Renew's You Can Use
China's renewables sector booming, study says
Posted at 7:59 AM on 01 Aug 2008
China's renewable-energy sector is growing substantially despite the simultaneous growth of its famous dirty-energy sector, according to a study by nonprofit The Climate Group. While China recently took the lead as the world's largest carbon emitter and continues building roughly one coal-fired power plant a week on average, the country's renewables industry is also setting records. In 2007, China's $12 billion investment in renewables was second only to Germany's; by 2009, China's renewables-investment is expected to be the world's largest. According to the report, China already has the world's largest installed capacity for renewables generation, due in large part to the huge (and hugely controversial) Three Gorges Dam. But even discounting hydropower, China's renewables industry looks promising. According to the report, China is the world's fifth-largest wind-power producer, the biggest manufacturer of both solar panels and solar water heaters, and will soon be the world's top exporter of wind turbines. "Everybody sees China as this monster polluter, but it is doing so much more than that," said Changhua Wu of The Climate Group. "China has got the green message."
sources: BBC News, Reuters
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
China's mangrove campaigner wins conservation award in Britain
LONDON (Xinhua) -- China's mangrove campaigner Liu Yi won the Whitley Award on Wednesday night for grassroots nature conservation.
The 26-year-old student, who is in his last year for his master's degree at Xiamen University in south China's Fujian Province, received the award on Wednesday night from HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) at the Royal Geographical Society in London for his efforts in restoring and expanding the mangrove forests that protect coastal communities from sea surges and benefit biodiversity in the eastern coast of China.
Liu became the youngest ever recipient of a Whitley Award presented by the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) -- a charity in Britain which administers the international awards program and celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
Edward Whitley, founder of the fund, said: "The aim of the Whitley Awards is to find and support the environmental leaders who are helping to build a future where nature and people co-exist in a way that benefits both. The example given by people like Liu Yi is an inspiration for us all."
As part of his prize, he receives a Whitley Award project grant of 30,000 pounds (some 60,000 U.S. dollars) donated by HSBC Private Bank, plus long-term support and the opportunity to seek further WFN funding, currently worth more than 400,000 pounds (about 800,000 dollars) a year.
"I would use all the award money for the work we're doing in China if I could win it," he said earlier in an interview, not sure about the results.
The award to Liu recognized his work in five south eastern provinces of China, where he is spearheading a campaign to protect, restore and expand the region's mangroves -- highly unusual trees which thrive in salty waters, where they stabilize coastlines, provide an important wildlife habitat and protect coastal communities from sea surges.
Through the 7-year campaign, Liu is promoting research, encouraging forest rehabilitation and providing public education, community development and training. The program has so far involved 200,000 people, mostly volunteers, and replanted more than 150,000 mangrove trees.
Liu is now eager to spread his work across to other coastal parts of China, where 70 percent of mangrove forests have been lost.
The judges also picked two winners for the scheme's top prize --the Whitley Gold Award -- which went jointly to Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete from Chile and Cagan Sekercioglu from Turkey with 60,000 pounds (120,000 U.S. dollars project funding each. Other Whitley Award and Associate Award winners came from Bangladesh, Borneo, Brazil, Guatemala, Haiti, India and Peru.
According to Whitley, what's special about the award is that the Whitley Fund for Nature will also strive to support the winners by offering them opportunities to seek further funding in future years and by uniting them with other donors and conservation organizations.
"They also become part of the Whitley Fund for Nature's network of past finalists which, after 15 years, now takes in over 100 dynamic environmentalists in more than 50 countries, making it an invaluable source of experience, ideas and best practice," he added.
A total of 11 campaigners from ten countries were short listed for the awards.
Source: XinhuaNet
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/22/content_8224369.htm
The 26-year-old student, who is in his last year for his master's degree at Xiamen University in south China's Fujian Province, received the award on Wednesday night from HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) at the Royal Geographical Society in London for his efforts in restoring and expanding the mangrove forests that protect coastal communities from sea surges and benefit biodiversity in the eastern coast of China.
Liu became the youngest ever recipient of a Whitley Award presented by the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) -- a charity in Britain which administers the international awards program and celebrates its 15th anniversary this year.
Edward Whitley, founder of the fund, said: "The aim of the Whitley Awards is to find and support the environmental leaders who are helping to build a future where nature and people co-exist in a way that benefits both. The example given by people like Liu Yi is an inspiration for us all."
As part of his prize, he receives a Whitley Award project grant of 30,000 pounds (some 60,000 U.S. dollars) donated by HSBC Private Bank, plus long-term support and the opportunity to seek further WFN funding, currently worth more than 400,000 pounds (about 800,000 dollars) a year.
"I would use all the award money for the work we're doing in China if I could win it," he said earlier in an interview, not sure about the results.
The award to Liu recognized his work in five south eastern provinces of China, where he is spearheading a campaign to protect, restore and expand the region's mangroves -- highly unusual trees which thrive in salty waters, where they stabilize coastlines, provide an important wildlife habitat and protect coastal communities from sea surges.
Through the 7-year campaign, Liu is promoting research, encouraging forest rehabilitation and providing public education, community development and training. The program has so far involved 200,000 people, mostly volunteers, and replanted more than 150,000 mangrove trees.
Liu is now eager to spread his work across to other coastal parts of China, where 70 percent of mangrove forests have been lost.
The judges also picked two winners for the scheme's top prize --the Whitley Gold Award -- which went jointly to Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete from Chile and Cagan Sekercioglu from Turkey with 60,000 pounds (120,000 U.S. dollars project funding each. Other Whitley Award and Associate Award winners came from Bangladesh, Borneo, Brazil, Guatemala, Haiti, India and Peru.
According to Whitley, what's special about the award is that the Whitley Fund for Nature will also strive to support the winners by offering them opportunities to seek further funding in future years and by uniting them with other donors and conservation organizations.
"They also become part of the Whitley Fund for Nature's network of past finalists which, after 15 years, now takes in over 100 dynamic environmentalists in more than 50 countries, making it an invaluable source of experience, ideas and best practice," he added.
A total of 11 campaigners from ten countries were short listed for the awards.
Source: XinhuaNet
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/22/content_8224369.htm
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
China Is The World's Largest Producer And Exporter Of Seafood, According To Report
China Is The World's Largest Producer And Exporter Of Seafood, According To The Latest Glitnir Report
Reykjavik, Iceland, Nov 5, 2007 - (Hugin via ABN Newswire) - Glitnir China Seafood Industry Report 2007
Shanghai/Reykjavik/Oslo - 5 November 2007 - China is now the largest producer of seafood in the world, supplying some 35 percent of total global seafood products*. In addition, China leads the world in terms of the export of seafood produce, with Japan accounting for about half of its total seafood exports in recent years. Glitnir's latest report highlights that demand for high quality seafood in the Chinese market is set to continue to grow, due to increasingly affluent consumers, greater production capacity and the traditional popularity of seafood, particularly shellfish, in Asia.
Production China's total seafood production was 51 million tons, which represented a stable year-on-year growth of 4.08 percent.*
The new Glitnir Seafood Industry Report is the second annual report to be published by Glitnir on the Chinese market. All reports are available HERE.
Reykjavik, Iceland, Nov 5, 2007 - (Hugin via ABN Newswire) - Glitnir China Seafood Industry Report 2007
Shanghai/Reykjavik/Oslo - 5 November 2007 - China is now the largest producer of seafood in the world, supplying some 35 percent of total global seafood products*. In addition, China leads the world in terms of the export of seafood produce, with Japan accounting for about half of its total seafood exports in recent years. Glitnir's latest report highlights that demand for high quality seafood in the Chinese market is set to continue to grow, due to increasingly affluent consumers, greater production capacity and the traditional popularity of seafood, particularly shellfish, in Asia.
Production China's total seafood production was 51 million tons, which represented a stable year-on-year growth of 4.08 percent.*
The new Glitnir Seafood Industry Report is the second annual report to be published by Glitnir on the Chinese market. All reports are available HERE.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
China bans plastic bags
China announces plastic bag ban
The Chinese government says it is banning shops from handing out free plastic bags from June this year, in a bid to curb pollution.
Production of ultra-thin plastic bags will also be banned, the State Council said in a statement.
Instead, people will be encouraged to use baskets or reusable cloth bags for their shopping, the council said.
The move comes amid growing concern about pollution and environmental degradation in China.
China was using huge quantities of plastic bags each year, the State Council, China's cabinet, said in its directive, posted on the main government website.
"Plastic shopping bags, due to reasons such as excessive use and inefficient recycling, have caused serious energy and resources waste and environment pollution," it said.
Easily discarded
Of particular concern were cheap, flimsy bags that many shopkeepers routinely handed out to customers.
"The super-thin bags have especially become a main source of plastic pollution as they are easy to break and thus disposed of carelessly," the statement said.
Shops that violated the new rules could be fined or have their goods confiscated, it said.
The council also called for greater recycling efforts from rubbish collectors, and suggested financial authorities should consider higher taxes on the production and sale of plastic bags.
In recent years, China's rapid development has triggered concerns over pollution and use of resources.
But correspondents say that there is a growing awareness that more needs to be done to protect the environment.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/7178287.stm
Published: 2008/01/09 07:38:14 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
The Chinese government says it is banning shops from handing out free plastic bags from June this year, in a bid to curb pollution.
Production of ultra-thin plastic bags will also be banned, the State Council said in a statement.
Instead, people will be encouraged to use baskets or reusable cloth bags for their shopping, the council said.
The move comes amid growing concern about pollution and environmental degradation in China.
China was using huge quantities of plastic bags each year, the State Council, China's cabinet, said in its directive, posted on the main government website.
"Plastic shopping bags, due to reasons such as excessive use and inefficient recycling, have caused serious energy and resources waste and environment pollution," it said.
Easily discarded
Of particular concern were cheap, flimsy bags that many shopkeepers routinely handed out to customers.
"The super-thin bags have especially become a main source of plastic pollution as they are easy to break and thus disposed of carelessly," the statement said.
Shops that violated the new rules could be fined or have their goods confiscated, it said.
The council also called for greater recycling efforts from rubbish collectors, and suggested financial authorities should consider higher taxes on the production and sale of plastic bags.
In recent years, China's rapid development has triggered concerns over pollution and use of resources.
But correspondents say that there is a growing awareness that more needs to be done to protect the environment.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/asia-pacific/7178287.stm
Published: 2008/01/09 07:38:14 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
A blogger's tale: Chinese shrimp ordeal
http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=25672883&sort=threaded
I really didn't know which board this was best suited for, but this is as good a place as any. I have been nearly bed-ridden the past couple weeks, and I feel like venting a bit, because I don't know if anyone here really knows how vulnerable our food supply is, and my poor health has been proof of that. I've spent much more time here on the message boards because I couldn't do much other than sit around. Bear in mind I had not been to see a doctor for illness since early 2000 (7 1/2 years ago), so it is unusual for me to get sick. Before this experience, Shrimp has always been my favorite food, and I had never had an allergic reaction to food.
I got sick from shrimp imported from China. Either melamine or fluoroquinones, or both. The exact cause was not verified. My doctor only treated me for the resulting bronchitis/pneumonia symptoms I experienced from my resistance being down, but I'm past it now. I had experienced kidney pain, which melamine could cause, and my initial prescribed anti-biotic wasn't strong enough. The doctor had to prescribe a stronger one. Fluoroquinones create resistance to anti-biotics. I had eaten at Captain D's regularly over the past year, as my family liked to go there on family night, and I would normally get the shrimp. In addition, I ate twice in a short period, on June 19 and 21 (shrimp lover's meals both times- 32 pieces of shrimp total), and shortly after the second time had a severe reaction, and became quite sick for two weeks after that. I emailed Captain D's corporate office and received their standard “legal” response, but they did confirm that some of their supply is from China. I had to call the national Poison Control hotline to log my case in also. At the time I ate there, the news had not yet hit about the Chinese seafood scare.
As I've gone through this “ordeal” I have also read up on what is going on with our Chinese food supply, and here are the things you must know:
1. Seafood (obviously). Verify it is not from farmed Chinese sources. Supposedly the open ocean caught seafood, exported by China is okay. It is when they farm it inland that they use those chemicals, and that is shrimp or catfish especially. Here is what the two chemicals do:
Melamine poisoning – can cause bladder cancer, also kidney stones.
Fluoroquinones – strong anti-biotic, but when passed through food in this way, can cause you to develop harmful immunities to anti-biotics, preventing their effectiveness in future treatments.
2. Cough Syrup. Don't buy any cheap cough syrup. The same ingredient in the Chinese toothpaste has been found in cheap foreign cough syrup (deaths in Panama). No incidents reported here in the U.S., but no one has come forward to say all U.S. supplies are free and clear either.
3. Vitamin C. Begin to take a critical look at ingredients and labeling, Vitamin C is only one of many to watch. The Chinese control 90% of the market on the chemical used for this, and there are rumors of harmful metal content. The U.S. food and beverage companies may have to begin quality testing of the Vitamin C additive, rather than giving it a free ride. This is a developing story, but it appears that the testing for additives is not the same as for food by the FDA.
4. This list is longer, but you just don't know it yet, remember that.
“Since U.S. laws don't require food and drug sellers to label products with the country of origin of ingredients, it's impossible for consumers to know where food or supplements are coming from, not to mention what factory produced them.” See Seattle Times news link below.
Last, the leader in China who was their equivalent of our FDA chief was executed yesterday. That's how significant of an issue all this stuff is to them. (or perhaps it was better to silence some of them)
Links for the various stories or FDA sites on this stuff:
Execution of “FDA” official, cough syrup problem: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8Q9JE9G0&show_article=1
Chinese Shrimp problem http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01660.html
FAQ on the Seafood problem http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/seadwpe.html
Vitamins and additives article http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003732744_vitamins03.html
FDA's Seafood page: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/seafood1.html
Complicating the issue, there is also a U.S. problem with melamine in shrimp. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01643.html
NE
ps This was originally posted by me at the "USA" board, but I wanted to make sure this message gets out. I won't spam it around, but this is the more active board from what I see.
I really didn't know which board this was best suited for, but this is as good a place as any. I have been nearly bed-ridden the past couple weeks, and I feel like venting a bit, because I don't know if anyone here really knows how vulnerable our food supply is, and my poor health has been proof of that. I've spent much more time here on the message boards because I couldn't do much other than sit around. Bear in mind I had not been to see a doctor for illness since early 2000 (7 1/2 years ago), so it is unusual for me to get sick. Before this experience, Shrimp has always been my favorite food, and I had never had an allergic reaction to food.
I got sick from shrimp imported from China. Either melamine or fluoroquinones, or both. The exact cause was not verified. My doctor only treated me for the resulting bronchitis/pneumonia symptoms I experienced from my resistance being down, but I'm past it now. I had experienced kidney pain, which melamine could cause, and my initial prescribed anti-biotic wasn't strong enough. The doctor had to prescribe a stronger one. Fluoroquinones create resistance to anti-biotics. I had eaten at Captain D's regularly over the past year, as my family liked to go there on family night, and I would normally get the shrimp. In addition, I ate twice in a short period, on June 19 and 21 (shrimp lover's meals both times- 32 pieces of shrimp total), and shortly after the second time had a severe reaction, and became quite sick for two weeks after that. I emailed Captain D's corporate office and received their standard “legal” response, but they did confirm that some of their supply is from China. I had to call the national Poison Control hotline to log my case in also. At the time I ate there, the news had not yet hit about the Chinese seafood scare.
As I've gone through this “ordeal” I have also read up on what is going on with our Chinese food supply, and here are the things you must know:
1. Seafood (obviously). Verify it is not from farmed Chinese sources. Supposedly the open ocean caught seafood, exported by China is okay. It is when they farm it inland that they use those chemicals, and that is shrimp or catfish especially. Here is what the two chemicals do:
Melamine poisoning – can cause bladder cancer, also kidney stones.
Fluoroquinones – strong anti-biotic, but when passed through food in this way, can cause you to develop harmful immunities to anti-biotics, preventing their effectiveness in future treatments.
2. Cough Syrup. Don't buy any cheap cough syrup. The same ingredient in the Chinese toothpaste has been found in cheap foreign cough syrup (deaths in Panama). No incidents reported here in the U.S., but no one has come forward to say all U.S. supplies are free and clear either.
3. Vitamin C. Begin to take a critical look at ingredients and labeling, Vitamin C is only one of many to watch. The Chinese control 90% of the market on the chemical used for this, and there are rumors of harmful metal content. The U.S. food and beverage companies may have to begin quality testing of the Vitamin C additive, rather than giving it a free ride. This is a developing story, but it appears that the testing for additives is not the same as for food by the FDA.
4. This list is longer, but you just don't know it yet, remember that.
“Since U.S. laws don't require food and drug sellers to label products with the country of origin of ingredients, it's impossible for consumers to know where food or supplements are coming from, not to mention what factory produced them.” See Seattle Times news link below.
Last, the leader in China who was their equivalent of our FDA chief was executed yesterday. That's how significant of an issue all this stuff is to them. (or perhaps it was better to silence some of them)
Links for the various stories or FDA sites on this stuff:
Execution of “FDA” official, cough syrup problem: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8Q9JE9G0&show_article=1
Chinese Shrimp problem http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01660.html
FAQ on the Seafood problem http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/seadwpe.html
Vitamins and additives article http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003732744_vitamins03.html
FDA's Seafood page: http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/seafood1.html
Complicating the issue, there is also a U.S. problem with melamine in shrimp. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01643.html
NE
ps This was originally posted by me at the "USA" board, but I wanted to make sure this message gets out. I won't spam it around, but this is the more active board from what I see.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
