Blue & Green Daily: Wednesday 3 September round up

Today on Blue & Green Tomorrow, we covered the news that corruption in the developing world might be causing the death of 3.6 million people in extreme poverty.

We also learned the identity of two donors to the secretive, climate sceptic Global Warming Policy Foundation, and that fashion mogul Vivienne Westwood has invested £1 million into a renewable energy crowdfunding platform.

Agricultural PPPs may be keeping African farmers in poverty, Fairtrade warns

By prioritising profits over the needs of smallholder farmers, agricultural public-private partnerships (PPS) across Africa may be worsening poverty, the Fairtrade Foundation has warned. 

Two funders of Nigel Lawson’s climate sceptic thinktank named

Two funders of the controversial climate-sceptic thinktank the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF), which was set up in 2009 by Lord Lawson, have been revealed. Neil Record and Lord Nigel Vinson are the first funders of the secretive organisation to be confirmed. 

Help save Blue & Green Tomorrow today

We wanted to let you know that we’ve hit some serious financial headwinds over the last month and we are at risk of ceasing publishing Blue & Green Tomorrow, in its current form, by the end of September. 

Solar farm plans with eye on wildlife approved in Flintshire

A 180,000 panel solar farm development has gained planning permissions in Wales thanks to a commitment from the manufacturer to create a specialised habitat for birds and invertebrates. 

Ethical retailer of the week: Quinola Mothergrain

Quinola is a fairtrade and organic quinoa company that works with Peruvian farmers to supply high quality, ethical and sustainable stock to UK stores. 

Charities and businesses asked to submit ideas for Autumn Statement

Charities and businesses have been invited to tell the Treasury what they want from the chancellor’s upcoming Autumn Statement.

Corruption kills 3.6 million people worldwide and causes extreme poverty

New research has revealed the true cost of global corruption, suggesting $1 trillion (£600bn) is lost by the world’s poorest countries because of money laundering and tax evasion, causing the death of 3.6 million people in extreme poverty.

E.coli bacteria turned into renewable fuel

British and Finnish scientists have created renewable clean propane from the intestine bacterium Escherichia coli, paving the way for future research into alternatives fuels capable of replacing traditional and carbon-intensive sources of power. 

New responsible investment tool launched by Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters has launched a new set of indices that will measure environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices at European companies. They become the latest of several tools launched in recent years to aid responsible investors, as the sector moves into the mainstream. 

Vivienne Westwood invests £1m into renewable energy start-up Trillion Fund

Fashion mogul and environmental activist Vivienne Westwood has become a major shareholder in Trillion Fund, a renewable crowdfunding platform for wind and solar farms.

National Grid warns of possible winter power shortage

National Grid, the UK’s gas and electricity supplier and distributor, has called on energy firms to declare the amount of power reserves they can provide to cover peak winter times, as a precaution to avoid energy shortages during an “uncertain” season.

Smart energy meters: the smart revolution is coming

The roll-out of smart meters will empower customers and boost competition in the much-criticised energy market, writes Sacha Deshmukh, chief executive of Smart Energy GB. 

Household air pollution puts one-in-three at risk of early death

A report has found that a third of the world’s population use plant-based solid fuels, such as wood and charcoal, for cooking and heating, putting three billion people at risk of ill health due to dirty air in poorly ventilated homes.

Halliburton pays £1.1bn for Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Oil field service provider Halliburton has reached a $1.1 billion (£670m) agreement to settle claims made against the company for its part in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Extinction rate increased one thousand times during human era

The extinction rate of species around the world is now 1,000 times higher than it was before humans arrived on the scene, a new study has found. 

Photo: Sanja Gjenero via Free Images