Blue & Green Daily: Monday 27 January 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 over the weekend.

Are these the world’s ‘most’ sustainable companies?

How fruit and veg auctions are putting ‘real food’ on tables every day

Cornwall and Plymouth welcome marine renewable energy investments

UNEP: area ‘size of Brazil’ under threat from unsustainable land use

Gazprom and Gap named and shamed with Public Eye Awards

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27 January headlines

Fracking firms ‘should pay £6bn a year tax to compensate for climate change’

Frackers operating in Britain should be paying £6 billion a year in taxes by the middle of the 2020s to compensate for the damage wreaked on the environment, according to a study from the Cambridge University. The report argues that fracking contributes to climate change in two ways – from carbon emissions when the gas is burned and fugitive emissions. Guardian.

Davey to back energy industry calls for tougher regulation of North Sea

Plans to boost North Sea oil and gas production, which experts say could generate at least £200 billion for the UK economy, are set to be adopted by the energy secretary. Ed Davey is also expected to back demands from the industry for a much tougher regulatory regime in the area. Financial Times.

Climate scepticism blamed as Owen Paterson slashes spending on global warming

Owen Paterson has been accused of “incredible complacency” over climate change after new figures showed his department has slashed spending on helping Britain cope with global warming. Just £17.2 million will be spent on domestic “climate change initiatives” this financial year, a 41% decline on the previous year. Independent.

Al Gore: ‘extreme weather has made people wake up to climate change’

Extreme weather events including typhoon Haiyan and superstorm Sandy are proving a “gamechanger” for public awareness of the threat posed by climate change, according to Al Gore. He added that the falling price of solar and wind power gave hope for efforts to tackle climate change. Guardian.

Carney switches Bank of England focus to conduct risks

The Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney has told a group of senior bankers that dealing with the legacy of past wrongdoings is becoming the most pressing issue for the industry. It follows Carney warning that financial institutions must not see fines as “a cost of doing business” and that only “exemplary behaviour” would restore trust in the industry. Telegraph.

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Interesting picks

Is shale gas greener? – Guardian

Make solar pay while the sun shines – Telegraph

Five questions on: energy saving week – Independent

Ethics are both profitable and legal, consultant argues – Financial News

A suggestion for Burberry’s next line: toxin-free fashion – Guardian