1. Home
  2. Articles posted by: Rona Fried (Page 2153)

East Africa's Largest Mangrove Forest Wins Protection

GLAND, Switzerland, January 28, 2005 (ENS) – The East African country of Tanzania has named its fourth Wetland of International Importance for expanded protection under the international Ramsar Convention, the Secretariat announced today. Known as the Rufiji-Mafia-Kilwa Marine Ramsar site, it is a complex of coastal and marine habitats that as recently as four years ago was approved by the government for a giant prawn farm. The newly protected site covers the delta of the Rufiji River; the Mafia Island about 25 kilometers offshore and surrounding smaller islands, sandbars, and coral reefs; the Songo-Songo Archipelago to the south and adjacent waters, including the Mafia Channel and waters between Mafia and Songo-Songo. Located about 250 miles south of the Tanzanian capital Dar es Salaam, the Rufiji River Delta is by far the largest delta in Eastern Africa and contains the largest estuarine mangrove forest on the eastern seaboard of the African continent. About a tenth of the area of the new Ramsar site is covered with these salt tolerant mangrove forests – extending an estimated 55,000 hectares. The Rufiji Delta mangroves shelter migratory wetland birds such as curlew sandpipers, crab plovers, roseate terns and Caspian terns. Nile crocodiles share the Rufiji […]

Read More

Barclays Announces First U.S. Exchange-Traded Fund for Social Investors

Barclays Global Investors, N.A. (BGI) has launched the first exchange-traded fund designed specifically for socially responsible institutional and individual investors. The iShares KLD Select Social Index Fund seeks to maximize exposure to large capitalization companies that have positive social and environmental characteristics while at the same time maintaining risk and return characteristics similar to the Russell 1000 Index. The Fund tracks the KLD Select Social Index from KLD Research & Analytics, Inc., a Boston-based independent investment research and index firm with expertise in socially responsible investing (SRI). The iShares KLD Select Social Index Fund has an expense ratio of 0.50% and began trading January 28, 2005, on the NYSE under the symbol “KLD.” “The iShares KLD Fund provides socially responsible investors with what we believe is a more thoughtful portfolio approach to optimizing positive social and environmental criteria while seeking to reduce sector risk,” said Lee Kranefuss, CEO of Barclays Global Investors’ Intermediary Business. The iShares KLD Select Social Index Fund relies on the KLD index’s optimization technique that over-weights and under-weights companies based on their social and environment performance, as evaluated by KLD, across sectors while seeking to control investment risk similar to the Russell 1000 Index. The Index […]

Read More

United Solar Signs 1.5 Megawatt Agreement with Conergy

United Solar Ovonic LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD Ovonics) (Nasdaq: ENER), signed a two-year distribution agreement with Conergy AG of Germany for 1.5 MW of photovoltaic (PV) products. Conergy AG, a supplier of solar systems based in Hamburg, will distribute UNI-SOLAR(R) products in France, Greece, Spain, and Switzerland through its main subsidiaries. “Our distribution agreement with Conergy is an excellent fit with our overall strategy to expand our presence in these emerging markets with a key focus on Spain,” said Christian Berg, United Solar Ovonic’s European Sales Manager. Unlike traditional crystalline technology, which typically uses heavy, glass panels, UNI-SOLAR(R) products are flexible, durable, lightweight, and easy to install. Because of these characteristics, UNI-SOLAR(R) products offer the ideal solution for both grid-connected and off-grid solar electric systems. Additionally, independent studies in Europe and elsewhere have shown that our triple-junction products deliver more energy per rated power than the conventional crystalline products — demonstrating “Ovonics@work.” “Conergy’s customers expect system components from us that are of the highest quality. Therefore, United Solar Ovonic’s durable, lightweight, thin- film modules are an excellent complement to our solar product portfolio,” stated Hans-Martin Ruter, Conergy’s Chief Executive Officer. About United Solar […]

Read More

US Senator Hagel Readies Bill Promoting Greenhouse Gas Cuts

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., is preparing legislation to encourage the use of greenhouse gas reduction technology in the United States and overseas, particularly in developing countries that are large emitters of the gases. The proposal will stop short of requiring companies to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide or other gases that scientists believe are causing the earth to warm, according to people familiar with Hagel’s effort. Instead it will offer financial incentives, probably in the form of tax credits or better equipment depreciation schedules, for companies that take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The bill may also include other provisions – such as more money for research and development into greenhouse gas reduction technologies – to help large emitters in the developing world reduce their production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. “I would call it a deployment initiative,” said one lobbyist familiar with Hagel’s effort. “It’s meant to promote the use of energy and carbon dioxide efficient technologies, both domestically and internationally. ” One of the legislation’s main goals will be to address a criticism of the Kyoto Protocol, the recently ratified international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: That it doesn’t require any action […]

Read More