Some funds creating green portfolios, but investment routes won't change soon

Asset managers are trying to take environmental and social issues into consideration when selecting companies to invest in. Mutual fund managers were originally bound by law in the us and in Europe to invest in what will bring the highest return. However, as consumer consciousness started changing, mutual funds have been pushed to review their priorities.

Climate crime revisited

UK's consumption-based emissions analysis challenges conventional wisdom Carbon emissions of a country have been calculated on the basis of production of goods and services, until now. Emission control has been seen as a case of management at sectoral fronts like electricity and transport. A study reveals the futility of such supply-side tinkering

In UK, images to accompany anti-smoking warnings

UK won't meet CO₂ emissions reduction target

The uk will not be able to meet its carbon dioxide emissions reduction target of 20 per cent by 2010, says a recent report. The report, UK Energy and the Environment, by think-tank Cambridge Econometrics, says the uk will only be able to reduce emissions by 12.75 per cent by 2010.

Climate protest spreads to Sizewell nuke plant

Five members of the Camp for Climate Action barricaded the access to the Sizewell B nuclear power station in Suffolk county, the UK, for six hours on August 20. This came on the last day of the group's week-long demonstrations at London Heathrow Airport against the impact of a proposed runway. The protesters targeted the power station to highlight that nuclear power is no answer to climate change. They prevented workers from

Increasing biofuels may lead to more carbon

Switching to biofuels to curb greenhouse gas emissions could be a mistake, as increasing biofuel production will release two to nine times more carbon over the next 30 years than fossil fuels, notes the first comprehensive study of biofuel emissions. The study, done by a team of UK-based scientists, criticises the EU's targets to substitute 10 per cent of its fuel with biofuels by 2020. The study, published in the journal Science, compared the efficiency of forests and biofuels in reducing oxides of carbon (COX) from the atmosphere.

UK appeals to EU to ease ban on livestock

Following a recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease, the uk government is trying to convince the eu to ease a ban on its livestock, meat and dairy exports. Meanwhile, the country's veterinarians are looking for evidence so the country can be declared 'disease-free' by early November. According to eu laws, a country can be declared 'clear of the disease' about three months after the last case is recorded. The disease was first confirmed at

Row over research on calculus

The recent claim by researchers from the uk that Indian scholars predated Isaac Newton in making a key mathematical discovery has run into controversy. An Indian researcher has alleged that the findings are not new. The Manchester University had reported on its website on August 13 that according to new research, the 'infinite series'--a basic component of calculus, a branch of mathematics--was discovered by scholars from Kerala about 250 years before Newton and Gottfried

CO₂ from cars to feed algae

the use of algae as a source of biofuel has gained popularity in the last few years. In July 2007, three entrepreneurs from the uk came out with a way to feed algae by capturing carbon dioxide (co2) from automobiles. This co2 was used to feed algae which then produced biofuel.

Affordable kit to test for pesticides

a new cost-effective method has been developed to trace pesticides in food. Researchers say this enzyme-based technique is quick and cost-effective.