think you can have an effect, as you talk about the imbalance of power, Asad?

ASAD REHMAN: Well, those very same lobbyists are, of course, affecting our decisions of government at national level as they are at global level. They, of course, want to turn this climate negotiations into a trade fair. They’re coming here to try and strike deals, make bargains and, of course, propose their solutions. You see these lobbyists here calling for carbon capture and storage — unproven, deadly and dangerous technologies — as solutions to the climate crisis.

It’s up to us to be opposing them, to put forward real solutions, to be supporting governments who do want to do the right thing, and say, “We are going to amplify your voice. We’re going to support you. We’re going to raise these issues.” And we’re going to build our movement’s power and make sure we’re making the right call.

AMY GOODMAN: So, the theme is financing. I was just talking to a Kenyan journalist who said Africa is faring very badly here. You’re not wearing the regular COP lanyard. You’re wearing one that says “pay up”?

ASAD REHMAN: “Pay up.” Global civil society came together, and we looked at what the true costs of supporting developing countries to be able to grow cleanly, what the cost of adapting to the climate crisis was, how much the damages were already overwhelming countries in the Global South, and we calculated that that is about $5 trillion a year that the Global North would need to provide to the Global South. That’s just a down payment in the overall cost.

And so, we came here and say, “Look, the only way we’re going to be able to transition fairly, cleanly, the only way that people in the Global South will have the same right to live with dignified lives as people in the Global North, if we have finance and technology being provided.” We made the call for $5 trillion. Developing countries came here and said, “At a base level, the lowest number, we must have $1.4 trillion a year.”

Rich, developed countries are putting pennies on the table. They’re not even talking about billions. They’re talking the private sector will provide this finance. “Open your economies to our big corporations. They will be the answer.” And we know they deliver nothing, nothing in terms of climate action. And, of course, their only goal is to make profit.

AMY GOODMAN: Asad Rehman, we want to thank you for being with us, executive director of War on Want, lead spokesperson for the Climate Justice Coalition.

Asad Rehman is executive director of War on Want and lead spokesperson for the Climate Justice Coalition.