International: All stories

Nasdaq buy-out leads it into emissions trading market
24 Oct 2008
Exchange operator Nasdaq OMX Group has announced that it will use assets from a recent acquisition to move into energy and carbon derivatives.

Climate change needs a Roosevelt ‘New Deal,’ says UN
24 Oct 2008
The world should take a leaf from former US president Franklin Roosevelt's songbook for tackling the Great Depression and fund a "Green New Deal" to fight climate change, a United Nations agency says.

EC eyes market solution to deforestation
24 Oct 2008
The European Commission has called for a target to halt global deforestation by 2030, to be delivered partially through a Global Forest Carbon Mechanism (GFCM), under a post-2012 climate agreement.

Our poisoned world - the top 10 worst pollution problems
24 Oct 2008
The "I Trust My Legs" gold mine in Ghana is a local affair, where miners shift silt from rudimentary pits and then combine it with mercury.

Worst polluters pick up $3b under Australian ETS, says report
21 Oct 2008
Free carbon permits for big polluters will cost Australian taxpayers $3 billion in the first year of the Rudd Government's carbon trading scheme, a new report says.

Use ETS money to fund green projects, says Britain
21 Oct 2008
Money raised from Europe’s Emissions Trading Scheme should be used to fund plans for carbon capture and storage demonstration projects, the British government will stress at an EU energy summit today.

EU’s climate actions could be economic boon, says Ban
21 Oct 2008
European Union proposals on tackling climate change could also be a boon for the economy, generating millions of new jobs at a time when the world is suffering from the financial crisis, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

Environment will wither whoever wins US election
21 Oct 2008
Eager anticipation of a new American president offering a dramatic departure on issues such as climate change is rapidly being tempered by the financial crisis that threatens to blight the next administration's agenda, says the Times Online.

New-man Miliband has blueprint for greener UK homes
21 Oct 2008
Britain’s new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, is drawing up plans for a "big shift" in the way Britons heat and power their homes, the Independent on Sunday has revealed.

We’re facing climate change havoc, warns new report
21 Oct 2008
Climate change is occurring much faster than predicted by the scientific fraternity, and will wreak havoc unless action is taken on a global scale, says a new report by the World Wildlife Fund.

ASX to introduce emission futures next year
21 Oct 2008
The ASX plans to introduce futures contracts for coal, natural gas and renewable energy certificates.

Rudd firm: Financial crisis won't delay Australian carbon trade
17 Oct 2008
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has confirmed that plans to introduce a carbon emissions trading scheme by 2010 will not be delayed by the global financial crisis.

Troubled EU pledges to stick with climate change plans
17 Oct 2008
European Union leaders have reasserted their ambition to lead the world in fighting climate change despite the growing economic recession and mounting rifts among its 27 governments.
Finally, EU-Kyoto carbon trading link up and running
17 Oct 2008
Carbon emissions trading schemes in the European Union and under the Kyoto Protocol were connected yesterday after months of technical delays.

Forests back in fashion as weapon to combat climate change
17 Oct 2008
Perhaps one of the greatest natural defences against climate change, the Earth's forests, got a boost this week with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and a host of environmental lawyers throwing their support behind plans to protect them and eventually include the forestry sector in carbon markets.

Climate change targets could cripple UK agriculture, say farmers
17 Oct 2008
New targets to cut Britain’s greenhouse emissions by at least 80 per cent will cripple agriculture, according to farmers.

It’s full speed ahead for America’s new energy economy
17 Oct 2008
As fossil fuel prices rise, as oil insecurity deepens, and as concerns about climate change cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new energy economy is emerging in the United States, says sustainability expert Lester Brown.

US dairy industry slashes carbon footprint
17 Oct 2008
Improved efficiency in the production of milk has resulted in a huge reduction in the dairy industry's carbon footprint, making it very "green," said a University of Illinois Extension dairy specialist.

Experts warn Arab states of climate catastrophe
17 Oct 2008
Arab states must find a common position on tackling climate change or face "catastrophic" consequences, a gathering of global warming experts in Beirut has been told.

Greece again fails to meet emissions test standards
17 Oct 2008
A United Nations committee in Athens said Greece has failed to demonstrate its ability to adequately measure carbon dioxide emissions, endangering its chances of participating in Kyoto Protocol emissions trading programme.

Buffett millions back first Chinese green car
14 Oct 2008
American billionaire investor Warren Buffett has bought a $232 million stake in China's BYD Co which plans to unveil its first green cars by the end of the year.

Financial crisis clouds EU's climate change plans
14 Oct 2008
The international financial crisis and slumping economic activity are threatening Europe's ambitious plans to slash greenhouse gas emissions, with governments eager to avoid saddling companies with additional burdens.

EC set to grant industry relief on carbon trading
14 Oct 2008
Energy-intensive industries are set to receive a huge cash boost from the European Commission as part of a controversial move to protect Europe's industrial sector from world recession.

Markets turmoil could usher in new green era, says UN
14 Oct 2008
The global market crisis could provide an opportunity for the world financial system to reconstruct itself to promote “green” growth, the top United Nations climate change official said yesterday in New York.

Lab-grown meat, licences to have children … welcome to 2030
14 Oct 2008
A CHILLING world where licences are required for having children and questioning global warming is a crime could be ushered in by climate change, a report out yesterday predicts.

Don’t blame cities for climate change troubles, says report
14 Oct 2008
Cities are being unfairly blamed for most of humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions and this threatens efforts to tackle climate change, warns a new report.

EU nods to credit crisis but remains tough on emissions
10 Oct 2008
A powerful European Union committee on Wednesday handed some concessions to industries in an economic downturn but maintained a tough line on curbing carbon emissions in the fight against climate change.

UK facing climate decisions crunch time, says report
10 Oct 2008
The UK government and leading businesses must assert their credibility as global leaders in tackling climate change by making the right decisions in the coming months to steer the country towards a low-carbon future, says a new report.

The Deadly Dozen - 12 climate change diseases that could sweep the world
10 Oct 2008
Health experts are calling them the Deadly Dozen - 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change and could have potential impacts on both human and wildlife health as well as global economies.
Experts seek clues on impact of climate change on health
10 Oct 2008
Experts at a meeting convened by the United Nations World Health Organisation yesterday agreed on a plan of action to create guidelines on the impact of climate change on human health.

Fiji eyes billion-dollar windfall from carbon trading
10 Oct 2008
The Fiji Government is aiming to receive at least $US1billion in foreign exchange from carbon trading for the next 25 to 30 years.

Financial crisis must not diminish climate change, says UN chief
10 Oct 2008
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned of the dangers of the fight against climate change - which he characterised as the "defining challenge of our era" - getting bogged down by shorter-term problems, such as the current global financial turmoil.

EU vote will spell out future of carbon capture
7 Oct 2008
A vote in the European parliament tonight could back 10 billion euros aid for an untested technology called carbon capture and storage (CCS), which many scientists and economists consider the key to fighting climate change.

Cleantech investment soars as big business catches on
7 Oct 2008
As climate change moves up the corporate agenda, cleantech investment is reaching record levels, according to a new report by Ernst & Young.

Industry leaders call for gentle start to Aussie emissions trading
7 Oct 2008
The Australian Industry Group has renewed its support for a market-based approach to reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, but has warned that moving too quickly may inflict substantial damage on businesses and their employees.

Hong Kong, Singapore fight for carbon trading crown
7 Oct 2008
Hong Kong and Singapore are locked in a heavyweight battle to see which will wear the crown of Asia’s first carbon trading hub.

World Bank makes huge jump in funding of renewable energy projects
7 Oct 2008
The World Bank’s funding for renewable and efficient energy projects in developing countries rose 87 per cent during the past year to nearly $2.7 billion, reflecting the growing interest and demand for environmentally friendly sources of power.

Everyone’s happy with first US carbon auction
3 Oct 2008
Before the US’s first auction of carbon credits last week, some observers said outsiders might manipulate the market or there would be so little interest the auction would fail – but neither problem occurred, according to analyses just released.

Carbon trading drives surge in ‘green’ patents
3 Oct 2008
Global interest in clean energy solutions from carbon funds and technology giants is stimulating a surge in “green” patents, according to a new study.

Car makers unhappy with EU changing emissions targets
3 Oct 2008
Worried that carbon dioxide emissions from road transport are rising, the European Union wants to set goals for each car maker to sell more low-carbon models — or face fines if they don't.

Eastern Europe collects windfall as Japan snaps up carbon credits
3 Oct 2008
Thanks to Kyoto emission levels pegged to 1990, when pollution was worse, former Eastern Bloc countries now sell carbon credits to Japan

Branson and Virgin Galactic ride to save planet from climate change
3 Oct 2008
Publicity-savvy aviation millionaire Richard Branson is riding to save the planet from climate change.

Lawyers smile as carbon trading warms up in Tianjin
3 Oct 2008
Many CDM projects and carbon transactions have taken place in China since 2005, but some recent developments in the legal framework and the market place may turn a new page in China’s participation to mitigate climate change.

Climate report on hold as PM mulls over Wall St crisis
30 Sep 2008
The release of the final report by Australia’s special adviser on climate change, Professor Ross Garnaut, was delayed for several hours today while Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was briefed on the Wall St meltdown.

GARNAUT WARNING: Australia must act now on climate change
30 Sep 2008
Australia risks losing more through inaction on climate change than does just about any other developed country, says the Australian Government’s adviser on climate change.

Millions of new jobs in green economy, says UN report
30 Sep 2008
Tackling climate change could potentially generate millions of new employment opportunities, according to a new UN-backed study – the first of its kind on the emergence of a “green economy” and its impact on labour.

Greenhouse gas pollution up despite economic downturn
30 Sep 2008
World carbon dioxide emissions continued to rise in 2007 despite a slowing global economy, according to energy use figures from oil company BP and an annual report by the Global Carbon Project.

US states auction off right to emit global warming pollution
30 Sep 2008
US Power plant owners and speculators on Friday bid for the right to emit carbon dioxide as part of a new multistate government programme designed to reduce global warming pollution.

‘Obsolete’ market system to blame for deforestation, PNG tells UN
30 Sep 2008
The current global economic system is to fault for deforestation, Papua New GuineaDeputy Prime Minister Puke Temu told the UN General Assembly’s high-level debate yesterday, stressing the need to protect the South Pacific nation’s rainforests from degradation.

First ‘carbon state’ report finds troubling imbalance
30 Sep 2008
The first "State of the Carbon Cycle Report" for North America, released online this week by the US Climate Change Science Program, finds the continent's carbon budget increasingly overwhelmed by human-caused emissions.