News

• NOx trading goes annual

  01 September 2007

  Participants in the US nitrogen oxide (NOx) allowance market are beginning to trade for the 2009 annual market, at prices up to $7,000/ton, despite the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not yet allocated allowances.

• Barclays' China deal raises environmental risks

  01 September 2007

  China Development Bank (CDB) has acquired a 3.1% stake in Barclays, which could rise to 6–7%, giving the UK-based bank access to the prized Chinese market. But socially responsible investment research firm Innovest Strategic Value Advisors has raised concerns about the environmental, social and governance risk to Barclays from the deal.

• People moves this month

  01 September 2007

  US investment bank JPMorgan has appointed KEDIN KILGORE as head of North American environmental product markets. Based in New York, Kilgore, who previously traded environmental markets at investment company RNK Capital, will be responsible for the bank's activities in greenhouse gas and renewable energy certificate markets.

• Trade in GHG permits and credits up 45%

  01 September 2007

  Volumes in the world's carbon markets were up 45% year on year to 1.2 billion tonnes in the first six months of 2007, according to research from Point Carbon.

• Merrill launches energy efficiency index

  01 September 2007

  Merrill Lynch has launched an index to track companies that offer energy efficiency savings.

• US Congress poised for energy, climate breakthrough

  01 July 2007

  Hopes are high that the US Congress could pass far-reaching energy and environmental legislation in the autumn, following changes of heart from key representatives, and plans for two comprehensive Senate bills tackling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

• Leaf float raises £200m for North American renewables

  01 July 2007

  EEA Fund Management and Shaw Capital have raised £200 million ($403 million) to invest in North American renewable energy projects through London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) market.

• US firms underestimating shareholder interest in CR

  01 July 2007

  US corporations underestimate the importance placed on corporate responsibility (CR) by shareholders, according to a survey by Thomson Financial.

• Calvert powers into alt energy

  01 July 2007

  Socially responsible fund manager Calvert has launched a Global Alternative Energy Fund that will invest directly in renewable energy companies (solar, wind geothermal, biofuel, hydrogen and biomass), related technologies and the energy efficiency sector.

• Wal-mart goes solar

  01 July 2007

  Wal-Mart has signed deals with three solar firms to supply and finance photovoltaic solar cells, generating an estimated 20,000MWh/year, to be installed on 22 of its buildings in California and Hawaii.