Chinese policy towards its wind and solar industries has taken different paths – promoting wind at home first, while encouraging solar exporters. But structural issues are looming for both sectors. Joshua Speckman reports

BP is facing a multi-billion dollar bill and a market cap slashed in half. Will the Gulf of Mexico spill be the wake-up call on environmental risk for investors – or will they continue to hit the snooze button? Jess McCabe reports

What is the economic value of an endangered species? How much is as yet undeciphered genetic information worth? Can a price be put on a habitat’s delicate ecological balance?

As head of Barclays Capital’s environmental markets desk, Louis Redshaw has taken a deliberate, even cautious approach to building the business. But, as he tells Mark Nicholls, the current environment offers a chance to up the ante

Managing information flows between participants in Clean Development Mechanism projects around the world has generated headaches for all concerned – but Carbonflow thinks it has the answer. Mark Nicholls reports

Government funding is beginning to flow to help forest nations reduce emissions from deforestation – and prepare for a REDD+ carbon market. But is there any room for the private sector? Steven Bland reports

With the run-up to the Copenhagen talks, 2009 was the year of climate change. For many, this year is all about biodiversity – indeed, for the UN, 2010 is its International Year of Biodiversity.

Of the few companies that listed in the public markets over the past year, many have taken investors on a stomach-flipping rollercoaster ride.

The message from the industry is clear: if the EU is to meet its ambitious renewable energy targets, massive investment in the sector is needed.

Registering the first ‘programmatic’ Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project was always going to be a stand-out moment in the development of the carbon market.

Environmental Finance’s Weather Risk Deal of the Year was groundbreaking in several ways: it was in a developing country and was a complex ‘quanto’ product, combining weather and commodity risk.

The global economy may be limping back to health, but it’s been another tough 12 months for environmental markets. Environmental Finance recognises the stand-out deals that have overcome adversity

The annual Environmental Finance Awards recognise excellence in the application of financial markets know-how to the world’s most pressing environmental problems.

In the US catastrophe insurance-linked securities market, almost half of all deals are referenced to industry loss estimates, quickly produced by an independent third party to provide an objective, transparent assessment of the impact on the insurance industry of a particular event.

The US renewable energy sector is beginning to consider life after economic stimulus – but sees a yawning chasm opening up. Gloria Gonzalez reports

Renewable energy infrastructure offers solid, long-term returns – and investors are dipping more than a toe in the water. Christopher Cundy reports

Download a free 36-page special report from Environmental Finance and Carbon Finance, prepared for Carbon Expo in Cologne, on the state of the world's carbon markets. (Site registration required)

Applying the lessons of the carbon market to biodiversity protection is a recipe for disaster, says Anna Roggenbuck

Demand for environmentally-themed investment research is growing – and the brokers are responding. Mark Nicholls talks to the winners of Environmental Finance’s inaugural investment research survey

The Equator Principles have helped embed environmental and social risk management in project finance around the world – but many are calling for their reach to be extended. Jess McCabe reports