News

• Swiss bank to help investors offset portfolio emissions

  14 July 2011

  Customers of Swiss bank Julius Bär will be able to calculate the carbon footprint of their equity portfolio and offset the emissions using carbon credits, through a service launched this week.

• Giant US solar projects may fail without loan guarantees – developers

  14 July 2011

  Solar developers could struggle to finance large-scale solar projects in the US without the federal government's loan guarantee programme.

• Industry, analysts react to UK electricity market reforms

  13 July 2011

  A selection of the key responses to the UK's electricity market reform (EMR) announced yesterday.

• UK sets out to reform electricity market, cut carbon

  12 July 2011

  The UK government today set out reforms to the electricity market, with the aim of driving the £200 billion ($319 billion) of investment needed to keep the lights on and meet climate targets.

• US tries again on pollution trading, but will viable markets emerge?

  12 July 2011

  Revamped air quality regulations proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will give power plant operators more flexibility to engage in interstate trading of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions allowances, but confusion about the rule is casting doubt on whether viable markets will emerge.

• Court battles in offing as US moves to cut pollution

  12 July 2011

  The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will face legal challenges over its new air quality standards, even though the agency sought to balance court compliance with its desire to allow a robust trading market to develop.

• Australia reveals carbon price, proposes A$10bn clean energy support

  12 July 2011

  Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has unveiled a comprehensive climate change package, setting an initial price on carbon dioxide of A$23 (US$24) per tonne from 1 July 2012.

• Developing countries take lead on green energy investments

  12 July 2011

  Developing countries invested more in renewable energy last year, overtaking the developed world for the first time, a UN report has revealed.

• Sustainability raters challenged on transparency

  12 July 2011

  A consultancy has thrown down the gauntlet to the 100-plus producers of corporate sustainability ratings, calling on them to disclose their methodologies in a bid to improve the sector's transparency.

• $5.4bn bill for Chinese flood damage

  12 July 2011

  Heavy June flooding in China has caused $5.4 billion in economic losses, while the Philippines and the US also face hefty damage bills following catastrophic events, according to research by reinsurance broker Aon Benfield.