International Energy and Climate Change News
NDRC’s top 10 energy news stories of 2009
Green Leap – The National Energy Bureau, which falls under the might of the NDRC, released its top ten energy developments list.
Xinhua and “world media” continue to laud China’s contribution at Copenhagen
Xinhua – World media reports have praised China’s efforts in promoting international cooperation to combat climate change and its contribution to a substantive result at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The per capita carbon emission in China is far lower than that in Western countries, the state media from different countries, including India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Central Africa Republic and Malawi, said recently. Acknowledging that China was facing a heavy task of development, they said that China’s demand for due right to development was justifiable and reasonable.
China: How did Copenhagen end up our fault?
The Energy Collective pulls together comments and reactions to Mark Lynas’ opinion from across the web including translated posts from Chinese netizens.
China’s oil ambitions in Canada receiving new government scrutiny
NYTimes – Early in 2009, PetroChina and Canada’s Athabasca Oil Sands Corporation hatched a deal that would give the Chinese state-owned oil giant a 60 percent stake in two Alberta oil sands projects for about $1.7 billion. According to the newspaper, the government is now reviewing the deal in light of a new regulation, approved in September, allowing Canada to consider whether a foreign investment may be “injurious to national security.” American security experts had begun expressing concern immediately after the deal was announced in August. “I think that an acquisition like this should raise national security questions both for the government of Canada and for the government of the United States,” Carolyn Bartholomew, chairwoman of the U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission, told The Globe and Mail in early September.
China, Venezuela sign new round of energy agreements
Oil & Gas Journal – China and Venezuela signed five agreements, one concerning refining and two touching on exploration and development of oil fields in the Orinoco Belt. At the signing ceremony in Caracas, China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) agreed to help the Venezuelan government assess oil reserves in the Boyaca 3 oil block in the Orinoco belt.
Burma: China’s oil, gas pipelines recipe for abuse, warn activists
Democracy for Burma – In early November, officials from both countries held a formal opening ceremony in the Arakan state to signal that the massive construction project for gas would get underway soon. In mid-December, Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping used a visit to the South-east Asian country to push ahead with the plans for the oil pipeline. Yet as the junta in Burma, also known as Myanmar, prepares the initial groundwork to build the twin pipelines that will cut across the country, a drumbeat of concern about rights violations that will follow is gathering momentum. The alarm sounded by human rights activists and environmentalists comes in the wake of a growing military presence and harsh policies imposed on some villages along the pipelines’ route.
China’s Renewable Energy Law Amendments
CELB – Chinese spokespersons have emphasized the fact that the amendments require the state grid companies to purchase all power produced by renewable energy sources, but they (and the news agencies that have run with the story) fail to point out that the prior version of the law required the same thing. In fact, the actual amendments to the law are extremely minor.
The changes include somewhat more national oversight of the preparation of sub-national renewable energy development and utilization plans, and a more explicit recitation of what should be considered in the preparation of such plans (Articles 8 & 9).
Domestic Environmental Law and Health News
New report on Pearl River Delta’s water security issues
Green Inc – Civic Exchange, a Hong Kong-based public policy research group, has released a report entitled “Liquid Assets,” highlighting water security and management in the Pearl River Basin and Hong Kong. The report warns that South China’s supply of water — which comes from Dongjiang, a major tributary of the Pearl River — is threatened by climate change and pollution. Additionally, there is growing competition from industries in the surrounding Guangdong wetlands.
China speeds up resettlement in water mega-scheme
Reuters – China will use stimulus spending to speed up shifting 330,000 people slated to be displaced for a vast water transfer project, accelerating work on the troubled scheme, an official newspaper said on Tuesday. The construction of two long canals in central and eastern China has been troubled by chronic pollution, troubles relocating displaced residents and engineering hitches. But now Zhang Jiyao, the official in charge of the project, has “urged local authorities to complete all migrant displacement by the end of 2011,” the China Daily reported. The earlier deadline was 2014.
Guangzhou to shut more incinerators
SCMP – Days after the Guangzhou government was forced to scrap a plan to build a rubbish incinerator near a stylish residential district in Panyu district, authorities say four more will close before the city hosts the Asian Games to improve air quality and reduce foul odours. Small-scale refuse incinerators in Lanhe, Dongchong, Yuwotou and Shiji towns are scheduled to be shut down by the district government before the Games, Guangzhou Daily reported yesterday.
Battery factory in Guangdong severely poisons local children
More at Greenlaw and China.com.
ACEF pushes for law permitting NGOs to sue polluters
Greenlaw – At a meeting last week on environmental rights convened by the All-China Environment Federation (ACEF), a government-organized NGO (GONGO) that serves as an umbrella organization for China’s environmental groups, the conference proposed an amendment to Article 6 of China’s Environmental Protection Law in order to permit public interest groups to serve as plaintiffs in environmental litigation.
China to establish emergency environmental management system
Xinhua – In the year of 2010, environmental protection authorities at all levels should focus on the handling of mass disturbances triggered by environmental pollution such as water and soil pollution, and reduce the harm that pollution bring to people as much as possible. The environmental protection authorities will also conduct a two-year nationwide campaign to investigate all pollution source threats
Goldman Prize winner, Yu Xiaogang, had his passport taken away
NPR – While obscure provincial anti-pollution protestors have been jailed or beaten, the well-known environmentalist Yu Xiaogang, who received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2008, quietly had his passport taken away to limit his activities.
Live with Poison and Die Harmoniously: Peasant protesters now fear arrest
Recall the lead poisoning incident that broke in August 2009 in Fengxian County, Shanxi? Well now many of the affected are being locked-up for their roles in the protests.
SCMP – An environmental assessment concluded that nobody should have been living within a kilometre of the plant, and more than 600 children were confirmed to have lead poisoning. However, tests were denied to many people over the age of 14, which suggests the total number poisoned could be higher. Residents had demanded the smelter be shut, but despite a promise from the local government it remained open. “In a stark contrast to our expectations, what we peasants saw was the factory carrying on the following day,” Ma said. “I’ve got no way to air my grievances and bitterness,” He says his son is a well-behaved and restrained person who protested because of his outrage at the impact of the lead poisoning. “I was told that my son could face a jail term ranging from six months to three years, once he was convicted of disturbing social order.” So far, hardly anyone over 14 has been allowed to be tested for lead poisoning. Ma insisted his son was innocent, saying: “I’m 100 per cent sure my son has nothing to do with either smashing or looting the factory or its office. All he did was protest strongly.” Under detention, Ma Weibo reportedly has been beaten and was constantly hungry. “I have spent more than 1,000 yuan (HK$1,135) to have the warders bring him some food and clothes. Instead of seeing him face-to-face, I was only allowed to see him on a surveillance camera twice since his detention. The only thing he asked me to do was spend some money and get him out,” his father said.
Dairy shut again over tainted milk
SCMP –A Chinese dairy shut down during the 2008 tainted milk scandal has been closed again after tests found some of its products contained the same toxic chemical, state media reported yesterday. Shanghai Panda Dairy was closed and three executives arrested on Thursday after an investigation found eight batches of its powdered milk and condensed milk had “illegally high” levels of melamine, the Shanghai Daily said.
Another ambitious eco-city project is suffering in China
CGC – At first, I thought that as Singapore had successfully brought the Suzhou Singapore Investment Park to market, and the working relationships were developed at the highest levels of both governments, that would leave Singapore in better position when managing the Tianjin project. Little did I understand…
Crossdressing men perform ballet for wetlands
China Daily – Five members of a workers’ union perform a ballet to promote awareness of environmental protection in Yuncheng city, in Shanxi province on December 22, 2009. Over 20 workers were organizing a campaign to “preserve nature, protect swans” in the Pinglu wetlands nature preserve near Yuncheng.
