SlashAsia » Environment

Japan to sign on to International Renewable Energy Agency

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:06:04 +0000

The Japanese government has announced its intentions to follow the US lead and become a member of the new intergovernmental agency IRENA. The body, set up earlier this year to facilitate research and promotion of renewable energy, has 100 states on its board to date. Other regional signatory states include the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Cambodia and now Japan. The first IRENA meeting will convene next week in Egypt. Japan’s Yomuiri has reported the Foreign Minister saying the body could be key to promoting renewable energy around the globe.

Japan to join international renewable energy body, The Daily Yomuiri

Cambodia becomes 94th member of International Renewable Energy Agency, Xinhua News

China refuses binding caps but pledges higher solar, wind power targets

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:16:21 +0000

Chinese leaders this week highlighted praise for green policies from visiting US climate change envoy Todd Stern while upping the ante on solar and wind power by pledging to reach the European target for 2020 in solar and wind power. Following Stern’s four-day visit during which the two countries discussed cuts on greenhouse gas emissions, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang announced it would be impossible for China as a developing country to accept any “binding or compulsory target”. The government has pledged, however, to ensure constructive negotiations in December climate policy talks in Copenhagen. Earlier in the week Zhang Xiaoqiang, vice-chairman of China’s national development and reform commission, told The Guardian that Beijing would be capable of surpassing previous targets for wind and solar power, hitting a 20 percent renewable target. The Chinese government has also promised to allocate US $30 billion for low carbon energy projects.

China launches green power revolution to catch up with the west, The Guardian

US envoy speaks highly of China’s measures to contain green house gases, Xinhua News Agency

China says no to greenhouse gas cuts, Agence France-Presse

China to cut gas mileage 18% by 2015

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:50:59 +0000

China has drafted rules for tighter control of gas mileage to improve fuel economy 18 percent, or 42.2 miles per gallon by 2015. The regulations, which are stricter than US president Obama’s recently announced standard of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, will likely come into effect early next year. China’s average fuel economy is already higher, at 35.8 miles per gallon, because small cars are more common, with only a one percent sales tax to sport utility cars’ 40 percent. The concerns about China’s fuel economy go beyond basic environment ones, ranging from the geopolitical and strategic realities of oil imports dependence, to increasing the competitiveness of car imports. These regulations are set to benefit Chinese car makers most.

China to impose stricter gas mileage rules than the US, EcoGeek

China is said to plan strict mileage rules, The New York Times

China tightening its fuel standards, The Business Insider

Chinese government issues green measures for overseas investment

Alexandra Stevenson — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:35:00 +0000

Two government bodies have drafted a list of mandatory environmental measures for Chinese outbound investment, state media reported last week. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Commerce have outlined a set of requirements that Chinese firms will have to observe, along with international environmental treaties. This comes as the amount of Chinese investment abroad has seen a steep increase; last year overseas investment reached US $40.7 billion. According to state-run China Daily, corporations are expected to uphold Chinese environmental standards in countries where rules are lax.

Green rules eye Chinese firms abroad, China Daily

Beijing to release new renewable energy projections, announces its stance on climate policy

Alexandra Stevenson — Sun, 24 May 2009 16:12:35 +0000

The Chinese government issued a statement Thursday saying rich nations should cut emissions 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2020, and provide 0.5 to 1 percent of economic wealth to help other countries curb carbon emissions. The statement was issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, and indicates China’s climate stance ahead of the UN Climate Conference in December. About 80 percent of energy power still comes from coal and the government projects greenhouse emissions will keep growing until 2035. But it is also trying to make headway in its own capacity to curb global warming; a new plan for renewable energy is said to have raised targets from a previous 2007 plan in areas such as wind power, biomass power and solar power. For example, a previous target for wind energy of 30 million kilowatts will be raised to 100 or even 150 kilowatts.

China to announce renewable energy blueprint, Caijing Online

China tells rich nations to cut emissions by 40 percent, Planet Ark

China can have its Green cake and eat it too

enrico — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:19:03 +0000

Cutting back on greenhouse gases doesn’t have to mean limiting China’s economic development, says a report submitted to Chinese officials this week. The report, written by economists at British Tyndall Center for Climate Development, argues that low carbon development is a realistic goal for China, but that the country needs to focus on energy efficiency. The authors also argue that a limit must be placed on China’s carbon emission peak, at the very latest by 2030, otherwise the world’s largest carbon emitter will have a far greater challenge to deal with. Large investments into renewable energy are urged and foreign countries will have to contribute. The report offers four possible scenarios for a low carbon future, all of which involve nuclear energy. Three involve carbon capture and technology to reduce coal-burning energy.

CO2 need not slow China’s growth , China Dialogue Blog

China can achieve low carbon growth, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research

Green investment boom in Asia?

enrico — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:19:03 +0000

Renewable energy and environmental sectors in Asia are expected to boom as analysts predict green-related investments, like energy efficient power grids, will account for $272 billion, or 20 percent, of economic stimulus spending in Asia. Regional governments have sprinkled incentives for investment, particularly in solar and wind power industries. If forecasts are accurate, Asia will surpass both the US and Europe in being the largest market for renewable projects. Analysis comes as governments encourage environmentally friendly investment alongside stimulus budgets that focus on efficient energy, low carbon technology and infrastructure development. China alone has allotted $200 billion of its $584 billion recovery plan to development of waterways infrastructure, low carbon vehicles and energy efficient building. The situation is more urgent in Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. An Asian Development Bank report issued this week emphasizes the importance of green investment in these countries, which could see economic contraction of six percent by 2100 due to the impact of environmental change on their agriculture-driven economies and dense populations in coastal areas.

Climate change hits Vietnam’s poorest areas , Bernama
RP, 3 other Asian countries face costly climate change risks , ABS-CBN news
Asia govts dangle carrots to attract green money , The Economic Times
Clean energy pitched, Business Mirror