Stories Archive: August, 2008

Are the Beijing Olympics a signal that China can pursue both economic growth and a cleaner environment?

Many companies lack the capacity to deal with natural resource constraints, according to a survey by the consultancy McKinsey & Company.

Climate change poses a major threat to the world’s 2 billion rural poor, but [sustainable natural resource management](node/9837) can help developing countries like Niger adapt to the threat.

When it comes to allocating money for conservation, reverse auctions can help governments get the biggest bang for their buck.

For those who missed it: here are the video transcripts for last week’s Energy Forum panel on energy policy for the next (U.S.) Administration, sponsored by BP and the Atlantic.

Hong Kong’s government adopts guidelines for GHG accounting in its building sectors, and announces a “carbon audit” of 10 of its buildings.

The cost of grain-based staples–such as tortillas in Mexico, beef noodles in western China, and bread in the United States–has increased around the world. There are several reasons why prices have jumped, but there’s one getting a lot of attention: the global rush for bioenergy.

It is estimated that desertification, a process of land degradation that occurs in dryland ecosystems due to overexploitation and land mismanagement, now costs China about $2-3 billion each year.