Governments Investing in CCS Demonstrations
Recent global action to fund carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is unprecedented. New project funding announced last month in the European Union, Canada, Australia and the United States is building momentum for accelerating the use of CCS to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The G8’s goal of 20 demonstrations announced by 2010–a goal that once seemed insurmountable–could be within reach.In Australia, the federal government allocated USD$2 billion to build between two and four coal-fired power plants, each generating up to 1,000 MW, that have CCS capabilities. This funding action came shortly after Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the formation of the $70 million, investor-backed Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute. (Note: All funding references in this article are in USD$.) Canada, another coal-dependent country, announced a clean energy fund that offers nearly $600 million for CCS demonstration projects as part of its economic stimulus package.

European Commission publishes a report on the relationship between IPR and climate change

In March 2009, the European Commission published a report titled ‘Are IPR a Barrier to the Transfer of Climate Change Technology?’. The report traces patent protection data for seven emissions-reducing energy technologies in a representative sample of low-income developing countries and emerging market economies from 1998-2008. The study finds that IPRs do not constitute a barrier to the transfer of carbon abatement technology from developed countries, neither to low-income developing countries nor to emerging market economies. Economic factors are said to stand in the way of achieving the carbon abatement objectives of low-income countries. For emerging market economies that have the capacity and market size to use innovative technologies, further improvements in patent protection could actually stimulate domestic innovation and the transfer of technologies from foreign patent holders.
http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2009/february/tradoc_142371.pdf

The Environment for Europe reform plan

The Environment for Europe reform plan was adopted by the Committee on Environmental
Policy at its Special session on 29 January 2009

The plan includes the objectives and priorities of the Environment for Europe
(EfE) process as well as its general principles. It also calls for particular
measures to be taken related to the preparatory phase of the Conference,
and specifies its format and outcome. New elements of the EfE Conference
are worth mentioning: the CEP would act as the convening body for the preparatory
process; not more than two themes be identified and addressed by the Conference
and; its main outcomes should be focused and action oriented.  A last section
on implementation is also included,  with all relevant responsible actors
to implement the outcomes of the EfE Ministerial Conferences. The Plan would
be transmitted to the Economic Commission for Europe at its

New interactive database on indicators of sustainable forest management in Europe

The Timber and Forestry programme of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced today the release of a new web-based resource tool designed by the international community to enable researchers, policymakers, practitioners and the general public to access data on Europe’s forests. The database is a comprehensive research tool based on the report State of Europe’s Forests 2007, and includes data which have so far not been published.

This is the first time that such a comprehensive set of information pertinent to sustainable forest management and forest resources assessment in Europe is being published via an online data management system. It provides an unprecedented scope of information, collected by hundreds of individuals and dozens of agencies, and is accessible through a user-friendly interface which enables users to extract all the data for a single country, or to compare indicators across several countries.

Climate change negotiations

Nina Markovic and Nick Fuller / Information and Research Services, Parliamentary Library
Many forthcoming international meetings that will have a bearing on the creation of a post-2012 international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper outlines the main international forums and presents a timetable of major Australian and international events and meetings leading up to these final negotiations. Posted 04-09-2008

Auto makers falling short of EU emissions standards

By author@nospam.vnunet.com (James Murray) on transport

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 10:55:00

Lawmakers urged to stick to guns over tough new emissions targets

As European law makers prepare to finalise tough new legislation governing vehicle carbon emissions, fresh evidence has emerged confirming that Europe's top car manufacturers are set to fall short of...

Mystery energy firm to invest in Norwegian carbon capture project

By James Murray on News

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Thursday 21 August 2008 at 17:05:00

Company poised to join research project designed to optimise carbon capture processes

A major European energy company is set to invest approximately $34m in a Norwegian research project designed to identify the optimum technologies and processes for extracting carbon emissions from the...

Europe moves on electrical distribution

By Andrew Charlesworth on News

Andrew Charlesworth, BusinessGreen, Friday 15 August 2008 at 15:40:00

Cross-border transmission joint venture will boost green energy investment

Europe has made a significant step towards freeing up the market for electricity distribution in a large part of its territory with the creation of a joint venture of transmission...

Price of EU carbon credits to hit €45I do - I print out most things

By BusinessGreen.com Staff on News

BusinessGreen.com Staff, BusinessGreen, Thursday 14 August 2008 at 11:28:00

Report claims credits are badly undervalued

Carbon credits in both the European Union's emissions trading scheme (ETS) and the UN's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) offsetting programme are badly undervalued and due to increase in price before...


http://snipurl.com/3haxt

EU and UK on collision course over aviation carbon-trading deal

By James Murray on News

James Murray, BusinessGreen, Wednesday 13 August 2008 at 12:07:00

European Parliament proposal to ensure cash from auctioning carbon credits to airlines goes to fund green projects looks set to be rejected by the UK

The European Parliament and the UK government are reportedly at loggerheads over the plan to bring the aviation industry into the European Union's emissions trading scheme (ETS) with the UK...

Auctioning for Refiners Should Be Phased-in Under EU ETS

Shell CEO: Auctioning for Refiners Should Be Phased-in Under EU ETS.World Refining & Fuels Today (July 1, 2008)(210 words) From General OneFile.

Refining and other industries that face significant global competition should have auctioning phased-in under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer said in a speech yesterday.

"Shell recognizes that auctioning is an integral design feature of the ETS," he said. "We do not oppose auctioning.

Scheme sets quotas for carbon dioxide production

By Fiona Harvey, Environment Correspondent

Published: July 29 2008 03:00 | Last updated: July 29 2008 03:00

Companies covered by the European Union's emissions trading scheme may only produce a certain quota of carbon dioxide each year, writes Fiona Harvey .