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Mapping Waste Arisings in Fish & Meat Supply Chains03/11/2009
WRAP have commisioned new research to investigate waste arisings throughout Fish and Meat supply chains. This work will produce detailed 'resource maps' to identify the types and quantities of waste produced at different stages of the supply chain.
Companies in the Seafood and Meat industries are encouraged to take part in this work to produce up to date information. This will help identify best practice and highlight areas where waste prevention and resource efficiency improvements can be made. Solutions identified to improve resource use should deliver both economic and environmental benefits for companies.
User-centred design for energy efficiency in buildings22/10/2009
The Technology Strategy Boaard is inviting applications to attend an interactive workshop (sandpit) to generate and develop innovative approaches to energy efficiency in new and existing non-domestic buildings, through human factors research and user-centred design.
The focus of the sandpit is to create ideas for projects that have the potential for commercial value. The five-day sandpit will be held at Bailbrook House near Bath on 15-19 March 2010. They have allocated up to £2m to fund industry-led collaborative research arising from the sandpit.
31 October 2009 - Closing date for Entries to the Rushlight Awards 200922/10/2009
The Rushlight Awards are one of the leading clean technology awards for UK and Irish organisations, having been accredited by the RSA as a feeder scheme for the European Business Awards for the Environment. The categories cover all of the renewable energies, clean fuels, power generation and distribution, energy efficiency, green products and services, water, waste and pollution management. Entry is online through self-nomination and it is a very quick and easy process. All entrants will not only have the chance to win up to 3 awards, but will also have a full page in the Year Book and a priority booking option for the Best of British & Irish Clean Technology Show on 28 January 2010.
Carbon Reduction Commitment21/10/2009
Earlier this year there was a consultation was to seek views on the Draft Order to Implement the Carbon Reduction Commitment. The consultation also sought feedback on certain policy details for the scheme. The consultation closed on 4 June 2009.
276 formal responses were received and the Government response was issued on Ocober 9th 2009 having carefully considered the views of all consultees. The Government has now finalised the policy for the CRC to be implemented in April 2010. It is important that comanies that use significant quantiies of energy (more than the equivalent of 73,000kWh/year) should understand the regulations. There are many seminars and presentations explaining how the system will work. See EDIE CRC article.
The Government Response outlining the final policy decisions is available below.
EDIE Clinic - Carbon Reduction Commitment21/10/2009
Edie is hosting a meeting of leading environmental policy makers looking at the likely impacts of the Government's Carbon Reduction Commitment.
The plan which was given a new name on October 7, the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, comes into force from April 1 2010.
Are you ready for the revisions? Would you like to hear about the latest changes straight from the horse’s mouth and analysis from industry insiders.
Edie's event will be hosted at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham on November 12 between 10am and 2pm and will outline how organisations will be affected by the legislation and how they can best prepare.
Speakers from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) as well as leading private sector businesses ERM and PowerPerfector will be presenting.
Global CO2 emissions: annual increase halves in 200819/10/2009
I have posted this onto the portal because I thought that the 'spin' in the Dutch Enironmental Assessment Agency headline was interesting - the rate of INCREASE in CO2 emissions has halved!
'The very high oil prices until the summer of 2008 together with a worldwide financial crisis that started to affect activities in society worldwide, in particular in the second half of 2008, have caused halving of the annual increase in global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from fossil fuel use and from cement production. Emissions increased by 1.7% in 2008 against 3.3% in 2007. Since 2002, the average annual increase was almost 4%. In addition to high oil prices and the financial crisis, the increased use of new renewable energy sources, such as biofuels for road transport and wind energy for electricity generation, caused a noticeable mitigating impact on CO2 emissions'.
Africa, mining and corruption18/10/2009
Africa's huge mineral riches continue to draw investors - with reports in the last few days that China is making a seven billion dollar deal with Guinea, swapping oil and mineral rights for huge investment in infrastructure.
Trouble is, there's been an upsurge in disputes between mining companies and the governments of some of Africa's poorest and most volatile countries, such as Congo and Guinea.
The question is: will companies' contracts hold good? What happens when a new government comes into power, says the old licences were awarded improperly and wants to rewrite them?
Check out this BBC World Service programme via the link below
UK firms face rising fines in new govt green plan17/10/2009
LONDON (Reuters) - Some British firms could face fines of a minimum of 24,000 pounds ($38,240) annually by 2015
under a new government plan to cut corporate energy usage and carbon emissions.
The Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRCEES) is a mandatory scheme starting in April 2010 that will force businesses like banks, hotels, hospitals and schools to help Britain cut carbon emissions by over 4 million tonnes and save a total 1 billion pounds annually on energy bills by 2020.
Opportunity to participate in DEFRA Flame Retardant Technologies survey15/10/2009
Companies and organisations are being invited to participate in a Europe wide study on “Flame Retardant Technologies: Safe Products with Optimised Environmental Performance” which is part of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production.
The study is led by Professor Gary Stevens of GnoSys UK with the assistance of the University of Bolton and Oakdene Hollins. For more information please contact Linda Lim at l.lim@gnosysgroup.com. To complete the survey please click here.
C&I Waste Statement Announces Funding for Local Authorities15/10/2009
Following the release of Defra’s Commercial and Industrial Waste Statement 2009, the BREW Centre for Local Authorities announces the availability of funding for projects that will support small to medium sized businesses tackle climate change and save them money through resource efficiency.
Big step' needed on UK landfill14/10/2009
The Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, says it is time for a radical rethink: "We can't keep producing large amounts of rubbish and putting it in holes in the ground... it's producing greenhouse gases which are contributing to a problem we have to solve, we are throwing away things that have a value.
At a "waste summit" in London, Mr Benn will tell council leaders they' have done well to increase recycling from 8% to 37% in the past 12 years, but that another "big step" is needed.
Latest government figures say we in UK send more than half our waste to landfill. That is a huge 62 million tonnes a year in England alone. Now the aim is to reduce landfill by at least 50% over the next 10 years.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES INITIATIVE MISSION TO CHONGQING, WUHAN & CHANGSHA14/10/2009
Join UK Trade & Investment on this mission to the 3 key cities in China, involved in the UK–China Sustainable Cities Initiative. 16-20 November 2009
UK Trade & Investment’s Sustainable Cities Initiative with Chongqing and Wuhan is proving to be so successful that Changsha has just been added to the list of towns covered by the programme.
The aim of the Sustainable Cities Initiative, which is underpinned by Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with all 3 cities, is to develop commercial opportunities for UK and Chinese companies in the fields of sustainable and environmental technologies. The Memoranda cover a wide range of sectors for cooperation and include:
-Emission reductions
- Air pollution control
- Urban planning and regeneration
- Land reclamation
- Water & wastewater management and treatment
- Energy efficient building design and construction
- Decontamination of waste
Resource Efficiency Strategy 2009-201214/10/2009
The Technology Strategy Board has published its Resource Efficiency Strategy
"Our own investments and interventions in the resource efficiency arena will be guided by, and intended to promote,
lifecycle thinking in patterns of resource use. We have identified four broad approaches that may be used to improve
the efficient use of resources, at the same time reducing their environmental impact:
-Substitute the use of at-risk materials or those that have a major environmental impact
-Close the lifecycle loop to enable the same resource material to have multiple product lives
-Dematerialise − reduce the total amount of material that needs to be used to deliver a consumer benefit
-Reduce the amount of energy used over the lifecycle.
UK needs to achieve a step change in its pace of emissions reduction to meet carbon budgets12/10/2009
The first annual report to Parliament by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), published today, concludes that a step change is required in the pace of UK emissions reduction to meet carbon budgets, and that in some areas, new policy approaches will be required to deliver the Government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan.
METRC Short Term Project Funding09/10/2009
This is the first tranche of METRC’s Short Term Project Funding and there is funding available to support up to 30 stage 1 projects.
In the first stage, funds of up to £3,000 are available to support collaborative projects between METRC’s academic members and industry partners.
The call will open on 16th October 2009 and funding will be available on a first-come first-served basis. We will be accepting applications for stage 2 funding from 1st January 2010 and there is funding available to support up to 10 stage 2 projects. We expect that a second tranche of Short Term Project Funding will be made available during 2010.
Probe into cyanide river pollution07/10/2009
An investigation is under way into how untreated sewage and cyanide made its way into part of one of the country's major rivers.
Thousands of fish have already died and more wildlife is at risk following the "pollution incident" in the River Trent in Staffordshire.
The Environment Agency issued a warning for people and animals to keep out of the river between Stoke-on-Trent and Yoxall after the pollution made it a potential health risk.
A spokeswoman said: "This is due to untreated sewage and cyanide at levels that are potentially a cause for concern, especially with regard to fish, wildlife and animals. Thousands of fish have already died.
"The warning to stay out of the river applies to everyone, including farmers, anglers, dog walkers, boaters and anyone using the river for work or pleasure.
Romania / Bulgaria Water Mission Opportunity06/10/2009
United Kingdom Trade & Investment (UKTI) is organising a mission for UK companies in the Water Industry to Romania and Bulgaria for 9th - 13th November. If you are interested in exporting your products or services abroad than please fill in the registration form (follow link below) and contact lila.webley@britishwater.co.uk or andrew@btob.co.uk. Note: Please ignore the registration deadline; UKTI has extended their deadline period until mid October.
Met Office: latest forecast 4 degrees warming06/10/2009
Climate experts hotly debated the implications of a much warmer future and ways to adapt to the changes at a conference in Oxford this week. Global temperatures could reach 4°C above pre-industrial levels before the end of this century and rising sea-levels could drown some small islands, if greenhouse gas emissions continue at current rates.
A Met Office study of trends in fossil-fuel use over the past 20 years, combined with findings of how carbon dioxide is absorbed by the oceans and forests, predicts that the 4°C rise could be seen as early as 2060.
Smart meters 'need live displays'06/10/2009
The government should require power companies to provide clear visual displays when they install smart meters in homes, says a report from the Energy Savings Trust.
PLEASE NOTE! As of September 2009, the Resource Efficiency KTN became part of the new Environmental Sustainability KTN, so this site is no longer accepting new registrations or being updated.
Current information on ESKTN news, events and activity can be found at our new home on the web www.esktn.org.uk.
Existing usernames from REKTN can be used to log in at the new site - just click the 'forgotten password icon' on your first visit to get started. Joining ESKTN is also easy and FREE at www.esktn.org.uk.
This site is being maintained to provide continuity of service for users of the AT&T Connect web conferencing and Group Collaboration facilities pending the implementation of a new cross-Technology Strategy Board programme web platform in 2010. In the meantime current AT&T and Collaboration users can continue to work via this site as normal.
IPTEC is an international market place designed to assist technology based companies and organisations to develop their business through effective partnering.
11 - 12 June 2008 at Steigenberger Airport Hotel, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
