Issue 23, August 27th to September 3rd, 2009

OPINION

Dam It! China’s hydro sector takes advantage of weak environmental protection (Energy Tribune, 9/2/2009) In 2008, China’s Environmental Protection Ministry made an unprecedented move: it halted two giant hydroelectric projects.

Getting the lead out and saving kid’s lives (Shanghai Daily, 9/2/2009) Unlike most parents, Pan Xiaoxia dreads watching her 12-year-old start the new semester.


Taking the toad’s-eye view (chinadialogue, 9/2/2009) Dipak Gyawali, former water minister of Nepal, explains how to approach Himalayan climate-change science from the grass-roots level. Interview by Isabel Hilton.

Dongtan: The eco-city that never was (Spiked, 9/1/2009) It was nice while it lasted, but now, it seems, the dream is over. The long-awaited, much-feted eco-city of Dongtan – described by environmental campaigner, Herbert Girardet as ‘the world’s first eco-city’ – has bitten the dust. After four years of presentations, proposals and puff, the universal praise has proven to be a little premature.

China eating our lunch in solar-panel marketplace (Union-Tribune, 8/30/2009) The idea that we can re-industrialize the country through solar panels has a hurdle that should have been foreseen: China.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs

Further anti-pollution riots break out in China (Guardian, 9/2/2009) Riots continue as China's pollution controls fail keep up with economic development as China's minister acknowledges that 'environmental quality is not satisfactory’.

China resolves pollution case, avoids suit (Washington Times, 9/2/2009) China's environmental movement Tuesday scored a victory that could set a precedent for public-interest lawsuits in a nation that has become the poster child for industrial pollution.

Study: 1.6 billion face water, food threat in Asia (AP, 9/2/2009) Effects of climate change including the melting of Himalayan glaciers threaten water and food security for more than 1.6 billion people living in South Asia, according to a study released Wednesday.

Air pollution reducing ‘good’ rains in China: study (AFP, 9/1/2009) Air pollution has over the past 50 years led to a reduction of the light rainfall in China essential for the country's agriculture and water resources, a Chinese researcher said Monday.

Lightning kills; rain too late to save crops (China Daily, 8/31/2009) Nineteen people have died in storms and lightning strikes in southern China, while rainfall is forecast for drought-ravaged northern provinces this week.

RM award for China’s water guardians (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 8/30/2009) Two Chinese activists who have literally immersed themselves in turbulent waters are among this year’s six Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation awardees.

Shanghai residents protest train line construction (CBS News, 8/27/2009) Construction of a high-speed rail link between Shanghai and the nearby city of Hangzhou is raising protests among residents who say the trains will run too close to their apartments _ the latest hiccup in the long-debated project.

CORPORATIONS

Airport’s shooting of endangered birds arouses controversy (Xinhua, 9/3/2009) To shoot or not to shoot; that is a question for a Chinese airport using live ammunition to prevent birds from endangering aircraft safety.

Inner Mongolian coal mine conserves energy with German technology (China CSR, 9/3/2009) The Shenhua Beidian Shengli Energy Company in Inner Mongolia has adopted technology from the German-based Wirtgen Group which it expects will make large savings in the fuel consumption and the corresponding greenhouse gas emissions associated with open caste coal mining.

Chinese solar energy industry has an optimistic outlook (China Research and Intelligence, 9/3/2009) China is rich in solar energy and the theory storage volumes are 1.7 trillion tons of standard coal annually. There are huge potentials on the development and exploration of solar energy.

ADB to lend 200 Mln USD for China’s Waste-to-Energy projects (Xinhua, 9/3/2009) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Thursday it would lend 200 million U.S. dollars to China to help develop waste-to-energy plants.

China Advanced Construction Materials Group Awarded Two New Contracts for XiangGui Railway Totaling $3.9 Million (PRNewswire, 9/2/2009) 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 been awarded two contracts totaling $3.9 million to provide concrete manufacturing services for two sections of the XiangGui railway construction project.

China considers rare-earth reserve in Inner Mongolia (Bloomberg, 9/2/2009) China, holder of the world’s largest rare-earths deposits, may build a strategic reserve in Inner Mongolia, strengthening its control over materials used in technology ranging from iPods to guided missiles.

Construction begins on China’s first large-scale coal-gas project (CCTV, 9/1/2009) On August 30, construction on China's first large-scale coal-gas demonstration project began in Inner Mongolia. Once it is completed in 2012, it will provide four billion cubic meters of natural gas to Beijing each year, and become Beijing's second largest source of natural gas, thus guaranteeing the security of the capital's energy supplies.

China manufacturing grows at fastest rate in 16 months (AFP, 9/1/2009) China's manufacturing activity expanded in August at its fastest pace in 16 months, two surveys released Tuesday showed, signaling the world's third largest economy is stabilizing.

China Shenhua to build coal resevers in Fuzhou – paper (Reuters, 8/31/2009) China's top coal miner, Shenhua Group Corp, plans to build coal strategic reserves, deep-water berths, and power generation projects in the southeastern city of Fuzhou, the city's official paper reported.

PetroChina to build more oil depots (People’s Daily, 8/31/2009) Oil giant PetroChina plans to build 66 refined oil reserve depots this year. The move is part of its efforts to meet the overwhelming oil demand of the Chinese domestic market.

Poisonous gas in mine kills 15 in China (AP, 8/30/2009) Chinese state media say 15 miners have died after inhaling poisonous gas at a graphite mine.

Large solar power program starts in Central China (Xinhua, 8/30/2009) Construction of a large solar power project with an investment of 450 million U.S. dollars was launched Saturday in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province in central China.

China Sunergy Co., Ltd. Q2 2009 Earnings Call Transcript (Seeking Alpha, 8/27/2009) Thank you and welcome to China Sunergy's second quarter 2009 conference call. Before we continue, please note that the discussion today will include forward-looking statements made under the Safe Harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

GOVERNMENT

China tries to calm unease over rare earth curbs (AP, 9/3/2009) A Chinese official tried to calm unease about curbs on exports of rare earths used in clean energy products and superconductors, saying Thursday that sales will continue but must be limited to reduce damage to China's environment.

China calls for action to stop lead poisoning (Reuters, 9/3/2009) China's environmental protection minister has called for more effective measures to tackle heavy metal poisoning after a surge in reported cases of children being poisoned by lead, state media said on Thursday.

China approves H1N1 vaccine (Wall Street Journal, 9/3/2009) China's drug regulator approved commercial production of the country's first H1N1 swine-flu vaccine, as global pharmaceutical companies and health officials rush to prepare for a predicted surge in infections in coming months.

China still wary about industry CO2 cuts – officials (Reuters, 9/3/2009) China might be warming to EU proposals aimed at imposing CO2 targets on its industries as part of a new climate change deal, but the two sides remain a long way from agreement, officials said at a meeting in Beijing.

China detains 14 parents for lead poison unrest (AP, 9/2/2009) Police in central China detained 15 parents for a violent protest over factory pollution that left hundreds of local children with lead poisoning, and accused them of links to the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement, villagers said Wednesday.

China plans moat around Beijing: media (AFP, 9/2/2009) China plans to create a "moat" around Beijing for its National Day festivities on October 1 as part of a massive security crackdown ahead of the sensitive anniversary, state media said Wednesday.


China plans Asia’s largest ski resort in far west (M&C, 9/2/2009) China's far western region of Xinjiang plans to build Asia's largest ski resort to boost tourism in the remote Kansas area, state media said Wednesday.

Environmental protection facing “stern reality”: minister (Xinhua, 9/2/2009) China's environmental protection was lagging behind economic development and was now facing "stern reality," said the country's top environment official.

China’s ban on scrap polysilicon imports divides solar industry (BusinessGreen, 9/1/2009) China's recently imposed ban on imports of scrap polysilicon – a waste material that can be used to make solar wafers and panels – has closed off a market for overseas chipmakers but may prove a boon to domestic firms, according to industry insiders.

Violent protests in China over sewage plant smell (AP, 9/1/2009) Protests drawing up to 10,000 people flared in eastern China over a powerful stench from a sewage treatment plant with 10 people hurt in clashes, residents and a human rights monitor said Tuesday.

Five southwest districts to jointly develop ecotourism (CCTV, 9/1/2009) "Within five to ten years, five districts in southwestern Beijing will combine their unique resources to develop a distinctive ecotourism program and join hands together to build 'one region, one district, three sections.'"

China gradually improves environmental transparency (Worldwatch Institute, 8/31/2009) The measure has been implemented for a year, and cities across China are slowly becoming more forthright with environmental information, according to a study by U.S. and Chinese environmental groups.

South Asian nations meet to combat climate threat to Himalayas (Bloomberg, 8/31/2009) South Asian nations are discussing how to prevent climate change in the Himalayan mountains, the world’s highest range, bringing more natural disasters to an area where 750 million people regularly face floods and drought.

Beijing kicks off renewable resources recycling day (ChinaCSR, 8/31/2009) Starting from August 2009, Beijing has made the last Saturday of each month Renewable Resources Recycling Day.

Taking the Pulse: The one-year anniversary of China’s open government information measures (Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 8/31/2009) The first of May 2009 marked the one-year anniversary of the State Council’s promulgation of China’s first Open Government Information regulations (OGI). Hailed as a milestone in furthering government transparency, the State Council’s prioritization of OGI potentially expands China’s nascent legal framework by helping to institutionalize a legitimate channel for citizens to request information from the government.

Regulation targets pollution from crematoriums (Xinhua, 8/29/2009) China is to adopt a new control regulation which will require most of the country's crematoriums to upgrade incinerators to control pollution, a Chinese newspaper reported Saturday.

India, China to join hands on studying climate change in Tibet (Sindh Today, 8/29/2009) India and China will jointly conduct research on the impact of climate change on the glaciers in the Himalayan and Tibetan regions, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said here Saturday.

China exclusive: Dezhou highlights proactive energy efficiency (People’s Daily, 8/27/2009) Here a State-level pilot energy-efficient building project has been under construction since January. The first four of 12 apartment buildings, each either 12 or 15 floors, will be handed over to buyers in June next year, said Cheng Muwen, deputy director of the city's development and reform commission.