Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Carbon trading likely to develop regionally -experts

Huge investments in green technology in Asia and steps towards domestic emissions trading are opening up the prospect of regional carbon trading, climate change experts in Asia said on Wednesday.

Many Asian nations are not waiting for agreement on a broader U.N. climate pact and see good investment opportunities to move ahead now to boost energy security and job growth.

Countries such as China, Japan, Korea and Australia were likely to press ahead with their own schemes to curb greenhouse gases, Anthony Hobley, global head of climate change at law firm Norton Rose, said at a... Read more..

To counter West, China and India reach out to small island-States

The BASIC group of large developing nations – India, China, Brazil and South Africa – on Monday intensified their efforts to win the crucial support of small island States on the climate change debate ahead of the year-end U.N. summit at Cancun in Mexico.

Their attempts, however, faced hurdles, with persistent differences on emission reduction targets between the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the BASIC countries.

The AOSIS has emerged as a key voice in the climate debate, given the particular susceptibility of small islands to the consequences of climate... Read more..

Wind energy to surge by 2030, but faces grid constraints

Wind energy will increase to make up between five and 22 percent of world power generated by 2030 and countries must do more to expand electricity grids to cope, a study by pro-wind groups showed on Tuesday.

The report, by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and environmental group Greenpeace, also said nations in Latin America and Africa were shifting to wind alongside established markets in Europe, North America, China and India.

It said wind turbines accounted for about 2.3 percent of world electricity demand in 2010. Growth in China had outpaced previous projections by... Read more..

Population growth demographics spur climate change

The world is probably going to be a more crowded place by 2100 and demographic changes in this growing population -- how many more people there are, how old they are and where they live -- will affect climate-warming emissions, researchers reported on Monday.

Slowing down population growth could have a profound effect on the level of carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use, the researchers found, but this alone will not be enough to prevent the most severe impact from climate change.

Scientists have long drawn a connection between population growth and increased... Read more..

Minimum efficiency norms for buildings

Not just green buildings, but green towns; sustainable construction not just by an enthusiastic few but by all with clear regulations by the authorities. These are some of the imperatives to ensure viable built-up space, say experts at the international conference organised by CII-IGBC (Indian Green Business Council) as a part of the Green Building Congress-2010.

Also apparent was the marked optimism that India was on the right track.

IGBC going greener

While so far the focus has been on green building particularly commercial space, the construction industry led by the... Read more..

Reject protectionism in climate talks: Jairam Ramesh

Climate officials from developing countries met here on Sunday to come up with a strategy to ensure that any climate agreement will have provisions to restrict attempts by developed nations to impose trade penalties on carbon emitters.

Officials from the BASIC group of developing countries — Brazil, South Africa, India and China — have, in negotiations here this week, pushed for the introduction of a text to “reject the use of unilateral protectionist measures” by developed countries, said Minister of Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh.

“We would like this text to be... Read more..

Calling: More architects to Bengal with green building knowhow

Joining the world in fighting back global warming, the state government is emphasising on churning out more architects with proper knowledge and skills to build green buildings in Bengal.

Last month, the Association for Development and Research on Sustainable Habitats in association with The Energy Research Institute and West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation (WBGEDC) conducted a three-day training workshop in which 35 city architects had participated. "There are plans to conduct such training programmes at least once a year to impart knowledge to young architects on ways... Read more..

Asia-Pacific firms worried over carbon laws: survey

 Asia-Pacific firms are worried that tougher laws on greenhouse gas emissions will hit financial performance and uncertainties on the issue are already limiting their ability to raise capital, a survey published on Monday showed.

The survey by Standard & Poor's and carbon analytics firm RepuTex slso found only a minority of firms demonstrated a high understanding of risks associated with tighter carbon laws.

"Respondents from all sectors across the entire Asia-Pacific region clearly stated that they anticipate climate change to progressively affect their financial... Read more..

CII inks pact to establish green manufacturing centre

A green manufacturing center of excellence will be set up in Germany in the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode under a pact inked between the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) and Germany's Fraunhoffer Institute, it was announced here Saturday.

According to CII chief Chandrajit Banerjee, the center will facilitate the process of Germany exporting advanced eco-friendly technologies to the Indian manufacturing industry.

"The setting up of this center of excellence by CII will redefine the way the Indian industry,... Read more..

U.S. official says China ignoring climate deal

The top U.S. climate envoy accused China on Friday of trying to undermine the commitments it made to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the latest round of international climate change talks. 

Todd Stern said China, which has overtaken the United States as the largest emitter of climate-warming gases, must honor pledges it made in last year's Copenhagen Accord and the developing nation must be treated like other major polluters.

Chinese negotiators "have acted almost as though the accord never happened, insisting on legally binding commitments for developed countries and purely... Read more..

Little progress seen in climate talks in China

Hopes dimmed for progress at climate talks in China as negotiators moved into their final day Saturday with little consensus.

Marred by an atmosphere of mistrust, negotiations have made little headway as China and the United States, the world's two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, hardened their positions and traded recriminations, said Wendel Trio, international climate policy director for Greenpeace.

"What we've seen is that both opponents have kind of elaborated their opposition further, rather than trying to come together," he said.

Delegates from more than... Read more..

Ramesh hopeful env issues will get due attention after new law

Environment minister Jairam Ramesh has expressed hope that enactment of a new law would pave the way for raising "real" environment issues instead of land acquisition woes related to projects awaiting clearance.

His comments on the proposed Land Acquisition Amendment Bill hold importance as presently, instead of environmental issues, it has been found that land acquisition related problems discussed during public hearings, which part of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report, often become the deciding factor for giving a nod to a project.

Unhappy with the trend,... Read more..