(May 12, 2011) Chinese farmer Liu Jiuchuan is perhaps an unlikely supporter of activist and artist Ai Weiwei, whose detention last month on suspicion of economic crimes sparked uproar around the world.
FP Letters to the Editor: We are green, EDC says
(May 12, 2011) Re: “Greening Harper,” Lawrence Solomon, May 7
Five Dams Approved in Chile’s Patagonian Wilderness
(May 11, 2011) A complex multi-dam hydroelectric scheme that conservationists fear will destroy the character of one of Chile’s most important wild regions was approved Monday by the Aysén Environmental Review Commission.
Protests after Chile backs giant dams in Patagonia’s valleys
(May 10, 2011) Activists fear ecological haven will be destroyed but government says project is vital for economic growth
Chileans protest government approval of five Patagonia dams
(May 10, 2011) Dam projects are drawing increased criticism in South America, which boasts three of the world’s four biggest hydroelectric dam complexes. Chile is pushing forward with a $7 billion dam project.
China and the Cascading Geopolitics of Lower Mekong Dams
(May 10, 2011) Much has been written on the downstream impact of China’s dams on the Lancang-Mekong River, which flows through or along the borders of five other countries after exiting China. Most of the discussion relates to the hydrological impact of impounding water in the eight dams along the mainstream Lancang Jiang in Yunnan Province.
Chilean panel OKs huge dam project in Patagonia
(May 10, 2011) A $7 billion project to dam two wild rivers for electricity won environmental approval Monday from a Chilean government commission, despite a groundswell of opposition.
HidroAysen Patagonia Dam Project Awaits Government Approval
(May 9, 2011) The HidroAysen dam project in Patagonia is awaiting government signoff.
China to uproot 240,000 from disaster-prone areas
(May 7, 2011) Authorities plan to move nearly a quarter of a million people this year from disaster-prone areas in northern China into newly-built homes, state media reported Saturday.
Cancel the Xayaburi Dam
(May 6, 2011) The Save the Mekong coalition and its alliances have called for the halt of construction activity at the dam site and for the Government of Thailand to cancel its plans to purchase the dam’s electricity. Many groups from around the Mekong region have also called for cancellation of the Xayaburi Dam as it would jeopardize the livelihoods and food security of millions of people in the region.
Farming with China’s toxic soil
(May 6, 2011) Peasant farmer Wang Tao used to grow corn, potatoes and wheat within a stone’s throw of a dumping ground for rare earths waste until toxic chemicals leaked into the water supply and poisoned his land.
Beijing off the deep end
(May 6, 2011) Beijing really is trying to turn its water dilemma around. This Circle of Blue – Reporting the Global Water Crisis spotlight looks at what action the city’s municipal government is taking to reverse the capital’s water crunch but finds, in spite of acting with speed and authority, current measures are not fast or strong enough. Zhang Junfeng, a Beijing-based engineer and environmental activist, who has been researching Beijing’s water crisis for years, tells Circle of Blue the government still doesn’t clearly recognize the true extent of its problem and seems to think that as long as the country’s GDP is growing, the capital “can just buy the water” it needs. Not realizing that without water, hoped-for growth will falter.
Water woes to dry out bathhouses
(May 5, 2011) Beijing water authorities have revealed a plan to keep the capital’s wells running until 2014. Meanwhile they will cease offering approval for the development of luxurious bathhouses in order to tackle Beijing’s worsening water supply shortage.
Bankers join environmentalists in alarm over Beijing’s water crisis
(May 5, 2011) Beijing’s water shortage is one of the main factors thwarting the region’s sustainable economic growth, say bankers who have joined environmentalists in sounding the alarm over the city’s “chronic water deficit.”
Beijing Limits Water Consumption by Enterprises
(May 4, 2011) The Beijing municipal government will tighten controls on water consumption by enterprises this year to ensure they continue to economize on water usage, a Beijing Water Authority official said Tuesday.
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