Japanese researchers believe that they have found a way to neutralise the methane in the belches of the world’s 1.5 billion cows which is thought to account for five per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Cows produce astonishing quantities of methane gas as the bacteria in their stomachs breaks down plant fibres. Their near-constant cud-chewing allows a small quantity of the gas to escape with nearly every breath each animal takes.

A team at Obihiro University of Agriculture, led by Professor Junichi Takahashi, has found that a few simple addiitives, costing about $1 a day, could remove virtually all of the methane. The formula, which is a blend of nitrates and the amino acid, cysteine, was discovered by chance during the investigation of a cattle poisoning. According to Professor Takahashi, it acts as a powerful supressant of methane but has no effect on milk quality.

It’s not the first time that an oil shortage has been predicted but it is the first time that such a prediction has come from the head of the world’s second largest oil company.

Jeroen van der Veer, Shell’s chief executive, said in an e-mail to the company’s staff this week that demand for oil and gas would outstrip conventional supplies within seven years. “Shell estimates that after 2015 supplies of easy-to-access oil and gas will no longer keep up with demand” he wrote in an e-mail to staff.

He forecast that, by 2015, regardless of government policy initiatives and investment, the world would need to to find alternatives to easy-to-access oil and gas.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda today vowed to cut carbon emissions and help developing nations cope with global warming. Over the next five years, Japan will spend $US30 billion on new environmental technology at home and provide another $US10 billion for developing countries.

Fukuda also proposed a 30 percent improvement in energy efficiency globally by 2020. In contrast, the European Union has pledged a 20 percent cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2020.

Fukuda said improved efficiency allowed Japan’s economy to double in size in the past three decades without increasing energy consumption by industry but an even more efficient use of energy was needed to halve greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.

Fukuda is seeking to stem declining support for his ruling party by making the fight against global warming a centerpiece of his policy.

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, reminded business and political leaders at the World Economic Forum that the conflict in the Dafur region of Sudan arose out of a drought. "Too often, where we need water we find guns instead," he said. "Population growth will make the problem worse. So will climate change."

He quoted a report by International Alert which identified 46 countries with 2.7 billion people where climate change and water-related crises create "a high risk of violent conflict" and a further 56 countries, with 1.2 billion people "are at high risk of violent conflict."

Ban urged business leaders to help poor people gain access to water and praised Nestle, Coca-Cola and Dow Chemicals for their efforts to be part of the solution.

Andrew Liveris, CEO of Dow Chemicals, the world’s second largest chemical company, commented "Water is today’s issue. It is the oil of this century."

Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, CEO of Nestle, the world’s biggest food and drink company, said "time is still on our side but time is running out – just like water is running out."

 Last year, the European Commision set an overall target of 20% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. Yesterday, proposed legally binding targets for individual EU countries were announced. The most recent figures, for 2005, show that the EU used about 8.5% renewable energy – varying amoung countries from almost zero in Luxembourg to almost 40% in Sweden.

The process for arriving at individual countries’ targets puts a greater burden on those countries with a higher per capita gross domestic product. Britain has been set a target of 15% renewable by 2020 (up from 1.3% in 2005); Germany’s target is 18% (up from 5.8%). Germany has successfully supported renewable energy producers through a surchage on electricity consumption.

The European Commision has calculated that achieving the targets will cost the average citizen about €3 a week.

The targets could still change as the proposal passes though the legislative process. France, which has been set a target of 25%, relies heavily on nuclear fuel and objects to the the EU not counting this as "renewable" even though it is low-carbon.

The buying power of the huge US retailer, Wal-Mart, has been a major factor in forcing down the price of Chinese manufactured imports. Now Wal-Mart has turned its focus to improving the environmental and energy atandards of the products it buys in sells.

Chief Executive, Lee Scott, today outlined plans to insist that its suppliers make its most energy-intensive products, such as computers,mnicrowaves and water heaters,  25% more efficient within three years and cut the power consumed by flat-screen televisions by 30% by 2010.  He said that Wal-Mart would be willing to pay higher prices for such products. All foreign suppliers who make goods for Wal-Mart would be required to meet stringent environmental standards within five years.

He also said that the Company was talking to automobile manufactures about a possible role in the electric and hybrid vehicle industry – and even considering the possibility of installing solar panels or wind turbines at Wal-Mart stores to allow customers to charge electric vehicles.

The Energy Plus office building to be located in the Gennevilliers area of Paris will be the worl’d greenest office. The 70,000 square metre, low-rise complex will house 5,000 workers but will consume no electricity other than that which it produces itself.

The building will generate electricity from a array of more solar panels than any other building currently in existance. Temperature will be controlled using a cutting-edge form of insulation and circulating water pumped from the Seine throughout the building.

The architects, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, say that the building will cost about 25 to 30% more than a conventional building to construct but this will easily be recouped through lower maintenance and running costs.