China Environmental News Alert
Posted February 8, 2012 in Greening China
NRDC has been working in China for over fifteen 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.
February 1, 2012 – February 8, 2012
EU Continues with Emissions System, Despite China's New Law
The New York Times (February 6, 2012)
The executive body of the European Union announced that it was not yielding in its emissions program, despite China’s move to block its airlines from participating. The program, which began on January 1, will require that airlines with flights into Europe monitor their emissions on such flights. Air traffic composes about 3% of total greenhouse gas emissions, a growing figure that the EU is attempting to reduce through its program. Although the cost of a permit from Beijing to Europe in 2013 is expected to be about $2.60, some officials worry that as the amount of free permits are reduced, prices will rise for emissions permits. Nonetheless, European officials hope that the charge for emissions will spur investment in technologies that improve efficiency.
Cadmium Spill Causes 7 Officials to Lose Jobs
The New York Times (February 4, 2012)
The Chinese government has fired seven officials after they mishandled a toxic metal spill that threatened millions of people’s drinking water in January. Two companies released tons of cadmium into over 200 miles of the Longjiang River in Guangxi Province last month. Consumption of cadmium, a main component of batteries and other industrial chemical products, can lead to kidney failure and bone problems. Villagers consumed polluted water for five days before they were told about the danger of the spill. The head of environmental protection for the city of Hechi and other city officials were disciplined or fired for their role in covering up the spill and botching the cleanup. Six others from the factories responsible were also arrested for their role. Officials say it will be another month before the cadmium settles or is safely diluted by the currents.
Shale-gas Brings Shell and PetroChina Together to Collaborate
Bloomberg (February 3, 2012)
PetroChina Co. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc have increased their cooperation on shale-gas projects in China and Canada, the two companies announced this week. Shell plans to increase shale-gas drilling in 2012 in China to 20 to 25 wells, up from 15 in 2011, while China plans to buy a 20 percent stake in Shell’s Groundbirch shale-gas in British Columbia. Shell estimates that the potential for shale-gas in China could rival that of North America, where much of the world’s shale-gas, including the Groundbirch project, is currently being developed. China hopes to produce 6.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas from shale rock by 2015, and 80 billion cubic meters of the energy by 2020, according to government estimates.
Half of All Chinese Food Failed Inspection in 2011
Food Quality News (February 2, 2012)
Fifty-one percent of all food processed and packaged in China failed food inspection in 2011, according to the food quality control company AsiaInspection. Major defects, which include cases involving rodent fecal contamination and feathers left in chicken meat, composed 10% of the failures. Moreover, 57% of food packaging resulted in a failing grade. Food packaging problems, while perceived as less severe, can lead to contamination of food products. Over 4.5 billion tons of food was exported from China in 2011 alone, which suggests countries importing Chinese food are at severe risk for contaminated food.
Environmental Accidents on the Rise in China
Associated Press (February 7, 2012)
China dealt with 542 environmental incidents in 2011, according to China Daily reports. Although the report gave no comparative figures, the published number appears to be much higher than the 156 accidents in 2010 that were posted on ministry-affiliated newspaper China Environmental News. Two-thirds of the accidents happened as a result of traffic or industrial accidents, such as trucks overturning and spilling hazardous waste. The Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning estimates environmental damage from environmental accidents in 2009 to be $220 billion. Given the rising amount of accidents, the cost for 2011 is likely to rise. Moreover, those figures exclude the costs of environmental accidents associated with lost farmland productivity and harm to public health.
China Increases Gasoline and Diesel Prices
The Wall Street Journal (February 7, 2012)
Increasing international prices for diesel and gasoline caused China’s National Reform and Development Commission (NRDC) to raise the country’s costs for gasoline and diesel on Tuesday. The NRDC said that it would raise the cost of gasoline by 300 yuan ($47.50), or 3.3%, to 9380 yuan a metric ton. Diesel prices increased by a similar amount to 8520 yuan a metric ton. The move comes as China tries to balance its efforts to control inflation with keeping up with international efforts to increase energy efficiency. Reducing pollution from cars and buildings has been a major policy initiative by the Chinese government as it prepares for legally binding carbon emissions reductions in 2020.
China Uses Largest Oil Tankers in the World
Bloomberg (February 8, 2012)
Forty percent of the world’s very large crude containers (VLCCs) dispatched their oil in China, according to the London-based shipbroker Braemer Seascopre Ltd. VLCCs, which can carry 2 million barrels of crude oil, are expected to make up a large component of China’s shipment of oil as it expands its consumption of the energy. According to Bloomberg estimates, China will increase its consumption of 6 million barrels a day by 2015, which suggests that its dependence on VLCCs will grow in the next few years.
Chinese Solar Companies Cut Solar Export Surge
Oregon Live (February 7, 2012)
An Oregon solar wholesaler has reported that exports of Chinese solar materials have halted in response to a fear of a tariff imposed by the US government. Ocean Yuan, head of Oregon’s Grape Solar, worries that the tariff imposed by the US government may be as high as 30%. According to Yuan, the tariff has scared off factories in China from exporting to the US, leaving plants in China idling production. A few months ago, manufacturers attempted to beat potential tariffs by flooding the market with solar materials. One company, which requested anonymity, had exported as much as $70 million worth of product, but has since stopped its sales of materials to the US. US solar officials remain skeptical that the export of Chinese solar products has stopped, according to officials from US-based SolarWorld.
Asia Times (February 7, 2012)
China’s hydropower industry is working hard to push through a $3.6 billion dam in Myanmar’s Kachin state, a delegate from a recent Mekong Energy and Ecology forum reported. The dam, which would signal Myanmar’s willingness to accept other Chinese infrastructure projects, is also an attempt for China to demonstrate its control over its southern neighbor in a time of increasing Western influence. Other Chinese infrastructure plans include a $17.5 billion pipeline from southern Myanmar to China’s Yunnan province that would reduce China’s dependence on the Malacca Strait for its energy supplies. The strait, which could be easily blocked by the United States in the event of a conflict, is where most of China’s oil is currently transported. The dam has been delayed until 2015, when the current Burmese president’s term ends, suggesting that China may yet be able to push through its infrastructure projects.
Beijing to Power Buses with Liquid Natural Gas
International Business Times (February 7th, 2012)
By the end of February 2012, Beijing will see its first buses powered by Liquid Natural Gas (LNG). The municipal government expects to see 100 such buses on the road by the end of the year, with the first set dispatched along Chang’An Avenue. LNG is colorless, odorless, non-toxic, and non-corrosive and produces 90% less emissions than diesel fuel. If all of the city’s 15,000 diesel buses were replaced with LNG-fueled buses, the decrease in emissions would be equivalent to taking 750,000 cars off the road. Diesel cars and buses are a major contributor to the PM2.5 emissions that have caused the city to become well known for its smog.
(CENA prepared by Christopher Page)
* 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.
See our bilingual (English and Chinese) blog dedicated to discussion of China's environmental law, policy and public participation at http://www.greenlaw.org.cn
