Nineteen of New Zealand’s leading surf spots have been officially recognised and protected from December 3rd, under the revised New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, which comes into effect tomorrow.
The Policy, deemed long overdue by many coastal planners and environmentalists, aims to prevent inappropriate use and development that may adversely affect their use and enjoyment.
In particular, …
Yearly Archive
for: ‘2010’
19 Iconic NZ Surf Breaks enshrined under new Coastal Policy
Indonesian polluters may lose access to loans
Indonesia, December 17 – The Environment Ministry and the central bank on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding making it mandatory for banks to deny loans to companies that violated pollution standards.
Under the agreement, lenders would have to consult the ministry’s list of companies taking part in the Corporate Environmental Performance Ratings, or Proper, to check …
Tesla’s electric bolt out of the blue
by Sally Dominguez.
Most electric and hybrid vehicles struggle with the weight and positioning of their batteries. Often the need to carry a giant battery pack means compromises in leg room, luggage space, performance and roadholding.
General Motors’ new Volt electric car seats only four people. Nissan’s upcoming Leaf sacrifices rear headroom, incorporating part of the battery …
France guarantees fast-start climate financing for Africa
By Rowena F. Caronan
The French government said it will speed up the climate financing intended for African countries, which was earlier promised during last year’s climate change conference in Copenhagen.
The Franco-Kenyan initiative aims to maximize the flow of funds dedicated to the production, distribution and connectivity of clean energy in countries most vulnerable to climate …
How to Stop Black Carbon
SAN FRANCISCO — Could a network of cell phones improve air pollution monitoring?
That’s the hope of Nithya Ramanathan, an assistant research professor of computer science at the University of California, Los Angeles. She’s part of a team that has developed a system that relies on cell phones to report concentrations of black carbon, a particle …
Greenpeace ranks greenest I.T. companies
By Oliver M. Bayani
Greenpeace named Cisco Systems Inc., Ericsson and Fujitsu the three most environmentally responsible information technology companies in their ranking of global I.T. brands that significantly reduce emissions and energy use and support climate and energy advocacies.
The environmental group observed that the gap between leaders and laggards has widened in its latest Cool I.T. report, with …
Cancun Talks Yield Climate Compromise
The world largely endorses the Copenhagen Accord as a path forward for combating climate change but postpones tough decisions for future talks.
Elements of last year’s Copenhagen Accordmoved a step closer to reality as two weeks of talks concluded in Cancun this week with a new consensus on the path forward for international negotiations to combat climate change. …
London research institute says C.C.S. suitable for England
By L.J. Polintan
A new study from Imperial College London says Britain is in a unique position to develop carbon capture and storage projects because of viable places in northern England where the greenhouse gas can be stored.
Carbon capture and storage or C.C.S. is the process of stripping carbon dioxide from fossil fuels before or after they are …
Mitsubishi boosts European presence through R&D in offshore wind
By Rowena F. Caronan
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited will invest 100 million pounds sterling ($157.41 million) to carry out research and development efforts in offshore wind turbine technology in Europe.
Through its subsidiary Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe Limited, the company will establish a center for advanced technology in Edinburg, Scotland that will pioneer research and development …
Testing the Waters with Tidal Energy
SEATTLE – For eons, powerful tides have raged through Puget Sound, ripping along at 11 feet per second at their peak, predictable as the phases of the moon.
Three years from now, a local utility hopes to begin converting a portion of that raw energy to electricity, part of a growing effort to harness the tides …
