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BAFTAThe British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is improving its industry carbon calculator to enable better reporting for television and film productions. BAFTA Albert Consortium, responsible for the industry carbon calculator, Albert, is partnering with non-financial reporting provider Greenstone to redevelop the calculator.  Building on the current use of the Albert tool, Greenstone will focus on enhancing the calculator's usability and analytical functionality.  According to the partnership, this will significantly improve the accuracy and ease of carbon reporting in the television and film industries.LANDFILLEdie.net reports that the UK could create 47,500 skilled jobs if it kept five key waste materials out of landfill, according to new research by think tank Green Alliance. New analysis by Green Alliance urges the Government to ban wood, textiles, electronics, food and plastics. It states that banning wood could create 3,200 jobs; banning textiles could create 6,600 jobs, banning electronics 9,500 jobs, food 12,100 jobs and plastics 16,100 jobs.  According to the report, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling creates new and valuable products. Selling these generates profit which supports skilled jobs. However ....... The wine and spirit industry has welcomed the Government's announcement that the glass recycling targets for businesses will be significantly lowered from autumn 2014.  This means that businesses handling over 50 tonnes of waste and with a turnover of more than £2m, which must comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations, will see a reduction in their costs.  The Government's decision is a recognition that the current target was too high and caused sharp price increases in the cost of glass Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) for businesses from 2012. The target will be lowered from 81% to 75% in autumn 2014, but will then increase by 1% each year to 2017. In the 2014 Budget the UK Chancellor announced that the standard and lower rates of landfill tax will increase in line with the retail price index rounded to the nearest five pence from 1 April 2015.'Russia Threat makes fracking our duty says Cameron' explains the UK's Prime Minister's latest tactic to shout down opponents of the controversial oil and gas extraction process that might cause earthquakes, pollute water supplies and ruin the environment.  Cameron says that post Ukraine, the UK and Europe needed to reduce dependency on Russian energy supplies and promote UK energy independence - no arguments there - but there ARE other sources of sustainable power! In Balcombe, the first UK Village threatened by fracking, residents are planning to install sufficient solar panels to make the village self sufficient in power: The cost will be £3 million which should be repaid over 20 years from the feed in tariff and residents are forming a co-operative to raise the money. £30,000 has already been raised and the first panels will be installed on a cow shed - and it all adds to Britain's energy security.bluefin-tunaThe EU Fisheries Council has announced that it is placing trade restrictions on Belize, Cambodia, and Guinea for failing to cooperate in fighting Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. It means EU member states are now required to ban the import of fish from Belize, Cambodia, and Guinea and ensure that EU fishing vessels do not operate in the waters of these nations.Sustainable economic growth can be accelerated by investing $30bn per year in tropical forest conservation, according to a new UN report. Edie.net report that the report by the International Resource Panel (IRP) and the UN Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD) programme outlines how integrating forest conservation into a Green Economy approach can conserve and even boost the economic and social benefits forests provide to human society.The UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) is investing £51m in a proposed new energy-from-waste plant in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. The new facility, the Willows Power & Recycling Centre, will provide a long-term waste treatment solution for Norfolk County Council.  It will process 170,000 tonnes of black bag waste from households across the county and 100,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste each year.World-Water-Day-shutterstockThe EU has decided to put off making a decision on the regions 2030 climate and energy policy package until October, angering environmental groups. Leaders of Member States convened in Brussels to discuss a 2030 40% carbon emissions reduction target, recommended by the European Commission.  State leaders also considered a binding target that would see 27% of energy generated from renewables and a non-binding target to improve energy efficiency by 25% across the 28 Member States.United Nations (UN) leaders have highlighted the risks associated with the growing relationship between water and energy in the run up to World Water Day. The UN's 2014 World Water Development report stresses the need for policies and regulatory frameworks that recognise and integrate approaches to water and energy priorities.  According to the report, roughly 75% of all industrial water withdrawals are used for energy production.

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