Greenpeace Blog

UK thwarts EU crack down on gas guzzlers

Posted by jossc — 10 October 2008 at 1:58pm - Comments

Cars are responsible for 12 per cent of all CO2 emissions across the EU Cars are responsible for 12 per cent of all CO2 emissions across the EU

Once again our government's green credentials have been put to the test and found wanting. Presented by the EU Parliament with a perfect opportunity to force Europe's motor industries to reign-in their gas guzzling, climate damaging ways, they opted instead to give in to the demands of the car lobby.

Article tagged as: climate change, co2 emissions, EU, gas guzzler

Stansted and City airports get the expansion go ahead

Posted by bex — 10 October 2008 at 9:45am - Comments

Stansted Airport

There've been two new blows to the UK's prospects of tackling climate change in the last couple of days.

First, City Airport got permission to increase flights to and from the airport by up to 50 per cent - despite the presence of dozens of flashmobbers registering their opposition outside Newham Town Hall (where the decision meeting was taking place), and local planners, teachers and campaigners from a number of organisations inside the hall. And despite the fact that the airport representatives couldn't and didn't even try to answer the accusations that they'd lied and their noise figures were inaccurate.

Article tagged as: airport expansion, aviation, city airport, climate change, coventry, stansted

Jayapura, east of Java: the final forest frontier

Posted by jamie — 9 October 2008 at 2:37pm - Comments

Jayapura

Jayapura (image by sandranahdar, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0)

As I write this, I'm sat in a hotel lobby looking out on to a market place where women are sat on the hard tarmac, blankets with tomatoes, lemongrass, onions and chillies spread out before them. Towering behind them is the incongruous bulk of the local KFC and, although there was torrential rain an hour ago, the streets are bone dry. That's because it's very very hot which is not surprising when you're a few degrees south of the equator.

Article tagged as: climate change, deforestation, esperanza, indonesia, palm oil, peatlands, rainforests

TANC rolls into action

Posted by jossc — 8 October 2008 at 5:17pm - Comments

TANC - making headlines

TANC - making headlines in the Shropshire Star

Telford Against New coal (TANC) yesterday launched their campaign to stop an opencast coal mine at the foot of the Wrekin Hills from getting planning permission. Besides the obvious climate change implications, the proposed 230 acre site would encroach into the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and ruin some of the largest and most valuable areas of ancient woodland in the county.

Article tagged as: climate change, co2 emissions, coal

The Rainbow Warrior is coming to the UK

Posted by bex — 8 October 2008 at 1:15pm - Comments

See all Rainbow Warrior tour updates or get them by email.

She's our world famous flagship, she's helped to win Greenpeace campaigns across the globe and now she's coming to the UK to persuade Gordon Brown to Give Coal the Boot.

Article tagged as: climate change, coal, coal ship tour, give coal the boot, kingsnorth, rainbow warrior

Kingsnorth, Heathrow and the 80% target

Posted by bex — 7 October 2008 at 11:12am - Comments

Greenland glacier

The Independent Climate Change Commission has warned the government that it should cut all greenhouse emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 to tackle climate change.

In itself, this isn't particularly surprising; scientists have been recommending this for some time. More interesting - and very welcome - is that the commission wants to include aviation and shipping in the target. That means, for once, that 'all greenhouse gas emissions' pretty much means 'all greenhouse gas emissions'.

Article tagged as: airport expansion, aviation, climate change, coal, emissions, ICCC, targets

UK nuclear capacity in meltdown

Posted by jossc — 6 October 2008 at 4:59pm - Comments

Hartlepool nuclear plant
Hartlepool nuclear plant - completely out of action

Should you happen to find yourself debating with a passionate supporter of nuclear power about how to supply our country's future energy needs, the odds are that pretty early in the debate they'll play their trump card - namely that only nuclear can supply the 'base load' necessary to ensure that the lights stay on throughout the long, dark British winter. Hang the dangers of radioactivity, forget the ruinous expense, they'll say - we can't do without nuclear power.

Article tagged as: CHP, finland, france, nuclear power, nuclear waste

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