Mar. 29, 2024


English Stories from the Chinese Press July 12th - 21st

Water

Taking aim at illegal land reclamation

China’s coastal regions were asked to rectify improper and illegal land reclamation practices after inspections exposed issues that could cause damage to marine ecosystems. Local authorities also failed to contain nearshore pollution and protect the marine ecology amid lack of supervision.

Yangpu launches effort to clean up Fuxing Island

The island on the Huangpu River has a rich history and attractive scenery. Recently though, residents have complained about a proliferation of illegal structures, as well as fire hazards posed by small workshops. Residents complain about noxious open-sewage ditches built by inhabitants of these structures, as well as noise and pollution kicked up by heavy vehicles which often pass outside the community.

HK launches campaign for plastic-free beaches

Members of the public as well as eateries on beaches and nearby areas are encouraged to cut down on using disposable plastic utensils and tableware. Speaking at the campaign’s launch ceremony, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing said the problem of excessive plastic waste is pressing and worldwide; and it is a global challenge to prevent plastic waste from entering the marine environment.

Chinese diving duo changing lives, just one shark at a time

In October 2017, 25-year-old Dong Yani and 22-year-old Wang Qiming, who were studying in the United States, spent one month working alongside Spanish marine scientist Pelayo Salinas de León in the Galapagos Islands. After they graduated and came back to China, they founded project OrcaVida (WeChat: OrcaVida 生活旅行家) to organize marine welfare events and share their diving experience following the goal of protecting the marine animals and environment.

Air

China issues white paper on ecological progress on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The central and local governments have carried out a number of environmental protection projects for comprehensive improvement of river basins, improvement of urban and rural living conditions, and prevention and control of pollution from factories and mines. "The air quality is little impacted, the types of pollutants are few and the density is low, and the content of pollutants is similar to those at the North Pole," the white paper said.

Apple launches US$300m 'green' fund for China suppliers

Apple said on Friday it has established a fund to invest nearly US$300 million over the next four years to connect its Chinese suppliers to renewable energy as China pushes an anti-pollution drive. It and 10 initial suppliers would jointly provide the money for the China Clean Energy Fund, aimed at helping the companies make the transition to clean energy. Apple said the project would produce an initial one gigawatt of clean energy, equivalent to powering nearly a million homes.

Five-year plan sets targets for cleaner city air

Shanghai has set a target for clean air, aiming to bring down the average density of tiny particle PM2.5 to 37 micrograms per cubic meter by 2020 and below 35 by 2022. The city government has approved the five-year (2018-2022) draft plan for cleaner air. The plan states the Air Quality Index shall not be higher than 100 for at least 80 percent of the year. Heavily polluted days — with AQI higher than 200 — is expected to be a thing of the past by 2020.

Rocket technologies adapted for China's cleaner coal use

China lacks petroleum and natural gases, but has relatively abundant coal resources. Clean and high-efficient utilization of coal is important to ensure its energy security and sustainable development. Currently, China has three methods of coal utilization: burning directly, coking and gasification. Gasification is the cleanest, but most complicated use of coal. It can be used to produce chemical raw materials and clean fuels. Only 7 percent of coal resources are currently processed this way.

 

Energy

Fossil-fuel doublespeak: How policymakers have fallen for industry's emissions rhetoric

Since the Paris climate agreement was signed in 2015, too many policymakers have fallen for the oil and gas industry’s rhetoric about how it can help to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Tall tales about “clean coal,” “oil pipelines to fund clean energy,” and “gas as a bridge fuel” have coaxed governments into rubber-stamping new fossil-fuel projects, even though current fossil-fuel production already threatens to push temperatures well beyond the Paris agreement’s limit.

Ecology

9th Arctic research expedition leaves Shanghai

This expedition will push forward the country's construction of an observation network in the Arctic and conduct research in some key areas like the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea and high latitude zones of the Arctic Ocean. Research will also be done on hot issues such as the ecological environment, fishing resources and new types of pollutants in the Arctic. Radionuclide, marine microplastics and ocean acidification are all subjects among their research.




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