Living Planet: Environment Matters Around the Globe

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DATE : Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:30:00 GMT
Entered in Database : 2009-11-12 16:30:00
length : 14577643
Link to the Show / Show Notes

This week on Living Planet we take a look at a plan to raise the price of carbon credits, how car-sharing is taking off in Germany despite the credit crunch, the future of eco-energy in sunny Spain, and how one of the planet's most energy-intensive IT products could be more green.
Eco-activists strive to raise the price of carbon

Cap and trade is a system designed to let developed countries piggyback on the climate friendly aspects of much of the developed world. But is the price they pay really high enough?

One of the key items on the agenda at the climate summit set to take place next month in Copenhagen is the cap and trade system. The idea is to put a price on carbon emissions so countries with limited industry can offset those with massive CO2 output.

These carbon credits are already being traded on special markets around the world. It's a good concept in theory, but many people think the price to release a ton of carbon dioxide is much too low. Now an environmental group in Germany has come up with a plan to change that.

Report: Richard Fuchs/Vanessa Johnston

As more people move into urban centers the need for a private car is becoming smaller. But what about those times when you do need a set of wheels for just a little while?

The positives of driving a car without the negatives - that's the idea behind car-sharing. The basic principle is that different people share one car; similar to a rental car. But the difference is that car-sharing doesn't require you to hire the vehicle for a whole day. You can just use it for an hour or just to drive a few kilometers. Car-sharing has existed in Germany for about 20 years, but recently the sector has seen a 20 percent rise in customers, despite the economic crisis.

Report: Zanhong Zhang/Nathan Witkop

Many experts are talking about solar energy for Europe being sent over from northern Africa, but Spain already has an established program.

As the Copenhagen climate conference looms, countries around the world are on a search for that most sought after of commodities: renewable, affordable and clean energy. Although Spain has a powerful nuclear lobby, it is among the most advanced countries when it comes to concentrated solar power.

Southern Spain boasts the only two working, commercial heliostat facilities in Europe. Based just outside the Andalusian town of Seville is the country's foremost example of concentrated solar power - a tall tower surrounded by row upon row of huge angled mirrors. It may already be feeding electricity into the grid, but is it an affordable, long term solution for Europe - or indeed the world?

Report: Sylvia Smith

Many companies do not have the staff or space to store massive computer servers, and for those which fall into that category, data centers in Luxembourg are offering a greener alternative.

With its low taxes, high standard of living and prime location at the heart of western Europe, Luxembourg has long since been a headquarters favorite for large, international corporations. Companies in the IT sector, or those with massive IT needs like Skype or Amazon, have chosen to run their European operations from the grand duchy.

But with massive data centers running around the clock to accommodate such corporations, is energy consumption in the name of information technology getting out of control in this small, landlocked country?

Report: Laura Schweiger

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