Exxon could be guilty of big tobacco-style racketeering
Among those who are calling for Exxon to be investigated regarding its decades-long research on the implications of fossil fuel technology is a former Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutor who helped win racketeering convictions against tobacco industry execs in 2006. Sharon Eubanks was a DOJ lawyer on the tobacco case when US District Court ruled that Philip Morris USA, RJ Reynolds Co. and other tobacco manufacturers had conspired for decades to mislead consumers about the dangers of smoking. That landmark finding has been resurrected as a reminder of the potential impact of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and the power it can wield when it comes to corporations and industries that don’t live up in action to the research they conduct about consumer risk. The fact that Exxon knew there was an increased risk associated with its product, but allegedly chose to hide that information from the consumer, merits investigation by the DOJ, according to Eubanks. (Triple Pundit)
Swedish companies accused of profiting off refugee housing
Swedish companies have been accused of profiting excessively from the recent influx of refugees to Europe, taking advantage of government expenditures to house and support over 150,000 new immigrants this year. In the first eight months of 2015, the government paid out 894 million Swedish kroner ($105 million) to 50 different companies, a number of which are owned by private equity firms that also service Sweden’s privatised elder care and health care markets. With demand running high this summer, the housing companies have now started to raise their prices. Some charge as much as $13,000 per month to house and care for unaccompanied children. “I’m not asking anyone to give away housing for free. But it can’t be the other extreme either,” said Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. Morgan Johansson, the Swedish justice and migration minister, accused companies of “lining their pockets” and called on their owners to start lowering prices. (Corpwatch)
Environment
Lao officials investigate massive increase in illegal logging
A leaked report by international environmental group WWF reveals huge increases in illegal logging in Laos, with an implication of government collusion. It has prompted officials in the small Southeast Asian nation to take action to examine discrepancies in timber export and import figures with China and Vietnam. Based on an analysis of Lao customs data, the report found that the value of Lao wood product imports reported by China and Vietnam exceeded that of official Lao exports more than 10-fold. Last year, China and Vietnam accounted for 96 percent of the US $1.7 billion total value of Lao wood exports, the majority of which were illegal, the report said. The report appeared briefly on the web more than a week ago, but was removed at WWF’s request. “We are surprised by the statistics, and it is a good sign that we have to do more research,” said Khaphout Ratthanamany, of Lao’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. (Eco-Business)
Energy
Report: Poland can increase renewable energy nearly five-fold by 2030
Poland can increase its share of renewable energy in power generation from seven percent in 2010 to nearly 38 percent by 2030, according to a report released today by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The report, called REmap 2030, prepared with input from the Polish Ministry of Economy, also finds the share of renewable energy in total final energy consumption can more than double to nearly 25 percent by 2030. “As one of the European Union’s largest energy users, Poland plays a critical role in fulfilling the region’s energy and climate goals,” said Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of IRENA. “Even in a country like Poland with cheap fossil-fuel based sources, renewable energy can be cost-competitive, reduce air pollution, enhance energy security, benefit the economy, and play a leading role in fighting climate change.” REmap 2030 estimates that renewable energy could feasibly reach 25 per cent of total consumption if investments double to USD 4.5 billion annually. (Blue and Green Tomorrow)
Eminent Australians press world leaders to ban new coal mines
Prominent Australians, including a former central bank governor, scientists and doctors, are urging world leaders to impose a moratorium on new coal mines when they meet in Paris for a climate summit next month. The letter echoed a recent call by the president of Kiribati, one of a number of low-lying Pacific island nations that are under threat from rising sea levels as a result of global warming. “A global moratorium on new coal mines and coal mine expansions could make Paris COP21 truly historic,” said the full-page letter in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper on Tuesday. It was signed by former Reserve Bank of Australia governor Bernie Fraser, Nobel Prize winner Peter Doherty, Wallabies rugby player David Pocock, religious leaders, and environmental advocates, among others. Australia, the world’s largest coal exporter, has pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, a target criticised by green groups as not enough to limit global warming to 2⁰C. The target was set under former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who has since been replaced by Malcolm Turnbull. (Eco-Business)
Image Source: Exxon by Minale Tattersfield / CC BY 2.0
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