New research suggests that the EU timber sector could see land values fall dramatically (by up to 50%) as a result of shifts in species distribution in response to climate change. This could mean huge losses to the timber industry.

Surface flooding may pose a threat to at least ten UK-based tourist attractions, says flood information group RiskCentral. River- and sea-side locations are not the only ones at risk of flooding. The study looks at locations as varied as Brands Hatch and Glastonbury Music Festival. Surface flooding - the water that cannot be absorbed when normal drainage systems are overloaded by heavy rainfall - threatens 2.8 million homes.

Reacting to news today [Wednesday 16 January 2013] that European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) scientists have identified a number of risks posed to bees by three neonicotinoid insecticides, Friends of the Earth's Executive Director Andy Atkins said:

The latest decadal prediction suggests that global temperatures over the next five years are likely to be a little lower than predicted from the previous prediction issued in December 2011.

New project company takes over construction and operation of the plant at the landing terminal of the Baltic Sea Pipeline in Lubmin
More than 85 percent of the energy is used
WINGAS and E.ON Energy Projects are investing in energy efficiency: the two companies are building a highly efficient combined heat & power (CHP) plant together at the landing terminal of the Nord Stream Baltic Sea Pipeline in Lubmin near Greifswald.

The CBI today commented on The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s plans to reduce the number of tariffs that energy firms can offer, and ensure that consumers are automatically placed on the cheapest tariff available.

A Treasury led 'dash for gas' could make the UK's carbon targets under the Climate Change Act unachievable, the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee has warned. The Committee is calling on the Government to restore investor confidence in the future direction of energy policy by setting a clear decarbonisation objective in the forthcoming Energy Bill.

Reacting to comments made by Energy Minister John Hayes last night (Tuesday 30 October 2012) that "enough is enough" on wind turbines that have been "peppered around the country", Friends of the Earth's Head of Campaigns Andrew Pendleton said:

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has published ‘Health Effects of Climate Change 2012’, which provides the HPA’s latest assessment of climate change-related impacts on public health in the UK. It is written with the non-technical reader in mind, with helpful explanatory notes.

PROJECTED TIGHTENING OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES REINFORCES THE NEED FOR ENERGY REFORMS TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT

“This new call for evidence will look at ways to reward host communities and ensure that wider investment, employment and social benefits are felt locally”

RWE npower has today announced that the 2,000MW coal-fired Didcot A Power Station in Oxfordshire and the 1,000MW oil-fired Fawley Power Station in Hampshire will both close at the end of March 2013 under the EU Large Combustion Plant Directive.

With exam grade-inflation hitting the headlines over the Summer, the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) has turned the spotlight on the Government’s much-vaunted ‘greenest ever’ aspirations, to pose the question: if the Government was being examined on its plans to green our built environment, what would the results be? With some school students getting disappointing results in the past month, would the Government’s stated ambition to lead our transition to a greener economy face a similar fate?

The Government must take urgent action on the pending natural resources crisis facing the UK, warned a coalition of business and environment groups today .

Interviews with almost 1,00 homeowners in England and Wales suggest that they are reluctant to invest in energy-saving and flood protection measures, and that they will look to government to provide protection from flooding.

The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has published guidance for local authorities on planning and climate change.

Energy Minister Greg Barker announced the outcome of the latest consultation on the feed-in tariff (FIT).

UK average new car CO2 emissions fell 4.2% in 2011 and by over 23% since 2000.Direct link between emissions and fuel efficiency shows new cars now 18.0% cleaner than UK average.
Sub-130g/km cars accounted for almost half the 2011 market (46.8%) versus 10.6% in 2007.

It would cost the UK £1.8 billion every year to hand-pollinate crops without bees - 20% more than previously thought - according to new research launched today by Friends of the Earth as it unveils a new campaign to save the bee.

The CBI today (Tuesday) responded to the Government’s re-launch of a £1 billion competition to accelerate large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the UK.

The UK's first Green Investment Bank will be based in London and Scotland, the Government announced on Thursday.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said the headquarters will be in Edinburgh, with the main transaction team in London.

Today the government announced their proposals for the future of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme. As well as outlining plans for a new FIT structure, the announcement covered a number of decisions that have now been made. Here are some of the key points.
From 1st April to 1st July the feed-in Tariff generation rate will be 21p/kWh for domestic size solar panel installations with an eligibility date on or after 3rd March.

The government has lost its appeal against a High Court decision that it acted unlawfully in slashing solar subsidies leaving thousands of installations now set to get the higher Feed-in Tariff rate.

The Court of Appeal is yet to pass judgement on the Government's bid (Friday 13 January 2012) to overturn last month's High Court ruling that its plans to cut solar subsidy payments are illegal. The judges indicated that a decision by the end of next week would be "rather optimistic".

The Court of Appeal will today [Friday 13 January 2012] hear the Government's challenge to last month's High Court ruling that its solar subsidy cuts are illegal.