Table of content
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S/N |
Title |
Synopsis |
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I. Subject Area: Environment Policy & Regulation |
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1 |
Industrial Facilities Required To Plan For Environmental Emergencies |
Canada will require industrial facilities handling dangerous substances to develop accident prevention plans and address emergency preparedness, response and recovery. |
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2 |
China To Adopt Climate Change Treaty |
China, the world's second largest producer of carbon dioxide, will be adopting the Kyoto Protocol. |
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3 |
US Adopts Defensive Strategy For WSSD |
The U.S. will be adopting a defensive and conservative strategy at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, resisting changes to international agreements on trade and development finance. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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4 |
Real Power From Nothing But Hot Air |
Australia has approved the building of a one kilometre-high tower capable of producing enough energy for 200,000 homes. |
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5 |
South Dakota Power Plant To Become 99.99% Clean |
A power plant in South Dakota will be using a new type of pollution control device to remove fly ash emitted from its smokestack |
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III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health |
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6 |
Australia Generates More Greenhouse Gases Than Wealthy Nation |
A Melbourne University study found that Australia generates more greenhouse gases per capita than any other wealthy nation. |
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IV. Subject Area: General Environmental News |
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7 |
Salty Sea Spray Cleanses Air |
Salty sea spray can cleanse the air of pollution, making rain as it scrubs the sky clean. |
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8 |
Honda Plans Release of Fuel Cell Vehicle |
The American Honda Motor Company has obtained USEPA's and CARB's approval to release its fuel cell vehicle, the Honda FCX. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period covered: 19 Aug 2002 to 25 Aug 2002
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Item 1 |
Industrial Facilities Required To Plan For Environmental Emergencies |
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Summary |
Canada has announced new draft regulations that will require industrial facilities handling dangerous substances to develop accident prevention plans and address emergency preparedness, response and recovery. The proposed Environmental Emergency (E2) Regulations, under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999), target an initial list of 174 substances. Any company, that store or use the substances above specified minimum quantities, will be required to inform Environment Canada of the maximum amounts and locations of the substances. The information will help police, fire and other emergency response personnel to respond effectively in an emergency. About 1,500 facilities are expected to comply with the proposed regulations. Facilities subject to the regulations will be required to develop, implement and test an emergency plan within one year. The regulations are expected to be finalised and in place by early 2003. |
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Reference |
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Item 2 |
China To Adopt Climate Change Treaty |
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Summary |
Chinese officials from the Foreign Ministry and State Council said that China was preparing to approve the Kyoto Protocol (KP). The KP has to be ratified China's parliament. With the support of the State Council, it is likely to be approved by parliament. As a developing country, China need not abide by the emission reductions even though it is the world's second largest producer of carbon dioxide. As a KP signatory, China could allow developed countries to earn emission credits by investing in emission-reducing projects in China. Although China is not keen to cap emissions, it has taken steps to reduce pollution as Chinese authorities are concerned about environmental problems like clouds of smog hanging over cities. The State Council has approved a plan to spend US$8 billion to clean up pollution and enact strict control targets by 2005. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.com.au/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/17405/story.htm |
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Item 3 |
US Adopts Defensive Strategy For WSSD |
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Summary |
The U.S. will adopt a defensive and conservative strategy at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. It will adhere strictly to the trade consensus reached in the earlier meetings of the World Trade Organisation in Doha and the U.N. conference in Monterrey. U.S. officials attending WSSD told reporters that some developing countries had tried to renegotiate the Doha and Monterrey trade consensus: either trying to persuade rich countries to give more aid or to relax the requirement that governments adopt good governance. The Monterrey consensus was based on the essence that rich countries would do more to help poor countries develop, while the poor countries must ensure there is no corruption and improvement in government efficiency. The Bush administration had upset most countries by backing out of the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases emissions. The U.S., however, is putting up a US$4.5 billion aid package to be announced at WSSD and much of the money is from programs announced previously. A US senator had commented that by reallocating and renaming the previously announced budget sends a message that the world's largest polluter is not interested in finding a solution to global warming. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.com.au/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/17413/story.htm |
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Item 4 |
Real Power From Nothing But Hot Air |
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Summary |
Australia has approved the building of a one kilometre-high tower capable of producing enough energy for 200,000 homes. The tower will generate electricity by drawing warm air from ground levels such as deserts through turbines. It is completely silent, does not need any fuel and produces only hot air. The concrete tower will be more than twice as high as the 451-metre (1,500ft) Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur and almost twice the 555-metre CN tower in Toronto. The tower will be surrounded by a circular greenhouse, 7 km in diameter, in which warm air will collect and rise towards 32 turbines at its base. The outer fringes of the greenhouse may be used for agriculture. Work is expected to begin next year and the first electricity should be generated in 2005. |
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Reference |
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,776735,00.html |
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Item 5 |
South Dakota Power Plant To Become 99.99% Clean |
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Summary |
A power plant in South Dakota will be using a new type of pollution control device to remove fly ash emitted from its smokestack. The device is expected to remove 99.99 percent of the particulate matter released during coal combustion, easing the haze and respiratory problems caused by the tiny ash particles. With the new pollution-control system working properly, expected emissions from the plant would be less than 0.007 pounds per million British Thermal Unit (BTU). This compares well with the clean air standards for the region that limit particulate emissions to 0.03 pounds per BTU. The new technology combines the best feature of the two most common pollution control systems used to reduce particulate emissions from power plants - baghouses and electrostatic precipitators. The new "advanced hybrid particulate collector" consists of metal plates with numerous circular openings that run the length of the collector. The metal plates will be charged to cause the ash particles to adhere to them. Particulate matter that escapes will flow through the holes and be trapped by filter bags that remove the tiny ash particles. |
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Reference |
http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=21913&image1=2 |
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Item 6 |
Australia Generates More Greenhouse Gases Than Wealthy Nation |
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Summary |
A study released by Melbourne University found that Australia generates more greenhouse gases per capita than any other wealthy nation. The study, titled "In Reverse" was prepared for non-government environment and development groups to rebut the government report that will be presented to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The Australia government has rejected the report and commented that they are proud of Australia's record on environmental issues. A spokesman said that Australia's record has shown that Australia is the world leader on the protection of plans and animals and is one of the leading nations in addressing climate change. |
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Reference |
http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/08/08202002/ap_48201.asp |
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Item 7 |
Salty Sea Spray Cleanses Air |
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Summary |
Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have demonstrated that sea spray over the oceans contributes to cleansing polluted air over the land. It was found that not all sea spray would be deposited back into the sea. Some sea spay could go up into the atmosphere and help make raindrops, which in turn drag particles of pollution down into the water. The university team used satellite data to look at clouds forming over South Asia and found huge amounts of air pollution spilled off the continent over the Indian Ocean. This pollution is known to cause rain over land, and it contributes to storm clouds over India and Bangladesh. The clouds over the ocean also tend to precipitate readily. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/17343/story.htm |
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Item 8 |
Honda Plans Release of Fuel Cell Vehicle |
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Summary |
The American Honda Motor Company has obtained approval from government agencies to release its fuel cell vehicle, the Honda FCX. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has certified the hydrogen-powered Honda FCX to carry the lowest national emission rating while the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has certified it a Zero Emission Vehicle. Honda will start a lease program for a limited number of FCXs in the US and Japan by the end of this year. For the next few years, Honda will lease about 30 fuel cell vehicles in California and the Tokyo metropolitan area. The company currently has no plans for mass-market sales of the fuel cell vehicles. |
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Reference |
http://www.gnet.org/news/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=21803&image1=2 |