Australia Could Become Eco-Superpower - Online "Market Solution" Group

[hatrack]

Yes, with John Howard at the helm, it's just inevitable! Pardon me while I get this morning's coffee out of my sinuses and return to linking the article . . .

"AUSTRALIA could become a "sustainability superpower" in the emerging market for ecological services. That was the message at the launch in Sydney this week of the world's first online centre for the emerging trade in ecological services. The new push is to find market fixes for environmental problems.

"In addition to its ability to generate wind and solar power, Australia has vast areas that could be restored back to forests and in turn generate carbon, salinity and biodiversity credits for sale in emerging environmental markets," said Michael Jenkins of Forest Trends, a Washington-based non-government organisation. His organisation was instrumental in the founding of the Katoomba group, an international coalition in search of market solutions for ecological problems. The group first met in the NSW mountain town of Katoomba in May 2000.

EDIT

He joined representatives of the World Bank and major players in finance, forestry and conservation to launch EcosystemMarketplace.com - a clearing house for eco-markets and the emerging trade in credits for carbon, water quality and biodiversity.

"We think of the Marketplace as sort of a Bloomberg meets Google meets CNN - around environmental markets," Mr Jenkins said. "The most immediate challenge for the growth of these new markets is the lack of information and the lack of transparency."

EDIT

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11065285%255E30417,00.html

[Quetzal]

1. All of the "experts" quoted in the article

are from America - you better hope they do not play an active role in the Bush administration.

[hatrack]

2. And if the World Bank is involved, you just KNOW it's sustainable!

:puke:

[ochazuke]

3. Let me get this straight...

Are they saying that the Australian environment should be modified (it's mostly arid, but they want to put it "back to forest") so people elsewhere in the world can cut down their natural forests.

If that's the deal, then a more evil plan I could not concieve.