International Environment Reporter: Current Reports Index-Summary

IMO

See INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO)

INCINERATORS AND INCINERATION

– Illegal waste processing, Norway launches inspections, 964

INDIA

– Agriculture, one-fourth of districts face threat of drought, 754
– Biodiesel, directive banning direct sale to consumers slows production, sends mixed signals to industry, 566
– Biotechnology

– – BT Brinjal, safety concerns delay decision on sale, 148; government panel approves use, 980
– – Pesticides, policy offers incentives to promote industry, 371
– – Poverty alleviation may outweigh side-effects of GMO seeds, chief justice says, 415
– – Regulation, government plans to allow commercial use within 3 years, 664

– Climate change

– – China pact pledges cooperation on technology transfer, 955
– – Coal use to continue, envoy says stressing need to develop clean technologies, 370
– – Emissions reduction

– – – Indian Railways to use alternative fuels, 711
– – – Tata group efforts, In Brief, 419
– – – 2031 per-capita emissions projected to be lower than world's 2005 average, report predicts, 840

– – Mission, In Brief, 984

– Coastal zone management, elections bring promise of new development rules, 615; proposal lapses, government will update older regulations, 709
– Elections bring promises of economic growth, reforms, 615
– Electronic waste, alliance proposes legislation focusing on producer responsibility, 751
– Emissions trading, industry group calls for expanding market, extending CDM at conference, 195
– Energy efficiency

– – Businesses, government plans to set targets for large consumers by end of 2010, 884
– – Labels for appliances, In Brief, 759
– – National plan includes loan guarantees, 795

– Energy, joint UN project to promote small business savings, 753
– Environmental impact assessments

– – Backlog, ministry proposes changes to ease, 103
– – Hearings, all citizens have right to participate, court finds, 416
– – Small projects exempted from need to seek permits, 709
– – Transparency of process enhanced, 710

– Environmental protection

– – Authority, minister proposes new agency, 882
– – Environmental court, Green Tribunal bill draws criticism, 883

– Forests

– – Afforestation, supreme court orders release of $205M annually to fund, 664
– – Local administration approval mandatory for all projects on forestland, 753

– Fuel effiency

– – Labeling for cars, In Brief, 619; government prepares guidelines, In Brief, 848
– – Standards, In Brief, 887

– Green building practices, adoption continues despite economic slowdown, study finds, 979
– Hazardous waste, zero disposal goal of draft strategy, 750
– Kyoto Protocol successor agreement

– – EU official says clean energy funding could entice participation, 153
– – New minister takes tough stance on negotiations, 615; government will not accept legally binding emissions targets, but will attempt to reduce emissions, 619; minister tells U.S. Sec'y of State government rejects legally binding commitments, 662; government ready to set emissions reduction goal, maintains opposition to binding reductions, minister says, 884; government, environmental groups argue Western discourse one-sided, claim share of polluting rights, 929; minister suggests pursuing GHG mitigation objectives separate from demand for financial aid, technology from developed countries, 954
– – Technology and finance transfer pillars of strategy to help developing countries reduce emissions, 754

– Land use, report charts degradation, pollution, decline of rare species, 752
– Motor vehicles

– – Automakers upgrade fleet to meet 2010 emission standards, 370
– – Compressed natural gas-fueled vehicles, automakers work to expand fleets, 513

– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–50
– Ozone-depleting substances, government announces phaseout plan, seeks financial aid, 929
– Plastic bags, ministry proposes rules for manufacture, use, recycling, 981
– Renewable energy

– – Development, country leads South Asia nations, U.N. reports, 840
– – Electricity regulators set 5 percent goal, infrastructure goal, 281
– – Financial assistance, government considers new agency, 567
– – Tax incentives under consideration, industry dissatisfied, 617

– Solar energy

– – Government hopes to generate 20 gigawatts by 2020, 755
– – Joint EU technology research initiative launched, 755

– Solid waste management, government initiatives to foster public-private partnerships, minister says, 663
– Sustainable development, Greendex top spot, In Brief, 458
– Technology

– – Joint U.S. cooperation agreement announced, 711
– – Special economic zones, ministry plans green technology requirement, 795

– Water pollution, loans sought to fund Ganges River cleanup, 928
– Water resources, contingency plans to ease impact of dealyed monsoon season on crops, 616

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

– Amazon

– – Brazil, indigenous reserve

– – – Court expected to oust farmers, impose land use restrictions, 28; court ousts rice farmers, ranchers from reserve, 273
– – – Federal transferal of land to repay debt due to creation of reserve, 99
– – – Gold mining, Yanomami tribe threatens to expel miners with bows, arrows, 141

– – Peru, protests over forestry law turn violent, 507; Congress suspends law, 560

– Climate change, declaration calls for phaseout of fossil fuel development, 422
– Forests, Africa resources better protected through ownership, report says, 531
– Logging

– – Argentina court issues temporary ban on operations, 29; ban extension, In Brief, 278
– – Brazil seizes illegally harvested timber, In Brief, 326

– Water pollution, lawyers prepare final written arguments in Ecuadorian Amazon environmental damage suit against Chevron, 408; Chevron presents new corruption allegations, 832; Chevron brings arbitration claim, 873; human rights advocate calls on Chevron to clean up polluted sites, 969

INDONESIA

– Deforestation, government applies to join World Bank program issuing carbon credits for maintaining forests, 242
– Forest products, joint U.S. talks to promote fair trade, 852
– Mines and mining, new law limits concession size, duration, requires domestic processing, 31
– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–52

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

– Furniture and interior building materials, South Korea proposes emissions standards, 457
– Residential guidelines, Canada drafts for ozone, carbon monoxide, In Brief, 326

INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

– Air pollution

– – Brazil study of GHG emission spike, In Brief, 789
– – EU universal regime proposal, committee supports minimum performance standards, 77; Parliament supports proposal, 217; environment ministers agree on controls, diverge from Parliament stance, 591

– Permits, European Comm'n issues warnings to 10 member states over failure to issue, 77
– Pollutant releases and transfers, NAFTA body releases data, 553

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

See also INTERNET
– Corporate responsibility, Canadian firms should link function with sustainability efforts to improve environmental performance, consultant says, 21
– Energy efficiency, Latin America survey finds Brazilian, Mexican firms resistant make investment, 272
– Sustainable development, France program, In Brief, 55

INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS

– Cattle processing, Brazil orders slaughterhouse inspections following report linking illegal ranching to deforestation, 503
– Environmental performance, China capital will start monthly inspections of top water, energy consuming businesses, 791
– Galvanization plants, Norway inspects facilities to ensure safe use of hazardous substances, 356
– Incinerators, Norway launches program, 964
– Motor vehicle emissions, Brazil working group drafts resolution, 788; council approves mandate, 971
– Oil sands operations, Canada, Alberta issues rules, 20

INSURANCE

– Climate change, more resources needed to calculate risks, initiative reports, 576
– Pollution liability, China municipalities require companies to purchase, 977

INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY (IEA)

– Membership, director supports expansion, 895

INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO)

– Efficiency, operational improvements could reduce GHG emissions from ships, report says, 521
– Shipbreaking, members adopt convention, 462; EU members approve adoption, 959

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO)

– Definitions, database online by Aug., 579
– Energy efficiency, building design guidelines issued, 66
– Nanotechnology, committee agrees on definitions for carbon nano-objects, 578
– Wastewater reuse, Israel standards proposal, In Brief, 581

INTERNET

– Airline industry climate goals, In Brief, 581
– Energy efficiency, EU buildings, In Brief, 547
– Environmental impact assessments

– – Chile launches online permit complaint system to hasten requests, 561
– – Spain launches database, In Brief, 133

– Environmental regulation, Denmark tool to report inefficiencies, In Brief, 599
– GHG emissions reporting, Norway web page, In Brief, 179
– ISO definitions, database online by Aug., 579
– Pesticides, EU review of active substances published online, 219
– REACH, website details socioeconomic analysis underlying European Comm'n decisions, 259
– Releases of pollutants

– – Germany launches database to allow public access to information, 542
– – International treaty requires reporting for registers, takes effect in Oct., 675

– Soil degradation, African scientists to use digital online maps to study depleted soils in Sub-Saharan region, 108
– Timber purchases, Brazil state blocks sales of illegal timber from Amazon, 322

INTERVIEWS

– REACH registration requirements, Geert Dancet on, 897

INVASIVE SPECIES

– Ballast water management

See BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT

INVESTIGATIONS

See INSPECTIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS

INVESTING

– Clean technology, U.S. embassy identifies Swedish firms, In Brief, 599
– Climate observations, projections can guide business decisions, Jarraud says, 804
– Energy infrastructure, business council to advise ministers on spurring private investment, 247
– Gold mining, U.S. environmental protections no violation of NAFTA investment protections, panel says, 554
– Sustainable energy, UNEP reports increase in 2008, 528

IRELAND

– Conservation, European Comm'n closes 2 cases, 77
– Industrial plant permits, European Comm'n issues 1st warning over failure to issue, 77
– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–17
– REACH compliance, agency plans 1,200 inspections, 309
– Wind energy, European Investment Bank approves loan agreements, 910

IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY

– Environmental impact assessments

– – Brazil state rejects proposal to build steel slab mill in already-polluted city, 28
– – China halts projects due to lack of complete assessments, 565

ISO

See INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO)

ISRAEL

– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–62
– Wastewater reuse, ISO considers standards proposal, In Brief, 581

ITALY

– Air quality, European Comm'n issues 1st warning over noncompliance, 77
– Biofuels, radioactive pellet fuel contamination, In Brief, 548
– Carbon sequestration pilot project, In Brief, 597
– Climate change

– – Alps, border with Switzerland alteration

– – – Joint study commission, In Brief, 267
– – – Switzerland approves measure to move border, 775

– – Budget projects $285M annual spending through 2012, 12
– – Carbon tax, In Brief, 871
– – Corporate project fund, In Brief, 404
– – Emissions reduction, environment minister blames previous government for slow start, 174
– – EU targets

– – – Country's portion unachievable, report says, 88
– – – Major economies must take on similar commitments, minister says, 953

– – G-8 environmental talks approved, 312; talks yield few specifics, Brazil suggests incremental approach, 380
– – Tunisia accord to foster technology transfer, emissions reductions, 296

– Emissions trading, final credit awards, In Brief, 132
– Energy efficiency

– – Building certificate program, In Brief, 496
– – Green car, appliance promotion, In Brief, 132
– – White certificate incentive program, In Brief, 55

– Environmental impact assessments, European Comm'n warns of noncompliance of La Maddalena island construction, 260
– Environmental protection

– – Ministry seeks to oversee energy sector, In Brief, 694
– – Reorganization gives regions more discretion, In Brief, 496

– Environmental quality in 2008, air, water quality worsened, GHG emissions continued to rise, lobby group reports, 223
– Industrial plant permits, European Comm'n issues 2nd warning over failure to issue, 77
– Landfills

– – Illegal waste tips, European Comm'n issues final warning, 590
– – Transposition of law improper, European Comm'n issues warning, 260

– Messina Straits Bridge project approval, In Brief, 598; environmental overseer, In Brief, 966
– Motor vehicles

– – Gas-guzzler tax proposed to fund rebates for low-emissions car purchasers, 88
– – Scooters, tax breaks, In Brief, 227

– Nuclear energy, bilateral summit with France, In Brief, 132; France to advise Italy on construction of generators under pact, 173
– Organized crime, environmental abuses cost country more than $30B in 2008, groups says, 401
– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–18
– Pesticides, beekeepers urge ban of neonicotinoids, 89
– Plastic bag ban, In Brief, 440
– Renewable energy

– – Ban due to aesthetic reasons, In Brief, 496; project approval, In Brief, 871
– – Incentives set, environmental groups criticize as too weak, 12
– – Project approvals, In Brief, 871
– – Utility plans green investment, In Brief, 132

– Ship wastes, European Comm'n issues warning, In Brief, 440
– Solar energy, tax on imported equipment reduced, 12; suspension of tax reduction, In Brief, 919
– TCDD exposure linked to cancer risk, In Brief, 871
– Urban areas

– – Environmental health, higher ozone levels, improved recycling efforts reported for past year, 777
– – Wastewater treatment, European Comm'n sets compliance deadline, 169; Comm'n issues first warning, 590