ESRAG Podcast - With Salvador Rico

Salvador Rico

 

Introduction:

00:10 Intro Admiral & Felix and our guest Salvador Rico

01:16 Admiral future of dams in the world and how climate change will affect them

https://www.un-ihe.org/news/dams-increasing-danger-collapse-due-climate-change-and-conflict

04:06 Interesting news Felix about shrimps from fellow ESRAG members. 

07:13 Introduction Guest Salvador Rico

Salvador Rico joined the Rotary Club of South Ukiah, California (D5130) in 2007, motivated by Rotary International's efforts to eradicate polio—a cause close to his heart after losing his older sister to the disease in the late 1960s.

Salvador currently serves as the District International Service Chair for District 5130 (2022-2028) and is a member of the Rotary Foundation Cadre team (2021-2027). Passionate about environmental conservation, he founded the Cleaning the Rivers of the World initiative in 2009, promoting it internationally since 2013 and leading the WASRAG River Cleaning Challenge from 2016 to 2018. Since 2018, he has been an active ESRAG member and advocate for the environment as Rotary’s seventh area of focus.

In 2023, Salvador was selected as a Rotary delegate to the COP-28 climate summit in Dubai. He played a crucial role in organizing the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) and India’s Mission to Clean River Ganga at the Rotary Pavilion during COP-28.

Salvador also serves as an advisor for the Community Action for Fresh Water initiative—a partnership between Rotary International and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). As District International Services Director, he leads monthly meetings with club directors across D5130 to explore international project opportunities, consistently supporting reforestation and environmental projects through Rotary clubs worldwide.

07:54 Background of Salvador Rico journey into Rotary.

14:02 Pollution of Rivers worldwide

18:07 What has it been like working with Rotary and UNEP on the Adopt a River project? Are there any particular challenges you'd like to highlight?

More information about it all, you can find it here:

https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-unep-partnership

20:20 What has been progress with the Motagua river clean up in Guatemala and the restoration of the watershed. 

28:55 Find out more information about adopting the river Rotary action.

30:00 Passion for Rotaract.

32:50 Talking to other officials in the environmental sphere.

39:00 Positive comments of Salvador for the future of the Clean Rivers project.

 

Positive ending

41:09 Admiral: In October 2024, the Azores established Europe's largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, covering 287,000 square kilometers. This initiative safeguards the region's unique underwater ecosystems, including deep-sea corals, whales, dolphins, sharks, manta rays, and fish, from harmful activities like fishing. The network designates 15% of the Azores' waters as fully protected and another 15% as highly protected. Link:

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/10/22/an-achievement-for-the-azoreans-eu-makes-leap-towards-30x30-with-massive-ocean-protection-

42:58 Felix: Earthshot prize, submit your solution.

https://earthshotprize.org/get-involved/

More about ESRAG:

https://esrag.org/​​