Global News
Conservatives Unveil Green Technology Recovery Plan
May 6, 2009
Speaking at a recent event hosted by the UK Green Building Council, the Shadow Chancellor, George Osbourne, said: “The Budget is not just an opportunity to help people now; it’s also a chance to chart a new course for the future.”
The Shadow Chancellor outlined a series of policies to “kick-start a green recovery” built on new technologies developed and manufactured in Britain, including:
- A £6,500 energy efficient entit... read more
As Seen on Grand Designs!
April 2, 2009
On 18th Febraury 2009, this zero-carbon home was featured on the Channel 4 Programme Grand Designs. It is hoped the home will become a template for larger-scale production in the UK.
The four-bedroom property, called “Crossway” and situated near Staplehurst, uses a technique borrowed from 600-year-old medieval architecture to provide what may prove a blueprint for energy-efficient living in the future.
Any necessar... read more
Quarter of Homes to Have Solar Thermal
April 2, 2009
The UK Government has announced plans for a quarter of homes in the UK to have Solar Hot Water panels installed.
A BBC News Report on 30/06/08 said:
“Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks said Britain would undergo a £100bn ‘green revolution’, with plans to fit a quarter of British homes with solar heating panels and erect thousands of new wind turbines.”
This is very good news ... read more
Countdown to UK KYOTO COMMITMENT TARGET
February 6, 2009
The Kyoto Protocol treaty was negotiated in December 1997 at the city of Kyoto, Japan and came into force February 16th, 2005.
The Kyoto Protocol is a legally binding agreement under which industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% compared to the year 1990. Here are the key features:
- Kyoto (1997) set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- CO2 is a major ... read more
Shell sets new UK profits record
February 8, 2008
The Anglo-Dutch oil firm Royal Dutch Shell has reported annual profits of $27.56bn (£13.9bn), a record for a UK-listed company.
Much of the rise in profits has been attributed to rising oil prices, which currently stand at about $91 a barrel compared with $57 this time last year.
But there is concern among analysts that Shell has delayed publishing figures showing its oil reserves.
Profits, measured by ... read more
Carbon emissions show slight fall
February 6, 2008
By Roger Harrabin,
BBC Environment Analyst
The UK’s carbon emissions fell by just 0.1% last year, and the government has admitted it must do more to tackle climate change.
The figures would have been worse if the UK’s share of pollution from global flights and shipping had been included.
Analysis of the figures highlights key trends: emissions from homes w... read more
Scotland at climate 'crossroads'
February 6, 2008
Ministers have called for public views on their plans to tackle climate change with an 80% cut in emissions by 2050.
Finance Secretary John Swinney said the country had reached a “crossroads” on deciding in what state to leave the planet to future generations.
Meanwhile, the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) group produced a list of measures to address the issue.
T... read more
Warning over home carbon target
February 6, 2008
The government risks missing its legal target for all new homes to be zero carbon by 2016, the UK body for housing associations has warned.
The National Housing Federation said private developers must sign up to legally-binding standards to stand a chance of hitting the 100% target.
Currently only 2% of privately-built new homes meet minimum criteria, the NHF has claimed.
That ... read more
Zero-carbon homes get tax relief
February 1, 2008
Buyers of new zero carbon homes now qualify for tax relief on stamp duty.
The government hopes the tax relief – offered during the next five years – will encourage the construction of environmentally friendly homes.
Home buyers can save up to £15,000, but the building industry warns that not many are likely to benefit soon.
A spokesman for the Homebuilders’ Federation said he could not... read more
First zero-emission home unveiled
February 1, 2008
The UK has unveiled its first zero emission home that will set the environmental standard for all new homes in the future.
The two-bedroom house is insulated to lose 60% less heat than a normal home.
It also features solar panels, a biomass boiler and water efficiency devices such as rainwater harvesting.
The design, unveiled at the Offsite 2007 exhibition in Watford, meets rules to be applied in 2016 t... read more
World climate change gigs planned
June 8, 2007
More than 100 of the world’s top musicians will perform at a series of worldwide concerts this summer to highlight the threat of global warming.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Black Eyed Peas will be among those taking part in the Live Earth gigs on 7 July.
The eight concerts were announced by ex-US Vice President Al Gore, whose global warming film An Inconvenient Truth is up for two Oscars.
Johannesburg, London, ... read more
Al Gore Announces Live Earth Concert
June 8, 2007
We reported to you last week that Al Gore is going to be organizing a concert event to even further promote the issue of global warming.
Yesterday, the formal announcement came: “The 24-hour event on July 7 is part of a campaign, Save Our Selves — The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis.” The concerts will take place on seven continents, with concerts in China, South Africa, Australia, London, Japan, Braz... read moreEnd of oil heralds climate pain
June 5, 2007
Many people think that running out of oil, or “peak oil”, would be good for the climate. In his new book The Last Oil Shock, David Strahan begs to differ; he suggests it may bring catastrophe.
It is becoming increasingly clear that global oil production will soon go into terminal decline, with potentially devastating economic consequences.
Although the idea of peak oil has traditionally been ridicu... read more
Tsunami strikes Solomon Islands
June 4, 2007
At least 12 people have died in the Solomon Islands after a tsunami swept ashore following a strong undersea earthquake in the South Pacific.
The main town in the western Solomons, Gizo, was hit by waves several metres high that swamped buildings and washed people out to sea, officials said.
Local officials fear the numbers of dead could rise, with reports of outlying villages being destroyed.
The quake... read more
Homes must be greener, says Brown
June 3, 2007
Chancellor Gordon Brown has called on households to do more to cut greenhouse gases by making homes better insulated and more fuel-efficient.
He told the BBC people had to “count the carbon as well as the pennies” and that tax breaks could be offered.
The draft Climate Change Bill, due out on Tuesday, will call for a 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
But Co... read more
'Binding' carbon targets proposed
June 2, 2007
The government has unveiled plans to set a “legally binding” target to cut carbon emissions by 60% by 2050.
The draft Climate Change Bill calls for “carbon budgets” to be set every five years and for ministers to give annual progress reports on cutting emissions.
Environment Secretary David Miliband said the plans, which also include more investment in wind and wave power, provided ̶... read more
Global climate efforts 'woeful'
June 1, 2007
Efforts to help developing nations adapt to the impacts of climate change have been called “woefully inadequate” by a UN-commissioned report.
Rich countries have focused on ways to reduce carbon emissions but have largely ignored helping poor nations cope with the consequences, it says.The findings appear in the UNDP’s Human Development Report 2006.
The authors say farmers whose crops are rel... read more
