Comment

• Editorial

  Government's sustainable aviation policy undermined by growth in flights

News

• Massive rise in offshore wind

  Industry questions government plans for offshore wind to supply electricity for all UK homes by 2020

• US obstructive at Bali talks
• 'Water neutral' Thames Gateway
• Lessons from the floods

Corporate

• Better business environmental managers

  The role of environmental managers in UK business has moved on significantly according to ENDS’ latest survey

• Businesses call for carbon targets
• Water sustainability reporting awry
• Roadmap for environmental goods and services
• CBI advocates climate action
• Severn Trent prosecuted for fraud

Energy & carbon

• Carbon Trust on track with
  emissions cuts

  The Carbon Trust helped companies cut their carbon dioxide emissions by two million tonnes last year

• Welsh biomass plant approved
• Councils' climate action patchy
• Micro-CHP disappoints in trials
• Microgen manufacturing needs boost
• Voluntary Carbon Standard criticised
• UK carbon footprint increases

Pollution & clean-up

• Kodak transfers risk for
  contaminated land

  Kodak has transferred responsibility for contamination at one of its sites to consultancy WSP Environmental

• Permanent soil treatment centres to be installed
• Lethal effects of ship pollution
• EU air quality not improving
• Bathing water worse after wet summer
• Poor safety ratings for offshore sites
• Buncefield still polluted

Supply chain

• Palm oil scheme divides NGOs

  A WWF-supported certification scheme has been criticised by Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace

• Hewlett Packard struggles with REACH
• Industry water efficiency label
• RoHS offender not named
• Chinese polluters' map published
• EU eco-label criteria for heat pumps
• Ethical spending doubles

Waste & resources

• Carbon savings in landfill questioned

  Waste Recycling Group is arguing that landfills act as carbon stores

• WEEE under fire
• Agency to specify hazwaste treatments
• Olympics failing on waste goals
• WEEE regime almost complete
• Hazardous waste increases
• Consultation onpackaging recycling labels
• Viridor buys Grosvenor Waste Management

Science

• Bluetongue linked to climate change

  The bluetongue virus could be the first disease brought to the UK by climate change

• Zinc in sludge more harmful than thought
• Ocean fertilisation 'not justified'
• Fertilisers deplete soil carbon

FEATURES

• Government backs Heathrow expansion

  But the impact on local communities is worse than expected and opposition is growing

• What is the potential for UK biofuels?

  The UK’s first bioethanol plant opened
  in November, turning sugar beet into a transport fuel

• FSC certifcation under fire

  Claims that certificates have been awarded to damaging forrestry operations ignite debate

  • FSC standards in Cameroon

Policy Briefing

National

• Planning Bill update

  A new Bill aims to radically reform decision-making on major infrastructure projects

• BERR announces CCS competition terms
• Ofgem's green tariffs disappoint
• OFWAT proposes leakage targets
• Councils and NHS pledge green spending
• Standards for energy-using products
• Noise standards for mini-wind turbines
• NI permit charges likely to rise
• NO₂ emissions rise
• Protocols for plastics and glass

International

• More EU spending on CO₂ credits

  €2.9bn to be spent on emissions reduction credits generated from Kyoto's flexible mechanisms

• EU plan for low-carbon tech
• Ozone-depleting sustances regulation review
• REACH fee debate
• Mandatory environmental inspections proposed
• Air quality Directive agreed

Parliament & Politics

• Tom Burke

  Arguments made in favour of a new generation of UK nuclear power stations
  don’t add up

• M&S rejects carbon labelling
• Lords debate climate Bill
• Tories moot microgen feed-in tariff
• Biofuels inquiry hears land-use fears
• Brown's first green speech
• DEFRA's budget means hard choices
• Leader for Green Party
• Prive member's Bill backs Merton Rule
• Londn councils moot plastic bag ban

In Court

• Richard Macrory

  Chemical firms challenge REACH

• Judicial review and standing against waste...
• Waste removal notice powers
• Eighth fine over King's Cliffe landfill
• Water firms fined for sewage pollution
• Asbestos fines for Able UK
• Couple fined for not using bins
• South Wales Resevoir fined
• NI council fined for leachate pollution
• Asbestos fine for Somerset firm