… to the greenhouse effect was underway and could have potentially devastating consequences for the ecology of the planet. Since automobiles were a substantial contributor of CO2 to the … and the government. While consumers generally indicated that they liked the idea of an environmentally friendly automobile, they did not want to give up the performance they had …
… Most environmentalists had hoped that the December 2009 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen … finally produce a workable, global scheme to reduce greenhouse gasses in the environment. Unfortunately, the conference produced little concrete action and most agreed that the final … gas emissions were contributing to global warming. Over the next 11 years, the panel - formally convened as the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - issued …
… oil company PEMEX had to find ways to implement this policy. Nevertheless, in spite of efforts by various government agencies as well as PEMEX, by mid-2014 no ethanol had been … makers looked at the country's energy supply, they expected that substituting bioethanol for some portion of gasoline fuel would meet a number of the country’s needs. First, it … the Gulf of Mexico was decreasing and its deep-water reserves had not yet been developed. Second, ethanol could help Mexico meet its ambitious goals addressing climate change. Third, …
… the country's crop insurance. Crop insurance provided farmers with a hedge against climate, environmental, and other risks. Around 40% of grain farmers in South Africa purchased hail insurance, the most common policy in agriculture. In years when crops were damaged before they could be harvested and sold, crop insurance provided resources that allowed farmers to be able to plant the following season. Settlements for weather damage not only made it possible for growers to continue their livelihoods, but …
… production has increased more than nine-fold since 1980. By the 2000s, palm oil had become the most heavily traded edible oil in the world. Golden Agri Resources (GAR) has been in the forefront of this palm oil boom in Indonesia. Founded in 1996 by the influential Widjaja … hoped that GAR’s commitments would spur other companies and environmental groups to embrace higher standards. But in 2013, obstacles to this goal remained. The Roundtable for …
… In 2014, the four largest palm oil trading companies signed an agreement to end deforestation, development of peat lands and exploitation of locals not only with their own operations, but also from all of their suppliers. Forenvironmental NGOs, the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge (as the agreement was named) represented … (CPO) became the most highly traded edible oil. The palm oil boom had significant impact on economic development in rural Indonesia. Forty percent of Indonesia’s palm oil was grown by …
… Like many countries, Australia has a large existing building stock that is responsible for a substantial percentage of its greenhouse-gas emissions. Given that it will take decades for these buildings to be replaced, the rigorous standards developed in recent years for new … make in the event of a default is junior to the property mortgage holder. This is why the Environmental Upgrade Agreement (EUA) plays an important role. The EUA is a deal structure …
… In the early 2000s, the CEO of General Electric (GE), Jeff Immelt, recognized this emerging pattern in public policy and consumer behavior, and he spotted an … public policy and grow his company's bottom line. Under Immelt's leadership, GE launched an environmental business initiative called "ecomagination" in 2005 that was rooted in four … GE's operations and improve energy efficiency its facilities by 2012; To keep the public informed about ecomagination targets, progress and results. Along with the four commitments …
… In early 2014 Alcoa announced that Ford's F-150 pick-up trucks, the best-selling vehicles in the U.S., would use … planned another $150 million on facilities in Tennessee to meet the demand generated by the Ford contract. The aluminum industry's growing success in the automotive sector reflected the response of auto manufacturers to the increasingly rigorous fuel economy standards for U.S. vehicles and consumer preferences for high mileage vehicles. To …
… Ash award in policy innovation, the "Nobel of policy," upon the Connecticut Green Bank for its role in "sparking the green bank movement." The Green Bank used financial … subordinated debt, or warehousing facilities, the Green Bank lowered the cost of capital for consumers and businesses to install energy efficiency upgrades and renewable technology. … should they be kept on the balance sheet? And if so for how long? What were the political, economic, and climate risks and opportunities of a slower transition? And what …