China is planning a vast increase in its use of wind and solar over the next ­decade and believes it can match Europe in generating 20% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020, said Zhang Xiaoqiang yesterday, vice-chairman of China's NDRC, as reported in the Guardian newspaper. 

Michael Schmalholz, the former Head of Legal at First Climate, has joined Climate Bridge in London.  Michael brings almost a decade of legal experience in the carbon markets, having concluded numerous carbon transactions.  In 2002, Michael was appointed the Chairman of Working Group 3 of AGE, the association the direction of the German Federal Environmental Ministry to bring together all stakeholders in the EU Directive on Emissions Trading.