Environment Report 22 Oct 2001 to 28 Oct 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

S/N

Title

Synopsis

I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations

1

New business reporting standard for greenhouse gas emissions adopted.

The World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development have adopted an international standard for businesses to report their emissions of greenhouse gases.

2

New Zealand's National Energy Strategy

New Zealand announces its strategy to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy.

II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health

3

Households in UK win nuisance noise claims

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favor of households around London's Heathrow Airport over noise nuisance from night flights.

III. Subject Area: Environmental Technology

4

Clean and quiet power for garden equipment

US is testing high-energy zinc/air fuel cells to power electric mowers to show the viability of using alternative fuels to power garden equipment.

5

Honda unveils new hybrid vehicle

Honda Motor Company unveiled a new Civic Hybrid 5-seater that could achieve 29 km per litre of fuel.

6

Gasoline fuel cells get a boost

General Motors Corporation and ChevronTexaco Corporation will jointly speed up the development of the gasoline-powered fuel-cells for automobiles.

7

Akzo Nobel and Shell to develop low cost solar panel

Akzo Nobel and Shell Renewables have entered into a joint development agreement to pilot a low-cost process of mass-producing flexible solar cell panels.

8

Steam power for cars

A British automotive engineer claims that his diesel-steam hybrid car could be 70% more efficient than diesel-battery hybrid cars.

SUMMARY REPORT

Period Covered : 22 Oct 2001 to 28 Oct 2001

Item 1	New business reporting standard for greenhouse gas emissions adopted.
Summary	The World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) have adopted an international standard that enable businesses to report their greenhouse gas emissions uniformly. The standard, called the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative or GHG Protocol, was developed over a three-year period by a partnership of over 350 individuals from corporations, non-profit organizations, and governments. The GHG Protocol will enable businesses to account and report information from their global operations in a way that is consistent with financial reporting standards. The GHG Protocol provides managers with valuable information to build an effective strategy to manage and reduce GHG emissions.
Reference	http://www.pollutiononline.com/content/news/article.asp?DocID={CBAFD180-C7A5-11D5-A77A-00D0B769536B}&Bucket=Current+Headlines

Item 2	New Zealand's national energy strategy
Summary	New Zealand unveiled its first National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy to limit its greenhouse gas emission and protect the environment. Based from current trends, New Zealand will not be able to meet its Kyoto Protocol commitments. It therefore developed a national strategy with two key targets -- to improve energy efficiency by 20 percent and increase energy from renewable sources by between 25 to 55 petajoules by 2012. Five action programmes aimed at government operations, energy supply, industry, buildings and appliances, and transport were created.
Reference	International Environment Reporter, ISSN 0149-8738, Vol 24, No.21, pg 890

Item 3	Households in UK win nuisance noise claims
Summary	The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on 2 Oct 01 in favor of households around London's Heathrow Airport over noise nuisances from night flights. The court said that: the U.K. government failed to guarantee the applicants' rights to respect for their private and family life in enjoyment of their homes; mere reference to the economic well-being of the country was not sufficient to outweigh the rights of others; and the economic importance of night flights had never been evaluated. It held that the government had a positive duty to strike a fair balance between the competing interests of the individual and of the community as a whole, in the particularly sensitive field of environmental protection.
Reference	International Environment Reporter, ISSN 0149-8738, Vol 24, No. 21, pg 866

Item 4	Clean and quiet power for garden equipment
Summary	A developer of regenerative zinc/air fuel cells, Metallic Power, in California, demonstrated a greens mower powered by high-energy fuel cells to show the fuel cells were a viable alternative to power this type of equipment. The mower was suitable for turf and garden care. Metallic Power uses zinc/air technology to quietly power a variety of portable garden care equipment such as hedge trimmers and leaf blowers at remote sites. The zinc/air fuel cell technology is known for its high energy density and zero emissions. The high specific energy characteristics of the zinc/air technology will allow significant improvements in weight, power output, and other performance parameters thereby enabling portable power packs to be more compact.
Reference	http://www.pollutiononline.com/content/news/article.asp?DocID={07EE2BAA-C2D8-11D5-A77A-00D0B769536B}&Bucket=Current+Headlines

Item 5	Honda Unveils New Hybrid Vehicle
Summary	Honda Motor Company recently unveiled its new Civic Hybrid 5-seater that utilizes an advanced, lean burning, 1.3-liter engine that is assisted by an high-tech electric motor. The car is able to achieve fuel efficiency of more than 29 kilometres per litre, which Honda claimed to be the highest in the world for a five-seater gasoline-powered production vehicle. During acceleration and other times of heavy engine load, the electric-motor-assist system contributes much of the needed torque, resulting in both lower fuel consumption and powerful acceleration. At cruising speeds, when engine load is lower, the motor-assist system shuts down. During braking, the motor converts the dissipated energy into electricity.
Reference	http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=18306

Item 6	Gasoline Fuel Cells Get Boost
Summary	General Motors Corporation and ChevronTexaco Corporation announced a pact to speed up the development of gasoline-powered fuel cells for automobiles. The technology has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles by half. The advantage of gasoline-powered fuel cells over those using pure hydrogen is that the existing fuel structure for automobiles could be used. A new infrastructure would have to be built for vehicles powered by pure hydrogen. The new partnership is expected to greatly accelerate GM's existing efforts to provide gasoline fuel cell vehicles to consumers and to create an economical gasoline that can be used both in fuel-cell cars and cars powered by traditional internal combustion engines.
Reference	http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=18303

Item 7	Akzo Nobel and Shell to Develop Low Cost Solar Panel
Summary	Akzo Nobel and Shell Renewables have entered into a joint development agreement to pilot a low-cost process for mass-producing flexible solar panels. The process applies a special "solar cell coating," that is 20 times thinner than a human hair, virtually continuously to rolls of flexible soil substrates. Faster and cheaper production methods, coupled with flexible solar panels, could help to stimulate broader market introduction by allowing cost-effective integration into existing solar products, roofing and wall materials, as well as opening up new applications.
Reference	http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=18203

Item 8	Steam power for cars
Summary	At the 2001 vehicles technology conference, a British automotive engineer, Fred Bryley, claimed that his diesel/steam hybrid car could be 70% more efficient than diesel/battery hybrid cars when used for city driving. His hybrid car could be driven on steam alone for up to 40 minutes. The new hybrid car recycles the energy from hot exhaust gases. During diesel-powered driving stage, exhaust gases heat water until it reached a high pressure. At the second stage, the diesel engine is switched off and pressure valves are opened to release super-heated jet steam to drive a steam turbine, which in turn drives the wheels.
Reference	New Scientist, 13 October 2001. Page 24.

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S/N	Title		Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulations
1		New business reporting standard for greenhouse gas emissions adopted.	The World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development have adopted an international standard for businesses to report their emissions of greenhouse gases.
2		New Zealand's National Energy Strategy	New Zealand announces its strategy to improve energy efficiency and increase the use of renewable energy.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
3		Households in UK win nuisance noise claims		The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favor of households around London's Heathrow Airport over noise nuisance from night flights.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Technology
4		Clean and quiet power for garden equipment	US is testing high-energy zinc/air fuel cells to power electric mowers to show the viability of using alternative fuels to power garden equipment.
5		Honda unveils new hybrid vehicle	Honda Motor Company unveiled a new Civic Hybrid 5-seater that could achieve 29 km per litre of fuel.
6		Gasoline fuel cells get a boost	General Motors Corporation and ChevronTexaco Corporation will jointly speed up the development of the gasoline-powered fuel-cells for automobiles.
7		Akzo Nobel and Shell to develop low cost solar panel	Akzo Nobel and Shell Renewables have entered into a joint development agreement to pilot a low-cost process of mass-producing flexible solar cell panels.
8		Steam power for cars	A British automotive engineer claims that his diesel-steam hybrid car could be 70% more efficient than diesel-battery hybrid cars.