Blue & Green Daily: Friday 2 May headlines

Blue & Green Daily finds and summarises the top sustainability stories around the web every morning. We start with our own picks from Blue & Green Tomorrow.

Lisa Nandy MP: saying goodbye to ‘antisocial’ business

Fossil fuel subsidies preventing transition to low-carbon economy

Greenpeace ship captain arrested in Arctic oil protest

Green deal fund offers £1,000 incentive for green home improvements

Build economy for the 21st century, social organisations tell chancellor

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2 May headlines

Owen Paterson defends ‘privatising’ UK environmental science agency

The UK environment secretary has defended government plans to seek a private investor for its environmental science agency. But the Labour party said that the lack of detail from Owen Paterson made the move look like a “secretive sell-off” and “anti-science”. Paterson claims the move will protect and enhance the agency’s capabilities in the long-term. Guardian.

Fossil fuel protesters bloackade offices at Harvard University

Students at Harvard University blockaded its administrative offices in support of their campaign to persuade the institution to sell the investments in fossil fuel companies held by its $33 billion endowment. The action is the latest round of a growing campaign for US universities and other institutions to divest from oil, gas and coal companies. Financial Times.

Russia says 2C climate goal shouldn’t dictate carbon pledge

Russia said the United Nations endorsed goal of keeping global temperatures from rising 2C should dictate countries’ emission limits in a new climate treaty. In a statement the country said the “only reasonable” method is for countries to make emission pledges according to economic development, natural and geographic characteristics. Bloomberg.

Cumbrian nuclear plant edges closer with £200m land lease deal

Japan’s Toshiba and partner GDF Suez are to pay more than £200 million to extend the right to build a new nuclear power station at Moorside in West Cumbria, the prime minister has announced. Toshiba signed a preliminary £102 million deal to buy a 60% stake in the NuGen nuclear venture in January, as Spain’s cash-strapped Iberdrola sells out of the project. Telegraph.

Canary Island first to be powered by just wind and water

The smallest of the Canary Islands will become the first island to be fully powered by wind and water when it opens a new wind farm this summer. Around 10,000 people live on El Hierro and when the wind plant is switched on it will take the strong winds that whip off the cliffs and mountains of the volcanic islands and power it. Independent.

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Interesting picks

Can tech deliver a sustainable future for Planet Earth? – BBC

Joseph Keefe: sustainable investing – Forbes

10 things you need to know about the global food system – Guardian

World Cup visitors can have their carbon footprint offset for free – Trust.net

Photo: Sanja gjenero via Freeimages