Friday, March 28, 2014

Book: The End of the Developmental State? (4 March 2014)

The End of the Developmental State?

Edited by Michelle Williams

Routledge – 2014 – 258 pages
Description:
The End of the Developmental State? brings together leading scholars of development to assess the current status of the "developmental state" in several developing and transitional economies of South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, the United Kingdom, China, South Africa, Brazil and India. Has the concept of the developmental state become outmoded? These authors would suggest not. However, they do argue that the historical trajectories of developmental states in Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe suggest all too clearly that the concept must be re-examined critically and creatively. The range and diversity of their positions and their rejection of stale programmatic positions from the past will revitalize the debate on the role of the state in social and economic transformation in the twenty-first century. By bringing together careful comparative analyses of national cases, in both the Global North and South, the volume highlights pivotal conditions – economic restructuring, domestic politics, epistemic shifts and ecological limits – that are forcing revision of the goals and strategies of developmental states and suggests that states that ignore these new conditions will indeed see the "end of the developmental state".


Content:
1. Rethinking the Developmental State in the Twenty-First Century Michelle Williams 2. The Developmental State in Retrospect and Prospect: Lessons from India and South Korea Vivek Chibber 3. Liberal Globalization, Capabilities, and the Developmental Network State in Ireland Seán Ó Riain 4. Developmental State in Transition: The State and the Development of Taiwan’s Biopharmaceutical Industry Jenn hwan Wang 5. The Enigma of Chinese Capitalism Ching Kwan Lee 6. South Africa’s Emergent "Green Developmental State"? Vishwas Satgar 7. Development in an Anti-Developmental State: The Market Politics of Renewable Energy in an Advanced Country and Its Implications for the Environment Barbara Harriss-White 8. The Brazilian Social Developmental State: A Progressive Agenda in a (Still) Conservative Political Society Celia Lessa Kerstenetzky 9. Politics of Democratic Decentralization and the Developmental State: A Study of the Kerala Experience Thomas Isaac 10. The Developmental State: Divergent Responses to Modern Economic Theory and the Twenty-First Century Economy Peter Evans


Subjects:
  1. Development Policy
  2. Development Theory
  3. Economics and Development
  4. Development Economics
  5. Environment & Society
  6. Development Geography
source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415854825/

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Book: Living with Environmental Change (3 March 2014)


Living with Environmental Change

Waterworlds

Edited by Kirsten Hastrup, Cecilie Rubow

Routledge – 2014 – 304 pages

Description:
Climate change is a lived experience of changes in the environment, often destroying conventional forms of subsistence and production, creating new patterns of movement and connection, and transforming people’s imagined future.
This book explores how people across the world think about environmental change and how they act upon the perception of past, present and future opportunities. Drawing on the ethnographic fieldwork of expert authors, it sheds new light on the human experience of and social response to climate change by taking us from the Arctic to the Pacific, from the Southeast Indian Coastal zone to the West-African dry-lands and deserts, as well as to Peruvian mountain communities and cities.
Divided into four thematic parts - Water, Landscape, Technology, Time – this book uses rich photographic material to accompany the short texts and reflections in order to bring to life the human ingenuity and social responsibility of people in the face of new uncertainties. In an era of melting glaciers, drying lands, and rising seas, it shows how it is part and parcel of human life to take responsibility for the social community and take creative action on the basis of a localized understanding of the environment.
This highly original contribution to the anthropological study of climate change is a must-read for all those wanting to understand better what climate change means on the ground and interested in a sustainable future for the Earth.

Content:
Introduction Portraits Part 1 Water 1. Introduction Kirsten Hastrup 2. Narwhals and Navigators on the Arctic Sea Kirsten Hastrup 3. Ephemeral Tsunamis, Emotional Waves, and Enduring Islands Maria Louise B. Robertson 4. Sea Water to the Mountain Top: The Hydrological Cycle in Chivay, Peru Astrid B. Stensrud 5. Bursting Bodies of Water Mattias B. Rasmussen 6. When it Rains and the River Grows Astrid O. Andersen 7. The Elusive Pleasure of Rain in the Sahel Jonas Ø. Nielsen 8. Dams: Management versus Luck Mette F. Olwig 9. Water as Power and Destroyer Frank Sejersen 10. New Opportunities turning into Disaster Anette Reenberg 11. Coastal Gardens and their Magic Frida Hastrup 11. The Sprawled Way of Detergents Cecilie Rubow 12. Droughts: Complex Social Phenomena Christian Vium 13. Water Quantity vs. Water Quality Laura V. Rasmussen 14. Fixed and Fluid Waters: Mirroring the Arctic and the Pacific Kirsten Hastrup and Maria Louise B. Robertson Part 2. Technology 15. Introduction Cecilie Rubow 16. Sea Level and Coastal Protection Cecilie Rubow 17. Urbanizing Water in a Context of Scarcity Christian Vium 18. A Job-Machine Powered by Water Frank Sejersen 19. Life in the Shadow of a Water Tower Astrid O. Andersen 20. Waste and Water – Connected and Mixed Maria Louise B. Robertson 21. Inverted Watering Strategies in Senegal Anette Reenberg 22. Cobs as Technological Solutions Mette F. Olwig 23. The Imagined Water Pump Jonas Ø. Nielsen 24. Unpredictable Side Effects of New Technologies Laura V. Rasmussen 25. Scalable and Fluid Sprinklers Astrid B. Stensrud 26. Dry Technologies and Community Bureaucracies Mattias B. Rasmussen 27. A Life Jacket Story Frida Hastrup 28. Unpacking the Dog Sledge Kirsten Hastrup 29. Water Technologies. Mirroring Great Expectations in Greenland and Ghana Mette F. Olwig and Frank Sejersen Part 3. Landscape 30. Introduction Kirsten Hastrup 31. Hualca Hualca: Mountain Lord and Life Source Astrid B. Stensrud 32. Knowing Landscapes of Water in Kiribati Maria Louise B. Robertson 33. Borders at sea Frida Hastrup 34. Making Urban Landscapes – People, Water, Materials Astrid O. Andersen 35. Dreams, Water and the Remodelling of Place Frank Sejersen 36. Strategic Thinking: Changeable Usages of the Nigerien Landscape Anette Reenberg 37. Landscapes of Droughts and Floods on the Desert Margins Laura V. Rasmussen 38. A Landscape of Ice - Kirsten Hastrup 39. Walking Along Water Mattias B. Rasmussen 39. Old Water, Gardens and Prophetic Powers in the Sahel Jonas Ø. Nielsen 40. Can You See Climate Change in a Changing Environment? Cecilie Rubow 41. Mental Topographies Mette F. Olwig 42. Nomadic Landscapes and Ephemeral Resources - Christian Vium 43. Icons of Climate Change. Mirroring the Sahel and the Andes Astrid O. Andersen/Jonas Ø. Nielsen Part 4. Time 44. Introduction Cecilie Rubow 45. Glacial Time Kirsten Hastrup 46. Seasons, Timings, and the Rhythms of Life Mattias B. Rasmussen 47. Flexible Trajectories: Nomadic Pastoral Mobility Patterns Christian Vium 48. Still Life on the Shore Frida Hastrup 49. Appraising Change: A Question of Baseline Anette Reenberg 50. Litres per Second: Measuring the Water Flow Astrid B. Stensrud 51. New Scenarios and Unstable Temporalities Cecilie Rubow 52. Facing Reality - Managing/Imagining the Time Left on an Atoll Maria Louise B. Robertson 53. Anticipating Futures and the Rhythms of Water - Frank Sejersen 54. Slow versus Fast Changes in Sahelian Land Use Systems Laura V. Rasmussen 55. Three Calendars and the Test of Time in Northern Sahel Jonas Ø. Nielsen 56. "Packages" with Disparate Time Horizons Mette F. Olwig 57. Urban Talks of Climate and Weather Astrid O. Andersen 58. Times of Climate Change in Religion and Ethics. Mirroring the Andes and the Pacific Cecilie Rubow and Mattias B. Rasmussen

Reviews:
Is it possible to understand climate change through scientific theories, data and models? Hastrup and Rubow in this important book show why the answer is a decisive ‘no’. Drawing upon a rich and diverse array of sites around the world, Living with Environmental Change: Waterworlds offers dozens of compelling portraits of what climate change means to different people living in different places. This impressive collection of short essays shows why the anthropological study of climate change is at least as important as its scientific study. Rather than something to be feared, climate change is becoming part of the way in which humans and their cultures continually respond to the future and thereby re-shape it.
–Mike Hulme, King’s College London, UK
A unique contribution to the understanding of climate change as it appears to people all over the world. Using the framework of water, landscape, technology and climate it is a bold attempt to summarise a lot of human interest, experience and theory. It should be appreciated by anyone interested in the topic and not just by specialists.
–Jonathan Paul Marshall, University Technology Sydney, Australia
The Waterworlds team has produced a book that ‘shows rather than tells’ how communities experience climate change at a local level. By highlighting narratives from different parts of the world,they illuminate the complex pressures that emerge as shifts in climate initiate changes in social and material environments, as well as the creative adaptations that people are making in confronting these challenges.
–Veronica Strang, Durham University, UK

source from:


source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415746670/

Publication: India Energy Subsidy Review Issue 1 Volume 1 (24 March 2014)

India Energy Subsidy Review Issue 1 Volume 1

» Kieran Clarke, Shruti Sharma, Damon Vis-Dunbar, IISD, 2014.Paper, copyright: IISD
This is the first edition of the India Energy Subsidy Review, a biannual publication of the IISD’s Global Subsidies Initiative. Part One outlines economic and policy developments affecting India’s subsidized key fuel markets (diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, kerosene and natural gas), and analyses the dynamics of each market. Part Two features analysis by guest authors on issues related to energy pricing policy. In this edition, two articles examine the impact of energy subsidy reforms on India’s transport and agriculture sectors respectively. This edition of the review concludes with a commentary by Kirit Parikh and Jyoti Parikh, distinguished practitioners in the field.


PDF
source from: http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=2896

Event: Constitutional Development Forum for the Environmental Industry (30 March 2014)

Constitutional Development Forum for the Environmental Industry (30 March 2014)



Event Date: 31 Mar 2014 Event Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Venue: BEC Auditorium Fee: Free   ( BEC Members only )
Contact: Ms Jill Chow Email: jill@bec.org.hk Telephone: 2784 3942 -
BEC is presenting the Constitutional Development Forum for the Environmental Industry with the support from the Environment Bureau and other organisations as below:


BEAM Society Limited
Hong Kong Green Building Council
Hong Kong Environmental Industry Association
Hong Kong Recycle Materials & Re-production Business General Association
Members of BEC and supporting organisations are welcome to join.


The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region formally launched a five-month public consultation on the methods for selecting the Chief Executive in 2017 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2016 on 4 December 2013. How can environmental experts, sustainability professionals and practitioners in the environmental industry contribute to the constitutional development of the city that could facilitate long-term government-business communications and collaborations for sustainable development of Hong Kong? The Chief Secretary for Administration Mrs Carrie Lam and the Secretary for the Environment Mr K S Wong will be explaining the consultation process and listening to the views and suggestions from the environmental industry on 31 March in persons.

About the Forum
Date                  : 31 March 2014 (Monday)
Time                 : 3:30pm – 5:00pm (Registration starts at 3:00pm)
Venue               : BEC Auditorium, G/F, 77 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (location map)
Language        : Cantonese (simultaneous interpretation in English/Cantonese will be provided)

Registraton
Fee                   : Free admission (for members of BEC and supporting organisations only)
Registration    : Please click HERE to register.
                             (Confirmation will be issued upon successful registration.)
Enquiry
Ms Jill Chow (Email: jill@bec.org.hk | Tel: 2784 3942)
 
Other Supporting Organizations:
                           
- See more at: http://bec.org.hk/events-current/constitutional-development-forum-for-the-environmental-industry#sthash.c5sM9QC0.dpuf




See more at: http://bec.org.hk/events-current/constitutional-development-forum-for-the-environmental-industry#sthash.c5sM9QC0.dpuf

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Book: Green Utopianism (3 March 2014)


Green Utopianism

Perspectives, Politics and Micro-Practices

Edited by Karin Bradley, Johan Hedrén

Routledge – 2014 – 290 pages







Description:
Utopian thought and experimental approaches to societal organization have been rare in the last decades of planning and politics. Instead, there is a widespread belief in ecological modernization, that sustainable societies can be created within the frame of the current global capitalist world order by taking small steps such as eco-labeling, urban densification, and recycling. However, in the context of the current crisis in which resource depletion, climate change, uneven development, and economic instability are seen as interlinked, this belief is increasingly being questioned and alternative developmental paths sought. This collection demonstrates how utopian thought can be used in a contemporary context, as critique and in exploring desired futures. The book includes theoretical perspectives on changing global socio-environmental relationships and political struggles for alternative development paths, and analyzes micro-level practices in co-housing, alternative energy provision, use of green space, transportation, co-production of urban space, peer-to-peer production and consumption, and alternative economies. It contributes research perspectives on contemporary green utopian practices and strategies, combining theoretical and empirical analyses to spark discussions of possible futures.

Content:
1. Utopian Thought in the Making of Green Futures Karin Bradley and Johan Hedrén Part 1: The Politics of Science 2. Anthropocenic Politicization: From the Politics of the Environment to Politicizing Environments Erik Swyngedouw 3. A Feminist Project of Belonging for the Anthropocene J.K. Gibson-Graham 4. Utopianism in Science: The Case of Resilience Theory Johan Hedrén 5. Why Solar Panels Don’t Grow on Trees: Technological Utopianism and the Uneasy Relation Between Ecomarxism and Ecological Economics Alf Hornborg Part 2: Transforming Politics and Planning 6. Politicizing Planning Through Multiple Images of the Future Ulrika Gunnarsson-Östling 7. Mobility Transitions: The Necessity of Utopian Approaches Karolina Isaksson 8. Utopian Desires and Institutional Change Meike Schalk 9. The Urban Park as "Paradise Contrived" Ylva Uggla 10. Globalism, Particularism and the Greening of Neoliberal Energy Landscapes Tom Mels Part 3: Changing Practices 11. Towards a Peer Economy: How Open Source and Peer-to-Peer Architecture, Hardware, and Consumption Are Transforming the Economy Karin Bradley 12. Autonomous Urbanisms and the Right to the City: Squatting and the Production of the Urban Commons in Berlin Alexander Vasudevan 13. Utopianism in the Architecture of New Urbanism and Co-Housing Lucy Sargisson 14. Transition Delayed: The 1980s Ecotopia of a Decentralized Renewable Energy System Martin Hultman 15. R-URBAN: Strategies and Tactics for Participative Utopias and Resilient Practices Constantin Petcou and Doina Petrescu


Author Bio:
Karin Bradley is Assistant Professor of Urban and Regional Studies at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. Johan Hedrén is Senior Lecturer in Water and Environmental Studies at Linköping University.


Source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415814447/

Book: Conservation and Environmental Management in Madagascar (6 March 2014)


Conservation and Environmental Management in Madagascar

Edited by Ivan R. Scales

Routledge – 2014 – 398 pages

Description:
Madagascar is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet, the result of 160 million years of isolation from the African mainland. More than 80% of its species are not found anywhere else on Earth. However, this highly diverse flora and fauna is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation and the island has been classified one of the world’s highest conservation priorities.
Drawing on insights from geography, anthropology, sustainable development, political science and ecology, this book provides a comprehensive assessment of the status of conservation and environmental management in Madagascar. It describes how conservation organisations have been experimenting with new forms of protected areas, community-based resource management, ecotourism, and payments for ecosystem services. But the country must also deal with pressing human needs. The problems of poverty, development, environmental justice, natural resource use and biodiversity conservation are shown to be interlinked in complex ways. Authors address key questions, such as who are the winners and losers in attempts to conserve biodiversity? And what are the implications of new forms of conservation for rural livelihoods and environmental justice?


Content:
1. Introduction: Conservation at the Crossroads: Biological Diversity, Environmental Change and Natural Resource Use in Madagascar
Ivan R. Scales
Part 1: Madagascar’s Biological Diversity: From Deep Time to the Arrival of Humans
2. Explaining Madagascar’s Biodiversity
Jörg U. Ganzhorn, Lucienne Wilmé and Jean-Luc Mercier
3. Early Human Settlers and their Impact on Madagascar’s Landscapes
Robert E. Dewar
Part 2: Paradise Lost? The Myths, Narratives and Received Wisdoms at the Heart of Conservation Research and Policy
4. Deforestation in Madagascar: Debates over the Island’s Forest Cover and Challenges of Measuring Forest Change
William J. McConnell and Christian A. Kull
5. The Drivers of Deforestation and the Complexity of Land Use in Madagascar
Ivan R. Scales
Part 3: The Politics of Biodiversity Conservation and Environmental Management
6. A Brief History of the State and the Politics of Natural Resource use in Madagascar
Ivan R. Scales
7. The Roots, Persistence, and Character of Madagascar’s Conservation Boom
Christian A. Kull
8. The Transfer of Natural Resource Management Rights to Local Communities
Jacques Pollini, Neal Hockley, Frank Muttenzer and Bruno Ramamonjisoa
9. Conservation Politics in Madagascar: The Expansion of Protected Areas
Catherine Corson
10. The Durban Vision in practice: Experiences in the Participatory Governance of Madagascar’s New Protected Areas
Malika Virah-Sawmy, Charlie J. Gardner and Nanie A. Ratsifandrihamanana
Part 4: Making Conservation Pay? Incentive-Based Conservation, the Commodification of Madagascar’s nature and Conflicting Views of Landscape and Nature
11. Tourism, Conservation and Development in Madagascar: Moving Beyond Panaceas?
Ivan R. Scales
12. Bioprospecting a Biodiversity Hotspot: The Political Economy of Natural Products Drug Discovery for Conservation Goals in Madagascar
Benjamin D. Neimark and Laura M. Tilghman
13. Incentivising Forest Conservation: Payments for Environmental Services and Reducing Carbon Emissions from Deforestation
Laura Brimont and Cécile Bidaud
14. Contrasting Visions of Nature and Landscapes
Jeffrey C. Kaufmann
15. Conclusion: The Future of Biodiversity Conservation and Environmental Management in Madagascar: Lessons from the Past and Challenges Ahead
Ivan R. Scales


Reviews:
"The relations between society and nature in Madagascar are complex and often misunderstood. This book offers new light on this subject by exploring the social, political and economic dimensions of conservation and development challenges."W.M. Adams, Moran Professor of Conservation and Development, University of Cambridge, UK


Source from:
http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415528771/

Publication: Regulating Carbon Emissions in Canada: Climate Policy Year in Review and Trends, 2013 (24 March 2014)


IISD Publications Centre

Regulating Carbon Emissions in Canada: Climate Policy Year in Review and Trends, 2013

» Dave Sawyer, Philip Gass, IISD, 2014.Paper, 18 pages, copyright: IISDDave Sawyer and Philip Gass have developed this piece as a year in review and a look forward to trends emerging for 2014 with regards to climate change mitigation policy in Canada. The year 2013 was marked by a loss of federal political will in the sector-by-sector greenhouse gas regulatory process. Equivalency processes stalled without the federal direction needed for provinces to develop their positions in relation to federal standards. Meanwhile, provincial policy labs emerged, with the provinces continuing to move forward unilaterally and in partnership in spite of the federal government backing away. Three broad trends have emerged heading into 2014: embracing fragmentation, with opportunities for subnational alignment; designing equivalency to be flexible over the longer term when it is likely to become relevant again; and accommodating provincial policy labs and innovation, continuing to build the bottom-up, province-led approach that has become the norm in Canada.


PDF


  • Hard copy not available.
source from: http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=2901

Publication: Balancing State, Utility and Social Needs in Agricultural Electricity Supply (22 March 2014)


IISD Publications Centre

Balancing State, Utility and Social Needs in Agricultural Electricity Supply: The case for a holistic approach to reform

» Ashwini Swain, Udai Mehta, IISD, 2014.Paper, copyright: IISDThis paper, prepared by CUTS Institute for Regulation and Competition, examines the challenges in reforming subsidized electricity for India's agricultural sector. Since the late 1960s, political parties have endorsed agricultural electricity supply at highly subsidized rates, sometimes free and mostly unmeasured. These subsidies have increasingly come under scrutiny for their economic inefficiencies and environmental impacts. The authors maintain that reforms must pay careful attention to social, political, economic and environmental aspects. Drawing on empirical evidence, this paper outlines a broad approach to the reform of agricultural electricity subsidies.
PDF


  • Hard copy not available.
source from: http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=2895

Event: BEC Leadership Networking Series (27 Mar 2014)

BEC Leadership Networking Series (27 Mar)

Event Date: 27 Mar 2014 Event Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Venue: BEC Auditorium, 77 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
Fee: $180.00 Discounts: Free seats for each BEC member: Five (5) – Council; Three (3) – Corporate; Two (2) – General; Two (2) – Affiliate Contact: Ms Joey Hui Email: joey@bec.org.hk
Telephone: 2784 3958


BEC Leadership Networking Series is a monthly platform for sustainability leaders and practitioners to network and share their insights in an open and relaxing atmosphere. Come join us in the upcoming sharing session, where you could mingle and meet with other BEC members and like-minded major industry players. You may find more details below.  We hope to see you there!

“Go Green with Smart Office Design”
Mr Kevin Edmunds, Senior Manager, Sustainability, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
The 21st century has been called the "century of the environment." Due to the increasing awareness of the environmental challenges, such as pollution, building construction and waste management, sustainable development has become a major concern for both the Government and business sector in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Science Park strives to incorporate the latest green technologies and sustainable design in office environment and buildings. By adopting 39 green design elements, Hong Kong Science Park Phase 3 has been ecologically designed to achieve a net zero-carbon footprint environment. Using the case studies from Phase 3, Mr Edmunds will share the latest green building technologies and showcase the sustainable practice in Hong Kong.
Followed by sharing from Mr Gary Hui, Senior Sustainability Design Manager, Leigh & Orange Limited
FeeHKD 180 per head
Free Seats for Each BEC MemberFive     (5)  -  Council
Three  (3)  -  Corporate
Two     (2)  -  General
Two     (2)  -  Affiliate
Format20-minute keynote presentation and 10-minute sharing; followed by networking cocktail
LanguageEnglish
Please download and fill in the REGISTRATION FORM to reserve your seat(s). Successful registrations will be notified separately. For further information, please contact Ms Joey Hui (T 2784-3958  E joey@bec.org.hk)


- See more at: http://bec.org.hk/events-current/bec-leadership-networking-series-27-mar#sthash.qAIvbWvn.dpuf

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Book: Social and Environmental Disclosure by Chinese Firms (10 March 2014)


Social and Environmental Disclosure by Chinese Firms

By Yingjun Lu, Indra Abeysekera

Routledge – 2015 – 240 pages

Description:
Given the increased social and environmental problems in China, this book looks into the social and environmenta disclosure practices of socially responsible Chinese listed firms by constructing a stakeholder-driven, three-dimensional, disclosure index. The book contains a three-part study: the first part explores the current status of social and environment disclosure practices. The second part empirically examines the relationship between corporate social and environmental disclosure and various influencing factors (i.e. stakeholders’ power and corporate characteristics). The third part empirically examines the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting (i.e. publishing a CSR report and the quality of the CSR report) and socially responsible reputation.
The book finds that the CSR report provided more stakeholder-relevant social and environmental disclosure than the annual report. It also finds that corporate characteristics such as firm size, profitability and industry classification are all statistically significant factors influencing the social and environmental disclosure of the Chinese firms studied. Shareholders significantly influenced firms’ social and environmental disclosure, and creditors significantly influenced firms’ disclosure related to their environmental performance. The final part of the study reports that publishing a CSR report and CSR reporting quality had a positive influence on firms’ socially responsible reputations and that the CEO/chairman duality negatively influenced firms’ socially responsible reputation.
This book will be of interest to those who are keen to learn more about corporate social responsibilities in the context of Chinese firms.

Content:
1. Introduction 2. Literature Review 3. Theoretical Framework 4. Research Methodology and Methods 5. Empirical Results: The current social and environmental disclosure practices of socially responsible Chinese listed firms 6. Empirical Results: Stakeholders power, corporate characteristics and social and environmental disclosure 7. Empirical Results: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) report, corporate governance and corporate reputation 8. Conclusions

Author Bio:
Yingjun Lu obtained her PhD from the University of Wollongong, Australia. She is Lecturer in Accounting at the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, China. Her teaching interests include both financial and managerial accounting. As an accounting academic, she has expertise and research interests in social and environmental accounting and corporate governance. She has published on social and environmental disclosure, internal audit and corporate governance in Chinese and international journals.
Indra Abeysekera is a skilled and committed accounting academic and research leader, having expertise in financial accounting. Professor Abeysekera has an outstanding track record in the accounting discipline, four peer reviewed research books, and publications in excess of 100 articles. He is currently Associate Professor in accounting at the University of Wollongong, Australia.

Subjects:


source from:http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415740562/

Book: The Political Ecology of the State (10 March 2014)


The Political Ecology of the State

The Basis and the Evolution of Environmental Statehood

By Antonio Augusto Rossotto Ioris

Routledge – 2014 – 186 pages








Description:
The contemporary state is not only the main force behind environmental change, but the reactions to environmental problems have played a crucial role in the modernisation of the state apparatus, especially because of its mediatory role.
The Political Ecology of the State is the first book to critically assess the philosophical basis of environmental statehood and regulation, addressing the emergence and evolution of environmental regulation from the early twentieth century to the more recent phase of ecological modernisation and the neoliberalisation of nature. The state is understood as the result of permanent socionatural interactions and multiple forms of contestation, from a critical politico-ecological approach. This book examines the tension between pro- and anti-commons tendencies that have permeated the organisation and failures of the environmental responses put forward by the state. It provides a reinterpretation of the achievements and failures of mainstream environmental policies and regulation, and offers a review of the main philosophical influences behind different periods of environmental statehood and regulation. It sets out an agenda for going beyond conventional state regulation and grassroots dealings with the state, and as such redefines the environmental apparatus of the state.

Content:
Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview of the Book Chapter 2. The Reason and the Purpose of Environmental Statehood Chapter 3. Early and Conventional Environmental Statehood: Unpacking the Hobbesian Influence Chapter 4. Responding to Regulation Rigidity and Persisting Socioecological Problems: The Kantian Basis of the Transition Chapter 5. The Contingent Relation between Flexible Environmental Statehood and the Neoliberalisation of Socionature Chapter 6. Flexible Environmental Statehood as the Realisation (Actualisation) of the Hegelian State Chapter 7. What is Beyond Flexible Environmental Statehood and the Naïve Faith in the Eco-state?

Author Bio:
Antonio Augusto Rossotto Ioris is Lecturer in Environment and Society, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh. His main areas of research are related to the search for environmental justice in the urban and regional contexts, and the multiple obstacles faced by marginalised communities to influence environmental decision-making. He has extensive experience with policy-making and project management in the UK, Portugal, Brazil and Latin America.


Subjects:
  1. Political Ecology
  2. Political Geography
  3. Environmental Politics
  4. Environmental Geography
  5. Environmental Anthropology
source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415722193/

Publication: The State of Sustainability Initiatives Review 2014: Standards and the Green Economy (23 March 2014)


The State of Sustainability Initiatives Review 2014: Standards and the Green Economy

» Jason Potts, Matthew Lynch, Ann Wilkings, Gabriel A. Huppé, Maxine Cunningham, Vivek Voora, IISD, 2014.Book, 365 pages, copyright: IISD and IIED, ISBN 978-1-894784-45-0

The State of Sustainability Initiatives Review 2014 provides a bird’s-eye view of market and performance trends across 16 of the most prevalent standards initiatives operating across ten different commodity sectors. The Review represents one small effort toward strengthening our understanding of how voluntary sustainability standards are developing over time, both in terms of the systems they deploy and the market impacts that they have. It is hoped that the ensuing data and analysis, when read in conjunction with the growing body of field-level impact data, will allow supply chain decision-makers to strengthen their own strategic decision-making processes in ways that provide optimal sustainable development impact.

PDF



  • Hard copy not available.


source from: http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=2899

Publication: Promoting an Integrated Approach to Climate Adaptation: Lessons from the coffee value chain in Uganda (22 March 2014)


IISD Publications Centre

Promoting an Integrated Approach to Climate Adaptation: Lessons from the coffee value chain in Uganda

» Julie Dekens, F. Bagamba, IISD, 2014.Paper, 12 pages, copyright: CDKNRelatively little has been done to date to support climate adaptation along entire value chains. Yet to secure sustainable investments in value chain development, decision-makers at all levels in the public and private sectors need to ensure that climate risks are managed not just at the production level, but also throughout the entire value chain, from production to marketing. This is particularly relevant for commodity-dependent developing countries, such as Uganda.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development collaborated with the Uganda Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Makerere University and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network during a six-month period in 2013 to provide a platform for dialogue on climate risk management among actors along the coffee value chain. This innovative new pilot initiative demonstrates how to take a more integrated approach to climate adaptation.
The analysis of climate impacts and responses along the value chain was based on a qualitative and participatory approach using Climate Dialogue Theatres—a method that uses drama to elucidate value chain actor perceptions of climate impacts and responses, and to promote adult learning on climate adaptation. The process mobilized a total of 80 participants representing farm input suppliers, coffee farmers, traders, processors, exporters and service providers from Rakai district (southwest) and Kampala.
The initiative shows that climate hazards such as droughts, floods and changing rainfall patterns already negatively affect all actors along the coffee value chain, but in different ways and to different extents. Coffee farmers and processors generally tend to be more vulnerable to climate hazards than traders, middlemen and exporters, due to their limited diversification, weak organizational capacities and the unfavourable policy environment. Most actors are already making some efforts to minimize the negative impacts of climate hazards on their activities, but not all responses are sustainable. The study also provides evidence that a lack of communication and trust between and among actors along the value chain particularly hampers climate adaptation.
The study recommends three win-win solutions along the coffee value chain: to improve networking and partnerships among key actors for climate adaptation by strengthening existing platforms and structures at all levels and exploring the role of incentives (e.g., standards); to develop new, flexible financial products to support climate-resilient and inclusive agro-value chains through capacity building and innovative public-private partnerships; and to increase investments in climate-resilient infrastructures such as roads, irrigation systems, storage facilities and telecommunications.


PDF


  • Hard copy not available.
source from: http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=2903

Event: BEC HR Excellence Awards 2014 - Winner Showcase Forum and Briefing Session (26-1 April 2014)

 Winner Showcase Forum and Briefing Session



Event Date:
















26 Mar - 1 Apr 2014                   
Venue:
Email: project@hkihrm.org
Telephone: 2837 3817 / 2837 3822 / 2837 3823
       
Business Environment Council is pleased to be the associate assessor and the supporting organisation of HR Excellence Awards 2014 organised by Hong Kong Institute of Human Resources Management (HKIHRM). HKIHRM will host the Awards Winner Showcase Forum and Briefing Session in March and April 2014 to share the details of the Awards to the audience.

About the Event
Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management (HKIHRM) presents the HR Excellence Awards to recognise organisations and individuals who achieve business success through outstanding people management strategies and practices. You are cordially invited to the Awards Winner Showcase Forum and Briefing Session.
Submission of entry: 26 March to 9 May
Launch cum 2013 Awards Winner Showcase Forum
Date: 26 March, 2014 (Wednesday)
Time: 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Language: Cantonese and English (No simultaneous interpretation)
Venue: 25/F, HKFYG Multi-function Hall I, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Building, 21 Pak Fuk Road, North Point, HK (MTR: Exit C, Quarry Bay)
Fee: HKIHRM member - HK$700; Non-member - HK$1000
Click HERE for details and enrolment
Briefing Session
Date: 1 April, 2014 (Tuesday)
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Language: English
Venue: HKIHRM Office, Suite 1503, 15/F, 68 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay, HK
Fee: Free
Click HERE for details and enrolment

Enquiries: Project & Event Department – Tel: (852) 2837 3817 / 2837 3822 / 2837 3823 or Email: project@hkihrm.org

- See more at: http://bec.org.hk/events-current/hr-excellence-awards-2014---winner-showcase-forum-and-briefing-session#sthash.iOq5m3oC.dpuf

Hong Kong News: Green goal for HK Sevens (20 March 2014)


Green goal for HK Sevens

On the ball
On the ball:  The Rugby Football Union's Robbie McRobbie, Hong Kong Men's National Sevens Team player Kwok Ka-chun, Under Secretary for the Environment Christine Loh and Big Waster promote an environmentally-friendly Sevens.

March 20, 2014
The Environmental Protection Department and Rugby Football Union today announced a new collaboration with key stakeholders of the Hong Kong Sevens 2014, to trial a number of green initiatives.

Hong Kong's annual three-day rugby extravaganza will kick off on March 28 at the Hong Kong Stadium.

The department will work with the Leisure & Cultural Services Department to provide bins to collect plastic bottles and beverage cups at the venue, and posters will be displayed to guide people to the right bins.

Donation of surplus food, and separation and collection of other types of recyclables such as food waste, glass bottles and paper for recycling will also be arranged.

The Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign mascot Big Waster will appear with the event’s Green Ambassadors to promote the measures.

The trial practices will prepare the way for the formation of a task force to devise a more comprehensive waste reduction and recycling plan next year.


source from: http://www.news.gov.hk/en/categories/environment/html/2014/03/20140320_183753.shtml

Monday, March 24, 2014

Book: EU Foreign Policy and Crisis Management Operations (20 March 2014)

EU Foreign Policy and Crisis Management Operations

Power, purpose and domestic politics

By Benjamin Pohl

Routledge – 2014 – 232 pages

Description:
This bookexplores the drivers of the EU’s recent forays into peace- and state-building operations.
Since the Union’s European (now Common) Security and Defence Policy (ESDP/CSDP) became operational in 2003, the EU has conducted more than 20 civilian and military operations that broadly served to either deter aggression in host countries, and/or to build or strengthen the rule of law. This sudden burst of EU activity in the realm of external security is interesting from both a scholarly and a policy perspective. On one hand, institutionalised cooperation in the field of foreign, security and defence policy challenges the mainstream in IR theory which holds that in such sovereignty-sensitive areas cooperation would necessarily be limited. On the other hand, the sheer quantity of operations suggests that the ESDP may represent a potentially significant feature of global governance.
In order to understand the drivers behind CSDP, EU Foreign Policy and Crisis Management Operations analyses the policy output in this area, including the operations conducted in the CSDP framework. Up until now, many studies inferred the logic behind CSDP from express intentions, institutional developments and (the potential of) pooled capabilities. By mining the rich data that CSDP operations represent in terms of the motives and ambitions of EU governments for the CSDP, this book advances our understanding of the framework at large.
This book will be of much interest to students of European Security, EU policy, peacebuilding, statebuilding, and IR.


Content:
1. Introduction 2. CSDP Operations and International Relations Theories 3. Studying CSDP Operations 4. Bosnia 5. Kosovo 6. Afghanistan 7. Chad 8. CSDP Operations and Cross-National Preferences 9. Conclusion


Reviews:
‘Rejecting the realist, normative and integrationist explanations for CSDP, Pohl identifies the primary driver behind the EU's security and defence policy as domestic politics. This is an important, challenging and original work which scholars will discuss for years to come.’ Jolyon Howorth, Yale University
‘EU Foreign Policy and Crisis Management Operations provides the best diplomatic history to date of the political debates and intergovernmental bargaining processes behind the main crisis management operations conducted by the Union. Extremely well written, it uses this account of what the EU has done to compare and assess the explanatory power of existing theoretical approaches. This original angle results in a comprehensive account of the drivers behind - and a balanced and persuasive interpretation of - the Common Security and Defence Policy as we know it. Anyone interested in EU foreign policy, or indeed contemporary foreign and security policies, should definitely read it.’ Antonio Missiroli, Director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies


Source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415712668/

Book: In Search of China's Development Model (14 March 2014)

In Search of China's Development Model

Beyond the Beijing Consensus

Edited by S. Philip Hsu, Yu-Shan Wu, Suisheng Zhao

Routledge – 2012 – 254 pages

Description:
This book examines the development model that has driven China's economic success and looks at how it differs from the Washington Consensus. China’s Development Model (CDM) is examined with a view to answering a central question: given China’s peculiar matrix of a socialist party-state juxtaposed with economic internationalization and marketization, what are the underlying dynamics and the distinctive features of the economic and political/legal/social dimensions of the CDM, and how do we properly characterize their interrelations? The chapters further analyse to what extent and under what circumstances is China's development model sustainable, and to what degree is it readily applicable to other developing countries.
Based on their findings in this volume, the authors conclude that the defining feature of the CDM’s economic dimension is "Janus-faced state-led growth," and the political/legal/social dimension of the CDM is best characterized as "adaptive post-totalitarianism." The contributors illustrate that the CDM’s parameters are shown to be much less sustainable than the CDM’s outcome in developmental performance and the extent to which the CDM can be applied to other late-developers is subject to more qualifications than its sustainability.


Content:
Part I: Overview 1 In Search of China’s Development Model, S. Philip Hsu 2 The Myth of the Beijing Consensus, Scott Kennedy 3 The China Model of Development, Suisheng Zhao Part II: The Economic Dimension 4 China’s Industrial Capitalism, Barry Naughton 5 Can China Sustain Rapid Growth Despite Flawed Institutions? Thomas G. Rawski Part III: Political Dimension 6 From a Socialist State to a Developmental State, Yi-feng Tao 7 Balancing Developmental Needs with Vertical and Horizontal Power Competition in China, 1993-2004, S. Philip Hsu 8 Law and the Beijing Consensus, Jacques deLisle 9 Elite Recruitment and the Post-totalitarian Developmental State, Chien-wen Kou Part IV: Socioeconomic Dimension 10 Who Consents to the “Beijing Consensus”?, Bruce J. Dickson 11 In Search of NGOs in Contemporary China, Hsin-Hsien Wang 12 A Model of Adherence to No Model, Shaoguang Wang 13 Strengthening the Soft Discipline Constraint, Szu-chien Hsu


Author bio:
S. Philip Hsu is Executive Director at the Center for China Studies and Associate Professor of Political Science, College of Social Sciences, National Taiwan University.
Yu-Shan Wu is director of the Institute of Political Science at Academia Sinica, Taiwan and jointly appointed professor at the Department of Political Science, National Taiwan University.
Suisheng Zhao is Professor and Executive Director of the Center for China-US Cooperation at Graduate School of International Studies, University of Denver.


source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138016880/

China News: China's 1st pollution insurance plan launched (18 Macrh 2014)

China's 1st pollution insurance plan launched
CRI, March 18, 2014

The Peoples Insurance Company of China (PICC) started offering the first insurance plans for severe air pollution (Fangxin Bao) in the country on March 17, 2014.
The insurance company will pay the insured a maximum of 1800 yuan in pollution subsidies when the air pollution index hit more than 300 for five consecutive days.
The PICC is offering plans to cover those between the ages of 10 and 50 years old at premiums ranging from 78 yuan to 138 yuan. Not exceeding 1800 yuan in total, the smog insurance plan provides policy holders with a 300-yuan payment if the air pollution index reaches more than 300 for five straight days and a 1500-yuan payment if the insured is hospitalized due to air pollution.

Book: Marine Policy-An Introduction to Governance and International Law of the Oceans (10 March 2014)


Marine Policy

An Introduction to Governance and International Law of the Oceans

By Mark Zacharias

Routledge – 2014 – 336 pages

Description:
This textbook provides the reader with a foundation in policy development and analysis and describes how policy, including legal mechanisms, is applied to marine environments around the world. It offers a systematic treatment of all aspects of marine policy, including environmental protection, fisheries, transportation, energy, mining and climate change.
It starts with a biophysical overview of the structure and function of the marine environment with a particular emphasis on the challenges and opportunities of managing the marine environment. An overview of the creation and function of international law is then provided with a focus on international marine law. It explores the geographic and jurisdictional dimensions of marine policy, as well the current and anticipated challenges facing marine systems, including climate change-related impacts and resource over-exploitation. The book should appeal to senior undergraduate and graduate students and form a core part of the curriculum for marine affairs, science and policy courses. It will also provide supplementary reading for students taking a course in the law of the oceans, but is not aimed at legal specialists.

Content:
1. Introduction to the Marine Environment: The Structure and Function of the World’s Oceans
2. An Introduction to International Law: International Marine Law and United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
3. An Introduction to Policy: Instruments for Marine Law and Policy
4. Developing and Analyzing Policies: An Introduction to Policy Analysis
5. Marine Environmental Protection Policy: International Efforts to Address Threats to Marine Biodiversity
6. International Fisheries Policy: Sustaining Global Fisheries for the Long Term
7. Marine Transportation and Safety Policy: The Operation and Regulation of International Shipping
8. International Law and Policy of the Polar Oceans: Governing the Southern and Arctic Oceans
9. International Law and Policy Related to Offshore Energy and Mining: Renewable and Non-renewable Resource Development on Continental Shelves and in the Area
10. Integrated Approaches to Ocean Management: Putting Policy into Practice and Managing Across Sectors
Conclusion: A Report Card on Ocean Management

Subjects:


source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415633086/

Book: Critiquing Sustainability, Changing Philosophy (13 March 2014)


Critiquing Sustainability, Changing Philosophy

By Jenneth Parker

Routledge – 2014 – 224 pages

Description:
To increasing numbers of people, sustainability is the key challenge of the twenty-first century. In the many fields where it is a goal, persistent problems obstruct the efforts of those trying to make a difference. The task of this book is to provide an overview of the current state of philosophy in the context of what philosophy is, could be or should be – in relation to sustainability and the human future on Earth. The book is conceived as a contribution to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, helping to link work on philosophy and sustainability.
Critiquing Sustainability, Changing Philosophy focusses on the importance of philosophical work to the formation and effectiveness of global civil society and social movements for sustainability in the context of the Anthropocene age of the Earth. It takes a transdisciplinary systems approach that challenges philosophy and concludes by proposing a greatly enhanced role for philosophy in contributing to global public reason for sustainability.
This book will be of interest to philosophers, sustainability practitioners and thinkers, policy makers and all those engaged in the global movement for sustainability.


Content:
Introduction 1. Starting Points 2. The Antropocene 3. Critiquing Models of Human Being for Sustainability 4. Towards a Philosophy for Earth System Science 5. Changing Material Practices: techne and technology 6. A Philosophy of Social Science for Sustainability? 7. Culture and Sustainability: 'what has postmodernism ever done for us?' 8. Philosophies for Sustainability: an analytic review 9. Sustainability - a school for freedom?


Subjects:
  1. Sustainable Development
  2. Cultural Theory
  3. Critical Thinking
  4. Environmental Politics
source from: http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415632560/

Publication: A Review of The Climate Casino: Risk, Uncertainty and Economics for a Warming World by William Nordhaus (22 March 2014)

IISD Publications Centre

A Review of The Climate Casino: Risk, Uncertainty and Economics for a Warming World by William Nordhaus

» Robert Repetto, IISD, 2014.Commentary, copyright: IISD
In The Climate Casino, William Nordhaus covers the entire range of climate issues: the science, impacts and damages, mitigation possibilities, domestic and international policy options, and politics. The book’s main messages are that humans are almost certainly causing climate changes unprecedented during the emergence of civilization, mainly by burning fossil fuels, and that the resultant warming is a major threat to societies and the natural world. The only genuine solution is to reduce emissions by changing the practices of billions of people, businesses and governments around the world through market mechanisms, specifically by creating an economic penalty or “price” for carbon emissions. Robert Repetto’s review of Nordhaus’s ends with a strong recommendation for the even-handed exploration of the issues surrounding climate change.


PDF


  • Hard copy not available.


source from: http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=2904

Event: Live Online Chat - Supporting Women's Contribution to the Fight against Climate Change (26 March 2014)


Live Online Chat - Supporting Women's Contribution to the Fight against Climate Change

Women play a front line role in managing energy, waste, and water resources and are uniquely positioned to contribute in the fight against climate change. Yet new research funded by ADB shows women are rarely considered in the disbursal of multi-million dollar global climate funds.
  • In a changing climate finance landscape, how can we help women gain better access to finance and national institutions deliver it in a more effective, efficient and inclusive way?
  • How can the Green Climate Fund and other sources of climate financing reach more women and help harness their potential to be agents of change for effective mitigation initiatives?
Join Social Development Specialist Linda Adams and Viet Nam Country Specialist Lauren Sorkin for a discussion on promoting climate finance for mitigation measures that benefit women.
When: 08:30-10:00 Manila time/00:30-02:00 GMT : 26 March 2014
Share your views in advance and send your questions by email or through Facebook or Twitter.
Access the live online chat on 26 March on the Asian Development Blog.

Lauren Sorkin

Lauren SorkinLauren Sorkin is an environment, climate change and knowledge management specialist working in ADB's Viet Nam Resident Mission. Prior to joining ADB, she worked for the USAID Eco-Asia Clean Development and Climate Program, the European Commission and the Worldwatch Institute.


Linda Adams

Linda AdamsLinda Adams is a Social Development Specialist in ADB’s Southeast Asia Department. Prior to joining ADB she worked as social development consultant for various multilateral and bilateral development organizations and NGOs, including the World Bank, United Nations, DFID, USAID, SNV and CARE International.






source from: http://www.adb.org/news/events/live-online-chat-supporting-womens-contribution-fight-against-climate-change

Event: Hong Kong Environment Trade Mission to GLOBE 2014 (26-28 March 2014)


Hong Kong Environment Trade Mission to GLOBE 2014



Event Date: 26 Mar - 28 Mar 2014                                                                                                        Contact: Ms Fatima Lai
Email: fatima.lai@international.gc.ca
Telephone: 2867 7390 / 2867 7366

                                                       
 Business Environment Council is pleased to be a supporting organisation of Hong Kong Environment Trade Mission to GLOBE 2014 co-organised by the Consulate General of Canada and Hong Kong Productivity Council. About the Event The Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong and Macao cordially invites you to join the Hong Kong Environment Trade Mission to GLOBE 2014 in Vancouver, March 26-28, 2014. The GLOBE Series is North America’s largest and longest-running forum on the business of environment consisting of a conference and trade fair. In 2012, the event attracted over 9000 business leaders, industry managers and buyers to explore mutual goals of corporate sustainability, business growth, urban development, and energy and climate change solutions (http://2014.globeseries.com).


This year, the GLOBE 2014 Conference will include the following major themes: The Changing Energy Landscape Food & Water Security: Protecting our Most Precious Resources Towards the Circular Economy Responsible Resource Management Clean Capitalism: Financing Sustainable Innovation Building Resilient Cities »» China – Our Shared Future (Remarks: Special Discounted Conference Rate of C$795 + 5% GST applies to Hong Kong delegates) GLOBE 2014 Trade Fair: With over 450 exhibitors, the GLOBE trade show will feature the most advanced environmental technologies and solutions in three critical areas: Energy, Green Building and Sustainable Cities, and Water. (Remarks: Complimentary trade show pass for Hong Kong delegates) Value Added Mission Program for Mission Participants: Business-to-Business Matching & Networking Opportunities with Canadian companies in variety of different subsectors. Canadian companies are especially strong in the areas of Water & Wastewater, Waste Management, Air Pollution Control, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Carbon Capture/Storage/Utilization etc.


Optional Additional Site Visit to Edmonton Waste Management Centre (EWMC) in Edmonton, Alberta, March 24-25 About EWMC – EWMC provides access to some of the best full-scale waste management facilities in N. America. It strives to turn waste into resources, provides holistic solutions to waste management problems and aims to enable innovation. The city of Edmonton currently diverts about 60% of residential waste from its landfill by reducing, recycling and composting. Facilities located at EWMC include: Integrated Processing and Transfer Facility Materials Recovery Facility, where Edmonton's recyclables are sorted and baled Edmonton Composting Facility, where Edmonton’s waste is composted GEEP Electrical and Electronic Waste Recycling Facility Residential Waste Drop Off Station Construction and Demolition Recycling Operation Clover Bar Landfill Leachate Treatment Plant, Landfill Gas Recovery System and Biosolids Lagoons Greys Paper & Glass Recycling Facility Waste-to-Biofuels For further information on EWMC, please visit their website:


http://www.edmonton.ca/for_residents/garbage_recycling/edmonton-waste-management-centre.aspx If you are interested in learning more about the Mission, please complete and return the Reply Slip or contact Ms. Fatima Lai, tel: 2867 7390 / 2867 7366, email: Fatima.lai@international.gc.ca.


source from: http://bec.org.hk/events-current/hong-kong-environment-trade-mission-to-globe-2014

Hong Kong News: Vessel fuel regulation approved (19 March 2014)

Vessel fuel regulation approved

March 19, 2014
Secretary for the Environment KS Wong says he is pleased to see the Air Pollution Control (Marine Light Diesel) Regulation has been approved, which will help improve air quality.

The regulation, which comes into effect on April 1, will require locally supplied marine light diesel vessels to have a 0.05% sulphur limit, a 90% reduction from the current requirement.

Vessels using fuel under the new requirement will emit 90% less sulphur dioxide and 30% less respirable suspended particulates, Mr Wong said, reducing the marine sector’s sulphur dioxide and respirable suspended particulates emissions by 10% and 4%.

“This will help improve the ambient air quality and reduce health risks for the population, especially those in the coastal areas," he added.


source from: http://www.news.gov.hk/en/categories/environment/html/2014/03/20140319_190236.shtml

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Event: The Coming Storm: Risks and Opportunities for Business in a Changing Climate (25 March 2014)


The Coming Storm: Risks and Opportunities for Business in a Changing Climate

Event Date: 25 Mar 2014 Event Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Venue: BEC Auditorium Fee: Free   ( By Invitation only ) Contact: Ms Jill Chow Email: jill@bec.org.hk
About the Event

Business Environment Council, with the support of The Rockefeller Foundation, organises this half-day workshop to explore and discuss the risks and opportunities that climate change events are creating for business in Asia.

As shown by the massive floods in Thailand in late 2011 that disrupted global supply chains and Super Typhoon Haiyan that devastated the Philippines, the frequency and intensity of major climate events is set to accelerate as the global climate system continues to change. This first of its kind event is facilitated by Ashvin Dayal, Associate Vice President & Managing Director, Asia of The Rockefeller Foundation, will take stock of current levels of business continuity and assess them against the reality of major climate events.
Through interactive scenarios and visioning exercises, participants with better understand their own organization’s resilience and the ways in which city-wide resilience efforts can impact their plans. Beyond preparedness, this workshop will also explore how businesses can develop new products or services that can be used by cities to respond to these challenges. 
For enquiry and registration, please contact Ms Jill Chow (T. 2784 3942 | E. jill@bec.org.hk)
- See more at: http://bec.org.hk/events-current/the-coming-storm-risks-and-opportunities-for-business-in-a-changing-climate#sthash.dmA6sXOy.dpuf


- See more at: http://bec.org.hk/events-current/the-coming-storm-risks-and-opportunities-for-business-in-a-changing-climate#sthash.dmA6sXOy.dpuf

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Publication: Aboriginal Issues and Canada’s Oil and Gas Sector (Speech) (20 March 2014)

IISD Publications Centre

Aboriginal Issues and Canada’s Oil and Gas Sector (Speech)

» Scott Vaughan, IISD, 2014.Paper, 5 pages, copyright: IISD
In this speech to the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada’s (MISC) 2014 Annual Conference: "Petrocultures 2014: Oil, Energy, and Canada's Future", IISD President Scott Vaughan discusses Canada’s oil and gas sector as it relates to Aboriginal Issues and climate change.
The Petrocultures "Who Owns Our Oil?" Panel is available to view on YouTube.


source from:
PDF


  • Hard copy not available.


source from: http://www.iisd.org/publications/pub.aspx?pno=2897

Friday, March 21, 2014

Event: Surf and Turf: Environmental and Social Impacts of China’s Growing Seafood and Pork Consumption (25 March 2014)

Surf and Turf: Environmental and Social Impacts of China’s Growing Seafood and Pork Consumption

March 25, 2014 // 9:00am11:00am
Event Speakers
Increasingly prosperous consumers in China are consuming fewer food grains and demanding more dairy, fruits, vegetables, meat, and seafood. These protein-rich diets have brought many important health benefits to China’s population. However, the ecological footprint of China’s growing seafood and pork consumption is posing unique environmental and social challenges both domestically and globally. Speakers will discuss the major ecological and supply chain trends in the China’s seafood and pork industries.
Pigs and people forged close links in traditional Chinese agrarian society—aptly the Chinese character for family/house depicts a roof with a pig under it. These close links still exist in China. To meet the nation’s growing appetite pork, China has shifted meat production from smallholder farms to large factory farms, some of which are located in the heart of cities. While these factory farms have helped China put meat on the dining table, they are also breeding grounds for disease, raising alarms about food safety and water quality. Fred Gale (USDA) will discuss the trends in pork production and how the Chinese government and industry leaders view the role for pigs in 21st-century China’s society, economy, and ecology.
China’s appetite for seafood has penetrated deep into what were once remote frontiers of the Asia-Pacific region. How this region and the world adapt to increased market demand and consumption within China will be a major social and environmental issue in the years to come. Michael Fabinyi (Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies) will discuss the trends and drivers of Chinese seafood consumption, highlighting several specific supply chain relationships between China and source countries in the region.
Location: 
5th Floor, Woodrow Wilson Center
 
Event Speakers List: 
  • Senior Economist at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service
  • Research Fellow, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies