Environmental

FTSE Group, NAREIT and US Green Building Council Develop the First Investable Green Property Indexes

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FTSE Group, NAREIT and the US Green Building Council (USGBC) have jointly developed the first investable green property indexes for both institutional and retail investors. This collaboration brings together the global market leaders in US real estate indexing, REIT market expertise and environmental building standards. The indexes, currently in the final stages of implementation prior … Read more

European Commission Must Backload More than 900 Million ETS Allowances

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The European Commission has acted to rescue the European Emission Trading System (EU ETS) by proposing to postpone the auctioning of 900 million allowances from 2013-2015 to the next phase of the EU emissions trading system, which ends in 2020. “We support this step. But back-loading only 900 million allowances is not enough to re-establish … Read more

EU to Push For Protection of Bluefin Tuna, Marlin and Sharks as Fight Against Illegal Fishing Continues

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The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) is holding its annual meeting in Agadir, Morocco, from 12 to 19 of November 2012. In this annual meeting the European Commission, which represents the EU, is hoping to build on the success of last year’s negotiations which included decisions on multi-annual management measures for … Read more

Unilever UK & Ireland Challenges Households to Waste Less and Save More

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Unilever is launching a consumer challenge to help families lead more sustainable lifestyles and save money on household bills. Developed in partnership with insight and innovation consultancy The Futures Company, the challenge aims to bust the myth that environmentally-friendly living costs more, and prove that sustainable living can in fact help families to save money, … Read more

EU's Largest Marine Protected Area

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The Scottish Government has submitted proposals to the EU that include plans for Europe’s largest marine area of nature conservation in waters west of Scotland. The designation of Hatton Bank as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), located approximately 500 km west of Lewis, would cover an area of 15,694 square kilometres. Hatton Bank would … Read more

Clonbur LIFE Woodland Wins National RDS-Forest Service Award For Biodiversity

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Clonbur Woodland, a woodland restored under joint Coillte and EU LIFE funding in recent years, has won the Biodiversity Category in the RDS Forest Service Irish Forestry Awards. The judging panel commended the woodland, and the RDS Committee of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Chairman, Tom Cannon, said that “Coillte is deserving of recognition for the … Read more

Environment Committee to Discuss Establishment and Future Governance of Uisce Éireann

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The establishment and future governance of Uisce Éireann will be discussed by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht at its meeting today, Tuesday 6th November, 2012. John Mullins, Chief Executive, Bord Gáis Éireann, will brief the Committee on the status of the new Irish water utility Uisce Éireann. Bord Gáis has … Read more

ISO standards for the green economy

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The entire ISO 14000 family of environmental management standards, plus a collection of publications related to sustainability, have just been released by ISO on a new CD, ISO standards for the green economy The CD provides a “one-stop shop” for ISO standards for helping organizations to tackle environmental challenges. It has been launched to coincide … Read more