Blue & Green Daily: Wednesday 22 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.

Carbon politics: seeking simple solutions to the climate crisis

A fire sale of East Coast rail operator is uneconomic and undemocratic

Malaysian minister: sustainable tourism key for wellbeing of future generations

MPs: energy firms showing ‘utter complacency’ over Christmas powercuts

Demand for sustainable, responsible and ethical financial advice rises to 76%

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January 22 headlines

Row simmers over EU’s 2030 carbon targets hours before deadline

A row was still simmering within the European commission over landmark targets for greenhouse gases, hour before they were due to be published. The row has partly been generated by the UK Liberal Democrats’ U-turn on renewable energy and jeopardises international negotiations on climate change. Guardian.

Flood funds gap ‘puts 250,000 home at risk’

A quarter of a million more homes are expected to face significant flooding by 2035 because of a shortfall in funding, an independent committee says. A report says spending plans are £500 million lower over 25 years than the Environment Agency believes are needed. BBC.

Church of England pension scheme ‘is the riskiest in the country’, expert claims

The pension scheme for Church of England clergy is “the riskiest in the country”, according to a leading expert. He said the scheme is heavily exposed to risky investments and accused it of not being open about its deficit. Telegraph.

Green policies to drive £200 rise in energy bills this decade, supplier claims

Npower is claiming that energy bills will rise by more than £200 by 2020 unless household cut usage by insulating their homes and becoming more energy efficient. The energy firm added the increase would be driven by the cost of government green policies. Telegraph.

Drax campaigners have convictions quashed as authorities failed to reveal an undercover policeman had driven them to environmental protest

Some 29 campaigners have had their convictions for amusing a train in 2008 quashes because authorities kept it secret that an undercover policeman had driven them to the environmental protest. The train was taking fuel to Drax, in North Yorkshire, the largest coal-fired power station in Europe. Independent.

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Interesting picks

High energy prices hold Europe back – Financial Times

Are you opposed to fracking? Then you might just be a terrorist – Guardian

Oil: Saviour or curse for South Sudan – Independent

The challenges of setting up a social investment fund – Guardian

Rajiv Shah and Tony Blair on Impact Investing – Forbes