Low Carbon News in China in December 2013
The following are December Chinese LCS news.
Guangdong brings carbon trading to life
20 Dec 2013｜China
Guangdong province in South China commenced carbon emission trading on Thursday, with seven deals for about 120,000 tons on the first day.
The transactions involving seven companies were worth 7.22 million yuan ($1.2 million), with prices between 60 yuan and 61 yuan per ton, according to the provincial carbon emission trading market.
“Our carbon emission quota is not enough. Today we bought a quota of 25,000 tons through the system, which is smooth and convenient in operation, just like the stock market,” said the manager of an energy company in Zhanjiang city. He bought the quota from another power generation company in Shaoguan city, at a price of 60 yuan per ton.
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-12/20/content_17186706.htm)
China and Europe ride the smart wave
20 Dec 2013｜China
Many Chinese cities are now focusing on improving air quality and providing smart services to their citizens to grow their municipal economies, while achieving the country’s five-year plan targets for a 17 percent cut in carbon emissions and a 16 percent cut in energy consumption. In cities where new models of sustainable urban planning recognize the role of energy saving and environmental protection as critical components, city officials are exploring new ways of financing, integrating and encouraging the use of innovative smart eco-technologies.
This evolution is mainly driven by China’s rapid urbanization. About 250 million citizens will move from rural areas to cities by 2020. New city models will take into account various social, economic and technological factors that together drive the creation of smart city and eco-city projects, creating business opportunities for Chinese and European companies and cities.
(Source:http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-12/20/content_17186394.htm)
China’s leaders must lead on clean energy: report
19 Dec 2013｜China
China’s rebalancing of its energy mix to reduce carbon emissions that threaten health and economic- is moving along. But it is up to China’s policy-makers to implement changes in the oil and gas sector – particularly in the pricing of natural gas – to resolve the nation’s “energy dilemma”.
That was an implication of a natural-gas industry study released this week by the China Energy Fund Committee. Patrick Ho, the Hong Kong organization’s deputy chair and secretary general, told a Manhattan forum on the publication of the study, “CEFC China Energy Focus Natural Gas 2013”, that the development of Chinese natural gas offers “golden and attractive opportunities to investors, entrepreneurs, collaborators and keen professionals.”
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-12/19/content_17184489.htm)
China follows green path to urbanization
21 Dec 2013｜China
Friday’s air is chilly but clear in Beijing, a city which all too frequently luxuriates under a blanket of smog. Air pollution is only one of the symptoms of the imperfect growth model which favored GDP growth over every other factor, including environmental benefit.
In pursuit of a new kind of urbanization, the Chinese government is taking a green path. At the end of 2012, China had 710 million urban residents. Its urban/rural ratio had increased from 17.9 percent in 1978 to 52.6 percent. Urbanization with the correct objectives will not only stimulate domestic demand and improve social equality, but will benefit global economic growth and the environment.
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-12/21/content_17188851.htm)
‘Human-centered’ urbanization a way out of smog: experts
18 Dec 2013｜China
Experts say “human-centered” urbanization, a topic raised at a recently concluded conference of China’s leaders, may help bring a breath of fresh air to the smog-smothered nation.
A statement from the conference, which ended Friday and was the highest-level conference the Chinese leadership has held on urbanization, offers a path for the nation’s future development and a way out of heavy smog, experts have said.
Lingering smog, which covered much of China for several days last month, has raised public concern and prompted the government to take more effective measures to tackle the problem.
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-12/18/content_17182968.htm)
China starts four-dimensional mode of economicgrowth
18 Dec 2013｜China
China’s four-dimensional mode of economic growth focusing on safe, balanced,inclusive and green development,proposed at the central government’s just-concluded workmeeting, has grabbed global attention.
Experts say the new mode that centers on economic restructuring and seeks urbanization in aresource-conserving and environment-friendly way, will help promote sustainable and effectiveeconomic development.
(Source:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-12/18/content_17182013.htm)
Beijing, US urged to lead fight against climate change
18 Dec 2013｜China
Just days after China released its blueprint for adaptation to climate change, the world’s two largest greenhouse emitters were urged to show more leadership.
Andrew Light, a senior advisor to the US Special Envoy on Climate Change at the State Department, said the US and China have very active and vibrant cooperation in climate change and related fields.
“Obviously, as the two biggest emitters of carbon dioxide in the world, we couldn’t conceivably solve this problem unless we are both willing to make efforts forward,” Light said on Tuesday at a panel discussion on climate change at the Wilson Center in Washington.
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2013-12/18/content_17182445.htm)
China’s transport industry biggest polluter: report
16 Dec 2013｜China
The transportation industry produces the largest amount of carbon emissions in China,according to a list of companies that do not use fossil fuels co-released by WWF and the HurunReport on Monday.
The companies surveyed for the list include overseas companies as well as Chinese domestic companies, most of which are listed on the Shanghai Composite Index or Shenzhen Component Index. The list is mostly based on the companies’ comprehensive energy consumption and sales revenue.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd stood out from the 300-plus companies with the lowest carbon emissions. Lenovo Group had the lowest carbon emissions among telecommunications, electronic equipment and electronic manufacturing industries. Weichai Power Co Ltd had the lowest carbon emissions in the transportation industry.
(Source:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-12/16/content_17177694.htm)
Sinopec drills deep into Africa
13 Dec 2013｜China
Asia’s top refiner is expanding through investment and social involvement
As Africa becomes increasingly important in the global energy structure, with growing proven reserves of oil and natural gas, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp has big plans for the continent.
In the next five years, the company, usually called Sinopec, plans to invest another $20 billion in Africa and deepen cooperation and exchanges with African governments, companies, people and other stakeholders, says Fu Chengyu, chairman of Sinopec.
Having operated in Africa for the past 20 years, the company’s assets there totaled $22 billion at the end of June, the company says.
(Source:http://africa.chinadaily.com.cn/weekly/2013-12/13/content_17172841.htm)
Highest-level meeting on issue finds it will drive economy in coming decade
15 Dec 2013｜China
China aspires to achieve quality-based, human-centered and green urbanization, government leaders said after a central urbanization work conference.
The two-day meeting, chaired by President Xi Jinping, highlighted six major tasks to improve urbanization.
The country must urbanize to modernize, the statement released after the conference said. Urbanization offers means to address rural issues, expand domestic demand and upgrade industry, it said.
(Source:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-12/15/content_17175211.htm)
China must find unique way to build ecological civilization
07 Dec 2013｜China
China must find a way different from the industrialization in the West to build ecological civilization and realize sustainable development, which concerns the future of both the nation and the world.
After solving the food and clothing problems of its 1.3 billion people, the world’s second-largest economy has encountered a bottleneck as its fast growth has led to adverse side effects for the ecological environment.
“China cannot be like developed countries, whose peak carbon emissions appeared when gross domestic product (GDP) per capita hit 40,000 U.S. dollars,” said Xie Zhenhua, vice chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission.
He said China started to adopt measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions when its GDP per capita reached 3,000 dollars.
(Source:http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2013-12/07/content_17159568.htm)
China promotes energy-efficient buildings
05 Dec 2013｜China
Energy-efficient technologies will be promoted in 20 brick manufacturing plants and 40 villages across China next year, as part of pilot efforts to cut emissions and save energy, said the project’s authorities.
It is part of a five-year program for energy efficient buildings in the country’s rural areas, which started in May 2010, said Liu Shijun, project officer with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). He was speaking at a national forum on energy efficient bricks and rural green buildings held in Xianyang, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.
The project is jointly carried out by the UNDP, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and China’s Ministry of Agriculture. The GEF donates 7 million U.S. dollars and the Chinese government provides 45.36 million dollars for the project.
(Source:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/gansu/2013-12/05/content_17161700.htm)
Bio-tech adopted for clean production in China
4 Dec 2013｜China
On Dec 2, Novozymes and China Knitting Industry Association (CKIA) signed a strategic partnership agreement in Beijing to jointly promote the sustainable development of biological solutions in the Chinese textile industry. In particular, the agreement addresses bio-innovative application and research in the knitting sector.
Low carbon emissions, energy savings and environmental protection are among the goals of the agreement. The two sides will cooperate in many areas, including sewage treatment at knitting enterprises and energy conservation. Novozymes will provide basic tests, research and technical guidance.
(Source:http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-12/04/content_17152272.htm)