RSS Feed
Author Archive
United Kingdom: Treasury confirms “secret meetings” with industry over shale gas tax breaks
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on August 29th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Treasury officials have met with representatives of the shale gas industry to discuss the introduction of tax breaks at the rate of around twice a month since Chancellor George Osborne announced his intention to provide the nascent fossil fuel industry with one of the most generous tax regimes in the world.
The revelation came in response to a freedom of information request from Friends of the Earth, although the Treasury failed to respond to accompanying requests on the nature of the meetings...
Posted in 
United Kingdom: Cameron calls on north and south to get behind fracking
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on August 12th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Prime Minister David Cameron has today issued his clearest call to date for communities to support a nationwide boom in fracking activity, arguing that it will deliver lower energy bills and create jobs without damaging the environment.
In an article for the Telegraph that is bound to anger the growing ranks of those opposed to fracking, Cameron said he was determined to win the debate over whether or not the UK should exploit its shale gas resources.
"If we don't back this technology, we will...
Anything but fine
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on August 6th, 2013
BusinessGreen: A couple of weeks ago I spent a very pleasant evening at The Oval watching Surrey take on their local rivals Middlesex. It was a Friday night, a beautiful summer evening, and the cricket, despite a cameo from the great Ricky Ponting, was not at its most captivating. Consequently, the full house crowd at the Oval engaged in what full house crowds at the Oval always do when the home side are winning comfortably and enthusiastically par-took of the hospitality on offer from the bar. The net result is...
French President insists shale gas ban is staying put
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on July 15th, 2013
BusinessGreen: French President Francois Hollande has sought to end speculation France could soften its controversial moratorium on shale gas development, stating unequivocally that the ban will remain in place as long as he remains in office.
A French court is due to rule this week on an appeal against the ban on fracking, after developer Schuepbach Energy sought to challenge to 2011 moratorium.
The ruling comes following a debate within the government over whether to rethink the policy. French Industry...
Obama to confirm tough new power plant emissions rules
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on June 25th, 2013
BusinessGreen: The White House has today confirmed President Obama's long-awaited climate strategy will include new restrictions on emissions from coal-fired power plants, a major push to increase investment in clean energy technologies, and the introduction of new efficiency standards for appliances and buildings.
Documents released this morning ahead of the President's landmark speech at Georgetown University this afternoon, outline a new three-pronged strategy based on cutting domestic carbon emissions, increasing...
Protestors crank up calls for Obama to block tar sands pipeline
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on February 18th, 2013
BusinessGreen: An estimated 35,000 protestors descended on Washington yesterday to call on President Obama to block the controversial Keystone XL tar sands pipeline once and for all.
The "Forward on Climate" event was hailed as the largest climate change protest in US history by organisers and will further crank up pressure on Obama ahead of the crucial decision later this year on whether the pipeline can proceed.
The protest, which was backed by a host of green NGOs, including the 350.org campaign, the Sierra...
United Kingdom: Cumbrian nuclear waste vote marred by allegations of scare tactics
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on February 11th, 2013
BusinessGreen: The decision by Cumbria Council to block proposals for a new underground storage facility for the radioactive waste currently stored in the county is facing fresh questions, after allegations emerged of an organised campaign to "intimidate" councillors considering voting in favour of further investigation into the plan.
Cumbria Council voted last month to block the next stage of work to assess whether a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) should be developed in the west of the county, despite a...
Apple admits litany of violations to green supply chain code of conduct
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on January 25th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Almost 150 of Apple's suppliers failed to properly store or handle potentially hazardous chemicals, including one that was found to have been intentionally dumping waste cutting oil in a "rest room receptacle".
That is just one of the stark revelations from the electronics giant's Supplier Responsibility Progress Report, which has won plaudits for the company's commitment to transparency, at the same time as raising serious questions about environmental and labour practices across its supply chain....
Obama’s climate commitment faces early test as Keystone decision looms
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on January 23rd, 2013
BusinessGreen: President Obama will face an early test of his renewed commitment to action on climate change, after Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman approved controversial plans for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
The plans still need to be approved by the State Department and a spokeswoman told the Reuters news agency that its review of the proposals would not be completed before the end of March, giving the President some breathing room.
But observers are predicting the State Department is likely to...
Report: Annual investment in watershed protection tops $8bn
Posted by BusinessGreen: James Murray on January 21st, 2013
BusinessGreen: The number of projects that aim to enhance water security by protecting water-rich ecosystems such as forests and wetlands has nearly doubled over the past four years, according to a major new report that reveals annual investment in so-called ecosystem service projects has cleared $8bn.
The study from US-based NGO Forest Trends confirms there were at least 205 watershed protection projects in place by the end of 2011, generating $8.17bn in investment, an increase of nearly $2bn on 2008 levels....