In Depth: The GreenList 2007

If you missed a moment of this year’s environmental activity, This is the publication to hunt down today. Published in The Guardian, it contains everything from an overview of the year to commentary on national and international politics and business activities.

Zara Maung reports on inconsistencies in the policies of a government which is at once aiming to promote public transport and expand road and air travel, pointing out that in Ruth Kelly’s recent report, actual investment in public transport infrastructure was lower on the list of priorities than promises to expand the size of airports. David Deans assesses emissions trading and asks what difference it will really make. And Murray Armstrong takes a look at London, and the efforts it’s making to green itself.

Armstrong’s review of those companies which disclosed their emissions to the CDP reveals two distinct reporting standards, the internationally accepted greenhouse gas protocol, and an earlier standard from Defra. Those emissions created by an organisations supply chain, he notes, are not yet included in the survey, however, a system to measure them is currently being researched: it’s only a matter of time.

The extraction industry comes under scrutiny from Terry Macallister, who questions the contradictory goals of reducing environmental impact whilst expanding an energy-intensive business. And in The Hall of Shame, Sally Uren offers us a list of climate criminals: Walmart, Exxonmobil, Shell, BP, General Motors, Daimler Chrysler, Toyota (surely not the maker of the Prius!), Total, and Conoco Phillips.

However, the investment made by these companies into renewable technologies is also noted by Uren, ranging from Toyota’s 13.8% of total annual capital to Shell’s 1.1%.

Back to the green goodies, and Helena Carter is singing The Coop’s praises following their acquisition of British Renewable Energy Pioneer award for 2007. Virtually all the company’s energy comes from renewable sources, making the group one of the largest purchasers of green electricity in the world.

And there’s lots more. This report is a great chance to look back at the key issues fo this year, and though it only offers snapshots, it does give a guide on which standards agencies and clients may be judged by in the future.

The GreenList