Indexing Sustainability Investing: Results of 2012/2013 DJSI Announced

Akzo Nobel is out front in the chemicals sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) World Index this year, replacing DSM, last year’s corresponding ‘supersector’ winner.

In the healthcare sector, Roche Holding was identified as a supersector leader, while Anglo American leads the mining industry in the DJSI.  A total of 340 companies were listed in the DJSI World Index by SAM, the Zurich-based investment company focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing, who last week jointly announced with leading global index provider Dow Jones Indexes the results of their 2012 DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment.

Guidance for Responsible Communications

European Bioplastics, the trade association for the European bioplastics industry, has published a guide for environmental communications about the false or misleading communication of environmental product properties.  

The brochure outlines general, ISO-compliant guidelines for environmental communications and provides recommendations on how to make credible claims for bioplastics such as biobased, biodegradable, compostable or CO₂ neutral.

Biking in Europe's Most Congested City

Source: Brussels Express

While some of us consider Brussels to be a pretty sustainable city and others find it cool to bike to work, it's still undeniable that Brussels is a heavily congested city.  In fact, it's the most congested city in Europe.  In his daring new documentary, Sander Vandenbroucke explores this weakness of the Heart of Europe, discusses the reasons behind the heavy traffic and argues why more biking could be a solution to a more friendly and less chaotic city.

Food crisis to see the back of biofuels?

Source: businessinsider.com

With prices of corn, wheat, soybean and other staples steadily rising, all three United Nations food agencies have this week issued a joint appeal calling for prompt action to avert a major global food crisis.

The heads of the World Food Program (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and International Fund for Agriculture Development warned in a statement that the sharp rise in food prices in recent months threatens to make life even more difficult for tens of millions of people in both less developed and Western countries.

World Water Week - Water and Food Security

Source: earthshare.org

Since 1991, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) has organised an annual World Water Week to put the spotlight on water topics.  This year’s World Water Week is being held this week under the theme ‘Water and Food Security’.

Wildfires and Drought: The Climate is Changing

Bédar, Spain on Sunday 26 August 2012

Bédar, Spain on Sunday 26 August 2012

This summer’s news coverage was again full of hundreds of wildfires around the world.  Spain, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Italy, Greece and many other countries faced again the catastrophe of wildfires.

Every year we face the same problem - summer and then wildfires.  Accidental wildfires, wildfires set by arsonists.  And the consequences are severe - forests are lost, flora and fauna become extinct, people lose their homes, their lives…

Is Brussels More Sustainable for an Athenian? A Personal View

After more than eight months here in Brussels, I have found out every day that it is a more sustainable city than Athens.  There was a hope that things would improve in Athens but unfortunately everything seems to be going backwards now...