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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.
PAYERNE, Switzerland – A solar plane with wings as wide as a 747 and the power of a small motorboat took to the skies for the first time Wednesday, cruising a mile high at low speeds for nearly 1½ hours in a step toward becoming the first sun-powered aircraft to circle the world.
In its maiden test flight, “Solar Impulse” — designed by Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard’s team — completed a series of turns, slip maneuvers and bank angles reaching 5 degrees. Most importantly, it proved able to take off and land.
The team plans to fly it around the world in 2012, the goal being to show that renewable energy can replace fossil fuel.
“There has never been an airplane of that kind that could fly — never an airplane so big, so light, using so little energy,” said Piccard, who in 1999 copiloted the first nonstop round-the-globe balloon flight. “So there were huge question marks for us.”
At a military airport in the Swiss countryside, the plane lifted off at a speed no faster than 28 mph after only a short acceleration on the runway. It slowly gained altitude above the green and beige fields, and disappeared eventually into the horizon as villagers watched from the nearest hills.
The descent was even slower, as the sun-powered craft hovered ahead of the runway for a couple of minutes before touching down to cheers from spectators.
The weather for the maiden flight was sunny, and there was little wind.
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.
A rural community in Scotland has become the first to trial an electric car.
Fergus Ewing, the Scottish government’s minister for community safety, unveiled the vehicle at the Cairngorms National Park yesterday (November 16th).
The minister test drove the modified five-door Vauxhall Astra from Aviemore to Kingussie High School as part of the Clim-ATIC Cairngorms Electric Vehicle project.
“This is the first time I’ve driven an electric car and I’m very impressed with the work that’s gone in from all partners involved,” he said.
“We want Scotland to be at the forefront of building a sustainable low carbon economy of the future – to do that we need more great projects like this one in the Cairngorms.”
Local charity the Badenoch and Strathspey Community Transport Company (BSCTC) was then handed the keys to conduct a test trial of the car.
The organisation helps people with limited access to transport get around so they can make use of local services.
Mr Ewing added that he hoped the scheme would encourage similar green transport projects to be established across the country.
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!!!
The cost of deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology could prohibit it from being used on an industrial scale, a new report has indicated.
CCS is being touted as a key part of low-carbon strategies in the UK and US, among other countries, with UK energy secretary Ed Miliband claiming recently that clean coal will be vital for future energy security.
However, a new study from the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University, has warned that it could initially cost $150 (£90) per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) to deploy on a large scale.
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Plans for the UK’s largest renewable energy facility to use anaerobic digestion (AD) for power generation have been approved by North Yorkshire County Council.
Selby Renewable Energy Park is to be built on the site of a former Tate & Lyle factory and will use AD technology to generate 8MW of energy.
The £20 million plant will produce electricity from 165,000 tonnes of food waste every year – waste which would otherwise end up in landfill.
It is estimated that the facility will generate enough clean energy to power 10,800 homes a year, more than the entire population of Selby, which is close to the Drax power station.
Shaun Flynn, business development manager for the scheme, said that Selby Renewable Energy Park would also contribute towards industry-wide efforts to meet the government’s targets on renewable energy.
Highlighting the perceived benefits of AD, he stated: “Waste is treated in a sealed process reducing the generation of greenhouse gases and carbon emissions. ”
A clean, renewable fuel is produced which can be used to create electricity and heat and we are returning a green, sustainable fertiliser to the land which will in turn grow our crops for food.”
Last week, the government set a target for the power generation industry to produce 40 percent of UK electricity from low-carbon sources – such as renewables, nuclear and clean coal – by 2020.
The transition to a low-carbon society in the UK will require a much greater emphasis on business energy-efficiency measures, it has been claimed.
Speaking in response to the publication of the government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan, an organisation helping firms to improve their environmental performance has claimed that renewable energy is only “part of the solution”.
According to the Cumbria Green Business Forum, the plans outlined in the report will help to bring about positive change in current UK business practices and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
”We do need to focus on renewable energy as a primary target for that. For so long now, the UK has relied upon its own indigenous forces of gas and oil,” said John Barwise, chairman of the group.
However, he added: “I would like to see a bigger emphasis on energy efficiency than is currently the case.
“ The Low Carbon Transition Plan calls for ten percent of the required annual emissions cut between now and 2020 to come from greater energy-efficiency in the workplace.
BSI has published a new standard, BS EN 16001, to show organisations how to establish the systems and processes necessary to improve energy efficiency.
BS EN 16001 will help your business establish the systems and processes necessary to improve energy efficiency. This will help lead to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through systematic management of energy.
BS EN 16001 specifies requirements for an energy management system to enable you to develop and implement a policy and objectives which take into account legal requirements and information about significant energy aspects. It is a useful document for all types and sizes of organizations and accommodates diverse geographical, cultural and social conditions. This standard applies to the activities under the control of an organisation.
BS EN 16001 can be used independently or integrated with any other management system. To facilitate its use, the structure of this standard is similar to the structure of BS EN ISO 14001.
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