Requirements for electric current are increasingly covered by wind power - at least in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. There, the boom is just beginning. In Western industrialized countries, however, the wind expansion is losing momentum.
Boom und Bremse bei globaler Windkraft | Wissen & Umwelt | DW.DE | 02.06.2014
Showing posts with label climate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label climate. Show all posts
Monday, June 2, 2014
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Nextiva Maintains its Environmental Leadership Position by Renewing Participation in Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree® Program
Nextiva, the leading unified communications and business VoIP service provider, announced today that it is offsetting its carbon emissions with Carbonfund.org Foundation, a leading nonprofit carbon reduction and climate solutions organization. By renewing its participation for the fourth consecutive year in Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree® Partner program, Nextiva demonstrates its commitment to the fight against global warming.
http://www.nextiva.com/news/2012-news-archive/carbonfund-partnership-renewal.html
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Countries Consider Retaliation for Europe's Airline Emissions Fee
Excerpt from an article in The New York Times
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Countries Consider Retaliation for Europe’s Airline Emissions Fee
By JAMES KANTER and NICOLA CLARK
BRUSSELS — China, the United States and two dozen other countries are looking at coordinated retaliation — including putting pressure on European airlines and other industries — if Europe tries to enforce a law requiring airlines to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions.
The system, the European Union’s boldest initiative on climate protection to date, has provoked a worldwide outcry and raised the unwelcome prospect of a full-scale trade war. European officials have stood firm while challenging opponents to suggest an equally effective alternative.
The European system requires an airline landing or taking off in Europe to acquire permits corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the entire flight — regardless of where it originated or ended or the nationality of the airline. The system went into effect this year, although the first payments will not be due until 2013.
Other governments have objected to Europe’s attempt to regulate emissions outside its airspace, while carriers like American Airlines and China Southern are furious because they could face big bills as the number of permits that they need to purchase rises.
In the latest of a series of meetings on the issue, officials from 26 governments will gather in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss a “basket of countermeasures” to block the European system, according to the draft agenda.
Those countermeasures include following China’s lead in banning its airlines from paying the charges unless and until the Chinese government grants permission; imposing punitive levies on European airlines when they fly over other countries’ airspace; reviewing bilateral and “open skies” agreements on landing rights, market access and other matters and freezing consideration of any new routes or capacity, according to a draft discussion paper.
In addition, the paper calls on governments to consider reopening trade agreements in sectors other than aviation and to freeze trade negotiations as a way of “putting pressure on E.U. industries.”
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Countries Consider Retaliation for Europe’s Airline Emissions Fee
By JAMES KANTER and NICOLA CLARK
BRUSSELS — China, the United States and two dozen other countries are looking at coordinated retaliation — including putting pressure on European airlines and other industries — if Europe tries to enforce a law requiring airlines to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions.
The system, the European Union’s boldest initiative on climate protection to date, has provoked a worldwide outcry and raised the unwelcome prospect of a full-scale trade war. European officials have stood firm while challenging opponents to suggest an equally effective alternative.
The European system requires an airline landing or taking off in Europe to acquire permits corresponding to the amount of greenhouse gases emitted during the entire flight — regardless of where it originated or ended or the nationality of the airline. The system went into effect this year, although the first payments will not be due until 2013.
Other governments have objected to Europe’s attempt to regulate emissions outside its airspace, while carriers like American Airlines and China Southern are furious because they could face big bills as the number of permits that they need to purchase rises.
In the latest of a series of meetings on the issue, officials from 26 governments will gather in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss a “basket of countermeasures” to block the European system, according to the draft agenda.
Those countermeasures include following China’s lead in banning its airlines from paying the charges unless and until the Chinese government grants permission; imposing punitive levies on European airlines when they fly over other countries’ airspace; reviewing bilateral and “open skies” agreements on landing rights, market access and other matters and freezing consideration of any new routes or capacity, according to a draft discussion paper.
In addition, the paper calls on governments to consider reopening trade agreements in sectors other than aviation and to freeze trade negotiations as a way of “putting pressure on E.U. industries.”
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Airlines Emissions System May Be Adjusted in Europe
Excerpt from an article in The New York Times
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Airline Emissions System May Be Adjusted in Europe
By JAMES KANTER
BRUSSELS — The European Union could suspend parts of a new law requiring airlines to account for their greenhouse gas emissions if countries were to make clear progress this year toward establishing a global emissions control system, a senior official said Tuesday.
The comments, by Jos Delbeke, the director general for climate action at the European Commission, came the day after China announced that its carriers would be forbidden to pay any charges under the European emissions system without Beijing’s permission.
The comments were the clearest sign yet that Europeans were considering how to defuse a mounting conflict over the new emissions law with its most important trading partners.
The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, requires airlines to account for all emissions on flights using European airports. Its goal is to speed up the adoption of greener technologies at a time when air traffic, which represents about 3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, is growing much faster than gains in efficiency.
But Europe’s bold climate initiative also could push nations heavily reliant on air travel into a trade war because of the effect of the new law on flights outside of European airspace.
Mr. Delbeke said at a conference in Brussels that he could recommend “a conditional suspension” of parts of the system, in which polluters can buy and sell a limited quantity of permits, each representing a ton of carbon dioxide, by the end of the year if nations sped up adoption of an effective global system.
For that to happen, any global system would have (to) be better for climate protection than simply applying the European system that is already in force, Mr. Delbeke said. A global system also would have to treat all airlines similarly and to set emissions reduction targets for a near-term date like 2020 rather than midcentury.
==========
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
Airline Emissions System May Be Adjusted in Europe
By JAMES KANTER
BRUSSELS — The European Union could suspend parts of a new law requiring airlines to account for their greenhouse gas emissions if countries were to make clear progress this year toward establishing a global emissions control system, a senior official said Tuesday.
The comments, by Jos Delbeke, the director general for climate action at the European Commission, came the day after China announced that its carriers would be forbidden to pay any charges under the European emissions system without Beijing’s permission.
The comments were the clearest sign yet that Europeans were considering how to defuse a mounting conflict over the new emissions law with its most important trading partners.
The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, requires airlines to account for all emissions on flights using European airports. Its goal is to speed up the adoption of greener technologies at a time when air traffic, which represents about 3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, is growing much faster than gains in efficiency.
But Europe’s bold climate initiative also could push nations heavily reliant on air travel into a trade war because of the effect of the new law on flights outside of European airspace.
Mr. Delbeke said at a conference in Brussels that he could recommend “a conditional suspension” of parts of the system, in which polluters can buy and sell a limited quantity of permits, each representing a ton of carbon dioxide, by the end of the year if nations sped up adoption of an effective global system.
For that to happen, any global system would have (to) be better for climate protection than simply applying the European system that is already in force, Mr. Delbeke said. A global system also would have to treat all airlines similarly and to set emissions reduction targets for a near-term date like 2020 rather than midcentury.
==========
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Tool to Access 2010 GHG Data
News Release from the EPA:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:January 10, 2012
Media Alert: EPA to Hold Webinar to Showcase a New Tool to Access 2010 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data from Large Facilities
Media Alert: EPA to Hold Webinar to Showcase a New Tool to Access 2010 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data from Large Facilities
WASHINGTON – For the first time, comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) data reported directly from large facilities and suppliers across the country are now easily accessible to the public through EPA’s GHG Reporting Program. The 2010 GHG data to be released includes public information from facilities in nine industry groups that directly emit large quantities of GHGs, as well as suppliers of certain fossil fuels and high global warming gases.
WHAT: Media teleconference to explain the agency’s new tool for accessing greenhouse gas emissions data
WHO: Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 11, 2012, noon, Eastern Time
HOW: To participate, please use the following dial-in numbers.
Call-in: (866) 900-8984 Toll Free for U.S. and Canada; and (706) 679-8357 for international callers
Conference ID: 41836951
To access the Webinar use GoToWebinar link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/288135930
WHO: Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 11, 2012, noon, Eastern Time
HOW: To participate, please use the following dial-in numbers.
Call-in: (866) 900-8984 Toll Free for U.S. and Canada; and (706) 679-8357 for international callers
Conference ID: 41836951
To access the Webinar use GoToWebinar link: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/288135930
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