Going on a holiday can have a large impact upon the environment. The carbon emissions from air and road travel are well known but some of the other issues such as the environmental cost of constructing and running luxury hotels and the impact on the local communities, resources and the local fauna and flora are less obvious. Eco-friendly tourism can play a huge role in … [Read more...]
U.N’s latest climate change report shocks
Though the report has yet to be finalized, details gleaned from leaked copies of the draft indicate it will offer the most dire warnings yet about the threats posed by climate change. Here, four key findings: It's 95 percent likely humans are to blame The biggest headline from the report is that scientists are now more convinced than ever that humans are causing … [Read more...]
Atmospheric emission hearings to start soon
Public hearings to discuss the Proposed Listed Atmospheric Emission Activities Amendments, published by the Department of Environmental Affairs in November last year, will most likely start later this month. The Amendments contain a list of activities that result in atmospheric emission and that have or may have a significant detrimental effect on the environment; including … [Read more...]
China’s coal consumption rivals that of the world
As the data illustrates, China is now burning almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined. And despite impressive support from Beijing for renewable energy and a dawning understanding about the dangers of air pollution, coal use in China is poised to continue rising, if slower than it has in recent years. That’s deadly for the Chinese people — see the truly … [Read more...]
Taxes on EU coal generation
Taxes on power generation, if not widespread, are becoming increasingly popular in Europe, as governments target utilities making significant profits from burning cheap coal in a low carbon price environment, states a GlobalData energy consultant. January 2013 saw the Netherlands introduce a €13.73 per tonne tax on coal in an aim to reduce coal consumption, raise revenue and … [Read more...]
KFC’s secret recipe for rainforest destruction
Greenpeace International has released evidence that KFC has been using product packaging sourced from rainforests, supplied by Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). Forensic testing in three markets - UK, China and Indonesia - repeatedly confirmed the presence of rainforest fibre in numerous packaging products, including the famous chicken bucket. The report, 'How KFC is Junking the … [Read more...]
How about a ‘green growth guarantee’?
The G20 will meet on 18-19 June in Los Cabos, Mexico; a day later, in Rio de Janeiro (20-22 June), the world’s nations meet for the Rio+20 Summit on sustainable development. I don’t know how much progress has been made on envisaged outcomes from Los Cabos. However, in the case of the Rio+20 Summit, to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 20-22 June, we know that the original … [Read more...]
Cop17: Anti-Coal Seminar
Friday, the 2nd of December Earth Life Africa held an anti-coal seminar at the Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard campus). The seminar titled “Anti-Coal Movements in Germany, South Africa and beyond?” highlighted many of the negative consequences associated with coal energy, and some of the concerns and desires in terms of climate change and … [Read more...]
SA committed to fighting climate change
Edna Molewa, Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, issued the following statement at the UNFCCC COP17 press briefing on Tuesday 29 November. The South African government recognises that the impacts of Climate Change have the potential to undermine the major developmental gains that we have made, particularly since the advent of our democracy. The South African … [Read more...]
Energy Project of the Year over-performs by 40%
Powertech IST Otokon was awarded the Energy Project of the Year at the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency’s (SAEE) Awards Ceremony last night. The Awards Ceremony formed part of the official annual SAEE Banquet which marked the opening of the 6th Southern African Energy Efficiency Convention (SAEEC 2011) and Exhibition on the 16th of November 2011, held at … [Read more...]
Carbon Tax for Real Change
South Africa's proposed carbon tax is set to act as just another tax on South Africans while inadequately addressing issues of climate change - the very problem it was designed to address. This is because the revenue generated will not be earmarked to tackle issues of climate change, rather it will simply flow into government coffers. Because of this many claim that the tax … [Read more...]
SA’s first carbon neutral nursery
One would think that a nursery - by virtue of the fact that its business is trees - is 'green' by default. But take into account factors such as the electricity, fuel, fertilizer, containers, plastic bags, paper and transport that are required to produce trees and, like any other product, a container-grown tree can tread heavily on the Earth in terms of the carbon footprint it … [Read more...]
Message from Parliament of the World’s Religions
We, from the major faith communities of the world, meeting at the Parliament of the World's Religions, Melbourne, Australia, from 3rd to 9th December 2009, send warm greetings to all who are gathering at Copenhagen for your crucially important Conference. We wish to assure you that prayers are being lifted up around the world for this meeting as we recognize that climate … [Read more...]
