USAID RDM/A Regional Environment Office Weekly Report Week Ending December 14, 2007

Network of Asian Environmental Agencies Endorse Stronger Enforcement of Environmental Laws. Environmental agency leaders from 12 Asian nations and the United States affirmed their commitment to principles of environmental compliance and enforcement at the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN) Regional Forum in Beijing on December 13-15, 2007. AECEN serves as a platform for Asian-based environmental-agency enforcement authorities to share experiences and create innovative solutions at the national and regional levels, and is funded by USAID and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The theme of the Beijing forum was public participation in environmental compliance and enforcement in Asia, and speakers included Zhang Lijun, the Vice Minister of China’s State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), and Granta Y. Nakayama, the Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). The keynote address was delivered by Professor Wang Canfa of the China University of Political Science and Law and Director of the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims. In addition to USAID and ADB, SEPA, U.S. EPA, American Bar Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Vermont Law School supported the meeting.

Shoddy Lights Threaten Climate Change Mitigation Efforts, Consumer Confidence. A new regional analysis claims that consumer confidence in energy-efficient lights could be severely undermined unless industry and governments join forces to eliminate shoddy products flooding the markets of developing Asian countries. Asian consumers have a 50-50 chance of buying sub-standard compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), according to a report released by USAID’s Environmental Cooperation-Asia (ECO-Asia) Clean Development and Climate Program. The report recommends that a viable, regional quality control scheme for CFLs needs to be developed in the next 12 to 18 months. If no action is taken, the report warns that climate change mitigation efforts, which involve replacing old-fashioned light bulbs with energy efficient lights, could lead to “a large-scale policy failure.” To request a copy of the complete report, email communications@cleanenergyasia.net.

Bamboo Products Provide Sustainable Livelihoods for Communities in Vietnam. With USAID assistance, forest-dependent communities in Vietnam are producing bamboo incense sticks using new technologies that improve income while reducing the impact on forest resources. Household bamboo stick making is a vital part of the livelihoods of hundreds of poor families in the area surrounding the Cat Tien National Park and unmanaged exploitation of natural bamboo is a major cause of forest degradation and depletion. Bamboo's environmental benefits are numerous: it matures in three years, regenerates without having to be replanted, and doesn't need pesticides or fertilizers. Usage of bamboo for timber, paper and other products helps reduce consumption of slower regenerating wood and therefore, reduce deforestation. Through new technologies and market access provided by the USAID-funded Asia Regional Biodiversity Conservation Program (ARBCP), communities are able to increase their revenue, while using only half of the amount of bamboo from the forest.

Designing a Cleaner Future for Coal. Efforts to increase the efficiency of coal-fired plants could help slash one billion metric tons of projected carbon dioxide emissions every year, by 2035, according to a regional analysis prepared by USAID’s Environmental Cooperation-Asia (ECO-Asia) Clean Development and Climate Program. Coal currently supplies nearly half of the primary energy in developing Asian countries and its continued use is vital to these countries’ current and future economic growth. With coal use rising sharply, it is essential to take viable and cost-effective steps to increase the efficiency of coal combustion and reduce the local and greenhouse gas pollutants associated with burning coal. The report reviews the present and proposed use of cleaner coal technologies in the Asian region, identifies the barriers impeding the deployment of these technologies, and recommends initiatives to address these barriers. To request a copy of the report, email communications@cleanenergyasia.net.