Welcome ! As a young French Marketing professional with a Master's in International Management I have been selecting since January 2007 the latest headlines and best researches on sustainable development, climate change, cleantech and the world energy sector. Sounds great ? Don't hesitate to subscribe now !
Yes, you read that right : twelve (12!) billion trees have been planted within the UNEP Billion Tree Campaign. The landmark was reached in November in Kenya. (Was it an homage to Wangari Maathai ?) To the official website :
” China is the leading participating country, having planted a total of 2.8 billion trees under the campaign. India is currently in second place with 2.1 billion trees, followed by Ethiopia, Mexico and Turkey. “
I am starting to wonder how all these trees will impact climate change ? In any case, their effect can’t be negative. Now, let’s plant even more trees. The campaign is willing to reach 14 billion !
If you think the economic downturn is plaguing every sector, think again. To the UNEP : total global investments in clean energy grew by 32 percent in 2010 to $211 billion (146 billion euros). However, there is a catch :
To Grist : ” For the first time ever, developing countries lead yearly investment in clean energy — representing about $72 billion (50 billion euros) in spending in 2010, versus $70 billion in rich countries.
“China, with U.S. $48.9 billion in financial new investment in renewables (up 28%), was the world leader in 2010.” I am just wondering when the European Union as a whole will have some leadership… Continue »
While browsing my tweets to prepare my selection of Twitter for June I found several articles pointing out to a quick climate fix : tackling black carbon (also known as soot) might prove to bring exceptional greenhouse gases emissions cuts.
The work was carried out jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and published in margin of the Bonn Climate Talks in June.
On top of slowing climate change, this would prove to have important health and agriculture benefits. Indeed up to 2.5 million lives could be saved each year. This is exactly a win-win-win situation. Continue »
I generally try to stick to current topics and news but couldn’t blog about this year’s World Environment Day, which took place on Sunday. This year the UNEP wanted to emphasize the importance of forests.
As I read on the UNEP Facebook page : “The theme of World Environment Day this year, “Forests: Nature at Your Service”, emphasizes the multi-trillion dollar value of ecosystems to society – especially the poor.”
The host country for this year was India. It was the occasion for the nation to organize a week full of various events to raise awareness on this vital topic.
To Cleantechies : ” A new UN report warns that humans could triple the natural resources they consume by 2050 unless economic growth is “decoupled” from current consumption rates.”
” In developed nations, individuals consume an average of 16 tons per capita of minerals, ores, fossil fuels, and biomass each year, and as much as 40 or more tons per capita in some nations.”
” (…) The panel also suggests more investment in technological, financial, and social innovation to at least freeze per capita consumption. ” For more details, please check out the official webpage.
To the UNEP : ” Renewable energy was given a boost with the opening of the first General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) which opened in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
The two-day meeting with 800 delegates from 150 countries confirmed in its first session that Abu Dhabi would host the new intergovernmental organization that will advocate for renewable energy worldwide.
Established two years ago, IRENA is backed by both the developed and developing world as a key new catalyst towards the expansion of renewable energy.” We can thus wish them all the success they need.
If you think business is bad in every sectors, think again. To Reuters : ” Brazil, China and India are expected to fuel global investments in clean energy in 2011 that are expected to reach $240 billion. (175 billion euros)
The U.N.’s environmental unit (UNEP) said investment in renewable energy hit $180-$200 billion (130-145 billion euros) in 2010 up from $162 billion in 2009 (115 billion euros), driven by the three countries.
The increased investments are because sustainable energy is gaining momentum as governments seek cheaper sources — such as solar, wind and ethanol — to cushion against rising oil prices.” Continue »
According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) : ” Investing two per cent of global GDP into ten key sectors can kick-start a transition towards a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy “
” The sum, currently amounting to an average of around $1.3 trillion a year (…) would grow the global economy at around the same rate if not higher than those forecast, under current economic models. “
” But without rising risks, shocks, scarcities and crises increasingly inherent in the existing, resource-depleting, high carbon ‘brown’ economy, says the study.” Continue »
To the UNEP : ” A new international body aimed at catalyzing a global response to the loss of biodiversity and world’s economically-important forests, coral reefs and other ecosystems was born yesterday. “
Dubbed the “IPCC for Nature”, the new Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) will have a tough job at protecting endangered species and stopping what more and more call the anthropocene.
I just hope this new organization will face less opposition than the IPCC. For further details on this event please read the press release here. Continue »
We have seen previously that large investors completely understand how climate change mitigation is critical. Last year, more than 200 investors representing $13 trillion in assets demanded action on climate.
Now, according to the United Nations, the movement is growing to 259 investors with $15 trillion in assets. This represents over a quarter of global market capitalization…
If companies like Allianz and HSBC are willing to act, why are some countries still stalling progress on this vital topic ? Why can’t they just follow the examples of the European Union and many others ? Continue »
