Features: Latin America

30 November 2010

Europe hopes for Cancún climate deal on carbon marketp

The European Union (EU) will press for country leaders to agree on concrete decisions that will pave the way for a legally-binding global climate framework, calling for expanded and reformed carbon market mechanisms and a settlement on governance of the green fund at this week’s Cancún climate talks.

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4 November 2010

Fuel cell technology comes of agep

Despite some well-documented commercial struggles, fuel cells are beginning to prove themselves as a genuine alternative to traditional energy technologies, with US investors taking a second look at this next generation of opportunities.

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16 September 2010

Car giants advance electric vehicle plans in race of the centuryp

The battle for the electric vehicle (EV) market has begun to intensify with many of the auto giants announcing low-carbon strategies or launching new models in recent weeks.

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30 July 2010

Biofuel comes of age as oil majors purchase maturing assetsp

History is filled with innovators who made less money than the people who sold their inventions, as they lacked distribution methods or sales infrastructure to supply their product to market. Oil super majors look set to make history repeat itself as they begin to pick the winners in the biofuel arena.

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17 May 2010

Concentrated solar power may provide answer to water treatmentp

Treating water is a power-intensive and expensive business. It's also one that can only become more costly as the price of fossil-fuelled electricity in social, environmental and economic terms becomes even greater. Dr Keith Bowen of Circadian Solar says, however, that concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) may provide the answer to water treatment.

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15 April 2010

Belo Monte hydroelectric dam auction delay welcomed by environmentalistsp

A Brazilian federal judge has put a halt to the construction of the $11bn Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, which was set to be the third-largest of its kind in the world, a move applauded by both environmentalists and international celebrities alike.

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29 March 2010

Businesses’ efforts to tackle climate change halt in 2009p

Global efforts to tackle climate change by big businesses have stalled over the past year, according to a new report by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

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22 March 2010

Carbon capture and storage must overcome challenges to hit CO2 targets, experts warnp

To meet European CO2 targets 100 carbon capture and storage (CCS) plants will need to built by 2020 but financial and regulatory challenges must be overcome, industry experts have warned

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22 February 2010

Latest World Bank green bonds issuance exceeds $1bnp

The latest issue of World Bank green bonds has pushed the total amount to $1.1bn. The AAA rated fixed interest investment vehicle is managed by Swedish Investment Bank SEB, with the latest tranche, denominated in Swedish Kronor (SEK) will pay a coupon of 3.25 per cent maturing in 2017. The bonds continue to be aimed at a growing demand from institutions and pension fund managers to support a low carbon economy.

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16 December 2009

Financial support is key for Latin America’s low carbon growth plansp

Increased environmental awareness spurred by rising global temperatures has placed Latin America at the forefront of low-carbon growth, say World Bank experts. But the success of the region's initiatives depends largely on decisions taken at the Copenhagen Climate Summit - and beyond - regarding emission limits and financing.

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