Green feeds from the web

You have a friend in Washington (and Westminster)

vivadiem — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:52:13 -0800

Whisper it quietly, but could it be that they've only finally gone and got it? I know that it is has become de rigueur for the people who keep an eye on these things to spend the weeks leading up to UN climate talks trying to kid themselves that this time it'll all be different, this time we'll see some real progress, before then having to go through the rather chastening experience of trying to explain why nothing much seemed to happen.

The Week in Green: climate change risks and the girls you should have kissed

vivadiem — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:41:40 -0800

I've always been intrigued by the concept of risk - not the board game for wannabe megalomaniacs with the indecipherable rules, more the idea of trying to work out whether to expose yourself to the possibility of unpleasant events. Our understanding of, and attitude towards, risk is one of the defining aspects of our personality, distinguishing the confident from the shy, the fearless from the cowardly, the indolent from the motivated, and the astute from the just plain dumb.

The Week in Green: reasons to be cheerful

vivadiem — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:20:20 -0800

For a few days at least, cynicism is officially suspended. Yes, the world is in many ways exactly the same place as it was at the start of the week, its myriad problems just as intransigent as they were before Barack Obama's historic election victory. But for now it is hard not to join in the global outpouring of optimism that has accompanied the election of the US' first black president - a man who single-handedly promises the diametric opposite to so many of the Bush administration's failed economic, environmental and diplomatic policies.

BusinessGreen.com names and shames the Climate Change Bill Three

vivadiem — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:07:55 -0800

Last week, I half-jokingly said I was off to try and track down the three MPs who voted against the UK's world-leading climate change bill. Well, my colleague Tom Young has gone and done exactly that, and found that not all of David Cameron's model green army are marching in the same direction. Here's what he discovered: In the world of politics, MPs are often required to put their personal views on hold for the greater good of the party.

How the cracks began to appear in the carbon crystal ball

vivadiem — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:34:30 -0700

Amidst the tumult afflicting the world's financial market, it is perhaps unsurprising that the fact the price of carbon in the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) has hit an 18 month low has not earnt much of a mention. But the slump in the price of carbon from a high of around €25 a tonne earlier this summer to just €18.10 today should give serious pause for concern to many operating in either the carbon market or the wider green business movement.

The case of the ripped plastic bag

vivadiem — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:40:12 -0700

A few days ago I was doing my shopping at my local Sainsbury's when something very strange happened - please bear with me, I know it's not the most promising opening but I'll try to keep the clichéd middle class ranting to a minimum.