A Story about Sustainable Development

From Waste to Living Earth - A Story about Sustainable Development

On Friday, 27 June the Rt Hon Helen Clark helped celebrate Living Earth's 1,000,000 bag of compost, as part of the "Reduce your Rubbish" campaign. The event, held at Living Earth in Onehunga, was co-hosted by NZBCSD, the Auckland Regional Council and Ministry for the Environment.

NZ Climate Change Office Releases Application Guidelines for Negotiated Greenhouse Agreements (NGAs)

The New Zealand Climate Change Office has released application guidelines for Negotiated Greenhouse Agreements (NGAs) and will now accept applications from firms seeking NGAs. The guidelines are available on the Climate Change Office website There is no cut-off date for NGA applications. The Government will consider applications submitted at any time. However, applicants requiring priority assessment should express their interest in being considered in the first round of assessment by 11July 2003. Completed applications (including all required information) for the first round will need to be received by 25 July 2003. Applications may be considered priority where the applicants are facing issues such as an impending significant investment decision in which climate change policy has a significant impact. The New Zealand Climate Change Office's process for prioritising and assessing first round applications will be made available by mid July 2003. If you have any questions in relation to NGA applications, please email: mailto:nga@climatechange.govt.nz

ICANZ Sustainability Group Seminar: Sustainability for Beginners AND The Nature of Good Business

Tuesday, 15 July at 5.00 pm by video link at the following venues: Auckland: Institue of Chartered Accountants Conference Centre, 27-33 Ohinerau Street, Remuera Hamiltion: Phone link - venue by arragement Wellington: Level 2, Cigna House, 40 Mercer Street Christchurch: Level 2,Charles Luney House, 250 Oxford Terrace Dunedin: Audit NZ, 5th Floor, Forsyth Barr House, 165 Stuart Street Presentations will be made by: Jim Watt, Enviro-Mark NZ Programme Director at Landcare Research Scott Pearson, Project Manager Resources, Tourism Industry Assocation New Zealand The format will broadly be: 5.00 - 5.15 networking over tea and coffee.
5.15 - 5.30 group business if any e.g. Committee update
5.30 - 6.45 presentation(s)
6.45 - 7.00 formal question and answer session

Compostable packaging catching on in UK

Truly biodegradable packaging appears to be catching on in the UK with more and more local authorities buying compostable sacks for waste schemes and another of Britain’s major retailers set to introduce compostable carrier bags to their stores. However, buyers should beware the difference between compostable and biodegradable. To be truly compostable, a product must comply with European Norm EN13432, the criteria for compostability. In the private sector, Asda, Co-op and Sainsburys’ are some of the first major retailers to introduce bio-degradable carrier bags.

MEPs agree on packaging directive

The European Parliament has agreed that CD and video cases are packaging under the European Packaging Directive, but flowerpots are not, following a vote on 2 July. Member states will have to recover at least 60% of the weight of packaging waste by the end of 2008, and will need to recycle between 55% and 80% by the same date.

Crédit Lyonnais Asset Management launches subsidiary dedicated to SRI

Crédit Lyonnais Asset Management is launching a subsidiary exclusively dedicated to socially responsible investment and sustainable development.The new firm is to be called Integral Development Asset Management. (I.DE.A.M.).

US drops in country sustainability rating

The United States fell eight places in Oekom Research's Country Rating Report this year, mirroring its poor performance on other similar country sustainability ratings. Many socially responsible investors consider the social and environmental performance behind fixed income investments when making decisions, and that includes government bonds. A Munich-based research firm, Oekom Research, recently published its latest sustainability rating of developed countries, and the U.S. was placed in the bottom 20 percent. U.S. policies such as the "Patriot Act," along with the country's environmental foot-dragging and other factors, prompted Oekom to demote the U.S. from 17th to 25th rank in this year's Country Rating Report. The U.S. scored 67.5 percent on the rating, while top-ranking Norway scored 82.02 percent, and the Russian Federation brought up the rear with a 49.19 percent score.

Environment bypasses small businesses

Accountancy Age, 3 July 2003 - Most SMEs have yet to introduce green policies. Fewer than one in four small companies have an environmental policy and many are failing to take practical measures to reduce their impact on the environment.

EU parliament approves greenhouse gas trading system

Associated Press, 2 July 2003 - The European Parliament Wednesday approved the world's first international emissions trading system to meet targets for reducing greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol.

United Nations Global Compact announces milestone - 1,000 businesses now participating

M2 Communications, 2 July 2003 - The United Nations Global Compact today announced that more than 1,000 companies from around the world are participating in the initiative, working with international labour, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to advance nine principles in the areas of human rights, labour and the environment.

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