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Australia debates climate change and bushfires

Monday, 16 February 2009 03:42 By www.csiro.org

With the high cost of Victoria’s catastrophic bushfires on the weekend of 7-8 February still being counted, Australian scientists say such extreme events are likely to become more frequent as global temperatures increase with climate change.

Kevin Hennessy, Principal Research Scientist with the CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship, says the extreme weather conditions that occurred in the state on that weekend followed 12 years of below-average rainfall and record-breaking heat, which is part of a 50-year warming trend ‘very likely due to human-induced increases in greenhouse gas emissions.’

Sustainable Development Commission changes its status

Monday, 02 February 2009 21:04 By Chris Innis

Sustainable Development Commission is to become an executive non-departmental public body ("NDPB") from 2nd February 2009. This means SDC will be registered with Companies House as a Company Limited by Guarantee, and registered with the Cabinet Office as an Executive NDPB. It will remain wholly owned by Government.

Low Carbon Accelerator announces update, advises of losses

Friday, 30 January 2009 00:37 By Chris Innis

Low Carbon Accelerator, the investment fund, has announced two right downs on its investments in the housebuilding sector.

Living Villages Holdings, an award winning low carbon housebuilder, has been put into administration. LCA invested a total of £1.15 million into Living Villages and has now written that amount off. In addition LCA has made provision against Classical Renaissance, the developer of Spanish community-scale sustainable villages. To date, LCA has invested £2.5 million into Classical Renaissance and that investment will be written down to £0.75 million.

Research is finding that being green doesn't always improve sales

Friday, 30 January 2009 00:13 By Chris Innis

A fall in family budgets and growing disbelief about environmental claims being made by companies are set to hit sales of green products. Research, by Blue Marlin in Australia, has found that concern over the environment is not necessarily translating into sales, and is less likely to do so as consumers worry about how the deteriorating economy will affect them.

In a worsening economy, an environmentally friendly product or service if it is more expensive than a conventional product is likely to be the first to go and being environmentally responsible was one of the least important drivers, according to the findings of a survey of 800 people.

Community Groups awarded over £1 million in renewable energy grants

Thursday, 29 January 2009 21:45 By Chris Innis

The Community Sustainable Energy Programme (CSEP) capital grants scheme has awarded £770,000 to 36 projects. Sixty nine projects applied for grant money, a rise of 25%.

CSEP is an open grants scheme designed to help community based organisations in England reduce their energy bills and environmental impact through renewable energy generation.

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