Sérgio Abranches
China is braced to become a green technology powerhouse even before it transitions towards a green economy. Although having to manage a huge carbon stock, after relying mainly in coal and oil to fuel its economy for many decades, China has become the world’s major investor in clean energy. More »
The governments of the world’s top two greenhouse gases emitters, United States and China, agreed Wednesday to tighten pollution standards on heavy trucks, increase energy efficiency in transport, buildings and industry, and a number of other initiatives to curb greenhouse-gas emissions. More »
AtKisson Group analyzed 38 of the world’s largest carbon emitters, which are by themselves responsible for 76% of Fortune 500 emissions and 5.7% of global carbon emissions. It reviewed 10,000 pages of sustainability reports, annual reports, greenhouse gas reports and websites. It reached the conclusion that corporate reporting of carbon emissions is not correlated with a reduction in carbon emissions. More »
Sergio Abranches
Rio+20 can still arrive at a relevant outcome in spite of the dismal results of three rounds of negotiation at the United Nations headquarters in New York. But this outcome will certainly fall short of expectations and scientific requirements. The most a meeting with the characteristics of Rio+20 could achieve is to decide on a set of minimum ground rules for countries to build the architecture for a future green, low-carbon, low ecological footprint economy. More »
Extreme summer temperatures are already more frequent in the United States, and will become normal by mid-century if the world continues on the current path of greenhouse gases emissions. More »
Sergio Abranches, from Durban
The documents still circulating at COP17 show notable political progress, but fall short of adequately meeting the risks already pointed out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — IPCC — fourth assessment of climate science. They are still under discussion, and final decision may still be significantly different. It is likely, however, they will keep the general thrust of the documents. More »
