China Environmental News Alert

NRDC has been working in China for over twelve years on such issues as energy efficiency, green buildings, clean energy technologies, environmental governance and public participation, and green supply chain issues. This China Environmental News Alert is a weekly compilation of news from around the world on China and the environment.
July 24, 2010 – July 30, 2010

Flooding traps 30,000 in Chinese town
Torrential rain in northeast Jilin province has led to the overflowing of a reservoir and two rivers, leaving at least 13 dead, 6 missing, and 30,000 trapped in the town of Kouqian. The flooding also washed 3,000 barrels of explosive chemicals from storage facilities into the rivers, but fortunately authorities were able to retrieve all the barrels, and no chemicals have been detected in the river water.
BBC (July 28, 2010)
Related Article from China Daily: Water of Songhua River declared safe to drink

Pollution makes quarter of China water unusable: ministry
China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection recently reported that 50.7 percent of the country’s major water resources are not potable, and 24.3 percent cannot even be used for industry and agriculture. The pollution primarily comes from small paper mills, cement factories, chemical plants, and the excessive use of fertilizers.
Reuters (July 26, 2010)

China meets national target of closing outdated coal-fueled power stations
China has achieved its annual objective of closing outdated coal-fueled power generating capacity by 10 million kilowatts two months ahead of schedule. The National Energy Administration reported that 468 generators capable of generating 10.71 million kilowatts have been closed as of July 15.
Xinhua (July 25, 2010)

Ocean oil slick cleaned up, China says
Ten days after a pipeline explosion in Dalian sent 1,500 tons of oil into the Yellow Sea, Chinese authorities have announced that the oil slick has been cleaned up from coastal waters. The city’s mayor has cited the clean-up effort as a “victory,” commending the thousands of fishermen and residents who participated. However, environmentalists note that tons of oil still remain on the beaches, and that the negative environmental impacts of the explosion are likely to last another 30 years.
Los Angeles Times (July 27, 2010)

Lead poisons the blood of 84 children in Yunnan
Routine health tests in Heqing county in Yunnan province found that at least 16.8% of sampled children had dangerously high levels of lead poisoning. Heqing authorities have battled illegal mining by clearing thousands of tons of smelting wastes and by closing hundreds of illegal workshops, however recent price hikes in valuable metals have incentivized new factories to open.
AsiaNews (July 27, 2010)

China Second-Half Power Demand Growth May Slow to 5%
The China Electricity Council estimates that China’s demand growth in the second half of 2010 may slow from 22% to 5%. Increased factory use spearheaded the rapid growth in the first half of this year, while strict curbs on energy-intensive and polluting industries are projected to check the growth in the second half of this year by decreasing investment in power plants.
Bloomberg (July 26, 2010)

China's Hubei province says to build coal storage
The Hubei Department of Commerce recently announced its intention to build a coal storage facility with a capacity of 5 million tons. Wuhan city and Zhong Ping Energy Chemical Group plan to invest 800 million yuan in the project. Shandong and Fujian provinces have also planned to construct coal storage facilities in response to the power shortages in 2008.
Alibaba (July 28, 2010)      

EDF Buys China's Energy Systems to Tap Low-Cost Supply of Carbon Credits
Electricite de France (EDF), the world’s largest utility company, bought China’s Energy Systems International in order to obtain emission-reduction credits eligible in the European Union’s cap-and-trade system. The purchase will allow EDF to expand its presence in the carbon market without having to face rising Certified Emission Reduction prices.
Bloomberg (July 27, 2010)

Developing nations see Cancun climate deal tough
Environment ministers from the BASIC group – Brazil, South Africa, India, and China – gathered in Rio de Janeiro this week and announced that it will be very difficult to achieve a legally binding mechanism to reduce carbon emissions in Cancun this December. The four leading developing countries cite the lack of commitment from developed countries, especially the U.S. and Australia, as the reason for the delay.
Reuters Africa (July 27, 2010)

Pushing the Limits of the Three Gorges Dam
On Wednesday, the Three Gorges Dam survived its second test this month as massive rains brought the water level of the reservoir close to the dam’s full capacity of 594 feet. Experts speculate that if the dam were to collapse, it would unleash over 39.3 million cubic meters of water, causing mass destruction extending all the way to Shanghai.
The Epoch Times (July 28, 2010)

China shows strong resolve to develop clean energy: ITER
On Wednesday, the Council for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) approved the overall schedule and costs for the ITER research project, affirming China’s 10 billion yuan commitment. A partnership among China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the U.S., the ITER project aims to harness fusion nuclear energy to generate clean energy in a mechanism safer and more efficient than traditional nuclear fission plants.
Xinhua (July 28, 2010)


(CENA prepared by Peter Tzeng)
* The links and article summaries in this post are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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