News

This report, by Consumer Focus, sets out how climate change will impact on British consumers, with a particular focus on the implications for property and investments - choices made by today's consumers that are likely to be affected by tomorrow's climate. Survey data indicates that consumers are increasingly aware of the risks of climate change, but do not have the information or the ability to prepare themselves.

Friends of the Earth and Compassion in World Farming, reveals new research findings indicating that if you wish you can still enjoy meat several times a week whilst feeding the world using planet-friendly and humane farming methods. The research models future food production against different diets, farming methods and land use, and concludes that enough food can be produced to feed the growing world population with fairer and healthier diets whilst avoiding deforestation and animal cruelty.

Monbiot
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/16/oil-running-out-madm...

A new study has been accepted for publication in the journal of Energy Policy. The article performs an analysis of the oil production forecast done by the International Energy Agency in 2008 and highlights several shortcomings as well as confirms other parts.
Abstract:

Why is it still the economic that is still considered to be 'real' value?
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study is a major international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefits of biodiversity, to highlight the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to draw together expertise from the fields of science, economics and policy to enable practical actions moving forward.
http://www.teebweb.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=I4Y2nqqIiCg%3d&tabid=92...

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ latest environment theme report is Climate Change: Adapting to the Inevitable? It considers the possible climate changes which we may expect over the next 1,000 years due to continuing CO2 emissions, and recommends what engineers need to do to adapt to our future world so that we can cope with these changes.

An alternative white paper on banking and financial sector reform
Only radical reform of the UK banking and financial sector can deliver institutions capable of investment and lending that is economically and socially productive. Rather than seeking a technical fix for our sick financial sector Government should be having a philosophical rethink. A return to business-as-usual would prevent the Government’s own stated ambitions of a more competitive and diverse sector from being realised.

Nuclear gets fast-track, but renewables left with little
http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/359603/nuclear_gets_fastt...

Primary energy demand - that means power for electricity, transport, and everything else - is projected to rise about 40% by 2030 compared to 2007 levels. And most of that increase will come in developing countries. The total, global bill for meeting that energy demand? $26 trillion, the IEA says.

The Role of Influential Individuals in Social Networks
In mainstream commercial marketing, the concept of a 'maven' is increasingly well established. A maven is an individual with two key attributes: they have specialist or detailed knowledge about consumer products; and they are perceived as a trusted and reliable source of information by other individuals in their social network.