The UK and France have announced they will soon propose EU-wide reduced value-added tax (VAT) rates for greener products. At a press conference in Paris on July 20, French president Nicolas Sarkozy and British prime minister Gordon Brown said taxes should be lowered on products ranging from cars to white goods.

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The European Parliament has adopted a new version of the regulation on the ENERGY STAR programme. It requires the Member States to apply demanding energy eｆficiency criteria in the public procurement of office equipment.

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Titled ‘The Procura+ Manual - A Guide to Cost Effective Sustainable Public Procurement’, it is the 2nd edition of the Procura+ manual which provides clear and simple advice on how public authorities, including schools and hospitals, can implement sustainable procurement.

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The countries surrounding the Persian Gulf account for one-quarter of global crude oil production, and are leading members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The region’s fossil fuel reserves and the relative dearth of other natural resources suggest oil and gas production will continue as the main engine of the region’s economy for some time. But some countries are looking to diversify their economic futures, improve the efficiency of resource exploitation, and tap into the growing worldwide market for environmental technologies.

» Continue reading "The Middle East's booming environmental sector"