July 2011

President Bharrat Jagdeo continues to fret about the non-release of the Norway climate funds, and has decided to push ahead with the project to give Amerindians electricity using funds from the treasury.
The solar panel project, which President Jagdeo yesterday said would cost US$2.5 million, was expected to be financed through the five-year forest-saving deal with Norway.

“ZAMBIA has approximately 50 million hectares of forest, with an estimated deforestation rate of 250,000 to 300,000 hectares per year.”

This is according to the United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+).

Undoubtedly, deforestation continues to be a big challenge in Zambia. The uncontrolled cutting down of trees for charcoal, timber and other uses for a livelihood has continued to deplete the country’s forests.

Located in southwest Uganda, the Kibale National Park (KNP) is one of the last remaining tropical forest blocks in the country. It harbours the greatest variety and concentration of primates found anywhere in East Africa and is home to at least 350 tree species. Despite the park’s ecological value, deforestation and historic consumptive use of the park have contributed to significant deterioration of KNP’s forest and its biodiversity over the past 30 years.

Helsinki, Finland, Jul 15, 2011 - Pöyry Plc has completed the acquisition of parts of the engineering consulting business of Vattenfall Power Consultant AB (see Company Announcement of April 14 2011). The business has been incorporated into a new company, SwedPower AB, in which Pöyry has 100 per cent shareholding. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.