Golden Agri refutes Greenpeace’s claims of harming the environment

It says contrary to Greenpeace’s claims, there are no orang utan habitats in SMART’s concession area in P-T Bangun Nusa Mandiri. SMART also reiterates that before developing land, it conducts the necessary environmental assessments. With regard to concession areas in the Papua province, SMART says it only manages a total of about 13,000 hectares, not [...]

If you can’t beat them, buy them out

“Green” investment funds typically aim to avoid investing in polluters, but a new fund aims to attack the enemy from within. An investment vehicle claimed to be “the world’s first climate change advocacy fund” is being launched on Thursday. Australian Ethical Investments already offers a range of funds, but so far it has followed the [...]

Britain needs $15 billion green bank

What about an Asian green bank? Even more far fetched? A “green bank” funded by new consumer levies; the sale of emissions permits to industry; and institutional and retail interest in new investment products will help plug the gap, according to the Green Investment Bank Commission. Read more at Reuters.

Malaysia to switch to biofuel

From Straits Times Interactive: MALAYSIA, the world’s second-largest palm oil producer, will make it mandatory for all vehicles to use biofuel from next year, the government announced on Wednesday. Malaysia’s plans to shift to biofuel – a mixture of diesel with five per cent processed palm oil – have been delayed over the past few [...]

UK to launch $3 billion green investment bank

via Reuters: The green bank, designed to help finance projects such as railways, offshore wind power generation and eco-friendly waste management, will be half-funded from government asset sales with the remaining one billion pounds coming from the private sector.

Green Gems in the New Economic Strategy

At first glance the recommendations from the Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) in February barely seem to mention green initiatives. Yet hidden amongst the frequent mentions of productivity, innovation and economic growth are many opportunities to make Singapore more environmentally friendly. Some of the initiatives to make Singapore more green are clearly stated, even if they [...]

Singapore’s CleanTech Park $52m masterplan unveiled

JTC Corp and Economic Development Board (EDB) have unveiled plans on the $52million CleanTech Park (CTP) slated to commence construction in July, the first of three phases of development. Upon completion by 2030, this 50-hectare eco business park will be Singapore’s clean technology research and development hub, and is expected to create 20,000 jobs in the sustainability sector. [...]