Tag Archives: Rio+20
Green Economy: Historic Opportunities Everywhere
We have the means to reinvigorate the economy, create millions of jobs, increase energy security and open up vast new exports markets. If we are to keep carbon concentrations below 450ppm, we can anticipate clean energy investments exceeding $13 trillion over the next two decades. These investments lower energy costs and directly benefit manufacturers of [...]
British Prime Minister Urged to Support Cleantech
Environmental campaigners have been rallying David Cameron to defend renewable energy. The British Prime Minister has been told he must do more to reign in the Treasury, after a series of setbacks on green power initiatives. Nearly 200 green businesses signed a letter to Cameron, which was drafted by the Renewable Energy Association. It called [...]
The World’s Lowest Emissions Building
One of Japan’s largest construction companies is making a bold claim. Shimuzu Corp. believes its new Tokyo headquarters emits less carbon dioxide per square meter than any other building in the world. Thanks to a myriad of energy efficiency technologies and renewable energy installations, the building (pictured below) uses only 38 kilograms per square meter [...]
Progress Made at Rio+20 Earth Summit
The lofty purpose of the Rio+20 Earth Summit was to “establish an institutional framework for sustainable development and to establish a green economy.. While not legally binding, the document that emerges from Rio+20 will serve as a roadmap for sustainable development.” With that kind of set up, the conference couldn’t help but disappoint – let’s [...]
Rio+20 Sustainable Transport Agreement Reached
One of the many announcements related to stimulating green development at Rio+20 involves a sustainable transport scheme. The Rio+20 meeting saw well over one hundred points of agreement from financial institutions and business groups. The sustainable transport agreement that occurred on the fringes of the conference involves $175bn fund. The group of international finance institutions [...]
Aruba to go 100% Renewable
Sir Richard Branson and Aruba Prime Minister Mike Eman announced at Rio+20 today that Branson’s Carbon War Room will work with the country to transition the island to 100% renewable energy and the world’s first sustainable economy. They will create a roadmap in line with the country’s consensus-driven policy making that includes Aruba’s citizens. Aruba, [...]
Rio+20: The Aftermath
Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, has come and gone. The global environmental community certainly had high hopes for this event, described as the biggest UN conference ever. With such outsized expectations, some people were bound to be disappointed… and in this case, a great many people felt let down by the conference. [...]