News

Abstract: This paper presents results of a study that examined the perceptions and preferences of identified ―responsible, sustainable consumers‖ with respect to functional products. The study is part of a larger research program that looks at material cultures and product design in relation to sustainable production and consumption.

Business underestimating catastrophic consequences of declining oil, says Lloyd's of London/Chatham House report
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jul/11/peak-oil-energy-disruptio...
Sustainable Energy Security: Strategic Risks and Opportunities for Business
http://www.chathamhouse.org.uk/publications/papers/view/-/id/891/

Emails stolen from one of the world's leading climate change research centers contained no evidence to undermine the case for manmade global warming, a report found on Wednesday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66627120100707
Report
http://www.cce-review.org/pdf/FINAL%20REPORT.pdf

Where do we go after last year's failed Copenhagen climate change conference? Coalition of the Willing is an animated film that attempts to answer that question. The film was made by Knife Party Productions, a 24-person animation global collective helmed by Simon Robson
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2010/jun/21/copenhagen-clima...

- a brief introduction for scientists and engineers
- or anyone else who has to do something about it

This new briefing, produced by Green Alliance, recommends raising aviation taxation to remove the disparity with road fuel taxation. It estimates that the government could raise an additional £2.5 billion a year by 2013 by this means. A recent analysis by the Policy Studies Institute, ‘A new basis for aviation taxation’, suggests that the government should reform aviation taxation at the same time as increasing its level, replacing the air passenger duty (APD) with a per-plane duty (PPD). This would give airlines a much greater incentive to reduce the environmental impact of planes.

New study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals huge disparities in the 'relative scientific credibility' of the opposing sides of the climate change debate
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/06/04/1003187107.full.pdf+html

Food prices are set to rise as much as 40% over the coming decade amid growing demand from emerging markets and for biofuel production, according to a United Nations report which warns of rising hunger and food insecurity.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jun/15/food-prices-rise-un-repor...
Report
http://www.agri-outlook.org/dataoecd/13/13/45438527.pdf

David King is director of the Smith school of enterprise and the environment at Oxford, was chief scientific adviser to the government from 2000 to 2007.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/13/bp-energy-oil-recess...

Creating neighbourhood networks for energy, waste and water.
The UK Green Building Council and Zero Carbon Hub task force reports back on how to shift from centralised to community-scale management of resources, such as energy, waste and water.
http://www.cabe.org.uk/sustainable-cities/updates/creating-neighbourhood...