Top Stories
Renewable energy investments could exceed
$650bn by 2015, study says.—reliability high.
"Global investments in the renewable energy industry are likely to
increase to $653.35bn by 2015, according to figures released from
intelligence provider GBI Research. Investments in renewable energy
increased to $336.78bn in 2009 from $39.24bn in 2001 at a combined
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.8 per cent. There was an increase in
total investments in the renewable energy sector by 43.4 per cent in
2009 from $283.11bn in 2008, the report found." More highlights of
report. From NewNet.
[We are always
fascinated by reports that predict future markets to five significant
digits.]
Hitachi Embraces Green Technologies to Stay
Afloat.—reliability high.
"Alongside the countless new companies focused on environmental
sustainability, add a very old one: the 100-year-old Hitachi, led by
its new president, Hiroaki Nakanishi, will put environmental
innovations at the core to the company's operations for the next 100
years. Hitachi, which has been a money-losing company in recent years,
posting a $2 billion loss for the fiscal year that ended March 31, is
shifting its focus to green technologies as a way to revive the
company." From GreenBiz.
[Putting the "hi"
back in "Hitachi"? ("Hi" means "sun", and "Hitachi" means "rising sun"
in Japanese)]
The deflowering of the EU's green logo.—reliability
medium.
"The European Union has an eco-label for green products. ... They
include two widely sold brands of copying paper: Golden Plus and Lucky
Boss. No doubt thousands of European office workers have bought the
brands reassured that they are sustainably produced. So what a shame
that it seems both are partly made from timber logged from one of the
largest but fastest disappearing tropical rainforests, on the
Indonesian island of Sumatra. The news of this gross deflowering of the
EU's green logo is contained in a new report, EU Ecolabel Allows Forest
Destruction, from the Forest and European Union Resources Network
(FERN), an NGO set up by the World Rainforest Movement to track
European policies on the world's forests." From The
Guardian. PDF of report here.
[Some office paper
suppliers have dropped APP as a supplier because of its dubious pulp
sourcing. Yet its own brands still carry the Ecolabel seal.]
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
Whiskas offers Critically Endangered
species-flavored cat food.—reliability medium.
"In a truly bizarre product offering, WHISKAS® presented a new line of
bluefin tuna-flavored cat food before quickly eliminating the product
"due to public concerns", according to Greenpeace UK. Bluefin tuna is
listed by the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered due to
overfishing. ... Earlier this month, Mars Inc. made news by stating it
would use only sustainably-sourced seafood in its pet products,
including Whiskas, by 2020. It is the first pet food company to make
such a pledge." Story at Mongabay.
[How a company can
undo good green perception by poor internal communication. Two steps
forward, one step back.]
P&G Announces U.S. Sustainability Expert
Advisory Panel.—reliability high.
"To further bolster its long-term corporate commitment to
sustainability, the Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) today
announced the composition of its U.S. Sustainability Expert Advisory
Panel (SEAP). The panel's mission is to help further embed "sustainable
thinking" into P&G U.S. business practices by evaluating specific
initiatives, collaborating with P&G brand representatives and
exploring opportunities to facilitate transparency with customers,
consumers, and key stakeholder groups. ... The U.S. SEAP met twice in
2009 at P&G headquarters. It will continue meeting throughout the
year to provide counsel to individual business units and brands within
the company in order to share expertise on sustainability-related
issues and evaluate upcoming consumer-facing initiatives." Lists panel
members. Press release at CSRwire.
["Quick, we need a
press release for Earth Day!" "Well, we've had this group of advisors
for a year, but why not trumpet it now?" "Great, what do they
do?" "They meet." "Hmm. I'll see what I can do with it."]
Only 20% of Utility Supply Chain Measures
Emissions.—reliability high.
"Only 20% of suppliers to the electric utility industry measure their
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and have established voluntary goals to
reduce their emissions, according to an industry survey. In response,
the Electric Utility Industry Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance
announced that it has developed a strategic plan calling for voluntary,
industry initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the
supply chain." See Sustainable
Business. More at Alliance
site.
What's on tap? Wine.—reliability
high.
"Wine on tap is taking flight in Bay Area restaurants and bars as a
cheaper, greener and fresher alternative to bottled wines served by the
glass. ... Those in the industry estimate that kegging wine and serving
it on tap cuts down production costs from 10 to 25 percent - savings
that are passed on to consumers." See San
Francisco Chronicle. [Since diners
never see the bottles wine "by the glass" comes in, why not have it
delivered in bulk? That's how you cut packaging waste and carbon
footprint.]
Government and
Regulation
US military warns oil output may dip causing
massive shortages by 2015.—reliability high.
"The US military has warned that surplus oil production capacity could
disappear within two years and there could be serious shortages by 2015
with a significant economic and political impact. "By 2012, surplus oil
production capacity could entirely disappear, and as early as 2015, the
shortfall in output could reach nearly 10 million barrels per day,"
says the report, which has a foreword by a senior commander, General
James N Mattis. It adds: "While it is difficult to predict precisely
what economic, political, and strategic effects such a shortfall might
produce, it surely would reduce the prospects for growth in both the
developing and developed worlds. Such an economic slowdown would
exacerbate other unresolved tensions, push fragile and failing states
further down the path toward collapse, and perhaps have serious
economic impact on both China and India." ... The warning is the latest
in a series from around the world that has turned peak oil – the moment
when demand exceeds supply – from a distant threat to a more immediate
risk." Story in The
Guardian.
Western Climate group sees carbon at $33/ton
in 2020.—reliability high.
"A cap-and-trade market to slow climate change in Western U.S. states
and Canadian provinces expects carbon dioxide to trade for about $33
per ton in 2020, an economist for the group said on Wednesday,
outlining highlights of a new, unreleased analysis. ... The WCI
economic analysis, which is being finalized, projects carbon dioxide
prices of $10 to $40 per ton in the first year of trade, 2012, rising
to $20 to $80 by 2020, depending on the pace of economic growth, energy
prices, and efficacy of energy efficiency and other measures, said
British Columbia Climate Action Secretariat economist Jessica Verhagen,
who is leading the economic analysis." Story at Reuters.
[But rumor is that
national energy/climate legislation may try to shut them down.]
[Crossposted from HaraBara.com courtesy of HaraBara, Inc. Copyright © 2010 HaraBara, Inc.]