The NBI's weekly sustainable development news update

On A Clear Day: Issue 279, 11 December 2009

Industry News

ON A CLEAR DAY Please note that this is the last issue for 2009 and the next one will be published on 22 January next year. Happy holidays and we wish you a prosperous 2010.

AFRICA SEEKING $40 BILLION/YEAR IN CLIMATE AID Rich nations at the Copenhagen climate summit should commit $40 billion a year in new money to help Africa tackle the consequences of global warming, the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) said this week. Donald Kaberuka said he wanted to see a "willingess by rich countries to dig into their pockets to enable low-income countries to adapt to climate change." Christian Lowe, PlanetArk, 8 December 2009

IS BUSINESS "GETTING IT"?, ASKS ACCA AND GRI Mixed perspectives from experts on the corporate response to climate change. The business response to climate change is described as “timid” and “sleepy” by two of six expert commentators interviewed for a new report from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), published on 7 December 2009. Global Reporting Initiative, 7 December 2009

ACCOUNTANTS CALL FOR GLOBAL STANDARD ON CLIMATE REPORTING As the United Nations Climate Change Conference continues in Copenhagen, accounting bodies around the world agreed that a single set of global reporting standards on climate change was needed. Thirteen accounting bodies, including the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica), as well as The Prince's Accounting for Sustainability Project and the Climate Disclosure Standards Board, co-signed an open letter to political leaders attending the Copenhagen climate change meetings. Polity, 10 December 2009

POORER NATIONS TARGET MID-2010 CLIMATE DEAL China, Brazil, South Africa and India want a global climate treaty wrapped up by June 2010, according to a joint draft document prepared for the Copenhagen climate summit which opened this week. Some 192 countries gathered in the Danish capital for the world's biggest climate conference, meant to agree the outline of a new climate treaty. Gerard Wynn, PlanetArk, 8 December 2009

SA NEGOTIATOR SAYS EMISSIONS OFFER IS 'VOLUNTARY' A leading South African climate change negotiator says SA's offer to scale back the rate of growth of carbon emissions is voluntary and not legally binding. Jocelyn Newmarch, allAfrica, originally from Business Day, 9 December 2009 ]

RENEWABLE ENERGY COULD BE AN ENGINE OF GROWTH FOR AFRICA Solar energy, wind power, hydropower schemes and bio-energy could become an engine for economic and social development in all African countries, World Energy Council (WEC) Africa regional manager Dr Latsoucabé Fall stated recently. Polity, 10 December 2009

NUCLEAR VITAL TO POWER GOALS South Africa will have to get a new nuclear power station before 2020 if the country is to achieve its new targets for combating greenhouse gas emissions. The government initially planned to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions from 2025 onwards, to maintain the levels for 10 years, and then to reduce them to about 30% below their 2000 level. James-Brent Styan, Fin24, 8 December 2009

CORRUPTION MAJOR IMPEDIMENT TO ADVANCING DEVELOPMENT, WARN UN OFFICIALS Corruption kills development and is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving the globally agreed targets to reduce poverty, hunger and other social ills by 2015, also known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), United Nations officials warned. UN News, 9 December 2009

HUMAN RIGHTS MARKED WITH NEW OUTREACH AND GUIDANCE In recognition of Human Rights Day, the Global Compact has developed guidance and conducted outreach to assist businesses in respecting and supporting human rights within their operations and activities. UN Global Compact, 10 December 2009

Notices, Reports & Surveys

GETTING WARMER A special report on climate change and the carbon economy. So far the effort to tackle global warming has achieved little. Copenhagen offers the chance to do better, says Emma Duncan. The Economist

SEVEN THINGS TO AVOID IN CSR CASE STUDIES Corporate social responsibility is best told in stories. Companies tell their own stories in their CSR reports. Others tell them about others to promote their consultancies, or to simply encourage best practice. Ethical Corporation

WHICH COMPANIES COMMUNICATE BEST ON SUSTAINBILITY? HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE GRI READERS' CHOICE AWARDS The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) �' provider of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework �' today announced the opening of scoring for the second biennial Readers’ Choice Awards in which the readers of sustainability reports have their say on the state of reporting today. Global Reporting Initiative

South African Events

GRI SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING TRAINING COURSE 9-11 February 2010 in Johannesburg and 9-11 March 2010 in Pretoria. This internationally certified course will enhance participants’ ability to contribute to, participate in and manage their organisation’s sustainability reporting process. The course is certified by the Global Reporting Initiative. The 2-day GRI-certified course is supplemented by an optional 1-day workshop on GRI Performance Indicators. The course and workshop will earn CPD credits for members of SAICA and other accounting bodies. For more information visit www.envsustsol.co.za, e-mail envsustsol@mweb.co.za or phone 082 395 7582.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS 15-20 February 2010, Potchefstroom. Course fee: R10,450.00 (No VAT charged). For more information, contact Theresa de Jager on +27 18 299 2714, fax +27 18 299 2726 or e-mail: theresa.dejager@nwu.ac.za or go to: www.cem.puk.ac.za

GCX CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYST COURSE 15 -17 February 2010, Cape Town. The purpose of this course is to educate individuals on the key areas required in order to become a carbon footprint analyst. This is a hands on course where the learners will be taken through the logical steps required to complete a carbon footprint assessment. On completion learners will have the skills and knowledge required to complete a small business carbon footprint assessment. For more info: http://www.globalcarbonexchange.com

INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT -AN OVERVIEW OF PRINCIPLES, TOOLS AND ISSUES 08-12 March 2010, Potchefstroom. Course fee: R7,600.00 (No VAT charged). For more information, contact Theresa de Jager on +27 18 299 2714, fax +27 18 299 2726 or e-mail: theresa.dejager@nwu.ac.za or go to: www.cem.puk.ac.za

POWER & ELECTRICITY WORLD AFRICA 15-19 March 2010, Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg. Africa’s leading power and electricity conference and exhibition, brings you all 5 energy profiles, solution providers from across the globe and a CEO filled conference agenda. Terrapinn

International Events

ONE DAY INTRODUCTION TO CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY 19 January 2010, Business in the Community, 137 Shepherdess Walk, London N1 7RQ. This one day course will provide shortcuts through the plethora of corporate responsibility (CR) advice, and give you a chance to reflect on what is important for your company. For further information please contact: Thomas.Milburn@bitc.org.uk or go to: Business in the Community

WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT 18-21 January 2010, Abu Dhabi. World Future Energy Summit, the world’s platform for sustainable future energy solutions, provides an ideal networking event for industry leaders, investors, scientists, specialists, policymakers and researchers to discuss the challenges of rising energy demand and actions to achieve a cleaner and more sustainable future for the world. For more information, go to: http://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com/home.aspx

CARBON MARKETS NORTH AMERICA 2010 21-22 January, Miami, FL, United States. This conference �' the 3rd in a highly successful and well-established series from Environmental Finance Publications �' will bring together the key players in the US carbon markets to explore the implications of the proposed federal cap-and-trade system, and the outcomes of the pivotal UN meeting in Copenhagen. Contact Selina Perry on +44 (0)20 7251 9151, email conferences@environmental-finance.com or go to ClimateBiz

WORKSHOP ON ICT AND HUMAN RIGHTS 9 February 2010, Paris. Information and communications technology (ICT) has been one of the most powerful drivers of change in our global society and has greatly shaped how we protect and advance human rights today. Business for Social Responsibility

WORLD BIOFUELS MARKETS 15�'17 March 2010, Amsterdam. For more information, contact +44 20 7099 0600, email info@greenpowerconferences.com, or go to: www.worldbiofuelsmarkets.com

WBCSD EVENTS CALENDAR Check out the WBCSD Events Calendar for conferences, workshops and seminars related to business and sustainable development.

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"On a Clear Day seeks to notify subscribers of interesting articles, papers and news freely available from the internet. The National Business Initiative encourages debate on sustainability issues and does not necessarily endorse any particular viewpoint. We welcome any feedback you might have. Please direct comments and queries to mensele.mapitso@nbi.org.za"