News

• Sugar-to-biofuels firm Amyris raises $25m

  26 August 2009

  California's Amyris Biotechnologies has raised $24.7m to pursue development of its technology to convert sugar cane into biofuels and useful chemicals.

• Norway sovereign fund to focus on water risk

  20 August 2009

  Norway's $394 billion sovereign wealth fund has identified water supply as a risk to 11% of its portfolio – adding the issue to climate change and a number of social concerns on which it will pressure the companies in which it invests.

• Infigen to sell 1.1GW US wind farm portfolio

  20 August 2009

  Australian wind farm developer Infigen Energy has put its US assets up for sale, in order to focus on its domestic market.

• Australia boosts renewable energy target

  20 August 2009

  The Australian Senate today passed legislation that commits the nation to generating 20% of its electricity from renewables by 2020, after the government secured the support of the main opposition coalition.

• UK arrests seven in £38m VAT fraud investigation

  19 August 2009

  The UK today arrested seven people suspected of committing value added tax (VAT) fraud in the carbon market.

• WM signs landmark deal for Chinese solid waste firm

  13 August 2009

  Waste Management (WM) will pursue waste-to-energy opportunities in China following its $140 million acquisition of a stake in Shanghai Environment Group (SEG) last week, believed to the single largest foreign investment in China's solid waste management sector.

• IFC breached standards on palm oil financing – ombudsman

  13 August 2009

  An audit by the International Finance Corporation's (IFC's) own watchdog has found it failed to apply its own environmental and social standards in a series of investments and loans to palm oil trading and plantation owner Wilmar Group.

• Mercer to study green investments for hedge fund giant

  13 August 2009

  Leading hedge fund GLG Partners has asked consulting group Mercer to conduct a study into how the perceived need to tackle climate change and other environmental issues is impacting mainstream investing.

• Price collapse and overcapacity hit solar sector results

  13 August 2009

  Falling prices and demand for solar cells and modules is causing pain for the largest companies in the solar sector, who may have to wait until 2010 to feel the benefit of renewable energy stimulus packages.

• Japanese corporates form climate leadership group

  13 August 2009

  Five Japanese companies have come together in what they say is the country's first business coalition around climate change.