Water footprinting is being increasingly used to understand the total amount of water that supports our lifestyles – the water used to create the clothes we wear, the food we eat and the beverages we drink.

At this year’s Stockholm Water Week, SABMiller and WWF, two members of the Water Footprint Network, will publish a report which explains the water footprint of the whole value chain for SABMiller’s beers in South Africa and the Czech Republic.

SABMiller and WWF are working together on water footprinting to better understand the quantity, efficiency and geographical context of water used to produce beer in order that this resource can then be better managed. The two organisations are using the insight provided by water footprinting to develop targeted programmes to improve water management. For example SAB Ltd in South Africa already works with barley farmers to improve their yields and water use, and with WWF the company is now considering how to develop this further to protect the watersheds within which it operates.

A water footprint encompasses the entire value chain, from crop cultivation and processing, through to brewing and distributing the beer and details the total water input, both direct and indirect. The new report reveals that in South Africa, the total water footprint is equivalent to 155 litres of water for every 1 litre of beer such as Castle lager and Carling Black Label. The vast majority of this (98.3%) comes from the cultivation of crops, both local and imported.

For Plzensky Prazdroj, SABMiller’s Czech operation and home of Pilsner Urquell, agriculture is again the most significant component; accounting for over 90% of the total water footprint. However the overall water footprint is significantly smaller at 45 litres of water to every 1 litre of beer. This difference is due to a number of factors including weather, the reliance on irrigation in South Africa and the proportion and origin of imported crops.

In comparison with other beverages, beer’s water footprint is relatively small; for example an independent report[i] has estimated that coffee, wine and apple juice all have water footprints more than three times that of beer. However, the water footprint figure itself does not give the whole picture. More important is the context – where it is used, what proportion of the area’s total water resource it represents, and whether water scarcity creates risks to the environment, communities and businesses now or in the future.

Stuart Orr, WWF’s freshwater footprint manager, said: “The water footprints of SABMiller’s beers in South Africa and the Czech Republic are the first detailed corporate water footprints to be published and are progressive in the way they examine the impact of water use within these countries. Most important is that this information is now used to ensure that their business partners – particularly farmers – are encouraged to use water more efficiently.”

SABMiller head of sustainable development, Andy Wales, explains “Water footprinting enables SABMiller to understand which parts of our supply chain might face water scarcity, or poor water quality, in the future, and means that we can plan now to deal with these future challenges. We will build on our existing partnerships with WWF in South Africa, Colombia, and Honduras to create further local watershed protection projects to reduce risk whilst protecting the environment”

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Editor’s notes
SABMiller
SABMiller is one of the world’s largest brewers with brewing interests and distribution agreements across six continents. The group’s wide portfolio of brands includes premium international beers such as Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, as well as market-leading local brands such as Aguila, Castle, Miller Lite, Snow and Tyskie. SABMiller is also one of the largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world.
In the year ended 31 March 2009, the group reported US$3,405 million in adjusted pre-tax profit and group revenue of US$25,302 million. SABMiller is listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges.
This announcement is available on the company website: www.sabmiller.com

High resolution images are available for the media to view and download free of charge from www.sabmiller.com

WWF
The way we live is leading to environmental threats such as climate change, species extinction, deforestation, water shortages and the collapse of fisheries. WWF’s One Planet Future Campaign is working to help people live a good quality of life within the earth’s capacity. For more information visit www.wwf.org.uk/oneplanet

South African Breweries (SAB) Ltd
The South African Breweries Limited was established in 1895 and employs in the region of 8,800 people, including its soft drink division ABI. It owns seven breweries with a brewing capacity of some 31.4 million hectolitres. Total beer volumes during the last financial year to end March 2009 reached 25.9-million hectolitres. SAB Ltd is the South African subsidiary of SABMiller plc.
www.sablimited.co.za

Plzensky Prazdroj
With total sales of over 10.7 million hectolitres in the calendar year 2008 (including licensed production abroad) and exports to more than 50 countries around the world, Plzensky Prazdroj a. s. is a major beer producer in the Czech Republic and the largest exporter of Czech beer.
www.prazdroj.cz

SABMiller and WWF’s local collaborations
SAB Ltd in South Africa is already working with WWF and the South African government’s Working for Water Programme to offset the water used by two breweries in scarce regions. In agriculture, SAB is working with WWF to develop methods for barley farmers to improve water use and encourage sustainable agriculture.

In Colombia, there is a joint project between WWF and SABMiller’s subsidiary, Bavaria, to develop and promote strategies which reduce the water footprint, protect natural ecosystems and improve the efficiency of Bavaria’s water use, through institutional, scientific, logistical and financial cooperation. One of the first steps in this will be to calculate the water footprint of Bavaria’s value chain.

In Honduras a memorandum of understanding has been signed by Cerverceria Hondurena and WWF, agreeing to work together to protect the different water basins which drain into the Mesoamerican Reef in Honduras. Works has already started different NGOs to protect the different water basins at the Merendon Mountain Range which supplies over 80% of the water to San Pedro Sula. The initial focus will be the protection of the basins by reforestation of the affected areas. Also as part of the agreement, WWF is working with Cerveceria Hondurena and Coca Cola to implement the Water Efficiency Toolkit at both the soft drink and beer plants.

SABMiller also has active local water projects with The Nature Conservancy in Colombia and through its joint venture MillerCoors in the United States.

For further information, please contact:

Robin Clegg, Senior Press Officer, WWF-UK, t: 07771 818707, e: rclegg@wwf.org.uk
Bianca Shevlin, Corporate Media Relations Manager SABMiller, t: 020 7659 0172, e: Bianca.Shevlin@sabmiller.com

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[i] Source: Pacific Institute, February 2009

China appears to have made considerable progress in improving the traceability of its fish processing industry, but will need to adapt further if it is to meet the requirements of forthcoming European Union regulations, according to a new report by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network set up by WWF and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The study, Understanding China’s Fish Trade and Traceability, characterizes China’s fish reprocessing industry and examines to what extent its existing traceability systems will be able to cope with the requirements of the forthcoming EU legislation.

From January 2010, all fish materials imported into the European Union (EU) will have to be accompanied by catch certificates. The certificates will then have to be validated by the flag State of the vessel that caught the fish. To meet the new requirements for exporting to the EU, China will have to issue certificates for all catches by China-flagged vessels, and obtain certificates from other countries when fish is imported into China for processing.

The new laws aim to combat Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing. The ability of China as the leading exporter of marine fish products and the world’s fastest growing major economy to meet such requirements is regarded as vital in the process to curb IUU fishing worldwide.

Sally Bailey, WWF-UK’s marine manager said: “Much of the fish destined for the UK and European market goes via China for processing. This is an important step towards eliminating IUU from the UK market which is something retailers, processors and consumers all agree is necessary.”

The study, funded by the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), compiled information on the structure of the current fish processing trade for marine species caught or reprocessed by mainland China, and examined the fish documentation schemes in place to look for weaknesses where infiltration of illegally sourced fish might occur.

Huw Irranca-Davies, UK fisheries minister said “The UK government was pleased to be able to assist our colleagues in China to understand the implications of the forthcoming EU legislation and how we could work together to implement the new laws.”

Shelley Clarke, author of the report said: “By illuminating the role China plays in fish reprocessing, the report highlights the extent to which China must be involved in solutions to the problems of overfishing and IUU catches.”

Species examined in the report include pollock, cod, salmon, redfish, haddock, whiting, coalfish, hake, toothfish and tuna. It is estimated that more than half of the raw materials for China’s re-processing industry derive from the Russian Federation including major inputs of cod and salmon as well as large quantities of imported “unspecified” fish.

However, determining the quantities of species of fish being re-processed is far from straightforward. Customs systems both in China and in some importing countries lack sufficient detail in commodity codes and usually do not check whether fish imports are classified under the appropriate code.

Another complication is that owing to the complexity of the industry, fish may legally change hands several times whilst in China, with obvious implications for product traceability.

Recommendations in the report include streamlining of the monitoring systems currently used by Chinese authorities into a single, integrated and effective traceability system; the development of formal requirements for catch certification and documentation in China; additional assistance from the EU and others to help China comply with new legislation being introduced and to provide intelligence for fisheries enforcement in countries which may be the source of imported IUU fish into China.

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Notes to editors

Understanding China’s Fish Trade and Traceability by Shelley Clarke was published by TRAFFIC East Asia and the project was funded by the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The report is available at http://www.traffic.org/fisheries-reports/traffic_pub_fisheries9.pdf

The new Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 1005/2008) comes into force on 1st January 2010 and contains some important new rules concerning imports and exports of fish and fish products to and from the EU. More at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/marine/fisheries/conservation/iuu-regulation.htm and http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/cfp/external_relations/illegal_fishing_en.htm

China’s fish processing industry has grown rapidly: in 1993, China’s annual production of fishery products totalled only 2.8 million tonnes but by 2006 production had increased to 9.3 million tonnes. The industry is based primarily in Shandong and Liaoning Provinces, and there are roughly 9,000 re-processing plants in operation.

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of IUCN and WWF.

Today officers from the Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime and Chinatown Units seized approximately 200 products believed to be made from endangered animals and plants including musk deer, leopard, tiger and Aucklandia, a species of plant from the aster family.

Officers carried out the raid after seeing products they suspected of containing ingredients derived from endangered species on display in a Traditional Asian Medicine shop in Lisle Street, Westminster. The raid was part of Operation Charm, the Met’s ongoing partnership initiative against the illegal trade in endangered species in London.

DC David Flint who led today’s action said: “Most Traditional Chinese Medicines are not made from endangered species and can be sold legally. However, a small number of products do contain these ingredients, and it is these products that have a disproportionate impact on wild populations by sustaining a demand.

To meet this demand poachers and traffickers will continue to profit from killing and supplying animals from other parts of the world and the future of some of our most endangered species will be at risk.”

The raid was made following an amendment in the law controlling illegal trade in endangered species, which came into effect today.

The regulations have been amended to close an inadvertent loophole when dealing with species, such as musk deer, that are so called “split-listed”. Such species are covered by different parts of the regulations depending on which country the specimen originated from, and therefore receive different levels of protection. When it comes to manufactured products investigators are often unable to determine the country of origin of the illegal ingredients, which has made it difficult to prosecute in cases of split-listed species. Now, unless there is evidence to the contrary, the higher level of protection will be applied.

Heather Sohl, WWF Species Trade Officer said: “With our partners WWF sought to close this loophole so we are thrilled with this seizure. The fact the amendment has been used on its first day in effect shows how necessary it is to have effective laws and tools in place to bring unscrupulous traders to justice.”

The Search Warrant was issued under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997. These regulations make it illegal to sell, keep for sale, or buy any item that claims to be made from an endangered species.

If anyone has any information regarding the illegal sale of products containing endangered species you can contact the Wildlife Crime Unit on 0207 230 8898 or via the Operation Charm website at www.operationcharm.org. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

-ends-

Notes to editors:

Since its launch in 1995 Operation Charm has been responsible for the seizure of more than 40,000 items made from endangered species in the capital. Many of these have been traditional Chinese medicine products, but other seizures have included shahtoosh shawls, elephant ivory and taxidermy.

Operation Charm is a unique partnership between the Metropolitan Police, the Greater London Authority and the international wildlife groups WildAid, IFAW, WWF and the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. More information on Operation Charm can be found at www.operationcharm.org.

The trade in endangered species is strictly controlled by CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). CITES bans the international commercial trade in the world’s most endangered species and only allows trade in many others if government permits have been issued. The convention has been signed by more than 170 countries including the UK. These controls apply to both live and dead animals and plants as well as anything that comes from them or is made from them.

The Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 enforce CITES in the UK. The maximum penalty is five years imprisonment and a £5000 fine for each offence.

The amending regulation coming into force on the 11th August 2009 is The Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) (Amendment) Regulations 2009.

The Eastern Himalayas has been found to harbour a treasure trove of biological diversity which is now threatened by climate change, a report by WWF reveals.

The report, The Eastern Himalayas- Where Worlds Collide, describes more than 350 new species discovered in the last decade including 244 plants, 16 amphibians, 16 reptiles, 14 fish, 2 birds, 2 mammals and at least 60 new invertebrates.

Mark Wright, WWF’s conservation science advisor said: “These exciting finds reinforce just how little we now about the world around us. In the Eastern Himalayas we have a region of extraordinary beauty and with some of the most biologically rich areas on the planet. Ironically, it is also one of the regions most at risk from climate change, as evidenced by the rapid retreat of the glaciers, and only time will tell how well species will be able to adapt – if at all.”

Among the discoveries are a bright green frog (Rhacophorus suffry) which uses its red and long webbed feet to glide in the air, and the miniature muntjac, also called the “leaf deer”, which is the world’s oldest and smallest deer species. Scientists initially believed the small creature found in the world’s largest mountain range, was a juvenile of another species but DNA tests confirmed the light brown animal with dark eyes was a distinct and new species.

Although no longer alive today, the 100 million-year-old gecko (Cretaceogekko burmae), the oldest fossil gecko species known to science, was discovered in an amber mine excavated in the Hukawng Valley in the far north on Myanmar.

The discoveries were made in a region spanning Bhutan and north-eastern India to the far north of Myanmar (Burma) as well as Nepal and southern parts of Tibet Autonomous Region (China).

The region harbours a staggering 10,000 plant species, 300 mammal species, 977 bird species, 176 reptiles, 105 amphibians and 269 types of freshwater fish. The region also has the highest density of the Bengal tiger and is the last bastion of the charismatic greater one-horned rhino.

This hotspot of biological diversity is of global importance but also highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

WWF has launched the Climate for Life campaign to bring the plight of the Himalayas to the attention of the world and is working with local communities to help them cope with the impacts of climate change, however significant action has to be taken by developed countries.

This is why WWF are calling on governments attending the climate change talks in Copenhagen this December to commit to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by industrialised countries of 40% by 2020 (compared to 1990 levels).

Mark Wright added: “There is no room for compromise on this issue; without these cuts the Himalayas face a precarious future – impacting both the unique wildlife and the 20% of humanity who rely on the river systems that arise in these mountains”.

-ends-

Notes to Editors:

The report can be downloaded at the following address: http://www.divshare.com/download/8102140-6fa

Pictures can be downloaded at the following address (Password: flying frog): https://intranet.panda.org/wwf_photos/index.cfm?albumId=3346

For more information on Climate for Life go to: www.climate4life.org

Because the region sits at the biogeographical crossroads of two continental plates, it contains an incredible wealth of biodiversity from both worlds. The Indo-Malayan Realm in the lowlands of the Eastern Himalayas is home to Asian elephants, clouded leopards, water buffalo, gaur, hornbills, cobras and geckos. The elevated Palearctic Realm to the north includes the snow leopard, red pandas, black bears, wolves, and a diverse assemblage of alpine ungulates, like takins, tahrs and blue sheep.

Importantly, the region comprises several priority landscapes for the Bengal tiger, Asia’s largest carnivore, with the densest population of Bengal tigers in the world. The forests and grasslands along the base of the Eastern Himalayas are also the last bastion for the charismatic greater one-horned rhino, which once enjoyed a range spanning the entire length of the Himalaya foothills, from Pakistan to Myanmar but are now restricted to a few corners of India, Bhutan and Nepal.

Only 25% of the original habitats in the region remain intact and 163 species that live in the Eastern Himalayas are considered globally threatened.

Despite protection efforts, in the last half-century, this area of South Asia has faced a wave of pressures as a result of human population growth and the increasing demand for commodities by global and regional markets. The host of threats include forest destruction from unsustainable and illegal logging, agriculture, uncontrolled fuel wood collection, overgrazing by domestic livestock, illegal poaching and wildlife trade, hydropower development, and infrastructure. The region is also among the most vulnerable to global climate change, which will exacerbate the impacts of these threats.

A group of major international businesses today announced a firm commitment to cutting their flights by one-fifth, over the next five years.

Founder members of WWF’s ‘One in Five Challenge’, which launched today, include Marks & Spencer, Premiere Global, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Vodafone UK and Capgemini. The guided programme aims to help businesses cut twenty percent of their flights by 2014.
 
“There is a very real appetite among big businesses to reduce the number of flights they take,” said David Nussbaum, Chief Executive of WWF-UK. “In a WWF survey, 89 per cent of FTSE 350 companies stated that they expect to cut business flights significantly in the coming decade and today’s launch confirms that the UK’s more forward-thinking companies are already taking the first steps to turn those good intentions into a reality.”
 
The independently audited scheme encourages businesses to seek greener alternatives to flying, from video conferencing to train travel, sets yearly flight reduction targets and helps companies to get their staff engaged with the project. And by providing a clear annual evaluation of the money and carbon saved by taking part in the One in Five Challenge, the programme also hopes to demonstrate that companies can remain competitive while cutting their carbon emissions.
 
Theresa Villiers, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, who spoke at the launch said:
 
“If we are serious about tackling climate change, it is essential that businesses work together to start a dramatic shift to low-carbon travel, including more extensive use of realistic alternatives to flying. That is why I welcome WWF’s ambitious One in Five Challenge, which aims to do just that – challenge and support businesses in reducing the amount of flying they ask their staff to do and cutting their carbon impact on the planet.”
 
- ends -
 
For further information, please contact:
Jo Sargent, Senior Press Officer, WWF-UK
Tel: 01483 412 375, Mob: 07867 697 519, Email: jsargent@wwf.org.uk
 
Editor’s notes
 
James Robey, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Capgemini UK:
“Capgemini is delighted to be a founding member of the WWF 1 in 5 Challenge. The Challenge perfectly complements our target to reduce carbon from business travel by 30% by 2014, and also provides a powerful way of engaging with our people and our customers.”
 
Campbell Gemmell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), said: “What I like about the WWF challenge is its ambition. By signing up we want to show that not only are we aware of our environmental footprint, we are actively seeking to reduce it. I’m delighted that we have signed up to the WWF 1 in 5 Challenge. As Scotland’s environmental watchdog we must and want to set a good example, but it’s not always easy! Our offices have a wide geographic spread across Scotland and we only own a few of them. Our staff also need to travel, often to inaccessible places to do their jobs. We have already made big reductions in our air travel within mainland Britain using quite simple measures like making more use of trains and of phone and video conferencing. We will continue to embrace new ideas and technologies that enable us (and others) to reduce climate damaging CO2 emissions.
 
Nicki Woodhead, Head of Corporate Responsibility, Vodafone UK said: “We are pleased to be a Founder Member of WWF’s One in Five Challenge. Vodafone UK is getting involved today because there is a real opportunity for everyone, including employees of small and large companies to reduce their impact on the environment through mobile working. We have a range of solutions including mobile internet and mobile broadband which have major social, environmental and financial benefits for individuals and businesses.”
 
Mike Barry, Head of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer said: “One of our key commitments under Plan A is to reduce the carbon footprint of our business travel. We are pleased to be associated with WWF as part of our broader partnership as we believe that the One in Five campaign enables us to set targets within our business that will not only reduce our footprint, but will help us to save money.”
 
John Stone, Managing Director, Europe – Premiere Global Services: “Premiere Global Services are delighted to have joined the WWF’s One in Five Challenge as one of its founding members. The primary objective of WWF’s One in Five Challenge is to work with companies to help reduce their business flights and in turn reduce their carbon footprint. This aligns with Premiere Global’s objective of providing our customers with alternative solutions – such as audio and web conferencing – to otherwise costly and environmentally harmful business travel. This objective also supports the WWF’s message that flying less doesn’t have to impact business productivity and our technology ensures companies can still connect, collaborate and do business globally, even if they are not travelling to do so.”
 
Gordon Baker, Chairman, JMP Consultants Ltd, auditors of the One in Five Scheme, said:
“We have worked with WWF-UK to design a challenge that creates the business case for change. The benefits of changing travel policies and behaviours is not always clear; either from a financial or carbon perspective. The one in five reporting process changes this and helps
businesses account for the total cost of travel. Companies succeeding in the challenge will not only demonstrate their carbon credentials to consumers and suppliers, but also show that a reduction in business flights improves business operations and the bottom line. Low carbon travel and alternatives are now a positive proposition for successful business”
 
Claude Sassoulas, Managing Director, Global Data Solutions – Europe, Tata Communications, who donated the use of its public Telepresence room in London said: “It’s great to support the launch of such a forward-thinking campaign and to demonstrate how Tata Communications has made Telepresence more accessible to enterprises around the world.”
 
Phil Smith, CEO, Cisco UK and Ireland, who donated the use of their telepresence suite in Scotland, said: “Cisco provides technology and infrastructure that can transform the ways businesses communicate, bringing people together wherever they are in the world, reducing travel and cutting their output of greenhouse gases. TelePresence is one such technology that enables businesses to collaborate and communicate as if they were in the same room, but are actually miles apart.”

In reaction to today’s report from the Government, regarding the role of Carbon Markets in tackling climate change, Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF-UK said:

“if we are to head off disastrous climate change, developed countries such as the UK need to make emissions cuts of 40% by 2020. Crucially, the rich world must also help developing countries to curb the growth in their emissions at the same time.”

“The problem with carbon offsetting is that at best it robs Peter to pay Paul – with no net benefit for the planet. The UK government is now claiming that its vision for the carbon markets goes “beyond offsetting”. This is welcome – but not if it simply shifts our own responsibility onto the shoulders of developing countries.”

“Overall, there needs to be a huge reality check – today’s report shows that the rich world is currently proposing to cut emissions by just 7-9% by 2020, less than a quarter of what is needed. And at the same time, rich countries are failing to offer clear financial support to help the poorer countries cope with climate change.”

-Ends-

For further information please contact:

Jo Sargent, Senior Press Officer, WWF-UK

email: jsargent@wwf.org.uk, tel: 07867 697 519

Despite a strong push by the group’s Secretary General, the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) climate committee has made little progress this week on developing measures to reduce GHG emissions from shipping.

A two-year work plan to develop ‘Market-Based Instruments’ – either a fuel levy or an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) – was watered down, after pressure from China, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, and European supporters of the scheme showed little appetite to fight for a more ambitious plan.

Twelve years after the Kyoto Protocol handed responsibility to IMO to address emissions from international shipping, the Organisation still has not adopted one single binding measure to do so. Global measures to reduce emissions, in the form of a levy or an ETS, have now been identified, but any decision to adopt either process will not be taken before 2012 at the earliest and could take a further 5-10 years to enter into force, so in practice it could be 2020 before the measure takes effect. By that time, shipping’s share of CO2 , if left unchecked, will have potentially doubled and could represent up to 6% of global CO2 emissions.

The meeting saw the conclusion of several years’ work on developing energy efficiency indices for the design of new vessels and the operation of existing ones, which could be used as very effective tools to make shipping more energy efficient. However, so far the IMO only intends to use these indices in voluntary trials. Any discussion this week of whether to make the measures mandatory was ruled out even before the meeting started.

This raises serious questions as to whether the Copenhagen process should reconfirm the IMO’s responsibility for shipping-related climate issues, and the organisation’s continued anchor-dragging also highlights the need for the EU to progress its own work on a regional European shipping scheme, similar to its policy on aviation.

“The IMO has failed to deliver the results required for Copenhagen. The majority has succumbed to the blocking tactics of a small minority. They clearly have not seized the urgency of the issue; UNFCCC now needs to act”, said Bill Hemmings of T&E

“The IMO has reached the point it should have attained 5 to 10 years ago, and continuing dissent suggests pitfalls remain that could delay the process even further” says John Maggs of Seas At Risk

“The energy efficiency measures are a welcome development, but on their own they will not achieve the Greenhouse gas emission reductions needed. And they won’t achieve anything at all, unless they are mandatory, with an increased reduction of permitted emissions over time, so that the industry is forced to build and sail ever-cleaner ships,” said Pete Lockley, Head of Transport Policy at WWF-UK.

“The IMO GHG Study 2009 makes it clear that the industry could do its part to reduce emissions by at least 20% by 2020, without expense, so there is no reason for IMO decisions to be delayed another three years or more” added Jackie Savitz of Oceana.

“The IMO’s reluctance to engage critical issues continues a disturbing trend over the 12 year period in which the organisation has dealt with this charge” said John Kaltenstein, Clean Vessels programme manager of Friends of the Earth US.

For further information please contact:

Jo Sargent, Senior Press Officer, WWK-UK

Mob: 07867 697 519, e-mail: jsargent@wwf.org.uk

In response to the Government’s release of its White Paper on Energy and Climate Change, Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF-UK said:

“It’s great that the Government is now taking steps to ramp up delivery of clean, renewable energy within the UK. This is possibly the first time a UK Government has shown it is serious about this issue. The Climate Change Act was a world-first, and today’s White Paper at last shows us how the nuts and bolts of it will really work. An efficient, green energy future will create jobs and new industries, and massively reduce our reliance on costly and volatile fossil fuel imports.”

On Energy Efficiency in Homes:

“The installation of green energy measures in the home can ultimately reduce energy bills, so we welcome the new Pay as You Save scheme that will remove the upfront cost barrier for many homeowners. However there still remains a disappointing lack of clarity on how the scheme will be rolled out fast enough to the 26 million homes in the UK,”

“The Government needs to roll out Pay as You Save immediately if it is serious about meeting its carbon budgets. Neither homeowners nor the environment can afford an endless round of trials and consultations. We must have definitive targets for reducing emissions from our existing stock supported by a range of carrots and sticks to help us get there.”

On the UK emissions reduction target:

“Despite positive steps in some areas, the Government is still not pushing hard enough in others. The UK needs to show leadership by planning for success in Copenhagen, by setting out a clear aim to meet or better the Climate Change Committee’s recommended 42 per cent cut in emissions now, instead of scraping by with 34 per cent, a figure at the bottom of the EU’s proposed emissions cuts.”

On decarbonisation of the power sector:

“The Climate Change Committee has made it quite clear that the power sector – currently the UK’s single biggest polluter – needs to be decarbonised by 2030. We welcome the Government taking reserve powers over the Grid, the new duty on Ofgem, and the widening of the options on the Severn Barrage.

“Unfortunately, the Government has failed to provide the incentives that will make investors turn away from traditional power sources like unabated coal and move towards low carbon, green energy.”

ends

Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud will today build a compelling case for the Government to kick-start a nationwide green refurbishment programme for our homes. As Ministers prepare to publish their plans for reducing the UK’s carbon emissions in the Energy and Climate Change White Paper, Kevin will join MPs and homeowners in urging the Government to unlock the potential energy savings contained within the UK’s 26 million existing homes. Tackling our poorly insulated, inefficient housing stock, has the potential to reduce homeowners energy bills.

The Grand Designs Great British Refurb Campaign, led by Kevin McCloud, has gained the support of thousands of homeowners across the country who want Government support to make their homes more energy efficient. Kevin will personally deliver this message to the Government by building and insulating his own ‘home’ outside the Houses of Parliament.

 It is estimated that by retrofitting our existing housing stock, nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide could be saved – the equivalent to the average CO2 output of over 1.5 million homes per year. The market for green refurbishment and improvement could be worth between £3.5 billion and £6.5 billion per year and thousands of new jobs could be created.  Britons could save on average £300 a year on household bills by being more energy efficient and improving heating and insulation in the home

 Kevin McCloud, who launched the Great British Refurb Campaign in April this year, said:

“As homeowners, we need look no further than our own four walls to find a way to reduce carbon emissions, save money on our energy bills, and create jobs in our communities. If the Government is serious about tackling climate change, help must be given to homeowners on every street in Britain to green their homes.”

 The Great British Refurb Campaign is supported by the Energy Saving Trust, Grand Designs magazine, UK Green Building Council, and WWF-UK. Thousands of homeowners have already added their name to a petition calling upon the Prime Minister to make it easier, more affordable, and more attractive to go green at home. This petition will be delivered to No 10 Downing Street later this week and is well timed to coincide with the Government’s latest announcement on reducing the UK’s energy demands.

 The Energy and Climate Change White Paper is to be published this week and follows the Government’s Heat and Energy Saving Consultation earlier this year. The paper is expected to include new plans to reduce energy consumption, and meet the UK’s renewable energy targets by 2020.

 McCloud adds: “We urgently need a plan of action to deliver on our climate change targets. A nationwide programme of green refurbishment is an ideal solution, creating a major reduction in carbon emissions and providing a boost to the economy through the creation of green collar jobs in our communities. But in order to achieve this the Government must first remove the cost barrier and make it a tangible solution for the nation’s homeowners.”

 The Great British Refurb Campaign is calling upon the Government to:

 Offer households new ways to pay for green refurbishment, which would significantly reduce upfront costs and instead spread them over a longer period of time.
Provide better financial incentives for householders to refurbish their homes to make them greener and more energy efficient, through substantial government grants, subsidies or tax rebates.
Ensure installers are qualified and approved to undertake the work.
- ends -

 Editor’s notes

The Grand Designs Great British Refurb Campaign is still collecting names on its petition. To add your name to the petition visit www.greatbritishrefurb.co.uk.

 Kevin’s house has been put together by Parity Projects and the insulation is provided by campaign sponsors Knauf Insulation.

 In their report Building a greener Britain, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) estimates that the market for green refurbishment and improvement could be worth between £3.5 billion and £6.5 billion per year. Thus, such a programme of retrofit will help insulate the UK from future economic difficulties by placing the UK at the forefront of developments for greener buildings.

 The recommendations from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) in the carbon budgets to 2022 have identified that 9 million tonnes of CO2 (MtCO2) or 2.4 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) can be saved through the retrofitting the existing housing stock with low and zero carbon technologies.

 It is estimated that a typical household could save on average £300 per year from the installation of energy saving measures and by changing behaviour with regard to the use of energy.  This estimate is based on Energy Saving Trust research as well as data provided by sources such as Defra’s Market Transformation Programme and the Building Research Establishment.

 Statistics from the Energy Saving Trust:

Nearly a quarter of all UK homes (an estimated 6.3 million homes) still need cavity wall insulation, and nearly half of all UK homes need more loft insulation. Insulating these would save nearly 7 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2 a year. That’s the equivalent of having more than 2 million fewer cars on the UK’s roads.

 There are an estimated 7 million un-insulated solid walls. If all these walls were dealt with, around 11 million tonnes of CO2 would be saved. That’s the equivalent of having 3.5 million fewer cars on the UK’s roads, and would save the same amount of CO2 as is currently produced by two million households – around 8 per cent of all UK homes, or nearly two thirds of all the homes in London.

 The Energy Saving Trust estimates that 9,000 jobs could be created through insulating all empty cavity walls and all under-insulated lofts between now and 2015 (2,000 from insulating all cavity walls, and 7,000 from insulating all under-insulated lofts).

 A further 7,000 jobs a year could be created between now and 2020 by insulating 10 per cent of solid walls, and 10,000 jobs a year between now and 2020 from installing 2 million domestic micro-generation units.

 For further information, please contact:

Debbie Chapman, Senior Press Officer, tel: 01483 412397, 07771 818685 email: dchapman@wwf.org.uk
 

WWF has welcomed the statement today by the World Bank that experimenting with tiger farming is too risky and could drive wild tigers further toward extinction.

The World Bank’s call for countries to ban tiger farming was made at the 58th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Standing Committee in Geneva. It was endorsed by WWF because of the uncertainty surrounding the effects on long-term conservation of wild tigers.

“Extinction is irreversible, so prudence and precaution suggest that the risks of legalized farming are too great a gamble for the world to take,” said World Bank Director Keshav Varma. “We cannot know for sure if tiger farming will work.”

Varma, who leads the World Bank’s Global Tiger Initiative, said after the meeting that the unpredictability of the market environment and the small number of remaining tigers in the wild meant there was no room for experimentation. He added: “Commercial trading in tiger parts and its derivatives is not in the interest of wild tiger conservation.”

Tiger trade is prohibited internationally and banned domestically in all of its range countries, including China – historically the largest market for tiger products.

However, owners of privately run tiger farms and a contingent of wealthy business men across China have been pressuring the Chinese government to allow legal trade in tiger parts within China and lift its domestic tiger trade ban, implemented in 1993.

Heather Sohl, WWF species policy officer said: “Stopping all trade in tiger parts, and phasing out these tiger farms, is of the utmost urgency if the tiger is to survive in the wild”.

“It is time for the world community to join together, with tiger range state governments, to stop all poaching of tigers for illegal trade and WWF welcomes the engagement of the World Bank in these efforts”.

The World Bank statement said that “having carefully weighed the economic arguments we urge the CITES community to uphold the ban on wild tiger products and for all countries to continue to ban the domestic trade of wild tigers”.

“We also call upon the international community at large to join efforts in providing the necessary technical and other support to the respective countries in phasing out tiger farming. This is the only safe way to ensure that wild tigers may have a future tomorrow.”