Top Stories
Environment ministry requires annual reports
from listed companies.—reliability medium.
"Following news of the large-scale copper spill, China’s Ministry of
Environmental Protection (MEP) released a notice on Tuesday requiring
listed companies to issue annual environmental reports. The MEP
stipulated that reports should include information on emissions totals,
controls and fees; the prevention of heavy-metals pollution; hazardous
materials use and management; and environmental risk management." See China
Green News.
Food industry's green efforts.—reliability
high.
"A European round table bringing together the food industry, farmers
and consumer groups has drawn up a series of 10 guiding principles to
assess the environmental impact of food and drink products during their
entire life cycle. ... Mike Faupel from the Sustainability Consortium,
an organisation of global companies seeking to improve consumer product
sustainability, noted that the proliferation of eco-labels and other
green claims led to confusion among consumers." Story at EurActive.
PDF of guiding principles here.
Companies,
Industries, Markets and Supply Chains
Honda to focus on hybrids, drop microcar
plant: report.—reliability high.
"Honda Motor Co, Japan's No.2 automaker, will drop plans to build a
new minivehicle factory and focus on its green vehicles business, the
Nikkei business daily reported on Thursday. ... Honda had initially
planned to build clean-diesel and other fuel-saving vehicles at the
Yorii factory, but has since abandoned the development of clean diesel
engines, planning instead to come up with a new hybrid system to boost
fuel economy on its bigger vehicles." From Reuters.
Clouds On The Horizon For VC-Dependent
Cleantech Startups.—reliability high.
"a survey released yesterday by the National Venture Capital
Association and Deloitte & Touche" suggests that venture capital
money will become more difficult for cleantech start-ups to find. The
number of VC firms is expected to decline. "Some of the issues faced by
the U.S. VCs include a more challenging fiscal environment.
Indeed, Congress is pushing to tax at a higher bracket the gains
partners at private equity and venture capital funds earn for their
investors, also known as carried interest. ... Contrasting with the
gloomy outlook of U.S. and Canadian investors, are the bullish
sentiments of BRIC economies, (Brazil, India, Russia, China), where
early-stage investors expect the number of venture capital firms to
grow, not shrink, over the next five years." Item in Green
Energy Reporter. PDF slideshow of survey results here.
Renewables see 'resilient growth' in 2009.—reliability
high.
"The UN-backed study said renewables accounted for 60% of new
electricity generation capacity in Europe. And in the US, green
electricity accounted for more than half of the generation capacity
built last year. The authors added that renewables were set to outpace
conventional energy sources across the globe next year." From BBC News.
Access report here.
Greenwashing: How to Avoid the Typical
Marketing Traps.—reliability medium.
"While standards differ globally, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) regulations are a good model to follow virtually anywhere in the
world. Listed below are the four factors of most concern to the FTC
regarding advertising claims of all types, but specifically
environmental claims." See Environmental
Leader.
Government and
Regulation
Fannie and Freddie Are Sued in California.—reliability
high.
"The California attorney general’s office on Wednesday sued
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over actions by the mortgage finance
companies that have derailed a popular financing program that allows
homeowners to pay for energy efficiency improvements through a
surcharge on their property taxes. ... The suit’s most novel allegation
is that the agency violated federal environmental law by not conducting
a review of the potential environmental impact of restricting PACE
programs." From New York Times Green blog. [California
Attorney General Gerry Brown is running for governor.]
