Investments worth trillions at risk from climate change: study

Climate change could put trillions of investment dollars at risk over the next 20 years, a global study released on Wednesday said, calling for pension funds and other investors to overhaul how they allocate funds.

Risks from more extreme weather, continued delay in climate policy by governments and uncertainty over the shape of a new global climate pact were major concerns, while renewable energy, agriculture and infrastructure could be opportunities.

The study, led by global investment consultancy Mercer, describes climate change as systemic risk because it challenges the conventional allocation of assets and requires new ways of assessing climate policy and change risks.

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EU ministers to ban wasteful practice of discarding fish at sea

Reform is expected for the fishing quotas system which requires fishermen to throw away large amounts of their catch

Ministers from across the EU will take the first steps today towards ending the practice of discarding fish at sea, in the most radical change to fisheries policy in 40 years.

At the first high level meeting on the subject, the EU fisheries commissioner, Maria Damanaki, is expected to drive home her message that the current system of fishing quotas must be reformed to spare fishermen the need to throw away large amounts of their catch.

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Coastal flooding expected when king tides and rain storms collide this week

The highest tides of the season will arrive in California this week in tandem with forecast rain, a powerful combination that could lead to coastal flooding.


The so-called king tides occur twice a year when the gravitational forces of the sun, Earth and a full moon align. The ocean is expected to surge starting Wednesday and peak at its highest level Thursday morning.

If the waves meet ocean-bound runoff from the expected rains, there could be flooding.


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WWF calls for 'scaling up' of beef production to combat deforestation in Brazil

In an interview with the Ecologist, WWF Brazil CEO Denise Hamu says increasing productivity can help combat deforestation in the Amazon

More intensive beef production can limit deforestation in Brazil where the space used to rear cattle is ten times what you see in other countries, according to WWF Brazil CEO Denise Hamu.

The majority of deforestation in the Amazon is being driven by the spread of cattle ranches with one report estimating that 40 per cent of Brazil's cattle are currently kept within the confines of the Amazon, where illegally occupied forest land is available cheaply. In total, cattle occupy around 80 per cent of land already in legal use in the Amazon.

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Flying less is more, say businesses

New research published today by WWF suggests that, following the recession, businesses are making a permanent commitment to fly less.

Nearly half of UK businesses said that they had cut business flights over the past two years and, of these, 85% said they don’t intend to return to ‘business as usual’ flying. Together, these findings suggest that future business flying will not return to pre-recessionary levels.

The report, Moving on: why flying less means more for business, found that nearly all companies who have reduced their flying say it’s possible to stay profitable and competitive while flying less.

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