Tiempo Climate Newswatch

A survey of attitudes in the United Kingdom has revealed that the majority of the British public prefer the promotion of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures to the relaunch of a nuclear power programme. The study was undertaken by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and Ipsos MORI. "The survey findings suggest that, given the numbers of people who are opposed to the renewal of nuclear power, there remains considerable potential for conflict around this issue. Additionally, many of those who do accept new nuclear power for Britain do so only reluctantly, and only if renewables and other strategies are developed and used alongside," said project leader Nick Pidgeon from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, United Kingdom.

Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre reckons that claims that nuclear power can solve the problems of climate change are "simplistic". He believes that, as nuclear power stations reach the end of their lives, the United Kingdom could easily offset the loss of production through energy efficiency measures. "If you've got money to spend on tackling climate change then you don't spend it on supply. You spend it on reducing demand," he said. The survey results demonstrated a lack of faith in British democracy as 62 per cent believed that nuclear power stations will be built in the United Kingdom regardless of public attitudes.

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• edie
• Reuters
• Guardian
• Guardian

• Report summary, Tyndall Centre
• Report (0.3Mb download), Tyndall Centre

A new energy efficiency guide for industry in Asia has been published by the The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The guidebook includes case studies of energy solutions in over forty companies across nine countries. The companies, in the cement, chemicals, ceramics, pulp and paper, and steel sectors, reduced their carbon emissions by up to 85,000 tons a year by adopting energy efficiency measures. The Energy Efficiency Guide for Industry in Asia is available in English, Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, Sinhala, Thai and Vietnamese.

"This guide comes at a crucial time as studies show that Asia's energy use and related carbon dioxide emissions will rise by more than 50 per cent by 2030," said Surendra Shrestha, UNEP regional director for Asia and the Pacific. "Asian economies are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change." "Energy efficiency is vital because rising oil prices threaten Thailand's energy security and economic growth," commented Pravich Rattanapien, Thai Minister of Science and Technology. "Technological research can help companies to find new technologies that reduce energy consumption."

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• ENS

• Guide, GERIAP
• On the Web: Alternative energy

The United Nations World Food Programme faces a US$44 million shortfall for its work in East Africa. Without additional support, there may be no food to distribute in drought-affected areas by the end of February. Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti have been affected by severe drought with the year's crop lost. "It is imperative that the donor community step up to the plate and avert this impending food crisis affecting some of the world's Least Developed Countries (LDCs)," said Anwarul K. Chowdhury, the United Nations High Representative for LDCs, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. "For countries like Somalia, Djibouti, and Ethiopia... the situation is made even more precarious given the high levels of poverty."

The failure of the rains at the end of 2005 and long-term civil unrest means that close to 1.7 million people in Somalia are in need or urgent assistance, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. "The drought compounds what was already a dire humanitarian situation, and is affecting communities in areas beset by years of high malnutrition and morbidity rates, chronic food insecurity, clan fighting, and suffering from consecutive bad harvests," reported Maxwell Gaylard, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia.

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• UN
• Toronto Star
• NZZ Online

• UN
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• ENS