Issue 27, September 25th to October 1st, 2009

OPINION

Rising GDP or environmental protection? China’s dilemma (CSR Asia, 9/30/2009) Everybody also knows that many companies who contribute to the GDP also pollute the environment. Here are some examples from this year that show how China still has a long way to go before the slogans ring true.

A birthday wishlist (China Dialogue, 9/30/2009) The 60-year history of the People’s Republic saw a move from an era of revolution to one of pragmatism. The country’s low-carbon future, writes Julian L Wong, requires both approaches.

River of discord (China Dialogue, 9/30/2009) Hydropower projects in China have created tensions along the Mekong. Rivers know no borders, writes Michael Richardson, but dams do.

China’s carbon intensity plans and its impact on climate progress (The Green Leap Forward, 9/30/2009) President Hu Jintao (pictured right) of China announced that China will build on existing domestic climate change policies as embodied in its National Climate Change Programme and current Five Year Plan to step up its efforts on energy efficiency, development of low-carbon energy such as renewables and nuclear, and increase of forestry cover.

China leads way for solar energy (San Francisco Chronicle, 9/29/2009) Next month, Santa Clara's Applied Materials Inc. is scheduled to open a giant solar energy R&D center. The company is investing up to $300 million in the facility. It will not be situated in California, nor in the United States, but in Xian, China. Because China's where the action is.

The New Sputnik (New York Times, 9/26/2009) Most people would assume that 20 years from now when historians look back at 2008-09, they will conclude that the most important thing to happen in this period was the Great Recession. I’d hold off on that. If we can continue stumbling out of this economic crisis, I believe future historians may well conclude that the most important thing to happen in the last 18 months was that Red China decided to become Green China.

PUBLIC SECTOR/NGOs
Giant fish on the verge of extinction (Inland News Today, 10/1/2009) One of the world's largest freshwater fish is on the verge of going extinct. A three-year quest to find the giant Chinese paddlefish in the Yangtze river failed to sight or catch a single individual. That means that the fish, which can grow up to 25 feet long, has not been seen alive for at least six years.

Ponca Nation gets $10.5 million settlement in environmental lawsuit (Indian Country Today, 10/1/2009) After nearly five years of litigation, the China Synthetic Rubber Corporation and its American subsidiary, the Houston, Texas-based Continental Carbon Company USA, has agreed to pay $10.5 million in a class action lawsuit with the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma and nearly 2,000 tribal home and landowners. Continental Carbon and its parent company are owned by the Koo family of Taiwan.

China’s first environmental civil case ends in mediation (Caijing, 9/30/2009) The All-China Environment Federation and Zhu Zhengmao, a resident of Jiangyin city, filed a court appeal on July 6 challenging a cargo logistics company's iron ore unloading operations without an environmental impact assessment and approval from authorities. The Intermediate People's Court of Wuxi City reviewed the case, marking the first civil environmental lawsuit with a civil society organization named as plaintiff accepted by a court in China.

Vast quantities of methane hydrate discovered in Northwestern China (Caijing, 9/30/2009) Deposits of flammable ice in China are estimated to be 35 billion tons in oil equivalent; extraction is expected to be possible in 10 to 15 years.

Getting plants to ride themselves of pesticide residues (Science Daily, 9/30/2009) Scientists in China have discovered that a natural plant hormone, applied to crops, can help plants eliminate residues of certain pesticides.

200 vultures sighted near Çhina’s border (The Times of India, 9/29/2009) At a time when the vulture population has all but disappeared 99% of India's four crore vultures have died in the last three decades, the sighting of around 200 bearded variety of the species in Lahaul-Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, comes as a ray of hope for wildlife enthusiasts.

China’s new Climate Center welcomes citizen scientists (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, 9/28/2009) The China Regional Climate Center, the newest of five international sites where volunteers work with scientists to conduct the world's largest experiment on the effects of climate change on forests, opened Sept. 22 in Gutianshan National Nature Reserve in eastern China.

Scientists announce trove of fragile new species in Mekong (Time, 9/28/2009) Right now, bird-eating frogs with fangs wait for their prey in the streams of eastern Thailand. Technicolor geckos scurry up trees on the Thai-Malaysian border, and ruby-red fish — previously only found in the Ukrainian ornamental fish trade — are swimming in the rivers of Burma. These are three of the 163 species discovered by various researchers in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia last year, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) announced on Sept. 25.

Study says China quake a once in 4,000 years event (AP, 9/27/2009) China's devastating earthquake last year that left some 90,000 people dead or missing was caused by a geological event that occurs about once every 4,000 years, a study led by Chinese researchers said Sunday.

Feathered dinosaur older than earliest bird (New Scientist, 9/25/2009) The record for the oldest feathered dinosaur, which has stood for almost 150 years since the discovery of Archaeopteryx, has finally fallen to an even older fossil unearthed in China, shedding new light on the origin of birds.

CORPORATIONS

West dedicates injection molding plant in China (Bioresearch Online, 10/1/2009) West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., the global leader in innovative solutions for injectable drug administration, recently announced the formal opening of its injection molding factory in the Shanghai Qingpu Industrial Zone (SQIZ) in China.

CPI receives approval for Haiyang Nuclear Power Project Phase I (Datamonitor, 9/30/2009) The China Power Corporation has announced that the Haiyang Nuclear Power Project Phase I has received approval from the Chinese National Nuclear Safety Administration.

Suntech brings utility-scale solar to China (PR Newswire, 9/20/2009) Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's leading manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, today announced the completion and grid connection of the first 10MW utility-scale solar power project in China.

Chinese may by Nigeria’s oil blocks (Petroleum World, 9/30/2009) A leaked report states that Chinese energy major CNOOC is looking to acquire substantial in Nigeria's offshore oil blocks in a deal which could be worth around US$30 billion.

Sinopec, PetroChina shares fall on fuel price cut in China (The Wall Street Journal, 9/30/2009) At 0418 GMT, China Petroleum & Chemical, the country's largest refiner by output and known as Sinopec, fell 1.3% to HK$6.59, off an intraday low of HK$6.56. PetroChina, the country's largest oil and gas producer by output, was down 1.1% at HK$8.80.

China’s Sinochem bids $2.5 billion for Australia’s Nufarm (Reuters, 9/28/2009) Chinese state-owned Sinochem bid $2.5 billion for Australian farm chemicals group Nufarm Ltd (NUF.AX) on Monday, looking to gain a global footprint in a deal that could again test investment ties between China and Australia.

Drinking water purification system delivers safe portable water to villagers in China (Siemens, 9/27/2009) Certain areas of rural China lack access to potable water that meets national drinking water safety standards. Statistics show that over 200 million people in the Chinese countryside are drinking non-standard-conforming water, and in some villages the water is even endangering people’s lives. This was true in Shangba Village, Northern Guangdong, where a stable and efficient water treatment system was badly needed.

China’s 2009 auto sales forecast to hit 12.6 million (AP, 9/25/2009) China's auto sales should soar to 12.6 million units this year, up 35 percent from 2008, boosted by subsidies that the industry is lobbying Beijing to extend, a government researcher said Friday.

GOVERNMENT

“EARTH” t-shirt spells out China’s green drive at National Day parade (Xinhua, 10/1/2009) The word of "EARTH" printed on the T-shirts worn by the paraders of the environment formation were among a few English letters shown at New China's 60-year birthday pageant.

China orders crackdown on industrial overcapacity (AP, 10/1/2009) China announced sweeping curbs on surging investment in steelmaking, cement and other industries, warning that chaotic overexpansion was raising the danger of job losses and trouble for banks.

China’s Northeastern University collaborates with Shenyang and IBM on ‘Smart-City’ work (Campus Technology, 10/1/2009) China's Northeastern University, the City of Shenyang, and IBM are collaborating in a research institute aimed at turning Shenyang, an industrial hub in northeast China with a concentration of heavy industry manufacturing, into a "smart city." Shenyang aims to be the country's model city for environment protection and development. The university has about 31,000 students. Shenyang has a population of about 7.2 million people.

US official: China could lead in electric vehicles (AP, 9/30/2009) China's fast-growing electric car producers could take the lead in the global industry if the United States fails to invest heavily in the technology, a U.S. energy official said Wednesday.

China plans to encourage local use of solar cells (Reuters, 9/30/2009) China will consider measures to support domestic consumption of solar cells made from local polysilicon materials, while taking international demand into consideration, the government said on late Tuesday.

China ready to join international work in combating desertification (Xinhua, 9/29/2009) China is ready to work with the international community to contribute to the fight against global desertification, a Chinese forestry official said Monday.

China adds 16 national nature reserves (China CSR, 9/29/2009) It is learned from Gov.cn, the official web portal of the Central People's Government of China, that China has approved 16 new nature reserves.

China ‘expanding’ African oil reserves (Telegraph, 9/29/2009) The move by CNOOC, the Chinese state-controlled oil giant, to acquire concessions in 23 prime blocks could create conflict with western oil groups including Shell, Chevron, Total and ExxonMobil who already own stakes in the blocks.

China’s wind farms come with a catch: Coal plants (The Wall Street Journal, 9/28/2009) China's ambition to create "green cities" powered by huge wind farms comes with a dirty little secret: Dozens of new coal-fired power plants need to be installed as well.

Big plans for Fujian island revealed (China Daily, 9/28/2009) Pingtan Island is to be transformed into a special economic zone to allow further industrial cooperation with Taiwan, it was announced by the Fujian provincial authorities Sunday.

China completes world’s highest-resolution 3D map of the moon (Xinhua, 9/27/2009) Chinese experts Monday announced that the country's space scientists had completed the world's highest-resolution three-dimensional map of the moon.

Beijing vows to crack down as lead poisons 121 children (AFP, 9/27/2009) China vowed Sunday to crack down on heavy metal polluters after officials confirmed a new major lead poisoning outbreak had left 121 children with excessive levels of the metal in their blood.

China says cutting energy use, but behind target (AFP, 9/27/2009) China said Sunday it expects to cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by five percent this year but meeting a pledge to cut consumption by 20 percent by 2010 would be difficult.

China sees unfulfilled potential in the wind (USA Today, 9/27/2009) Among the many people with concerns about the enormous wind turbines being built here, count Jing Xiuwan.

China official warns on “too fast” nuclear plans (Reuters, 9/27/2009) China may have to put the brakes on the construction of nuclear power plants to ensure the plants are safe, the country's top energy planning official told reporters on Sunday.

Animal killings arouse controversy (China Daily, 9/25/2009) The killing of all dogs and cats by township government officials in response to one probable rabies death in Sichuan Province has aroused controversy and public anger. More than 4,000 dogs and cats were slaughtered in the weeklong campaign that ended on Wednesday.

China to remain reliant on coal for the long term (AFP, 9/25/2009) China will continue to rely on coal for most of its energy needs for a long time, a senior official said Friday, just days after the nation's president pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

China starts building major oil reserve in Xinjiang (Global Times, 9/25/2009) China started building a 5.4-million-cubic-meter strategic oil reserve in the far western Xinjiang region Thursday in the latest effort to ensure its energy security.

China might boost US effort to capture carbon gases (McClatchy Newspapers, 9/25/2009) As the United States begins spending $3.4 billion in stimulus money to seek a commercially viable way to capture carbon dioxide from coal burning and bury it underground, some energy experts say that doing some of the work as a joint project in China would cut costs and time.
Shanxi abolishes small mines (Global Times, 9/25/2009) The authority of Shanxi Province, China's largest coal producer, has given all its private coal mines an ultimatum: agree to merge with large-scale companies, mostly State-owned, by Wednesday or face water and power shutdowns.

China to import 6 -7 million tons of crude oil from Kazakhstan in 2009 (Caijing, 9/25/2009) China, the world's second-largest energy consumer, will import 6-7 million tons of crude oil from Kazakhstan via pipeline this year, an industry official said on Sept. 23.

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.