Hot Spots
There is a reason that in nature things do not grow indefinitely.
Yet the entire canon of mainstream contemporary economics seems to believe that economics exists independently of the laws of biology, chemistry and physics.
For every doubling in the global economy, as it is currently measured, we use the equivalent in resources of all of the previous doublings combined.
In a unique study published in the science journal Nature in September 2009, a group of 29 leading international scientists identified nine processes in the biosphere for which they considered it necessary to define "planetary boundaries". Of the nine boundaries, 3 had already been transgressed: climate change, interference in the nitrogen cycle and biodiversity loss. Clearly, anyone who thinks the Earth can take another doubling of the global economy is, as economist Kenneth Boulding famously stated, "a madman or an economist".
Yet the entire canon of mainstream contemporary economics seems to believe that economics exists independently of the laws of biology, chemistry and physics.
For every doubling in the global economy, as it is currently measured, we use the equivalent in resources of all of the previous doublings combined.
In a unique study published in the science journal Nature in September 2009, a group of 29 leading international scientists identified nine processes in the biosphere for which they considered it necessary to define "planetary boundaries". Of the nine boundaries, 3 had already been transgressed: climate change, interference in the nitrogen cycle and biodiversity loss. Clearly, anyone who thinks the Earth can take another doubling of the global economy is, as economist Kenneth Boulding famously stated, "a madman or an economist".
SAN GABRIEL, Mexico
About 300 small farmers in San Gabriel, Mexico, sell their corn to PepsiCo, which guarantees the price.
But more recently, many have managed to avoid the trips, staying home as the result of a new venture with PepsiCo, which buys their crops.
"We are seeing an increased focus by companies looking to see how they can use their core capabilities for public good rather than simply writing a big check," said Gaurav Gupta, regional director for Asia at Dalberg Global Development Advisors, a consulting firm focused on international development. "They're starting to realize that the marginal cost of doing a little extra good produces such a great impact - and not only in terms of good will, but also because it's good for business."
About 300 small farmers in San Gabriel, Mexico, sell their corn to PepsiCo, which guarantees the price.
But more recently, many have managed to avoid the trips, staying home as the result of a new venture with PepsiCo, which buys their crops.
"We are seeing an increased focus by companies looking to see how they can use their core capabilities for public good rather than simply writing a big check," said Gaurav Gupta, regional director for Asia at Dalberg Global Development Advisors, a consulting firm focused on international development. "They're starting to realize that the marginal cost of doing a little extra good produces such a great impact - and not only in terms of good will, but also because it's good for business."
After a year marked by Congressional paralysis on issues like global warming and renewable energy, and after a parade of energy-related disasters - including the huge oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico - social investment groups are signaling their displeasure with a suite of shareholder resolutions.
Not to be outdone, climate skeptics and opponents of government mandates supporting clean energy are sending up resolutions of their own.
According to the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a project of the sustainable investing collective Ceres, at least 66 resolutions relating to climate and environmental issues aimed at more than 40 oil, coal and electric power companies, have been filed in the 2011 proxy season - the period each year when shareholders get a chance to propose measures on a variety of corporate issues.
Not to be outdone, climate skeptics and opponents of government mandates supporting clean energy are sending up resolutions of their own.
According to the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a project of the sustainable investing collective Ceres, at least 66 resolutions relating to climate and environmental issues aimed at more than 40 oil, coal and electric power companies, have been filed in the 2011 proxy season - the period each year when shareholders get a chance to propose measures on a variety of corporate issues.
Journalists spotted a trend and responded with enthusiasm. Articles about the burgeoning "green" movement proliferated. Wineries were adding solar panels, the U.S. military in Iraq wanted wind turbines, and Harvard University was installing waterless urinals. HSBC was buying carbon offsets for executives' flights.
Survey of changes toward sustainable practices in the pat 5 yrs (some good links)
Survey of changes toward sustainable practices in the pat 5 yrs (some good links)
Investing $1.3 trillion (£800bn) each year in green sectors would deliver long-term stability in the global economy, a UN report has suggested.
Spending about 2% of global GDP in 10 key areas would kick-start a "low carbon, resource efficient green economy", the authors observed.
They also recommended following policies that decoupled economic growth from intensive consumption.
(nice graph with projections)
Spending about 2% of global GDP in 10 key areas would kick-start a "low carbon, resource efficient green economy", the authors observed.
They also recommended following policies that decoupled economic growth from intensive consumption.
(nice graph with projections)
This focuses on the intensity of rain storms and blizzards, analyzing a half century's-worth of rain gauge data from 6,000 reporting stations run through a variety of climate models.
Notably, the research doesn't include data after 1999, which is when a significant number of recording stations were shut down. Yet even when the "best science available" isn't as good as it might have been, it appears, at least in this case, to have been good enough to raise some major concerns.
Still, one wonders whether the missing data could have helped predict this winter's record snows in Korea, the string of Nor'easters in New England, or the recent megafloods in Germany and Pakistan. And if data from the Southern hemisphere had been included, would we have seen a pattern leading to the catastrophic storms in Australia and Sri Lanka?
(thanks Janet)
Notably, the research doesn't include data after 1999, which is when a significant number of recording stations were shut down. Yet even when the "best science available" isn't as good as it might have been, it appears, at least in this case, to have been good enough to raise some major concerns.
Still, one wonders whether the missing data could have helped predict this winter's record snows in Korea, the string of Nor'easters in New England, or the recent megafloods in Germany and Pakistan. And if data from the Southern hemisphere had been included, would we have seen a pattern leading to the catastrophic storms in Australia and Sri Lanka?
(thanks Janet)
Nairobi/World, 21 February 2011 - Investing two per cent of global GDP into ten key sectors can kick-start a transition towards a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy a new report launched today says.
The sum, currently amounting to an average of around $1.3 trillion a year and backed by forward-looking national and international policies, would grow the global economy at around the same rate if not higher than those forecast, under current economic models.
The sum, currently amounting to an average of around $1.3 trillion a year and backed by forward-looking national and international policies, would grow the global economy at around the same rate if not higher than those forecast, under current economic models.
The leading compressor manufacturer with headquarters in Italy is continuously improving and broadening its CO2 compressor range. This week, Dorin is showcasing its latest developments at the EuroShop trade fair in Germany. With displacements from 1.1 m3/h to 26.6 m3/h, Dorin makes it possible to perfectly match all kind of applications, including convenience and hyper stores, distribution centres as well as residential and industrial heat pumps.
Dorin to feature the widest CO2 compressor range at EuroShop
With an impressive 15 year track record in CO2 transcritical compression technology, more than 12.000 of Dorin's CO2 units are running smoothly today throughout Australia, Japan, China, Korea, Europe, Canada and the US. Thorough internal testing and use of the latest technology solutions ensure that Dorin continues to produce products of both high quality and reliability.
CO2 compressors for all your needs
Dorin to feature the widest CO2 compressor range at EuroShop
With an impressive 15 year track record in CO2 transcritical compression technology, more than 12.000 of Dorin's CO2 units are running smoothly today throughout Australia, Japan, China, Korea, Europe, Canada and the US. Thorough internal testing and use of the latest technology solutions ensure that Dorin continues to produce products of both high quality and reliability.
CO2 compressors for all your needs
S&P to integrate climate risk into credit ratings
Standard & Poor's (S&P) is to routinely including an assessment of climate risk into its corporate credit ratings across all industrial sectors, in anticipation of when climate policy begins to "bite hard" in the next few years.
Michael Wilkins, the London-based global head of carbon markets at the rating agency, told Environmental Finance that, up until now, the impact of climate change policies on the financial position of corporate borrowers "has been pretty benign".
"But there's a growing realisation that will change, and ... our group is working out to best to analyse that change ... and how to incorporate that into the credit rating process," he said
...
"This goes into the heart of how a business operates. That is something that investors need to understand. This is still cutting edge stuff - there are very few people in the City who understand it," Wilkins added.
Standard & Poor's (S&P) is to routinely including an assessment of climate risk into its corporate credit ratings across all industrial sectors, in anticipation of when climate policy begins to "bite hard" in the next few years.
Michael Wilkins, the London-based global head of carbon markets at the rating agency, told Environmental Finance that, up until now, the impact of climate change policies on the financial position of corporate borrowers "has been pretty benign".
"But there's a growing realisation that will change, and ... our group is working out to best to analyse that change ... and how to incorporate that into the credit rating process," he said
...
"This goes into the heart of how a business operates. That is something that investors need to understand. This is still cutting edge stuff - there are very few people in the City who understand it," Wilkins added.
Here's what the Washington Post wrote about G.E. salmon labeling back in September. Great quote: "‘Extra labeling only confuses the consumer," said David Edwards, director of animal biotechnology at the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "It differentiates products that are not different. As we stick more labels on products that don't really tell us anything more, it makes it harder for consumers to make their choices.'"