Issue 18, July 24th to July 31st, 2009

OPINION

Nonsense to gear water price to international standards (Eastday, 7/30/2009) In the first half of this year, the price of water for living in big and medium-sized cities in China has been generally raised, which led to people’s sensitive feeling of price fluctuation. Why these cities raise the price together at the same time? How to balance the rise of water charge and people’s affordability? Can the “water supply cost” be open and transparent? How to adjust the price more reasonably?

Facing Asia’s water woes (China Dialogue, 7/30/2009) Concerns over water scarcity are particularly acute in Asia, writes Saleem H Ali. But despite the potential for conflict, there are also prospects for ecological cooperation.

What can China do about climate change? (Telegraph, 7/30/2009) A Greenpeace report has now revealed, to the surprise of no one, that the awakened industrial giant of China is a colossal creator of carbon emissions. China’s three biggest power firms (Huaneng, Datang and Guodian) allegedly produced more greenhouse gas emissions last year than the whole of Britain.

We can’t pin our ozone problems on China (Examiner.com, 7/29/2009) So can we blame China for our smoggy air as well? Nope, a new study published this month in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. The study, which was lead by University of Washington researchers and has a total of twenty co-authors, used data from a network of ground-based ozone instruments and the field's best climate models to determine how much foreign emissions affect ozone levels in the United States.

Designing a greener China (China Dialogue, 7/27/2009) Hu Jie is the landscape architect of the 680-hectare Olympic Forest Park in Beijing. In an interview with Jared Green, Hu explains the philosophy behind its design and discusses the importance of ecological ideas and Chinese tradition.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs

Protest over chemical plant production escalates in central China (Xinhua, 7/30/2009) Villagers took to the streets in Zhentou Township, central China's Hunan Province, again on Thursday, protesting detentions the previous day during demonstrations against pollution problems caused by a chemical plant.

Torrential rain in China kills 66 since June (AFP, 7/30/2009) Torrential rain and landslides have killed at least 66 people and left another 66 missing in south and central China since the beginning of June, state media reported Thursday.

Noise map helps locate a land of peace (China Daily, 7/30/2009) After taking a look at the "noise map" of Shenzhen, most residents would love to live in a purple haze.

Landmark environmental lawsuit against local government (The China Perspective, 7/30/2009) A court of Qingzhen, Guizhou province in China's southwest, accepted the country's first lawsuit against a government agency over environmental issues brought by a charitable organization on July 28. The All-China Environment Federation sued Qingzhen's land and resources authority for granting a permit to Li Wanxian, the legal person for the construction of an ice cream workshop in the natural scenic spot of Baihua Lake.

Chinese workers say illness is real, not hysteria (New York Times, 7/29/2009) Tian Lihua was just beginning her morning shift when she felt a wave of nausea, then numbness in her limbs and finally dizziness that gave way to unconsciousness. In the days that followed, more than 1,200 fellow employees at the textile mill where Ms. Tian works would be felled by these and other symptoms, including convulsions, breathing difficulties, vomiting and temporary paralysis.

Water pollution sickens thousands in north China (AP, 7/29/2009) Contaminated drinking water has sickened more than 2,600 people in northern China, including 59 who were hospitalized with fevers, diarrhea, stomach aches and vomiting, state media reported Wednesday.

Think fin, save sharks (Shanghai Daily, 7/28/2009) Asia is the world's biggest market for shark's fin - a costly delicacy and status symbol - and its appetite is growing. But sharks are being slaughtered. Zhang Qian reports.

Earliest animals lived in a lake environment, Research shows (ScienceDaily, 7/28/2009) A UC Riverside-led team of researchers studying ancient rock samples in South China has found that the first animal fossils in the paleontological record are preserved in ancient lake deposits, not marine sediments as commonly assumed.

NGO questions dam project suspensions (China Daily, 7/27/2009) A domestic environmental protection organization questioned the recent punishment issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection on the construction of two environmentally-unfriendly hydroelectric plants, pointing out flaws in the decision, the First Financial Daily reported Monday.

Pandas face uncertain future after China quake (AP, 7/27/2009) About 35 pandas at a reserve in southwestern China face an uncertain future after nearly a quarter of their habitat was destroyed by last year's powerful earthquake that killed nearly 70,000 people, according to a study published Monday.

China’s largest desert lake may vanish in decades, experts warn (Xinhua, 7/27/2009) China's largest desert lake - Hongjiannao - is still shrinking as a result of climate change and human activities, and may vanish in a few decades, experts have warned.

Wedding ceremony on cycle to improve environmental protection (China Daily, 7/26/2009) The bride Shi Xiulan and groom Xin Jia ride a modified bicycle during their wedding ceremony in Guiyang, in southwest China’s Guizhou Province, July 26, 2009. The copule, both members of a cycling club in Guiyang, and about 100 cycling fans rode on the street to celebrate the wedding ceremony and also improve the public awareness of environmental protection.

CORPORATIONS

Report: China stops mining project with North Korea (AP, 7/30/2009) A Chinese investment company has abruptly suspended a joint project with a North Korean firm that has been targeted under U.N. sanctions, a news report said Thursday.

China Natural Gas, CNPC join hands for CNG push in China (Platts.com, 7/30/2009) China Natural Gas, a prominent supplier of compressed natural gas and pipeline gas in Xian, the capital of Shaanxi province, late Wednesday said it has signed a joint venture agreement with a subsidiary of state oil giant China National Petroleum Corp. to cooperate in the CNG business.

China Industrial Waste Management, Inc. receives National Subsidy of RMB 10 Million for capacity expansion (PRNewswire, 7/30/2009) China Industrial Waste Management, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CIWT) ("China Industrial Waste Management" or the "Company"), a PRC-based industrial waste processor and provider of environmental protection, pollution treatment and waste management design services, announced today that its 90% owned subsidiary, Dalian Dongtai Industrial Waste Treatment, Co., Ltd. has received a national subsidy of RMB 10 million (approximately $1,464,129) for capacity expansion to complete a "Centralized Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility" (the "Expansion Project") in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.

New report just published installed capacity of nuclear power in China, 2003-2010 (Reportlinker PRWire, 7/30/2009) Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Nuclear energy industry is available in its catalogue.

China’s car rental industry on the rise (Travel News, 7/30/2009) Rental car agencies are facing a very difficult period in Europe and the United States. However, in China a new company is investing heavily in the idea that China can buck the trend. China’s eHi Car Rental co. offers a new concept for rent a car that could do very well in china. The company recently raised 20 million dollars from investors and they are planning a public offering in 2011.

Skyworth says all its TVs will be energy saving in three years (ChinaCSR, 7/30/2009) Liu Tangzhi, the general manager of Skyworth Group's China Marketing Department, disclosed at a recent conference that Skyworth will make technical breakthroughs to update all its television products to be energy-saving and environmentally-friendly within three years.

New report just published research report on Chinese insecticide market 2009-2011 (Reportlinker PRWire, 7/29/2009) Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the Pesticide industry is available in its catalogue.

Severn Trent: “Tretra Denite” system for WWTP in China (Water and Wastewater, 7/29/2009) Beijing BCEG Golden State Sources Environment Protection Development Co., Ltd., a provider of specialized services to customers in China’s solid waste, water and wastewater treatment industries, has selected the Tetra® Denite® System from Severn Trent Services for use at Phase III of the Huishan Wastewater Treatment Co., Ltd. project in the Huishan district of Wuxi City, China.

China’s three biggest power firms emit more carbon than Britain (Guardian, 7/28/2009) China's three biggest power firms produced more greenhouse gas emissions last year than the whole of Britain, according to a Greenpeace report published today/yesterday.

China’s first national-class Nuclear R&D base to break earth (Trading Markets, 7/28/2009) China will start building its first national-class large comprehensive nuclear R&D base in Shuangliu County, Sichuan Province, west China, in September 2009, according to the Shuangliu County Committee Propaganda Department.

BIOREM awarded three projects in China (PRNewsire, 7/28/2009) BIOREM Inc. (TSXV:BRM) announced today the receipt of three new municipal orders from our China office. The three orders totaling CAD $450,000 were all for wastewater odor control systems located in different cities.

China ACM adds 5 new portable plants (PRNewssire, 7/28/2009) China Advanced Construction Materials Group, Inc. ("China ACM") (OTC Bulletin Board: CADC), a leading provider of ready-mix concrete and related services in China, today announced that it has added five new portable, ready-mix concrete plants. As a result, the company now has 9 portable plants supporting the build-out of China's national railway network. The new plants are located between railway stations near Qinhuangdao, Yongfu, Hangzhou, Liuzhou and Guilin.

Infrastructure woes hamper China wind farm’s push for profitability (Guardian, 7/27/2009) Chinese wind farm operators are struggling to earn a profit as a lack of wind resources and an insufficient power infrastructure has hampered efforts to provide clean energy to the grid.

GOVERNMENT

Beijing closing coal plants in environmental move (AP, 7/30/2009) China has taken advantage of a drop in electricity demand due to the global financial crisis to speed up a campaign to close small coal-fired power plants and improve its battered environment, an official said Thursday.

China’s capital tightens vehicle exhaust controls (Xinhua, 7/30/2009) China's environment authorities are to ban motor vehicles registered outside Beijing from entering the capital city if they fail to meet exhaust emissions standards.

China seeks clean energy balance (Wall Street Journal, 7/30/2009) China's government said it shut down many of its smaller and dirtier power plants nearly two years ahead of schedule, as the world's biggest consumer of coal took advantage of the weak global economy to boost efficiency and cut pollution in its vast network of generators.

China reports slight improvement of water quality nationwide (Xinhua, 7/30/2009) China's water quality nationwide improved slightly in 2008 though the situation was still grave, said a statement released by the Ministry of Environmental Protection on Thursday.

World Bank arm sees China as Africa energy partner (Reuters, 7/29/2009) The International Finance Corporation expects closer future cooperation with China to provide funding in Africa's growing oil and gas sector, a senior investment official said on Wednesday.

China’s Great Green Wall proves hollow (The Epoch Times, 7/29/2009) The Great Green Wall, also known as the Three-North Shelterbelt program, started in 1978 with the goal of establishing 35.6 million hectares of protective forests over a swath of 2,783 miles in Northeast, North, and Northwest China. The program was to take 73 years and raise forest cover in northern China from 5 to 15 percent.

90-octane gas faces limited future (Eastday, 7/29/2009) Shanghai has started to gradually phase out 90-octane gasoline, which causes more pollution due to a higher sulfur content.

China wants climate deal this year: U.N.’s Ban (Reuters, 7/29/2009) China's leaders told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that Beijing wants to reach a new agreement on combating climate change in Copenhagen in December, Ban said on Wednesday.

US-China talks expected to include collaboration on fighting infectious disease (Xinhua, 7/29/2009) China's Deputy Health Minister Yin Li on Tuesday said that public health cooperation between China and the U.S. can improve the health of both countries and be strategically significant to world peace and development, Xinhua/China View reports (7/29).

China to set price for wind power (Sustainable Business, 7/29/2009) China plans to set a price for energy produced from wind power projects, according to an announcement made by the government's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Direct power supply trial gets cold shoulder (Caijing, 7/29/2009) Electricity users and power generators have given a cold shoulder to China's direct power supply pilot scheme, which was intended to introduce price competition into the market, since they are concerned about high transmission fees and unreliable access, government and industry sources told Caijing.

China channels 1 billion yuan green fund to rural areas (Xinhua, 7/29/2009) Money from a 1 billion yuan (146 million U.S. dollars) fund is being distributed to 1,370 villages in China to remedy environmental problems and reward good practices, said the Ministry of Environment Protection Wednesday.

New tree adoption rules (Shanghai Daily, 7/28/2009) Spend 30 yuan (US$4.4) to adopt a tree and you can have your name on it for a month. Companies can have the same treat by spending a minimum of 300 yuan.

China: Cities and power plants blacklisted (ChinaCSR, 7/28/2009) Eight Chinese cities and five power plants have been included on the blacklist of China's Ministry of Environmental Protection for their illegal behavior and have been asked to rectify their faults within a given period.

Russia complains about Chinese border river project (Reuters, 7/27/2009) Russia complained about a major Chinese river project on Monday which it says will harm the Russian environment, the latest sign of strained relations between the two countries.

Obama: US, China to work on halting nuclear spread (AP, 7/27/2009) President Barack Obama says the U.S. and China have a shared interest in halting the spread of nuclear weapons.

Issue 17, July 17th to July 24th, 2009

OPINION

Population boom and green dilemma (China Daily, 7/24/2009) In our insane quest for development, and sane but disconcerted efforts to fight climate change, we seem to have forgotten the problem posed by booming populations. The rate at which the world population is growing would render development useless and nullify our efforts to save the environment.

China fights climate change in its own way (Shanghai Daily, 7/23/2009) As Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chinese diplomats sat in a spacious hall in Beijing over the weekend to discuss diplomatic projects, they sacrificed the formality of suits and ties in favor of white dress shirts to better weather the warm temperatures inside the building - a measure to help conserve energy.

Environmental torts in China (China Environmental Law Blog, 7/22/2009) A judgment of RMB80,000 has been entered against the Korean WFOE, Cangzhou Chengyuan Cosmetics Co Limited (Chengyuan) for the cancer death of a neighbor to its facility in Hebei Province.

China and climate: Where do we go from here? (National Journal, 7/21/2009) What should American policy be toward China on climate change? Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke traveled to China last week to discuss ways the two countries can collaborate on reducing the risks of climate change.

China sprouts green energy opportunities (Forbes, 7/16/2009) Michael Ding, head of Accenture's utility industry consulting practice in Beijing, on what's brewing.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs

Henan trade unions investigate migrant worker’s lung condition (ChinaCSR, 7/24/2009) Peng Shaoxing, a vice director from Henan Provincial Trade Unions, has told local media that HPTU has attached great importance to the lung checkup of the migrant worker Zhang Haichao and has initiated an investigation on the issue.

Botanical garden on Hulu Island like Eden (Xinhua, 7/23/2009) Menglun is a tiny township surrounded by Dai villages, rubber tree plantations and tropical forests more than 600 km from Kunming, capital of Yunnan province. Few people know there is a dynamic expat community on an island ringed on three sides by a river near the town.

Chasing China, South Korean energy majors look abroad (Reuters, 7/23/2009) An Asian country with large, government-backed energy companies seeks growth through cross-border acquisitions. It's inexperienced in such deals however, and gets off to a shaky start.

When monkeying around pays off (Xinhua, 7/23/2009) Traditional Chinese culture and folklore abound with monkey figures. From the ancient monkey totem to the legendary Monkey King, mischievous monkeys have always been popular. Now we even have an entire islet reserved for these animals.

It’s Electric: Chinese streets full of popular electric bicycles (AP, 7/23/2009) China, the world's bicycle kingdom — one for every three inhabitants — is going electric. Workers weary of crammed public transport or pedaling long distances to jobs are upgrading to battery-powered bikes and scooters. Even some who can afford cars are ditching them for electric two-wheelers to avoid traffic jams and expensive gasoline.

Dams threaten “millions of Mekong livelihoods” (IRIN, 7/22/2009) Seventeen dams recently built on the Mekong and its tributaries in China, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, as well as 11 more in the planning process, are threatening Mekong fisheries – and thereby the food security they have provided for millions, critics warn.

Asia, rain, and pollution obscure the eclipse of the century (AsiaNews, 7/22/2009) Rain, pollution and the death of a woman in India have ruined the party tens for millions of Asians, who today experienced the longest eclipse of the sun this century.

Chinese villagers flee county in radiation scare (AP, 7/21/2009) They fled in droves, terrified by rumors of a radiation leak, with many jumping empty-handed into motorcycle taxis and farm trucks they hoped would take them out of harm's way.

Will global warming melt the permafrost supporting the China-Tibet railway? (Scientific American, 7/21/2009) This crucial line of transportation crosses the Tibetan Plateau, parts of which are barely below freezing. Will any added warmth--either from climate change or the railway itself--destabilize the track's frozen foundation?

China dust cloud circled globe in 13 days – study (Reuters, 7/20/2009) Dust clouds generated by a huge dust storm in China's Taklimakan desert in 2007 made more than one full circle around the globe in just 13 days, a Japanese study using a NASA satellite has found.

More rural areas turn to biogas (China Daily, 7/20/2009) Wu Ailing, a 45-year-old farmer living in the village of Xiguan in Qixian county, near Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province, has been using self-generated biogas for cooking for eight years.

Rare gazelles at risk despite help (Shanghai Daily, 7/20/2009) Ge, 55, a veteran and an environmentalist, was among the first to call for protection of the animal. When he took his first picture of the gazelles in 1996, only 300 were left in the world, all scattered about the grasslands around Qinghai Lake.

In the same year, the Przewalskii gazelle was added to the Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world's largest global environmental network headquartered in Gland, Switzerland.

Activists defend China’s Huai river (Radio Free Asia, 7/20/2009) China's Huai River basin—an intricate network of rivers, lakes, and fishing villages—has been the subject of poetry and music for generations, stimulating the popular imagination with scenes of rural peace and plenty by its rippling shores.

China jails environment activists – rights group (Reuters, 7/17/2009) A Chinese environmental activist and his daughter have been jailed for leaking state secrets and endangering national security related to a uranium mine, a human rights group said.

CORPORATIONS

British Petroleum, alternative energy and lessons from China (Seeking Alpha, 7/23/2009) Oil major British Petroleum (BP), following a leadership succession reportedly cancelled its renewable energy program and withdrew from its joint venture with the company D1 on biodiesel production. The joint venture was set to utilize the oil crop jatropha (Jatropha curcas) as feedstock.

China Bio Energy holdings announces acqusition of gas station in the city of Xi’an (PRNewswire-Asia, 7/23/2009) China Bio Energy Holdings Group (Nasdaq: CBEH), a leading manufacturer and distributor of bio-diesel and distributor of petroleum-related products including gasoline, diesel, and heavy oil in China, today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire, through a thirty-year lease, all of the assets of a gas station located in the city of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, PRC.

ABB, Siemens boosted by China’s demand for green power (Bloomberg, 7/23/2009) Three years after passing the U.S. to become the world’s biggest air polluter, China’s investments in green energy technology are boosting orders for Western power-grid builders like ABB Ltd. as their home markets slump.

China to buy into Canadian potash projects in Africa (BNW News Wire, 7/23/2009) In recent months, plenty of headlines have been garnered by several intrepid and well-financed potash exploration juniors that are vying to muscle-in on Saskatchewan’s lucrative potash mining industry. That uber-financier Robert Friedland is now the chairman of one of these mining juniors adds further sizzle to the emerging Prairie Potash Rush.


China Industrial Waste Management, Inc. retains CCG Investor Relations (PRNewswire Asia, 7/22/2009) China Industrial Waste Management, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CIWT) ("China Industrial Waste Management" or the "Company"), a PRC-based industrial waste processor and provider of environmental protection, pollution treatment and waste management design services, announced today that it has retained CCG to design and execute its investor relations campaign.

Thousands flee homes after chemical leak in China (The Nation, 7/20/2009) More than 1,000 people fled their homes and businesses and four factory workers were sent to the hospital after a chemical leak at a shoe factory in eastern China over the weekend, according to a statement posted on the local government Web site Monday.

China, CNPC aims to double gas production by 2015 (Reuters, 7/17/2009) State-owned CNPC, China's leading oil and gas company, aims to double its natural gas production in seven years, according to a newsletter published by the company on Friday.

China iron-ore output soars, steel at record (Reuters, 7/17/2009) China's monthly iron ore output leapt by a quarter to the second highest ever in June as demand for steel strengthened and prices rose, while steel production hit an all-time peak, official data showed on Friday.

Shanghai Chaori IPO Application rejected on environmental record (Caijing, 7/17/2009) Shanghai Chaori Solar Energy Science & Technology Co.'s IPO application was rejected by regulators because of the company's record of environment penalties, a source from a securities firm told Caijing.

GOVERNMENT

Hong Kong proposes new air quality targets (AFP, 7/23/2009) Hong Kong on Thursday laid out a series of proposals to tackle the city's poor air quality, but the move drew criticism from environmental groups who said new targets did not go far enough.

Zijin mountain – enormous outdoor nature museum (Xinhua, 7/23/2009) There are few cities in China that can boast of an enormous outdoor nature museum smack in the center of the city, home to a stunning range of beautiful butterflies, beetles and crickets - and also a scorpion, sans sting.

India and China give US a clean energy lesson (The National, 7/23/2009) Top US officials have been travelling to China and India to urge those countries to do more to curb carbon emissions. But they may be preaching to the converted.

China to build stronger telescope network in south pole: astronomer (Xinhua, 7/23/2009) Chinese astronomers will set up a stronger telescope network on Dome A, the top of the south pole, after the initial success in January, 2008, an astronomer said at a symposium that concluded here Thursday.

China blacklists eight cities, five power plans for environmental problems (Xinhua, 7/23/2009) China's environmental watchdog blacklisted Thursday eight cities for outdated sulphur removal processes at municipal sewage treatment plants and five power plants for fabricating smoke-gas monitoring data.

Climate Change – China: Reluctance to curb emissions (IPS, 7/22/2009) China has welcomed Obama administration's efforts to lead a global movement to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but it has spawned concerns in Beijing that international pressure to cap emissions could mount, thus slowing the pace of its economic growth.

New report on China’s packaging recycling master-plan (Recycling Portal, 7/22/2009) A new report has been published on China's Packaging Recycling Master-plan. It analyses and comments on more than 15 new leglislative changes affecting the packaging industry introduced by China's administration since 1 January 2008.

China expects more cooperation with World Water Council (Xinhua, 7/22/2009) China is ready to increase cooperation with the World Water Council (WWC) to jointly cope with water-resource challenges, said Vice Premier Hui Liangyu here on Wednesday.

Auditors concerned over China hydropower shortcuts (AP, 7/21/2009) China’s national auditors are concerned that developers of a controversial dam on the upper reaches of the Yangtze river are taking shortcuts that may endanger the project and send costs spiraling.

China offers big solar subsidy, shares up (Reuters, 7/21/2009) China has launched an unprecedented and long-awaited plan to offer subsidies for utility-scale solar power projects, sparking a rally in shares of Chinese solar panel makers on Tuesday.

China to boost subsidies for solar power (Wall Street Journal, 7/21/2009) The Chinese government will boost subsidies for solar power in a bid to juice the development of about 500 megawatts of solar energy in the next two or three years. That’s about the size of an average coal-fired power plant.

Chinese Vice Premier stresses environmental protection, energy conservation (Xinhua, 7/21/2009) Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday called for efforts to intensify energy conservation, emission reduction and environmental protection to ensure clean, safe and sustainable development.

Outpacing its green due, China pursues leadership in new energy solutions (Xinhua, 7/21/2009) As Chinese President Hu Jintao and Chinese diplomats sat in a spacious hall in Beijing over the weekend to discuss diplomatic projects, they sacrificed the formality of suits and ties in favor of white dress shirts to better weather the warm temperatures inside the building -- a measure taken to help conserve energy.

Weaknesses in Chinese wind power (Forbes, 7/20/2009) Seeking to rein in its emissions of greenhouse gases, China is on an ambitious spending spree in wind power. The government is working on plans to shell out 1 trillion yuan ($146 billion) to build seven massive wind farms with a combined capacity of more than 120 gigawatts, roughly equal to the world's total installed wind power plants last year.

China concerned about mine safety as economy grows (Bloomberg, 7/17/2009) China, the world’s third-largest economy, said ensuring mining safety in the second half will be more difficult as a potential recovery from a slowdown boosts demand for energy and raw materials.

Issue 16, July 9th to July 16th, 2009

OPINION

When dark water and polluted air are signs of urban progress (Shanghai Daily, 7/15/2009) The more developed the economy is, the darker the water becomes. So said a senior official responsible for local water supply in Haikou, capital of Hainan Province.

Can I clean your clock? (New York Times, 7/14/2009) Over the past decade, whenever I went to China and engaged Chinese on their pollution and energy problems, inevitably some young Chinese would say: “Hey, you Americans got to grow dirty for 150 years, using cheap coal and oil. Now it is our turn.”

ACEF v. Jiangyin Port Container: First case with environment group as plaintiff? (China Environmental Law Blog, 7/10/2009) The China Business News reported on Wednesday about a case pending before the Jiangsu Provincial Intermediate People’s Court which it billed as the “first full operation in China of a public lawsuit with an environmental organization [the All-China Environmental Federation (ACEF)] as the main plaintiff.”

China’s bag ban, one year later (China Dialogue, 7/10/2009) In an effort to reduce “white pollution”, the country restricted the sale, distribution and manufacture of flimsy plastic sacks. Is the effort working? chinadialogue joined the discussion in Beijing.

China encounters factory farming (China Dialogue, 7/9/2009) The emergence of swine flu has raised fears about the potential public health impacts of industrial animal agriculture. Mia MacDonald asks if China can avoid the mistakes made by factory-farming nations in the west.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs

Mother dog nurses lesser pandas at north China zoo (Xinhua, 7/16/2009) Two lesser pandas who were abandoned by their mother shortly after birth at a north China zoo are now healthy and content thanks to their competent wet nurse: a mother dog, zoo workers said Thursday.

196,000 people suffer water shortage after prolonged drought in NW China (Xinhua, 7/16/2009) More than 196,000 residents in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region are suffering drinking water shortage because of a drought of almost half a year, local authorities said Thursday.

Hopes rest on China to save Copenhagen climate deal (Radio Australia, 7/16/2009) A top Australian climate change economist says there are reasons to hope that China will act to rescue the floundering Copenhagen climate change negotiations, but nothing is certain. 


Hong Kong roadside air pollution worsens: data (Agence France-Presse, 7/16/2009) Street-level air pollution in Hong Kong's busiest districts has soared over the past four years, official data has shown, despite a government campaign to curb vehicle emissions in the Chinese city. The government recorded a total of 1,066 hours of "very high" air pollution, equal to more than 44 days, in three main city districts in the first half of 2009 - a sixfold jump compared to the same period in 2005.

Four artificially-bred South China tigers survive in China zoo (Xinhua, 7/15/2009) A zoo in central China's Henan Province said Wednesday that four South China Tiger cubs produced by artificial breeding had survived.

Reintroduced Chinese alligators now multiplying in the wild in China (Wildlife Conservation Society, 7/14/2009) The Wildlife Conservation Society announced today that critically endangered alligators in China have a new chance for survival. The WCS's Bronx Zoo, in partnership with two other North American parks and the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Management of the State Forestry Administration of China, has successfully reintroduced alligators into the wild that are now multiplying on their own.

Rainstorm kills at least 22 in southwest China (Xinhua, 7/14/2009) A rainstorm which began last Thursday has killed at least 22 people in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality and the neighboring Sichuan Province, incomplete statistics from the local governments said Tuesday.

Lack of folic acid blamed for birth defects in China’s coal-rich province (Xinhua, 7/13/2009) A two-year study of 25,000 babies has found that a lack of folic acid, essential for neural tube formation, was the main cause of birth defects in China's Shanxi Province.

China to become leader in green technologies: Italian experts (Xinhua, 7/11/2009) China is set to become a global leader in the implementation of environmental-friendly policies and green technologies to tackle climate change, an Italian expert told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Bird-loving lama gets credit for wildlife protection (Xinhua, 7/9/2009) Tashi Zumpo, a 39-year-old lama monk from Guolo Prefecture of Qinghai Province on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, probably never imagined that his love for the rare birds in his hometown would be made public nationwide.

CORPORATIONS

Can Tengzhong persuade China to support the hummer deal? (Wall Street Journal, 7/15/2009) Chinese regulators have a lot to say about Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery’s bid for General Motors’s Hummer arm. Just Tuesday, after the obscure Chinese company filed for regulatory approval, the central government’s powerful Ministry of Commerce showed its support. But then the National Development and Reform Commission, which monitors economic restructuring and promotes sustainable development, raised concerns.

China to support greener palm oil (Mongabay.com, 7/15/2009) China-based producers and users of palm oil said they will provide more support for sustainable palm oil, reports WWF. The move could boost efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of the world's most productive oilseed.

Gansu breaks ground on RMB 120b wind park (JLM Pacific Epoch, 7/15/2009) Jiuquan, Gansu province has broken ground on an industry park for wind and photovoltaic equipment manufacturers that is expected to contain a RMB 120 billion-invested wind electricity base with capacity in the dozens of megawatts, reports Gansu Economic Daily.

Greenwashing the bamboo bandwagon (Examiner.com, 7/15/2009) Whether it is living a green lifestyle, or trying to incorporate more eco-friendliness into your current way of life, folks are in search of sustainable “green” products that seem to be vetted only by marketing. We are inundated daily with products advertisement, more now than ever with television, web banners, billboards, magazines and emails. The “green” bandwagon is a marketing treasure for some product manufacturers, who with good intentions may have a green product, but not necessarily have green processes.

$644m deal for eco-city (The Straits Times, 7/14/2009) The firm behind the Tianjin eco-city in China clinched a three billion yuan (S$644 million) deal yesterday, with a Japanese company, to build a 40ha integrated riverfront neighbourhood.

China energy recovery wins a waste heat recovery system contract (PRNewswire-Asia, 7/14/2009) 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 has won a contract to design and manufacture a waste heat recovery system for the new 300,000 ton annual capacity sulfuric acid plant of Wuxi Zhenyu Chemical, a joint venture between Marubeni, a Japanese Fortune Global 500 company, and Wuxi Sulfuric Acid, a leading sulfuric acid producer in Jiangsu Province. The contract value amounts to RMB4.98 million (approximately US$0.73 million).

Mining company inquiry puts focus on black market in China’s steel industry (New York Times, 7/14/2009) Long before four employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto were detained here last week on suspicion of stealing state secrets, people working in China’s steel industry were complaining about bribery, deceit and a system turned rotten.

Research and markets: Chinese coal power plant market report: Government regulations enable sustained growth for the Chinese coal power plant market (M2Presswire, 7/13/2009) This Frost & Sullivan research service titled Chinese Coal Power Plant Market provides overall market growth, revenue analysis, market share analysis, competitive structure, industry challenges, drivers, restraints, and pricing trends. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the current situation of Chinese coal power plant market, the coal power generating equipment market, and the environment protection equipment.

Industrial enterprises blamed for pollution (Global Times, 7/13/2009) Industrial enterprises have been issued a warning to take major responsibility for the country’s environmental pollution, according to a report by a leading research center released Sunday at a corporate citizen seminar held in Beijing.

Port container firm sued for environmental violation (China.org.cn, 7/9/2009) The Jiangsu Provincial Intermediate People's Court will hear a case from the All-China Environmental Federation, which is suing Jiangyin Port Container Co. Ltd., for environmental violations. This marks the first full operation in China of a public lawsuit with an environmental organization as the main plaintiff, China Business News reported on July 8.

GOVERNMENT

Asian nations could outpace U.S. in developing clean energy (The Washington Post, 7/16/2009) Asian nations are pouring money into renewable energy industries, funding research and development and setting ambitious targets for renewable energy use. These plans could outpace the programs in Obama's economic stimulus package or in the House climate bill.

Beijing spends over CNY100 million reducing subway noise (ChinaCSR, 7/16/2009) Beijing has spent more than CNY100 million reducing the noise of its No. 4 Subway Line which is to be formally put into operation in September this year.

Taiwan aims to impress with eco-friendly Games (Agence France-Presse, 7/16/2009) The World Games open today in southern Taiwan, with the island looking to impress the world with its state-of-the-art facilities, less than a year after rival China staged the Summer Olympics.

Iron ore talks ongoing despite Rio detentions (Global Times, 7/16/2009) The detention of Rio Tinto executives on spying accusations has allegedly wreaked "havoc" on the world's second-largest iron ore miner's sales in China, as the nation's steel mills took a wait-and-see approach on ore imports from the Anglo- Australian conglomerate, Chinese State media reported yesterday.

Officials: No radiation threats in Henan (China Daily, 7/15/2009) The leakage of radiation at a factory that sterilizes various foods has not polluted the environment in Kaifeng, Henan province, nor does it threaten public health, according to local environmental protection authorities.

EU calls for more cooperation with China against climate change (Beijing Review, 7/15/2009) The European Union (EU) will lead the global action against climate change and wants to deepen cooperation with China, said Andreas Carlgren, Swedish Minister for the Environment, whose country currently holds the EU presidency.

Beijing uses fish to monitor water quality (Xinhua, 7/15/2009) Chinese scientists have adopted the principle of the coal mine canary to monitoring water quality by using fish to test for pollutants.

US, China plan joint clean-energy research center (Kansascity.com, 7/15/2009) The U.S. and China, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters, announced plans Wednesday for a joint clean-energy research center. The center, with initial financing of $15 million and headquarters in both countries, will focus on clean coal, building efficiency and clean vehicles, said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

US and China team up on Cleantech research: Bane or Boon for IP (Reuters, 7/15/2009) Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has inspired hand-wringing among some companies and trade groups in recent months with calls for the international community to take a “very collaborative” approach to improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This morning, the Department of Energy offered a first glimpse of how Chu’s vision of collaborative cleantech innovation will really unfold, announcing plans to develop a new U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, starting with a total of $15 million in funding (split equally) from the two governments. The figure seems low in the context of a $787 billion stimulus package, but the DOE says it’s just an initial investment to get the project up and running.

US, Chinese officials discuss energy cooperation (Voice of America, 7/15/2009) The U.S. energy secretary says global warming is proceeding more quickly than originally predicted. Stephen Chu is in China, the world's top emitter of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, to urge greater Sino-American cooperation to combat the problem.


China allocates 5.98 million on environment of Mt. Qomolangma Nature Reserve (China Tibet Online, 7/14/2009) The China Meteorological Administration has approved and initiated a project of building system of environmental monitoring and mountaineering and tourism services on the Mt. Qomolangma Nature Reserve, according to the Scientific and Research Center of Tibet Meteorological Administration.

Green cops see red (Shanghai Daily, 7/14/2009) Eco-cops are sniffing the air, testing the waters and citing the stinkers. In suburban Nanhui area, Zhang Qian joins the pollution patrol and takes a deep breath.

Climate-change bill gives China advantage over U.S., putting U.S. industries and jobs at risk, says government report (CNS News, 7/14/2009) The American Clean Energy and Security Act--the so-called “cap-and-trade” climate-change bill--that passed the U.S. House of Representatives last month would give manufacturers in certain industries in the Communist People's Republic of China an advantage over their U.S. competitors and put U.S. jobs at risk, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Printed circuit board producers urged to seek green solution (China Daily, 7/13/2009) The printed circuit board (PCB) industry is vital to manufacturers of computing components, automotive parts, cellular phones, flat-screen television displays and other devices considered essential to our modern lifestyles.

China builds high wall to guard energy industry (New York Times, 7/13/2009) When the United States’ top energy and commerce officials arrive in China on Tuesday, they will land in the middle of a building storm over China’s protectionist tactics to become the world’s leader in renewable energy.

Guangzhou to ensure better air quality for Asian games (China Daily, 7/13/2009) The local environmental protection authority has pledged to ensure better air quality during the 16th Asian Games next year by spending up to 600 million yuan to tackle the problem of air pollution, Yang Liu, deputy director of Guangzhou environmental protection bureau, told China Daily.

EU carbon reform proposals no threat to China: official (Reuters, 7/13/2009) Proposals by the European Union to tighten a U.N.-run global carbon offsetting regime will help China rather than hinder it, a policy official with the European Commission said.

China offers three-point proposal on tackling climate change (Xinhua, 7/11/2009) Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Thursday offered a three-point proposal on the global fight against climate change. In a speech at the leaders' meeting of a forum of major economies on energy security and climate change, Dai said that firstly, the right principle should be upheld in tackling climate change.

Nine jailed for selling contaminated pork (Shanghai Daily, 7/10/2009) Nine people involved in six separate cases of selling contaminated pork in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, were sentenced to jail yesterday.

Kazakhstan completes China gas link segment (Reuters, 7/10/2009) China moved a step closer to securing a new source of gas supply on Friday when Kazakhstan finished building its segment of a pan-Central Asian gas pipeline designed to address China's growing energy needs.

Green energy attracts investors (China Daily, 7/10/2009) Prompted by the government initiative to reduce the country's dependence on coal as an energy source, many Chinese firms are investing heavily in alternative energy projects.

Beijing eliminates over 80,000 polluting vehicles (ChinaCSR, 7/9/2009) A representative from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has disclosed to the local media that, as at June 30, 2009, Beijing had controlled and eliminated a total of 82,503 high pollution vehicles.