Govt Publish ‘Bermuda Difference’ White Paper
The Government published a white paper — “The Bermuda Difference Bringing expertise, resource, and finance to the world’s biggest challenge” – in advance of the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai.
A Government spokesperson said, “The Government of Bermuda is pleased to be represented at the COP28 summit in Dubai, scheduled for November 30 – December 12, 2023.
“The event will be attended inter alia by the island´s Premier The Hon David E Burt JP, MP and Deputy Premier The Hon Walter Roban JP, MP. The seniority of the delegation reflects the commitment of Bermuda and its people to becoming the climate risk capital of the world, and its key position in oceanic conservation, and as a leader on Net Zero initiatives in its own right.
“With this in mind, the Government has published a White Paper on its approach: “The Bermuda Difference Bringing expertise, resource, and finance to the world´s biggest challenge.”
“The publications between them highlight Bermuda’s focus:
- As custodian of the largest maritime area in the world, some 460,000 sq km of ocean, a fifth of which it has designated as an Economic Exclusive Zone [EEZ] protected fully from human activity. Bermuda is also the lead trustee of the dozen or so countries looking after the Sargasso sea, a crucial asset for conservation and spawning.
- In its expectation of matching or exceed the achievements of some of the leading signatories to Paris, with already 100% replacement of the bus fleet with EVs, on track for 85% reduction in carbon footprint by 2035 and Net Zero by 2050.
- With the installation 15MW of solar capacity in the last three years, more than many much larger Paris signatory nations have managed.
- Its stated ambition of becoming the world´s climate risk capital, from its existing position as the underwriting hub of one third of the world´s climate catastrophe insurance.
Minister Roban said, “The environment, particularly in its maritime aspect, is at the heart of national life and economic policy. We welcome COP28 as a further opportunity to share and to build on our unique and vital contribution to the planet in this area.
“Our world leading insurance and financial services sector plays an ever-growing part in providing security and mitigation for those most affected by climate change. As the proverb goes, ‘we inherit from our parents, but are borrowing from our children. The time for action is now.”
The Bermuda Difference White Paper follows below [PDF here]:
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Category: All, Environment, News
From a Govmint that can’t even make a bus schedule.
“Expertise…” That’s hilarious.
We have no business even attending this summit.
This is embarrassing.
Think about the frequent flyer miles our representatives will get from this trip!
I like the part about the buses being EV when Belco is burning oil to charge them, and most of the time oil that produces more emissions than the diesel buses. Then the adverse climate effect from building the EV vehicles by China.
To think Roban might present this garbage to a wider audience.
That ain’t nothing do you know how many times the various necessities infrastructure maintenance has been budgeted and paid and not done in a decade…pave the roads 90,000,00 to 150,000,000….but damn…some how don’t get did????!
Some quick thoughts before the weekend:
Not one Minister in Government can define “climate change” but the nebulous phrase covers every occasion.
EV Buses.
1. Government never released any spreadsheets justifying why MAN buses needed replacement. The same MAN buses that run for over 200,000 miles in some of the harshest environments in other countries somehow have issues running in Bermuda.
2. There is no such thing as a “Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV).” Fossil fuels are required to produce electricity to charge the batteries. Fossil fuels are necessary to mine, process, transport materials, transform materials into products, and transport those EVs to delivery locations. MORE CO2 emissions are produced per EV than an ICE vehicle.
3. The same consulting company that pushed buying Chinese EV buses promoted banning gas stoves in the USA citing a debunked study.
4. Government never mentioned thousands of underage black children as young as six, mining rare earths in Africa used to produce EV batteries. Environmental damage worldwide from mining materials to manufacture EV batteries is appalling.
5. EV buses had to be taken off the road due to problems when wet!
6. The extra weight of the EV buses is damaging our roads. No upgrade of the roads has been factored into the Return on Investment (ROI) nor where the money is coming from to build strong roads. Looking at tens of millions of dollars just for the main roads which would also cover the push for electric cars.
7. Electricity to power the buses comes from fossil fuels. Government and consultants boasted of “fuel savings” of the electric buses vs. diesel buses, but those calculations have never been disclosed for examination. Do the analyses include the 12% to 15% extra energy cost required to charge the battery? Some energy is converted to heat, some is necessary to keep the battery at the right temperature during charging, and some is written off to what’s known as “transmission loss.”
8. Bermuda Fire Services does not have the training and equipment to put out an EV bus battery fire. The thousands of gallons of water runoff from such a fire would create an environmental hazard contaminating the water supply and the ocean.
9. The particulate matter coming off the special EV bus tires is not healthy.
FUN FACT!
Cop28 will have the biggest carbon footprint in the event’s history after UAE invited a record 400,000 people to attend
The conference in Dubai is expected to break records for carbon emissions 97,000 are due to attend as delegates – up from 49.7k at COP27 in Egypt in 2022
How much cash will we blow on this trip!!
Anyone seen the one or two potholes!!