Environment Report 3 Dec 2001 to 9 Dec 2001

TABLE OF CONTENTS

S/N	Title			Synopsis
I. Subject Area: Environmental Management
1		Air pollution trading can be done on Internet	The US Bush administration has unveiled an internet system for utilities and other companies to trade air pollution allowances electronically instead of submitting paper documents to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
II. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation
2		Global commitment to marine environment protection renewed	Government from around the world, in a meeting held in Montreal under the auspices of the UN Environment Programme, renewed their commitment to fight pollution and destruction of the marine and coastal environment that results from activities on land
3		EU states agree on building power efficiency rules	European Union energy ministers have endorsed plans to improve energy efficiency of buildings by requiring property owners to show how expensive it is to heat, cool and light buildings they sell or let.
III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health
4		Chemical pollution and human sewage could be killing corals	Researchers at the University of Illinois say that a combination of human sewage and shipyard discharge may be responsible for the development and spread of the deadly black band disease in corals.
5		Study calls for research into quality of in-flight cabin air	In US, the increasing cases of complaints by airline passengers and cabin crew have prompted the National Research Council to study the in-flight cabin air quality.
IV. Subject Area: Environmental Technology and News
6		Cooking oil and chicken waste to power UK supermarket trucks	British market chain, Asda will be using chicken waste and used cooking oil to power its delivery trucks
7		EU set to double packaging recycling targets	European Union (EU) countries will need to double the proportion of packaging waste they recycle over the next five years under the new rules proposed by the European Commission.
8		Dutch sign CO₂ cutting agreement with Panama	The Netherlands has entered into agreement with Panama as part of Kyoto's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), to invest in the construction of cleaner power sources, in return for 20 million tonnes of CO₂ credits.
9		New breakthrough could aid production of electricity and efficiency of engines	The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in collaboration with ENECO Inc has developed a thermionics converter, which can aid production of electricity and increase the efficiency of engines.
10		Aerosol pollution could drain earth's water cycle	A study conducted by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California, suggests that aerosol pollution could affect the planet's hydrological cycle.

SUMMARY REPORT

Period Covered: 3 Dec 2001 to 9 Dec 2001

Item 1	Air pollution trading can be done on Internet
Summary	The Bush administration has unveiled an internet system that is designed for trade in the US$20 billion sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide market which is regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The pollutants are primarily emitted by coal-fired power plants and are linked to acid rain and smog. The USEPA expects this online system to streamline and accelerate emission trading, saving industry and government time and money. The USEPA said its program for trading sulphur oxides has cut emissions by 6 million tons annually from 1980 at a cheaper cost to industry. The agency's program for trading nitrogen oxide has reduced emissions by more than 50% from 1990. The program is expected to expand to as many as 19 US states in 2004.
Reference	http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13578/newsDate/5-Dec-2001/story.htm

Item 2	Global commitment to marine environment protection renewed
Summary	Governments from around the world renewed their commitment to fight pollution and destruction of the marine and coastal environment that results from activities on land. The Montreal declaration was made at the end of a week long meeting convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to look at how countries are implementing an international strategy designed to combat the 80% of marine pollution that originated from land-base activities. The Montreal declaration outlines the pledge of Governments to work together with the industry, international organisations and other key stakeholders to implement the 1995 Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA). The Declaration will serve to foster important upcoming events such as the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa in Sep 2002.
Reference	http://www.earthvision.net/ColdFusion/News_page1.cfm?NewsID=18711

Item 3	EU states agree on building power efficiency rules
Summary	The European Union Energy ministers have endorsed new regulations aimed at reducing the energy wasted by poorly insulated buildings, faulty boilers and inefficient lighting system. This is a key part of EU's efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuel. The new regulations require energy audits and certification for buildings that are to be sold or rented. Minimum energy standards are also set for new buildings of more than 1000 square meters and the buildings are to maintain the standards when renovated. Although the ministers have agreed in principle to go ahead with the regulations, the countries could be allowed seven years to put the regulation in place.
Reference	http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13579/newsDate/5-Dec-2001/story.htm

Item 4	Chemical pollution and human sewage could be killing corals
Summary	Researchers at the University of Illinois say that a combination of human sewage and shipyard discharge may be responsible for the development and spread of the deadly black band disease in corals. Blank band disease is characterised by a ring-shaped bacterial mat that migrates across a coral, leaving dead tissue in its wake. Like the rainforest, a coral reef system is a cradle of biodiversity. If the reefs are destroyed, the ocean's ability to reproduce is also destroyed. The study shows that the present trilogy of disease distribution, high metal concentration and presence of human pathogens creates a signpost that human pollution is playing a role.
Reference	http://www.pollutiononline.com/content/news/article.asp?DocID={C1A04AB1-E8C9-11D5-A77D-00D0B7694F32}&Bucket=Current+Headlines

Item 5	Study calls for research into quality of in-flight cabin air quality
Summary	The US National Research Council, a private non-profitable organization that advises the government, has conducted a study on the quality of in-flight cabin air after numerous complaints from airline passengers and cabin crew. The report commissioned by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has called for a federal agency to research the causes and offer possible solutions. The report recommends the agency to look into the need for and cost of installing air-cleaning equipment that removes particles and vapors that can plague passengers who have allergies, asthma or immune-system deficiencies. The report also recommends continuous monitoring of the in-flight cabin air quality. FAA spokeswoman, Alison Duquette says that FAA will study the report and the recommendations and look at the possibility of collecting more data and conducting additional research in this area.
Reference	http://www.nandotimes.com/healthscience/story/189302p-1833094c.html

Item 6	Cooking and chicken waste to power UK supermarket trucks
Summary	British supermarket chain, Asda has found a sustainable option for its 138,0000 litres of chicken waste and cooking fat generated from its 258 stores, instead of sending it away to landfills. The used cooking oil and waste are subjected to esterification, in which hydro and carbon molecules are altered to produce biodiesel to fuel delivery trucks. This new cutting edge technology will open up huge future scope to process food waste into environmentally friendly fuel.
Reference	http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13606/newsDate/6-Dec-2001/story.htm

Item 7	EU set to double packaging recycling targets
Summary	The European Commission has put forward a recycling target of between 55 and 70% for discarded packaging, up from the current minimum of between 25 and 45%. The rules if approved by EU member states and the European Parliament, would also increase the targets for recycling specific materials from the current 15% to 60% for glass, 55% for paper and board, 50% for metals and 20% for plastics. The new proposed rules will thus double the proportion of packaging waste EU countries need to recycle over the next five years.
Reference	http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13638/newsDate/10-Dec-2001/story.htm

Item 8	Dutch sign CO₂ cutting agreement with Panama
Summary	The Dutch environment ministry has signed an agreement with Panama to buy CO₂ credits from clean energy projects there to meet its CO₂ reduction targets. The agreement, part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) designed to reduce output of greenhouse gases, will allow the Netherlands to buy up to 20 million tons of CO₂ saved through the construction of cleaner power sources in Panama. CDM is designed to encourage companies to invest in environmentally-friendly energy projects in developing countries by allowing industralised nations to buy CO₂ credits towards pollution reduction targets laid out in the Kyoto Protocol.
Reference	http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/13586/newsDate/6-Dec-2001/story.htm

Item 9	New breakthrough could aid production of electricity and the efficiency of engines
Summary	The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in collaboration with ENECO, Inc has developed a new device that can recapture and convert excess heat from conventional power sources into additional electrical energy. The new device, called a thermionics converter is based on thermionics, a technology that uses the transportation of heated electrons on a cathode to a cooler anode in a vacuum tube to generate electricity. The new device will be a breakthrough in improving the efficiency of automobiles and power plants. It can be designed to capture the heat lost through the exhaust system and convert it into electricity to either augment or completely power the electrical and air conditioning systems in a vehicle.
Reference	http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=18764&image1=2

Item 10	Aerosol pollution could drain earth's water cycle
Summary	Findings from a new study by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceangraphy suggests that tiny particle of soot and other pollutants could have an impact on the planet's hydrological cycle. Tiny aerosols, made up primarily of black carbon may dissipate cumulus clouds and reduce rainfall. This would lead to a weaker hydrological cycle, which directly affects fresh water availability and quality. The study is a US$25 million project, funded in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), focused on the Indian Ocean region in a multi-platform analysis using satellites, aircraft, ships, surface stations and balloons. The project was designed to assess the nature and magnitude of the chemical pollution over tropical Indian Ocean and to evaluate the environmental significance of the region's aerosols. The next immediate step of the project is to develop a reliable global inventory of aerosol emission rates, life times and concentrations. Integration of new satellite observations, field experiments and laboratory studies with computer models will pave the way for breakthroughs in scientific understanding of aerosols and their impacts on the environment.
Reference	http://ens.lycos.com/ens/dec2001/2001L-12-07-06.html

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