Archive for the ‘Scotland’ Category

Ban Ki-moon says countries must abandon ‘negotiating gamesmanship’ at Durban Summit in November

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has called on world leaders to re double efforts to reach a global emissions cutting deal at the forthcoming Durban climate summit. He warned that time is running out to avoid the most severe impacts of climate change.

Ban concluded his tour of the south Pacific with a speech at Sydney University today in which he said that the November talks must overcome the political deadlock over the future of the Kyoto Protocol which marred the previous climate summits at Copenhagen in 2009 and Cancun last year. Read the rest of this entry »

A 30 per cent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions north of the border outstrips English, Welsh and Northern Irish efforts

According to new statistics Scotland has slashed greenhouse gas emissions by almost a third since 1990 – surpassing all the other home nations

Figures published yesterday by the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory show that in 2009 Scotland had cut emissions by 30.5 per cent against 1990 levels, narrowly beating England, which delivered a 29.5 per cent cut in emissions, and also leading Wales and Northern Ireland, which cut emissions 23.3 per cent and 20.3 per cent, respectively. Read the rest of this entry »

Survey finds majority of UK homeowners would consider installing renewable energy generation

The government’s flagship energy efficiency Green Deal scheme which plans to get millions of UK households involved, is at risk of failing, after a new survey showed a lack of understanding about the scheme.

A YouGov survey of 2,022 adults carried out at the start of the month on behalf of utility and environmental consultancy Gemserv found that 61 per cent of homeowners would consider installing technology such as solar PV panels, hydro power or using biomass fuel to generate their own energy Read the rest of this entry »

Ministers and UN officials dismiss reports of poor preparation and departmental “turf wars”

After weeks of speculation amongst diplomats and green groups that preparations for Durban Climate Change Summit talks were not moving fast enough –and following accusations of a “turf war” between the two departments tasked with organising the crucial meeting – The UN and the South African government have both moved to alleviate concerns.

Speaking to reporters late last week, UN conference coordinator Salwa Dallalah told reporters in Durban that preparations for the COP 17 summit remained on schedule. “We are moving very well and we are on target,” she said. “We will finish our work soon.” Read the rest of this entry »

The Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) is planning to crack down on retailers handing out plastic carrier bags to customers, after new figures revealed that a voluntary commitment by supermarkets to cut the number of bags they distribute has stalled.

Figures released by the government-backed Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) today reveal a five per cent national increase in the number of single-use carrier bags handed out in supermarkets in 2010 compared to 2009/2010.

However there is a different picture in Northern Ireland and Wales – indicative national figures showed a decline in the number of bags handed out in these two countries which have legislated to cut carrier bag use. In contrast, bag use has risen in England and Scotland where no such legislation is in place. Read the rest of this entry »

METHANE, BLACK CARBON, TROPOSPHERIC OZONE ARE GROWING THREATS

CLEAN AIR TASK FORCE ADVOCATES FOR SLCF MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Today – tuesday, June 14 the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) will release the full text of its long-awaited report: “The Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone,” following the distribution in February of the report’s Summary for Decision Makers. Key findings of the report include: Read the rest of this entry »

Extreme and unusual weather conditions have damaged hundreds of thousands of trees in central and southern Scotland, giving the impression that autumn has come early.

The Forestry Commission has received calls from landowners and members of the public worried that leaves on trees from the Scottish borders to Oban have turned brown in recent weeks, with the appearance that they are ready to shed several months ahead of schedule. Some callers were concerned trees were diseased. Read the rest of this entry »

Start’s Summer programme

Here at j4tp we have been great supporters and admirers of HRH the Prince of Wales a person who was always well ahead of the curve when it came to support for our planet and its environment. We have often declared our pride while reporting on the initiatives of The Prince  – the UK’s greatest Environmental ambassador

Start is an initiative which comes directly from our next King, to help people across the UK lead more sustainable lives and to show what a more energy efficient, cleaner and healthier future could look like

Everybody’s getting started this summer and you can too at any of our exciting events across the UK, each with its own unique twist of green. The Start Summer Series includes: Read the rest of this entry »