Good news from the delta of Niger to reduce gas flaring

Gas flaring is the natural gas burning associated with the  extraction of oil. Companies, operating in the Niger Delta, prefer to burn it rather than separate the gas from the oil it as as it commercially expensive to do so.

This procedure, not only wastes natural resources that could create additional revenues for the development of the local population, but also damages the ecosystem and heavily contributes to greenhouse gas emission at global level.New initiatives seem to address the problem, as also stated in a recent dossier on the Vanguard, a local Nigerian newspaper.

A joint venture between Shell Petroleum Development Company, and Eni Saipem Nigeria Limited will develop a pipeline system that will gather the gas, currently flared, for use in the domestic gas market.

When completed, these projects will extend the Associated Gas Gathering (AGG) facilities coverage to more than 90% of the associated gas produced in the Joint Venture operations.

Further reading:
Petroleum industry bill is becoming a flash in the pan - 2 June 2011
Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership
Justice in Nigeria now
NDPI Foundation
Environmental issues in the Niger Delta

Successful sample of sustainable logging in Canada

While in the Philippines, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to investigate alleged death threats against a member of the government's task force (TF) on anti-illegal logging in the Caraga Region some months ago in Canada has been launched a documentary called Harmony dealing with the successful story of the Great Bear Rainforest agreements in British Columbia. In an area the size of Ireland, despite the beginning skeptical approaches it seems that an unprecedented collaboration between environmentalists, logging and mining industry, native groups and governments is bringing positive results.


Major milestones achieved in the final agreement, after weeks of intense negotiations in 2007 were:

- 2.1 million hectares, or 5 million acres, an area half the size of Switzerland, legally protected from logging;
- $120 million available to First Nation communities to help kick-start a new conservation economy as an alternative to logging throughout the rainforest, and;
- A new system of ‘lighter touch’ logging, based on Ecosystem-based Management (EBM), has been legislated.

Details of the area interested by the project

This system will maintain 50 per cent of the natural level of old growth forest in the region. This translates to an additional 700,000 hectares (1.7 million acres) of forest set aside from logging.

 A lot still need to be done in terms of creating a sustainable timber harvesting system and it will be important that all the parts will do again their best to contribute to the establishment of an effective ecosystem-based management for the area.  Despite the diffuculties to mutuate a project from one side of the world to another, it could be important to consider the re-elaboration of the main principles contributing to the succesful implementation of the project in  Canada in the countries affected by illegal logging practices.

further information
Illegal logging declining worldwide, but still 'major problem'

Illegal logging prevention a priority in the Philippines

After seeing the devastation caused by floods and landslides in Albay, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III in a recent intervention considered the possibility to impose a total log ban in six provinces to prevent further denudation of forests there. These provinces are Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Samar, Leyte, Surigao del Sur and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.a total log ban nationwide.
For the President it will be important to drastically cut down the problem of illegal cutting of log as forests are among the first defences against floods and landslides.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has estimated the damage to property, infrastructure, and agriculture caused by floods and landslides in parts of Bicol, Visayas, and Mindanao at  P1.2 billion. In the Caraga Region alone, damages to government roads, bridges, schools, irrigation, agriculture due to landslides and flashfloods had already reached P300 million.

At least 42 people have died due to the floods and landslides. The number of displaced persons nationwide has reached 1,355,229, according to the NDRRMC's report to the president.

For further information: