Water

India has begun implementing legislation that targets the proper handling and disposal of electronic scrap. The legislation, which went into effect May 1, 2012, applies to manufacturers and consumers of electronics.

The Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, the source of China's three major rivers, has maintained high water quality, according to an environmental bulletin released this week in Xining in northwest China's Qinghai province.

China's sustainable development faces greater challenges ranging from a fragile natural ecological environment to resource constraints, senior Chinese officials said ahead of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro.

According to an official from the Pearl River Water Resources Commission, people in Hong Kong and Macao do not need to fear contamination of their drinking water special despite several recent environmental incidents on the Pearl River which feed the two special administration regions.

In a landmark lawsuit, two Chinese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are demanding 10 million yuan (USD1.58 million) in compensation from the companies that dumped toxic chemicals in southwest China's Yunnan Province. Friends of Nature (FON) and the Chongqing Green Volunteer Association exchanged evidence with the defendants, Luliang Chemical Industry Co Ltd and Luliang Peace Technology Co Ltd, in court on Wednesday. If the NGOs win their case the compensation will be used for environmental rehabilitation in the polluted areas in in the city of Qujing, according to FON.

New research from KPMG AZSA Sustainability and data and insight company Trucost has found that the growing dependence of Japanese companies on manufacturing in parts of Asia is increasing their exposure to water shortages. Their joint study found that outsourcing to water-stressed countries including China can increase business risks from water scarcity have implications for companies globally. Water came to the fore of supply chain risk management for companies in industries such as Consumer Electronics and Automobiles & Parts after floods in Thailand disrupted supplies in 2011.

South Korea is nearing completion on an USD18 billion project that will realize President Lee Myung-bak’s vision for the restoration of the country’s four major rivers while supporting green power and green agriculture.

China's central government is to launch a special fund to support weather modification operations by local authorities in areas prone to drought and haze, according to a Ministry of Finance announcement yesterday.

A three- day Water Festival was held in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu over the weekend aimed at increasing awareness among the public for sustainable use of water.