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Latest update: 17/12/2012
- climate change - Doha - environment - France - Indonesia - Qatar
Doha's 'climate' cliff
This week we are in Qatar, a state built on wealth generated from fossil fuels. Yet its capital Doha has just played host to the latest round of UN environment talks where - somewhat ironically - the idea of green finance has dominated. The goal is to make economic growth and preserving the planet go hand in hand. But it’s not always easy.
We begin in India, where French firm Michelin has built one of its largest tyre plants at a cost of 600 million euros. Activists representing the local community say the factory has contributed to the destruction of some 450 hectares of forest. Michelin denies the claim.
Next, we head to Indonesia, where small communities are launching green financial schemes of their own in the way of microcredits. One project is helping farmers turn manure into biogas, thereby transforming the farms in mini-centres of energy production.
Finally, we take a closer look at the practice of "greenwashing". Nearly one out of ten advertising campaigns in France uses a positive link to the environment as a selling point. The term greenwashing was coined to describe the cases where this "link" stretches the truth in order to promote the perception that a brand is green. The practice is now being regulated.




























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