Top Stories
In Oval Office Speech, Obama Calls for New
Focus on Energy Policy.—reliability high.
"President Obama summoned Americans on Tuesday to a 'national mission'
to move away from reliance on oil and develop alternative sources
of energy, casting the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as an
imperative for Congress to act quickly to overcome 'a lack of political
courage and candor.' ... He said progress had been blocked time and
time again by 'oil industry lobbyists,' and he suggested that achieving
energy independence was an issue of national security, saying the time
has come for the United States to 'seize control of our own destiny.' "
More on speech. From The
New York Times. [Speech was short
on specifics, targets or goals. Charitable commentators called it a
"call to arms", but that call was faint. I remember President
Kennedy's May 25, 1961, "Special Message to the Congress on Urgent
National Needs" speech setting out specific national goals, including
"First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving
the goal,
before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning
him safely to the Earth." That was clear and specific.]
Food prices to rise by up to 40% over next
decade, UN report warns.—reliability high.
"Food prices are set to rise as much as 40% over the coming decade
amid growing demand from emerging markets and for biofuel production,
according to a United Nations report today which warns of rising hunger
and food insecurity." See The
Guardian. Access report here.
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
VC, PE firms line up $1bn for India green
energy.—reliability high.
"Global venture capital and private equity companies will invest up to
$1bn by the end of the current fiscal in high-growth,
incentive-driven renewable energy companies, according to industry
estimates. ... The sector has received nearly $200 mln from fund
houses over the past six months compared with $175 mln in 2009.
Companies like, Moserbaer, London-based Swaraj Paul’s Caparo Energy and
state-owned companies are planning to raise funds for clean energy
projects. 'The sector has enormous potential for investment on the
supply side and large-sized projects are still to take shape,' said
Kuljit Singh, partner, transaction advisory services of Ernst &
Young." See story at Economic
Times.
37% of Retail Products Sold in Sustainable
Packaging by 2015.—reliability high.
"In 2010, 27% of products at major US retailers are estimated to have
sustainable packaging. By 2015, this figure is projected to reach 37%,
according to the latest issue of EL Insights." From Environmental
Leader.
Carbon Trust launches new footprinting guide.—reliability
high.
"The Carbon Trust yesterday launched a new guide designed to provide
businesses with clear instructions on how to calculate the carbon
footprint of their operations and products. The free publication,
entitled Carbon Footprinting: The next step to reducing your emissions,
outlines the key steps firms should take to measure their carbon
emissions and ensure their carbon data is independently verified. It
also provides an introduction on how to measure an individual product's
carbon footprint throughout its entire life cycle and details how to
use emission data to develop a wider carbon management programme."
Article in BusinessGreen.
Access guide here
(registration required).
Government and
Regulation
EPA analysis: Senate energy bill would lower
electric bills.—reliability high.
"The EPA study of the proposed American Power Act, sponsored by Sens.
John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, said
that energy bills for the average household - not including gasoline -
would decrease by 10 percent by 2020, rise by 1 percent in 2030 and
rise by 16 percent in 2050. The increases after 2030 largely would be
offset by rebates, protective plans for low-income households and other
measures, the analysis said. ... The EPA also estimated that the
overall cost of the legislation would be an average of $79 to $146 more
per household per year through 2050, including higher energy costs and
increased prices of goods and services." See Miami
Herald story.
Study finds American Power Act creates jobs
while decreasing household energy expenditures.—reliability
medium.
"A new analysis of the American Power Act (APA), comprehensive climate
and energy legislation released mid-May by Senators Kerry and
Lieberman, points to an economy with healthy growth in GDP and jobs,
and significant savings in household energy expenditures. The analysis
uses a new and highly innovative tool developed by McKinsey &
Company ..." More highlights and discussion of results of some other
analyses of the impact of the legislation. From NRDC
blogs. PDF of study here.
[This is a
different analysis from the EPA study mentioned above.]
U.S. Mayors Tell Manufacturers to Pay Up for
Product Recycling.—reliability high.
"The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) has thrown its weight behind the
concept of expended producer responsibility, calling on Congress to
support state governments in making the producers and consumers of
certain products responsible for their disposal. Extended producer
responsibility, or product stewardship, says that the companies that
make products and packaging that are hard to recycle, toxic or
problematic in current waste systems should be the ones responsible for
the costs associated with collecting and disposing of those products."
See story in Greener
World Media. [More regulations
coming, especially on e-waste.]
[Crossposted from HaraBara.com courtesy of HaraBara, Inc. Copyright © 2010 HaraBara, Inc.]