The secretariat of the United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recently published research showing that the Kyoto Protocol’s clean development mechanism (CDM) has spurred billions of dollars of investment in projects that curb greenhouse gases and contribute to sustainable development. The report, titled Benefits of the Clean Development Mechanism 2012, answers in the … Continue reading New research on the clean development mechanism
Author: Rod Janssen
EBRD funding for energy efficiency and renewables
Last week, EiD published a post on a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to Russia to promote energy efficiency. It is useful to look at the extent of the EBRD’s activity in this area in recent years. Recently the EBRD announced that since 2006 they have invested €10 billion (over … Continue reading EBRD funding for energy efficiency and renewables
New blogs to watch out for
The IEA’s Sustainable Building Centre (SBC): First the SBC wins a major global award following the creation of its on-line database, and then it starts its own blog. Readers are encouraged to follow the SBC here. Congratulations to Yamina Saheb and her team. Safe and Sustainable Buildings: Three colleagues from Rockwool International recently started a … Continue reading New blogs to watch out for
A very targeted financial instrument – for one weekend a year
The fayobserver.com in Fayetteville, North Carolina in the United States reports that North Carolina holds a sales tax holiday on the purchases of certain energy-efficient appliances on the first full weekend of November every year. If the appliances were Energy Star-qualified, met energy-efficiency guidelines established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and were purchased during … Continue reading A very targeted financial instrument – for one weekend a year
Number of the week – 30
The IEA reported in its 2012 World Energy Outlook that there has been a 30 per cent increase in fossil fuel subsidies to about €400 billion in 2011. “Subsidies to fossil fuels continue to distort energy markets,” Fatih Birol, IEA’s chief economist, added. The report goes on that, although renewables will become the world’s second-largest … Continue reading Number of the week – 30
New publication on climate change ethics
As the world turns its attention to the negotiations at the next climate change conference in Doha, it is useful to truly reflect on the subject. Most observers of climate change policy developments around the world agree that climate change is a civilization challenging ethical problem, yet most governments have utterly failed to enact climate … Continue reading New publication on climate change ethics
Impact of growth in use of coal on climate objectives
Richard Anderson, Business Reporter of the BBC has published an extensive article on the BBC website on what the global growth of coal will mean to climate change objectives. Coal resurgence calls undermine clean energy commitments Coal, the dirtiest and most polluting of all the major fossil fuels, is making a comeback. Despite stringent … Continue reading Impact of growth in use of coal on climate objectives
Thought for the week
This is an excellent quote by Richard Dawkins, the renowned biologist and author. For those working in sustainable energy, this is important to remember When two opposite points of view are expressed with equal intensity, the truth does not necessarily lie exactly halfway between them. It is possible for one side to be simply wrong.
New publication on our global environmental challenges
Anders Wijkman and Johan Rockström have written an important report for the Club of Rome entitled Bankrupting Nature, Denying Our Planetary Boundaries. Both authors are recognised for their work on sustainability issues. Anders Wijkman is a co-President of the Club of Rome, a former MEP and actively involved in many environmental activities. Johan Rockström is … Continue reading New publication on our global environmental challenges
First leasing loan under EBRD Russian energy efficiency programme
Recognising the role played by the leasing sector in funding the acquisition of energy efficient equipment, the EBRD has provided a 400 million rouble loan (€9.94 million) to promote energy savings by the small and medium sized business clients of a Russian leasing company. The four-year loan to Russia’s BOT Lease (Eurasia) LLC, an affiliate … Continue reading First leasing loan under EBRD Russian energy efficiency programme
