World News: Warsaw Conference Adopts Decisions on ADP, REDD+, and Loss and Damage (27 Nov 2013)

Warsaw Conference Adopts Decisions on ADP, REDD+, and Loss and Damage 23 November 2013: Negotiations during the Warsaw Climate Change Conference focused on the implementation of agreements reached at previous meetings, including pursuing the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. The conference, which took place from 11-23 November 2013 in Poland, included the 19th...

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China News: Gasoline pours from broken pipeline in SW China (27 Nov 2013)

Gasoline pours from broken pipeline in SW China Xinhua, November 27, 2013 About 2,000 tonnes of gasoline has leaked from a broken pipe after an accident at a construction site on Tuesday night in southwest China's Guizhou Province, said rescue workers on Wednesday. The leak started at about 0:40 Wednesday from a broken gasoline pipe after a construction tower collapsed late on Tuesday night at a high-speed railway construction site in Pingba County of Anshun City, said rescuers. The pipe belongs to a branch of the country's largest oil...

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World News: BBC, 'Signature' achievement on forests at UN climate talks (22 Nov 2013)

'Signature' achievement on forests at UN climate talks Countries with forests will have to provide information on safeguards for local communities Nations meeting in Warsaw at UN talks have agreed a significant step forward towards curbing emissions from deforestation. A package of measures has been agreed here that will give "results-based" payments to developing nations that cut carbon by leaving trees standing. One observer told the...

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Hong Kong News: Sustainable development Fund invites applications (25 Nov 2013)

Sustainable Development Fund invites applications ************************************************* The following is issued on behalf of the Council for Sustainable Development:     The Council for Sustainable Development is now inviting applications from groups and individuals for grants to undertake projects that will raise public awareness of sustainable development and promote sustainable practices in Hong Kong.     The Chair of the Council's Education and Publicity Sub-committee, Mrs Miranda...

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China News: Asian power stations blamed for mercury toxicity in fish (25 Nov 2013)

Asian power stations blamed for mercury toxicity in fish Anna Valmero Reducing mercury concentrations in open-ocean fish will require a reduction in global emissions of mercury from fossil fuel power stations Coal-burning in China and India is being linked to rising mercury levels in North Pacific fish  Coal-fired power stations in emerging economies in Asia could be responsible for rising mercury levels in fish, says one of the...

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China News: Yangqi Lake gears up for 2013 APEC summit (27 Nov 2013)

Yanqi Lake gears up for 2014 APEC summit By Li Jingrong China.org.cn, November 27, 2013 An intense air pollution control campaign is underway in Beijing in preparation for the 2014 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will be held by Yanqi Lake in the northern outskirts of the capital. Yanqi Lake is located at the foot of the Yanshan Mountains in Beiing. One of the most significant measures is to ban "yellow label...

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World News: UN climate talks reach deal on cutting greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation (22 Nov 2013)

UN climate talks reach deal on cutting greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation WARSAW, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Governments at the UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw on Friday agreed a set of decisions on ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and the degradation of forests. The agreement on the so-called REDD+ initiative is backed by pledges of 280 million dollars in financing from the U.S., Norway and Britain, according to a statement released by the Conference. "I am proud of this concrete accomplishment. We are...

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World News: UN Officials Recognize Cities' Role in Addressing Climate Change (21 Nov 2013)

UN Officials Recognize Cities’ Role in Addressing Climate Change 21 November 2013: The Warsaw Climate Change Conference celebrated 'Cities Day of the High Level Segment,' in recognition of the role of cities in combatting climate change. Cities Day encompassed a number of events, including a Conference of the Parties (COP) Presidency ‘Cities and Subnational Dialogue.' UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described cities as “the proving ground...

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World News: CTCN Opens in Denmark (21 Nov 2013)

CTCN Opens in Denmark 21 November 2013: The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), co-led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Risø Centre and the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), opened in Copenhagen, Denmark. The CTCN will assist developing countries in making informed decisions about environmentally sound technologies for adaptation and mitigation, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving...

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China News: China's Urban Dilemma (23 Nov 2013)

China’s urban dilemma Isabel Hilton China's policies for its cities are of global importance, argues chinadialogue editor Isabel Hilton China would be wise to model its urban development on cities like Copenhagen, rather than such outdated models as Los Angeles （Image by Carrie Kellenberger)   This article is part of a special report on urbanisation produced by chinadialogue, now available to download as a pdf.After nearly three...

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Event: 4th Regional Forum-New Territories West on Waste Charging Scheme (30 Nov 2013)

4th Regional Forum - New Territories West Waste Reduction by Waste Charging-How to Implement? Municipal Waste Charging Scheme- Please send us your comments by 24 Jan 2014 Date: 30 November 2013 (Sat) 9:30AM Venue: Shek Lei Community Hall Address: 2 Tai Pak Tin Street, Kwai Chung, New Territories for registration and more information" http://www.susdev.org.hk/english/events/events_detail.php?id=4 ...

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India News: First National Taxonomic Congress - (December 5-7, 2013)

First National Taxonomic Congress - December 5-7, 2013 The Ministry of Environment & Forests, together with the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), is organising first  National Taxonomic Congress at Scope Complex, 7, Lodhi ROad, New Delhi - 110003 during December 5-7, 2013 to bring together multiple stakeholders of taxonomic knowledge, including the...

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Publication: Exploring Trends in Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Development (21 Nov 2013)

IISD Publications Centre Exploring Trends in Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Development » Jessica Boyle, Melissa Harris, Livia Bizikova, Jo-Ellen Parry, Anne Hammill, Jason Dion, IISD, 2013.Paper, 37 pages, copyright: IISD In recent years, the concept of low-carbon, climate-resilient development (LCCRD) has emerged as a key way of framing policy and action to address climate change, capturing the need for mitigation...

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World News: Climate Services Adaptation Programme Aims to Increase Resilience in Africa (21 Nov 2013)

Climate Services Adaptation Programme Aims to Increase Resilience in Africa 21 November 2013: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) partnered with research groups, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations to launch the Climate Services Adaptation Programme in Africa in an effort to increase the resilience of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of weather and climate-related events.Funded by a US$9,750,000 grant from the Government...

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Taiwan News: 垃圾分類愛環境 低碳清運我先行 (22 Nov 2013)

垃圾分類愛環境 低碳清運我先行   提供單位：行政院環境保護署廢管處  |           為響應國際節能減碳潮流，環保署針對垃圾車進行減碳改造，改裝電動壓縮技術於新一代垃圾車，於今(102)年11月22日假新北市八里垃圾焚化廠舉辦「低碳垃圾車技術介紹及展示觀摩活動」，由環保署沈世宏署長、低碳城市代表及各地環保局代表攜手共同揭曉「低碳垃圾車LOGO票選」結果，象徵我國邁向低碳清運新里程，同時舉辦各類低碳垃圾車觀摩活動，交流國內垃圾車技術，提升垃圾清運服務。        環保署表示，近六年來持續補助地方政府汰換老舊垃圾車共2,027輛，占全國垃圾車4成以上，6年以上的老舊垃圾車比例，亦從近5.5成下降至3.7成。環保署除了協助老舊垃圾車汰換外，亦積極推動垃圾低碳清運，將電動壓縮垃圾技術結合於傳統垃圾車上，使垃圾車於停等收集垃圾期間可關閉引擎進行壓縮，達零怠速、零廢氣排放及降低壓縮噪音之效益，提升民眾於動垃圾環境觀感，強化垃圾清運的整體服務。        環保署強調，本次活動展出之電動壓縮垃圾車，已經實際執行垃圾清運作業逾1個月，其改裝後減少空氣品質之污染、噪音的影響是顯著的，於9~10月期間針對電動壓縮垃圾車清運路線附近民眾進行問卷調查，有高達七成的民眾對於環保署推動電動壓縮垃圾車表示支持態度，並且期望電動壓縮垃圾車能在住家附近收運，可見這樣的政策推動民眾有感的，並樂見其未來的。        環保署說明，因應減少二氧化碳排放，各國發展電動車的是近來的趨勢，電動壓縮垃圾車亦是減少CO2排放的環保車輛，短期計畫在103～106年間，補助地方政府汰換218輛。未來若能持續推廣汰換全國5000輛垃圾車為電動壓縮垃圾車，每年將可減少6.75萬公噸二氧化碳排放，節省2,850萬公升之柴油消耗，總計節省約新台幣9億元之油費支出。        環保署補充，垃圾車節能技術的引進及應用，除電動壓縮技術外，還包含雙車箱垃圾車、柴油/液化石油氣混噴系統垃圾車及垃圾車壓縮系統電動化技術等多項節能技術，因此環保署與國內廠商攜手將傳統垃圾車改裝為電動壓縮垃圾車，持續為帶動國內垃圾車產業技術發展，培植國內垃圾車製造實力。        本活動中邀請國內產、官、學專家，針對國內推動低碳垃圾清運作法及新型低碳垃圾車技術等議題，進行相關產業技術交流與經驗分享。同時為宣傳低碳垃圾車之效益，加深民眾印象，環保署舉辦「低碳垃圾車LOGO票選」活動，當日由沈世宏親自揭曉得票數最高的LOGO，作為未來低碳垃圾車識別標誌，象徵我國將邁向低碳清運新里程，期望透過這樣的合作模式，提升國人居家生活環境品質，促進國內垃圾車產業發展，共同建築低碳家園。 source...

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China News: Public participation still lacking from China's environmental laws (22 Nov 2013)

Public participation still lacking from China's environmental laws William J. Schulte 12.11.2013 The history of US environmental legislation may offer useful lessons for China’s evolving environmental laws The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is able to revoke permits when petitioning citizens demonstrate that they were issued in violation of the law (Image bySteve Rhodes)   Mass environmental protests in China have...

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