International Environment Reporter: Current Reports Index-Summary

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

– Nanomaterials

– – China, study links exposure to human toxicity, 801
– – Netherlands to develop exposure limits for common nanoparticles, 823
– – OECD publishes report, 803

– Pesticide exposure, U.S.

– – South American farmworkers may split cases to avoid class jurisdiction, 271
– – West African workers may split cases to avoid class jurisdiction, 325; Supreme Court declines review, 924

OCEANS

– Acidification, EU global mega-trends study, In Brief, 650
– Arctic region

– – Climate change will result in increased shipping, nations should prepare for increased risks, report warns, 623
– – Norway plans research, monitoring center, 266

– Cetacean sanctuary, Brazil creates, 28
– Conservation areas, U.S. designates 3 Marine National Monuments in Central Pacific, 23
– Criminal prosecution, EU committee approves proposal applying sanctions to serious or repeat cases of marine pollution, 168
– Fisheries, European Comm'n opens consultation on overhauling policies, 354
– Great Barrier Reef, ecosystem damage may be unavoidable, report warns, 847
– Law of the Sea treaty, U.S. senator vows to pursue ratification, 406
– Litter growing problem, UNEP reports, 528
– Management, EU strategy making progress, report says, 959
– Marine debris, U.S. definition, In Brief, 837
– Sea level changes

– – Australia, Queensland coastal plan, In Brief, 799
– – Developing nations most at risk, World Bank identifies, 467
– – Rise may be greater than previously predicted, survey indicates, 206

– Tidal power, UK studies bolster future, 86

OECD

See ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)

OIL AND GAS

– Climate change, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell favors global cap-and-trade program, 941
– Drilling

– – Nigeria, Senate approves 2010 deadline to end gas flaring, 459
– – Norway tightens safeguards for offshore drilling near sensitive coral reef, 732
– – Peru

– – – Amazon indigenous peoples protest forestry law, civic strike turns violent, 507; Congress suspends law, 560
– – – Financial transparency project pursued, 323
– – – Gas venting controls, companies fear costs, 560

– Energy efficiency, Canada, British Columbia petroleum producers agree to improvements, reduction of GHG emissions, 697
– Exploration

– – Canada, Alberta official outlines new tax incentives, 230
– – Nigeria, Shell settles civil suit with families of executed protesters for $15.5M, 556
– – Peru court suspends operations in protected jungle until master plan written, 188

– Hazardous waste, Brazil citizens sue U.S. companies citing illegal disposal, 410
– Natural gas byproduct derived from oil production, Russia limits burning, 88
– Oil sands, Canada

– – Bilateral clean energy dialogue with U.S. to address environmental issues, 182; officials meet to discuss clean energy, transmission grid improvements, fail to address industry emissions, 234
– – Emissions similar to crude production, Alberta studies indicate, 698
– – Environmental performance, Canadians believe producers can do better job protecting environment, 60
– – Inspections, Alberta issues rules, 20
– – Production to double despite U.S. move toward low-carbon fuels, Alberta diplomat says, 406
– – Strategic plan, Alberta aims to shrink environmental footprint, 180
– – Tailings

– – – Alberta directive updates management rules, 135
– – – Bird deaths, government files criminal charges against producer, 136

– Petroleum taxes, France should correct inconsistencies to increase effectiveness of levy, OECD says, 402
– Pipelines

See generally PIPELINES

– Reclamation, Canada, Alberta fund, In Brief, 235
– Refineries, Brazil oil firm to invest $6B to produce low-sulfur diesel, 98
– Renewable energy, Royal Dutch Shell curbs investments to focus on biofuels, carbon sequestration, 292
– Solution gas, Canada province records higher releases, 602
– Water pollution, Ecuador Amazon environmental damage suit against Chevron, lawyers prepare final written arguments, 408; Chevron presents new corruption allegations, 832; Chevron brings arbitration claim, 873; human rights advocate calls on Chevron to clean up polluted sites, 969

OIL SPILLS

– Cooking oil, Portugal regulates used oil, In Brief, 732
– Cruise lines, Norway spill in Geiranger Fjord prompts calls for tighter regulations, 647
– Emergency planning and response, Baltic plan, In Brief, 55
– Fitness of ship certification, Spain suit against nongovernmental regulatory body remanded, 557
– Full City spill, Norway to charge captain, In Brief, 694
– Insurance, China municipality considers mandate for shippers, 794
– International Convention on Preparedness, Response, and Cooperation, Russia joins, In Brief, 695
– North Sea spill, Norwegian company fined, In Brief, 227
– Oil facilities most common location of spills in Western N. Am., not ships or pipelines, study finds, 781
– Oily waste dumping, U.S. enforcement efforts

– – Cypriot tanker engineer pleads guilty to covering up discharges, 235
– – Hong Kong operator settles criminal charges with $10M, 740
– – Nautilus engineer pleads guilty to covering up discharges, 412; U.S. court orders operator to pay $2M fine, 702
– – Panama company settles felony charges with $1.25M fine, 968
– – Portuguese tanker operator faces $1M fine for waste oil discharge, 271
– – South Korean ship captain sentenced for failure to report illegal dumping, 24; shipping firm fined for falsifying records, 505
– – Spanish ship operator pleads guilty, agrees to pay fine, 324

– Pacific Adventurer spill, Australia state negotiates $21M for cleanup and damages, 757
– Railcar derailment, Canada, Alberta fines railroad, 499
– Refinery valve malfunction, Brazil state issues fine, In Brief, 411
– Tanker accident, Argentina city of Magdalena settles damages claim with Shell, 506
– Tugboat sinks in Amazon River, Brazil, In Brief, 563

ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)

– Biotechnology, report advises increased investment in applications to alternative energy, agriculture, 577
– Chemical testing

– – Eye corrosives and irritants, adoption of in vitro methods, 853
– – Guidelines, updated list released, 340; U.S. updates guidelines for consistency with OECD standards, 364; new, updated guidelines released, In Brief, 896

– Climate change

– – Emissions reduction, cost-effective actions, In Brief, 857
– – Environmental regulators must work with development community to promote low carbon future, Jackson reports on meeting, 523
– – Global efforts depend on U.S. making deeper emissions reductions, report says, 22

– Ecological tax reform, Finland could improve environmental performance, report says, 545
– Energy subsidy elimination would reduce global GHG emissions 10 percent, policy brief says, 888
– Enforcement, China regulatory framework in place, implementation still lacking, report says, 32
– Fuel taxes

– – Austria, report recommends increase to boost energy efficiency, 648
– – Belgium, report recommends diesel increase to boost cleaner fuel use, 649

– Hazardous waste, U.S. reviews rule harmonizing standards on shipments, 922
– Kyoto Protocol, joint expert group releases reports supporting Phase 2 talks, 575
– Nanotechnology

– – Potential benefits, dangers to environment and health considered at conference, 717
– – Research database, member nations compile, 39; global database launched to track safety research, 340

– Outlook 2009, SplRpt (1/7/09) S–6
– Pentabromodiphenyl ether, member states urged to review risks, 154
– Petroleum taxes, France should correct inconsistencies to increase effectiveness of levy, report says, 402
– Sustainable development, ministers issue policy statement, directive to promote green growth strategy, 630
– Urban development, panel sees opportunity to boost economies through environmental sustainability, 341

OZONE

– Air quality index, China adds to measurements, 238
– Air quality standards

– – Canada, New Brunswick unveils implementation plan, 21
– – EU pollutants down, ozone persists, In Brief, 693
– – Italy, urban concentrations rose in past year, report says, 777

– Indoor air quality, Canada drafts residential guidelines, In Brief, 326

OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES

– Chillers, UN-French GEF agree to replace refrigeration systems in 6 African countries, 764
– Chlorofluorocarbons, Japan increases disposal by 15 percent in fiscal 2008, 662
– Exemptions, EU updates law, review of existing products pending, 257
– Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, India announces phaseout plan, seeks financial aid, 929
– Hydrofluorocarbons, North American nations propose limits on use, 875
– Management, Canada plans to regulate substances at end of useful life, 499
– Methyl chloroform, China ban, In Brief, 758
– Nitrous oxide potential greater than any other substance, study finds, 804
– Refrigerators, Brazil proposes recycling program, 141
– Trade restrictions, Russia, In Brief, 826