Latest news with #GREEN
Scottish Sun
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Scrap green rules forcing car firms to make more electric vehicles, top Tories demand
It comes amid calls for Government measures to ease industrial electricity costs to 'go further' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GREEN edicts forcing car firms to make more electric vehicles should be scrapped, top Tories say. Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith blasted rules forcing car firms to sell an increasing proportion of EVs. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up He said: 'We must allow for real consumer choice in the sector rather than diktats.' The rules insist the minimum proportion of electric cars sold by manufacturers must rise annually from 22 per cent last year until 100 per cent is hit by 2035. Meanwhile, government measures to ease industrial electricity costs must go further to help the 'structural disadvantage' faced by UK automotive companies, a trade body says. Proposed relief on standing charges included in the Industrial Strategy should be extended to the sector, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders say. The industry pays more for electricity than anywhere else in Europe, and in excess of double the average, partly as energy taxes which are six times higher. It stated: 'Rapid implementation of the reforms to industrial energy costs set out in the Industrial Strategy would cut the sector's electricity bill by a fifth, helping ease this structural disadvantage.' It comes as the overall cost of Net Zero is being pushed up over huge differences to how gas and electricity are taxed, experts say. Households are facing a higher effective tax rate from electricity than from gas which is holding up the switch to heat pumps. Businesses also have an incentive to prioritise emissions from electricity rather than gas. Ministers are being called upon to reduce the tax gap between emissions for gas and electricity - resulting in a less costly transition to Net Zero. Leaked docs exposing true cost of Net Zero 'proves what we all knew all along', MPs blast
Chicago Tribune
19-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Batavia launches home energy upgrade program paid for by plastic bag fee
Batavia residents wanting to make their homes more energy efficient can apply through July 18 for a program with the city offering free audits and grants for eco-friendly home upgrades, according to a news release from the city. The Grants for Residential Energy Efficiency in Neighborhoods, or GREEN, program, is set to provide some residents with free home energy audits and grants, officials said. According to the release, 25 residents will get free audits valued at $1,200. Low-income residents may qualify for grants of up to $3,000 for improvements like insulation, air sealing and energy-efficient appliances, while other participants can receive up to $1,000, the release said. Applications opened June 16, the city said, and residents must apply by July 18 to be considered for the first round of audits and upgrades. Residents, who must be in good standing with the city and meet eligibility requirements, can apply at Per the release, the program is being paid for by the city's 10-cent plastic bag fee, which went into effect in 2023. Alex Zelles, the chair of the city's Environmental Commission, said in the release that this was a secondary goal of the bag fee, to 'use any fees collected to offset the associated environmental cost.' The 10-cent bag fee applies to retailers over 5,000 square feet and is designed to discourage the use of single use plastic and paper bags, the release stated. According to officials, six cents of each plastic bag fee goes into a city-managed sustainability fund, while the other four cents goes to the business at which the item bagged was purchased. Since it went into effect, the bag fee has generated more than $324,000, the city said. In addition to the GREEN program, the money generated is also funding a project meant to restore natural waterways and a tree planting project that subsidized tree purchases for residents, the city said.
Morocco World
16-06-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Green Economy: EFE's GREEN Project Concludes Benefiting 2,100 Youth
Rabat – The GREEN project, aimed at boosting youth employability in the green economy and sustainable industries, came to an end on June 12. This project had been operating for around two years and had taken actions to support young people in receiving employment in these sectors. This project was carried out in collaboration with EFE-Maroc and the Spanish Agency for International Development Co-operation (AECID). The EFE-Europe officially concluded the 'GREEN – Generating Renewed Hope for Moroccan Youth through Training and Job Placements in the Green Economy' project. This project was launched in February 2023 with the goal of improving national employability by reaching 2000 individuals from vulnerable communities. The project ultimately exceeded its initial expectations, reaching around 2100 participants throughout the country. This project aimed to support young individuals receive comprehensive training and new skills in key areas such as: green entrepreneurship, sustainable employment, digital, linguistic, technical, and interpersonal skills. The project used a multi-method approach to achieve its target, supporting some individuals to gain jobs in the industry, and others to start sustainable business ventures. The project also prioritized a diverse and inclusive approach, supporting approximately 2,100 young people across the country—50% of whom were women—in an effort to promote social inclusion and gender equality. Regional diversity was also a key objective, with young people coming from various regions, including Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, the Oriental, Casablanca-Settat, Souss-Massa, and Draa-Tafilalet. Individuals across these regions were reached through a variety of methods, including free training sessions, job fairs, civic engagement activities, online modules, mentorship, coaching, and tailored support for young entrepreneurs. The project also leveraged partnerships with several public and educational institutions, including universities across the country. Entrepreneurship and business start-ups were a key focus, resulting in the launch of about 40 businesses in sectors such as renewable energy, recycling, education, and food production. The General Director of EFE-Maroc stressed that 'beyond the numbers, GREEN has served as a catalyst for mobilising a strong ecosystem of stakeholders committed to youth training and preparing them to meet the challenges of the energy transition, the green economy is no longer a distant concept, it is a tangible source of employment, innovation and social impact that demands daily adaptability.' Naira Imedio De Larrinaga, the AECID coordinator in Morocco, stated: 'Youth is the engine of change. And that change begins when they are given the opportunity to learn, to grow and to believe in their abilities.' 'Today, we see young people who once struggled to find direction turn ideas into businesses, challenges into jobs, and dreams into reality. You have shown that when talent meets the right tools, there are no limits,' she added. According to their statement, the GREEN project has instilled hope among young people in the sustainable and development-focused industries, successfully reaching participants across the country. It has fostered a new generation of young leaders equipped to drive change in environmental and social sectors. Tags: EFE-Marocgreen economy in morocco
The Journal
11-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
O'Gorman says legal advice on Occupied Territories Bill did not mention issue with services
GREEN PARTY LEADER and former government minister Roderic O'Gorman has said that when the Attorney General delivered legal advice regarding the Occupied Territories Bill last year, there were no issues raised with the inclusion of services. O'Gorman said the issues the government are now claiming exist in relation to services have only emerged since the last general election. 'It's a delaying tactic,' he said. The Occupied Territories Bill, in its initial form, would ban trade in goods and services with illegal settlements anywhere in the world, but most notably in Palestine. Passing the Bill, which has been in existence since 2018, was a promise made by the governing parties ahead of the general election last year. But it has yet to be passed or even drafted because of what the government has described as 'constitutional issues' and complications related to the inclusion of services alongside goods. Speaking on The Week in Politics on RTÉ today, O'Gorman said that when he was in government, legal advice provided by the Attorney General in July last year 'raised some issues' with the original draft of the bill, which he said were 'legitimate issues that can be addressed by amendment'. Advertisement However, he added: 'There was no reference to an issue around services in his very detailed legal advice. 'This is a new issue that has been brought in subsequent to the general election, a general election where Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael made extensive commitments about passing the Occupied Territories Bill and, to my mind, it's a delaying tactic. 'The Government have said they will publish a draft before summer, they haven't promised to pass it. 'This is about kicking the can down the road,' he added, adding that the Bill could be passed by the summer 'if there was the will'. The government has been asked repeatedly for the legal advice it has received in relation to services to be published in order to put the matter to bed. Minister for State Hildegarde Naughton was asked if the government would be willing to publish the advice that has led to the delays in producing a new version of the bill. 'I have no issue with that,' Naughton said, but she pushed back on the suggestion that the government was delaying putting forward the bill. 'This is not a policy difference – I want to be very clear – around goods and services, this is about ensuring that we get that legislation right,' she said. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
