World Bank reintroduces large-scale hydropower projects
The World Bank is making a major push to develop large-scale hydropower projects, something it had abandoned a decade ago but now sees as crucial to resolving the tension between economic development and the drive to tame carbon use. Africa and Asia's vast and largely undeveloped hydropower potential is key to providing dependable electricity to the hundreds of millions of people who remain without it. The decision however, is controversial, as although big dams produce lots of cheap, clean electricity, they often uproot villages and destroy the livelihoods of the people the institution is supposed to help. (Guardian)
UK Energy Bill could pass this summer
The UK Parliament has confirmed the Energy Bill's next reading will take place as expected in June, offering the industry reassurance that the landmark legislation could now make significant progress before the summer recess. The amendment calls for "radical long-term reforms to promote economic growth and investment in manufacturing", as well as "a 2030 decarbonisation target to give businesses the certainty they need to invest" in the UK's energy industry. Friends of the Earth energy campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: "Investing in renewable energy will help tackle climate change and see the UK develop world-leading technological expertise." (Business Green, Edie)
Supply Chain
Jewellery manufacturer Chopard goes green
Chopard, the luxury jewellery manufacturer, plans to announce today, a ground-breaking partnership with the Alliance for Responsible Mining, an organisation that works to repair environments damaged by gold mining and helps small-scale miners sell their metal through a fair-trade certification programme. Through the partnership, Chopard will get its gold from small mines in Colombia and Ecuador. Livia Firth, co-founder of Eco-Age, an organisation that espouses the crusade for “green” gold said: “With Chopard actively working on the community mining philanthropic programme in South America, we can help transform the lives of thousands of people”. (New York Times)
Social Innovation
Ethical app gives users the choice to 'Buycott'
A new social media app called Buycott has been released that uses technology to empower consumers, by revealing which corporations are responsible for the contents of their basket. By scanning the barcode on a product, Buycott displays the corporate hierarchy of goods, with the aim of educating consumers as to whether their goods are ethically sourced or not. Buycott also works in the other direction, enabling you to identify products associated with socially responsible companies. The inspiration for the app came from wanting to monitor products directly or indirectly associated with Charles and David Koch, owners of Koch Industries, who have apparently funded propositions designed to stop climate change legislation in California. (Independent, Telegraph)
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