Green News Blog 27 May 08
Added On: 27/05/2008
2 RatingsPersonal Carbon Scheme Abandoned
MPs yesterday slammed the government for abandoning a scheme to set personal carbon limits.
The Environmental Audit Committee urged ministers to press on with the £2 billion system. Environmental Secretary Hilary Benn said, "The scheme has potential, but it is ahead of it's time."
Frankly, can you see our current governemtn getting it actually working? The NHS computer system is still years away and over budget, the Child Support Agency got scrapped, and they keep losing data.
Source from The Sun Newspaper, UK 27/05/08
G8 Calls for 2050 Emissions Goal
Environment ministers from the world's biggest economies, the G8, have called for rich countries to take the lead in cutting greenhouse gas emissions
In a statement issued after talks in Japan, they urged their leaders to set a target to halve global emissions by 2050 when they hold a summit in July.
The G8 agreed last year in Germany to "seriously consider" the move - a proposal opposed by the US and Russia.
We worry that if the G8 group don't agree on this then it will make sorting the issues more and more difficult, as time ticks away...
Source from The BBC Website, UK 27/05/08
Argentine protests over farm row
Farmers are threatening a return to the blockades and protests
Hundreds of thousands of people in Argentina have attended rival rallies by farmers and the government, in a dispute over higher taxes on exports.
The farmers - who are profiting from high global commodity prices - say a new regime of taxes, export limits and price caps on their produce is unfair.
Looks like the increase in food prices is going to have an effect on those who are benefiting from these rises, will it even out? We're not sure...
Source from The BBC Website, UK 27/05/08
Mexico to cut food import tariffs
There have been demonstrations against rising tortilla prices. Reacting to pressure over rising food prices, the Mexican government is to cut import tariffs for staple crops such as corn, wheat and rice.
The tariff cuts were part of a package of measures announced by President Felipe Calderon designed to support struggling farmers and help consumers.
The cost of importing other foodstuffs such as beans and milk will also fall.
Source from The BBC Website, UK 27/05/08
Brazil's massive cane production has raised environmental concerns
New protected areas must be created to prevent environmental damage from the expansion of Brazilian sugar cane, the Worldwide Fund for Nature has said.
The production of ethanol from sugar cane for biofuel production should have a positive impact on the environment, WWF Brazil says in a new report.
The report argues that ethanol from sugar cane is much more efficient than other biofuels.
But it adds that careful planning is needed to prevent damage to local ecosystems.
Brazil's sugar industry and its government claim the country's growing ethanol industry does not suffer from the two main criticisms of biofuels - that they displace food crops and destroy ecosystems such as the Amazon rainforest.
This an interesting new angle on the biofuel issue, whilst they say that ethanol from sugar cane is the most efficient of the biofuels, is it really efficient enough to have an overall benefit on the environment?
Source from The BBC Website, UK 27/05/08
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