Japan Approves Carbon Trading Trial Scheme
The Japanese government has approved a previously announced carbon-trading trial market in the country, which allows companies to set their own emission reduction targets, say reports. Under the scheme, companies which cut emissions beyond their voluntary targets will be allowed to sell carbon allowances to...

Window of Opportunity is Closing for Carbon Capture
The window of opportunity for the cost effective introduction of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology is closing, according to Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage: A Key Carbon Abatement Option, a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA; Paris). CCS technology “must be proven in the next...

U.S. Ratifies International Rules on Air Pollution from Ships
The regulation limits SOx and NOx emissions from ships' exhausts....

Chemical Firms Balk at U.K's Pledge to Cut Emissions 80% by 2050
A group of leaders of U.K.-based chemical companies and Steve Elliott, CEO, of industry group the Chemical Industries Association (CIA; London) have called on the British government to protect the chemical industry from anticipated costs associated with the country’s proposed climate change...

Financial Meltdown Threatens EU Climate Change Action
The governments of Italy and Poland, and of six eastern European countries, attending a summit meeting in Brussels today, called on the European Union (EU) to delay its far-reaching plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, because of the global financial crisis.   At CW’s press time, the...

Solvay Steps Up Sustainabilty Program to Strengthen Competiveness
Solvay says it has set 25 new environmental targets as part of a long term program to be more sustainable. The new targets include a 20% reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) to the atmosphere, a 20% reduction of total emissions to air and discharge to water systems, and a 20% reduction of goods...

House Leaders Release Draft Climate Legislation
House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders have released a long-awaited draft of legislation that would establish a U.S. cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Representatives John Dingell (D., MI) and Rick Boucher (D., VA) released the "discussion draft," which they say is the...

Chemical Alternative to Carbon Capture and Storage Emerges from U.K. Lab
Chemists at Newcastle University (Newcastle, U.K.) say they are progressing “extremely well” and may now be about four years from commercializing an energy-efficient process for converting waste carbon dioxide (CO2) into commercially-useful chemical compounds including cyclic carbonates.  ...

SURVEY: 76% of Europeans Say Industry Not Doing Enough to Tackle Climate Change
A survey commissioned by the European Union (EU) published today has found that 76% of citizens in the region think that not enough is being done by corporations and industry to combat climate change. Only 22% of Germans surveyed said they thought industry was doing enough to combat climate change. Some 67%...

EU and UN to Combine Carbon Credit Registration
The European Union (EU) and the United Nations have disclosed that by year-end they plan to connect their respective systems for registering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions credits. The connection means that carbon credits issued under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) can...