#Author: Er Arun Tamang ,Eleotronices Engieering NIT Sikkim India https://nitsikkim.ac.in/
What Panama Is Doing To Become Sustainable:
The Panama Canal, simply by existing, helps curb carbon dioxide emissions. By transiting the 51-mile canal, ships avoid traveling the extra 9,000 miles that would be required if they were to go all the way around the southern tip of
South America. In 2020, ships avoided emitting 13 million metric tons of carbon dioxide just by using the Panama Canal. After taking a hit during March and June last year when manufacturing and consumer markets were shut down, the canal is now back at pre-pandemic traffic levels. The long-term operationality of the canal is key to the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On April 26, the Panama Canal Authority announced plans to enhance the canal’s long-term viability as well as reduce its environmental impact. It aims to have the canal be carbon neutral by 2030. Steps toward making the canal carbon neutral have already been taken… The Canal Authority has been tracking its carbon footprint since 2013, but in 2017, his became much more effective with the launch of the Emissions
Calculator—a tool for monitoring the carbon emissions of vessels and the canal itself. Its latest efforts include trialing electric vehicles to test whether the entire fleet can reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Other aspects of its plan include the use of tugboats that aren’t fossil fuel reliant and a switch to renewable energy across all projects and facilities. Panama Plans To Reforest 1 Million Hectares By 2050 Panama is one of Central America’s most densely forested countries, with 65% of its land area covered by rain forest. Since 2012, it has been losing about 8,000 hectares of forest per year due to illegal logging driven by agriculture. But the country is now reaffirming its commitment to tackle deforestation through a variety of measures. In 2014, it joined Alianza por el Millón, a reforestation effort that aims to reduce deforestation, protect water resources, improve agricultural productivity, conserve biodiversity, and mitigate climate change. In 2016, it joined Initiative 20×20, through which it pledges to plant 1 million hectares by 2050. The government is addressing illegal deforestation by increasing the use of drones and satellite images to better monitor for illegal logging. It has suspended logging permits for the past year and a half and has made it more difficult for businesses to receive state loans if they are involved in illegal land and forest use. Panama City To Double Trees Planted In Rainy Season The only major urban center in the country, Panama City, is also being targeted for reforestation. Groups like the Greenway Reforestation Program (GRP) plan
on doubling the number of trees that will be planted in Panama City’s 26 townships in the rainy season. The program is focusing on the city’s avenues and parks and tasking the community boards of each township with the responsibility of caring for the planted trees. Panama City is pushing always for growth, and it has been in a state of expansion for many years. Signs of development are ever-present: construction sites, traffic, crowds. In the sea of cement and steel, it’s easy to forget that this is the only capital city in the world that has a rain forest within its limits. The fact that programs like GRP exist is promising, as it shows that the city is including “greenficiation” as a key component in its development. The benefits of green spaces in city centers are well-documented: They clean polluted air, reduce noise pollution, and have a localized cooling effect on the climate. Green spaces also improve the physical and mental health of city residents, promoting exercise, reducing morbidity and mortality, and alleviating stress. This, in turn, reduces strain on the city’s public services, like health care. Parks also provide safe spaces for the city’s natural life, helping to maintain local biodiversity.
References:-
https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com
