News

A major new report from the UK Energy Research Centre uncovers the truth behind energy efficiency and carbon reductions
The UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) today unveils a major new report on how 'Rebound Effects' can result in energy savings falling short of expectations, thereby threatening the success of UK climate policy.

Towards a sustainable transport system: supporting economic growth in a low carbon world
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm72/7226/7226.pdf
This document confirms that the Government's believes that its transport policy will deliver economic growth and lower carbon emissions. It summarises the policy and investment plans over the period to 2014; and describes how the Government will implement a new approach to strategic transport planning for the period 2014-19 and beyond.
It seems though in reality to be business as usual.

Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn says that the Government is going to establish a strengthened, more effective and more transparent Bill to help tackle climate change.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/legislation/index.h...
The changes to the draft Bill, set out in a Command Paper entitled ‘Taking Forward the UK Climate Change Bill’ published today, include:

A powerful new body must be established to drive climate change policy after a decade of failure by the government, a Commons committee has said.
In a report, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) said the government had not risen fully to the challenge.
It voiced concern at the government's likely failure to meet its own targets to cut CO2 emissions by 20% by 2010.
This would damage the UK's lead role in efforts to reach a new international climate change agreement, it warned.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmenvaud/740/...

Interesting links to food industry and the environment.
http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/statnot/FoodTransportIndicatorsSN2007...
http://www.oxfordenergy.org/pdfs/comment_1007-1.pdf
http://www.fdf.org.uk/publicgeneral/environment_makingarealdifference.pd...
http://www.fdf.org.uk/environment_makingadifference.aspx

ECI has launched a new strategy designed to empower individuals, communities, and organizations to take action and promote the Earth Charter worldwide.
http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/2000/10/action_guidelines_for_decent...
http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/2000/10/the_earth_charter.html

Continuing destruction of the natural world is affecting the health, wealth and well-being of people around the globe, according to a major UN report.
It lists degradation of farmland, loss of forest cover, pollution, dwindling fresh water supplies and overfishing among society's environmental ills.
The UN Environment Programme (Unep) says there is a "remarkable lack of urgency" to reverse these trends.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7050788.stm

The government signalled that it is pulling back from its aspiration to source 20% of Britain's energy supply from renewables by 2020.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/oct/24/renewableenergy
And
Carbon output rising faster than forecast, says study
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/oct/23/climatechange.carbonem...

The sweet notion that making a company environmentally friendly can be not just cost-effective but profitable is going up in smoke.
Meet the man wielding the torch...
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_44/b4056001.htm?chan=sea...

“The true economic impact of climate change is fraught with hidden costs...”
The direct costs of not taking on the challenges posed by climate change are often neglected – and typically not calculated. The indirect effects are considered even less frequently, yet can be substantial. The effects will be felt by the entire nation:
* All sectors of the economy will be affected.
*Essential infrastructures for reliable services and high standards of living and health (such as water supply and water treatment) will be impacted.