SRIs on the Rise
Boosted by such factors as heightened institutional investor interest, growing investor demand for renewable energy opportunities, concerns about the Sudan humanitarian crisis, and the rapid rise of new products such as SRI-focused Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), socially responsible investing (SRI) in the U.S. is attracting assets at a faster rate than the broader universe of all investment assets under professional management, according to the new 2007 edition of the Social Investment Forum's Report on Socially Responsible Investing Trends in the United States.
The 2007 edition of the Trends report will be released at 1:30 p.m. ET Wednesday (March 5, 2008) during a live, phone-based national news conference.
CANT' PARTICIPATE?: A streaming audio recording of a related news event will be available on the Web as of 6 p.m. ET on March 5, 2008 at www.socialinvest.org.
HYATT SINGAPORE
Over the past 8 years, Grand Hyatt Singapore has undertaken many “green” projects and initiatives that intertwine both economic and environmental sustainability. The hotel has adopted a focused and cohesive approach to improving its energy management in line with Global Hyatt Corporation’s commitment to the environment.
Grand Hyatt Singapore is also continuing its efforts with a list of new “green” projects and initiatives this year, including recycling water from the laundry plant for non-potable application. In addition, all guestroom windows are covered with solar film that not only provides increased comfort for our guests, but also boosts energy savings.
“We are currently working on a Trigeneration concept, or Trigen, with the assistance from Professor Ng Kim Choon from the Mechanical Engineering Department at the National University of Singapore. Trigeneration refers to the simultaneous production of three useful energies - heat, power and cooling - from a primary fuel input, natural gas. Following the successful implementation of Trigen, the hotel will produce some of its own electricity and use waste heat to produce hot water, steam and refrigeration, thus improving our Energy Utilization Factor (EUF) by a further 35% and reducing our carbon emissions by nearly 3000 tonnes per year - an act that will do much for the environment.”
Article reprinted from: http://business.maktoob.com
Published March 3, 2008
DETAILS OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL
Although we are experiencing what Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez describes as the “heartbreak of our federal government” referring to the current administration’s perceived inaction on the subject of global warming, we still strive to stay informed of more progressive approaches to international solutions to global warming, for better or worse. A critical component of that is a review of the policies that guide them.
An excerpt from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, outlines the general goals of the Kyoto Protocol, now governing 175 parties. Originally signed in Japan in December of 1997, the five year timeline went into effect in February of 2005.
“The Protocol requires developed countries to reduce their GHG emissions below levels specified for each of them in the Treaty. These targets must be met within a five-year time frame between 2008 and 2012, and add up to a total cut in GHG emissions of at least 5% against the baseline of 1990. Review and enforcement of these commitments are carried out by United Nations-based bodies.
The Protocol places a heavier burden on developed nations under the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities.” This has two main reasons. Firstly, those countries can more easily pay the cost of cutting emissions. Secondly, developed countries have historically contributed more to the problem by emitting larger amounts of GHGs per person than in developing countries.”
For more information on particular targets that seek to reduce the emission of six greenhouse gasses, visit the UNFCCC website at: www.unfccc.int
At the end of 2007, roughly 740 American cities have independently signed onto the agreement.
http://usmayors.org/climateprotection/