Category: Power/Energy/Oil & Gas sector
Power/Energy/Oil & Gas sector
Latest issue of World Security Report has arrived
SAFECOM and NCSWIC Address Communications Dependencies on Non-Agency Infrastructure
NCSC Update Guidance on Principles for the design and build of in-house Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
November is CIPR Month in US
Hurricane Zeta makes landfall on Louisiana Coast
UAE Cultivates the First Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) in the Arab Region
While the globe is facing challenging times and rapid changes due to disasters and the need to create risk-resilient societies is inevitable, the United Arab Emirates is leading the private sector engagement for disaster risk reduction by announcing the first ARISE initiative in the Arab region to achieve the outcomes and goals of the Sendai Framework in a transparent and inclusive way that delivers measurable impact.
This initiative is in conjunction with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) that works towards a resilient, prosperous future where fewer lives are lost to disasters, capital assets and investments are risk-informed, and infrastructure is resilient to natural and man-made hazards and advocates for risk-informed development by encouraging and supporting the private and public sectors to put in place policies and practices to reduce disaster risk and losses.
The UAE Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) kicked off yesterday with its first meeting at Burj Khalifa led by Mr. Sujit Mohanty the Chief of UNDRR Regional Office for the Arab States (ROAS), Dr. Mahmoud Al Burai the Vice President of International Real Estate Federation and Senior Advisor in Dubai Government, along with the United Nations Resident Coordinator for the UAE Dr. Dena Assaf and other senior officials from UNDRR.
The meeting was attended by Dr. Tariq Ahmed Nizami, Founder & CEO of CEO Clubs Network, Dr. Assad Farah, Dean School of Business Administration at American University in Dubai, Helen Chen CEO and Co-founder of Nomad Homes, Chris Roberts, CEO of Eltizam Asset Management Group, Mohammed Alsharaf, COO of Eltizam Asset Management Group, Mr. Fadi Nwilati, CEO of KAIZEN Asset Management, Mr. Ghassan Farouk Afiouni Managing Partner and Inventor MPI, Mr. Ahmed Riad, Managing Director Estmrarya Consulting, Dr. Raza Siddiqui, CEO Arabian Health Group and Zeina Abou Chaaban the Managing Parter of Palestyle.
“Today we are witnessing a remarkable movement convened by the UAE private sector to establish the first national ARISE in the Arab region and set the roadmap for other Arab countries. COVID19 has put a stark reminder to all of us that reducing risk of disasters whether natural, man-made or biological, has to be everyone’s business. This initiative will capitalize on the UAE private sector to promote risk-informed investments and to engage in business practices that build resilience and prevent new risks from being created” said Mr. Mohanty, Chief of UNDRR ROAS.
Dr. Mahmoud Burai said: “This initiative showcases the UAE leadership in founding a strong platform for the private sector to support and implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030 and its commitment towards 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Paris Climate Agreement, New Urban Agenda and Agenda for Humanity. UAE ARISE will work closely with Dubai Police who is leading on Dubai Resilient and other local and federal governments to create risk-resilient societies by energizing the private sector in collaboration with the public sector and other stakeholders to achieve the outcomes and goals of the Sendai Framework in a transparent and inclusive way that delivers measurable impact.”
The United Nations Resident Coordinator for the UAE Dr. Dena Assaf said: “The United Nations has been working for the last 75 years around many global challenges, bringing awareness and progress across the planet and the UAE has always been a bastion of hope and resolve in the region. The UAE private sector’s role and engagement in disaster risk reduction not only ensures a more resilient and prepared society, but also enables accelerated progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals”. Dr. Dena Assaf encouraged the members to contribute to the UN global conversation on the World We Want, and take the survey at www.UN75.online.
The first meeting agenda unfolded the UAE ARISE objectives, structure, voluntary action commitments and the workplan 2020-2021, while the board election announced HE Dr. Mahmoud Al Burai the Chair of the UAE ARISE, Co- Chair, Mr Ahmed Riad and the Vice Chair, Dr. Tariq Nizami.
Findings on Changing Risk and Building Codes
The Findings on Changing Risk and Building Codes statement outlines the work to be undertaken by the members of the Global Resiliency Dialogue, including:
-Identifying strategies for the identification of future risks and the development of building code solutions that support adaptation to those risks
-Cooperating on the development of international building resilience guidelines and further exploration of the relationship with land use planning instruments that help determine the location of buildings
-Supporting research initiatives to better understand climate science, to assist in aligning expectations for building durability and resilience with the projection of future hazards
-Developing and deploying messages and resources that enhance understanding of building codes, support a common understanding of risk, and communicate the importance of up-to-date building codes
-Advancing risk and impact analysis to recognize the multiple economic and social benefits provided by resilience investments and the desirability of alternative approaches that fully capture the benefits and costs provided by the building codes
Building Code Development/Research Organization Signatories:
- Australian Building Codes Board
- International Code Council
- National Research Council Canada
- Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (New Zealand)
Download Findings on Changing Risk and Building Codes
Source - International Code Council (ICC)
JRC assesses critical raw materials for Europe’s green and digital future
The JRC publishes the results of assessments of selected raw materials, with factsheets and reports presenting the criticality of each.
The package also includes a foresight report, translating the EU’s climate-neutrality scenarios for 2030 and 2050 into the estimated demand for raw materials.
It identifies those materials most likely to have a supply risk in the future, for several strategic sectors in the EU. Critical raw materials are found in several green technologies, including electric vehicle batteries.
The findings contribute to the Commission’s fourth list of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) for the EU. The list is part of a communication laying out an action plan to overcome the challenges posed to the secure and sustainable supply of raw materials.
The raw materials that have high economic importance and have a high supply risk are called 'critical' raw materials.
They are part of our daily lives. Tungsten makes phones vibrate. Gallium and indium are part of LED technology in lamps. Beryllium is used in fire-sprinkler systems installed in houses, restaurants, hospitals and offices. Tungsten and tantalum make up key components in airplanes and satellites. Niobium is fundamental in diagnostic medical devices.
They are also used in key technologies to achieve a carbon-neutral and digital society, such as batteries, fuel cells, solar and wind energy, robotics, ICT and 3D printing. As more of these technologies are deployed, the EU risks replacing its reliance on fossil fuels with dependency on raw materials.
In order to identify those materials that are most at risk of supply disruption and take action to secure that supply, the European Commission updates a list of critical raw materials (CRMs) for the EU every three years.
The 2020 list of CRMs for the EU contains 30 materials, compared to 27 in 2017, 20 in 2014, and 14 in 2011. Added to the list are:
Bauxite (mainly used for aluminium production);
Lithium (used in electric vehicle batteries);
Titanium (used in aeronautics, space and defence, as well as in medical applications);
Strontium (used in medical applications and in ceramic magnets)
The screening process assessed 83 materials in total (compared to 78 in 2017). Experts assessed the risk of a disruption in supply - both in relation to the source of the material and in terms of the sectors to which a material contributes.
This follows the official assessment methodology established in 2017. The list supports the EU in negotiating trade agreements, challenging trade distortions and in programming the research and innovation funding under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.
Record floods threaten nuclear power site in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has experienced intense flooding covering at least a quarter of the country as it goes through monsoon season. NASA has released a map showing the extent of this year’s flooding from June to the end of July along the Jamuna River, where high danger levels have been reached or surpassed. Reported at the end of July, more than 4.7 million people have been affected and more than half of Bangladesh’s districts are flooded.
One of the areas affected is the Pabna district, home to the construction site of Bangladesh’s two nuclear power reactors at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
In 2017, Bangladesh, with help from Russia, began building a nuclear power plant near the Padma River. Upon its planned completion in 2024, the two-unit nuclear power plant is intended to help meet growing energy demands and improve grid reliability. A 2011 agreement was made with Rosatom, a Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation, to facilitate the build of two nuclear reactors and establish a legal basis for nuclear cooperation between the two countries. Through this agreement, Rosatom is charged with building and operating all aspects of the nuclear reactor until the first completed year of operation. The deal included a $500 million loan from Russia to finance engineers and project development, the management of spent nuclear fuel, and nuclear technology exchanges between the two countries.
As Russia pushes forward with construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh faces major climate change risks from record heavy precipitation, sea-level rise, and climate-induced migration. After two months of rain, the Padma River beside the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has almost doubled in size. Torrential rains and subsequent river erosion have flooded crops, villages, and critical infrastructure. The districts surrounding the nuclear plant are among some of the most affected in Bangladesh this season.
The site for the plant was selected almost 60 years ago in 1963, during a time when climate change did not factor into such decisions. Despite rising threats to the site from climate change, as well as dire projections for the future, plant construction began anyway in 2017. While a passive core flooding system was built to help avoid a catastrophe if an accident affects the reactor cores, increased climate variability and intensification pose a clear threat to the plant. Scientists tracking the intensity of extreme weather events in Bangladesh have stated that river flooding has become more severe and frequent with this monsoon season, possibly the longest lasting since 1988. Resting only 5,000 feet from the Padma river and below the Ganges delta, the plant is at constant risk.
Bangladesh will have to adapt to its changing climate and ensure that the utmost level of protection and precaution is taken to maintain Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and the surrounding population’s safety. As climate change intensifies, the threat of severe damage to the nuclear power plant increases that could devastate millions.
Source - Center for Climate & Security