The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research says it is well advanced with a study of the likely costs to the New Zealand economy of the Emissions Trading Scheme on which the Finance and Expenditure Committee is hearing submissions.

A compact washing machine that uses nuts that grow on trees rather than laundry detergent; a device that turns plastic shopping bags into compost; and a detergent-free compact dishwasher that uses the cleaning power of water alone are the products emerging from Electrolux’s Design Lab competition.

The Going Green Expo 2008 will provide businesses and consumers with the opportunity to explore a wide range of ‘green’ consumables, commercial products and technologies which offer a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to life in the workplace and at home.

In what is being touted as an historical alliance, the heads of the Australian Coal Association (ACA), Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU), The Climate Institute (CI) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have called on the federal government to establish a national carbon capture and storage taskforce to combat climate change.

An Australian national survey assessing the impact of the skills shortage on the operations of water utilities has identified that the industry is facing an 8600 employee shortfall by 2017 at a time of increasing infrastructure development.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has called on Environment Ministers to reject calls for a national container deposit system ahead of discussions at the Environment Protection and Heritage Council meeting in Melbourne.

A preview of Australia's best knowledge for saving money and water in the pastoral industry will be unveiled at the Beltana Field Day in South Australia, 23 April 2008.

After reviewing the profiles of last year’s exhibitors and visitors, Eco Expo Asia returns in 2008 with four new highlights: Air Quality, Eco-friendly Product, Energy Efficiency and Waste & Recycling.

The National Pollutant Inventory contains 10 years of data on the emission of pollutants from industrial and non-industrial sources across Australia.

 BP Solar has welcomed the announcement made by Prime Minister Rudd to provide support to the north-eastern Chinese city of Weihai in its effort to become the largest solar city in the world.

Adoption of eco-friendly computing is fast emerging as a priority for technology decision makers. A report by independent market analyst Datamonitor, 2008 Trends to Watch: Green IT, predicts a surge in CIO interest and vendor initiatives in the green IT space.

According to Tom Pankratz, a director of the International Desalination Association (IDA) and editor of the weekly Water Desalination Report, membranes that employ nanofiltration or reverse osmosis technologies to remove salt from water also effectively and consistently remove most organic compounds classified as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine disruptors (EDCs).

Agencies in the core public service released their carbon emissions inventories and carbon reduction plans as the first step in New Zealand's Carbon Neutral Public Service program, announced Environment Minister Trevor Mallard. 

For the first time in 2008, Australia’s young environmentalists aged 15 to 25 can apply for the Environment Minister’s Young Environmentalist of the Year Award.

Dr Andrew Benedek, Canadian researcher and technopreneur, has received the inaugural Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize in Singapore for outstanding contributions in the world of water management.