Sustainable Development in Dominican Republic

Credit to Victoria Espinosa in the Diario Libre:

The Directorate General of Multilateral Cooperation and the European delegation on Tuesday unveiled the second call for presentation of projects in the area of renewable energies in which African countries may participate, Caribbean, Pacific and European Union, with an availability of 100 million.

Dominican Republic has a new opportunity to obtain financial support offered by the European Union, to develop renewable energy projects to improve the national energy system.

Domingo Jimenez, Computer Fund of the European Union, stressed the importance of improving sustainable energy services in rural and peri-urban areas of the country.

Meanwhile, the director of Infrastructure of the European Delegation, Lorenzo Martelli, also praised the importance of renewable energy projects not only to improve the energy service, but also to tackle climate change and protect the environment.

Applicants to submit projects have until April 21 to submit their proposals and the second call is planned for next year.

The call is addressed to public and private entities, intergovernmental organizations and civil society.

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARENA) perform during the 2010 reforestation days at the border, in the framework of "Sowing the Border: Towards a Green Border.

The days started last in Macasías, Elías Piña, in coordination with the National Army and continue throughout January in Pedro Santana, Restoration, Capotillo, Fondo Grande, Loma de Cabrera, Jimaní, Elías Piña, and Pedernales. On Sunday, 3 the day was done with the Navy and on Monday, 4 with the Air Force.

The communicator Gina Almonte addressed the most important events of national and international environmental sector, every Monday on "Telematutino 11", by Telesistema.

"Ecological Code" is the segment that leads Almonte some time and is in the air at approximately 8:00 am, with the current issues on environment, in order to guide and create awareness in the Dominican population about the importance of them.

"Ecological Code" field recordings also coupled with interviews with personalities committed to the issue, so particular or through its corporate social responsibility. The driver of the section is noted for his work in radio and commercial voice, giving life to major brands in the country and currently serves as public relations director of the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources.

Credit to El Nacional.

The Vice President Rafael Alburquerque, said the launch of a comprehensive program for creating "Green Jobs" under the technical advice of the International Labor Organization (ILO), which in his opinion will reduce the unemployment and also contribute to preserving the environment and would decrease the effects of climate change.

Dr. Rafael Alburquerque said building programs will be developed Green Jobs in the areas of renewable energy, water, tourism and ecological housing in a first stage.

Technicians reported that the ILO and the Dominican government agreed to hold a joint meeting which will conclude with a conference to be held in Santo Domingo in the middle of September next year.

Peter Poschen, director of the Department of Job Creation and Enterprise Development, ILO, also revealed that today, in Haiti, is developing several projects account recovery basins, including the planting of endemic trees, which has generated thousands of jobs.

For his part the lawyer Omar Ramirez, reported that a technical unit of the United Nations Council for Environment, technicians will meet with Na tional Council of Climate Change in the country, to coordinate the project together with the Secretaries of State Labor, Environment and the Institute of Technical and Vocational Training (INFOTEP).

The meeting was also attended by Vice President Alburquerque, Omar Ramirez, coordinator of the Presidential Office for Climate Change and Ana Belem Sanchez, ILO specialist on Climate Change and Peter Poschen.

Albuquerque tops the Dominican official delegation that is here to participate in the XV World Meeting on Climate Change, along with Secretary of Environment, Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal, Omar Ramirez, the assistant secretaries of the Environment, Ernesto Reyna and Patricia Abreu, head of his bodyguard, Gen. Ramon Alcantara and personal assistants and press Ramon Ramirez and Felipe Romero.

Credit Deianira Polanco in the Listin Diario.

The Organization of the United Nations determined that it is neither feasible nor appropriate construction of the cement Gonzalo community in Los Haitises, considering that the project risks outweigh the benefits and opportunities.

The result of evaluation of the international body was unveiled at the headquarters of the United Nations Resident Coordinator UN System, Valerie Julliand by the technical team that participated in the investigation.

The UN suggestion was applauded by environmentalists, civil society representatives and others who were present and applauded "no, no, no, no cement.

Mrs. Julliand presented a video on the process undertaken consulted where all actors involved in the process, as is civil society, environmentalists and government.

With regard to the technical assessment concluded that the process did not have the technical and scientific rigor, given the complexity of the case.

"The environmental impact study should include essential and indispensable analysis, as elative to the impact on human health and cultural heritage, and all potential environmental impacts must be identified and evaluated," he said.

He said that with regard to the legal disposal is concluded that met the requirements of the law, however, "there was no properly all the principles of environmental legal framework, particularly the precautionary principle laid down by Law 64-00 and Rio Convention, which in this context is of vital importance to avoid irreversible damage to the environment.

He noted that hopefully the authorities heed the warning that the UN makes its assessment because it is they who have to make a decision.

He said it is a historic moment and growth in civil society and state, because they worked with an international agency to solve the dispute.

Credit to TODAY.

The Electricity Generating Company Haina (EGE-Haina) is building the country's first wind farm with a generating capacity of 25 megawatts in its first stage.

The information was offered by the General Manager of the company, Tito Sanjurjo, during the celebration of its tenth anniversary with various activities including a Mass of thanksgiving in the recently restored Imperial Dominican Convent followed by a toast in his backyard : a gala dinner to authorities, entrepreneurs and executives in the energy, financial and insurance in Olive restaurant and a lively dinner-dance for all staff on the Avenida del Puerto.

During the gala dinner, Sanjurjo referred to the constitution of EGE-Haina, in the process of international competitive bidding called for capitalization of the then Dominican Electricity Corporation. It was composed of capital contributed to fifty percent by the Haina Invesment Company Ltd., a consortium composed of national and international investors and the Reformed Companies Equity Fund (FONP) and other minor shareholders.

He stressed that the safety and soundness has been developed so the company made in 2007, placing a second bond issue of $ 175 million under regulations of the Securities Commission of the United States, received bids that exceeded 700 million thousand by over 130 international investors, a sum nearly ten times the amount originally planned. "That same level of confidence is expressed locally by placing successfully in this year 2009, our first public offering issuance of corporate bonds in the Dominican market value amounting to 30 million dollars to increase our working capital" said the executive.

Meant that the Fitch Ratings BBB Dominican granted both the company and bonds, with sufficient capacity to pay principal and interest within the deadlines set. Sanjurjo stressed that this EGE-Haina is one of the largest private power generation in the country with an installed capacity of 600 megawatts, which represents twenty percent of the total available to the national electricity system, with facilities in Haina, Puerto Plata, Barahona and San Pedro de Macoris. In this port, the barge also has installed Sultana del Este that produces 150 megawatts and is the largest floating generation plant in the world. "In anticipation of increased demand for electricity that will require both the robust economic development as the growth in household consumption, EGE-Haina is projected on a policy of continued growth and diversification based on technological progress and habitat conservation .

Hence we maintain strict control over carbon emissions from our plants, "he said in his speech. He stressed that the company has instilled that same concern for environmental preservation staff to make frequent journeys taking him reforestation and cleaning costs and green areas also constitute the principal currency of its Corporate Social Responsibility policy.

In its framework, develops the pioneering program in the country of Ecoescuela that involves both teachers and students, as well as a member of the Board Multisectoral Coalition for Higuamo River Rescue has assumed this task. In acknowledging the support received from different sectors with which it has relationships, Sanjurjo emphasized that counting on that support the company "will continue to grow and serve the progress of the Dominican Republic increasingly contributing to stability and progress of the sector national electricity essential basis for development of the country to continue providing financial and technical resources, sustained effort and our unwavering willingness to cooperate. "

During the subsequent action taken under your staff to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the General Manager of EGE-Haina old gave awards to employees who are 5 and 10 years working in the same, noting that the fact that they represent 42 percent of its total payroll employment reflects the harmony that exists within the company, calling it "one big family."

"If we got here and what we are and we can look to the future with the firm conviction of new achievements is largely thanks to the contribution of our employees. In his rapport with the ideals of the company, its high degree of training and responsibility, spirit of professional and committed interest in achieving excellence always at work. You are the greatest asset of EGE-Haina and so we are pleased to once again recognize this very special occasion, express terms.

In Quito, the capital of Ecuador, 50 percent of drinking water comes from glaciers.

Latin America is the region where there is a greater imbalance in per capita water availability.

In this century will be lost between 20 and 80 percent of the Amazon, made under climate projections.

The Gulf of Mexico, the South Atlantic Brazil-Uruguay and Parana-La Plata only hold 10 per cent of water resources.

Santo Domingo .- The imbalance in the use of water resources in Latin America and the Caribbean, combined with climate change, which has become a threat to humanity magnified proportions, could generate a water crisis in this region, which has more than 30 percent of global water resources.

The warning was made by Omar Ramirez, executive vice president of the National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism.

Sixto Inchaustegui, the local office of the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP), expressed a similar view: "A large part of the shortcomings of water in the regions and countries is due to inequality in the use and water governance.

Both experts gave presentations on climate change impacts on water during an international seminar on the subject recently made in the country under the auspices of the United Nations Organization and the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development.

Ramirez said that despite the abundance of water, its distribution is not equitable in terms of geography or social, which makes it the region with the greatest imbalances in water availability per capita.

Much of the water is in the Amazon, in Peru, Colombia and Brazil, where population density is low, while areas of the Gulf of Mexico basin, South Atlantic Brazil-Uruguay and Parana-La Plata, covering 25 percent are American and 40 percent of the population possess only 10 percent of water resources, he said. In connection with the Dominican Republic, said that in the past 30 years the availability of water was reduced by almost half due to the increase of its population: "The country fell from 4.150 meters cubic per 2,200 m3. A country that has thousand cubic meters per capita in a state of water stress, below there is virtually unlivable. We have partnerships in the Eastern Caribbean that are importing water, and societies in which a liter of water is worth more than one of gasoline. "

Ramirez said the development of society depends largely on water resources, and gave the example of farming: "In the Caribbean, three quarters of the water consumed is for food security, hence it is strategic that resource, the preservation of which demand the implementation of sustainable water management and decentralization of responsibility for good governance and good governance.

"People need to be empowered, from local governments until the irrigation boards. Civil society needs to empower the item to be effective public policy, "he said.

Read Predicted Water Crisis in Dominican Republic

Credit to TODAY.

A youth group Youth Social Christian Reformist (JRSC) launched a tree planting program, which aims to plant more than 50 thousand trees in different mountains and watersheds in the country.

The day of reforestation was carried out in the Loma de Managua, Municipal District of Santiago Mata, in the province of Monte Plata, and it was led by Joaquin Diaz, Secretary of the Social Christian Reformist Youth.

The reformist leader said "we are planting for the future, so that more water, more life, and thus follow the guidelines of the PRSC, which has been the party that has contributed most to help preserve the environment and natural resources .

Joaquin Diaz said the plan began planting trees in the mountains of Monte Plata, where they planted over 500 plants, this being the birthplace of much underground rivers that feed the main water rivers.

The day of reforestation was supported by Secretary of State for the Environment in the person of engineer Lantigua Blas Gonzalez, Manager Environment Forest Bayaguana.

Blas Lantigua, welcomed the initiative of Youth Reformita, to put their priorities in the conservation of natural resources, while urging other political forces to emulate this initiative.

Among the trees planted by the group of young reformers are, native pine and acacia, because plants do not need a lot of water to grow.

Among the young reformers who said yes to the day of reforestation are: Carlos Roa, Gustavo Martinez, Miguel Suero, Raul Negron, Vanessa Guzman, Carmen Cepeda, Katerina Pelletier.

Finally, the Secretary General of the reformist youth urged young people across the country interested in environmental issues, because at the present time all issues are interconnected with climate change and environmental conservation.

Credit Yvonne Alcantara in Diario Libre.

Due to its temperate climate, Constance was a closed area to dengue. But this year, the Public Health authorities have reported the virus in this demarcation.

In the eyes of Omar Ramirez, vice president of the National Council on Climate Change, the phenomenon is one of the consequences attributable to climate change in the country.

"The mosquito did not come up there and you're coming, by the climatic situation," said Ramirez interviewed by DL under the Regional Workshop for journalists: Information and Communication on Water and Climate Change, held as part of the Conference International of the Americas (CILA).

Rising temperatures trigger the mosquito that transmits the virus to move into areas traditionally cool as Constanza and Jarabacoa.

So far this year, 33 Dominicans have died and more than 4,000 have fallen ill from the virus, a high amount.

However, the increasing incidence of tropical disease not only confined to the Dominican Republic, also affect other Caribbean islands like Trinidad and Tobago.

With the workshop being held today, journalists are looking to the Caribbean and Latin America increase their knowledge on climate change and its effects, so they can transmit information more effectively to citizens.

Credit to Silvio Cabrera.

The Committee on Rejection of Cement in Gonzalo said Thursday that the main watershed Socoa Leap, named by the Executive as a protected area is located within the area was ceded to build a cement plant in Gonzales.

Manuel Benitez, a spokesman for the commission, stating that the main watershed is situated at the Batey Carmona, belonging to the municipality of Gonzalo, within concession by the Government to a private firm to build a cement factory.

According to the explanation of Benitez Socoa Falls, declared a Natural Monument, is located in Layer Vara, site of the municipal district of Gonzales.

Benitez was asked what would happen to that area if allowed and encouraged the construction of a cement plant in an area that he said, is within the National Park Haitises.

He said the government is clearly impose the construction of this cement, despite an opposition that has more than 90 percent of rejection.

He reiterated his call on the Government to rescind the license under which it empowers the Dominican Consorcio Minero.