A US$9.2 million solar farm, due to be operational by August 2017, will be Cambodia’s first sun-powered electricity source to be connected to the national grid. The farm will provide Southeast Asia’s second poorest country with 10 megawatts of power. The project, which is being funded partly by loans from Asian Development Bank, the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in Asia, is expected to reduce Cambodia’s greenhouse gas emissions by 5,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2) a year. Sunseap Group won the tender last year, marking the Singapore-based renewables firm’s third foray overseas after securing projects in India and Malaysia. The Cambodian government is aiming for at least 70 per cent of all households to have access to grid-quality electricity by the year 2030 and 100 per cent to be electrified by 2020. (Eco-business)
Air Pollution
Government bid to delay air pollution plan fails
The UK Government has lost a court bid to delay publication of its air pollution strategy, and must now release it before the General Election in June. Courts had given the government until Monday 24 April to set out draft guidelines to tackle illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. But late last week, ministers lodged an application to delay their release until after the general election. They argued that publication would fall foul of election “purdah” rules. These limit government announcements with political implications during the election period. But on Thursday, the High Court ordered the draft plans to be published on 9th May, five days after the local elections, but long before the general election on 8 June. The new strategy was requested last year, after a court ruled that existing measures to tackle air pollution proposed by the government did not meet the requirements of law. The government could yet appeal the ruling, which might effectively delay the process anyway. (BBC)
Sustainable Development
MPs accuse Government of having ‘no clear plan’ to implement SDGs
A report released on Wednesday (26th April) by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) claims that the Government’s action to deliver the SDGs abroad has not been replicated domestically, as MPs also claim. To address this accountability gap, the Government is urged to establish an independent advisory body, and appoint a cabinet minister with strategic responsibility to implement the SDGs across all departments. Ministers should publish a new report which sets out how Government objectives can be aligned with the SDGs, MPs insist. Research has shown that the Goals could add $12trn to the global economy. This government lack of participation clashes with a more active role coming from corporate giants such as PepsiCo,Coca-Cola, SABMiller and Unilever, which have mapped their sustainability targets. (Edie)
Technology & Innovation
Fleets Improve fuel efficiency with New Technology Including Automated Driving Systems
Smart companies with trucking fleets are improving fuel efficiency, lowering NOx and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by taking advantage of new technology solutions. These include idle reduction products, automated transmissions, low rolling resistance tire, tire pressure systems, engine parameters, and technologies that automate maintenance practices, writesFleetOwner. A recent report from Navigant Research indicates that technology such as automated driving systems can reduce the number of accidents, use a more fuel efficient style of driving, and because they do not get distracted or need extended rest periods, operators can achieve higher levels of vehicle utilization, particularly in long haul applications. Companies that operate diesel fleets may benefit from the new Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA) grant, made available by the US Environmental Protection Agency, designed to “modernize the nation’s diesel fleet” by retrofitting or replacing vehicles with cleaner, more efficient diesel engines. (Environmental Leader)
Human Rights
Adidas to sponsor world OutGames
German sportswear maker Adidas will sponsor the World OutGames, a LGBT-focused sporting and human rights event that will be held in Miami later this spring. The relationship between Adidas and the World OutGames—which the parties are describing as more a collaborative partnership rather than a strict sponsorship—is one of several moves that Adidas has made to promote outreach to the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community. The event draws athletes from more than 40 nations to participate in swimming, track and field, soccer, and other sporting events. It also hosts conferences that focus on human rights initiatives. Adidas is also among the major corporations to receive a perfect score for the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which recognizes corporations that adopt inclusive policies for the LGBT community, among other indicators. (Fortune)
Image source: at Pixabay website. CC0 Public Domain. Free for commercial use . No attribution required
COMMENTS