News

• Biomass energy plantations 'worsen climate change' – NGO

  20 May 2010

  The bioenergy industry has defended the use of forest plantations to create fuel for power plants, following claims by NGO Biofuelwatch that expanding wood biomass production to meet EU renewable energy targets will make climate change worse, not better.

• Merrill hires leading sustainability analysts

  20 May 2010

  Bank of America-Merrill Lynch (BoAML) has hired two leading sustainability analysts, in further evidence of resurgent interest among sell-side brokers in offering responsible investment research.

• Global Environmental Facility pledges $250 million for forest finance

  20 May 2010

  The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) has announced a funding envelope of $250 million for sustainable forestry management (SFM) initiatives, including a focus on using forests for climate change mitigation.

• Better chance for renewables support outside Kerry-Lieberman - analyst

  20 May 2010

  Hopes that a Senate energy and climate proposal might extend the US' successful grant programme for renewable energy have been dashed – but analysts suggest an extension may be more likely if separated from the controversial proposal.

• EEA exits management of Leaf Clean Energy

  20 May 2010

  Leaf Clean Energy, a London-listed clean technology fund, is to split from its investment advisor EEA Fund Management, following its failure to merge with Trading Emissions.

• Green aura of UK coalition welcomed

  13 May 2010

  As the UK's Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government met for its first Cabinet meeting today, observers welcomed the commitment of both parties to a low-carbon economy.

• EU ready to sign a deal in Cancún – Hedegaard (from Carbon Finance)

  13 May 2010

  The EU will be ready to sign a post-2012 international climate change deal this year, said Europe's climate action commissioner Connie Hedegaard yesterday.

• EcoSecurities founder returns with Amazon investment firm

  13 May 2010

  Pedro Moura Costa, co-founder of emissions reduction project developer EcoSecurities, has launched an investment company that will finance sustainable businesses in the Amazon.

• Environmental markets at centre of Chesapeake clean-up plan

  13 May 2010

  In a ground-breaking initiative that could trigger a new era in ecosystem markets, the Obama administration issued an executive order yesterday to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay, the US's largest and most polluted watershed.

• World missed 2010 targets for reducing biodiversity loss

  13 May 2010

  The world has failed to meet its 2010 target for a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss, according to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).