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2006 Top News on the Environment in Asia
Featuring top news reports from twenty-three countries in the Asia-Pacific region
“Top News” is a compilation of important environmental news topics selected by environmental experts from the Asia-Pacific region as well as by international organisations and research institutes. With Fiji and Myanmar contributing reports for the first time, this 2006 edition brings together more news items than ever before, with three organisations and twenty-three countries submitting a total of 121 articles. While these news stories do not necessarily reflect the official views of the countries or organisations concerned, they provide a comprehensive overview of environmental issues that these countries have faced over the past year.
 2006 Top News on the Environment in Asia 2.9MB
Press Release
Previous Top News on the Environment in Asia |
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2006 Top News on the Environment in Asia - Highlight -
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| Global Warming |
Adelaide Solar City, Australia's first solar city, is expected to save $A5 million of energy and at least 30,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
Australia: Australia's first solar city
Years of research and development in the palm oil industry, further boosted by the advance of biotechnology, have resulted in a blend of processed palm oil and petroleum diesel, a 'clean and renewable' bio-fuel deemed the answer to depletion of energy reserves.
Malaysia: Advances in sustainable energy
The government of Thailand is offering to purchase up to 10 Megawatts of electricity from very small power projects (VSPPs) with renewable power, cogeneration and combined heat and power (CHP) plants.
Thailand: Incentives for VSPP projects
Australia: Asia-Pacific Partnership sets new path to address climate change
The Philippines: Landmark biofuel law enacted
IGES: Asia-Pacific perspectives on climate change regime beyond 2012 |
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| Air Quality |
Diesel fuel with higher sulfur content is available for Fiji's market, and that in effect reduces the combustibility of the fuels and emits greater pollution than conventional fuel.
Fiji: Diesel induced air pollution
All Heavy Duty vehicles are Diesel-Powered in Fiji (Photo by Ravindra Pillay) |
The Indonesia Haze has recurred and is affecting some of its neighbours including Singapore and Malaysia.
Malaysia: Return of the haze / Singapore: Recurrence of Indonesian haze
Korea: Establishment of metropolitan air quality database
Pakistan: Strategies to avert "pollution crisis" |
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| Water Environment |
There have been more than 130 incidents of water contamination occurring on average every few days.
China: China's struggle with environmental hazards
A school child affected by arsenic contamination shows his teeth. © Xinhua News Agency |
BBC reported on the "Pollution Crisis" as air and water pollution levels are at their worst levels.
Pakistan: Strategies to avert "pollution crisis"
The Philippine Coast Guard estimated that about 200,000 litres of bunker fuel had spilled into the sea from the oil tanker.
The Philippines: Guimaras Island oil spill: the worst in the country's history
Bangladesh: Intrusion of saline water: south west region faces massive environmental degradation
Fiji: Depletion of Marine Resources
Korea: Water environment management master plan outline (proposed): Clean Water, Eco River 2015
Vietnam: Aquatic environment warning system to be built in northern region |
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| Waste Disposal |
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics revealed that the country's industries last year spent only 0.11 percent of their production cost for waste management.
Bangladesh: Poor waste management due to lack of fund
“Mottainai“ Furoshiki - a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth (Source: Governmental Report on the Sound Material-cycle Society of 2006) ©MOEJ |
The word "Mottainai" has been revitalised as a key word for achieving the goal of "3R (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)" in Japanese society.
Japan: Revitalising "Mottainai"
The Government called on Malaysians to make recycling part of our culture, to target a minimum recycling rate of 22% by 2020.
Malaysia: Solid waste management
The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, concluded on 9 September 2006, came under attack with the claim by environmentalists that it would allow the entry of toxic and hazardous waste from Japan.
The Philippines: Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Treaty Under Attack
Bhutan: Chemical plant waste affects children
Fiji: The Commissioning of Naboro Landfill |
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| Forest Conservation |
The government of Vietnam permits overseas Vietnamese, foreign individuals and organisations to hire planted forest serving their production purposes.
Vietnam: Decree 23 opens forests to overseas interests
Log pond, concession forest, Sarawak (2006) ©IGES |
In April 2006 Japan revised its public procurement policy, which included introducing modalities to verify the legality and sustainability of specified wood and wood products procured by government agencies.
IGES: Japan first Asian country to launch public procurement of legal and sustainable wood
Bhutan: Ugyen Wangchuck Environmental and Forestry Institute in 2008
The Philippines: "Green Philippine Highways" project launched |
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| Nature Conservation |
If any seismic survey on gas is allowed within 10 km of St. Martin Island, it would threaten the existence of about 182 kinds of marine species in the area.
Bangladesh: Government rules out seismic survey near Saint Martin Island
Her Royal Highness of Bhutan receives the award from the WWF President Carter S. Roberts ©Kuensel(2006) |
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) conferred the 2006 J. Paul Getty Conservation Leadership Award to the King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Bhutan: Another conservation award for the King of Bhutan
The government of Nepal banned the import and production of Diclofenac in June this year in the wake of scientific revelation that the drug is highly lethal for scavengers, especially vultures.
Nepal: Drug ban gives vultures a fighting chance
Nepal: Government all set to privatise national parks
Singapore: Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 2006 |
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| Cross-cutting Issues |
Fiji: Implementation of Environmental Management Act (2005)
Japan: 50 years since the government officially acknowledged Minamata disease
Korea: Ministry to conduct health evaluation programme to combat environmental diseases
Vietnam: Vietnam launches campaign to make the world cleaner
UNEP/ROAP: Asian countries join "Project Sky Hole Patching" to tackle illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances and dangerous waste
UNEP/ROAP: Children from around the world lend their voice for the protection of forests
IGES: China enters a new stage on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
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2006 Top News on the Environment in Asia (provisional)2.1MB
Press Release
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