(September 25, 2007) The U.S. Senate is, once again, demanding more anti-corruption reforms at the World Bank before it hands over American tax dollars to keep the institution afloat.
Negotiate, Don’t Litigate, World Bank Urges Debtors
(September 25, 2007) The World Bank has issued a discussion paper [PDF] in which its unnamed authors dismiss the concept of odious debts as “controversial” and attempts to define it as having met with “insurmountable difficulties.”
Lawyers And Activists Set To Develop Odious Debts Strategy
(September 25, 2007) In the first of its kind, top legal scholars and Third World debt activists will meet next week to develop ways that will allow public international and private law to assess outstanding loans for their legitimacy and ultimate cancellation.
Ecuador Launches Historic Debt Audit Commission
(September 25, 2007) The Ecuadorian Ministry of Economy and Finance announced on July 23 that it was launching the world’s first debt audit commission.
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand: Thailand signs Laos power purchase
(September 8, 2007) http://www.bangkokpost.com/
Thai company warned of more violence at Salween hydrodam site
(September 7, 2007) http://www.irrawaddy.org
1948: How Peaceful was the Liberation of Beiping?
(September 5, 2007) In June 1966, at the start of the Cultural Revolution, Red Guards set about ransacking houses all over Beijing. One of their targets was the philosopher and former political activist Zhang Dongsun.
Europe sees high fences around China energy
(September 5, 2007) A strong bias toward local producers and rigid price controls hinder European investors from making significant inroads into China’s vast energy sector.
China shuts down 400 heavy polluting factories
(September 5, 2007) The country’s environmental watchdog has shut down 400 factories since the July launch of a national campaign to tackle water pollution and clean up industries along major waterways, including the Yellow and the Yangtze rivers.
China’s renewable energy targets will include large-scale hydro – state planner
(September 4, 2007) Large-scale hydropower development in the country’s southwest will be integral to China’s plans to lift the proportion of renewable energy in its total energy mix to 15% by 2020, said Chen Deming, vice-director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
China plans $265 billion renewables spending
(September 4, 2007) China plans to invest RMB ¥2 trillion (US$265 billion) in renewable energy by 2020, most of it corporate cash, to wean itself off polluting coal as it aims for cleaner growth. Over half the proposed investment will go into large dams.
Crude oil pipeline leak pollutes entire city’s water supply
(September 3, 2007) Wangyao Reservoir, the main water supply for 2.15 million residents in Yan’an, was polluted by crude oil leaking from a broken pipeline on Saturday. The pipeline, which belongs to the Changqing Oil Field, was broken by a landslide. The leaked oil quickly spread over eight kilometres of the Xingzihe River.
China steps up ‘green power’ pressure
(September 2, 2007) China’s State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) has stepped up the pressure on electricity suppliers to ‘go green’. It will assume nationwide oversight over power companies that are required under the country’s renewable energy law to prioritize purchases of the maximum amount of ‘green’ electricity.
Towards negotiated flows in the transboundary Mekong river basin: Se San River
(September 1, 2007) See this slide show presented to the River Symposium in Brisbane, Australia.
Facts on the South-North Water Diversion Scheme – Western Route
(August 31, 2007) A series of at least six high dams and seven long tunnels taking water from the upper reaches of the Yangtze over hundreds of kilometres through unstable terrain to the upper reaches of Yellow River.
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