Taryn Kiekow, Staff Attorney, Marine Mammal Protection Project, Santa Monica, California
This week NRDC is running a series of ads in Washington D.C. asking the Obama administration to stop the proposed Pebble Mine. The ads featur… Continue reading →
Elizabeth Shope, Advocate, Washington, D.C.
Yesterday, USAID officially released its long-awaited Water and Development Strategy in front of a group of hundreds of Members of Congress, Congressional staff, Administration officials and w… Continue reading →
Grace Gill, Program Assistant, CMI/India/Climate Center, New York
India Green News is a selection of news highlights about environmental and energy issues in India
May 14 – 20th, 2013
Climate & Energy
India needs clean, afford… Continue reading →
Frances Beinecke, President of NRDC, New York City
Scientists recently reported that the level of carbon in the atmosphere has passed 400 parts per million. Carbon pollution causes climate change, and many experts believe we need to bri… Continue reading →
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
It’s no secret, unfortunately, that many American downtowns and neighborhoods were disinvested, some severely, over the past several decades. The conse… Continue reading →
Denée Reaves, Program Assistant, International, Washington, D.C.
Latin America Green News is a selection of weekly news highlights about environmental and energy issues in Latin America.
May 13-May 17
Chile
According to the Minister of the Presidency, Cristian Larroulet, one of the government’s priorities will be securing the approval of pending energy bills . The proposed bills would streamline electric concessions, allow the construction of an electric transmission “highway”, and establish a 20% goal for non-conventional renewable energies. Another government goal will be the approval of bills proposed under the Competitive Stimulus Plan, a plan announced two years ago. (La Tercera, 5/16/2013).
Sergio del Campo, Vice Minister of Energy launched Chile’s new Energy Efficiency Seal initiative that aims to promote responsible energy use among companies. The initiative will identify and reward companies that are implementing efficiency measures that help reduce energy costs, boost competitiveness and reduce emissions. Forty companies can apply for the seal this year. (La Tercera 5/16/2013)
Costa Rica
Four Costa Rican environmental groups have formed the Environmental Network Alliance and will present an environmental agenda to presidential candidates. The agenda will be the outcome of a series of workshops with communities around the country focused on seven central issues: water, coastal & marine, food sovereignty, climate change, extractive industries, biodiversity and urban environment. (El Financiero, 05/13/2013)
The National Technical Environmental Secretariat has launched a public consultation a on a draft modification to the environmental impact assessment regulations. One of the proposed changes is to extend the duration of environmental permits to five years from the current two years. Another proposal is to create a category of projects that do not need to submit an environmental impact evaluation. (El País, 05/13/2013)
Mexico
The second meeting of the Advisory Board for the Mesoamerican Strategy of Environmental Sustainability will commence on May 20th in Mexico to discuss the implementation of the master plan around the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. In the Mexican capital, representatives from Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá, the Dominican Republic and the host country will be in attendance. (Terra, 05/15/2013)
The Movement against Mining Concessions of Morelos has asked the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Juan José Guerra Abud to reject the Canadian company Silver Hope’s mining project in Tetlama, Morelos due to its egregious effects on the environment. The movement’s spokesperson, Ignacio Suárez stated in an interview that this project will contaminate the surrounding areas with mercury and cyanide, as well as damage the archeological site of Xochicalco. Suárez has requested an interview with Guerra Abud to discuss these harmful effects. (La Jornada, 5/15/2013)
Dana Gunders, Project Scientist, Food and Agriculture, San Francisco
Sustainable America recently published a poll about American attitudes on food and fuel.
Overall, numbers from this poll showed higher sensitivity and better pra… Continue reading →
John Romano, Global Fellow, International Program, New York City
NRDC has joined hundreds of other civil society organizations in support of a proposal for the establishment of a UN “High Commissioner for Future Generations.&rdquo… Continue reading →
Theo Spencer, Senior Advocate, Climate Center, New York
As the six month anniversary of Hurricane Sandy rolls by, the passage of time is giving us a clearer picture of what preventive measures really worked. Thanks to an excellent serie… Continue reading →
Adrianna Quintero, Senior Attorney, Director, La Onda Verde de NRDC, San Francisco
It’s been nearly three months since President Obama’s strongly worded State of the Union address, in which he vowed to tackle climate change … Continue reading →
Ralph Cavanagh, Energy Program Co-Director, San Francisco, CA
Way back in 1996, I was honored to receive the Heinz Award and now I’m joining other winners of that prize and the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize as sign… Continue reading →
Denée Reaves, Program Assistant, International, Washington, D.C.
Latin America Green News is a selection of weekly news highlights about environmental and energy issues in Latin America.
May 4 – 10, 2013
Chile
The Chilean government has approved new legislation to regulate emissions from the country’s mining smelters. The new law aims to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and arsenic by 53% and 37%, respectively. The regulated companies will have up to five years to implement new emissions abatement technologies in their plants, adjustments that are expected to require approximately US$1.5 billion in new investment. (Fundación Terram 5/4/2013)
Power generation capacity from non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) in Chile exceeded 1,000 MW at the close of the first trimester of 2013. Of this, 41% corresponds to biomass, while small hydro and wind account for 30% each. Solar power generation remains the small portion of the total NCRE matrix, with just 2.5 MW of installed capacity. According to government projections, another 300 MW of NCRE capacity will be added by the end of this year. (Diario Financiero 5/6/2013)
Chile’s Energy Ministry has obtained US$50 million in international financing for the development of solar energy projects in the country. The funding, which comes in the form of concessionary loans—soft loans given at below-market rates—will be used to promote photovoltaic power generation for the country’s northern and central electric grids. The loans are provided through the Clean Technology Fund, which is managed by the Inter-American Development Bank. (Diario Financiero 5/6/2013)
Representatives from Chile’s electricity industry are calling on the government to speed up implementation of state policies and guidelines that would define concrete steps toward greater energy efficiency and encourage the adoption of the “Smart City” concept in Chile. The conditions to promote such projects already exist, claims Luis Cuezzo, CEO of Indra Chile, the challenge is finding committed partners at the ministerial level to develop and implement successful initiatives. (Emol 5/6/2013)
The municipalities of Temuco and Padre Las Casas in the country’s southern region of La Araucanía have been declared “saturated zones” due to daily air pollution levels that have exceeded 50 micrograms per cubic meter, principally due to the burning of firewood. The label is given to areas that surpass ambient standards for air pollutants such as particulates, ozone, and carbon monoxide and will allow the municipalities to develop a forma decontamination plan over the next four months. (24 Horas 5/7/2013)
Costa Rica
Seizures of illegally-captured wildlife are increasing in Costa Rica with the entry into force of the reformed Wildlife Act, legislation that bans sport hunting country-wide and extends existing laws barring the keeping of captive exotic wildlife as pets. The seized animals, which include parrots, parakeets, and agoutis, are housed in temporary shelters and will eventually be returned to the wild. Reforms to the Wildlife Act passed in late 2012 but only went into effect in April of this year. (La Nación 5/6/2013)
“Geothermal development in national parks, segregation or permission?” is the topic of a new opinion piece published by Rolando Portilla Pastor in La Nación. Arguing that permitting development in a national park sets a dangerous precedent, the author instead backs proposals to modify park boundaries by substituting zones to be developed—ideally, those that have relatively low ecological and tourist value—with equivalent areas of ecological importance. The current debate stems from proposals to develop geothermal projects in the Rincón de la Vieja National Park. (La Nación 5/8/2013)
Mexico
Mexican and Spanish authorities are partnering on a program to provide solar energy to remote communities in the mountains of Oaxaca. The four-year program—an effort that combines both public and private resources—aims to bring electricity to 9,500 households, extending to each four hours of light and several electrical outlets. Up to 50% of the cost of equipment will be donated for free, while the rest will be covered by the beneficiaries through a microfinance mechanism. (Crónica 5/8/2013)
New reforms to the Mexican Renewable Energy Law will generate more than 30 million pesos (close to US$2.5 million) for the country’s economy, announced Jacobo Mekler Waisburd, President of the Mexican Hydroelectric Association. The reform, which adds power density as a criterion to assess whether small- and medium-sized hydroelectric projects qualify as renewable, raises the total power generation potential of small renewable hydro projects from 300 MW to 2,000 MW. (La Jornada 5/6/2013)
The Government of the Federal District and the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources have announced the allocation of federal funding for several environmental projects to be developed in the Mexican capital during 2013. Close to 130 million pesos (approximate US$10.8 million) will be channeled to the restoration of the San Juan de Aragon Forest, rescue of the Xochimilco and Tláhuac lake area, creation of 12 thousand square meters of green roofs in the region’s public hospitals, and soil conservation programs in Tlalpan, among other initiatives. (El Universal 5/8/2013)
Regional
Because it facilitates access to electricity, renewable energy is a key instrument for social development in Latin America, claim experts at the Second Global Sustainability Forum held in Madrid earlier this week. Several countries in the region have already committed to reducing energy poverty by expanding access to renewable energy. Peru, for example, is developing a photovoltaic project which aims to extend electricity to 98% of the population by 2016. (AméricaEconomía 5/7/2013)
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
For the past several years, the Boston Foundation has been collecting data on key indicators of the health of the city’s economic, social, and natural enviro… Continue reading →
David Doniger, Policy Director, Climate and Clean Air Program, Washington, D.C.
Carbon dioxide concentrations have hit 400 parts per million for the first time in at least three million years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admini… Continue reading →
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
I don’t think filmmaker Alessandro Della Bella intended to make a video about transit in Zurich, but trains, trams, streetcars and the people who ride them a… Continue reading →
Ralph Cavanagh, Energy Program Co-Director, San Francisco, CA
Way back in 1997, I was honored to receive the Heinz Award and now I’m joining other winners of that prize and the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize as sign… Continue reading →
Taryn Kiekow, Staff Attorney, Marine Mammal Protection Project, Santa Monica, California
Endangered fin whales may once again face Iceland’s harpoons. According to media reports, Iceland will resume fin whale hunting next month af… Continue reading →
Vignesh Gowrishankar, Staff Scientist (Sustainable Energy), New York
U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA) introduced a bill today that seeks to catalyze the nation’s action on “climate super-pollutants” – non-car… Continue reading →
Kaid Benfield, Director, Sustainable Communities, Washington, DC
Today’s article is another excerpt from my forthcoming book, People Habitat: 25 Ways to Think about Greener, Healthier Cities, which will be coming out later… Continue reading →
Christine Xu, Program Assistant, China Program and Energy & Transportation Program , Washington, D.C.
Spring has arrived and this year, the greenery is not just outdoors: NRDC’s office in Beijing has been awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold certification for Commercial Interior design (LEED-CI).
USGBC Sr. Fellow Mark Ginsberg in Beijing presenting us with LEED-CI Gold plaque
There were many different aspects to take into consideration during the LEED application process. We started from the very beginning of selecting an office building that was close to multiple bus routes and subway lines, along with bicycle storage units offered on site. Additionally, we:
Procured environmental-friendly construction materials;
Used non-toxic interior design materials (such as bamboo);
Designed a space layout that utilized as much natural light as possible, with motion sensors for more efficient artificial lighting;
Reused existing furniture and other energy efficient appliances from our previous office;
Offered several types of recycling bins (paper, glass, plastic, metal); and
Posted reminders for staff to shut down electrical devices (air purifiers, water heaters) at the end of the day for energy conservation.
NRDC has been at the forefront of green building advocacy for decades. In fact, we were the first international environmental organization to introduce the concept of green buildings in China in 1995. We also strive to lead by example: all five of our U.S. offices are LEED certified – two are Platinum and three are Gold. I’m proud to announce that our Beijing office is following suit and is leading by example in China.
There are a number of different green building labeling systems in the world. China has its own Three Star System (3SS) — developed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MoHURD) in 2006. Recognizing the explosive growth in the buildings sector, MoHURD introduced 3SS to spur building sustainability and to reap the huge potential in energy savings. 3SS follows a similar structure as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system, which allocates points based on the environmental and human benefits of various criteria, including energy savings, water savings, indoor environment, and resources and materials. Both labeling systems are being used increasingly more in China, although 3SS covers mostly government and luxury residential projects while LEED covers a wide range of different types of construction, such as New Construction (for new construction projects and renovation projects), Commercial Interior, and even Retail buildings, residential Homes, and Healthcare (medical buildings).
But no matter which labeling system is used, the ultimate goal of each is to harmonize building development with environmental protection. This is critically important for China. The World Bank estimates that half of all new construction in the world will be built in China by 2015. This translates to consuming more than one third of all energy in China and emitting 25 percent of China’s total carbon emissions. Therefore, greening buildings can bring a significant reduction in China’s energy demands and is one way to help China reach its energy intensity reduction target of 16 percent per unit of GDP by 2015. Additionally, green buildings can also help China achieve several other goals listed in the 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015), such as increasing non-fossil fuel to 11.4 percent of electricity generation and reducing water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
NRDC’s first project in China was working with the China Ministry of Science and Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy to jointly design and build China’s first LEED Gold certified office building for New Construction (LEED-NC); this project was the first in demonstrating the advantages of green and efficient buildings in China. Subsequently, NRDC participated in the planning of Beijing’s green Olympic Village, which was awarded the LEED-New Development (LEED-ND) certification. In 2007, NRDC helped China obtain its first LEED Gold certification of an existing commercial building retrofit. Currently, we are working with Shanghai to pioneer a local building energy efficiency rating standard.
Effective building efficiency rating systems can provide the needed incentives to develop efficient building technologies and propel them into the market faster. Given that China already has plans in place to increase the number of green buildings to one billion square meters and have 20 percent of all new buildings be constructed as green buildings by 2015, developing a robust green building labeling system is essential to helping China reach these targets. NRDC is working on accelerating this process through our partnership under the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC)’s building efficiency consortium.
Led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, we are engaged in a five-year research project under CERC focused on building efficiency. Specifically, it involves diving into research on key technologies, such as advanced heating and cooling, efficient lighting and building envelope technologies to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings sector. And just as important, we are researching policy tools, such as building codes and labels, to help deploy these technologies more widely and quickly in the marketplace.
Besides providing a highly effective solution to reducing energy consumption in China’s rapidly expanding urban centers, green buildings create another added bonus: a better working environment for staff. This means healthier employees, higher morale, greater productivity and employee retention. Earning LEED Gold-CI means that NRDC’s Beijing office is helping to conserve China’s energy and resources as well as to provide a healthy working environment for our staff. We look forward to helping China build more energy efficient buildings and achieve a similar win-win situation.