This project aims to support countries affected by drought and famine by raising awareness of how desert coastal soil can be transformed into a viable and sustainable habitat for trees and plants.

We propose transporting biodigested, organic-rich wastewater by sea to nourish and irrigate tree belts on desert coastlines, creating moist microclimates that will enable agroforestry to extend inland.

Operation OASIS will help restore the carbon, water and nutrient cycles. We believe this restoration needs to be elevated to at least the same level as the mantras of cutting carbon emissions, carbon sequestration and solar/wind/wave power.

Funding status at January 2012

We urgently need to secure international funding to drive forward this crucial programme.

At this moment we look forward with hope to March 2012 and hearing the result of our bid to the EU Life + programme for our joint reforestation and soil communications project in Southern Spain,  OASIS MEDia.  Read more

Southern Spain will be a future target area for an Operation OASIS demonstration in Europe

We are honoured that academics such as Dr. Emilio Ramírez Juidías from the University of Seville have chosen to partner with us, and hope that this project will give our partners in Spain a world-leading role in community reforestation soil improvement and water resource stabilisation.

Our leading UK Partner Liverpool John Moores University Department of Natural Science and Psychology, has offered their commitment to carry on looking for new opportunities. We are grateful to them for their encouragement, and in return commit to promoting Dr David Wilkinson’s work on Ascension Island* – an experiment by Darwin which confirmed the feasibility of transforming desert into rainforest.  Read more.

Operation OASIS is a FREdome Visionary Trust-sponsored project initiated by Andrew K Fletcher – the originator of the OASIS concept. Find out more at his website.

* Wilkinson, D.M. (2009) Ascension. In: Gillespie R.G., Clague, D.A. (Eds.) Encyclopaedia of Islands. University of California Press, pp 61-63.

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UNGC UK Network Annual Outreach Event 2011: Expectations for Rio +20

Date 5 December 2011:

Hosted: Royal Bank of Scotland

FREdome Visionary Trust founder Greg Peachey made a positive splash at this the latest UN Global Compact ¹ meeting, organised by the International Business Leaders Forum IBLF².

(Our flagship  project, Operation OASIS³,  led by Andrew K Fletcher, is a participant in the UN Global Compact)

FREdome Visionary Trust chair, Greg Peachey,  always aiming to influence, inform and expose those at the top,  persisted in bombarding the panel with a series of pointed questions about why people in power consistently ignore the potential benefits of Carbon Cycling through reforestation  – ie natural biosequestration  - the only credible solution to reversing the catastrophic effects of our consume and dump economy.

Renewable Energy Consultant Robin Buller, a FREdome Visionary Trust representative and co- sponsor of our international OASIS MEDia bid accompanied Greg to the meeting and provided a lively eye witness account recorded here:

 

The first speaker Paul Collier of Oxford University essentially pointed out that Africa will be affected by global warming more than most places, and also is least able to cope with it. Also that the comparative advantage Africa has in solar energy generation (its hot, a lot) and hydro (big fast flowing rivers that drop from a high altitude) makes it ideal to develop these two technologies, if only it had access to International Capital and had a better Regulatory environment (i.e. had laws that could be enforced and less corruption), then all would be good. So from an academics point of view, Africa would be fine if everything were different, but……..

So to Greg, who was the first questioner on the block, and did a superb job at presenting the carbon cycle / Oasis concept  and asked the question of Professor Collier, whose answer, I have to say, did not register.

Following this, there were four speakers, from:  BP, Aviva, ARM and Marshalls.

Again following the brief talking heads, which all presented the respective company’s position – Marshalls probably the best – then Greg is again on his feet and again, second wicket, presents the Carbon Cycling so clearly to BP, that not only did they get it but all in the audience did too!

Elodie Grant Goodey, Head of Societal Issues and Relationships, BP plc. replied to Greg’s question (which after his really powerful and succinct introduction) by saying,” Yes to partnerships”, (BP are open to them), “Interested in Alternative Energy” and that BP are interested in emerging business investments (well, of course they are) and they have £150m invested already in alternative energy (wind, biofuels, oh, they sold their solar unit), and they are also interested in biosequestration.

So Greg talked to Elodie afterwards, and gave her our paper on Carbon Cycling and another quick pitch, and now it’s a question of next steps.

The Marshalls guy, Chris Harrop, was also good and made the point that a lot of their work on sustainability resulted in enhanced margins as much as a reduced carbon footprint.

Anyway, access to BP is a great achievement.

Finally, Stephen O’Brien, who had just come back from Africa, made a snappy speech, apparently he is the only MP who has a high level commercial background, which is rather strange – anyway, he did emphasise that to present to Government is very different to presenting to Industry (Greg knows this…….).  To be successful with Government one needs to identify its ‘objectives’ and fufill them with the project. Easier said then done. However, Greg did ask the question (his third) and Stephen was fairly straightforward, “Apply to DEFRA and Caroline Spellman’s team there”.

Afterwards, a fellow from DEFRA approached Greg and was very interested in the project, though whether he will actually be able to help with access, to the right people etc., remains to be seen.

I said to Greg that I would have a look at the DEFRA site, see the projects that are going to be presented at Rio+20 by DEFRA and see if Oasis can be introduced.

All in all, I was very impressed with Greg’s introduction and question, each time, succinct and clear (I wish I’d recorded it). Everyone understood, and several people came up afterwards to quiz him about the project including representatives of University of Middlesex, Bloomberg, DEFRA (as above), so he really impressed everyone.

As you know, I have often said to Greg he overestimates the ability of people to understand what he is saying but this time, he got it spot on and everyone ‘got it’ immediately. We need to bottle it.

I did not need to speak, and was very proud to see how well Greg did.

Note

 Following the meeting, Greg was approached by a number of people ranging from a representative from DEFRA to a member of IBLF personnel who took him down to the Occupy workshops in St Pauls.

 More exciting news to follow ….!

Web Sources

Our  Carbon Cycling vision 

¹UN Global Compact

²International Business Leaders Forum IBLF :

 ³Operation OASIS  

OASIS MEDia bid

UNGC UK Network Annual Outreach Event 2011: Expectations for Rio +20:

   Preparing for Rio+20:DEFRA

Our founder Greg Peachey accepted the award on behalf of the FREdome volunteer team at the ceremony at the Hertfordshire Green Exhibition, Knebworth Barns on October 25th.

Greg writes:

Just to let you know, FREdome &
Operation OASIS was a finalist in two categories of the Hertfordshire Green
Awards (Green Project & Green Communications) and we won the Green
Communications category!

Thank you, Suzanne, for writing our successful application! And, of course, thank you Andrew for the
brilliant project!”

Greg collects glittering prize from Communications Award sponsors, Building Research Establishment

We ask the government to listen to us!

Here are our credentials:

1. At the European Congress of the Cradle to 2 Cradle Network for industrial waste minimisation co-founder – Professor Dr Michael Braungart, Scientific Director of EPEA International Umweltforschung GmbH endorsed the Carbon Cycling Operation OASIS project manifesto.

2. We convened a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group on 18th Nov 2010, to which we invited an independent group of senior academics and industry figures in relevant fields agreed to act as the Scientific and Technical Advisory Board to the Carbon Cycling Operation OASIS project. The Board includes: Professors Achterberg, Chambers, Nortcliff & Wainwright; Drs Bowe, Wilkinson, Lawson, Smith & Kleidon and industry figures Hewett, Morey, Aitken & Bunyard. (see our board in full)

Help us on our way forward…!

FREdome is in now in dialogue with Ca’Foscari University, based in the City of Venice, over a joint bid to research the practicalities of shipping away the organic waste that floats past its residents’ front doors. We aim to work in partnership with the relevant industries to trial the shipping of wastewater as ballast in returning tankers to nurture agroforestry on poor soils. However EU bids for relevant grant programmes (e.g. Life+, FP7…) are for matched funding (typically 50% or 75%). We need backing to continue our venture!

Why now?

Carbon Cycling offers a new hope and a natural, cost effective and healthy alternative to carbon burial and sequestration.

On 28 Jan 2011 UN Secretary-General , Ban Ki-moon, at World Economic Forum (DAVOS), warned the whole world is currently in a “global suicide pact”.

In recent days UK Chancellor George Osborne has said, “We will do everything, work with anyone, overcome every obstacle in our path to jobs and prosperity. So that together we will ride out the storm.”

It is time for the UK to consider the economic social and growth benefits of carbon cycling – nature’s method of carbon reuse?

The Awards final will take place at Knebworth Barns on Wednesday 25^th October at 7.30 pm.

Read a short version of our awards submission below.

Project Title: Operation
OASIS

Project aim : ‘Using our skills to build hopes for global recovery’

The FREdome Visionary Trust is a grass roots organisation
offering volunteering opportunities to everyone, especially unemployed and
young people in Hertfordshire. We are a group of united individuals,
communities and businesses with one goal: to make a better world for our
children to inherit.

The aim of the FREdome Visionary Trust’s ‘Operation OASIS’ project is to communicate the benefits of Carbon Cycling – put simply,  growing forests and crops to improve soil and absorb excess atmospheric carbon.

The idea behind Operation OASIS was researched and developed by inventor and former sewerage engineer Andrew K Fletcher. We are inspired by his vision  – a world growing enough desperately- needed food, fuel, safe materials and employment. An alternative for people in Africa to living in conflict and urban slums.

Summary of our achievements

November 2010: During Global Entrepreneurship Week we organised a parliamentary debate on Carbon Cycling.

January 2011: Our project was endorsed by the Cradle to Cradle industrial waste minimisation network of the EU.

March:  We convened scientists at UCL for a risk analysis of our project.  Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) agreed to help us seek funding for a demonstration project for Operation OASIS.

April:  We raised public awareness of Operation OASIS through participation in the ‘Coop Revolutions’ funding competition.  Our Facebook campaign attracted comments from around the globe.

May:  With help from Hertfordshire County Council we identified a suitable fund:  the EU LIFE + Information and Communications programme.

June: Led by Andrew K Fletcher and LJMU, our volunteers found partners in Spain and UK. The team joined the University of Seville, the City of Santa Pola and Green Europe SL in a collaborative bid with help from Cranfield University’s Soil Science department.

July 2011: Our joint bid: ‘OASIS MEDia Orchestrating Arid Soil Innovative Solutions for integrated EU soil policies in Mediterranean Coastal Zones’ passed the first milestone of the European Commission assessment process.

Outcomes

Our bid for the OASIS MEDia environmental improvement project in Southern Spain is worth 500,000 Euros – to be match funded by the EU. (The bid result is expected in March 2012).

Our next target is to launch a demonstration project of the next step for Operation OASIS – involving municipal waste water transportation for forest irrigation in Spain & UK, and systems analysis of tankering wastewater from Italy to arid African shores in order to establish coastal tree belts.

Lessons

We have been successful in forging international links but getting attention from UK Government is hard. We need to develop our message with help from expert advisers. We have learned a huge amount can be achieved with very little money when people’s resourcefulness and personal commitment
opens access to networks of contacts.

Find out more about the awards http://www.hertsgreenawards.co.uk/herts/greenawards/hertfordshire/

Find out more about Operation OASIS

A robust defence of the role of forest in climate stabilisation by RP Siegel is published today on Triple Pundit.

Read it to find out why trees are so vitally important to our future and why deforestation must be reversed;    http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/10/scientists-find-reasons-forests-be-preserved/

Published on the same day : why biofuels are posing a condundrum in the energy and climate change  debate by Jeremy Woods, Seyed Ali Hosseini and Nilay Shah, published in Chemistry World.

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2011/October/FacingUpToChallenges.asp

Our Operation OASIS Carbon Cycling project provides a solution to all these dilemmas. Find out more about Operation OASIS , a project supported by Liverpool John Moores University, University of Seville, The Cradle to Cradle Network,  the Energy Institute of UCL et al.

Trees can make it rain!

Operation OASIS 

The ‘OASIS MEDia’ project is driven by the FREdome Visionary Trust, a Hertfordshire volunteer group which harnesses ingenuity and goodwill within society to facilitate positive change. This project aims to support countries affected by drought and famine by raising awareness of how desert coastal soil can be transformed into a viable and sustainable habitat for trees and plants.

Long-term, the team hope to facilitate the transportation of billions of tonnes of nutrient rich-treated waste water to desert shores around the world, using the return ballast capacity of Supertankers and other bulk shipping. Currently, empty tankers are filled with seawater on their return journeys which adds significantly to the price of oil, transfers invasive microbes to foreign ecologies and is widely considered to be unsustainable.

As the EU reviews traditional ballast practices, the OASIS project offers a safe alternative, helping to restore arid coastlines, induce rainfall and potentially mitigate the effects of drought and famine.

If the bid is successful, it will enable FREdome to work with local communities in Andalucia, Southern Spain to trial the viability of the project and build links with scientific bodies in other countries.

At a local level, residents in Andalucia and East Anglia will be encouraged to nurture saplings in plastic bags of soil in their own gardens, ready to be transplanted to increase rainfall at the arid Spanish coastline and in a line connecting the East Anglian coast to an inland reservoir, as permitted by authorities and under the direction of scientists.

Greg Peachey, Director of the FREdome Visionary Trust, said: “This bid is a real opportunity to embrace change and support countries where arid landscapes have a negative impact on local communities. This bid will ensure our proposal is considered at the highest level and I look forward to the Commission’s response.” The project is supported by a number of eminent partners including Liverpool John Moores University, who have taken on the co-ordinating role, together with the University of Seville, Green Europe and City of Santa Pola, with Cranfield University soil science department as a potential expert sub-contractor.

The OASIS MEDia communications project has been pioneered by scientist and inventor, Andrew K Fletcher. He said: “I have been striving to deliver this project for most of my life, to help countries affected by water scarcity and desertification, who are long term sufferers of drought and famine. Thanks to FREdome and all of the other partners that we have pulled together, this funding application is a major step in the right direction and I am delighted that we have secured €500k matched funding from our partners and university backing for our bid.”

End

Contact for National and International  press information: Anna Zachariassen,  Thrive Media Services Limited anna@thrivemedia.co.uk

t: +44 (0)7949 924303

www.thrivemedia.co.uk

Notes to Editors

1 The ‘OASIS MEDia’ Communications project is a keystone to secure global food, fuel, timber and water for future generations and supports the Operation OASIS approach pioneered by Andrew K Fletcher.

2 The European Commission will commence negotiations in November 2011 and announce successful bids in March 2012.

3 For more information about the FREdome Visionary Trust visit www.fredome.org

4 For more information about Operation OASIS visit www.operationoasis.com

5 For more information about the European Commission Life Plus programme visit http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/funding/lifeplus.htm

This competition pitched community initiatives against each other for a £5000 regional prize.

In our region,  ‘Trees Can Make it Rain’ bid came 9th with  376 public votes. In the national vote we came 29th out of 300. In the Southern region, ours was the clear winner in the Combating Climate Change category.

We are pleased with the positive response we have received to the initiative – thanks to everyone who voted.

Trees Can Make it Rain

See our Co-operative Revolutions bid page:
http://www.co-operative.coop/join-the-revolution/operation-oasis

NB

The originator and technical director of the Overseas Arid Soil Irrigation (OASIS) Solution is Andrew K. Fletcher. For more information about Operation OASIS go to the project website www.OperationOASIS.com

Southern Spain will be a future target area for an Operation OASIS demonstration in Europe

There is considerable evidence that agroforestry working inland from arid coasts can create a moist microclimate for people to grow food, fuel and eco-friendly materials.

EU

In conjunction  with our funding advisors at Beta Technology we have have decided to apply for support for Information & Communication under the European Comission’s LIFE+ Programme. This is a new funding stream aimed at increasing awareness of environmental solutions.

If we get funding released in 2012 we will have  capacity to communicate our findings to the world through conference presentations, a website and the media, in preparation for a future LIFE + Water  Programme bid.

VOTE FOR US TO KEEP GOING!

Our bid for £5000 from the Co–operative Society of Great Britain is receiving excellent support from the public in the UK and our contacts around the world.  TODAY  we have reached position 11 in the public vote for the Southern England region competition. Should we be successful in winning this bid we will receive a small amount of funds to keep the our volunteer team  going until 2012. We receive  no other financial support apart from small donations from individuals.

We thank you for reading this and ask you to vote for Operation OASIS at the Coop revolution website:

ttp://www.co-operative.coop/join-the-revolution/operation-oasis

NB

The OASIS project originator is Andrew K Fletcher,  and the director of the Project volunteer force is Greg Peachey.