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

An exploding car is not an environmentally friendly car.

The Guardian Greenlist has been published, a year on from the Stern Report. It reveals that only 48 of the top 100 companies trading on the UK stock exchange have published a plan to address and reduce their carbon emissions and a significant minority refuse even to reveal their carbon footprint.

According to a BBC Poll, four out of five people say they are prepared to change their lifestyle. I wonder, however, if we’ll ever get on and do it? That human instinct of “I will if he does” suggests those sacrifices could be a long time coming.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), WWF and the RSPB, are urging the government to up its emissions reductions targets to 80%, claiming the current target of 60% is out of date. Crucially, the study includes in its methodology emissions from international aviation. However, it does baffle me how we can come up with any ‘absolute’ target at all – so much depends on international action.

G-Wiz has taken a bit of a blow – the new model, apparently, suffers from an occasional issue – bursting into flames! A total of 629 G-Wiz cars – about two-thirds of the number on Britain's roads – have been recalled and repaired because their battery chargers may be prone to overheating.
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Further reading:
Environmentalism as business strategy – The Guardian
Consumer power – The Guardian
The Deceit Behind Global Warming – The Independent
Should I recycle the waste from carbon offsetting? – The Times
Volatile energy prices demand new form of management – BusinessGreen