EcoCrops International´s blog spot

China’s energy policy and its effect on the environment is big news now and with recent events involving Africa have raised the World’s attention. EcoCrops  International  takes great pride in the sustainability of our ethical green investments, which why we find the latest news of Egypt’s plan to build the World’s largest coal-fired power disturbing. China had maintained in its South-South climate agreement to ensure clean energy projects where their number one priority.   However it would appear that China is more interested in promoting its coal industry and hydro power projects that are a serious risk to the environments. There is some god news with Chinese backing, Egypt is developing the World’s largest Solar Farm. What is concerning for Eco Crops International and will be for any person that takes looking after environment seriously, is that a much of the loans provided by the Export-Import Bank of China, and the China Development Ba...

Fires have been a part of California ecosystems for  generations . Now, however,  nearly a 30% of homes in California  are in rural areas where houses intermingling with wildlands and fire is a natural phenomenon. Just as Californians must live with earthquake risk, they must live with fires. Shaped by ignitions, climate and fuels, fires are likely to become more  frequent and severe with climate change s. The 2018 experience of the largest and most damaging fires in California history, and ongoing destructive fires in 2018 provide a window of opportunity for learning to better  coexist  with fires.   But both governments and people tend to adopt only short-term responses that don’t necessarily  reduce risk effectively . For example, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, after visiting fires in California,  said  the solution to fires prevention is more  active management  to remove fuel from forests. In a  tweet , Pres...

EcoCrops International reports that the  EU’s Renewable Energy Directive has been recast, raising the renewables target and establishing a clear and stable regulatory framework on self-consumption. Despite the positives there has also been criticism, especially over the definition of biomass. What were these concerns and what has the recast changed? In 2009, the Juncker Commission set about building policies to ensure “a resilient Energy Union and a forward-looking climate change policy”. As part of this, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) was created, which initially set the binding target of 20% final energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020. Since its creation, the RED has been revised and evaluated a number of times and now forms part of the European Union’s (EU) Clean Energy Package (2016). In June, RED was again recast at a meeting of the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council. Amendments were made to ensure that targets and frameworks are in...

EcoCrops International reports that The High Court in New Zealand has approved an application by the Financial Markets Authority to put 18 Forest lands companies into liquidation, a necessary step towards distributing $16 million to shareholders. Neale Jackson and Grant Graham of KordaMentha have been appointed by the Courts as liquidators of the companies. "The liquidations will allow us to commence the process that will result in the funds being distributed to the investors," Mr Jackson said. "We appreciate investors have waited a considerable time for their money." He said shareholders would be contacted by October on how the liquidations would be managed, and what investors might receive. A shareholder who has been running a Facebook page for investors, Des Howard, said the liquidation order was "the beginning of the end". "They  have already done some work, but the size of the task is not small, let's give them a chance," he s...

The report called From Niche to Mainstream: The Building of an Institutional Asset Class showed the rise in number of investors seeking for investments that are sustainable commodities, protect the environment and are lower carbon emissions. The report concludes that over the next five years, the investment opportunity for environmental investments will between $200 billion to $400 billion. These figures represent a major uptick from the current annual private investment of around $10 billion. However, the higher figures that are predicted still fall well short of the amount of investment needed every year in order to protect global ecosystems. This amount is estimated to sit somewhere around the $300 billion mark. High yields are driving this interest, more than the green benefits and the ‘feel-good’ factor of these investments. The report reported that investors are also drawn by the fact that the yields from these natural resources – such as  Forestry and Forestry Prod...

Traditional Investors interest for forestry investments is on the rise due to the high returns available and its ability to protect capital and the flat lining of other more traditional investments classes protect capital With the world’s lumber industry beginning to adapt to institutional capital’s stewarding requirements and the environmental, social and governance of the sector, more than ever before the sector seems ripe for the picking. With underlying demand for forest and timberland products continuing to increase across the world, the growth in the investor marketplace comes as little surprise. What is a surprise is just how fast investors are flocking in, driven by major growth for these products in powerhouses such as China despite China’s recent economic stagnation. Bob Flynn, director, international timber at RISI, told IPE Real Estate: “Even with the recent slowdown in China’s economy and construction, Chinese demand for wood is still increasing. China is the major ...

Mr Grainger says the new rush of investors are primarily from Asia, Europe and North America and they have been attracted by not only the strong investment returns, but favorable policies on encouraging sustainability that has reinvigorated the interest in the sector. Forestry in New Zealand has been dominated by long standing industry players, some 30 parties controlling 70% of the productive forestry. "What's changed is the entrance of a new wave of investors at a similar scale. We're seeing more big timber funds and private family companies looking at the market, many of which have not been active before." Mr Grainger says that the new players are not only attracted by strong returns but the relative safety and low management costs the asset class offers. "Log prices have been undergoing steady growth in the past decade. Export prices have grown from $121 to $165 per cubic meter a decade ago, to $176 to $222 as of March this year." Mr...