- Home
- Articles posted by: Rona Fried (Page 2766)
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, is the world’s largest multilateral source of debt and equity financing of private sector projects in developing countries. A beautifully published manual by IFC, A Good Practice Manual, guides corporations, consultants, and stakeholders though the process of effective public disclosure. The manual is tailored to assist companies working in developing and emerging economies. World Bank Bookstore by phone or fax: (703) 661-1580; Fax (703) 661-1501 Reference Stock no. 14342
Read More
As of April 1, energy becomes more expensive in Germany, as part of its plan to shift taxes from income to energy. Revenues will finance lowered old age security premiums. UK’s proposed 1999 budget: tax revenues on energy use in the business, agriculture, and the public sectors would be returned as a 0.5 percent reduction in the employers contribution to payroll taxes, and programs to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy. A surcharge would be applied for use of coal and gas, and for total energy consumption. Company cars would be taxed according to vehicles carbon dioxide emissions. Other measures to promote non-car commuting, such as a tax-free bicycling allowance for employee business travel, are being introduced. France, the world’s second largest consumer of agrochemicals, is considering taxes on pesticides and fertilizers. Revenues would be used to fund pesticide and fertilizer reduction programs.
Read More
The North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has released a report on how to measure the connections between NAFTA and environmental quality in North America. The 384-page report, “Assessing Environmental Effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): An Analytic Framework” provides a methodology to sort through the complex economic, social and technological variables that link economic activity to environmental impacts – both positive and negative. Download it: http://www.cec.org
Read More
PricewaterhouseCoopers, an accounting firm, predicts the British Columbia forestry industry will post an after-tax loss of C$1 billion in 1998 (US $1.5 billion). They are under seige from environmental groups and are being advised to implement sustainable certification or lose markets. Home Depot, one of the largest purchasers, is also under the environmental NGO gun, and is converting to certified lumber.
Read More
The World Conservation Union has created the Economics of Biodiversity website to enable people to use economics to promote and implement biodiversity and endangered species protection programs. Frank Vorhies: fwv@hq.iucn.org http://economics.iucn.org
Read More
The World Conservation Union has created the Economics of Biodiversity website website to enable people to use economics to promote and implement biodiversity and endangered species protection programs. Frank Vorhies: fwv@hq.iucn.org http://economics.iucn.org
Read More
When the 70 employees of New Belgium Brewing (Colorado, U.S.) learned the CO2 the company creates from generating electricity is four times higher than the amount that can be recovered from beer fermentation, they voted unanimously to lower their bonuses and convert completely to wind power. Now the largest wind power purchaser in the U.S., the company will displace 1,000 tons of coal and four million pounds of CO2 emissions. A new wind turbine will be built in Wyoming to power the company. In Egypt, a 40 turbine windfarm will funnel wind through mountains along the Red Sea, with average speeds of 23 mph for 95 percent of the year (compared to speeds of 16 mph elsewhere). The extra velocity generates a three-fold increase in power and will generate electricity for the low price of $0.04 per kWh. The windfarm is being financed by German and Danish turbine manufacturers. Egyptian officials believe wind will generate 3% of demand by 2005, making it the world’s fifth biggest producer behind Germany, U.S., Denmark, and India. Egypt will soon be connected to Europe’s power grid, and can also export excess electricity. A 50-turbine windfarm in the desert of northern Chile will displace 3 […]
Read More
It’s called “Business Metabolics,” but this software is equally useful for communities who want to make resource efficiency and productivity a visible part of daily business decisions. It analyzes utility and other operating data; generate key indicators like resource productivity efficiency trends, and has other nifty features to optimize and benchmark environmental and economic performance. You can download a free demo: [sorry this link is no longer available]
Read More
The Spanish environment ministry released Spain’s first national forest strategy since 1957. It includes proposals to launch a reforestation programme and to create a national council to oversee forest management and produce an annual report on the state of Spain’s forests. The strategy will likely be approved within a year in consultation with regional governments, environmental groups and forest industries. Forests cover just over half of Spain’s land area, which is high by European Union standards, but eight percent suffers from soil erosion. World Wildlife Fund/ADENA is concerned that only five percent of its forests have sustainable management plans and the new strategy does not specify how new initiatives will be funded.
Read More
The Green Schools website offers teachers, students, and school administrators information on combining energy education with real energy savings. [sorry this link is no longer available]
Read More
Page 2,766 of 2,804« First«...102030...2,7642,7652,7662,7672,768...2,7802,7902,800...»Last »
Loading...