Group items tagged

Excessive use of fertilizer is polluting China's soils, in addition to their water from agricultural run-off, a new report from Science reveals. The report details the acidification and rates of nitrogen specifically in the North China Plain and the Taihu Lake region in south China.

"Today, the State Council announced that China will commit to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP, or carbon intensity, by 40 to 45 percent of 2005 levels by 2020. It was also announced separately by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Premier Wen Jiabao (also the chair of the State Council, and pictured right, showing what President Hu meant by a "notable margin"…at least in my imagination) will attend the Copenhagen climate conference that begins in less than two weeks."

"Great news coming out of Beijing: The horrific air pollution there has inspired the local government to implement a slew of great reforms and initiatives to get people out of their cars, and onto their bikes. Biking in China is back!"

"China now has the fastest train in the world. It runs from the central city of Wuhan down to the south coast, at a speed of more than 380km/h."

"Chinese investment in clean energy soared by more than 50 percent in 2009 to reach $34.6 billion," which is about double the US.

"But some positive news from the biggest developing nations--China, India, and Brazil--have encouraged the proceedings. Each has pledged to reduce carbon emissions on some level, and Obama has put forward an emissions reduction target based on the climate bill that passed the House of Representatives last summer. At 17% below 2005 levels, it's hardly what the international community was looking for--but it's progress nonetheless. Most importantly, hope seems to be in the air--real progress can be made in the coming days."

"The Middlemist's Red exists in only two known locations: a greenhouse in the UK, and a garden in New Zealand. Imported to Britain two hundred years ago from China, back when flowers where a luxury item, it has since been exterminated in its original homeland. The flower is in bloom for the next couple of weeks, and will be the star attraction at the reopening of the Chiswick House, the BBC reports."

"It is an irony not lost on the Chinese that the Year of the Tiger has not been good for the big cats. Back-to-back tragedies have spurred calls for greater legal protections for animals."

Research by Dr Johnathan Kool of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University, and his colleagues, has established that the richest marine region on Earth - the Coral Triangle between Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines - depends vitally for its diversity and resilience on coral and fish larvae swept in from the South China Sea and Solomon Islands.

"Just as climate talks hit their lowest point, Hillary Clinton descended on Copenhagen like a deus ex machina, putting on the table $100 billion in climate aid for developing nations per year through 2020, provided that a deal can be reached with China over making its climate change efforts more transparent. "

11 rare and endangered Siberian Tigers starved to death while confined to 'cold, cramped metal cages' at the Shenyang Forest Wild Animal Zoo in China's North-East. This treatment raises questions about China's conservation efforts, suggesting that "zoos and wildlife parts may be deliberately breeding more animals than they can afford, hoping to sell off the carcasses onto a black market where tiger parts fetch a high price for use in traditional medicines and liquor."