PEGAsia Monthly Update – May 2013

PEGAsia Monthly Update

Governance in Asia Research Centre, City University of Hong Kong – May 2013

I. Regional/Local Updates

China

 

• Smoking, Air Pollution Major Health Threats in China (16 Apr 2013)


• New Air Pollution Law to Set Limits for Emissions (19 Apr 2013)


• China Monitors Air Pollution with 'Eyes' in Sky (27 Apr 2013)


• UN to Support China to Phase out Ozone-Depleting Substances, with Major Climate Benefits (23 Apr 2013)


• Excess Heavy Metal in Beijing PM2.5 (27 Apr 2013)


• Will 'white pollution' reappear in China? (1 May 2013)


• China Pilots Trans-provincial Eco-compensation Scheme (2 May 2013)


• Beijing to Boost Household Waste  Treatment Capacity (2 May 2013)


• Govt environmental transparency in doubt (9 May 2013)

 

Japan

 

• Japan’s National Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Fiscal Year 2011 (Final Figures) (12 Apr 2013)


• Results of survey of the proportion of thyroid ultrasound findings (12 Apr 2013)

South Korea

 

• NIER to improve ‘Clean Air Policy Modeling System’ (5 Apr 2013)


• Landization prevention to be taken at Yongneup of Mt. Daeam (16 Apr 2013)


• Gov't to strengthen inspection of imports for radiation (18 Apr 2013)


• Forensic science for identifying environmental pollutants (18 Apr 2013)


• Save standby power, cut GHG emissions (22 Apr 2013)


• Seoul to diversify natural gas imports, build more storage facilities (30 Apr 2013)


• S. Korea to cut margin of error of vehicles' fuel economy to minus 3 pct (30 Apr 2013)

Taiwan

 

• 環保署調查飲用水中17種新興污染物 濃度極低 結果安全 (23 Apr 2013)


• 環保署加嚴固定污染源粒狀污染物排放標準提升空氣品質 (25 Apr 2013)


• 環保署與交通部中央氣象局合作，共同提供紫外線資訊服務 (30 Apr 2013)


• 環保署「列管污染源資料查詢系統」擴增資料，公開民眾上網查詢 (7 May 2013)


• 環保署發布2013年環保車車型，提供民眾購車參考(9 May 2013)

Singapore

 

• Singapore To Improve Energy Efficiency Of The Industry Sector (22 Apr 2013)


• PUB Adopts Holistic Approach to Stormwater Management (22 Apr 2013)


• New Early Turnover Scheme From 24 April 2013 (24 Apr 2013)


• PUB explores groundwater in western and southern Singapore (26 Apr 2013)

The Philippines

 

• DENR LAUNCHES NEW CODE OF PRACTICE TO CURB CARBON FOOTPRINT (19 Apr 2013)


• DENR BEGINS GROUNDWORK FOR MASSIVE REFORESTATION IN CDO (8 May 2013)

Vietnam

 

• Social mobilization- a solution to the environmental protection (9 Apr 2013)


• The fight against sea erosion in the West (10 Apr 2013)


• Heavy metal pollution remain a major challenge (18 Apr 2013)


• Protecting Truong Son primeval forest (21 Apr 2013)


• Restoring mangrove forest - a blue wall in coastal area (22 Apr 2013)


• Peatlands in Vietnam in context of sustainable management in Southeast Asia (23 Apr 2013)


• Vietnam's Surface Water Largely Polluted (27 Apr 2013)


• Dioxin Decontamination to save the earth, save the people (4 May 2013)

India

 

• China represents 68% of increase in global CO2 emissions, India represents 8%: Study (15 Apr 2013)


• 'Desertification affects over 1/4th area of India' (28 Apr 2013)


•  Existing buildings can now go Green with Indian Green Building Council rating (25 Apr 2013)


• Climate change may reduce crop output by 18% in 2020: Sharad Pawar (26 Apr 2013)


• Toxic waste sites detrimental to health in India: Research  (5 May 2013)


• National green tribunal bans burning of plastic, tyres in Delhi's scrap market (8 May 2013)

Indonesia

 

• Improving community healthcare helps protect rainforests in Borneo (14 Mar 2013)


• Not Much Protection and No Commitment to Restoration in APP Forest Promises (3 Apr 2013)

Hong Kong

 

• Hong Kong greenhouse gas inventory for 2010 released (16 Apr 2013)


• Grading of beach water quality released (26 Apr 2013)


• Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network results for 2012 announced today (29 Apr 2013)

UNEP

 

• Reducing Air Pollution, Chemical Coolants Can Quickly Cut Sea-Level Rise (15 Apr 2013)


• UEBT: New Report Highlights Growing Biodiversity Awareness Worldwide (19 Apr 2013)


• Asia Overtakes Rest of the World in Consumption of Materials (24 Apr 2013)


• Greening Trade Imperative for Sustainable Development (8 May 2013)

Asia

 

• Asia's Future Prosperity Requires Major Change in Energy Use (9 Apr 2013)

II. Books and Publications

Books

 

 

• Emissions, Pollutants and Environmental Policy in China Designing a National Emissions Trading System By Bo Miao (25 Mar 2013)


• Adapting to Sea Level Rise in the Coastal Zone Law and Policy Considerations By Chad J. McGuire (26 Mar 2013)


• The Water Footprint of Modern Consumer Society By Arjen Y. Hoekstra (8 Apr 2013)


• Observatory essay book published by Hong Kong Observatory (9 Apr 2013)


• Learning From China? Development and Environment in Third World Countries Edited by Bernhard Glaeser (12 Apr 2013)


• Women and the Environment in the Third World Alliance for the future By Irene Dankelman, Joan Davidson (12 Apr 2013)


• International Environmental Law and the Conservation of Coral Reefs By Edward J. Goodwin (12 Apr 2013)


• Energy and Electricity in Industrial Nations The Sociology and Technology of Energy By Allan Mazur (15 Apr 2013)


• Business Models for Renewable Energy in the Built Environment  By Iea-Retd (18 Feb 2013)


•  Developing Sustainable Agriculture and Community Edited by Lionel J. "Bo" Beaulieu, Jeffrey Jordan (19 Apr 2013)


• Towards Disaster Risk Reduction A Policy-Focused Approach to Natural Hazards and Disasters Edited by Jason K. Levy, Chennat Gopalakrishnan (30 Apr 2013)


• Environmental Justice and the Rights of Ecological Refugees by Laura Westra (1 May 2013)


• Environmental Justice and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples International and Domestic Legal Perspectives by Laura Westra (1 May 2013)

Publication

• GHG Calculator For Solid Waste by Menikpura, Nirmala and Sang-Arun,Janya (Feb 2013)
• A Forum for South East Asian Policy-Makers on Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform: Challenges and opportunities – Meeting Report by Kerry Lang (2013)
• The Future of Sustainable Development: Rethinking sustainable development after Rio+20 and implications for UNEP by Mark Halle, Adil Najam, Christopher Beaton (Mar 2013)


• Science-Policy Dialogue on Challenges of Global Environmental Change in Southeast Asia — A Policy Brief by Marwaan Macan-Markar, Linda Anne Stevenson, Xiaojun Deng (Apr 2013)


• Mainstreaming climate change into community development strategies and plans: a case study in Thailand by S.Chinvanno (Apr 2013)


• A holistic approach to climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment: pilot study in Thailand by S.Chinvanno (Apr 2013)


• Climate resilience and disaster risk management: stories of change from CDKN by M. Dupar (Apr 2013)


• Asian Development Outlook 2013: Asia's Energy Challenge by Asian Development Bank (Apr 2013)


• Urban wastewater and agricultural reuse challenges in India by P. Amerashnghe (Apr 2013)


• Study: Sea Level Rise Threatens Biodiversity in the Pacific by Veterinary University of Vienna in conjunction with Yale University (10 Apr 2013)


• The Policy Climate published by Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) (15 Apr 2013)


• Biofuels—At What Cost? A review of costs and benefits of EU biofuel policies by Chris Charles, Ivetta Gerasimchuk, Richard Bridle, Tom Moerenhout, Elisa Asmelash, Tara Laan (17 Apr 2013)


• Putting the pieces together for good governance of REDD+: an analysis of 32 REDD+ country readiness proposals by L. Goers Williams (19 Apr 2013)


• Annual Market Update by Global Wind Energy Council (18 Apr 2013)


• Protecting carbon to destroy forests: land enclosures and REDD+ (19 Apr 2013)


• A Citizens’ Guide to Energy Subsidies in Thailand (19 Apr 2013)


• The social and environmental implications of urbanization strategies and domestic land grabbing in China: the case of Chongming island by G. Siciliano (19 Apr 2013)


• The social and environmental implications of urbanization strategies and domestic land grabbing in China: the case of Chongming island by G.Siciliano (20 Apr 2013)
• Comparative Analysis of Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments: Lessons from Tunisia and Indonesia (20 Apr 2013)
• International Conference on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation for Food and Environmental Security by Domingo, I. V., Cadiz, M. C., Saguiguit Jr., G. C., & Ticsay, M. V in May 2013
• Towards Engagement in the United Nations Regular Process for Global Assessment of the Marine Environment: Strengthening Capacity of Developing Countries in the Seas of East Asia by Ward, T. J. (May 2013)
• The benefits of gender balance in climate change mitigation investments and sustainable energy initiatives by G. Karlsson (May 2013)

III. Events and Conferences

Forthcoming events:

 

• Seminar: Technical Seminar “Energy Geotechnology: Phenomena” organized by HKUST and conducted by Prof. Carlos Santamarina on 21 May 2013 
• Call for abstracts: GREENHOUSE 2013: The science of Climate Change (Deadline: 24 May 2013)


• BEC Luncheon Talk - Approaching the Requirements of the Latest Sustainability Reporting Guidelines organized by BEC on 27 May 2013


• Workshop: Experiences and Lessons of Dynamic Conservation and Sustainable Development from Asian GIAHS Pilot Sites organized by UNU-IAS on 28 May 2013
• Call for Papers Now Open for 2013 International Symposium on Tropical Forest Ecosystem Science (Deadline: 31 May 2013)
• Call for paper: 5th conference on experience exchange and results of the implementation of SEA and EIA in Korea and Vietnam (Deadline: 31 May 2013)


• Events:  Seminar on Waste Management cum Inauguration ceremony of Hong Kong Green Strategy Alliance (HKGSA) supported by BEC on 11 Jun 2013


• National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) Public  Symposium 2013: A Borderless Global Environment – movement of atmosphere, life, water and natural resources organized by NIES on 14 Jun and 21 Jun 2013


• CALL FOR PAPERS - Disaster Governance: The Urban Transition in Asia (Deadline: 28 Jun 2013)


• Climate Change and Marine Ecosystems： Croucher Summer Course, 17-21 June 2013, Hong Kong


• Events: GREENHOUSE 2013: The Science of Climate Change organized by Australian and New Zealand on 8-11 Oct 2013


• 9th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation And Protected Areas organized by SPREP on 2-6 Dec 2013

 

Recent events:

 

• New Open Access Journal Now Accepting Submissions: Earth Perspectives – Transdisciplinarity Enabled (2 Apr 2013)


• Water lecture series launches organized by various departments and organizations (13 Apr 2013)


• Indicators for Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes organized by UNU-IAS on 22 Apr 2013


• The Green Revolution in China organized by WILSON CENTER on 30 Apr 2013


• Call for Papers: The 12th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies(SET2013) organized by Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development and Faculty of Construction and Environment, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Deadline: 30 Apr 2013)


• APEC Climate Center (APCC) Climate Prediction Training Program 2013 organized by APEC Climate Center (APCC) (Deadline: 30 Apr 2013)


• The Thirsty Triangle: The Water Footprint of Energy Trade Between China, Canada, and the United States organized by Woodrow Wilson Center on 3 May 2013


• Integrate 2013 Facility Management Conference organized by the Hong Kong Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) on 9 May 2013
• 2013 HKAEE Experience Sharing Seminars organized by the Environmental Campaign Committee from 26 Apr to 31 May 2013
• CPI Webinar: The Policy Climate organized by CPI on 14 May 2013
• 5th NARBO General Meeting organized by NARBO on 15 - 18 May 2013
• RO Membrane Is Not the Best Solution for Water Reclamation -- Nano Gives the Answer – organized by UST on 16 May 2013
• Events: The Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol: Why Intellectual Property Still Matters organized by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on 17 May 2013
• Event: "「臺灣2050年零碳及再生能源百分百之可行性與必要性」全民論壇"organized by 行政院環境保護署 on 18 May 2013
• 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit organized by Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) on 19-20 May 2013

 

IV. Useful websites

Please visit: http://pegasia.blogspot.com/p/links.html