Corporate Social Responsibility

NEWS&NOTES

NEXT DECADE CRITICAL TO ENERGY FUTURE

/~\ ctions taken through / A \ 2020 to demonstrate and / ¿—J \ deploy key technologies ¿J VA"will largely determine the nation's energy options for many decades to come," according to a new report from the National Research Council.

The report, America's Energy Future: Technology and Transformation, assesses

ways to meet rising energy demand and reduce greenhouse emissions

through improved energy efficiency and new power sources. Over the near term, the least expensive way to keep pace with demand and reduce emissions is to improve energy efficiency. The report discusses theoretical ben-

Water Is Top Environmental Concern

An international public opinion survey bn environmental concerns has found that water pollution and shortages of fresh water are the issues considered serious by most people around the world. The survey was conducted by the research firni GlobeScan for the organization Circle of Blue. GlobeScan asked 1,000 people in each of 15 countries how serious they consider each of seven issues to be—water pollution, air pollution, climate change, depletion of natural resources, automobile exhaust, loss of animal and plant species, and shortages of fresh water. They were asked to rate each issue as very serious, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not serious at all. A total of 93 percent put water pollution in the serious category, and it is a very serious problem according to 72 percent of the people polled. Shortage of fresh water was a close second. A total of 91 percent believe it is serious, including 71 percent of those polled who called it very serious. Half the survey group in each of seven countries—Canada, China, India, Mexico, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—were asked additional questions specifically about water. One of the patterns to emerge from these interviews is that a majority consider the government among the most responsible for ensuring clean water. More...