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A new study, “Instruments of Change: Motivating and Financing Sustainable Development”, has been written for UNEP by Dr. Theodore Panayotou of the Harvard Institute for International Development. It comprehensively examines how the proper uses of market-based incentive systems and improved institutional arrangements can offer policy-makers, especially in developing and transitional economies, a menu of effective economic tools in their efforts to protect the environment and conserve natural resources. It cover tradeable permits, user fees, pollution charges, subsidies, environmental taxes, fines, among many others. Earthscan Publications: earthinfo@earthscan.co.uk UNEP Environment, Economics and Trade Unit: eteu@unep.ch
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Amory Lovins and Ernst von Weizsaecker will be teaching a two-week residential course, Natural Capitalism, at Schumacher College, England, in June 1999. Previous industrial revolutions needed to make people 100-fold more productive because the relative scarcity of people was limiting economic development. Today we face a new pattern of scarcity in which people are abundant but nature is becoming scarce. The cornerstone of the next economy will be radically improved resource productivity. Natural capitalism redesigns industry on ecological principles, with closed loops and zero waste. It shifts the economy from the episodic acquisition of goods to the continuous flow of value and service. And it reinvests in restoring, sustaining and expanding the stock of natural capital. Applications to participate in this course are invited from those already working in the business world who are able to take advantage of a pragmatic guide to redesigning their business’ logic, structure, culture, processes, and products – people who are best placed to become the leaders in the next Industrial Revolution. Taught by Amory Lovins, co-author of Natural Capitalism and Ernst Von Weizaecker, president of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, and co-author with Amory Lovins of Factor Four. schumcoll@gn.apc.org [sorry this […]
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Solar power can produce steam and will do so for the first time in a national electricity grid in two Federal government projects. Stephen Kaneff, of Anutech, a recipient of the funding, began work on the dish system 30 years ago. Sunlight is focused on a boiler to produce steam at about 500 degrees Celsius. The project will generate an estimated 2 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 1500 houses. He believes this will jump-start an internationally competitive Australian industry for large-scale solar thermal power. This is one of five installations being funded through the Renewable Energy Showcase Program. The others are: a 5-megawatt solar thermal power array at a power station, a biomass cogeneration plant, a process which separates organic matter from municipal waste and converts it into electricity, and two variable-speed wind turbines.
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A resource for business- to- business matchmaking is available between Indian and foreign companies in environmental technologies, products and services, with a special focus on clean and greenhouse gas mitigating technologies. Environmental companies are invited to send their company profiles for listing in the Environmental Information Centre business database. This is joint project of The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Rita Chaudhury, Manager, Environmental Information Centre: emcisee@del2.vsnl.net.in
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Collins & Aikman, the first U.S. company to use a carpet-into-carpet manufacturing process, is using only 100 percent recycled-content carpet backing for its line of modular carpet tiles. The company will reclaim any carpet product ever made. The initiative offers recycled products that are superior to virgin materials, at a comparable cost. 121 companies have already are purchased the Powerbond ER3 backing. The manufacturing process eliminates volatile organic compounds, which impact indoor air quality. Because their carpet tiles can be installed using a glue-free adhesive, Collins & Aikman is the only manufacturer to pass the State of Washington’s strict air-quality protocol for carpet. Four billion pounds of carpet backing are disposed of annually.
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According to a report by Resource Data International (RDI), a Boulder, CO. consulting and energy information firm, green electricity represents one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the U.S. By the year 2003, the green market will capture up to $37.5 billion or half of the $75 billion in annual sales of residential electricity in the U.S. In 1997 test market programs, 20 percent of New Hampshire customers selected a green electricity option, while green electricity captured 31 percent of the market in Massachusetts. As the green market for electricity grows, it will drive construction of renewable energy plants by 40 percent over the next 10 years nationally, and by 60 percent in the Western U.S. Todd Myers, Resource Data International: tmyers@resdata.com
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In the U.S., the $4.2 billion organic industry is growing at 24 percent annually and is expected to reach $6.6 billion by 2000. The European market for organic foods is currently comparable to the U.S. at less than 2 percent of total food sales, but is expected to expand to as much as 10 percent by 2006. With a population of 370 million, Europe has more potential than the U.S. The UK imports 70 percent of its food, and Germany – the largest organic food market there at $1.6 billion and growing at 30-40 percent annually – imports 50 percent. The Japanese market is similar to Germany’s and will grow to $2.6 billion by 2000. There is tremendous potential there since they only import 1 percent of their food. Canada is also experiencing great demand for organic products. Around the world, organic products sell at premiums and assurances that organic claims are legitimate are crucial. Strong certification standards are therefore critical. Source: Natural Foods Merchandiser
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Earth’s 911 is America’s free 24-hour resource for geographically specific environmental and recycling information. The service is available in Canada, and soon, around the globe. You can find information your nearest recycling center, local environmental programs, important environmental phone numbers, how to buy recycled products, and how to handle household hazardous waste. The Earth’s 911 partnership is expanding the system to include air and water quality, energy, and community specific volunteerism information. 800-CLEANUP [sorry this link is no longer available]
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10 years ago, organic certifiers weren’t able to agree on production standards, but the Organic Certifiers Council recently voted unanimously to move toward one standard and one accrediting agency, part of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM). Although it is still struggling for international recognition, IFOAM is the only organization equipped to do world-wide accreditation. This avoids the logistical nightmare of national accreditors trying to check all the imports and exports of organic products to and from every nation. The agreement is largely in response to the poor accreditation rules the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture proposed a year ago. The USDA is still busy sloshing through the 280,000 comments it received. In this scenario, the USDA would merely help implement the industry-led system of accreditation. Organic leaders say now is the time to develop an alternative plan before the government comes up with one. IFOAM, in conjunction with industry, could have a complete organic inspection, certification, and accreditation structure in place before the U.S. government can even come up with a set of standards. “This is the only industry that wants stricter standards. Can you imagine the auto industry asking for stricter standards?,” asked Andrew Duchovnay, publisher of […]
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The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy has produced the Business Guide Environmental Performance and Competitive Advantage. It demonstrates how addressing environmental issues in a systematic way can provide new opportunities to focus on core business objectives such as improved productivity, increased market share, enhance corporate image, higher share value and reduced cost of environmental compliance.It can be downloaded from the website using Adobe Acrobat. Abdi Hussein, Ontario Ministry of the Environment: husseina@ene.gov.on.ca [sorry this link is no longer available]
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