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WASHINGTON, DC, December 31, 2009 (ENS) – For the first time, the U.S. EPA intends to establish a Chemicals of Concern list and is beginning a process that could lead to regulations requiring risk reduction measures to protect human health and the environment. The agency is taking action to control four groups of chemicals that EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson says raise “serious health or environmental concerns.” “The American people are understandably concerned about the chemicals making their way into our products, our environment and our bodies,” said Jackson, announcing the action Wednesday. “We will continue to use our authority under existing law to protect Americans from exposure to harmful chemicals and to highlight chemicals we believe warrant concern. This is the first time the EPA has used the authority of the existing Toxic Substances Control Act, TSCA, to list chemicals that “may present an unreasonable risk of injury to health and the environment.” »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 30 Dec 2009 It’s a good time to look back at the green business issues and news items popular with energy and environmental executives. Here are Environmental Leader’s top green business stories for 2009, based on reader interest: 1. Energy Efficient Appliance Rebates Ready to Roll
By GreenBiz Staff, 31 Dec 2009
Cambridge, MA — VC investment in green technologies totaled $4.85 billion in 356 deals in 2009, down from 2008’s $7.6 billion, though the number of deals in 2009 exceeded the previous year, as entrepreneurs and venture firms look to greentech to help lead the economy back to health. According to data from GTM Research, solar power was once again the leading investment segment at more than $1.4 billion in 84 deals followed by biofuels at $976 million in 44 rounds. Investment in smart grid, energy storage and automotive technologies gained momentum along with wind, water and lighting technologies. “Water has finally made it onto venture capital radar screens with more than $130 million invested in 33 deals,” the firm noted. »Read full story
As an example in China, the new Solar Valley Micro-E Hotel, in Dezhou, Shandong province, is touted as the world’s first environmentally-friendly theme park-style hotel, »Read full story
YEREVAN, Armenia, December 28, 2009 (ENS) – Armenia has cleared the way for a new nuclear power plant, despite green groups’ objections that its location could put the country’s capital at risk. Earlier this month, the government approved the creation of Atomstroyexport, a joint Russian-Armenian company that will own the station. “Today we are taking a political decision, we are giving our agreement to the creation of a joint venture with our Russian partners,” said Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan on December 3. Armenia plans to finish the new generating unit by 2016, and it will replace the Metsamor plant, which produces 40 percent of the country’s power but is nearing the end of its life. Without the nuclear plant, Armenia would be largely dependent on gas imported from Russia or Iran. »Read full story
With the backdrop of Copenhagen and Congress tackling the issue of climate change, now more than ever we need government and business to play together. As CEOs, executives and business leaders, we depend on policymakers – be they city council members, governors, legislators, members of the Administration or even the President himself – to do the right thing. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 21 Dec 2009 More than three-quarters of people have said they would be more likely to recycle batteries if it was easier to do, according to a survey. Researchers found that 95% of those questioned said they recycled some household waste but only a third (34%) had recycled batteries. But four out of five (80%) said they would do it if it was easier. More than 600 million batteries are used in the UK every year, with 40% of them bought at Christmas to power gifts including toys and digital cameras. »Read full story
The climate treaty announcement is legitimately catching some heat for being too little, too late. The enormity of the crisis cries out for strong binding pollution reduction targets by all countries and massive infusions of public and private capital to catalyze a fast-track transition to a low-carbon economy. But expecting we’d get all this at COP15 was never realistic. That’s why leading US businesses such as Nike, PG&E and North Face are encouraged by these first positive steps from Copenhagen. Businesses are clamoring for comprehensive national and international policies that provide certainty that all countries are ready to work together to tackle this colossal challenge. »Read full story
The UN climate conference in Copenhagen has ended having approved a deal described by world leaders as a “first step” to tackling global warming. After another all-night session of wrangling among negotiators and officials, the agreement drawn up by leaders attending the much-anticipated talks was finally gavelled through to wide applause in the main conference hall. »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 18 Dec 2009 The U.S., China, India, Brazil and South Africa have reached a “meaningful agreement” for combating climate change, The Wall Street Journal reports. But an administration official said the non-binding deal was not sufficient to combat climate change. Under the agreement, each country will list the actions it will take to cut greenhouses gases by specific amounts, AP reports. The deal sets a cap on worldwide temperature increases at no more than 2 degrees, but contains no binding emissions standards, »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 18 Dec 2009 While 74 percent of Americans have switched to an energy-saving light bulb in 2009, the vast majority don’t know about the impending federal phase-out of incandescent bulbs, starting in 2012 with the 100-watt bulb, according to Osram’s second annual SYLVANIA Socket Survey. Despite higher pricing, the majority of respondents say they are likely to purchase a CFL, halogen or LED bulb in the future, citing energy savings as an important factor. Other findings show that CFLs continue to be second only to traditional lighting and are used in 71 percent of homes in the U.S., »Read full story
By GreenerBuildings Staff, 17 Dec 2009
BERKELEY, CA — Scientific Conservation, which unleashed its powerhouse SCIwatch automated continuous commissioning software-as-a-solution service this summer, has struck up an alliance with Natural Logic, a firm that’s made its mark as a sustainability consultancy. The firms said they will provide joint customers with “a comprehensive and measurable sustainability plan” that melds SCIwatch services with those of Natural Logic to optimize energy efficiency in buildings. »Read full story
By GreenerBuildings Staff, 17 Dec 2009
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — With help from property management firm Cushman & Wakefield, the 38-story First Market Tower in San Francisco has earned LEED-Gold certification and become the largest existing building on the U.S. West Coast to receive such a rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. Constructed more than 35 years ago, the highrise at 525 Market Street in San Francisco has a gross square footage of 1,161,736. It is one of two well-known San Francisco buildings to receive a gold rating this month as an existing structure under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards. »Read full story
By Robert Kropp, 15 Dec 2009
Copenhagen, Denmark — [Editor's note: This article originally appeared at SocialFunds.com and is reprinted with permission.] As the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) entered its second and final week in Copenhagen, not unexpected fissures between developed and developing economies were exposed. Reports indicate that the U.S. and China are at an impasse over verification of emissions reduction targets, and developing nations in the Group of 77 (G-77) staged a walkout on Monday, »Read full story
As developed nations try to reduce their emissions, wind power can help achieve as much as 65 percent of the cuts pledged by 2020, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. Yet, the further adoption of wind power in the U.S. is beset by far-ranging and inconsistent cost/benefit estimations. The Global Wind Energy Council said that Annex I pledges by 2020, including those from the U.S., the EU, Norway, Japan and Russia, comprise as much as 20 percent of all emissions cuts needed by 2020, reports REVE. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 15 Dec 2009 A showdown between the world’s two largest polluters is looming over the Copenhagen climate change talks as China accused the United States and other rich nations of backtracking on a deal to fight global warming. Trying to ease the tension, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said rich and poor countries must work together and “stop pointing fingers” at each other. »Read full story
By GreenerComputing Staff, 14 Dec 2009
WALLDORF, Germany — Business software giant SAP AG last week unveiled its latest effort in helping apply the power of IT to corporate environmental goals. The company’s Sustainability Performance Management addition to its BusinessObjects BI (business intelligence) software line aims to integrate the collection and measurement of environmental data into the already-commonplace data gathering methods companies have adopted. »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 14 Dec 2009 Boeing and Midwest Research Institute buildings have received LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Nordea will receive a LEED plaque for its 14 LEED-certified buildings. The Boeing Company recently received LEED Gold certification for its Houston site, reports Reliable Plant. The LEED Gold certification was awarded to the Houston facility’s 399,000-square-foot Bay Area Boulevard building in the category of existing buildings, according to a press release. »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 14 Dec 2009 The Association for Chartered Certified Accountants, a UK-based group, has developed 10 tips for making a workplace more sustainable and accountable for its carbon emissions. “Getting the office that bit greener is all about changing people’s habits, so staff buy-in and involvement is the first step – and then the challenge is to keep the momentum going,” said Wyn Mears, Director of ACCA UK. Here are the ACCA’s 10 tips. »Read full story
By Velma McColl, 12 Dec 2009 Can the Copenhagen negotiations yield a successor to the Kyoto Protocol? Countries are being asked to commit to greenhouse gas reductions and rules to 2020 and beyond. But serious challenges exist at the UN table and, rather than a legally binding deal, the compromise will be a high-level framework with details to follow. The Canadian and US positions in Copenhagen will mostly be aligned but the hard global politics of climate change will bite in 2010, »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 12 Dec 2009 Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Copenhagen as part of demonstrations around the world to demand a fair and binding new global deal to tackle climate change. The protests to mark the halfway point of crunch UN climate talks in the Danish capital include a mass rally outside the country’s parliament and a march to the conference centre where negotiations on a new global warming deal are taking place. »Read full story
By GreenerComputing Staff, 11 Dec 2009
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Of all the G20 countries — those nations with the world’s largest GDP — Japan has come the farthest in putting green IT to work in reducing its carbon footprint. That is the top-line finding of a new ICT Sustainability Index released this week by research group IDC. The report looked at G20 nations’ use of technology in 17 areas to score their progress toward a low-carbon economy. Of the G20 Industrial Nations, which are responsible for over 75 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions, Japan was far in the lead, scoring 16 points in IDC’s ranking. »Read full story
By Suzanne Maxx COPENHAGEN, Denmark, December 11, 2009 (ENS) – Chanting “Our future, our future,” wearing bright orange t-shirts reading, “How Old Will You Be In 2050?” over 1,000 young people from countries around the world captured the attention of the world leaders, media, nongovernmental organizations, and delegates Thursday at the United Nations climate conference here in Copenhagen. December 10th was the International Young and Future Generations Day at the conference, and youth actions through the day stopped people in their tracks. Going through security clearance lines to enter the Bella Center in the morning, young people stripped down to their underwear. This action woke up even the most exhausted UN delegates and camera people. »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 11 Dec 2009 A greater rift between rich and developing countries is emerging through a war of words as the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15) moves into day 5. Negotiators worked through the night Dec. 10 on a climate aid proposal for developing nations as a way to push the climate talks forward, and news of a draft climate deal emerged. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Dec. 11 that an outline of a UN climate deal came to light on Dec. 10 that basically extends the Kyoto Protocol but would reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for both developed and developing countries. »Read full story
By MSN Environment, 12 Dec 2009 The European Union showed the colour of its money on climate change and challenged the rest of the world to do the same. A two-day summit in Brussels produced agreement on a £6.5 billion three-year package of aid to help poorer countries pay their share of any global deal to tackle climate change. EU officials worked through the night to put together an offer that Gordon Brown and his colleagues will put on the table in Copenhagen next week. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 12 Dec 2009 UK households are slowly going green and are now spending more than £250 a year on environmentally friendly products such as low-energy lightbulbs and energy-efficient appliances, figures have suggested. The Co-operative Bank’s annual Ethical Consumerism Report showed that expenditure on green products and services topped £6.4 billion in 2008. Despite the recession, spending on green goods increased by 5% on the previous year, with each household spending an average of £251 on environmentally friendly products. »Read full story
By GreenBiz Staff, 10 Dec 2009
SACRAMENTO, CA — With an annual increase of 2.4 percent per year, jobs in a wide number of green areas have far outpaced employment rates in other industries, according to a new study by Next 10. The study, “Many Shades of Green: Diversity and Distribution of California’s Green Jobs,” looked at the state of green jobs in the Golden State from 1995 to 2008 and found 45 percent growth in the number of green businesses in that time, and 36 percent growth in overall employment in green fields. The state’s reservoir of green jobs grew from 117,000 in 1995 to 159,000 in 2008, the report’s authors found. »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 10, Dec 2009 Heated discussions started Dec. 9 over a legally binding treaty and deeper emissions cuts that have spilled over into day four of the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen. Rifts between developing countries are also being voiced as the U.S. delivers tough talk to developing nations particularly China on emissions cuts, as the divide between rich and poor nations grow wider. The debate between rich and developing economies shows the reality of how difficult negotiations are among these more than 190 nations at the conference. As the U.S. asks developing countries to “wrap up” their national emission reduction commitments into a global pact, India said it would not accept any internationally binding agreement and its emissions reductions were not up for “review, »Read full story
Scotland is making the “most rapid progress in the world” in measures to tackle climate change, First Minister Alex Salmond has said. It comes as world leaders meet in Copenhagen for talks aimed at reaching a deal to fight global warming. Mr Salmond told MSPs during First Ministers Questions that the climate change Bill passed at Holyrood this year was the “most ambitious” in the world and had strong support from business and civic society. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 11 Dec 2009 Next year could be the warmest year on record, the Met Office said as officials at UN talks in Copenhagen continued negotiations in a bid to secure a new deal to tackle climate change. The forecast from climate scientists said a combination of man-made global warming and a weather pattern – known as El Nino – heating the Pacific Ocean would make it very likely that 2010 would be warmer than 2009. This year is expected to be the fifth warmest on record. But the researchers sounded a note of caution, warning that a record year in 2010 is not a certainty, »Read full story
By Louise Gray, Telegraph.co.uk, 08 Dec 2009 As the world gathered in the Danish capital for the UN Climate Change Conference, more than 50 scientists, businessmen and lobby groups met to discuss the arguments against man made global warming. Although the meeting was considerably smaller than the official gathering of 15,000 people meeting down the road, the organisers claimed it could change the course of negotiations. Professor Henrik Svensmark, a physicist at the Danish National Space Center in Copenhagen, said the recent warming period was caused by solar activity. »Read full story
By: Environmental Leader, 09 Dec 2009 A leak of a Danish draft proposal, which by all accounts has put a bigger wedge between rich and poor nations, set the tone for day three (Dec. 9) of the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen. In what is shaping up to be a developed versus developing country slugfest of words, developing countries have released a draft of their own. The heated discussions began Dec. 8 when news leaked of a Danish draft proposal that was described by the Guardian as a document “prepared in secret” by a group of individuals known as “the circle of commitment”. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 09 Dec 2009 A £1.3 billion EU cash injection for “clean” energy plans across Europe includes £262 million for wind power and carbon capture and storage in the UK, the European Commission announced. The 15 Europe-wide projects to benefit include the “HVDC hub” in Scotland (£66 million), which will connect offshore wind and marine generation in Shetland to the Scottish mainland. An offshore wind farm near Aberdeen gets £36m, and the remaining £160 million goes to a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project in Hatfield, South Yorkshire. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 09 Dec 2009 The United States has, for the first time, outlined a dual path toward cutting greenhouse gases. The plan would involve both President Barack Obama’s administration and the US Congress, the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Lisa Jackson told the Copenhagen climate conference. She also said her decision earlier this week that greenhouse gases should be regulated was intended..»Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 09 Dec 2009 A group of influential Conservative MPs has published a pamphlet calling for a “Churchillian” response to the threat of climate change. In a series of essays, the Tory Reform Group is demanding action on a number of fronts by a future Conservative government to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint, embrace technology and make the country more sustainable. Environmental Audit Committee chairman Tim Yeo warned: “On climate, the world is drinking in the last chance saloon”. »Read full story
By: Environment Leader, 08 Dec 2009 The second day of the 15th United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen for a 12-day conference kicked off on a high note with encouraging words from UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer. He said negotiators must use the first week of the conference to lay the groundwork for adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology, capacity-building and forests. He also expects funding of at least $10 billion a year from now until 2012 to support developing countries. Hopeful signs started to trickle in from various countries including the U.S. and India, until brewing disagreements between developed and developing reared their ugly heads again. »Read full story
By GreenerComputing Staff, 08 Dec 2009
SAN JOSE, CA — A global closed-loop reverse supply chain has enabled Cisco to collect nearly 24 million pounds of returned electronic equipment, more than 99 percent of which was recycled or reused. The networking giant offers a discount on new products in exchange for returned equipment. Redeploying that unwanted equipment saved Cisco $153 million in fiscal 2009, the company said in its just-released Corporate Social Responsibility report. »Read full story
Renewable technology which uses energy stored in the ground to heat buildings and provide hot water could be installed in hundreds of thousands of homes and offices by the end of the next decade, a report has said. There are currently around 8,000 ground source heat pumps systems in the UK, far fewer than in other European countries such as Sweden, although the market is expanding rapidly – and doubled last year from 4,000 to current numbers. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 09 Dec 2009 The Conservatives would support an “ambitious” international climate deal if they win the next election, shadow energy and climate change secretary Greg Clark said. But he warned it was important to ensure any deal on global warming, which could be agreed as a result of the UN talks in Copenhagen, was worth having and not just struck to provide a “photo opportunity” for world leaders. »Read full story
The Environmental Protection Agency and the Obama Administration are expected to announce the long-awaited — and long-feared, by some — ruling that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to public health and welfare, according to news reports. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has planned a “significant climate announcement” at 1:15 Eastern Dec. 7. »Read full story
By ClimateBiz Staff, 07 Dec 2009
Washington, DC — Gap, Bank of America, Coors and Shaklee are among eight big-name corporations that earned kudos from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last week for reducing their carbon footprints.
The agency honored Anheuser-Busch, Bank of America, Coors Brewing Co., Eastman Kodak Co., First Environment Inc., Gap Inc., Roche Group U.S., and Shaklee Corp. for meeting their commitments to the Climate Leaders program, »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 07 Dec 2009 The UK has signed up with eight other European countries to develop an offshore wind electricity grid spanning the North and Irish seas. The Government also announced three companies would receive a share of £5 million in grants for offshore wind technology research, including £1.75 million to turbine manufacturer Vestas. »Read full story
Crunch climate talks began in Copenhagen with leaders and officials urged to achieve “a truly ambitious” deal on tackling global warming. President of the two-week conference Connie Hedegaard said the world had reached the deadline for achieving a new deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions and deliver finance to support poor countries in the fight against climate change. »Read full story
By: Environment News Service, 04 Dec 2009 NEW DELHI, India, December 4, 2009 (ENS) – India will never accept legally binding emission cuts at Copenhagen, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told Parliament Thursday, but he did say the government plans to reduce India’s level of “emission intensity” by 20 to 25 percent compared with 2005 levels. Emission intensity is the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions to Gross Domestic Product. This statement marks the first time that India has offered to meet any type of numeric goal in the fight against global warming. »Read full story
The U.S. Climate Task Force (CTF) and Future 500 released the results of a new survey by Hart Research, which reveals that three out of four Americans favor legislation to significantly cut carbon emissions — contradicting reports that public support had cooled. (December 5, 2009) – The survey report, “Energy And Climate Change Policy: A Survey among American Voters” shows that U.S. voters favor a carbon tax over cap and trade by nearly two-to-one. These findings suggest it’s politically feasible for the U.S. Congress to pass a national emissions policy; lawmakers just need to pick the right one. »Read full story
A blue wave has rolled towards Westminster as thousands of people marched wearing the colour to call for action on climate change. World leaders will meet next week in Copenhagen with the aim of securing a new deal to tackle rising temperatures. »Read full story
By: MSN Environment, 05 Dec 2009 The Copenhagen climate change summit has been given “huge impetus” by Barack Obama’s decision to attend during its crucial final stages, Downing Street said. Number 10 hailed the US President’s about-turn as evidence that world leaders were coming together to seal a meaningful deal over the next fortnight. »Read full story
By GreenBiz Staff, 04 Dec 2009
OAKLAND, CA — Walmart shook up the retail landscape last summer when it announced it would begin surveying suppliers on their environmental performance in order to one day rate the sustainability of its products. The initiative also launched the Sustainability Consortium, a group representing government, NGO, academic and business interests that would develop the standards to be used to rate the sustainable attributes of products. »Read full story
LONDON, UK, December 3, 2009 (ENS) – The world has a “50-50 chance” of avoiding global warming of more than two degrees Celsius, the threshold for dangerous climate change, if a strong political agreement can be reached at the United Nations conference in Copenhagen, and then implemented, says Lord Nicholas Stern, an economics and climate expert at the London School of Economics and Political Science. But, he says, a total of governments’ most ambitious emissions reduction targets stated so far still fall short of that goal. »Read full story
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