Feature Article

China's rapid economic growth over the last two decades has brought numerous environmental problems. Today, China contains seven of the ten most pollluted cities in the world and is now the second largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, behind the United States.

Could biofuels do more damage to the climate than the fossil fuels they replace?

Renewable energy will contribute 10% of China's energy consumption by 2010, forecasts the country's latest 5-year plan.

Climate change, growing populations and political concerns are prompting governments and investors from California to China to take a fresh look at desalination : a report. March 20, 2008

Global warming is already taking its toll. In Darfur, where several hundred thousand people have died in recent years from the internal conflict, climate change has exacerbated water and land shortages (because of growing desertification), undermined agriculture, and fueled conflict over these scarce resources among the poor. March 2008

Do the math: affordable new technologies can prevent global warming while fostering growth. March 2008

South Asia being an energy-deficit region, there is a strong case for developing regional cooperation in this sector. This may take different forms. India has surplus petroleum refining capacity while other countries in the region are importers of petroleum products. The real benefits will accrue from cooperation in power generation.

The EU Commission's climate package calls for a 20-per-cent reduction in emissions by 2020, a fact that may indicate they do not expect an ambitious international agreement. March 2008

Carbon neutrality has never been more highly prized. Half of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions come from the guts of sheep and cows; Norway spews ever more gases from its North Sea oil platforms; Iceland has soaring emissions thanks to its aluminium smelters. But all have promised to cut their emissions to zero by becoming founding members of the Climate Neutral Network, set up by the UN Environment Programme at a meeting in Monaco last week. Feb 27, 2008

Energy security has to go hand in hand with economic development and environmental protection.