Issue 26, September 18th to September 24th, 2009

OPINION

Is China really beating the US in Cleantech? (Triplepundit, 9/24/2009) Grist recently served up a post by Terry Tamminen, titled “China’s Rear View Mirror: China is leaving the U.S. in the dust as it surges ahead on clean energy.”

Is China now the climate change good guy? (Time, 9/24/2009) The U.S. entered this week's round of climate negotiations as the global bad guy, a holdover from eight years of barely veiled contempt for the process from former President George W. Bush's Administration. But China wasn't far behind. The world's biggest country is now its biggest carbon emitter, and its sheer rate of economic expansion — fueled chiefly by polluting coal — ensures China won't lose that spot anytime soon.

“Climate Week” and my talks with China’s top negotiator (NRDC – Switchboard, 9/21/2009) Climate Week has begun, and as foreign dignitaries descend on the United Nations and the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting, I think most of the world's nations will be singing a shared refrain: it is time for the United States to take action on global warming. That is the message I heard two weeks ago when I met China's top climate negotiator, Minister Xie Zhenhua, in Beijing. Our conversation was an informative, cordial follow-up to a meeting we had in Washington in the spring.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs

Beijing unveils its first noise map (ChinaCSR, 9/24/2009) Beijing has published a map of traffic noise, which is said to be the first of its kind for the city. Plotted by the Beijing Municipal institute of Labor Protection under the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, the map enables people to see how the different urban districts of Beijing are affected by noise pollution.

Trail of death leads doctors to nanoparticles (Caijing, 9/24/2009) The deaths of two women who worked with few safety precautions at a Beijing paint shop have contributed to an international controversy over the suspected labor health hazards of ultra-fine nanoparticles.

Anti-panda tirade of bat fan slammed (China Daily, 9/24/2009) Who doesn’t love pandas? Apparently, BBC wildlife expert and bat fanatic Chris Packham, that's who. "I reckon we should pull the plug," Packham told Radio Times magazine in London on Monday.

“Walking commuters” become a growing trend in Chongqing (CCTV, 9/24/2009) September 22 was China's "Car-free Day." At 7:50 am on September 22, Lin Yuan, who lives in Sanxia Square, Shapingba District, left her house as she always does, and walked over 40 minutes to an office building located at Fengtian Road. The number of "walking commuters," like Lin, who go to work not by squeezing into packed buses and by driving cars, but by walking every day, is growing in Chongqing Municipality.

Giant pandas hit by Chinese quake to return home in 2012 (RIA Novosti, 9/23/2009) Sixty giant pandas relocated from China's southwestern Sichuan province after a devastating earthquake in May 2008 are to return to their home in 2012, Xinhua reported on Wednesday.

Bhutan quake affects 3k people, damages houses in Tibet (China Daily, 9/22/2009) More than 3,000 people in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous region were affected by a strong earthquake that jolted neighboring Bhutan Monday afternoon.

Expert: Tibet promising in saline lake development (Xinhua, 9/22/2009) The northern areas of Tibet are dotted with saline lakes, and the grade of mineral resources is higher than that in Qinghai Province, said a leading expert in the research on saline in China on Tuesday.

China emerges as the ying and the yang of the global warming problem (New York Times, 9/21/2009) Staring up at the dazzling, $32 million screen of light-emitting diodes suspended above one of this city's luxury shopping malls, it's hard to see China as a struggling "developing" country.

Expert: State grid unable to wind power on large scale (Caijing, 9/21/2009) The intermittent nature of wind power output and technical obstacles are preventing the state grid from using wind power on a large scale, a senior engineer from the State Grid Corp. of China said recently.

Legal struggles for a cleaner environment (Caijing, 9/18/2009) A court in southern China needed only 34 days to settle a 15-year-old environmental predicament at a nature reserve. But much more time may be needed to overcome obstacles to environmental law in China that surfaced during the recent fight to protect Baihua Lake in Guizhou Province.

A old man voluntarily cleans river channels for 15 years (CCTV, 9/18/2009)

Every day, residents in Huangli Town of Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province can see an old man poling a boat to clean floating garbage in Beihuang River, Jinhuang River and Chenghuang River, no matter how hot or how cold it is.

CORPORATIONS

US-China public-private partnership to green the supply chain (PRNewswire, 9/24/2009) The Institute for Sustainable Communities and its partners joined President Bill Clinton on stage at the Clinton Global Initiative today to announce a $2.3-million commitment to boost Chinese factories' compliance with environment, health and safety (EHS) policies and achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Rare earths are vital, and China owns them all (MarketWatch, 9/24/2009) Rare earths may not be on most investors' radars, but they are certainly in almost any high-tech item they use -- and in the world of rare earths, China is king.

BASF, Sinopect said to start $1.4 billion China plant expansion (Bloomberg, 9/24/2009) BASF AG and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. will start expanding their petrochemical venture in eastern China next week at a cost of $1.4 billion to meet recovering demand, two company officials said.

China, Bluenext form standard to build CO2 market (Reuters, 9/23/2009) A French emissions exchange and a Chinese group are forming a carbon market standard for China, marking a step toward a voluntary system to limit greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and forestry in the world's top emitter.

Duke Energy and China-based ENN group sign clean energy technology agreement (PRNewswire, 9/23/2009) Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and ENN Group today announced an agreement to accelerate the development of low-carbon and clean energy technologies. The announcement was made at the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting.

China Armco completes contract to supply iron ore (Steel Guru, 9/23/2009) China Armco Metals Inc a distributor of imported metal ore with plans to launch a new state of the art scrap metal recycling facility in China, today announced that Armco Metawise Ltd has completed delivery of iron ore to a China based steel company pursuant to a contract that will generate sales of approximately USD 15.98 million in the Q3 of 2009.

China told Woomera off limits (The Sydney Morning Herald, 9/23/2009) China's plans to invest in Australian resources have been dealt another blow, after the Defence Department said it would not support a planned prospecting joint venture in a sensitive military area.

China selling petrol to Iran, report says (AFP, 9/23/2009) China is potentially undermining US-led efforts aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions by supplying the Middle Eastern state with petrol, a report said Wednesday.

China Energy Recovery wins $5.05 million contract from Hubei Sanning Chemical (PRNewswire, 9/23/2009) China Energy Recovery, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CGYV) (ISIN: US16943V2060; "CER"), a leader in the waste heat energy recovery sector of the industrial energy efficiency industry, today announced that the company won an RMB 34.5 million (US$5.05 million) Engineering, Procurement and Construction ("EPC") contract for a heat recovery system for Hubei Sanning Chemical ("Sanning"), a fertilizer and coal chemical subsidiary of Jincheng Coal Group, a top-10 coal producer and one of the 200 Largest Companies in China.

Yanda International Health City – world-class healthcare in China (PRNewswire, 9/22/2009) The Yanda International Health City is set to be unveiled in January, 2010. The environmentally friendly complex will include facilities offering state-of-the-art care for seniors, a hospital staffed by international healthcare workers as well as medical research and training facilities. It will also include an international conference center.

Investing into “Green” China (TransWorldNews, 9/21/2009) In the race toward a green-powered future, there is one entrant that is surprisingly among the leaders – China. China has conquered a third of the world market for solar cells. China is also racing along a course to build 100 gigawatts of wind turbines by 2020, doubling again the global capacity for wind power, across vast stretches of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang.

China Guangdong plans overseas Nuclear Plant, Morning Post says (Bloomberg, 9/21/2009) China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding plans to build and partly finance the country’s first overseas nuclear reactor, the South China Morning Post said today, citing an official at one of the company’s units.

Four dead in northwest China coalmine gas poisoning – agency (RIA Novosti, 9/20/2009) Carbon monoxide poisoning has left at least four people dead in a coalmine in the Gansu province in northwest China, the official news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.

Car sales spike in Beijing (AFP, 9/18/2009) Sales of new cars in Beijing have spiked to about 2,000 a day, a trend that will put up to four million vehicles on the streets of China's capital by year's end, state media said Friday.

Tainted herbal injection recalled (Caijing, 9/18/2009) China's health ministry and its drug watchdog, State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), have mandated the suspension of sales and use of an herbal drug injection produced by Duoduo Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Duoduo) based in Heilongjiang Province on Sept. 17. The two government agencies are currently conducting an investigation, but declined to tell Caijing where the incident broke out and whether there were any related deaths.

China’s Huludao Zinc expands copper smelting capacity (Reuters, 9/18/2009) Huludao Zinc (000751.SZ), the second-biggest zinc smelter by capacity in China, said on Friday it is doubling copper smelting capacity by late next year, a move which could raise its demand for copper concentrate imports.

GOVERNMENT

China on the move: Coal industry produces clean energy (CCTV, 9/24/2009) Global warming is demanding countries strike a balance between development and the environment. As the search for clean energy goes on, China is making good on its commitment to cutting emissions. Our reporter Wang Mangmang finds out how it's being done in the country's mining center of Shanxi.

Rivers need to be cleaned up (China Daily, 9/24/2009) China is still faced with severe river and lake pollution as the water quality in 30 percent of the country's major river sections is below par, officials at the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said yesterday.

China launches climate project with Britain, Switzerland: government (AFP, 9/24/2009) China has launched with Britain and Switzerland a project aimed at finding ways for the Asian giant to tackle climate change and mitigate its effects, officials said Thursday.

China sets up system to recall defective agricultural machines (Xinhua, 9/24/2009) Producers of machines used in agriculture shall recall defective products, said a regulation published by the State Council Thursday.

Interpreting Chinese President Hu’s ‘Green’ UN speech (Wall Street Journal, 9/24/2009) Investors looking for clear messages for investment decisions find it hard when it comes to China, whose political and business leaders are prone to speak with great subtlety and ambiguity. Here Deal Journal inaugurates a regular feature to help American deal makers better understand when China speaks.

Kicking the coal habit – Another reason why China will adopt a carbon intensity reduction target (NRDC – Switchboard, 9/24/2009) It is important to note, however, that in addition to advancing the global climate negotiations, China has other strong reasons of its own to adopt a carbon intensity reduction target. And it has already begun to make progress in decarbonizing its economy.

Obama, Hu pledge environmental action (New American, 9/24/2009) As the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference looms nearer, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is stepping up the pressure for drastic action in Copenhagen, and the United States and China appear poised to help lead the way.

Guangzhou revamped as new sustainable super city (Inhabitat, 9/24/2009) It’s an exciting time right now for Asia, which is expanding so quickly that whole cities are being designed, and existing cities have to be redesigned to accommodate all of this new development! Guangzhou, China’s 3rd largest city, is now joining the ranks of these forward-looking cities, and is getting a revamp to allow for more growth and at the same time make it more livable and sustainable.

Mexican energy official: Great co-op opportunities with China (Xinhua, 9/24/2009) Energy officials from China and Mexico had much to discuss and learn from each other, Dr. Aldo Flores Quiroga, Mexico's deputy energy secretary for international affairs, told Xinhua in an interview Wednesday.

China’s largest cloud seeding assault aims to stop rain on the national parade (Guardian, 9/23/2009) Cloud-seeding aircraft to intercept rainclouds that threaten to cast shadow over communist party's 60th celebrations in Beijing.

Green Building: A critical climate solution spreads across China (NRDC – Switchboard, 9/23/2009) This week, as people from all over the world assemble at the United Nations for Climate Week, I am reminded of another international gathering spot I went to just 10 days ago--Beijing's Olympic Village.

Anger as China limits EU pork imports over flu fears (Channel News Asia, 9/23/2009) The European Union's health chief said Wednesday that China had slapped restrictions on pork imports from four member states over A(H1N1) flu concerns -- a move she slammed as protectionist.

Tiger protection plan in India “failing”; China ambivalent about tiger poaching (EcoWorldly, 9/23/2009) Wildlife experts warn that India’s tiger protection plans appear to be failing - and a recent meeting reveals that China is not interested in curtailing its demand for endangered tiger parts.

Hong Kong launches first “car-free day” (NTDT, 9/22/2009) Hong Kong's Chief-Executive Donald Tsang showed his support for the city's first "Car-free Day". A Greenpeace activist presented Tsang with a medal to mark the occasion.

China climate czar sees carbon targets “soon” (Reuters, 9/22/2009) China expects soon to be able to announce targets for planned cuts in "carbon intensity," the amount of carbon dioxide produced for each dollar of economic output, over the decade to 2020, a senior Chinese official said on Tuesday.

India, China should invest in green technology: Bundchen (Hindustan Times, 9/21/2009) Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen, who has been named the goodwill ambassador of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) for climate change, has asked developing countries including China and India to invest in green technologies.

China’s strategic reserves capacity to double by 2011 (Oil and Gas Journal, 9/21/2009) China's strategic petroleum reserves capacity will have doubled by 2011-12. This rapid expansion of Chinese petroleum storage capability, coupled with robust growth in oil demand, will only see China's demand for imports—particularly of crude oil—grow. Such growth will create potential difficulties for China, Asia, and the world at large.

China submits new energy plan to Cabinet before Copenhagen (Bloomberg, 9/21/2009) China submitted a plan to develop alternative forms of energy such as wind and nuclear to the Cabinet for approval and may announce the proposal before the Copenhagen climate talks, said a government researcher.

China shifts forest duties to consumers of furniture (Inner City Press, 9/21/2009) As the UN Environment Program called China an environmental leader Monday for planting 2.6 billion trees, questions arose about the destruction of forests by China and other countries praised by UNEP. Inner City Press asked China's Minster of State Forestry Administration Jia Zhibang how the planting compared to the effects on forest of, for example, China's rubber plantations or Laos, or its export of old growth forest from the Congo.

Issue 25, September 10th to September 17th, 2009

OPINION

Can China adopt climate-friendly growth? (Asia Sentinel, 9/17/2009) Without China's cooperation, the world faces an uphill battle against global warming.

Leader of the pack? (China Dialogue, 9/17/2009) China is ahead in the race towards a low-carbon economy, claims a new report. Li Taige takes another view, citing problems in the country’s renewable-energy sector.

China carbon truths (Wall Street Journal, 9/16/2009) China is the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, and countries around the world from the United States to Japan are pressuring Beijing to lower emissions and to introduce an absolute cap on emissions. But asking China's central government to impose a carbon cap is the wrong approach. Even if Beijing wanted to do so, such a decision would be almost impossible for the central government to enforce. Greater political freedoms are the key for real environmental improvements in China.

China’s green technology challenge examined (Environment Analyst, 9/16/2009) A significant new report on the commercial challenges and opportunities arising from China's efforts to 'green' its economy has been published with the support and collaboration of dozens of leading multinational private sector organisations.

Can U.S. and China find common ground in climate talks (McClatchy Newspapers, 9/15/2009) The United States and China should be able to agree on energy cooperation projects that reduce greenhouse gases and lead to a successful outcome at international climate talks in Copenhagen in December, two U.S. climate insiders said Tuesday.

New research says G8 has carbon emission deficit of 5.5 trillion (Caijing, 9/11/2009) Ding Zhongli, a Chinese geophysics expert, and his colleagues argue in their paper that G8 countries have a carbon emission deficit of US$ 5.5 trillion and the number is expected to climb to US$ 6.3 trillion in 2050.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs

China’s cancer villages’ bear witness to economic boom (Reuters, 9/17/2009) One needs to look no further then the river that runs through Shangba to understand the extent of the heavy metals pollution that experts say has turned the hamlets in this region of southern China into cancer villages.

China’s growth path could exceed planet’s resources (AP, 9/17/2009) If China's economy continues to expand rapidly and rely heavily on coal and other fossil fuels until the middle of the century, its power consumption would be unsustainable, according to a study by government think tanks released Wednesday.

China’s top climatologist stays cool over 2C rise (Guardian, 9/17/2009) It is too early to determine the level of meteorological risk posed by global warming, says the director-general of the Beijing Climate Centre.

Taxi drivers exposed to particulate air pollution in Beijing show marked changes in cardiac function (Innovations Report, 9/17/2009) A study published online ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) evaluated the relationship between exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and heart rate variability (HRV) in taxi drivers in Beijing, China before, during and after the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The report is among the first to document health effects of the massive air cleanup effort by China prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Snake with clawed foot found in China (Popular Science, 9/17/2009) Just because most mutants don't gain special powers doesn't make them any less interesting. Case and point, this snake discovered the other day in Southwest China. Looking at the picture, you should be able to figure out what makes this snake different from most.

Water ‘tops list’ of Chinese environmental problems (Edie Newsroom, 9/16/2009) A poll carried out by water US-based awareness charity Circle of Blue suggested that people living in China are less concerned about climate change than they are about water.

Lead pollution hits Fujian (Radio Free Asia, 9/16/2009) Authorities in the southwestern Chinese province of Fujian said they would get a team of experts together to test local children’s blood for lead following protests by angry parents outside government offices.

Beijing birth defects rise again (BBC News, 9/15/2009) The birth defect rate rose again in the Chinese capital Beijing last year, mirroring increases elsewhere in the country, according to figures.

China key to protecting endangered species (People’s Daily, 9/15/2009) Unfortunately, over the years, China has contributed significantly to the decreasing population of many animals, eating such "delicacies" as bear's paw, shark's fin, tiger bones and cubilose. People consume these exotic items not only because of the traditional belief in their medicinal and nutritional value, but also because consumption of such expensive foods shows ff one's wealth and social status.

China’s August power generation rises to a record (Bloomberg, 9/11/2009) China’s power generation rose to a record in August after the domestic economic recovery spurred demand from businesses and factories.

Drought worsening water shortages in Chongqing (Bernama, 9/11/2009) Sustained hot weather is continuing to cause havoc in most areas of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, said the local drought control watchdog Friday.


Novel on-off switch mechanism stops cancer in its tracks (PhysOrg.com, 9/11/2009) A tiny bit of genetic material with no previously known function may hold the key to stopping the spread of cancer, researchers at Yale School of Medicine and Sichuan University in Chengdu, China report in two papers in the September 7-11 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Study: Wind could cut China’s emissions by 30 percent (US News, 9/10/2009) China could cut its emissions by 30 percent in the next two decades if it switches to wind power to meet about half of its electricity demands, a U.S. study published Thursday said.

CORPORATIONS

Broken wind (The Sun, 9/17/2009) Plans for the world's biggest wind farm off Britain's coast have been blown off course - by faulty windmills built on the cheap in China.

China Sewage Treatment Industry Report, 2009 - Investment Increased from RMB8.74 Billion in 2003 to RMB25.74 Billion in 2008 (Business Wire, 9/15/2009) Bolstered by State policies, the construction of local sewage treatment plants progresses rapidly. Sewage disposal rose from 46.82 million cubic meters in 2003 to 82.95 million cubic meters in China in 2008. And, the pace of development is speeding up.

Hearts and minds as important as oil finds (The National, 9/17/2009) Referring to the China National Petroleum Corporation’s (CNPC) work at the Ahdab field, the first post-2003 oilfield development contract signed with Baghdad, the reports have highlighted dissatisfaction among the local population and the project’s direct neighbours that they are benefiting so little from a multibillion-dollar development.

Future Fuels Announces `Near-Zero` Emissions Technology Sharing Agreement with TPRI`s GreenGen of China (Reuters, 9/17/2009) Future Fuels has entered an agreement to exchange and share technical information with China`s Thermal Power Research, Inc. (TPRI). Owned by a consortium of electric utilities, TPRI`s majority stakeholder is China`s largest power company, Huaneng Power Group (NYSE:HNP).

China to be the first target market for Organa’s OGS-E (Market Watch, 9/16/2009) Organa Gardens International Inc. reports the Company has targeted the China market as its first point of entry into the hydroponics organic market. The Company is in discussions with a China-based company to manufacture and distribute the Company's Organa Garden Systems-Enterprise (OGS-E).
IBM Green City Lab aims for Chinese government deals (PCWorld, 9/16/2009) IBM will develop green city planning applications with a Chinese municipality that it could sell in other government deals in China, the company said Wednesday.

Soon to be made in China: Electric Vehicle Charge Points (Earth2Tech, 9/16/2009) Nearly half of the electric car charging equipment installed worldwide by 2015 will be heading to China, according to a recent report from Pike Research. Today an announcement from Scottsdale, Ariz.-based charging infrastructure company ECOtality indicates that China’s role in the electric car charging boom will encompass not only installing the equipment domestically, but also building it for international deployment. Down the road, when you pull up to a charge point, there’s a good chance it could have been made in China.

China’s auto industry shifts into high gear (The Christian Science Monitor, 9/13/2009) As General Motors emerged from bankruptcy and launched the new LaCrosse under its surviving Buick brand this summer, the car showcased a unique feature: an interior that was entirely designed in China.

China’s leading oil producer to triple natural gas production (Xinhua, 9/13/2009) Daqing Oilfield, China's No.1 terrestrial oil producer, is expected to triple its natural gas production while stabilizing crude output in the years to come.

China could be $1 trillion green tech market (AP, 9/10/2009) China potentially could be a $500 billion to $1 trillion a year market for environmentally sustainable "green technologies," a group of businesses and experts said in a report Thursday that urges governments to ease the way for such initiatives.

GOVERNMENT

China to curb production overcapacity amid green efforts: official (Xinhua, 9/17/2009) A Chinese official vows on Thursday to curb the country's production overcapacity and avoid repetitious construction of projects that are less environmental-friendly.

Beijing to ban tap water for water landscaping (ChinaCSR, 9/17/2009) Beijing is now soliciting public opinions on a new rule on water pollution prevention which states that no tap water shall be used for water landscape sites.

Shenyang aims to clean up its image (Financial Times, 9/17/2009) Shenyang – once one of China’s most polluted cities – is planning a big green project as it competes with other Chinese cities to fulfill Beijing’s environmental ­targets.

China issues regulation to curb marine pollution by ships (Xinhua, 9/17/2009) China's State Council, or the Cabinet, issued a new regulation Wednesday targeting prevention and remedies for marine pollution caused by ships.

China plants trees to tackle climate change (Xinhua, 9/17/2009) China has afforested land of over one million Mu (66,000 hectares) with money from the China Green Carbon Fund, said a forest administration official Thursday.

India fails to make headway with China on saving tigers (Times of India, 9/17/2009) Recent talks between India and China on saving the critically endangered tiger were "not a great success", minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh admitted on Thursday.

Tibet’s environment chief: Nature is more important than gold (China Daily, 9/17/2009) Tibet has implemented strict environmental protection policies making it so in no projects can be approved unless they pass an environmental assessment, said Zhang Yongze, director of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Environment Protection on Saturday.

US seeks to bring China, India on board on Climate Change (Livemint, 9/17/2009) The White House on Thursday emphasised on the need to have countries like India and China on board on climate change, which it said is crucial for success of the Copenhagen meet in December on the issue.

China joins international environmental conventions (China CSR, 9/17/2009) Zhou Shengxian, the minister of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China, disclosed at a recent global environmental forum that China has joined more than 50 international environmental conventions and established an internal management mechanism to fulfill these conventions.

China to support grassland protection in Tibet (People’s Daily, 9/17/2009) Reporters recently learned from Tibet's financial departments that the Ministry of Finance has allocated 200 million yuan of special funds to support the establishment of pilot grassland protection reward systems in five pilot counties and two comparison counties in Tibet. The financial rewards will be directly issued to households by local financial departments.

Enel to share CCS technology with China (Energy Risk, 9/16/2009) Italy's largest power company Enel has signed an agreement with China to share the carbon capture and storage technology piloted at its Federico II Plant in Brindisi, Italy. An agreement was signed on September 14th between the Chinese Ministry for Science and Technology and the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Enel to promote clean coal technology.

Energy saving lights adopted for Tiananmen Square (ChinaCSR, 9/16/2009) As part of the renovation of the landscape lighting of the Chinese capital for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, thousands of energy saving lights have been adopted for Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

China and Macau to develop island (BBC News, 9/15/2009) The authorities in Zhuhai, southern China, have announced a detailed blueprint of plans to develop Hengqin island.

China plans massive high-speed rail expansion: state media (The Nation, 9/10/2009) China plans to build 42 high-speed railway lines by 2012 in a massive system overhaul, part of its efforts to spur economic growth amid the global downturn, state media have reported.

Issue 24, September 3rd to September 10th, 2009

OPINION

Understanding the energy challenge (China Dialogue, 9/10/2009) China needs low-carbon development to ensure its energy security. In this effort, writes Lin Boqiang, the country could become a model for other developing nations.

China and US should unwind environmental imbalance (Telegraph, 9/8/2009) The

G20 world leaders meeting in Pittsburgh on September 24 probably won’t do much about either. But they could at least start to recognize that that the only fair solution involves joint effort.

China: What makes a good dam? (IPS Europe, 9/8/2009) The Chinese government needs to engage local communities in harnessing its vast water and hydropower resources and pursuing sustainable development, says environmental advocate Yu Xiaogang, recipient of the 2009 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Participatory Social Impact Assessment for Watershed Management.

A national team for the climate (China Dialogue, 9/7/2009) How could China – and other developing nations – consolidate a response to the climate-change crisis? Qiu Dengke interviews Li Lailai, of the Stockholm Environment Institute.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs

Water pollution, scarcity top China’s environmental challenges, says survey (CSRwire, 9/10/2009) Contamination of China's fresh water resources from industrial pollution and inadequate sewage treatment is seen by Chinese residents as the nation's most critical environmental priority, according to a new public opinion survey. The survey by Circle of Blue, an American multi-media news and science organization, and GlobeScan, a global public opinion polling firm, also found that people are hungry for more information.

Green tea promotes weight loss, new research finds (Medical News Today, 9/10/2009) New research from China has found that regular consumption of green tea - which is rich in naturally-occurring tea actives called catechins - can significantly and positively effect body composition in moderately overweight individuals.

China losing global labor advantage (China Daily, 9/10/2009) China is losing its edge in the worldwide labor market as it will suffer a shortage of laborers due to the family planning policy, a think-tank said yesterday in a report.

Don’t eat kangaroos, Steven Irwin’s dad urges China (AFP, 9/9/2009) The father of late Australian conservationist Steve Irwin urged China on Wednesday not to start importing kangaroo meat, warning it could wipe out huge stocks of the animal.

Chinese researchers to conquer world’s fourth largest desert (Xinhua, 9/10/2009) Chinese researchers plan to traverse northwest China's Badain Jaran Desert, the world's fourth largest, later this month, said a leader of the expedition team Thursday.

Pollution in China affecting rainfall (VOA News, 9/8/2009) Pollution in China appears to be decreasing the amount of light rainfall the country receives, according to a new study. That's important because light rain is the kind that helps sustain crops. VOA's Steve Baragona has more.

CORPORATIONS

Optimism over China’s green technology market (Wall Street Journal, 9/10/2009) A group of Western companies says it can foresee a $500 billion to $1 trillion market annually for clean technology in China, according to a report published Thursday meant to highlight how a big new industry might develop in the world's most populous nation.

Zhangzidao: New standards in oceanic aquaculture (China Daily, 9/9/2009) If it passes a European Union (EU) inspection now underway, Dalian's Zhangzidao Fishery Group will become the first producer of scallops permitted to ship the mollusks to the EU after their import from China was banned in 1997.

Shell, China Shenhua clean coal plan: company (AFP, 9/9/2009) Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell said it has signed an agreement with a unit of China's largest coal company Shenhua Group to jointly develop clean coal technology.

Frost and Sullivan sees investment opportunities in China Wind Power Industry (PRNewswire, 9/10/2009) Frost & Sullivan sees the global wind power industry demonstrates a sustained and rapid growth trend in general, with the fast-growing area moving from Europe to Asia and North America in recent years. In 2008, an approximately 27,260MW of installed capacity was added to the world's wind power, which was 29% larger than that of the previous year.

China’s environment and coal (iStockAnalyst, 9/10/2009) China has an environmental problem which the government has been aware of for years. Polluters have been able to dump massive amounts of toxic wastes into China's air and water for many years with no repercussions because the mandate from Beijing was for economic growth at all costs.

U.S. soybean growers aiming to tap rural China’s feed market (Bloomberg, 9/9/2009) Soybean growers in the U.S., the world’s biggest supplier, aim to increase livestock feed sales to small landowners in rural China to help boost exports, the United Soybean Board said.

First Solar to team with Ordos City on major solar power plant in China desert (Business Wire, 9/8/2009) First Solar today announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Chinese government to build a 2 gigawatt solar power plant in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, China.

105 sickened in chemical plant gas leak (Xinhua, 9/8/2009) At least 105 people were sickened in a chemical plant gas leak in Gansu Province Monday, doctors said Tuesday.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Wins Food Safety Innovation Award for its Melamine Detection Program in China (Business Wire, 9/8/2009) Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, today announced that it has received a Ringier Technology Innovation Award for its role in helping Chinese laboratories quickly develop melamine detection capabilities following the discovery of melamine-tainted milk and infant formula in China. The award was presented by Ringier Trade Publishing, which publishes China's leading food industry magazine, Food Manufacturing Journal.

China Energy Recovery wins an EPE contract for a new sulfuric acid plant (PRNewswire Asia, 9/8/2009) China Energy Recovery, Inc., a leader in the waste heat energy recovery sector of the industrial energy efficiency industry, today announced that the company has won a new EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract to construct a sulfuric acid plant with built-in waste heat recovery system for Tianjin Qinfa Chemical("Qinfa"), a subsidiary of Tianjin Bohai Chemical Group, a leading chemical producer and one of the 200 Largest Companies in China.

35 die in coal mine blast in central China (Press TV, 9/8/2009) A suspected gas explosion at a coal mine in China has reportedly left at least 35 miners dead and some 44 others trapped underground in the central province of Henan.

China emerges as top nonferrous metal recycler (The China Perspective, 9/7/2009) China's nonferrous metal recycling sector has become the world's largest after the country recycled 2 million tons of copper and 3 million tons of aluminum in 2008, according to an international forum on the issue held Sunday in Jiangxi province.

ADB supports clean waste to energy project in China (Asian Development Bank, 9/7/2009) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed an agreement to lend up to $200 million to China Everbright International Limited to develop waste-to-energy plants in secondary cities across the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It will mark ADB’s first private-sector municipal solid waste management project.

Longwei Petroleum expects higher margins with China’s latest fuel price increase (PRNewswire-Asia, 9/8/2009) Longwei Petroleum Investment Holding Ltd. (OTC Bulletin Board: LPIH), a leading oil and fuel wholesaler and distributor operating in Shanxi Province, China, today announced that it expects to see an increase in gross profit of 4 to 5 percent on sales of its current fuel inventories as a result of the latest Chinese government mandate to raise the benchmark retail price of diesel oil and gasoline by 0.22 RMB and 0.26 RMB per liter, respectively.

BYD-backed BYD seeks China funds for hybrid sales (Bloomberg, 9/7/2009) BYD Co., the Chinese automaker backed by billionaire Warren Buffett, is seeking government support for hybrid sales after selling 31 F3DM plug-ins nationwide in the first seven months of the year.

Lead surges in ‘panic buying’ as China vows industry cleanup (Bloomberg, 9/4/2009) Lead, the best performer on the London Metal Exchange this year, surged to the highest price in almost 16 months as China vowed to shut substandard smelters after thousands of children were poisoned.

China’s Henan lead plants may reopen in October (Reuters, 9/4/2009) Closed lead smelters in Jiyuan city in Henan province may be allowed to reopen after early October, at the earliest, if they meet new rules to be finalized by Beijing, an environment chief said on Friday.

China to increase natural gas usage for electric power production (Examiner.com, 9/4/2009) It was reported that PetroChina Co. Ltd. has formed an agreement with Huaneng Power to supply natural gas for new electric power production. This will help China minimize the problems it is having with increasing electric production from coal fired power plants.

Costa Rica’s watchdog approves China oil contract (Channel News Asia, 9/4/2009) Costa Rica's legal watchdog on Thursday cleared a billion-dollar contract the government signed with China to jointly build an oil refinery after it was held up in legal wrangling for months.

Clean coal in China said to face ‘staggering’ costs (Bloomberg, 9/4/2009) Western governments pushing China to use clean-coal technology may need to lower their expectations for the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases.

GOVERNMENT

Britain says China trade boosts UK low carbon plan (Reuters, 9/10/2009) Britain and China have agreed trade and investment deals worth $500 million, including help for UK low carbon products and services, the British government said on Thursday.

China to enhance ecological environmental compensation mechanism (ChinaCSR, 9/10/2009) Du Ying, the deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, disclosed at a recent seminar that China will enhance the pilot program for the ecological environment compensation mechanism, in selected regions.

China strengthens pollution check ahead of National Day (Xinhua, 9/10/2009) From drinking water to mine tailings, China is reinforcing environmental checks around the capital to prevent potential pollution in the run up to the National Day celebrations on Oct. 1 when a huge gathering will be held in Tian'anmen Square.

Life support for organ transplants in China (Caijing, 9/9/2009) It's no secret that millions of people in China desperately need liver and kidney transplants. But it took a brutal murder for many to realize how bloody the transplant business can be – and the benefits of a new and hopefully fair system for organ donations.

With pipelines, China’s footprint in Burma expands (IPS, 9/8/2009) If military-ruled Burma needed a stark symbol of China’s growing dominance in the country, then it would be poised to get one soon. The Asian giant is about to start building two pipelines – for gas and oil – that will span the breadth of the Southeast Asian nation.

China says swine flue situation ‘grim,’ France cases explode (AFP, 9/8/2009) China said Tuesday the country was facing a "grim" situation in its efforts to stave off fresh outbreaks of swine flu, as monitors in France said the number of cases there was much higher than claimed.

China denies links to elephant poaching in Kenya (EcoWorldly, 9/8/2009) Recently, an increasing series of unfortunate events have suggested that Chinese workers in Kenya could be linked to a rise in elephant killings near these work sites. But according to an article in China Daily, there is no connection.

China: National Emission Standard V on the anvil (AutomotiveWorld.com, 9/8/2009) An official at China's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) says the Ministry is setting up National Emission Standard V on new cars, and gasoline and diesel fuels.

China to levy pollution tax on vehicles (China Daily, 9/7/2009) China might levy pollution tax on vehicles, Ren Hongyan, director of the Department of Pollution Control of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, said during a discussion on “Energy saving and traditional energy automobiles” at the 2009 International Forum on Chinese Automotive Industry Development held over the weekend in Tianjin, according to China Economic Net (www.ce.cn).

China puts 1 trillion yuan in ecological conservation (Xinhua, 9/6/2009) China has spent nearly 1 trillion yuan (146 billion U.S. dollars) on ecological conservation and environmental protection over the past decade, a senior official told an international seminar on ecological compensation held Sunday in northwest China.

China starts developing new rockets for space mission (China Daily, 9/6/2009) China has started developing the Long March 6 carrier rockets for its space programs, the China National Space Administration announced on its official website.

Beijing says new measures needed to fight lead poisoning (Wall Street Journal, 9/4/2009) China's environment minister called for new measures to deal with heavy-metal poisoning, following a recent spate of incidents involving mass lead poisoning of children living near lead smelters.

Local governments keep Chinese public in the dark about pollution (Guardian, 9/4/2009) Polluters in China are operating in a "black box" of secrecy, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has warned amid a rash of violent protests related to industrial poisoning.

Banned additives found in bread (Shanghai Daily, 9/4/2009) Quality watchdogs in Guangzhou city have found bread laced with banned additives which may lead to cancer, Guangzhou Daily reported today.



Shortage of rare earths used in hybrids, TVs may loom in China (Bloomberg, 9/3/2009) China said supplies of dysprosium and terbium, minerals needed to make hybrid cars and televisions, may be inadequate for its own needs, adding to concerns that the largest producer of rare earths may further cut exports.