The NBI's weekly sustainable development news update

On A Clear Day: Issue 281, 29 January 2010

Industry News

RECOVERY IS NOT ENOUGH TO LIFT GLOOM Economic recovery is neither uniform nor firmly embedded across the world, delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos agreed yesterday, with almost everyone predicting the welcome expansion will suffer setbacks in the months ahead. Although the Davos consensus has often been wrong, participants this year have more reason than ever to say it is not the right time to declare victory over the global recession. Chris Giles in Davos, Financial Times, 28 January 2010

SA'S RENEWABLE SECTOR COULD CREATE OVER 145 000 JOBS BY 2020 A recent report from international research organisation the Global Climate Network (GCN) has indicated that some 36 400 new direct jobs and 109 100 indirect jobs could be created in the renewable energy sector in South Africa by 2020. Christy van der Merwe, Engineering News, 28 January 2010

EMERGING ECONOMIES UP CLIMATE PRESSURE ON RICH NATIONS Environment ministers and envoys from Brazil, South Africa, India and China, the so-called BASIC countries, met in New Delhi in a show of unity by countries whose greenhouse gas emissions are among the fastest rising in the world. Euractiv, 25 January 2010

AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION: INPUTS THAT PLACE HUGE PRESSURE ON THE LAND Intensive agriculture has enabled the production of cheap food around the world, and the massive population expansion of the past six decades. The growth of “agribusinesses” that have consolidated the raising of livestock from small farms into huge centralised units, and transformed cropland from a patchwork quilt of fields into vast acreages of monoculture crops, has led to efficiencies, yield increases and economies of scale unthinkable before. Fiona Harvey, Financial Times, 26 January 2010

FIRMS CAN NOW GET EMISSIONS REPORTS AT LOWER COST Companies in SA are now able to procure a report of their carbon emissions for a fraction of the cost of existing methods, thanks to a new service from local technology firm sustainableIT. The CarbonReport.com, which came into operation at the beginning of this month, requires companies to submit data on their operating activities, which is processed by analysts to produce a comprehensive picture of the business's carbon footprint. Simon Mundy, allAfrica, originally from Business Day, 27 January 2010

THE WORLD CUP'S 2,7 MT CARBON FOOTPRINT AND WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT IT With an estimated carbon footprint of 2 753 250 t of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e), the 2010 FIFA World Cup will have the largest carbon footprint of any major international sporting event, and will need major interventions to achieve the ambition of making it an event with a positive environmental legacy. Christy van der Merwe, Engineering News, 22 January 2010

STATE WILL CLARIFY EMISSIONS TARGET The government would release details of its commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions during this year, as it developed a white paper on climate change, Joanne Yawitch, the deputy director-general of environmental affairs, said recently. Ingi Salgado, Business Report, 27 January 2010

KING III �' WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?! There has been much public debate about company laws as a result of the enactment of the new Companies Act of 2008; and, more recently, the release of the King Code and Report on Governance in South Africa ("King III"), which will become effective on 1 March 2010. But what does King III deal with and how will it apply to business South Africa? Polity, January 2010

LOCAL CEOs OPTIMISTIC ABOUT 2010 PROSPECTS Local chief executives expect the local economy to start emerging from the recession during 2010, professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said recently.
Business Report, 27 January 2010

MOUNTING STRESSES, FAILING STATES After a half-century of forming new states from former colonies and from the breakup of the Soviet Union, the international community is today focusing on the disintegration of states. The term “failing state” has entered our working vocabulary only during the last decade or so, but these countries are now an integral part of the international political landscape. Lester Brown, Earth Policy Institute, 27 January 2010

BLOGSPOT: GETTING REAL ABOUT MEASUREMENT: HOW TO SIZE UP THE TRIPPLE BOTTOM LINE As businesses become increasingly strategic about sustainability programming, using metrics to measure and manage social, environmental and economic impacts has become standard practice. Yet, there's still significant variation in how companies interpret and use the resulting data to guide their activities. Melissa Schweisguth, GreenBiz, 26 January 2010

Notices, Reports & Surveys

GLOBAL CLIMATE NETWORK DISCUSSION PAPER 3: LOW-CARBON JOBS IN AN INTER-CONNECTED WORK (JANUARY 2010) This report from the Global Climate Network shows that low-carbon technology can not only achieve climate change goals, but also create new jobs, boost economic growth and help improve access to energy. Polity

THE OCEAN AND CLIMATE CHANGE TOOLS AD GUIDELINES FOR ACTION The report points out that despite the importance of regulating climate change, not enough attention is paid to climate research, policy and implementation plans. The document is aimed at raising awareness and giving science-based action recommendations pertaining to national and international climate change processes. Eldis

WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK UPDATE (JANUARY 2010) The International Monetary Fund has revised upwards its global economic growth forecast to 3,9%, casting developing countries in a leading role while rich nations struggle with high unemployment and government debt. Polity

THE 2010 ESKOM ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING DESIGN COMPETITION The goal of the energy efficient lighting design competition is to demonstrate that efficient lighting technologies, such as discharge, fluorescent and LED technologies, can be used in very contemporary and attractive luminaries and lighting design systems intended for residential lighting. The closing date for entries is close of business on 30 July 2010. For more information, go to:
http://www.lighting-design.co.za/

South African Events

IOD INSIGHTS TO KING III 4 February 2010, Western Cape. An introduction and overview of the South African code on Corporate Governance �' King III, with insights into the development and thinking behind the content. Institute of Directors

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.

SOLAR WATER HEATING 15-16 February 2010, Minerals and Energy Education and Training Institute, Randburg. For more information, email events@meeti.org.za , call +27 11 709 4311 or go to: MEETI

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

SAICA’s GRI AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING COURSE 17-18 February 2010 at Asara Wine Estate in Cape Town, and 24-25 February at Fairlawns in Sandton, Johannesburg.  The two-day course covers sustainability �' its context, drivers and reporting best practice �' and the GRI reporting process and Guidelines. An international certificate is given to successful participants from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Contact: 08610 SAICA or 08610 724 22 email: seminars@saica.co.za, website: www.saica.co.za

GCX CERTIFIED ENERGY EFFICIENCY AUDITOR (LEVEL 1) 17-19 February 2010. To educate individuals on the key areas required in order to become an energy efficiency auditor. This is a hands on course where the learners will be taken through the logical steps required to become an Energy Efficiency Auditor. For more information, please visit: http://globalcarbonexchange.com/training-programme-2010.html or contact: timeak@globalcarbonexchange.com.

ENERGY INDABA 2010: A TIME OF CHANGE 24-26 February, Sandton Convention Convention Centre. For more information, email: info@siyenza.za.com or go to: www.energyafricaexpo.com

GCX CERTIFIED CARBON LITERACY COURSE 26 February 2010. This one day course gives employees and executives a good working knowledge of carbon related factors that will have to be included in their strategies to ensure their departments and businesses are prepared for doing business in a new low-carbon economy. For more information, please visit: http://globalcarbonexchange.com/training-programme-2010.html or ontact: timeak@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, 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

GREEN BUILDING WORLD AFRICA CONFERENCE 16�'17 March 2010, Sandton. For more information, email debbie.tagg@terrapinn.co.za or call +27 11 516 4073.

International Events

DRIVING CHANGE FOR CR 4 February 2010, Business in the Community, 137 Shepherdess Walk, London. The course uses a mixture of CR theory, practical tools, techniques, case studies and guest speakers to illustrate methods to achieve change and integrate corporate responsibility, no matter what level of CR maturity your organisation is at. For further information, please contact Thomas Milburn (thomas.milburn@bitc.org.uk) on 0207 566 8706. Business in the Community

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

POWER AND ELECTRICITY WORLD NEW ZEALAND 15-18 February 2010, Convention Centre, Auckland, New Zealand. where energy chiefs, policy makers and solution providers meet to shape the future of their industry. Terrapin

INTRODUCTION TO RENEWABLE ENERGY 18-19 February 2010, San Francisco. This comprehensive yet time-effective two-day training course will ensure you are up-to-speed with the key aspects of the renewable energy/power industries and the economic factors and technologies that are driving them. Alternatively you may call +44 (0)207 099 0600, e-mail: info@greenpowerconferences.com or click here.

GLOBAL ETHICS SUMMIT 2010 23-24 February, Grand Hyatt, New York City. This summit leverages the collective expertise of Dow Jones and Ethisphere in business, ethics and anti-corruption to provide an unparalleled conference program, featuring an unmatched agenda, editorially driven content and roster of compliance experts. For more information, contact 866-291-1800 or go to CSRwire.

WATER FOOTPRINT & AVAILABILITY RISK MANAGEMENT 25-26 February 2010, San Francisco. The Summit brings together multi-national corporations, with complex international supply chains, to share insights on measuring water use in volume and investigating new and innovative strategies to secure your business in regions of increasing water scarcity. For more information, please contact 1-800-721-3915. CSRwire

MARKETPLACE ON INNOVATIVE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT 4-5 March 2010, Paris, France. Convened by the French Development Agency (AFD), together with the World Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and endorsed by the Global Compact the objective of this event is to highlight and discuss innovative financial mechanisms to respond to development challenges at the local, regional and global levels. For more further information, go to: http://en.fininnov.org/

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

HOW TO MANAGE SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL RISK AND OPPORTUNITY CONFERENCE 22-23 March 2010, Regents Park Marriot Hotel, London. This conference specifically targets the mining, oil & gas, steel and other heavy industries as the kind of social and environmental risks they face are very similar. Ethical Corporation

FT INVESTING IN A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE ORGANIZED BY FINANCIAL TIMES 24 March 2010 New York City. Financial Times Investing in a Sustainable Future will bring together senior corporate responsibility executives and socially responsible investors in a dynamic peer-to-peer forum to discuss the latest CSR issues and how they impact the bottom line. For more information or to register, please contact Annette Berry at +1 212-641-6415 or email annette.berry@ft.com.

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

Contact | Subscribe | Unsubscribe

www.nbi.org.za

For a Sustainable Future

"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"