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Countries around the world realise task they face in the coming years is how to create a more sustainable environment while still competing in the global economy.
Businesses have often been reluctant to change their practices for fear of them impacting on their bottom line.
However, the annual Climate Competitiveness Index, compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and non-profit organisation accountability, suggests that many nations are already making strides in this area.
The report analysed the activities of 95 major countries across the world. Together, these nations account for 97 per cent of the world’s economic activity and 96 per cent of its carbon emissions.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, was shown to be performing well in many areas. It was named as an “outstanding example” of a country which is making significant strides towards a low carbon economy.
The country was also said to have achieved “consistent progress” in combining climate accountability with performance, which UNEP said is the key to increasing Climate Competitiveness.
Sweden, Denmark, Japan and France were all shown to be performing well in this area. North Africa and the Middle East region were of the worst performers in both areas.
In terms of the performance index, the UK was shown to be the strongest nation in the world. However, it lagged behind a number of other European countries when it came to accountability.
UNEP suggested that the countries which performed well in the index had a strong record in reporting and managing carbon emissions, as well as developing their range of low carbon products and services.
It said that a network of organisations dedicated to the support of low carbon growth was present in those which performed best.
But in Bolivia, Ghana, Vietnam and Bangladesh, concern among members of the population was a key driver and in Scandinavia and Singapore businesses were playing a major role.
We would like to hear your views and opinions on how you think the UK is if fairing against other countries, if the low carbon economy drive is effecting you and how.
The UK government has launched a new scheme to help consumers save money on their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.
Feed-in tariffs will allow households and businesses to generate their own electricity and sell it back to the National Grid.
They will receive guaranteed payments for each unit they produce and an extra three pence per kilowatt hour for every unit they do not use.
According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change, a “well-sited” 2.5 kilowatt solar photovoltaic installation could provide savings of £140 a year.
It could also allow householders to earn £900 a year from the energy they generate. Commercial companies can achieve even greater results
In addition to feed-in tariffs for consumers, the government has also announced the launch of its Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme for businesses.
The initiative is designed to boost take-up of cost-effective energy efficiency measures that are not yet being utilised.
Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband said: “The UK is leading the way in tackling climate change.
“Organisations and householders can play a central role in leading the move to a low-carbon economy whilst saving money on their energy bills.”
The launch of the new schemes comes after the government announced that greenhouse gas emissions were cut by 8.6 percent in the UK last year.
The energy saving company has the ability to review which technology is best suited to your building, calculate your payback and forecast revenues generated via the best technology specific to your site. contact info@theenergysavingcompany.com to find out more.
Businesses in the UK could save themselves money as well as help the UK step closer to a low carbon economy by being more energy efficient, the government has claimed.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) cited research from WRAP, which revealed that 47 percent of businesses recognise they could make savings of more than £100,000 through low and no cost energy efficiency measures.
Businesses could contribute up to ten percent towards the UK’s greenhouse emissions targets for 2020 by being more eco-friendly, the government advised.
Hilary Benn, environment secretary, said: “Sustainability is the key not only to the environment but to business success.”
“There are opportunities here in the UK too in the low carbon and environmental goods and services, where we currently have just over three per cent of the global market.”
The government has changed there criteria by offering funding to business who spend £30,000 per annum on energy.
We can visit your business, assess operations, recommend, advise and even implement changes resulting in annual savings for your company.
To find out how your business can benefit contact The Energy Saving Company on 0800 118 5744 or email info@theenergysavingcompany.com
Start cutting your C02 and reduce costs today!!!
Broadcaster is assessing ‘health issues’ of tap water after a freedom of information request revealed cost to licence fee payers.
The BBC spends nearly half a million pounds a year on bottled water for water coolers. Photograph: Getty Creative
The BBC has been accused of wasting public money and creating unnecessary environmental damage by spending nearly half a million pounds a year on bottled water. Responding to a freedom of information request from the Guardian, the public broadcaster said it spent £406,000 annually on large bottles for its water coolers.
Reduce your home and office usage of water with our range of water saving devices.
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EDF Energy welcomes the decision by the Office of Fair Trading to give merger clearance to the anticipated acquisition by Centrica from EDF Group of a 20% interest in British Energy. The OFT has concluded the transaction will not have an adverse effect on competition in any UK market.
The OFT decision is a key step in completing the proposed transaction but there are still other conditions that need to be met before we can finalise the deal.
We can help you reduce your energy bills, speak to one of our advisers today for FREE on 0800 118 5722.
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Should the world pay Ecuador not to extract oil? President Rafael Correa’s argument makes perfect economic sense.
Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa is often dismissed as a radical leftist. Such has been the response to his proposal that the world pay him not to extract oil from Yasuni National Park in the western Amazon.
Yasuni is home to almost 850 million barrels of oil, or 20% of Ecuador’s reserves.
A closer look at Correa’s proposal reveals that it comes straight out of an economics textbook, and makes perfect sense.
Ecuador has a national income of $7,500 in purchasing power terms, and the top 20% of Ecuadorans have more than half that income. More than half of Ecuador lives on less than $2 per day.
Want to become greener at home or in the office but dont know where to begin? Begin by speaking to one of our energy advisers for FREE and they will guide your through all the services that we can offer to help reduce your energy consumption and energy bills.
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You don’t have to dig deep to avoid investing in companies that degrade the planet or displace indigenous people, says Lucy Siegle.
Despite frequent “assurances” of more self-regulatory initiatives than you could use to fill a redundant deep-cast gold mine, the resource-extraction industries continue to represent an epic blot on the landscape. And humankind largely continues to turn a blind eye to a charge sheet that includes dispossession of local inhabitants from their land, the degradation of soil and water, and the loss of biodiversity.
The irreversible loss of “genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats” is said by the great biologist Edward Wilson to be “the folly that our descendants are least likely to forgive us for”.
Ofgem, the energy regulator, has demanded that Britain’s gas and electricity companies explain to customers why their energy bills have not fallen more sharply.
Alistair Buchanan, the watchdog’s chief executive, has written an open letter saying the big six utilities “owe it to consumers to explain how falling wholesale costs are likely to bear on future energy bills”.
The utility companies have cut their prices by 10pc or less this year, after much sharper rises last year. “Wholesale costs have fallen from last year’s peak. In a strong competitive market, we would expect prices to respond,” Mr Buchanan wrote on the regulator’s website.
The Energy Retail Association, which represents power and gas suppliers, said last year’s price rises were not fully passed on.
A one-day energy summit has been announced, open to all who care to attend. It’s titled: “Lightening the Load–Reducing the Footprint in the Expeditionary Environment – A National Security Imperative for Success.”
Here’s more info from the announcement:
The Commandant of the Corps is hosting a one day Energy Summit to elevate awareness and understanding of what the Marine Corps is doing to reduce energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels, what we are experimenting with, and what our energy challenges are.
The topics discussed will cover operating in a expeditionary environment (lightening the load, reducing energy inefficient battlefield designs), and energy challenges at installations (attaining self sufficiency, sustainability, and reducing installation vulnerabilities).
Keynote Speakers include: National Security Advisor, Gen (ret) James L. Jones (invited), Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Raymond Edwin Mabus, and Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen James T. Conway.
