Press Centre

Tuna talks flounder as Fisheries Managers meet in Spain

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:06:47 GMT

After a week of discussions on the huge problems facing the tuna industry, countries attending the second joint meeting of tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) in Spain have failed once again to take any action to solve the threats facing the world's favourite fish.

Nuclear Power: An Expensive Waste of Time

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:50:30 GMT

The nuclear industry is using the issue of climate change and energy security as a means to win political and financial support for its dirty and dying industry. Even a massive, four-fold expansion of nuclear power by 2050 would provide only marginal reductions (4%) in greenhouse gas emissions, when we need global emissions to peak at 2015, cuts of 40% by 2020 and to drop by at least 80% by 2050.

Why the G8 needs to finance Developing Country climate action

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:41:28 GMT

A deal in Copenhagen will not be possible unless developed countries follow through on their commitments to support emission reductions and climate change adaptation in developing countries.

Averting Catastrophic Climate Change: Staying Below 2°C

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Avoiding the most catastrophic impacts of climate change demands that global temperature increase is kept as far below 2°C as possible. This is still possible, but time is running out and we are in danger of overshooting.

To stay within this limit, global greenhouse gas emissions will need to peak by 2015 and decline rapidly, reaching as close to zero as possible by mid-century.

Powering G8 Job Creation

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Creating jobs while protecting the climate

G8 leaders at L’Aquila have the opportunity to stimulate economic recovery while lowering carbon emissions through investing in green jobs. Greenpeace’s newest research shows this shift will create 1 million more jobs in renewable energy by 2020 – 460,000 more than would be created by continuing with conventional power, and will cut power-related CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030.

Zapatero Fails to be a Climate Leader

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:46:53 GMT

Greenpeace deplores President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's decision to extend the operating life of the dangerous nuclear plant Garoña (Burgos province) for four more years till 2013.

Greenpeace orders technologically advanced Rainbow Warrior III

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Greenpeace International Executive Director Gerd Leipold today signed a contract with the Fassmer Shipyard for construction of the Rainbow Warrior III. The sailing ship, which is to be completed in time for Greenpeace's 40th anniversary in 2011, will include the very latest in green technology, making it ideal for use in Greenpeace's campaign to avert catastrophic climate change.

The G8 Climate Action Checklist

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The 2009 G8 in L'Aquila, Italy, must at a minimum commit to every demand on this list regarding emissions cuts and on finance for developing countries to adapt to and take action on climate change and to fund forest protection, if the summit is to be considered a success.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Acer, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:43 GMT

Acer moves up the ranking from 11th to 9th place, with an increased score of 4.9 points, gained for putting on the market 16 models of monitor with many parts that are almost free of PVC vinyl plastic and brominated flame retardants (BFRs), except for the power cord. At the last ranking, the company was not penalised for backtracking on its commitment to eliminate PVC and BFRs in all products by the end of 2009 as internal communication with Acer revealed that it believes that it can still meet this commitment. Acer now needs to transition its PCs to using no BFRs or PVC.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Apple, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:38 GMT

Apple's score remains at 4.7 points but it drops one position in this edition of the ranking to 9th place. All Apple products are now free of PVC and BFRs with the exception of PVC-free power cords which are in the process of being certified. But Apple fails to score top marks on this criterion because it uses unreasonably high threshold limits for BFRs and PVC in products that are allegedly PVC-/BFR-free. The company needs to be commended for running a bold advertising campaign highlighting the green credentials of its MacBooks. Apple still needs to commit to phasing out additional substances with timelines, improve its policy on chemicals and its reporting on chemicals management.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Dell, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:33 GMT

Dell stays in 13th position, with a slightly improved score of 3.9 points, up from 3.7 points in v.11. Dell’s score has plummeted due to the penalty point imposed for backtracking on its commitment to eliminate PVC and BFRs in all its products by the end of 2009. Dell no longer has a timeline for eliminating these nasty substances which means there is no commitment to phase them out entirely.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Fujitsu, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:28 GMT

Fujitsu debuts the scorecard in penultimate (17th) position with a score of 2.4, above Nintendo and just below Lenovo on 2.5. Fujitsu scores most points on energy for: supporting global cuts and need for emissions to peak by 2020 (not 2015); reporting verified greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations and for reporting of the energy efficiency of its notebook and desktop PCs, albeit inadequate. Fujitsu has no commitment to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions and reports on renewable energy use only in Europe, which is at least 15% of purchased electricity in 2007.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Hewlett Packard (HP), June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:24 GMT

HP moves up the ranking from penultimate (16th) to 14th place, weighed down by a penalty point imposed for backtracking on its commitment to eliminate PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in computing products by end of 2009. In a call with Greenpeace in February 2009, the company admitted that it would be unable to meet its commitment. There is now a new timeline of 2011 but it is unclear if this is the start or end of 2011. In addition, HP has no products on the market free of these toxic substances.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Lenovo, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:21 GMT

Lenovo drops from 14th to 16th position with its score down from 3.1 to 2.5 points, encumbered by a penalty point imposed for backtracking on its commitment to eliminate PVC and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in all its products by the end of 2009. Lenovo’s new timeline for meeting this commitment of end of 2010 is to be dropped and there is no new timeline.

Guide to Greener Electronics - LG, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:17 GMT

LG Electronics moves up to 4th place from 6th with a slightly improved score of 5.7. It lost points in the last edition of the scorecard for backtracking on its commitment to have all its products free of PVC and BFRs by the end of 2010. Now only mobile phones (no longer mobile products) will be free of these toxic substances from 2010; the timeline for eliminating them in TVs and monitors has been delayed until 2012. BFRs are still to be eliminated in other product lines like washing machines, but no timeline is given. PVC will be totally banned from use in household appliance models by 2014. LGE has launched new models of mobile phones with halogen-free housings, packaging and main printed wiring board. European LCD TVs are produced with halogen free housing, wiring and integrated circuit drive. It provides a timeline of 2012 for eliminating phthalates and antimony – but only in new models of mobile phones (no longer all mobile products) and TVs.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Microsoft, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:13 GMT

Microsoft stays in 15th position but its score drops from 2.7 to 2.5 points, as it loses a point for failing to provide explicit support for Individual Producer Responsibility. On other e-waste criteria, Microsoft fails to score any points.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Motorola, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:29:10 GMT

Motorola moves up to 6th position from 8th place, with an increased score of 5.5 points, which it gains by reporting that 15% of the energy it purchases is from renewable sources, with a goal is to increase this to 20% by 2010 and 30% by 2020. Motorola scores points on all the energy criteria, bar support for strict global and industrialised country cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. It scores maximum points on the energy efficiency of its products, reporting that from 1 November 2008, all newly designed Motorola mobile phone chargers meet and exceed by 67% the new Energy Star v.2.0 requirements for standby/no-load modes. Motorola also discloses greenhouse gas emissions, although it fails to publish its third party verification certificate of CO2 equivalent emissions, and commits to cuts of 6% in its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 2010, compared with 2000.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Nintendo, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:28:07 GMT

Nintendo remains in last place but with an increased score of 1 out of 10, up from 0.8 points in v.11, for putting on the market games consoles whose internal wiring is PVC-free. The company has banned phthalates and is monitoring use of antimony and beryllium and although it is endeavouring to eliminate the use of PVC, it has not set a timeline for its phase out.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Panasonic, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:27:57 GMT

Panasonic moves up from 12th to 10th place with an increased score of 4.9 points, up from 4.3. It now scores top marks for reporting to the latest Energy Star energy efficiency standards for external power supplies and TVs. All new models of TVs meet the latest ES requirement, with 100% exceeding the standby mode requirement by 70% or more.

Guide to Greener Electronics - Philips, June 2009

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:27:52 GMT

Philips falls from 4th to 7th place with a slightly reduced score of 5.3 points. Philips now supports IPR and is committed to actively work towards developing IPR based recycling systems and their supporting financial mechanisms; it doesn’t score more points on this criterion yet, because it now has to put this commitment into practice. Philips also scores a point for its voluntary take-back pilots and for reporting on the recycling rate of the e-waste it collects in Europe and now needs to demonstrate its commitment to taking responsibility for its own e-waste by expanding its take-back programme and improving the information that its provides to its customers.