Some 300 researchers and delegates from a wide variety of scientific and engineering disciplines will gather at University College Cork (UCC) from April 6-8th to participate in The 21st Irish Environmental Researchers’ Colloquium (ENVIRON 2011). The Colloquium offers a unique forum for researchers, government and industry to discover emerging areas of environmental, energy and marine … Read more
GE Energy is acquiring 90% of Converteam, a leading provider of electrification and automation equipment and systems, for approximately $3.2 billion from a controlling shareholder group that includes management, Barclays Private Equity, and LBO France. The transaction, which is expected to close during third quarter 2011, will significantly expand GE’s offering in rapid growth sectors … Read more
The water and carbon footprint of wasted household food in the UK has been identified for the first time, highlighting the major environmental consequences of food waste, both domestically and globally. The report, ‘The Water and Carbon Footprint of Household Food Waste in the UK’ – jointly published by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) … Read more
China is starting to act positively on international climate targets though challenges remain. A new report by The Climate Group commissioned by the HSBC Climate Change Centre of Excellence, says the Chinese government’s decision to put a ‘clean industrial revolution’ at the heart of the nation’s 12th Five Year Plan will deliver real carbon savings … Read more
The Coca-Cola Company and HJ Heinz have announced a strategic partnership that enables Heinz to produce its ketchup bottles using Coca-Cola’s breakthrough PlantBottle packaging. The PET plastic bottles are made partially from plants and have a lower reliance on non-renewable resources compared with traditional PET plastic bottles. The partnership is an industry-first, and one that … Read more
The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the not-for-profit organisation that gathers data on how companies act to prevent dangerous climate change, has launched its 2011 Questionnaire in Ireland. The Project, principally sponsored in Ireland by the NTR Foundation and supported by KPMG, acts on behalf of large investors and invites Irish companies to measure and disclose … Read more
The Amazon rainforest, long regarded as a valuable carbon sink slowing climate change, is in danger of becoming a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. New research shows that the 2010 Amazon drought may have been even more devastating to the region’s rainforests than the unusual 2005 drought, which was previously billed as a one-in-100 … Read more
Having trained 250 of its drivers in eco-driving techniques following successful trials in several areas of the country, Bus Eireann is confident of significantly reducing its fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during 2011. Indeed, Eco-driving and fuel monitoring could save Bus Eireann over €1.5 million a year while cutting emissions. Eco-driving involves driving in … Read more
The Government has published the Climate Change Response Bill 2010. The Bill, which has been in preparation for the past eighteen months, is a legislative priority and the Government will be seeking to progress it through the Houses of the Oireachtas immediately, with a view to enactment in February 2011. The Bill sets out a … Read more
The European Commission has published a report on indirect land use change related to biofuels and bioliquids. The report acknowledges that indirect land use change can reduce greenhouse gas emissions savings associated with biofuels, but also identifies a number of uncertainties. The Commission will now conduct an impact assessment, thereby taking into consideration potential changes … Read more