The UK Government has revealed a year-on-year increase in the amount of sulphur dioxide emissions, which reverses a 40-year downward trend. For the first time since the Seventies, official statistics show a small increase in the emissions of the sulphur dioxide of 2.3 per cent between 2009 and 2010.

Huge wind turbine erupts in flames as 165mph winds strike Scotland These amazing pictures show the moment a huge wind turbine erupted in flames after it was struck by hurricane-force winds in Scotland. Local photographer Stuart McMahon from Ardossan, North Ayrshire, snapped the fireball as it wrecked the turbine earlier this afternoon. Stuart told ClickGreen tonight the blades on the 30mw turbine had been braked and were not turning as the ferocious winds swept across Scotland. “It was clear that the turbine caught fire first and the flames spread to the covering of blades,” he said. “There was debris still on fire being swept off in the wind and across the fields.” “These are huge structures and to see one on fire was a spectacular sight.” “The fire must have lasted for about 15 or 20 minutes until the fire brigade turned up to put out the fire.” The Ardrossan wind farm was sold by Scottish and Southern Energy to Infinis last year for £54 million. It comprises of 15 turbines with the capacity to power about 29,500 homes.

Rising global energy demand and the need to drastically cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions require a transformation in the way nations produce, deliver and consume energy, according to a new joint report from the OECD and IEA. The Green Growth Studies: Energy report says governments need to increase energy efficiency and lower the carbon-intensity of the sector. As developed countries renew their energy infrastructure and developing countries build new power plants to meet growing energy demand, the time is right to make crucial choices for the future of the energy sector, the report says. With the energy sector responsible for the majority of CO2 emissions, green growth policies could halve worldwide energy-related emissions of CO2 by 2050 using a combination of existing and new technologies.

Having survived long centuries, political upheaval, and even bombings during World War II, Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece Last Supper now faces the risk of damage from air pollution due to its location in one of Western Europe’s most polluted cities. In late 2009, the refectory of Santa Maria Delle Grazie Church, where the painting is located, installed a sophisticated heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to protect the painting from the polluted air of Milan.

The technical standard for the first global consumer label for companies to buy wind power and other clean renewable energy has been launched today. The program is backed by companies including WWF, Vestas Wind Systems, the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), the LEGO Group, Bloomberg and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Effective from today, the WindMade standard allows interested entities to apply for use of the label to communicate the share of wind power and other renewable sources in their overall power consumption demand.