India's efforts to get rid of the toxic heritage from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal have been hit by another delay. GIZ, Germany’s international development agency, which had undertaken to ship 350 tonnes of contaminated waste to Europe for safe disposal, has withdrawn its offer.
China's Ministry of Finance has announced plans to promote the use of hybrid public buses in all the country's cities, extending it from 25 metropolitan areas, currently.
In a bid to tap India’s potential in the renewable energy sector, a group of Finnish cleantech companies are looking for stronger partnerships in the country, especially in the field of energy efficiency, water treatment and bio-energy.
The companies, which form Cleantech Finland, claim that their technological innovations have made them global leaders in energy efficiency, water management and bio-energy.
Electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has announced an agreement with Yunnan Investment Holdings Group, the investment arm of the government of Yunnan Province, to establish EV plants in the province with the aim of expanding BYD's into southwest China and neighboring Asian countries.
Singapore-based CLSA Capital Partners is leading a USD15 million investment in New Delhi-based water and wastewater management company Earth Water Group.
In what must be considered his boldest appointments since he took office at the beginning of July, Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung has appointed Christine Loh as the Under-Secretary for the Environment in his new administration.
Loh was formerly the chief executive of Civic Exchange, the Hong Kong-based think tank she co-founded in 2000, and a staunch but constructive critic of the Hong Kong Government’s environmental policies.
After one failed attempt in 2009, Delhi is taking another run at banning plastic bags in the city of 17 million, and this time its seem to be taking things very seriously
The new zero-tolerance blanket ban covers the manufacture, sale, storage and usage of single-use plastic bags ranging from shopping bags to rubbish bags and even covers of school books, magazines and invitation cards.
And, since the new ban is being established by the government instead of a simple court order as in 2009, it is expected to have much sharper teeth.
Coca-Cola has gone on the public relations offensive hailing its efforts on water conservation in the fourth edition of the Coca-Cola China System Sustainability Report, 2010-2011.
Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Toshiba have developed an advanced cooling technology that will enable data centers to be more energy efficient, cutting energy bills by one-third, according to a report by ScienceDaily.
Consumers who buy fuel-saving and new energy cars in Shanghai can save up to about CNY100,000 (USD15,760) in new subsides and exemptions as the government moves to introduce more measures to boost the sales of such cars, officials announced over the weekend.
“China will expand the use of energy-saving cars,” Wan Gang, Minister of Science and Technology, said in Beijing. "Other policies may include exemption for users from license plate auction and lottery,"quoted the Shanghai Daily.
US electric car manufacturer, Fisker Automotive, has set a November launch date for its high-end, electric Karma sports car into the Chinese mainland market as part of its Asia expansion, company founder Henrik Fisker told media on Sunday.
The Hong Kong Government had just announced plans to outfit various outdoor areas with lifts. Whether it was political convenience or largess, the Chief Executive, Leung Chin-Ying, has promised a hefty outlay of HK$100 million (USD12.8 million) on planning and HK$1 billion (USD128 million) each year for constructing some 230 new outdoor lifts across the city. This is quite a commitment from the newly incumbent Chief, who has had a string of bad press and is facing a volatile public, two months into his term.
One of China's biggest car-making cities, Guangzhou, plans to halve the numbers of new cars on its streets. The municipal government has introduced license plate auctions and lotteries.
Saab, the bankrupt Swedish car maker that officially became the property of Hong Kong-controlled National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) on August 31 plans to roll out new electric cars in 18 months.
Singapore’s first public housing blocks built to be environmentally sustainable have become the testing ground for future projects according to a CNN report yesterday.
Everyone is aware of Hong Kong’s poor air quality but what can an individual or an organisation do to make a difference?
This was the basic question that Standard Chartered Bank put to three NGOs back in early 2010. Together with Friends of the Earth (HK), Green Power and WWF-Hong Kong, the bank came up with a scheme focussed on Hong Kong vehicles usage and transportation options in general.
The Philippines is to be the testing ground for new “waste-to-worth” energy plants under a feasibility plan between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Procter & Gamble (P&G). The aim is to generate up to two megawatts of power using solid waste collected from homes and businesses.
The ADB has approved a USD385,000 technical assistance plan, equivalent to 60 percent of the total cost, to help determine the viability and sustainability of waste-to-energy projects.
This report by the World Bank spells out what the world would be like if it warmed by 4 degrees Celsius, which is what scientists are nearly unanimously predicting by the end of the century, without serious policy changes.
Companies in Asia reveal expectations that regulations that could lead to rising costs for reporting and reducing GHG emissions will also be the main sources of climate-related business opportunities.
.png "The Climate Group logo"){kind=logo}
