Palm oil has a terrible reputation. Especially among environmental and social advocates, palm oil is viewed as the crop responsible for a large-scale deforestation, particularly in Southeast Asia. Deforestation of carbon-rich forests leads to greenhouse gas emissions; between 2001 and 2010, palm oil-driven land-use change resulted in an average of 216-268 million tons of CO2 … [Read more...] about Is Investment in Palm Oil Certification Worth It?
Using corporate offsetting to finance climate change adaptation
The financing gap for climate adaptation is huge- it is estimated that developing countries need somewhere between US$70 to $100 billion per year through 2050 to meet current and future adaptation needs, and that’s on the low end! A more recent report from the United Nations Environment Programme – (UNEP) projects costs to be as high as US$250-500 billion per year until 2050. … [Read more...] about Using corporate offsetting to finance climate change adaptation
What do we mean by sustainable infrastructure?
Have you ever seen a building in your hometown that was never finished due to insufficient money? Have you suffered power outages due to hurricanes or flooding? Are there communities in your country fighting against infrastructure developments in their towns? These are only a few examples of the problems that can arise when infrastructure is built disregarding the risks … [Read more...] about What do we mean by sustainable infrastructure?
What is the Value of Nature?
An apple at a supermarket: $0.50. 1,000 gallons of tap water in New York City: $4.95. Annual value of pollination to agriculture: $200 billion. Cost savings from good land management in New York City’s watershed: $8 billion. Total value of benefits from nature: priceless? Robert Costanza, a leading environmental economist, just published the article: “Changes in the Global … [Read more...] about What is the Value of Nature?
Before running, learn to walk: Reducing electricity losses as a first step to ensure energy security
Latin America and the Caribbean is the region that loses the most electricity in its transmission and distribution systems. Only in 2012, the region lost 240 terawatt hours (TWh), which is equivalent to 17% of the total electricity generated. This situation, which has gotten worse in recent decades, is analyzed in the recent report Power Lost. Energy losses are inevitable in … [Read more...] about Before running, learn to walk: Reducing electricity losses as a first step to ensure energy security