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394 out of the 406 local authorities in the UK  have recorded an increase in CO2 emissions between 2009 and 2010, according to statistics by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The statistics also showed that just 12 local authorities recorded a decrease in CO2 emissions during the period. This is the reverse of the result reported between 2008 and 2009, when emissions decreased in almost all local authorities, with only four authorities reporting increases.The European Union (EU) has announced that it will link its emissions trading system with Australia's emissions trading scheme, allowing businesses to use carbon units and comply under either system – no later than 2018!The Firefly Events team returned to Electric Picnic this year to help out our longstanding client Electric Ireland with an innovative new form of people-powered entertainment - along with a very special guest. The 'Dancergy' stage, hosted in the Electric Ireland Dance Arena, generates electricity from people dancing, which can then be used to power the sound and lights for the arena. To ensure there was enough juice for the party, Electric Ireland enlisted the help of Mr Motivator to keep everyone moving! The Firefly Events team expertly installed and set up a bank of Cygnus solar generators along with all the sound and lighting to make this a fun, interactive and very energetic corner of Electric Picnic 2012.O2 has renewed its mobile phone recycling contract with Redeem as it looks to widen its phone recovery service to corporate clients.As the Eire digital switchover approaches, Ireland is set to see television CRT waste rocket by more than 25% as people make the decision to upgrade or change their set. The estimations come from WEEE Ireland, the electrical and battery recycling scheme who say that 500,000 televisions were bought by Irish consumers in 2011 and the amount of television waste is set to rise.One man has died and thousands have been evacuated from homes and holiday sites as a massive wildfire approaches the Spanish resort of Marbella. Around 300 British expatriats are among those being moved, according to the Foreign Office. Spain's countryside has been left bone dry after a summer heatwave, leaving it particularly susceptible to fires.The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is calling for proposed clean energy solutions that target key emerging markets with a €4.1m (£3.2m) fund. REEEP is seeking proposals that will push clean energy solutions into long-term commercial solutions, as opposed to one-off pilot projects.   And the UK Government has launched a £16m fund for entrepreneurs to develop innovative ideas for reducing CO2 levels.  The aim of this funding is to speed up the development of low carbon technologies towards commercialisation, helping cut carbon in the UK, supporting jobs and creating export opportunities.  The fund is being split into two, with £10m available to support energy efficiency technologies such as building control systems, advanced lighting systems, and space heating and cooling technologies. Power generation and energy storage technologies including fuel cells, biomass boilers and heat pumps will take up the remaining £6m. More on edie.net here http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?src=nl&id=23085 and here http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?src=nl&id=23075The annual meeting of Vedanta Resources needed a police presence to handle the scores of campaigners who turned out to protest about the group's environmental and human rights practices.The University of Salford will take part in a European project to reduce an estimated 35% of the continent's carbon emissions that come from buildings. The project, called SEEDS, is being developed by the European consortium which is working in collaboration with the ICT, construction and energy sectors. It will focus on new and existing buildings, and aims to optimise the energy consumption of buildings by using wireless technology and data mining.At least one man is believed dead as Tropical Storm Isaac spun tornadoes across Mississippi and Alabama on Thursday, causing flooding across the states, but New Orleans' flood defences appear to be holding firm.