‘Big business needs biodiversity’ says UN

Pavan Sukhdev of the UN says in a new report that the benefits of halting enviromental devastation outweigh the costs – not only for the planet, but also for investors

Modern businesses are "soulless corporations" that are in danger of becoming a "cancer" on society, a leading UN environmental official warns today.

Companies usually take a short-term view of the importance of the environment, said Pavan Sukhdev, head of the UN's investigation into how to stop the destruction of the natural world. This short-term thinking is seen in their lobbying against new policies that could slow environmental devastation, he said.

Sukhdev,... (Continue reading)

Climate change: The science stands | Editorial

Nothing about the so-called Climategate affair challenges the fact that climate change is real, urgent and increasing

There was no scientific scandal, only scientific stupidity. There was no attempt to hoax the world into believing that climate change exists, just excessive secrecy. There was no panicky cover-up to hide rigged data, for no data was rigged. There was no cabal of scientists cooking up fake evidence of catastrophe. There is, however, a real crisis of the most extreme nature: evidence suggests that climate change is real, urgent and increasing. Nothing about the so-called Climategate affair challenges that fact.

This is... (Continue reading)

Lloyd’s adds its voice to dire ‘peak oil’ warnings

Business underestimating catastrophic consequences of declining oil, says Lloyd's of London/Chatham House report

One of the City's most respected institutions has warned of "catastrophic consequences" for businesses that fail to prepare for a world of increasing oil scarcity and a lower carbon economy.

The Lloyd's insurance market and the highly regarded Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, says Britain needs to be ready for "peak oil" and disrupted energy supplies at a time of soaring fuel demand in China and India, constraints on production caused by the BP oil spill and political moves to cut CO2 to... (Continue reading)

Global warning: targets for tackling temperatures aren’t working

Studies predict major extinctions and collapse of Greenland ice sheet with temperatures rising well above UN targets

The world is heading for an average temperature rise of nearly 4C (7F), according to analysis of national pledges from around the globe at the midpoint between two major international conferences aiming to tackle the problem. Such a rise would bring a high risk of major extinctions, threats to food supplies and the near-total collapse of the huge Greenland ice sheet.

More than 100 heads of state agreed in Copenhagen last December to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5C-2C... (Continue reading)

Green tech investment surges

Global investments in clean energy companies rose 43% in Q2 on last year, says new Cleantech Group and Deloitte report

Green tech is back in the green.

Global venture capital investment in green technology companies reached $4.04 billion in the first half of 2010, exceeding -- slightly -- the record set in the boom year of 2008, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the Cleantech Group and Deloitte.

Venture investment in the second quarter rose to $2.02 billion, up 43 percent from the year-ago quarter. Investments in the first half of the year spiked 65 percent from... (Continue reading)

Global warming vs. unemployment

Congress is gearing up for another run at a cap-and-trade law and opponents say it will cost too many jobs. Are they right? NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Get ready for fireworks. As congressional Democrats begin drafting another bill regulating greenhouse gases, opponents are already saying it would cost millions of jobs amid the worst recession in [...]... (Continue reading)

Five places to go before global warming messes them up

(CNN) — Scientists expect some great travel spots to be altered or ruined by global climate change. Some of the changes are already taking place. Others are expected to be seen in coming decades. There are two ways to look at this: Either stay home (which might be less depressing and won’t add more airline emissions) or [...]... (Continue reading)

Why Global Warming May Be Fueling Australia’s Fires

The raging infernos that have left more than 160 people dead in southern Australia burned with such speed that they resembled less a wildfire than a massive aerial bombing. Many victims caught in the blazes had no time to escape; their houses disintegrated around them, and they burned to death. As firefighters battle the flames [...]... (Continue reading)