S. Korean Updates: MOE takes the lead in national health protection by managing indoor environment of express buses

The Ministry of Environment (MOE) is opening a 「Voluntary Agreement Ceremony」for the improvement of in-bus air quality on September 4, with the Express Bus Lines Association and eight express bus companies to implement pilot project for voluntary air quality management of express buses. The agreement is expected to help protect passengers’ health and provide comfortable service and improve working environment of the drivers by putting effort into establishing voluntary in-bus air quality management system for each express bus company.

Minister of Environment Yoo Young-sook, Chairman of the Express Bus Lines Association and CEOs of the eight express bus companies will be attending the ceremony.

The project is to protect the health of passengers and drivers by ensuring safety against pollutants and maintaining in-bus comfort. It is for the first time to conduct such project for the express buses.

MOE provided Indoor Air Quality Management Guidelines in Public Transportation (‘06.12) to public transportation service companies and manufacturers of public transportation vehicles and have recommended to maintain the in-vehicle air quality at an optimal level.

Past researches on the indoor air qualities of national public transportations showed that the level satisfied the recommended standard in general. However, it was considered that management on CO₂ level of in-use express buses as the level exceeded the standard. To improve CO₂ level of in-use express buses, research project had been conducted with the Korean Society for Indoor Environment and have developed a prototype of handy CO₂ gauge to enable visual checking of in-bus air quality. After the research and the development, MOE provided the 130 prototype gauges to eight express bus companies (‘12.08), based on the number of vehicles, to support establishment of voluntary air quality management system.

During this pilot project, in-bus air quality management data of running vehicle will be automatically sent to the headquarters and made into database. Then the ventilation system will be operated based on the measurement by the real-time CO₂ gauges on the express buses and mange the CO₂ pollution.

Also, survey on passengers’ satisfaction will be conducted and co-organize the manual for management of express bus’ indoor air quality.

MOE is planning to actively solve the daily inconveniences that the citizens feel, through consistent cooperation with the Express Bus Lines Association and express bus companies so that the industry voluntarily protects the health of passengers and manages the indoor environment of buses.

< sensor (on the ceiling)>                                < display (on the driver’s console)>

For more information: http://eng.me.go.kr/board.do?method=view&docSeq=10724&bbsCode=new_news

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Two Degress Celsius Plus Food, 28 September 2012, Hong Kong

CCBF - Two Degrees Celsius Plus Food

Climate change is upon us. Severe droughts in the US, Russia, China, North Korea and South Korea are withering key crops, driving up food prices and in extreme cases leading to localized food shortages. Agriculture is both part of the problem and part of the solution.

Key note speaker Dr. Shenggen Fan, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute, will introduce low-carbon solutions that achieve a triple win: mitigation, adaptation and return on investment. A corporate panel of experts from across the food value chain will discuss strategies to meet the challenge of growing food demand in an era of climate change.

Join us to learn how climate change is impacting global food production and what companies are doing to maanage risk and seize opportunities.

Event Details

Date: 28th September 2012 (Friday)

Time: 2.30pm—6.00pm

Venue: HKTDC SME Centre

G/F, Hong Kong Convention &

Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai

Registration: ccbfevent@bec.org.hk

Admission: Free (RSVP to guarantee your place. Seats are limited.)

Agenda

2.30pm Registration

3.00pm Welcome & Introduction

3.05pm Keynote address

4.00pm Panel Discussion

5.05pm Audience Q&A

5.30pm Close & Networking Drinks

Speakers

Keynote Speaker - Dr. Shenggen Fan, Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute

Mr Cristian Barcan, Regional Head of SET—Applied Sustainability, Americas & Asia

Pacific, BASF Nutrition & Health

Mr Mike Reid,Regional Supply Chain Director, North Asia, Dairy Farm Group

Ms Zoe Knight, Director, Climate Change

Strategy, HSBC Bank plc.

Mr Anthony Dixon,CEO, ASB Biodiesel

For further information please contact Ms. Pua Mench at pua@bec.org.hk or 2784-3956

For more information: http://www.climatechangebusinessforum.com/en-us/events-28092012

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New Book: Global Environmental Commons by Eric Brousseau, Tom Dedeurwaerdere,Pierre-André Jouvet, and Marc Willinger

Global Environmental Commons

Analytical and Political Challenges in Building Governance Mechanisms

Edited by Eric Brousseau, Tom Dedeurwaerdere,Pierre-André Jouvet, and Marc Willinger

464 pages | 6 Figures, 12 Tables, 5 Boxes | 234x156mm

978-0-19-965620-2 | Hardback | 26 July 2012

About the book

An overview of the latest developments in environmental regulation and global governance Surveys key environmental issues and the most recent empirical data Aids understanding of political decisions and their impact Presents research on the new governance challenges Environmental challenges, and the potential solutions to address them, have a direct effect on living standards, the organization of economies, major infrastructures, and modes of urbanization. Since the publication of path-breaking contributions on the governance of environmental resources in the early 1990s, many political initiatives have been taken, numerous governance experiments have been conducted, and a large multi-disciplinary field of research has opened up. This interdisciplinary book takes stock of the knowledge that has accumulated to date, and addresses new challenges in the provision of environmental goods. It focuses on three essential dimensions with respect to governance. First, it addresses the issue of designing governance solutions through analyzing systems of rules, and levels of organization, in the governance and management of environmental issues. Second, it draws renewed attention to the negotiation processes among stakeholders playing a crucial role in reaching agreements over issues and solutions, and in choosing and implementing particular policy instruments. Finally, it shows that compliance depends on a combination of formal rules, enforced by recognized authorities, and informal obligations, such as social and individual norms. The evolution of the research frontiers on environmental governance shows that more legitimate and informed processes of collective decision, and more subtle and effective ways of managing compliance, can contribute to more effective policy. However, this book also illustrates that more democratic and effective governance should rely on more direct and pluralistic forms of involvement of citizens and stakeholders in the collective decision making processes Readership: Academics and researchers interested in environmental policy, climate change, and international relations. Policy-makers in government offices and NGOs working on climate change. For more information: http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199656202.do#.UEXd37LiaBo

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New Book: Environmental Governance - The Challenge of Legitimacy and Effectiveness by Karl Hogl , Eva Kvarda , Ralf Nordbeck , Michael Pregernig

Environmental Governance

The Challenge of Legitimacy and Effectiveness

Karl Hogl , Eva Kvarda , Ralf Nordbeck , Michael Pregernig

Edited by Karl Hogl, Professor in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, Eva Kvarda, Researcher, Institute of Forest, Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, Ralf Nordbeck, Senior Researcher, Institute of Forest, Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria and Michael Pregernig, Professor in Environmental Governance, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany

August 2012 328 pp Hardback 978 1 84980 270 3Description ‘This excellent collection of articles by leading scholars in a variety of natural resource policy fields examines cases in participation, horizontal and vertical co-ordination, and the role of science and expertise in environmental policy formation. The legitimacy and effectiveness of each of these key components of governance and meta-governance regimes is assessed in important areas such as climate change and parks and wilderness preservation. The volume brings an admirable consistency of focus to the analysis of new governance modes in environmental policy and sheds new light upon important recent trends and developments in the area.’ – Michael Howlett, Simon Fraser University, Canada Contents Contributors include: S. Beck, M. Böcher, T.E. Boon, L. Giessen, K. Hogl, K. Kassioumis, M. Krott, E. Kvarda, D.H. Lund, I. Nathan, J. Newig, R. Nordbeck, K. Papageorgiou, M. Pregernig, S. Storch, M. Vakkas, S. Weiland For more information: http://www.e-elgar.co.uk/bookentry_main.lasso?id=14025&breadcrumlink=&breadcrum=&sub_values=&site_Bus_Man=&site_dev=&site_eco=&site_env_eco=&site_inn_tech=&site_int_pol=&site_law=&site_pub_soc=

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Exploration and Conservation in Remote China, 27 September 2012, Hong Kong

Exploration and Conservation in Remote China

Introduction

Dr. Wong How Man

Date: 27 Sep 2012

Time: 18:00 - 20:00

About the Talk
Dr. Wong How Man, an explorer and founder of the China Exploration and Research Society (CERS) and a National Geographic veteran, will share his epic discoveries and subsequent conservation projects based on almost forty years of exploration in some of the most remote regions of China. CERS’ work spans from archaeological research on the Hanging Coffins of the extinct Bo people and restoration of Tibetan monasteries to conservation of the Tibetan Antelope, Black-necked Crane, Golden Monkey, Wild Yak, and Asiatic Beavers, etc. Through breathtaking illustrations, Dr. Wong will broaden our understanding of China’s cultural and natural heritage and show us what equitable conservation can look like.

About the Speaker
Dr. Wong How Man, honored by Time Magazine as one of the 25 Asian Heroes, has been hailed “the most accomplished living explorer of China”. He was also the founder of the China Exploration & Research Society (CERS) that conducted research and projects in various parts of China, including the Yangtze River, Mekong River, Yellow River and Salween sources. His innovative approach to conserving nature and culture has earned him many accolades. Authoring over a dozen of books, Dr. Wong is a recipient of the Harvard Business School nonprofit management scholarship and is a much sought after speaker by corporations and Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) circuits. The internship program, his organisation runs, brings together many young adults from around the world.

Registration: http://cedars.hku.hk/CERS

If you have any enquiries, please feel free to contact us at cedars-programmes@hku.hk or 2857 8387. Thank you.

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New Book: Global Environmental Governance Reconsidered by Frank Biermann and Philipp Pattberg

Global Environmental Governance Reconsidered
Edited by Frank Biermann and Philipp Pattberg

September 2012
6 x 9, 320 pp.
$50.00/£34.95 (CLOTH)
Short

ISBN-10:
0-262-01766-0
ISBN-13:
978-0-262-01766-4

The notion of global governance is widely studied in academia and increasingly relevant to politics and policy making. Yet many of its fundamental elements remain unclear in both theory and practice. This book offers a fresh perspective by analyzing global governance in terms of three major trends, as exemplified by developments in global sustainability governance: the emergence of nonstate actors; new mechanisms of transnational cooperation; and increasingly segmented and overlapping layers of authority.

The book, which is the synthesis of a ten-year “Global Governance Project” carried out by thirteen leading European research institutions, first examines new nonstate actors, focusing on international bureaucracies, global corporations, and transnational networks of scientists; then investigates novel mechanisms of global governance, particularly transnational environmental regimes, public-private partnerships, and market-based arrangements; and, finally, looks at fragmentation of authority, both vertically among supranational, international, national, and subnational layers, and horizontally among different parallel rule-making systems.

The implications, potential, and realities of global environmental governance are defining questions for our generation. This book distills key insights from the past and outlines the most important research challenges for the future.

About the Editors

Frank Biermann is Professor of Political Science and of Environmental Policy at VU University Amsterdam and Visiting Professor of Earth System Governance at Lund University, Sweden.

Philipp Pattberg is Associate Professor of Transnational Governance in the Department of Environmental Policy Analysis, Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University.

For more information: http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=13033

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