• Comment: Coalition’s nuclear nonsense

• Lib Dems and Tories agree to disagree on new nuclear

  The latest version of the coalition agreement between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats offers a mass of environmental and low carbon policies.

• Environment Agency prepares further job cuts
• Shanks to send RDF to Dutch incinerator
• Climate panel review begins
• Sizewell plant could restore heathland tract
• Greenpeace claims victory over Nestlé
• Richmond to scrap CO2-based car parking charges
• Huge offshore energy supplies predicted
• More biomass projects avoid CCS requirement
• Green Alliance appoints new head
• UN chooses new climate chief
• Water resources inquiries examine reservoir plans
• BP’s deep water oil disaster
• ENDS infographic: Britain’s new dash for gas-fired electricity

Corporate

• Early focus on CRC emissions strategy vital

  Implementing long-term strategies to cut emissions will help organisations do well in under the UK’s new energy efficiency scheme, according to speakers at a recent ENDS seminar

• Kent gas storage project to hit National Grid’s CRC performance
• Corus cuts Port Talbot’s carbon emissions
• Severn Trent calls for change of course
• Investors grill BP and Shell over oil sands
• MCA reveals 6% consulting dip
• ERM appoints new chairman
• Tesco plans massive expansion in China

Energy & carbon

• Dash for gas could squeeze out low-carbon generation

  Far from looming blackouts, the current energy market is likely to deliver a glut of new gas-fired power stations, threatening the future of low-carbon generation and jeopardising the UK’s binding carbon budgets by 2020

• Business looks to exploit solar PV feed-in tariff
• Pick-up for small wind systems
• Business sector embraces forest carbon offsets
• Grouting problems affect offshore wind
• Dairy emissions calculated
• Mass arrest over carbon fraud
• More offshore wind on its way

Pollution & clean-up

• ‘New’ flame retardants found in Norway’s Arctic animals

  Two new generation brominated flame retardants have been detected at significant levels in Arctic wildlife by the Norwegian authorities. There are indications the products may already be widespread in the environment

• Trading scheme not cause of emissions dip
• Agency still favours audits
• DEFRA’s air quality appeal dismissed
• Derelict land indicator dropped

Supply chain

• Cotton certification scheme targets farming practices

  Around 50,000 farmers will be helped to grow cotton more sustainably this year through the Better Cotton Initiative. Marks & Spencer, Ikea and H&M are among those that will buy the scheme’s output

• Payout for ‘toxic sofa’ victims
• New chemical labels worry cleaning sector
• P&G launches green scorecard for suppliers
• Call for Europe-wide footprint standards
• Eco-products criticised for not backing up claims
• Industry to lobby with WWF on fish quotas
• World Bank consults on palm oil strategy
• ASA finds Renault’s CO2 claims misleading

Waste & resources

• Gasification firms struggle to claim renewable support

  Gasification developers are expressing frustration with the sampling regime required by Ofgem to prove they are not simply incinerators

• Food waste collections gather steam
• Yorkshire Water tries new sludge disposal method
• Incinerators to use waste heat
• Oxo-degradable plastics questioned

Science

• Research questions biodiversity benefits of organic farming

  Scientists have concluded that it makes more sense to set land aside for nature rather than subsidising organic farming across much of the UK’s countryside. But some of their co-researchers say they are jumping the gun

• Energy saving sewage process will slash carbon
• CCS ‘profoundly non-feasible’
• Copenhagen Accord pledges fall short

• Councils' green targets scheme slow to take off

  Two years on from the launch of the national indicators framework, the task of monitoring councils’ environmental performance remains an inexact science. Further years’ data are required before a clearer picture can emerge, finds David Carr

• Industry braces for next REACH deadline

National

• Carbon capture and storage projects could use Scottish gas grid

  Ofgem may use part of Scotland’s gas grid to link carbon capture and storage demonstration projects in Scotland with undersea storage sites

• Planned incentives for renewable heat ‘not cost-efficient or effective’
• Plans to support district heating ‘need overhaul’
• EPUK revises local air quality guidance
• Agency issues waste competency guidance
• Mayor consults on London LEZ delay

International

• Draft of US senate climate bill out at last

  Draft text for a bill on clean energy and cap-and-trade measures on greenhouse gases has been received by a US Senate committee

• Europe builds the case for a 30% CO2 reduction
• EU looks to tighten up energy policy to 2020
• US moves to reform chemical safety laws
• Global target to reduce biodiversity loss missed
• HCFC phase-out favours climate-friendly options
• MEPs agree to unify and toughen controls on industrial emissions
• Europe’s carmakers ‘risk losing green vehicle race’
• Mercury wastes likely to go to salt mines

• Tom Burke's political commentary: Can blending blue and yellow really make green?

  The distribution of seats in the new coalition cabinet might concern some environmentalists, but the Conservative and Liberal Democrat environment ministers should not find it too hard to work together

• Richard Macrory's legal commentary: ECJ rejects UK’s attempt to exclude smelter from EU emissions directive

  The judgment on Alcan’s Lynemouth aluminium smelter reinforces the strict approach to environmental directives taken by the European Court of Justice

• Company director gets suspended sentence for releasing fridge CFCs
• Farmer to pay £250,000 for illegal landfill
• Agency purdah obstructs in court coverage
• TEG Group fined for composting breach
• Bleach spill costs Severn Trent £18,500
• Lampshade maker to pay £49,954 for packaging offences
• Farmer fined for illegal pesticide use