| Air Quality, Energy, Transport, and Climate Change in China |
| 2008-09-02 |
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CAI-Asia China Project E-Newsletter Issue No. 34, 2008 Included in this issue: - Huairou: good air quality days reached 78.5% - Zhejiang: auto-monitoring system begin to work - China adopts law to promote circular economy - Guiyang: natural gas plan for vehicles started - Government approves three-year rebuilding plan for quake zone
AIR QUALITY - Facts Huairou: good air quality days reached 78.5% (August 28, 2008) By the end of Olympics, the good air quality days (above Grade II Standard) reached 186, taking 78.5% of the past days from the beginning of the year in Huairou District, Beijing city. Good air quality days increased 8 days comparing with the same period of the last year. And 99 days of good air quality is left to achieve the aim of the 14th phrase to the Huairou District. Chinese link: http://www.cenews.com.cn/xwzx/zhxw/qt/200808/t20080827_589225.html
No serious pollution after fatal chemical plant blast in S China (August 27, 2008) Tuesday morning's explosion at a chemical plant in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region that killed 18 people caused no serious pollution to air or water, authorities said here on Wednesday. The regional Department of Environmental Protection said samples taken after the explosion that ripped through an organic compound workshop inside the plant, owned by Guangxi Guangwei Chemical Co., showed no signs of contamination. English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/27/content_6975964.htm
- Initiatives Shijiazhuang: Phased control will start based on the air quality control plan (August 29, 2008) Shijiazhuang city government finish mading the work plan on air quality control and will start phased control in the city for the purpose that “the annual concentration of PM10, SO2 and NO2 reach the Grade II Standard by 2010”. Chinese link: http://www.heb.chinanews.com.cn/news/shfz/2008-08-29/26222.shtml
Zhejiang: auto-monitoring system begin to work (August 29, 2008) With 0.65 billion yuan of investment, Zhejiang finish the air quality monitoring system after three and a half years. The two parts of the system are air quality auto-monitoring system and polluted sources auto-monitoring system. They will begin to be used after testing and examining. Chinese link: http://www.zhb.gov.cn/hjyw08/200808/t20080829_127873.htm
Inner Mongolia rise the fee of SO2 emission (August 27, 2008) According to the notice from the Inner Mongolia EPB, government will raise the fee of SO2 emission from 0.63 yuan per kg to 0.95 yuan per kg in order to control the SO2 emission. From 1st January, 2009, the fee will increase to 1.26 yuan per kg. Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=27008
Jincheng: air quality monitoring to launch in the public places (August 27, 2008) The government will start to monitor the air quality in the public places in Jincheng city, Shanxi province. The results of the monitoring will be published quarterly by the media. The first 8 places to be monitored include Jincheng train station, capital bus station, super markets and hotels. The EPB will monitor the CO, ammonia, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene. Chinese link: http://www.jconline.cn/Contents/Channel_362/2008/0827/134740/content_134740.htm
ENERGY - Facts Energy: GD Power H1 net profit down 44.36% (August 28, 2008) GD Power Development Co Ltd , a major Chinese power producer, said its first-half net profit was 328.52 million yuan ($48.07 million), down 44.36 percent from a year earlier, due to rising coal prices. Revenue was 8.74 billion yuan, up 12.6 percent from a year earlier. The company produced 31.38 billion kWh of electricity in the first six months, up 11.9 percent. On-grid power production rose 11.4 percent to 29.27 billion yuan. But despite this rising output, high coal prices eroded its earnings. Standard coal prices rose 33.1 percent to 478 yuan per ton in the first half, the company said. English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-08/28/content_6978620.htm
-Initiatives China adopts law to promote circular economy (August 30, 2008) China's top legislature passed a law to promote circular economy on Friday at the closing of the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC). The draft law was ratified after its third reading, and President Hu Jintao signed it into law. It will come into force on January 1, 2009. The aim of the law is to boost sustainable development through energy saving and reduction of pollutant discharges. English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-08/30/content_6983490.htm
New agreement targets 20yr energy needs (August 29, 2008) Hong Kong and mainland authorities signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) yesterday that guarantees a supply of nuclear-generated electricity and natural gas to the SAR for the next 20 years. The MOU also practically rules out the need for a natural-gas terminal in Hong Kong, a decision that a government source said might save local residents about HK$1 billion a year in electricity costs, given the 9.99 percent permitted rate of return for power companies under the recent control agreements. English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2008-08/29/content_6979378.htm
'Green' law likely to take effect from next year (August 26, 2008) With the impending arrival of the Chinese Mooncake Festival in September comes the annual environmental and economic concern regarding the packaging of the traditional food. But this year the festival treats are also likely to receive criticism for legal reasons. For the first time in Chinese legislation, packaging is required to be designed in a simple style in order to prevent resource wastage and environmental pollution. This is part of the draft circular economy promotion law, which will be deliberated for the last time by lawmakers this week and is likely to be passed before the weekend and will be officially put into force next year. The draft law provides a legal framework for developing the economy, raising energy efficiency, protecting the environment and realizing sustainable development. English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-08/26/content_6971265.htm
TRANSPORT -Facts Qingdao: 120 taxies start using natural gas in Chengyang District (August 26, 2008) In order to control the air pollution, the government changes more than 120 buses to use natural gas in Chengyang District, Qingdao city, Shandong province. Before the end of the Octorber, another natural gas station will be built for promote the use of the clean energy. Chinese link: http://www.cenews.com.cn/xwzx/zhxw/qt/200807/t20080709_587732.html
-Initiatives Guiyang: natural gas plan for vehicles started (August 25, 2008) The project of natural gas usage for vehicles started in Guiyang, Guizhou province. 5 natural gas stations will be built in the urban area and totally 15 stations will be finished before 2011. each natural gas station will cost 10 million yuan and could fuel 500 vehicles using natural gas. Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=26931
Hangzhou: vehicles with heavy pollution out off the road in the urban area from the National Day (August 25, 2008) Vehicles with heavy pollution will be limited to drive on the urban area from 1st October. The driver who disobeys this regulation will be amerced for 100 yuan and 2 points off from the license. Chinese link: http://www.vecc-sepa.org.cn/news/news_detail.jsp?newsid=26932
OTHERS Government approves three-year rebuilding plan for quake zone (August 28, 2008) The Chinese government has approved a plan to restore normal life and production over the next three years in the areas devastated by the May 12 earthquake. The State Council approved the general plan in principle at a meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao and attended by executive members of the Cabinet on Wednesday. The general plan is aimed at strengthening disaster contingency planning and promoting the coordinated development of population, resources and environment. English link: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/regional/2008-08/28/content_6981370.htm
OLYMPICS RELEVANT CAI-Asia Center compiles the special daily newsletter of air quality in Olympics cities during Olympics. For more about Olympics, please check your email for the daily newsletter. Previous news: http://www.cleanairnet.org/caiasia/1412/article-72783.html |