- Home
- Articles posted by: Rona Fried (Page 2743)
Ford Motor Company and DaimlerChrysler quit the Global Climate Coalition, an industry group that lobbies against restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, arguing that the science linking them to global warming is unsound. In leaving the Coalition, both companies pointed to the credible evidence that links greenhouse gases to global warming and stated that membership in the GCC is impeding their ability to make progress on environmental initiatives. Both companies also remain opposed to the Kyoto agreement; Ford because of the treaty’s exemptions for developing nations and DaimlerChrysler because of its preference for technological solutions. Ford is the first member of GCCs board to leave. British Petroleum, Shell Oil, and Dow Chemical left the coalition over the past two years. This month yet another report was issued stating the warming of the Earth’s surface is “undoubtedly real,” this time by researchers of the National Academies of Sciences. It finds that surface temperatures in the past two decades have risen at a rate substantially greater than average for the past 100 years.
Read More
Don’t miss the bi-annual international conference on business and the environment on March 22-24 in Vancouver, B.C. It has grown to be one of the world’s largest environmental conferences with 10,000 participants, 500 corporations, 400 technology exhibits, 250 speakers, and 50 international buying delegations from around the world. $460 million in business was generated by exhibitors at GLOBE ’98. This can only increase; the worldwide environmental industry has revenues of more than $450 billion annually. Showcases include Clean Energy Avenue, Software Alley, Sustainable Transport and the Learning Lane. http://www.globe.ca
Read More
A five-year, CFC-Free Energy Efficient Refrigerator Project has begun in China. The comprehensive policy bundles all the elements for market transformation: energy efficient choices and education for customers; technical assistance and financial incentives for manufacturers to build them; distributor incentives to purchase them; dealer incentives to stock them; and a bulk purchasing program for Chinese government agencies. In 1989, the U.S. EPA agreed to help China eliminate CFCs from refrigerators. A successful prototype model of 40 percent greater efficiency was produced and tested, and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab developed a market transformation program. China’s refrigerator industry is the largest in the world with sales growing at 21 percent a year. From 1985-1998, households owning a refrigerator climbed from 7-76 percent, but the average Chinese refrigerator is about half as efficient as European refrigerators. Since 80 percent of China’s electricity comes from coal, the benefits of increasing efficiency are tremendous in this populous, increasingly affluent country. Lawrence Berkeley Lab predicts, for example, that in addition to avoided emissions from coal-burning plants, the program will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 100 million tons as a result of greater efficiency. Earlier this year the Chinese government certified 103 domestic appliances as energy-efficient, […]
Read More
Frost & Sullivan released the report, “North American Stationary Fuel Cell Markets,” which assesses current market conditions and identifies issues industry players need to address to mainstream the technology. The authors project a compounded annual growth rate of 49.6% by 2005. Deregulation of North America’s electric power industry combined with increasing environmental awareness, will ensure growth. This emerging market generated only $20.9 million in revenues in 1998, an increase of 20 percent from 1997. Fuel Cells 2000 updates its “Fuel Cell Directory” annually. It features 700 listings of fuel cell manufacturers, researchers and consultants, suppliers, associations and interested government agencies internationally. Fuel Cells 2000: http://www.fuelcells.org
Read More
As of January 2000, the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission requires public companies to comply with local environmental standards. New company listings will be analyzed in terms of corporate governance, transparency and information disclosure. Parties will be able to challenge a company’s listing and file class-action lawsuits over grievances.
Read More
“Green Marketing: Risk or Opportunity?” from the Business for Social Responsibility Education Fund, is a 12-page paper aimed at helping companies communicate their environmental efforts effectively. It includes examples across a range of industries. Contact Jessica Parsley.
Read More
The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation & Development) has drafted a new code of conduct for multinational companies, which has not been substantially updated since 1976. The code strengthens standards for the environment, workplace conditions, bribery, and corporate governance. These are non-binding recommendations to help multinationals operate in harmony with government policies and with societal expectations. Some OECD member states point out that monitoring compliance to the tougher rules will be difficult. It is expected the guidelines will be approved at a June 2000 meeting. Public comments are being accepted until February 15, 2000. http://www.oecd.org/daf/investment/guidelines/newtext.htm
Read More
Over the past year, participants in the Eco-Industrial Development Roundtable have been defining guidelines to implement eco-industrial development. They were drafted at Cape Charles, Virginia, the first such park to get off the ground, tested at the Mesa del Sol park in Albuquerque, and reviewed in Minneapolis at the Green Institute. The result is a Handbook of Codes which is a document in process. Your feedback is welcome. The next meeting of the Eco-Industrial Development Roundtable will be held in Mississippi, February 28-29. For a list of eco-industrial parks, see: [sorry this link is no longer available]
Read More
It turns out that the price tag for Honda’s 2000 Accord EX, which meets California’s Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standard (the most stringent in the world), is only $100 more than the 1999 model, at $23,200. It is the first car on the market to receive this SULEV certification; the engine emits only 2.3 pounds of hydrocarbons per 100,000 miles of driving, which is equal to spilling a quart of gasoline. The car beats the deadline to meet the SULEV standard, which goes into effect at the beginning of the 2004 model year; its emissions are 86 percent lower than the Low Emission Vehicle standard, which 85 percent of all Hondas now meet.
Read More
Fundacin Ecologa y Desarrollo produces the first newsletter in Spanish on Economy and Corporate Social Responsibility. Contact: ecodes@ecodes.org
Read More
Page 2,743 of 2,804« First«...102030...2,7412,7422,7432,7442,745...2,7502,7602,770...»Last »
Loading...