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Marsh: Infrastructure investors overlooking climate threats
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on July 24th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Infrastructure investors are still failing to adequately consider the impact of climate change when making long term investments, leaving energy, transport, and communications developments exposed to mounting physical risks, insurance broking giant Marsh has warned. A new report by the risk management specialist says the climate resilience of infrastructure assets such as new power stations, railways, or broadband networks, should be more widely considered at the project's inception, as well as...
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EU pledges to support China’s climate efforts
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on July 19th, 2013
BusinessGreen: China has asked the EU to help it tackle pollution related to heavy metals and water and waste treatment. Janez Potocnik, EU Environment Commissioner, told news agency Reuters that Brussels was investing EUR10m in a scheme called the EU China Environmental Sustainability Project, which is set to be launched today. "If you're following the statements of political leaders, obviously they are recognising that this is becoming a serious issue," Potocnik said. "They are also addressing it more thoroughly...
Environmental damage costing India nearly six per cent of GDP
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on July 18th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Environmental degradation is seriously restricting India's economic growth, costing it around Rs. 3.75tr ($80bn) or 5.7 per cent of GDP each year.
That is the stark conclusion of a major new report from the World Bank, entitled Diagnostic Assessment of Select Environmental Challenges in India and hailed as the first major report to look at the economic impact of environmental damage in one of the world's largest emerging economies.
The report concludes that a host of well-documented environmental...
Sacked French Environment Minister blames fracking push
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on July 5th, 2013
BusinessGreen: The fallout from the firing of French Environment Minister Delphine Batho earlier this week has escalated, with the ousted minister accusing the shale gas and nuclear industries of contributing to her downfall.
In a press conference yesterday, Batho told reporters that the "battle crystallised notably on the question of shale gas and more discreetly on the reduction of nuclear in France." In comments reported by the Bloomberg news agency she added that "these forces that I am talking about wanted...
United Kingdom: Government agrees flood protection deal with insurers
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on June 27th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Hundreds of thousands of homeowners in areas at high risk of flooding will be able to insure their properties, after the government struck a deal with insurance companies just weeks before the current agreement was set to expire.
The news of the long-awaited deal came as the government introduced its new Water Bill, which contains plans to increase competition in the water market and new measures to improve drought resilience, as well as proposals for a new national water network.
Lengthy negotiations...
Sustainable restaurant rankings go global
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on April 30th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Diners all over the globe will soon be able to find out just how sustainable their meals are, after a new international rating system was launched today.
The method developed by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) scores restaurants on how they manage their energy, waste and water, as well as their sourcing of local food and treatment of staff.
Since its launch in the UK in 2010, the SRA has rated more than 500 restaurants using its three-star system and is also working with Eurostar...
Chinese airline to start biofuel-powered commerical flights
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on April 25th, 2013
BusinessGreen: China Eastern Airlines has said it plans to introduce biofuel-powered commercial flights, after yesterday completing its first successful trial of green aviation fuel.
An Airbus A320 landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport yesterday morning after completing an 85-minute flight using a biofuel made from a blend of palm oil and recycled cooking oil produced by Sinopec.
State media reported that Captain Liu Zhimin, who piloted Wednesday's flight, performed several extreme manoeuvres...
EPA raises fresh concerns over Keystone pipeline
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on April 23rd, 2013
BusinessGreen: The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday provided another twist to the long-running row over the planned Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, raising fresh concerns over the project's environmental impact.
President Obama is due to make a decision on whether or not to approve the project later this year and industry experts have been predicting that he is likely to rubber-stamp the pipeline after a State Department draft environmental impact statement recently failed to raise objections...
Report: UK will need gas in the future – but must avoid ‘carbon lock-in’
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on April 22nd, 2013
BusinessGreen: The UK must continue its policy of closing coal-fired power stations to meet its climate targets and should switch plants to run on biomass or gas to reduce emissions over the coming decades.
Significant investments will also be needed in energy efficiency, nuclear and new renewable generation as well as carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, according to a major new report published today by Carbon Connect, an independent cross-party forum chaired by former Energy Minister Charles Hendry...
United Kingdom: New £5m funding pot aims to shield businesses from flooding
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on March 27th, 2013
BusinessGreen: The government has unveiled a £5m package to protect homes and businesses from the risk of flooding, amid rising fears that thousands of properties could be left without flood insurance next year.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) this week announced that 13 regions most at risk from flooding will benefit from the multi-million pound pot for community-based projects to bolster flood resilience.
The areas set to benefit are Blackburn, Buckinghamshire, Calderdale,...