R&D News & Views – November 2007

Welcome to” R&D News & Views" in which we will keep you updated with news about business, science and technology. 

 There is a decided focus on environmental sustainability in this newsletter.  It is increasingly a critical part of any business decision and we welcome the opportunity to celebrate success and achievement in this area.

Contents

• The Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act
• Congratulations to EcoInnovation
• Sustainable business awards 2007
• And the Nobel Prize goes to….
• Emissions Trading
  

The Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act

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Congratulations to EcoInnovation

EcoInnovation Ltd, an innovative Taranaki company and a valued client have just been announced as joint winners of the Product Innovation Award at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) 2007 Energywise Awards.  The award was for domestic hydro turbines that EcoInnovation have developed and manufacture based on a Fisher and Paykel Smart Drive motor.

The Judges said…. “EcoInnovation is a very ingenious re-use of a widely available existing product with opportunity for growth.”

The award was won jointly with Windflow Technology – designer and manufacturer of wind turbines.

Sustainable business awards 2007

The Sustainable Business Network “Get Sustainable Challenge Business Awards” for 2007 are underway. We are pleased to have won the Trailblazer award for small to medium enterprises at the Bay of Plenty regional finals.

A Trailblazer is seen as a business who has been actively implementing sustainability actions for more than two years. It is likely to have sustainability as a strategic part of their business operations, products and services. These businesses are innovators & leaders who are positioned to maintain market advantages while providing both ecological, social, & financial dividends.

We recommend the process we worked through with SBN in the Get Sustainable Challenge as a positive way to progress your business and your commitment towards sustainability.   Sustainable business practices are becoming mainstream and we believe there are benefits to all aspects of your business through participating.

For more information if you want to consider participating next year or see the full list of awards click here
 

And the Nobel Prize goes to….

The Nobel Peace Prize goes to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change"

 We would also like to recognize the contribution of Justin Ford-Robertson, a member of the IPCC for his contribution along with many other NZ scientists to this.

Climate Change Minister David Parker has congratulated New Zealand scientists working on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, after the panel won the Nobel Peace Prize, alongside US climate change campaigner Al Gore.

"Thanks to the work of the IPCC we know how human activity is contributing to dangerous climate change, how that climate change will affect us, and what we need to do to make a difference. It's fitting that this international group of scientists and academics has been recognized with this prestigious award, and I'm proud of New Zealand's contribution to the panel.”

Emissions Trading

In September 2007 the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZETS) was launched.  The Government has decided in principle that the objective of the NZETS will be to support and encourage global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by:

• reducing New Zealand’s net emissions below business-as-usual levels; and
• complying with our international obligations, including our Kyoto Protocol obligations; while
• maintaining economic flexibility, equity, and environmental integrity at least cost in the long term.

 Forestry is “first cab off the rank” and this sector will come into the ETS as of 1 January 2008. The detail for this is more advanced than for other sectors but there is still much to be developed. The detail that is available can be obtained from www.climatechange.govt.nz.   

 In summary the positions for agriculture is that the Government has decided in principle to bring all agricultural emissions into the NZETS on 1 January 2013 with monitoring and reporting to begin in 2011, and not to introduce any other price-based measures in the interim.

 The NZETS is still in a process of consultation with sectors and significant detail as to how it will apply to agriculture has yet to be developed.  However, the impact will be significant and it will be important to fully understand the implications on both forestry and agricultural operations.

For any businesses wanting to quantify their own emissions in a simple way you can download our Annual Carbon Emissions calculator here.