The home front.

Greenpeace are a tad unhappy about Brown's nuclear plans. Responding to his CBI speech, John Sauven says:
"The prime minister last week outlined plans to generate twenty per cent of our energy from renewable sources, now just one week later we are back to the old mantra of nuclear power. Declarations like this threaten to strangle the renewables industry before it can even get close to that 2020 target."

Meanwhile, Oxford University's Environmental Change Institute has released a report claiming that homes could make emissions cuts of up to 80%. Amongst other measures, financial support to make changes and appropriate locating of new homes should help achieve this, reports the BBC. The Telegraph reports on a CBI report which claims getting the country back on track for its 2050 commitments could cost just £100 per household. However, nuclear power plays a significant role in this estimation.

Today's crop: rapeseed fuel, the Queen, and CFL recycling...

Business

• Waitrose is to trial a new fuel in its lorries: rapeseed. Read more in The Times
• General Electric has named a new vice president for environmental programmes: Ann R. Klee.
• Ikea has announced its intention to offer free CFL recycling (they've got a bit of mercury in - not the friendliest substance). Expect the rush to begin in about ten years time.
• Solar industry consolidation ups pace, with the German manufacturer Q-Cells last week announcing its intention to acquire US partner Solar Fields LLC. Sharp is also stepping up production of its thin film solar cells. Read more at BusinessGreen
• Research from The Interactive Annual Report Company reveals the cost of transparency: according to theri calculations, each FTSE 350 company destroys 168 trees on average each year. I hate to think how many of those are sustainability reports...
• Greenbang is hunting for London's greenest office. If it could be you, let them know: ratemyoffice@greenbang.com
• Climate change will be high on the agenda for the CBI this month. Their annual conference, on 26-27 November, will feature David Cameron alongside several business leaders debating the topic.

Politics

• The Queen's Speech outlined a Bill to make the UK the first country in the world to introduce a legally-binding framework to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The 2050 target of at least 60% co2 reductions has been confirmed, alongside an energy bill which foreshadows a new generation of nuclear plants - built by private companies.
• Lady Young, Chief Exec of the Environment Agency, has compared climate change to World War Three in its scale and potential impact. Read more...
• The Department of Transport has announced the creation of a Renewable Fuels Agency. Professor Ed Gallagher will chair the Agency, which will have responsibility for the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation, coming into force next April.

Science

• Vertical axis wind turbines (it means the wind can come from any direction and they still work) are now available for the home. I'm excited! Thanks Helix Wind!
• Lunchtime reading: Climate change: rising tides - The Telegraph