WISTA AUGUST 2008

From the Desk of Chairman Environment Accounting: Part 13 - 20 Leaders of (G8) met in Toyako, , in July 2008. Apart from discussions on oil prices, world energy situation, IPR, their deliberations revolved around environment and . The summary statement issued at the end of the acknowledged the role each of the G8 countries need to implement in order to achieve

absolute reduction in emissions. Though the leaders agreed on a goal of 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050, no detailed plans for working towards that goal were suggested. As such, it is generally felt that G8 summit has not been able to deliver enough and the results fall short of meeting the interlinked global challenges of energy security and climate change. The Special Feature in the present issue of WISTA: Environment Accounting gives a gist of G8 deliberations, specifically concerning climate change, as also comments by stakeholders on the outcome of the summit. It is surmised that if early actions for reducing GHG emissions are not taken, it would severely impact climate change. The ‘Perspective’ deals with carbon trading and the business opportunity it holds for and other developing countries. Since many of the developed countries are lagging behind their Kyoto commitments, with the right strategies and approach, India could reap much benefits out of carbon trading. However, it is imperative that it should implement international transaction laws, proper regulatory mechanisms, and develop expertise and methodology of certification process. High oil prices and the ever rising demand for energy have spurred research to develop viable ways to produce biodiesel from agricultural sources, particularly from algae. However, harvesting algae and extracting oil from it pose technical as well as cost-based hurdles. Researchers are seeking the best of approaches for cost-effective commercial production of oil from algae. ‘In Focus’ highlights the potential algae hold as a source of bio-fuel, and the advantage of its being grown in areas unsuitable for agriculture, or even in desert areas. Other features covered are: Green & Noteworthy; Accounting for Air, Water, Waste; Legal Scene; Energy Scene; Case Study; Experts Converge; and Knowledge Spreads. We welcome comments and suggestions. Dr K V Swaminathan

CONTENTS RESEARCH & ANALYSIS TEAM • From the Desk of Chairman [ P 2 ] Mr K N Julka Jt Director • Green & Noteworthy: Carbon Trading Scheme (Australia); Mr Suresh Kumar Jt Director Saving Tonle Sap Lake (Cambodia); Unmanned Petrol Service (Ireland); Mr D P Singh Director Trial System for Carbon Trading (Japan); Green-Tech Business (USA); Mr S S Kalra Director [P 3-4] • Accounting for Air: Quality Carbon Credits; Solving Global Warming Problem; Writing Off Green Guilt. [P 5] This publication aims at disseminating information on • Accounting for Water: Tackling Water Pollution; Water Diversion pertinent developments in its Plan Criticized. [P 6] specific field of coverage. The • Accounting for Waste: Incineration, A Dinosaur Technology. [P 7] information published does not, • In Focus: Bio-Fuel from Algae. [P 8] therefore, imply endorsement of any product/process/producer or • Special Feature: G8 Summit and Climate Change. [P 9-11] technology by WITT. • Legal Scene: Forest Service Sued; Suit for Disturbing Wildlife. [P 12] • Perspective: Carbon Trading: Opportunities for India. [P 13 - 14 ] Editor : Dr K V Swaminathan Printed and Published by • Case Study: New Nuclear Power Stations. [P 15 - 16 ] Dr K V Swaminathan, on behalf of • Energy Scene: Energy Wastage in IT; Future of Nuclear Power; Waterfalls Institute of Technology Solar Power Gains Momentum. [P 17] Transfer, J-29 South Extension Part I, • Experts Converge: Environmental Impact Assessment; Trade Fair for New Delhi - 110 049. Water, Sewage, Refuse, Recycling and Natural Energy Sources; Water Reuse and Desalination; World Aqua Congress. [P 18] Printed at Sagar Printers, • Knowledge Spreads: A Field Guide on Eco-friendly Print; Sewage 1880, Udaichand Marg, Treatment Industry; Decentralized Water and Wastewater Systems; Kotla Mubarakpur, Kick the Habit. [P 19] New Delhi - 110 003.

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needs to relate climate and physical change to people GREEN & NOTEWORTHY and social changes-to identify relationships between physical changes, and social consequences,” said Eric Carbon Trading Scheme Baran, research scientist at the Phnom Penh office of the World Fish Center, a research organization Australia relies on coal to generate about 77% of headquartered in Malaysia. the country’s electricity. There is a danger that if corporate welfare schemes only are encouraged, it’s The Cambodian government has begun looking just going to prolong the uses of coal. 'Coal is not the at the problem, creating a climate-change office in solution, coal is the problem,' said the CEO 2003 and undertaking a climate-change vulnerability Steve Shallhorn. assessment in 2001. But neither of those measures has focused specifically on Tonle Sap Lake, so the questions To reign in rising emissions in the world’s top per there persist. capita greenhouse gas polluter Australia, economist Ross Garnaut has drafted a carbon trading scheme. For (Cambodia-Climate Wire, Jun 10, 2008) him, Australia was critically at risk from climate change. Unmanned Patrol Service He urged deep cuts in emissions from the world’s top coal exporter. Featuring a number of eco-friendly specifications, the first unmanned, card-operated service station, But Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is under pressure to has opened on the Aran Islands. It is located on Inis Mor soften the impact of inevitable energy and fuel price rises and is home to a recycling center. It has capacity to from an emissions cap-and-trade scheme. He had been store and provide biofuels in the near future. urged to go further than his current goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2050. VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR ENVIRONMENT RELATED PROBLEMS Under Garnaut’s proposals, businesses that pump AND ALSO WIN A PRIZE out less greenhouse gas than their allowable limit, WITT ENVIS WEBSITE is a national repository and would receive credits and would be able to sell dissemination centre on Environment Audit & Accounting. permits bought at competitive auction to pollute to It parks compilations of Environment Audit Reports, firms exceeding their carbon emissions quota. He Guides, news items, books, periodicals, as also list of stressed that emission scheme should not become a Environmental Experts, Institutions and other ENVIS government revenue-raiser, suggesting 50% of the likely Centres. It also contains two biomonthly updates A$ 15-20 billion raised from permit auction should be published by WITT, ie, WISTA: Environment Audit returned to households, 30% to hard-hit businesses. and WISTA: Environment Accounting, as also the The other 20% would go to renewable energy. monthly ENVIS Newsletter. The Website facilitates meeting the emerging (Australia- Environment News Network, Jul 4, 2008) information needs of industries and institutions for managing environmental, social, and business issues and Saving Tonle Sap Lake securing eco-friendly sustainable development. Hotter summers and dropping water levels in the The WITT ENVIS centre also provides information and world’s most productive fisheries, Tonle Sap Lake, guidance to industries concerning environmental/ that provides 60% of the Cambodian protein and pollution problems. 12% of its people with a living, have threatened Contact us on; Email: [email protected], lake’s future along with fish supplies and the upkeep [email protected] of the people who depend on them. We will appreciate receiving your feedback. It will help To help pinpoint climate change’s impact on people us make our services more user-friendly; and you may and livelihoods, more is needed than just global win a prize too. modeling which looks at steady increase in worldwide So Visit temperatures. “There’s a whole area of science that http://www.wittsenvis.org

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This facility will offer green and white diesels mulling over the idea to impose environment tax. besides home heating oils to locals. (Japan –InterActive Carbon Markets Community, The station will be operated by Comharchumann Jun 9, 2008) Forbattha Arann Teo and Top Oil. Green-Tech Business “We are all aware of the challenges posed by climate change and the need to find more sustainable energy California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) had source and practices”, said Minister of Community, proposed mixed approach meant to blend market Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon O’Cuiv. “I was structures with direct regulation to achieve the nation’s pleased to fund an electric minibus on Inis Oirr recently most comprehensive plan to combat global warming. and I am delighted to open this facility.” The agency’s long-awaited plan for trimming GHGs in California to 1990 levels by 2020, targets major (Ireland-edie.net, Jun 24, 2008) emitters under the states’ climate change law, A.B.32,

applying a medley of overlapping rules to cap CO2 Trial System for Carbon Trading and other GHG emissions at 365 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2020. That’s a 30% reduction from A trial system for carbon trade, seen as an current output, by the state’s count. effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, will commence in Japan in the autumn in pursuance of a The centerpiece of the ARB’s so called scoping new climate change policy to set a goal for cutting plan, is a cap-and-trade market meant to connect greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. World’s fifth states throughout the West in an unprecedented largest emitter, Japan hopes to cut its emissions by carbon exchange that could set the stage for 14% by 2020 from the current levels, and by 60-80% by national system. 2050. It will announce an interim target sometimes next year and contribute upto $ 1.2 billion to a new A prominent recommendation of the plan is multilateral fund with the and Britain boosting the state’s renewable portfolio standard that will help countries fight global warming. (RPS) to 33% of electric power generation by 2020. It would also aggressively tighten building Since “it is impossible to achieve this goal without and appliance energy efficiency standards besides the participation of major emitter countries and implementing a low-carbon fuel standard and forcing unless all the countries of the world take part in some automakers to build cleaner vehicles. form”, Japan hopes to clinch agreement on a ‘shared vision’ to halve global emissions by mid-century at These measures combinedly would result in cuts

the G8 summit. totalling a massive 169 million tonnes of CO2 by 2020 statewise. Unlike that imposes a cap-and treade system to bind polluters to mandatory emission The new efforts are intended to incentivize a limits, Japan has encouraged voluntary pledges from ‘green- tech business boom under A.B.32 to accelerate industries to cut emissions. venture capital investment and produce new jobs in California besides promoting continued growth. Setting “effective rules that lead to real efforts to The backbone of the economic argument appears to reduce emissions and to technology development, be driving electric utilities away from coal and natural and to create a healthy market based on real demand gas and towards renewable energy constructed in the that does not lend itself to money games”, is important state. The 33% RPS, up from a mandated 20% goal for Japan that also proposes to raise the proportion of by 2020, will drive investment towards the renewable its energy from ‘zero emission power’ sources to sector and away from fossil fuels. more than 50% from the current 40%. It is also (USA-ClimateWire, Jun 26, 2008)

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countries to achieve their target. Instead of reducing ACCOUNTING FOR AIR their emission over the past few year, several key countries have ended up increasing them, prompting Quality Carbon Credits reluctance to assign any short term targets for reductions. US has been categorical in only taking a The Gold Standard Foundation (created by a small long-term goal and looking at only ‘aspirations’ goals in group of non-governmental organization, including the short-run. the Worldwide Fund (WWF), SouthSouthNorth and Helio International, to design a standard that could Switzerland proposed a carbon tax on emissions help realize the true potential of the ) of all countries above a certain level of per capita and CarbonRe AG, engaged in insurance and emissions. But EU, considered very ‘progressive’, reinsurance brokerage services, have launched a objected because that would leave India out service partnership for project owners and developers because of its per capita emissions being lower than the in pursuit of the highest quality carbon credits. It will average of emissions, leave alone provide a new level of maturity in the market for high the rich countries. In fact, the developed countries quality carbon credits, as it demonstrates that the are ultimately targeting countries that are seen as premium on Gold Standard credits does not only ‘future economic power houses.’ benefit the project developer, but is also used as a form of risk management on the demand side. (Times of India, Jul 9,2008) CarbonRe AG specializes in insurance products Writing off Green Guilt and risk management techniques, catering for the Top airlines and tour operators’ offer of carbon entire risk spectrum of the carbon risk landscape ‘offset’ to compensate holiday pollution, has not within the context of the CDM and JI flexible found favour with a majority of tourists who are mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol agreement. Its not eager to write off their green guilt. ‘Offsets’ are insurance products cover carbon risks, including schemes by which a tourist while paying his ticket, third-party counter credit risk and non-delivery risk. As can also buy into a project elsewhere that will such, insurance clients using the gold standard will compensate for the amount of CO2 resulting from his enjoy project insurance at substantively reduced rate. trip. Voluntary compensations have been total The Gold Standard Foundation offers a quality label failure’, because only one percent of clients really to CDM/Joint Implementation and voluntary offset paid the cost of CO2 emitted by their trip. projects. Its quality seal is endorsed by over 60 'Offsets systems’ failure is attributed to the difficulty non-governmental organizations. in calculating the size of the carbon footprint and to the (CarbonRe, Jun 26, 2008) complication of putting it into place. Clients have to pay twice: first, to the tour operator for the holiday Solving Global Warming Problem and second, on having agreed to pay for the offset on The G8 meeting held in Japan recently, has been an environmental site on the Internet. criticized for not doing enough to solve the problem of But low cost companies have found the solution. global warming as it failed to mention the base year “Customers just tick a box when they’re buying the from which emissions would be measured for reduction. ticket; the same way they would opt for travel The statement released after the summit was a insurance; it’s much simpler,” claimed incharge of a diversionary tactic’ in as much as the rich countries programme called 'Action Carbon.' wanted the UN deliberation on a post 2012 scenario to A survey for French rail revealed that 65% of go. While EU was keen upon setting a clean long-term travellers on the country’s trains claimed to be ready emission reduction targets, other G8 members were to fork out five percent of the price of the trip to not. It was a compromise made by EU in leaving compensate for their carbon emissions, but in out the base year. Thus the G8 has primarily left it reality this percentage is far less. A year after open to negate the goal post to its convenience later even the national SNCF railways introduced ‘offsets’, a as they put a big figure for emission cuts. mere 3000 people have bought into the system out The base year becomes important in the of a total 5.5 million travellers. negotiations because of failure of many developed (Environmental News Network, Jul 1, 2008)

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reputation that most cases are settled out of court, ACCOUNTING FOR WATER with defendants being made to pay compensation to enable polluted waters to be cleaned up, restocked Tackling Water Pollution and restored.’ The Ireland Department of Environment’s record (belfasttelegraph.co.uk, Jul 17, 2008) on tackling water pollution has been questioned as Water Diversion Plan Criticized figures reveal that pollution incidents have mostly resulted in the issuance of warning letters only rather At a time when Beijing has one of the world’s than prosecutions. lowest per capita available water resources and the city facing severe water crisis, diverting water from neighboring There were 1259 confirmed and 1036 unconfirmed provinces for an events billed as the ‘Green Olympics’ is cases recorded last year. Of the 1259 confirmed cases, 22 were classified as of high severe pollution, sheer shortsightedness as such diversions are not only 203 of medium and 1034 of low pollution. In expensive but damage the environment too. 135 cases, the alleged offenders were recommended “Whether diverting surface water or digging ever- for prosecution. A total of 36 files were sent to deeper for groundwater, the underlying solution the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and 10 cases proposed is like trying to quench thirst by drinking were shown heard so far. poison,” said a study report by Probe International. The country’s DoE rebranded its in-house Explosive growth combined with a persistent Environment and Heritage Service as the Northern drought for over two decades, have pushed down Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to investigate Beijing’s water table and a city of just 17 million all water pollution incidents thoroughly and ‘apply people is fast running out of water. Surrounding its enforcement policy in all cases, and where it had regions have been drained in recent years to meet its ‘evidence to support’, it would prepare case and growing water needs, rendering poor farmers waterless send it 'to the PPS for their consideration.’ besides encouraging wasteful consumption of water. But the chair of the Assembly Environment A canal has been dug south of Beijing to bring Committee, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone had water to the capital for the Olympics, from China’s apprehension about that, as there was ‘lack of will and longest river, the Yangtze. But Probe International said adequate resources to carry out real enforcement.’ that even with this ambitious Yangtze transfer scheme, He stressed on the need of an ‘independent Beijing would still have to rely on groundwater which environmental protection Agency which would have meets more than two-thirds of Beijing’s water needs power and bite to actually make a difference to help and that currently is being pumped out faster than protect’ the environment. He dubbed the new being replenished. City’s two main reservoirs are also NI Environmental Agency as 'purely an exercise in holding less than 10% of their original capacity. window dressing and unnecessary waste of money.’ He desired that the Environment Minister ‘should be For Olympics, water-guzzling golf courses have concentrating on establishing an EPA which is been developed besides creating gardens, landscapes completely independent of all vested interests, public and artificial lakes. Nearly all Olympics venues and or private' and which is wholly ‘dedicated to best Olympic Village will use treated wastewater for environmental practice.' heating systems and toilet. Recycled wastewater will also irrigate the Olympic Park which includes a He charged that government’s Water Service as wooded area and an artificial lake. But the rowing the biggest source of pollution that enjoyed 'crown venue built on the dried out Chaobai riverbed in immunity from prosecution for years.’ Shunyi district, will use precious reservoir. An There is an allegation that the Anglers’ eight-mile underground tunnel will divert water from Conservation Association (ACA), a UK-based body Wenyu River to keep the landscape green. which fought pollution cases on behalf of the It is desirable that water demand is curbed through polluters, had received £ 1000 from a Co Down economic and legal measures, including pricing firm for taking their proceedings on pollution incident water and appointing a water industry regulator. to the small claims court. The ACA claimed that it lost only three cases in its entire history. ‘Such is its (US Water News, July 2008)

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located across the street from the Carver Terrace ACCOUNTING FOR WASTE public housing project.

Now EPA's decision to grant one-year Incineration, A Dinosaur Technology exemption for Veolia to import and burn PCBs at its "Incineration is a dinosaur technology", commented incinerator, has further added fuel to the sufferings of people of Port Arthur, who knew that PCBs when Neil Carman, once with Texas Commission on burnt, produced dioxin which caused cancer, brain Environmental Quality and now working with Sierra damage and reproductive problems and ailments. Club's Lone Star Chapter. Whereas Veolia argued that it was already These comments came on hearing that EPA had burning 20 million to 30 million pounds of hazardous agreed to grant request of the Veolia to import 20,000 waste from domestic sources annually and smokestack tons of highly toxic PCBs from for disposal at tests at its plant showed that the incinerator its incinerator located near Texas, USA, after the destroyed more than 99% of the hazardous materials, company had "demonstrated that no unreasonable the environmentalists ridiculed the claim by disclosing risk to health or environment would result," and the EPA that 1933 pounds of PCBs were released into the getting satisfied that the proposal posed "no air by the incinerator in 2006 since incinerators unreasonable health hazards" and that there was "no despite precaution, emitted minute quantities that environmental justice" issue. enter the food chain.

Veolia had applied for import of PCBs in But the general manager of the facility, Mr Mitch November 2006 which they intended to ship by Osborn denied the allegation. "If we didn't think we trucks through to Port Arthur, a 460 miles could do it safely, then we wouldn't bring it here," distance from Mexico, because overseas shipment Osborne said. "We have proven our capability over cost was very high in moving PCBs from Monterry, 15 years. It's safer to burn here than to leave it in place." Mexico to Port Arthur. EPA apparently agreed to the "Veolia's request." Some 30 years back, a legislation had banned the The decision has provoked severe criticism, however. manufacture and import of PCBs in the United States but in 1996, the EPA reversed the ruling and allowed While Jim Blackburn, an environmental import of PCBs into the country for incineration, on attorney who represented Port Arthur's residents in a recent lawsuit over Motiva Enterprises' grounds that destruction of PCBs in the country was expansion plan, remarked that there was no safer than stockpiles to fester in Mexico and other justification in putting "more pollution (through nations. allowing Veolia import PCBs) in a community that already had taken on more" (pollution) "than its fair The decision, however, was turned down by a share", Ketty who headed the Community to Power federal appeal court acting on a petition moved by and Development Association held that decision the Veolia Environmental Services. has added "insult to injury" on people who had "enough already." Port Arthur is a Gulf Coast refinery town with a weedy pocket of poverty since the Hurricare Rita Neil Carman argued that when many other played havoc on the area, dubbed as a "Cancer Belt" EPA approved non-burn technologies to dispose by the environmentalists. Its commercial activity is PCBs existed in Mexico itself, it was improper to moribund and its residents are sick. The fire-and-fume import PCBs from Mexico into Port Arthur. He belching cluster of oil and petrochemicals plants further said that it was" inexcusable for Veolia to burn around Port Arthur have made living miserable. PCBs because they don't all burn up". He called EPA's position as 'absurd' and even threatened to In such a situation, Motiva company's plan to sue the agency if it granted Veolia's request. expand and double its Port Arthur refinery last year, worried the residents there because the plant was (Houston Chronicle, Jun 12, 2008)

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Harvesting algae and extracting oil present other IN FOCUS technical and cost hurdles. The tiny plants have a diameter one- tenth the size of a human hair, too small BIO-FUEL FROM ALGAE to collect by straining water. Other options, such as Demand for bio-fuels is set to increase as the adding chemicals to make the algae stick together or European Union, the USA, and other countries have spinning the liquid to separate the water from algae, started using bio-fuels in transport. In addition, high oil are used at commercial plants that grow algae in prices have spurred numerous start-ups, university small quantities for pharmaceutical products and research teams and large companies to find ways to foods. Both methods are expensive when applied in produce biodiesel from algae on a commercial scale. large scale commercial production. Algae Production Research and Development Activities Algae hold much promise as a potential source of (i) Honeywell Company UOP recently unveiled a biodiesel as this tiny marine plant needs only water project to produce a military jet fuel from vegetable (salt or fresh), the energy of the sun, nutrients and and algal oils.

carbon dioxide (CO2) to produce vegetable oil (ii) Chevron announced a collaboration with the US through photosynthesis. Algae have been grown Department of Energy’s National Renewable successfully on a small scale for years in the Energy Laboratory to identify and develop algae pharmaceutical industry and for health foods, but strains for transport fuels. never cost effectively on a large scale. (iii) Shell and HR Biopetroleum formed a joint There are two common methods to grow algae. venture company, Cellena, to build a pilot plant in The first uses a series of storage tanks linked by Hawaii to produce small volumes of vegetable oil transparent tubes that rest on support structures. Algae for conversion into biofuel. and water are pumped through the pipes to ensure (iv) There are more than 100,000 known strains of maximum exposure to sunlight. CO2 piped into the installation feeds the algae. There is little risk of micro-algae in the world. A Shell research contamination of the algae as they are grown in a programme involving several universities is closed environment. Productivity per hectare is also looking for the strain with a winning combination high as the equipment takes up less land than open of high oil content and a rapid growth rate. systems. However, the equipment is expensive as are (v) In India, the Fisheries College and Research maintenance costs to keep it clean and working. The Institute (FCRI), Tuticorin, is planning to develop alternative method pumps water around a continuous an industrial model for mass production of bio-fuel loop of a manmade open-air channel to expose the from marine micro algae. algae to sunlight. Such open ponds are cheaper than Future Ahead closed system, but they have their drawbacks too; light only reaches the algae near the surface, water Significant hurdles will have to overcome before easily evaporates and the temperature is harder to algae-based bio-fuel can be produced cost-effectively control. The risk of contamination is also greater than in large volumes to make a difference in the world’s in the closed systems. overall supply of transport fuel. Some of these are: Production Challenges • Process calls for huge amounts of water, which could limit where it is produced. The huge amounts of water needed for large-scale production in both systems pose another challenge. The • There is no tried and tested method to harvest water holding algae must be refreshed each day and algae efficiently in large volumes. taken out of light to kill any predators or weeds. • Research must still be done to identify the best That involves pumping it out of the production system strains for producing oil. and back in again. The smallest practical size for an algal biodiesel plant is 1,000 hectares, which pumps If the technological and commercial hurdles are about 1 million cubic metres (28 million cubic feet) of overcome, algae, one of the world’s oldest organism, salt water a day. may prove a boon to the transport needs of the future.

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Scotland, invited the leading emerging countries to SPECIAL FEATURE join the talks. This group, known as the Outreach Five (O5) or the Plus Five includes , China, India, G8 SUMMIT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Mexico and . In the 33rd G8 Summit at in in 2007, the host Angela Introduction Merkel announced the establishment of the The Group of Eight (G8), a forum of major through which the industrialized countries of the world, namely Britain, institutionalization of permanent dialogues between G8 , Germany, , Japan, , and and O5 will be implemented. the United States, met in Toyako, Hokkaido, Japan Environment and Climate Change on July 7-9, 2008. The leaders of G8 were joined by 5 other outreach nations namely China, India, Brazil, The declaration made by the G8 leaders in the Mexico and South Africa. The summit discussions summit stated “We seek to share with all Parties to the focused on issues facing the global economy and UNFCCC the vision of, and together with them to foreign policy affairs. In the context of economic issues, consider and adopt in the UNFCCC negotiations, the climate change, African development, global food goal of achieving at least 50% reduction of global crisis and oil came under discussion. The G8 leaders emissions by 2050, recognizing that this global agreed on a goal of at least a 50 percent reduction in challenge can only be met by a global response, in worldwide carbon emissions by 2050. They also agreed particular, by the contributions from all major among themselves that fast-growing developing nations economies, consistent with the principal of common must also share in cutting emissions. But the leaders of but differentiated responsibilities and respective the 5 so-called emerging nations were of the view that capabilities.” the developed nations must take the lead in reducing It was further added that “we will also help support emissions as the rich countries created the current the mitigation plans of major developing economies by problems through burning of fossil fuels and should technology, financing and capacity-building. At the lead efforts to solve them. China and India expressed same time, in order to ensure an effective and ambitious they have more immediate tasks of helping hundreds global post – 2012 climate regime, all major economies of millions of people living in poverty. will need to commit to meaningful mitigation actions to be bound in the international agreement to be negotiated What is the G8? by the end of 2009.” The G8 or Group of 8, was conceived as a forum The leaders of the G8 also discussed various for leaders of the world’s largest economies and major issues, such as improvement of energy efficiency, industrialized countries-Italy, France, US, UK, Russia, greater use of clean energy, adaptations, technology, Canada, Japan, and Germany, to come together and finance, market-based mechanisms and tariff discuss global issues in an informal and cooperative reductions. On energy efficiency, the establishment of environment. Unlike the UNO and , it does International Partnership for Energy Efficiency not have a transnational administration and hence Cooperation (IPEEC) was welcomed. They also there are no headquarters, budget or permanent staff. emphasized the importance of sustainable biofuel The presidency of the group rotates among the member production and use and committed to continuing states annually with the new president assuming research and development of second generation responsibility on January 1. The country holding the biofuel technologies. On technology, it was agreed to presidency hosts a series of ministerial-level meetings establish an international initiative to develop leading to a mid-year three-day summit with the heads of roadmaps for innovative technologies. On finance, states and also sets the agenda for the meet. This year’s the leaders welcomed and supported the establishment summit took place in Toyako, Japan. of Climate Investment Funds, including the Clean G8+5? Technology Fund (CTF) and the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF). G8 members have thus far pledged The G8+5 group was formed in 2005 when Tony approximately US $6 billion as an ODA contribution to Blair, host of the 31st G8 Summit at Gleneagles, the funds and have welcomed commitments from

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other donors. They also appreciated the progress made (vi) We recognize that adaptation is vital to addressing by the multilateral development banks on the Clean the effects of inevitable climate change and that the Energy Investment Framework (CEIF) and welcomed adverse impacts of climate change are likely to affect the efforts to mobilize public and private investments of developing countries disproportionately. We will work over US $100 billion. together in accordance with our convention The leaders of the G8, O5 and Australia, Indonesia, commitments to strengthen the ability of developing the Republic of Korea – who also attended the summit- countries, particularly the most vulnerable ones, to made the joint declaration on Energy Security and adapt to climate change. Climate Change. A brief description is given hereunder: (vii) We affirm the critical role of technology and the (i) Climate change is one of the great global changes need for technological breakthroughs in meeting the of our time. We have come together to contribute to interlinked global challenges of energy security and efforts under the UN Framework Convention on Climate climate change. In the near term, broader development Change, the global forum for climate negotiations. Our of many existing technologies will be vital for both contribution and cooperation are rooted in the mitigation and adaptation. In particular, energy objective, provisions, and principles of the convention. conservation, energy efficiency, disaster reduction and water and natural resource management technologies (ii) We welcome decisions taken by the international are important. We will promote the uptake and use of community in Bali, including to launch a comprehensive such technologies, including renewable, cleaner and process to enable the full, effective, and sustained low-carbon technologies, and for those of us interested, implementation of the convention through long-term nuclear power. cooperative action, now, upto, and beyond 2012, in order to reach an agreed outcome in December 2009. (viii) We recognize that tackling climate change will require greater mobilization of financial (iii) We recognize that deep cuts in global emissions resources, both domestically and internationally. There will be necessary to achieve the convention’s ultimate is an urgent need to scale up financial flows, particularly objective, and that adaptation will play a financial support to developing countries; to create correspondingly vital role. We believe that it would be positive incentives for actions; to finance the incremental desirable for the Parties to adopt in the negotiations costs of cleaner and low-carbon technologies; to make under the convention a long–term global goal for more efficient use of funds directed toward climate reducing global emissions, taking into account the change; to realize the full potential of appropriate principle of equity. We urge that serious consideration market mechanisms that can provide pricing signals be given in particular to ambitious IPCC scenarios. and economic incentives to private sector; to promote (iv) Taking into account assessments of science, public sector investment; to create enabling environments that promote private investment that is commercially technology, and economies, we recognize the essential viable; to develop innovative approaches; and to lower importance of enhanced greenhouse gas mitigation that costs by creating appropriate incentives for and reducing is ambitious, realistic, and achievable. We will do and eliminating obstacles to technology transfer relevant more, we will continue to improve our policies and our performance while meeting other priority objectives in to both mitigation and adaptation. keeping with the principle of common but differentiated Nuclear Energy responsibilities and respective capabilities. G8 members underlined the importance of nuclear (v) We recognize that actions to reduce emissions, non-proliferation/safeguards, safety and security including from deforestation and forest degradation, and (“3S” as identified in the IAEA “Milestones in the to increase removals by sinks in the landuse, landuse Development of a National Infrastructure for Nuclear change, and forestry sector, including cooperation in tackling forest fires, can make a contribution to stabilizing Power”) in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. They greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These actions also recognized that while the countries interested in nuclear reduce climate change impacts and can have significant energy have the responsibility for ensuring 3S, co-benefits by maintaining multiple economic goods international cooperation in this field can prove beneficial, and ecological services. and that the G8 countries should take an active role in

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promoting such international cooperation. Japan The target of halving greenhouse gas emissions proposed an international initiative on 3S Based by 2050 has been described as “pathetic” and Nuclear Energy Infrastructure aimed at raising “dangerously short of what is needed” by Kim awareness of the importance of 3S worldwide and Carstensen, Director of WWF Global Climate Initiative. assisting the countries concerned in developing 3S and The South African Minister of the Environment the relevant infrastructure for the introduction of called it empty slogans "where is the substance.” nuclear energy through international cooperation. R. K. Pachauri, Chairman, IPCC, pointed out that Civil Nuclear Cooperation with India there is lack of any reference to the Bali action plan The G8 members stated that they look forward to which called for “deep cuts” in GHG emissions by the working with India, the International Atomic Energy year 2020 in keeping with assessments carried out by Agency, the Nuclear Suppliers Group and other IPCC. Limiting emissions will not be possible unless very partners to advance India’s non-proliferation clear targets are established for the year 2020 that could commitments and progress so as to facilitate a more allow a beginning of reductions by 2015. Not taking robust approach to civil nuclear cooperation with early action in reducing GHG emissions could lead to India to help it meet its growing energy needs in a severe impacts of climate change being experienced in manner that enhances and reinforces the global different parts of the world. GHG emissions have non-proliferation regime. come overwhelming from the developed countries, but the heaviest price in terms of impact of climate Views on Summit Outcome change is being paid by some of the poorest countries. To this extent at least the G8 leaders have either Critics of the agreement pointed out that the G8 did proved unaware of or insensitive to the vulnerability of not specify a base year for its proposed 50 percent cut, the worst affected societies. and the emissions reductions and their effects on environment could vary hugely depending on what is The G8 nations pledged $6 billion toward the Clean eventually decided. Reductions from 2005 levels, for Technology Fund. But the Clean Technology Fund instance, would be far less than from 1990 levels, as in and a sister programme also to be overseen by the Kyoto Protocol on Global Warming. World Bank, aimed at funding adaptation strategies, have generated an overwhelming amount of opposition Antonio Hill, spokesman from International, from both environmental organizations and developing working on climate change and poverty stated, “at this nations themselves. Many say the World Bank, with a rate, by 2050 the world will be cooked and the G8 history of funding fossil-fuel projects, is the wrong leaders will be long forgotten. The G-8’s endorsement of agency to be tackling climate change. a tepid 50-by-50 climate goal leaves us with a 50-50 chance of a climate meltdown.” Karen Orenstein, spokeswomen of Friends of the Earth said in a statement, “By giving support to World UNEP Executive Director General Achim Steiner Bank, the world’s largest multilateral fossil fuel financer said, “I think the G8 leaders missed an opportunity to and major deforester, for ill-conceived and unjust provide the kind of signal that would accelerate the climate funds, G8 leaders have left the fox to guard the negotiation process. I think the G8 delivered what it hen house”. could. But in terms of what the world needs, what In view of RK Pachauri, this summit leads to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change the conclusion that the rate of progress on critical (IPCC) has asked for and what is necessary in view issues between successive summits is questionable. of the Copenhagen meeting in 2009, the results fall short. The leadership of the richest countries in the world needs to reflect their responsibility to the global "We have less than seven years to stabilize community at large and the expectations that are emission globally. The absence of short and medium aroused, which call for bolder measures and major term targets and commitments by the leading changes in the interests of protecting the planet and industrialized nations is a shortfall of the summit,” all species living on it. Mr Steiner added.

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Suit for Disturbing Wildlife LEGAL SCENE A lawsuit filed recently in the US District Court in Anchorage by two environmental groups, seeks to Forest Service Sued overturn the new federal regulations that grant The US Forest Service is being sued by permission to oil companies working in the Chukchi environmental groups, Greenpeace and Cascadia Sea for disturbing the polar bear and walrus living Wildlands on grounds of potential harm being caused there. The lawsuit challenged regulations issued to deer populations by four Tongass National Forest recently by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, along timber sales. The sales at issue are Traitors Cove on 'incidental-takes’ of the animals, meaning permission Revillagigedo Island, Soda Nick on Prince of Wales to disturb or accidentally harass them as long as such Island, Overlook on Mitkof Island and Scott Peak on actions do not result in physical injury or death. Kupreanof Island. Another lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological It was alleged that Forest Service has Diversity and Pacific Environment, is the latest legal underestimated how logging negatively affects deer challenge over protection for polar bears and walrus habitat, creating less prey for wolves and hunters alike. from expanded oil development in Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off Alaska. Dear is the primary prey for wolves and is a primary subsistence species. All these lawsuits focus on the same fundamental issue, protecting the wildlife. Fish and Wildlife Service, The lawsuit maintained that the Forest Service however, has defended the ‘incidental-takes’ violated the National Environment Policy Act by regulations which are aimed to be effective for 5 years failing to disclose that the deer model used in the timber and which are 'a valuable conservation tool’, said a sale is ‘outdated and inaccurate. It was also alleged that spokesperson for the Service. the model used, usually overestimates the habitat capability and underestimates logging impact. The remote and ice-choked Chukchi, lying between northwestern Alaska and northeaster The Tongass spokesman has, however, argued Siberia, is emerging as a hot oil prospect. After many that they used the best science available to put the years of scant industry activity, Royal Dutch Shell projects together. Plc and other oil companies, have moved aggressively The Tongass Forest Plan of 1997 mandated to pick up oil exploration acreage there. Oil industry is also picking up in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska’s timber sales to keep a habitat carrying capacity of northern west. 18 deer per square mile to retain wolf numbers. But the Forest Service estimated Traitors Cove project at Environmentalists and the area’s Inupiat Eskimos 21 deer per square mile against 9.5 deer per square mile are alarmed at the industry rush into critical habitat for worked out on the base of model used for deer habitat. whales, polar bears and other Arctic animals, which are already imperiled by the warming climate. Earlier, a The state Department of Fish and Game has also similar lawsuit filed by Inupiat villagers and raised the issue of loggings' impact on deer but they environmental groups that challenged permits granted hoped that Forest Service would improve the model by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the to the extent they could. MMS, was dismissed by the US district court Judge who upheld the permit and ordered that ‘the public All the four timber sales were still in the interest in energy development’ favored ‘upholding the administrative phase and had already gone through the permits. “It’s an unfortunate convergence that as Environmental Impact Statement Process and none global warming impacts in the Arctic are accelerating of the timber sales had been logged till date. and putting polar bears and walrus under deep stress, The Forest Service despite given every opportunity the only thing keeping pace with that is the rate of to address the problems, refused to acknowledge the authorizing oil development in their habitual”, said scientific evidence available with the environmental Brendan Grummings, Ocean Program Director for the groups and stonewalled them on every step. Center for Biological Diversity and Pacific Development. (Ketchikan Daily News, Jul 12, 2008) (Environmental News Network, Jul 9, 2008)

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annual carbon demand in the range of 415-1,250 mt PERSPECTIVE CO2e (million tons carbon dioxide equivalent). The business opportunity for India (and other developing CARBON TRADING: OPPORTUNITIES FOR countries) arises from the fact that currently many INDIA developing countries are running behind on their Kyoto Protocol commitments. Experts reckon that with the Introduction right strategies and approach, India could emerge as The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a one of the largest beneficiaries of carbon trading, flexible financing instrument that enables developing accounting for as much as 25% of the total world countries to benefit from reductions of emissions of carbon trade, an endeavour which could bring in annual green-house gases (GHG) and promote sustainable revenues of as much as US $300-mn. development. It is a ‘project-based’ carbon credit India’s CDM Projects mechanism that produces a marketable commodity-a certified emissions reduction (CER) credit. The There are two types of CDM projects: Emission measure of improvement for cleaning up the reduction at source and sink enhancement environment is now being reflected in terms of tonnes (afforestation/reforestation). The former type of projects include, amongst others, renewable energy of carbon or carbon dioxide (CO2). The Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (wind, solar, biomass & hydel); fuel switching projects has made it mandatory that any carbon saving in the (from fossil fuels to ‘green’ fuels like biomass, rice husk developing world, which can be traded with developed etc); and energy efficiency measures (like improvement world, has to be duly validated through CERs. The in boiler and steam efficiency, pumps and pumping country in the developing world, can then sell these system, installation of variable speed drives, efficient certificates to any entity from the developed world, cooling systems, and back pressure turbines). which has a target to attain. This trading can be done at Projects registered from India till June 2007 a mutually agreeable price. covering a wide range of sectors number 258, India acceded to the Kyoto Protocol on August 26, renewable energy being the dominant one (Table 2). 2002. Subsequently the Government of India set up As per UNFCCC, world over 693 projects have the National Clean Development Mechanism been registered with Executive Board of CDM till June Authority, with its office in the Ministry of Environment 2007, and about 1600 projects are in the pipeline with and Forests (MoEF). It released the data of potential an estimated potential of over 2 billion CERs. Of the 693 created by the CDM projects in the pipeline. Indian projects registered so far, India’s share has been 258, ie enterprises have already committed investment to about 37%. generate more than 379 million CERs, the details of Analysis of Indian CDM Projects which are given in Table 1. The basic shortcoming of Indian CDM projects is A review of the national communication submitted that these are mainly of small size and hence need to be by the EU 15 and OECD countries reveals their total bundled to attract bigger units of carbon credit. This TABLE -1 Sector No. of Projects Investment (Rs Cr) CERs Expected Till 2012 Energy Efficiency 171 15,648 113,830,347 Fuel Switching 34 10,274 50,683,375 I ndustrial Process 35 814 97,529,358 M unicipal Solid Waste 8 281 3,988,041 Renewable 156 15,321 54,557,324 Renewable (biomass) 186 7,511 58,661,525 Total 591 49,849 379,249,970

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difference is highlighted when compared with the Getting projects registered under the CDM is scene in China. Even though India leads in the becoming tougher day by day. Earlier Designated number of registered CDM projects and in the number Operational Entities (DOEs) had the final say in the of carbon credits sofar, China (with 44%) leads in the registration process, but now it is just a step in the volume of average annual credits expected till 2012 process with the establishment of the CDM compared to India (15%). This, despite the fact that Registration and Issuance Team (RIT). Also, five years ago, World Bank was the sole buyer of carbon credits, China has only 101 registered projects, compares to but now the market is crowded with players like India’s around 260. compliance buyers, funds, government, traders, etc. Table - 2 One other matter of concern is that carbon credits Biomass 47 from Indian companies could be selling at a discount Hydro 32 given the negative perception with regard to delivery guarantees. Moreover, uncertainty beyond 2012 is Wind 34 creating problems for CDM projects, limiting market Solar 1 supply value from CERs. Indian CERs are selling in Co-generation, bagasse 18 the international markets now at a range of US $ 5 to 10 Co-generation, biomass 7 each (at 2006 price). They are low priced compared to some other countries. Biogas 1 Role of Consultants Cement - blending 24 Cement-usage of alternate fuels 3 CDM projects and the resultant carbon credits are relatively a new phenomenon. Very few entrepreneurs Waste heat recovery 30 are aware of this concept. Even those who are aware of Fuel switch 10 this concept know very little. It is essentially the Methane recovery 6 consultants who educate the entrepreneurs and HFCs 4 handhold them till the project gets registered and in a Natural gas grid connected power plant 1 number of cases even after. The first Indian project to get registered was Gujarat Flourochemicals Ltd, Other energy efficiency projects 40 Vadodara, which got registered with CDM Total 258 Exceutive Board in March 2005. From thereon, there has been a steady growth in the number of projects The above analysis reveals that the Chinese registered with UNFCCC. leadership is both due to the size of its industries and the kind of projects it has taken up. Indian companies have The consultant’s role in the CDM projects can mainly concentrated on renewable energy or waste heat be broadly divided into four: (i) Identification, recovery projects that generate much less CERs, (ii) Development, (iii) Post Registration Monitoring, and compared with the Chinese who have several projects (iv) Sale of CERs. In discharging his task, the consultant invariably faces a number of challenges. The challenges in the high CER-yielding HFC-23 projects. become all the more complicated as CDM is a Other ills plaguing the Indian carbon market complicated process and the project proponent’s and include absence of international transaction laws and other player’s knowledge base is very limited. lack of proper regulatory mechanisms, lack of Consultants have been playing a significant role in expertise, knowledgeable institutes and people, the promotion of CDM among Indian developers. The controversies over the measure and methodology of the steady increase in flow of projects for CDM in India certification process etc. This has caused high rejection could not have happened but for the role of consultants. rate of Indian CDM projects. It was pointed out that 55 out of 136 projects that have been available for Conclusion public comments before the end of 2005, but not The carbon trading is expected to grow in the years registered so far, are from India. to come, with approximately 4 bn tonnes of demand India has the potential to generate around 700 mn for emission reductions expected during the period 2008-2012. Accordingly, global CER market is carbon credits, but it is expected that only 350 mn credits pegged at US $30 bn by 2012 out of which India’s will actually fructify, as the failure rate of projects is quite share could be 13 percent, say US $ 3.9 bn. Indian high. Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra alone have stakeholders should mobilise their activities to attain at the potential to generate 50% of CER units. least this target.

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the Government’s failure to adhere to its own express CASE STUDY promise that a change of policy on nuclear new build would only be adopted following “the fullest public NEW NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS consultation.” Greenpeace core case was centered on the (Greenpeace Ltd vs State for Trade and Industry argument that, given the fairly cursory nature of the (UK)) content of the 2006 document, it could not be regarded Background as a true consultation paper but rather that it amounted to a mere “issues paper.” The NGO alleged In the 2003 White Paper “Our Energy Future– that the document was flawed in the following Creating a Low Carbon Economy,” the UK important respects: government informed that it had decided against supporting the building of new nuclear power stations • First, it was vague and unclear as to what consultees as part of the UK energy mix, and had opted instead to were asked to respond to; concentrate its efforts on encouraging the development • Secondly, it lacked adequate information to of renewable energy sources. Subsequently, in the light enable consultees to respond intelligently; of changing conditions in the energy sector, in particular concerning environmental issues, such as climate • And thirdly, it was incomplete. change and energy security, the government announced The latter argument was predicated on the fact in 2005 that it would review the 2003 white paper. that a great deal of the information upon which the The exercise began with the publication of a government’s decision would ultimately be based was consultation paper, “Our Energy Challenge-Securing not actually available during the duration of the Clean, Affordable Energy for the Long Term,” which consultation exercise, only becoming available after the was issued on January 23, 2006 with a deadline for event. responses of 14 April 2006. Key Elements of the Judgement The consultation paper was accompanied by a Justiciability: The case came before Sullivan J. who summary document “Our Energy Challenge –Have Your agreed that the matter under consideration was indeed Say”. As an additional element to it, government hosted one that concerned a “high level strategic policy a series of consultation events, including “stakeholder document.” However, he took the view that the fact seminars” and roundtable meetings. One of each of that high level policy was involved did not preclude these events was concerned with the consideration of judicial intervention and in this case, the matter was nuclear energy issues. The culmination of the justiciable, as the promise that had allegedly been consultation exercise was the publication of “The Energy broken had also been made at the highest level. He Challenge Review Report” on 11th July 2006. One further added that though the issue at this stage was feature of this document was a government proposal to certainly one of high level policy, it would also ultimately facilitate the building of new nuclear power stations by amount to a material consideration in any subsequent the private sector. planning applications for nuclear power plants and The Case was therefore open to judicial review. Greenpeace took part in the consultation In addition to this general consideration of exercise that generated the “Energy Review Report.” it justiciability at common law, Sullivan J also alluded to was an organization very much against nuclear new the relevance of the government’s obligations under build,appalled by the outcome of the process. Hence, the 1998 UNECE (the UN’s Regional Organization for Greenpeace initiated a claim for judicial review seeking Europe) 'Convention on Access to Environmental a quashing order in respect of the government’s decision Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making to support nuclear new build as part of the UK’s future and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters' (here- energy mix. The claim was founded on an alleged after the Aarhus Convention) to the matter of breach of legitimate expectation. This was based on consultation in what may be broadly termed the

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environmental sphere. He took the view that, given the courts could and would intervene with the exercise of huge importance of the nuclear build issue, in order to be that discretion, though not in respect of every Aarhus compliant in these circumstances, only the imperfection but if and only if……. something went “fullest public consultation” would have been adequate. ‘clearly and radically’ wrong.” Sullivan J's approach is encouraging in that it is The Judgement supportive of the Aarhus agenda and flags up the issue Sullivan J, taking all of these matters into account, as a live one for future consideration, even in the area granted a declaration to the effect that there had been a of policy making where the legal imperatives provided breach of the claimants’ legitimate expectation of the by the international regime are arguably at their weakest. ‘fullest public consultation’, that the consultation had When problems arise with public participation in other been procedurally unfair; and that therefore the contexts, notably environment decision-making, the decision favouring nuclear new build was unlawful. At courts will be on firmer ground in pursuing a robust the same time he refused to grant the claimants the approach to the Aarhus agenda, should they require it to quashing order that they sought. bolster domestic law in the area. Post Judgement Consultation: In this case, reading the 2006 Finally, the fact remains that ultimately the strength “consultation paper” as a whole and in context, Sullivan or weakness of consultation processes lies in the J agreed with Greenpeace that it constituted an “issues hands of policy-maker. In the Greenpeace case a robust paper” and was not therefore adequate for purpose. He judicial approach was ultimately thwarted by what can formed this view for a plethora of reasons. First was the only be described as governmental cynicism. Although minimal time period allowed for consultation – the Greenpeace won the battle and the consultation exercise government allotted 12 weeks to the exercise (the had to be reopened, they ultimately lost the war as Tony minimum period prescribed by the Cabinet Office for Blair’s (at best tactless) observation at the time such exercises). Sullivan J viewed this as inappropriate that although the litigation meant that there would have given the complex and controversial nature of the issues to be a new consultation exercise, ‘this won't affect involved, though this point was not deemed to be policy at all’ proved only too accurate. This type of conclusive. The second problem he identified was the approach frankly devalues consultation and also public limited express purpose of the document. Third was the participation more generally and is likely to prove broad nature of the “key question” posed. Fourth was profoundly damaging in the long term. This is already the fact that it was expressly stated in the paper that it being made manifest with Greenpeace, Friends of the formed "part of a process” yet a swift conclusion was Earth, WWF-UK, CND and the Green Alliance all reached on the nuclear new build issue following this having withdrawn from the new nuclear power stage of consultation. Fifth, Sullivan J was concerned by consultation exercise. The view expressed by Friends the fact that no “in principle” question was posed in the of the Earth media team is typical: document. Sixth, he was concerned by the content of the summary document. Seventh, he was concerned by the “This is not a genuine consultation about nuclear lack of substantive coverage of the nuclear new build power. It is deeply flawed and it is clear that the issue in both the document and its Annexure, which government has essentially made up its mind.” Sullivan J. referred to as providing mere “thumb nail This view of the Sustainable Development sketches” of the issues. The information on economic Commission (SDC), expressed in light of the Energy issues was found lacking and the material on waste was Policy Consultation is hugely relevant in respect of found not only inadequate but actually misleading. In public participation more generally. addition to these specific problems, Sullivan J further took the view that the whole consultation process had “……..recent experience….. points to the danger been lacking in clarity. of treating pubic attitudes and the factors shaping them as secondary significance. Truly sustainable energy “The court took the view that, as a general rule, policies seem likely to benefit from going with the decision makers enjoy a broad discretion in the operation grain of wider pubic concerns, rather than rubbing of consultation processes; Sullivan J added that the up against them.”

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Future of Nuclear Power ENERGY SCENE Nuclear power reactors around the globe are expected to increase by 60% by 2030, informed the Energy Wastage in IT United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As per an analyst group Gartner’s findings IT The Deputy Director General of IAEA revealed industry is responsible for 2% of global CO2 and that IT managers have been ignoring green issues, and that that decades of experiment in constructing, 89% of businesses have no idea as to how much energy commissioning, operating and maintaining nuclear power plants would be a crucial help to bring the IT department consumes and they find their data newcomers into the nuclear field. The global nuclear greens too expensive. power industry needed to find convincing answers to The Morse survey, carried out by Vinson Bourne, a number of challenges, including the found 76% of companies have set no targets for of uranium resources; safety and economics; waste reducing the IT departmental usage of energy. While for management and the fuel cycle; public acceptance and 62% organisations, green IT was not a top priority, only non-proliferation. The Republic of Korea has 20 24% of organisations, were working towards a set nuclear power units in operation besides six under energy reduction target. construction and two in planning stages. Over the last 30 years, nuclear power in Korea The survey claimed that IT departments don’t has generated a total of 2 billion kW/h of electricity know about their electricity bills, only 12% charge and saved the country an estimated 2.94 billion barrels the IT department for the power used. Green strategies of heavy oil worth $ 96 billion. are just not aligned to any business strategy. Most (Korean News Agency, Jul 17, 2008) businesses have bins for printer cartridges and or paper, but they forget their 20,000 square feet data centre Solar Power Gains Momentum which is the biggest pollutant. Generally, the electricity The four largest utilities EI Pasco Electric, Xcel bill of a company is paid by the central facilities or Energy, PNM and Tri State Generation and operations group, which gives IT department very little Transmission Association, are planning to build largest visibility into how much power they consume. Facilities commercial solar power generating plant in Mexico departments normally pay electricity bills as part of their which could yield enough renewable supply energy to job, but they don’t realize what their costs are and as many as 52,000 homes. Their proposal calls for the use of parabolic trough technology to achieve as what amount of CO2 they are generating. There can be no more heads in the sand, and IT managers have to much as 375000 megawatt-hours annually. pay a lip service to green IT. The solar power generating technology, if combined with thermal energy storage can generate Also, the IT departments are often not the one electricity even when the sun is not shining. The making equipment purchases that are normally done by development comes within days of the Bureau of projects. When the project is finished, they move to Land Management reversing itself on a moratorium different project and even a different project company. on new solar power plants on public land, announced So, control must be given back to the IT department so for the southwest region of the US. that it can investigate strategy, and help the business The four utilities are increasingly trying to diversify reduce its energy consumption. their energy portfolios with renewable because of Virtualisation could be used to increase rates and state mandates and potential climate- related regulations. turning the allocation of storage and server resources into Renewable energy must comprise at least 20% of a service offered to the business so that devices are the portfolios of Califonia by 2010. needed and they become easier to manage. Departments The hot renewable energy market is not should be billed for their energy consumption in confined to the US alone. Worldwide investment in it order to increase accountability. There needs to be has soared 60% to 148 billion in 2007. This is three culture change. times faster than expected. (Green IT News, Jun 16, 2008) (GreenBiz.com, Jul 3, 2008)

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charge of environment protection in public EXPERTS CONVERGE agencies will meet at this networking platform to discuss business and to establish contacts. Environmental Impact Assessment (Environmental-Experts.com, Jul 3, 2008) A three-day professional development programme Water Reuse and Desalination on 'Latest Trends in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)-Process and Procedures as per MoEF Guidelines’, The WateReuse Association, the American Water is being held from September 29-01 October 2008, Works Association, and the Water Environmental at ESCI Campus, Gachi Bowli, Hyderabad. Federation, are jointly organizing the 23rd Annual ‘Water Reuse Symposium’ from September 7-10, 2008, Being organised by the Engineering Staff Collage at the Hilton Anatole, Dallas, Texas. of India (ESCI), a forum of the Institution of Engineers (India), the programme is a formal study The theme of the Symposium is 'Water Reuse process to predict environmental consequences of and Desalination: Solutions as Big As Texas'. any developmental project to identify the environmental and social impacts of a project prior to (WateReuse Association) decision -making. World Aqua Congress It aims to predict environmental impacts, find ways The IInd World Aqua Congress on ‘Global and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to Climate Change and Water Resources,’ is scheduled suit the local environment and present the predictions to take place at the India Habitat Centre, from and options to decision-makers. November 26-28,2008. The programme offers discussions on EIA process and procedures as per MoEF guidelines, environmental To be organized by the Aqua Foundation, Kalkaji, clearance process, how to study, predict and analyse New Delhi, the said Congress aims at discussing ‘global environmental impacts, how to choose between climate change and water resources, the current various environmental combinations, and provides practices adopted and what best can be done for future. scientific underpinning for environmental decision The Congress will provide a common platform making, practical examples, recent developments etc. for decision makers, policy and lawmakers, users, (Engineering Staff Collage of India, Jun 16, 2008) technology providers, service providers, and stakeholders. Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Refuse, Recycling and Natural Energy Sources Themes and topics of discussion include:

The 3rd’ International Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, • Water resources: availability, management, quality. Refuse, Recycling and Natural Energy Sources’, scheduled to take place on September 23-25,2008 at • Global climate change: implications of alternative New International Exhibition Centre, Shanghai. It is a scenarios, floods, sea level rise, rising tides, tropics comprehensive exhibition on the Asian market for expanding over poles, etc. practice-orientated solutions in the key sectors of • Challenges for water management in light of global environmental protection and waste disposal, including climate change, daily habits leading to water water supply, sewage, recycling, air pollution, misuse & greenhouse gas emission. environmental technology and environmentally • Water & industry. sound energy sources. • Emerging technologies. Trade Fairs International Group and China • Institutional, legal & policy issues, water auditing and Association of Resources Comprehensive Utilization accounting. (CARCU), are jointly organizing the event while China Council for the Promotion of International • Water solutions, water saving products, & services. Trade-Machinery, is the cooperating organizer. International and Chinese entrepreneurs and those in (Aqua Foundation)

17 ENVIRONMENT ACCOUNTING WISTA AUGUST 2008

that China’s sewage treatment capacity will reach KNOWLEDGE SPREADS 10,000 tons per day and urban sewage treatment rate will rise to 70% in 2010.

A Field Guide on Eco-friendly Print (Business Wire, Jul 2, 2008) The third edition of the book titled “A Field Guide: Decentralised Water and Wastewater Systems Eco-friendly, Efficient and Effective Print”, has been released in the market by Monadock Paper Mills. The 252-page subject titled book, brought out by The said guide outlines alternative design decisions the IWA publications, contains selected papers that impact sustainability without sacrificing style or presented at the International Conference on effectiveness, including paper choice and contents, Decentralised Water and Wastewater Systems, held in recycling, chemical labeling, sizing, inks and coatings, Fremantle, Western Australia, in July 2006. finishing techniques, binding, printing processes and the use of environmental logos. The conference was organized by the Environmental Technology Centre at Murdoch Some new information has been introduced in this University. The conference promoted decenteralised edition, comprising a chapter on eco-marketing and systems as a means of solving the problem of water ‘greenwashing’, and on inks and finishing. shortage and sanitation non-availability. The papers, costituting the compilation, promote the concept of Sustainable printing has entered the retail side of discenteralisation, focusing on design, operation, things with Xerox bundling GreenPrint software with maintenance and management of small water and some of its printers. GreenPrint says the software can wastewater treatment plants. save the average user over $90 and 1, 400 wasted pages per year. The book is expected to be valuable to industry practioners, consultants and academics. (Environmental Leader) (IWA Publications) China Sewage Treatment Industry Kick the Habit China sewage treatment industry is in a stage of quicker development. IT has huge market potential. The book titled ‘Kick the Habit: A UN Guide to China’s sewage treatment capacity was expected to Climate Neutrality,’ brought out by the UNEP, is written reach 80 million tons per day by 2007 and urban sewage by experts from many disciplines from various rate would have hit 58%. contries, and leading research organisations involved in preparing and reviewing the publication. 'China Sewage Treatment Industry Report, 2008,’ brought out by Research and Markets, makes an The publication provides guidance for people who in-depth study on the current situation, competition and are enthusiastic to contribute in this process, and shows development trend of China’s sewage treatment how one could get closer to climate neutrality on the industry and also makes detailed analysis on China’s various levels of one’s society. top ten sewage treatment companies. Rich in case studies, illustrations, maps and According to the Research on Sustainable graphics, the book serves as a reference publication. Utilization of China Urban Water Resources, China’s Aimed at a broad audience, it presents solutions for total investment in sewage treatment industry is industry, businesses, cities and countries, interested expected to reach CNY200 billion (approx. US$29bn) groups, NGOs, and intergovernmental organizations. by 2008-2010, indicating China’s sewage treatment industry having huge market potential. It is estimated (Earth Print.com)

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