| Chief Editor | Sheri Liao |
| Sub－Editor | Yingjie,yanying |
9.2006
|
|
| |||||
|
9.2006
| |||||||
蛙声遍野，国泰民安 |
|
|
|
NGO Express TOP |
“Beijing Forum” Students Investigated the GVB’s Educational Base in Hexi VillageThe “Beijing Forum” was recently hosted by Peking University and the University of Tokyo at Peking University. The Forum covered talks on cooperation, communication, and research, as well as discussions on economics, history, environment and security.
On September 14, members of ten environmental protection groups visited and studied the GVB’s base in Hexi Village in Miyun. Mr. Zhang, president of the Village Committee, introduced the students from both universities with the culture, history and current situation of Hexi Village. GVB’s staff spoke on its green rural construction projects and the environmental education programs taking place in the village. Later, the students visited GVB’s environmental educational exhibition hall. They asked many questions and played environmental games in the exhibition hall. In the afternoon, the students participated in a research project in the village on “garbage classification” under the direction of GVB teachers. They surveyed and publicized how to classify garbage at 10 families. The students were very enthusiastic and learned a lot, especially the Japanese students, about Chinese rural environmental protection and how Chinese farmers live. They asked many detailed questions about the villagers’ environmental protection and garbage disposal, and highly praised GVB’s efforts. Source: Global Village of Beijing Members of Greenwild Association of XMU celebrate its fifth anniversaryOn the evening of September 16, 60 members of Greenwild Association of XMU celebrated the 5th anniversary of their association on Baicheng beach, Xiamen University. The participants were university students and graduates. Lai Yun, one of the founders of Greenwild, has come back from Guangzhou explicitly for this event. Meanwhile, Vice Professor Li Zhenji, from the Biological Department of the Xiamen University who has been keeping an eye on Greenwild’s development since it was founded, also came for the celebration. Greenwild was founded on September 16, 2000. It is an environmental protection organization run exclusively by students from Xiamen University. After 5 years of development, it has worked toward three goals: environmental education, animal and plant protection, and wild survival training. Greenwild has three additional projects underway called Red Forest, Bird Watching and Green Dormitory. In the past 5 years, Greenwild has been rewarded many times for its efforts, including the Green Earth Prize, Ford’s Environmental Prize and the Alxa Prize. In 2005, it won the title of Top Ten Chinese University’s Environmental Organization selected by the China Environmental Protection Promotion Association. It has accepted long term funding support from GGF. Since its origination, Greenwild has been selected as the Top Ten student’s group in Xiamen University. Source: Greenwild Association of XMU “9.22 World Car Free Day”, a return to tradition and nature“World Car Free Day” was conceived on September 22, 1998, in France. ?In 2000, the proposal of a “car free day” was incorporated into the environmental protection framework of the EU. As a result, September 22nd was designated “European Car Free Day”, followed by “World Car Free Day”. Today there are 1,488 cities worldwide joining the initiative. Leading up to September 22nd, environmental protection organizations including Global Village of Beijing and Friends of Nature promoted “World Car Free Day” by handing out brochures along Beijing’s streets. In Shanghai, on September 17th, 500 volunteers rode their bicycles along Xujiahui District. Proposing a “car free day” and calling for people to take buses, ride bikes and walk to destinations a short distance away is primarily a reflection of peoples’ current lifestyles. People buy cars to facilitate and speed up their travel. Cars used to be the symbol for speed and efficiency. However, in reality we lose efficiency and speed as increasing numbers of private cars block the roadways. Ordinary Chinese consumers are starting to realize their car-owning dreams. However, associated problems such as traffic jams and pollution are beginning to negatively impact people’s daily life. The traffic jams are hazardous to the city’s “organism” and as a result, cars have been termed “urban killers”. As China is rapidly heading towards an automobile based society, a call for a return to tradition and nature is starting to be heard. “World Car Free Day” is not a rejection of cars but rather it aims to raise public environmental-protection-awareness. Let’s restore our freedom to walk and play while enjoying the joyfulness of a peaceful life on Sept. 22nd. Beijing-Miyun Life Fallow Forum on the Green Olympics and Ecological TourismBy Wang Xiaojuan from Global Village of Beijing On September 28th, the Engineering and Environmental Department of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, the Beijing Tourism Administration and the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau worked together to hold the ‘Green Olympics and Ecot ourism’ forum in Miyun, Beijing. This meeting was held in order to implement the ‘21st Century Agenda of Olympic Games’ created by the International Olympic Organizing Committee and the Chinese ‘Action Plan of Green Olympics’ organization, and to carry out the ‘Notice on the Further Enhancement of Ecological Environmental Protection on Tourism’ issued by the China National Tourism Administration and the State Environmental Protection Administration. The co-organizers issued the Miyun Proclamation on the Green Olympics and ecotourism and promoted the first national ‘Ecotourism Action Guide’ which is based on the ecological principle of upholding nature, simple principle of saving resources, recycling principle of reuse and circulation, rural principle of respecting customs and culture as well as healthy principle of caring about life. The ‘Guide’ is the result of the teamwork of nongovernmental organizations, experts and the government. Global Village of Beijing was the only NGO whose representative participated in drafting the ‘Guide’. The ‘Guide’ has its own significance. First of all, it is the perfect integration of Olympic spirits with Chinese culture and a strong consensus of the government and other walks of life in society. The ‘Guide’ is the result of integration of the three Olympic spirits with the three aspects of Chinese cultural heritage. The ‘Guide’ emphasizes the importance of water source protection and sustainable resource use and integrates Olympic tourism with environmental protection. Environmentally conscious Olympic tourism planning stimulates green tourism development and improves the natural environment while protecting Beijing’s water sources. |
| Policy Watch TOP |
Pan Yue: Two serious environmental accidents in Gansu and Hunan Provinces resulting from “Administrative Nonfeasance” so that the related liable officers should be publishedPan Yue, the Deputy Director of State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), informed the media about recent serious environmental accidents that have harmed public health. He said the accidents that the people’s lead component in blood was abnormal in Shuiyang Village, Hui County, Gansu Province, and that the arsenic component in water source was abnormal in Yuyang County, Hunan Province. The two accidents have been controlled effectively after the two governments take actions positively and the SEPA cooperates with them closely. The liabilities of who caused the accidents have largely been cleared up. Those two serious accidents result from typical administrative nonfeasance, breaches of duty, and misconduct of the local governments and local environmental protection departments. The accidents have done serious harm to public health and it should ascertain that the administrative liability lies within local governments and upon other responsible persons. While introducing the event of the people’s abnormal lead component in blood at Hui County, Gansu Province, Pan Yue pointed out that as of September 7, 2006, there were 368 persons whose blood’s lead level was above the normal 100μg/L. The first case of a child’s was at Shuiyang Village, Hui County, Gansu Province, on April 7, 2006. Among those patients, seven were being monitored and one has been poisoned severely. Pan Yue continued to introduce the abnormal arsenic event at Yueyang County, Hunan Province. On September 8, 2006, there was a polluted accident in Xinqiang River, the water source area in Yueyang County, Hunan Province. The arsenic in water is ten times more than the standard concentrations. The safety of drinking-water for more than eighty thousand residents is under serious threat. Pan Yue said that while analyzing the reasons of the two accidents, the enterprise may seem liable, but, in fact, it is the local governments and regional protectionism’s efforts that are the true liable figures. Administrative nonfeasance is the prime cause and the related governments and liable officers should take responsibility for their inactions. Source: Website of the State Environmental Protection Administration
Four new provincial wetland parks in Shandong
Four new wetland parks—namely Jinhai Gulf of Haiyang City, Yangma Island of Mouping District, Wulong River of Laiyang City, and Wangwu Reservoir of Longkou City—were authorized as provincial wetland parks in Shandong by the provincial Forestry Bureau on September 18, 2006. All four of the parks hold rich wetland resources. In particular, Yangma Island of Mouping is an important island and coastal wetland; Wulong River of Laiyang is a typical river ecosystem; and Wangwu Reservoir of Longkou has an ecosystem typical for wetlands of reservoirs and ponds. They all are typical of a original wetland landscape, with a significant function in tempering the environment and regional climate, nourishing water source, maintaining water and soil quality, preventing excessive flooding during storms, decomposing contaminants, as well as preserving rare and endangered habitats of birds and other species. They can also provide a domestic water supply for local residents and improve ecological conditions. Moreover, they are good places for ecotourism, vacations, entertainment, scientific research, and education. Construction of wetland parks is an important part of the wetland protection system. Establishment of wetland parks is good for utilizing the full spectrum of a wetland’s functions, as well as encouraging all groups of society to take part in the protection and sustainable utilization of wetlands. Source: Wildlife Protection Station of Shandong Province With the Land-Planning Outline rejected, the Ministry of Land and Resources is brewing a stricter arable-land protection policy
Released from the Ministry of Land and Resources, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China rejected the National Land-Use Planning Outline (the Outline) on September 6, 2006. Sources claim that the State Council rejected the Outline because it was unsatisfied with the arable-land protection target put forth. It is stipulated in the Outline that by 2010, national arable-land areas will be reserved at 1.8 billion mus (1 mu is equal to 666.7 square meters), with an annual reduction of 2.8 million mus for construction use during 2005 to 2010. However, leaders of the State Council pointed out that 1.8 billion mus’ of arable land should be reserved by 2020 at the earliest instead of by 2010. Meanwhile, the executive meeting of the State Council criticized the proposed increase in construction land by 5 million mus each year, claiming that it is not in accordance with “the principle of intensive and economical utilization of land”. The Ministry of Land and Resources responded quickly to the blockage of the Outline. The former land-planning proposal is being adjusted to solve the problem of arable-land protection. Source: www.sina.com.cn Pan Yue: Ecological civilization is the basis of civilisation system and will accelerate the overall development of the society
Jointly hosted by the China Environmental Culture Promotion Association and Beijing Miyun County Government in cooperation with the China Welfare Fund for the Handicapped, the opening ceremony of the special topic TV show “Green China” took place on September 24. Pan Yue, vice minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration and president of the China Environmental Culture Promotion Association, has a very positive attitude towards the activity. He points out that environmental civilization is the basis of a civilized society and will support the overall development of China socialism. He emphasises that the material, political and spiritual civilisation of socialism cannot be separated from environmental civilization. Without ecological safety, humankind will run risk of getting into an irreversible survival crisis. The central idea of the TV show “Green China” is “environmental civilization and harmonious coexistence”. By the example of different people’s stories and concrete examples, the show displays the interdependence of humankind and natural environment in details. “Harmony” is the basis of the sustainable development of human beings and “Environmental Civilization” is an essential quality that each individual should have. Source: China News Agency (Author: Zhao Shengyu) |
| Special Report－9.22 World Car Free Day TOP |
9.22 World Car Free DayThe “9.22 World Car Free Day” was initiated in France. This environmental protection activity started simultaneously in 34 French cities on September 22, 1998. On this special day, no motor vehicles except buses, taxis, and special types of cars (ambulances, police cars and military cars etc.) were allowed in those cities. Citizens went out by means of buses, walking or bicycling etc. The activity aimed at reducing the air and sound pollution in cities, raising citizens’ environmental protection awareness, and had stirred world attention. Till now, over 1,480 cities have joined in the “Car Free Day” activity and its influence continues to expand globally. As we all know, exhaust emitted from motor vehicles is a source of air pollution, thus affecting people’s health. Sound pollution produced by motor vehicles accounts for 75% of the total city sound pollution, imposing physiological as well as psychological hazards on people. Moreover, the number of traffic accidents generated by motor vehicles is shocking and staggering. Additionally, land appropriation incurred by road expansion should not be overlooked. In light of the information above, for the health of citizens and the wellbeing of our offspring, we vehemently appeal to the public to participate in World Car Free Day on Sept. 22nd. We encourage people to walk and ride bicycles instead of driving cars, and we hope that all people strive to decrease the number of times they use motor vehicles in the future. Source: Green Student Organization Society??? Thailand’s Bangkok initiates a “Car-free Day” and switches to cycling
According to an article in Thailand’s “Daily World” on September 19, the capital Bangkok has launched a “Car-free Day”. The vice mayor of the city encouraged all the citizens to use bicycles instead of cars on September 22. There are currently bicycle lanes in every major street of Bangkok, amounting to a total of 30 lanes with an overall length of 117 kilometres. The city government plans to build 15 additional lanes with 96 kilometres next year to make cycling more convenient. The city government says that when townspeople use bikes instead of cars when travelling short distances, riding bikes can not only save energy but can also alleviate traffic bottlenecks and at the same time, the cyclists will get more exercise. Because of its high volume of traffic and frequent traffic jams, Bangkok is also called the “world’s parking lot”. The narrow and cramped streets and the blistering heat prevent people from using bikes and you seldom see cyclists on Bangkok’s streets. Additionally, bicycles are very expensive in Thailand. Even low priced bikes cost more than 1,000 Chinese RMB and those bikes with special functions such as gears are usually priced with more than 2,000 RMB. Thus, if Bangkok wants to increase the use of bicycles, a large bike manufacturing country, like China, might also benefit from such a development. Source: China Radio International Online The City Name Card—Green Bicycle Riding in Sanya
Sep.22, The Green Bicycle Riding event to have a City Name Card in Sanya started from Phoenix Island. The activity was put on by the Sanya City Card Collection and Evaluation Committee and the Sanya Bicycle Sports Association. Top officials from the Sanya government were in attendance. All participants set out from Phoenix Island by bicycle, along Binhai Road to Haiyue Square, covering six kilometers. Along the way, they cleaned up Sanya Bay by collecting litter. The event was joined by more than 300 people from area schools, hotels and restaurants. The key representative from Sanya City Name Card Collection and Evaluation Committee said that this public welfare event was meant to both raise general environmental awareness and to reflect the beautiful, fashionable, healthy and environmentally-friendly character of Sanya City. It was also significant for maintaining a positive eco-environment, establishing the reputation of an excellent city, pursuing a sustainable green life and building a society that is both economically and environmentally responsible. Source: Sanya Morning Post “Beijing for Bikes Week”, on the occasion of International Car-Free Day, Called for People to Ride Bicycles
With the increased number of private cars, more and more people got rid of their bicycles, which are environmentally friendly and good for the health of their riders. In order to re-awaken people’s love of bicycles, Global Village of Beijing (GVB), Friends of Nature (FON) and China Environment and Sustainable Development Reference and Research Centre (CESDRRC) jointly launched the “Beijing for Bikes Week” on the occasion of International Car-Free Day, which was September 22. The campaign was generously supported by China-Bicycle and Projektkooperationsbüro der Heinrich-B?ll-Stiftung mit Cango. Baidu.com publicized the campaign from its internet platform. At 10:00 a.m. on September 22, the campaign’s opening ceremony was held at the Ancient Book Department of the National Library of China. Dozens of media journalists, grassroots environmental NGO’s staff and volunteers were present. Speakers from the organizing groups proposed that “everyone joins us and becomes a fashionable bicycle-riding family!” A well-known photographer, Wang Wenlan, donated many photos to the campaign. The pictures were all about bicycles in people’s daily life. The one-week campaign focused on the photo exhibition and a bicycle-riding event on September 23. The exhibition at the Ancient Book Department of the National Library of China is free to the public and will be on display from September 22 – 29, 9:00 a.m. - 16:30 p.m. Visitors could see that bicycles aren’t only a means of transportation but has become a proponent of health, environmental friendliness and fashion. On September 23, the bicycle-riding event started at 10:00 a.m. Volunteers from the campaign’s host organizations rode bicycles from the south gate of Chaoyang Park, through Houhai Lake, and finally arrived in front of the photo exhibition hall. Through this activity, volunteers expressed their love of bicycles and their determination to build a green Beijing. During their ride, volunteers handed out many splendid postcards. For more information about the campaign, please log onto the website of Green Choice at www.greenchoice.cn or China-Bicycle at www.china-bicycle.com Source: Global Village of Beijing |
| Environmental News TOP |
Asian Development Bank inspects Yellow River Loan-Item ProjectAccompanied by leaders of both the Yellow River Affairs Bureau of Henan Province and of Zhengzhou City, the leadership of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) inspected the progress of 4 parts of project of silt purge and bank reinforcement in the Puyang section of the Yellow River. The project is an ADB loan item. The inspectorate first checked up on the construction schedule, management and the status of the equipment in use in each part, and were briefed regarding reports about the progress, remaining problems, measures taken and future plans of the engineering project by the manager of each section. After the examination, the managers arranged a meeting and reported in detail about progress towards completion of the working plan, the reasons for delay and further measures to be taken. At present, Zhengzhou Yellow River Water and Electricity Ltd., seizing the golden construction season of Autumn, has arranged personnel and equipment better according to the remaining work of part I of the silt pumping project, construction conditions and the key points of the next work plan; planned to speed up the construction progress; and created a new work motto of “Go all out in construction for 100 days and gain the best possible result in task”. Source: China Water Global Warming imperils World Heritage sites
World Heritage sites such as the Great Barrier Reef or Kathmandu, in Nepal, could be taken off the tourism map by 2020 due to the effects of climate change and too many visitors, a think tank said on September 23. In a report prepared for UK insurance company Churchill, the Centre for Future Studies (CFS) listed 10 popular destinations that could be either permanently closed or have a visitor cap within 15 years. "Floods, storms, droughts, increasing and erratic temperatures will combine to bring about changes in destination choice for tourists." Florida's Everglades in the United States, Athens in Greece, Croatia's Dalmatian coastline, Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast in Italy as well as the Maldives are some of the other destinations at risk highlighted by the report. The study drew on evidence provided by scientists, governments, as well as tourism and environmental organisations from around the world. Source: Reuters China’s gross pollutant discharge increased in the first half of 2006
The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA). the National Bureau of Statistics of China and the National Development and Reform Commission recently released the? “Communiqué on Gross Main Pollutant Discharge in the First Half of 2006” which indicated that the reduction of discharge of main pollutants is a very difficult task to accomplish. The communiqué shows that in the first half of this year, national Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) emissions were 6,896,000 tons, an increase of 3.7% over the same period last year, and sulfur dioxide emissions totaled 12,746,000 tons, an increase of 4.2%. The goals for environmental protection set out in China’s Eleventh Five-Year Plan are clear: by 2010, as the national economy continues to grow at a fast and constant rate, there will be a focus on improving the environment in key regions and cities, with action as necessary to control the trend of ecological degradation. The control indexes are as follows: energy consumption per unit of GDP should decrease by 20% and main pollutants including COD and SO2 emission should decrease by 10%. In the first half of this year, major indicators have risen rather than declined, which highlights the extremely arduous task of decreasing emissions of main pollutants. The Communiqué continues to request that every region and every department go a step further to increase their sense of responsibility for protecting the environment, enlarge their capacity to control pollution, and to increase supervision and management over the environment. Source: China Environment News http://www.cenews.com.cn |
| Community Announcements and Events TOP |
Sichuan youth volunteer project begins to recruit second round of volunteersThe Sichuan Youth Volunteer project recruits and sends volunteers to NPOs involved in countryside development and natural protection in Sichuan for one-year internships. This round of volunteers will work from 1st November 2006 to 30th October 2007. For further information, one can log onto the website of Sichuan Youth Volunteer at www.scvolunteer.org or dial our hotline at 028-87050587 and then ask for the Youth Volunteer project (3:00-5:00pm from Monday to Friday). Source: www.scvolunteer.org Oxfam Hong Kong offers positions in China project department (labor)
Oxfam Hong Kong, one of the members of Oxfam international, is an independent organization engaging in development and rescue. Its headquarter is located in Hong Kong. It works for poor and disadvantaged groups in mainland China, Asia and Africa to eliminate poverty and despair. We are now recruiting a secretary to be in charge of the China project department – labor (a two-year contract located in Beijing). The department manager takes responsibility for the secretary, who will assist in the analysis, review, implementation, coordination and evaluation of the project. If you want to join us, please contact the manager of the human resources department in Hong Kong, or e-mail to hr@oxfam.org.hk
New address for JGI China, Roots and Shoots Beijing Office
Due to the relocation of our office, we have updated our contact information:
Clean Water Alliances is looking for a general manager’s assistant
Clean Water Alliances was founded in early 2004, committing itself to the improvement of Chinese water administration, water resource conservation, pollution reduction, improvement of water quality, insurance of people’s good health, and the enhancement of private entities’ and public participation concerning these issues. We also play an important role on actively influencing public policy and positive interaction with the government. We are now looking for a qualified general manager’s assistant and a secretary. Anyone interested can contact us at cleanwateralliances@126.com or sirwater@gmail.com |
