THE GALLON ENVIRONMENT LETTER
Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment
Institut Canadien du Commerce et de l'environnement
506 Victoria Ave., Montreal, Quebec H3Y 2R5
Ph. (514) 369- 0230, Fax (514) 369- 3282
Email [log in to unmask]
Vol. 2, No. 24, September 11, 1998
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INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL
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CORRUPTION AND THE MISMANAGEMENT OF NATIONS
Corruption and the illegal management of a country’s wealth is leading
to economic chaos and collapse in many nations. Countries like Indonesia,
Russia, and even Japan have allowed favours and special considerations
to get in the way of proper free enterprise management. It results in a
failure to manage the countries’ natural resources and a failure to reinvest
in the countries’ economic development.
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GROWTH IN US $390 BILLION WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL
MARKET BROUGHT TO A HALT
As corruption and economic stress reduces the ability of countries to
clean up, the US$390 billion a year world environment market is
staggering to a halt in its 8% annual growth, and it is beginning slide
backwards. .....................,,..............................
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THE WORLD BANK NEEDS TO STOP FUNDING CORRUPTION,
IN INDONESIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES
One of the problems is that government leaders that have drained
their own countries dry, are the ones that the World Bank and the
IMF have had to deal with. For decades the matter of corruption has
been kept under wraps by the World Bank and IMF. But the collapse
of Indonesia’s economy, has blown the cover. Major environmental
organizations lead by the relatively conservation Environmental
Defense Fund (EDF) have written a letter to the World Bank demanding
it take action on the corruption issue. The letter was sent to the President
of the World Bank, James Wolfensohn. Here is what it says, in part,
“We are writing
to...................,,..............................,,....................
................,,........................,,.............................,,.
...........................
For a complete copy of the letter contact, Environmental Defense Fund,
at ................address...................,,............................,,
email...............
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U.S. $200 BILLION SHIFTED ILLEGALLY/SEMI- LEGALLY
OUT OF RUSSIA SINCE 1992
The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business (ROB) reports that,
“more than $72 billion in capital has left Russia illegally or semi
legally in the past three years, contributing to the collapse of the
Russian ruble, a new study has found.” The ROB goes on to say,
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MEETING IN VIENNA ON CDM AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is
sponsoring a meeting in Vienna, Austria, October 1 and 2, 1998 on the
“Clean Development Mechanism” defined in the Kyoto Protocol to
help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The meeting of experts is expected
to.................................................,
Contact .......................,,
address...............................,,...........website........
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CDM, EMISSIONS TRADING, AND JOINT IMPLEMENTATION
JUST HOT GAS, SAYS DENMARK
Denmark's Minister of Environment and Energy Svend Auken has
expressed serious concern about the inability of the greenhouse gas
(GHG) reduction "flexible mechanisms" like emissions trading, clean
development mechanisms (CDM), and joint implementation (JI) to
actually reduce GHG emissions. Speaking at the Offshore Northern
Seas oil and gas conference, Auken
claimed.....................,,....................
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CANADA'S CLIMATE CHANGE VOLUNTARY
CHALLENGE & REGISTRY INC.
Since its inception last October, the Voluntary Challenge and Registry
(VCR) Inc. has completed its transition from a government-incubated program
to a not-for-profit corporation, funded jointly by the private sector and
government. To date VCR Inc. has
....................,,..................,,..........
Contact
.......................,,..........................address,..............pho
ne............
Website.................................
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ALBERTA’S OIL AND COAL COALITION, “AREA”
TO HOST NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE
The Alliance for Responsible Environmental Alternatives (AREA),
created in Alberta by the fossil fuel industry to question meaningful
action in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Canada, will host its
fourth annual National Climate Change Conference, September ...
..................,,.............contact
..................................................,,
,,,,,......................website........................
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MEETING WITH JAPANESE INDUSTRY LEADERS
Japan plans to achieve a 3.7% reduction through carbon sinks and the
remainder through energy conservation measures. The Japanese lack
capability in forestation/forest management related to carbon sinks.
Also, Japan plans to increase its nuclear capacity from 52 to 72 power
plants, to achieve national energy self-sufficiency. In the mid-term,
the Japanese project an increase in coal usage. The Japanese
government has
identified................,,......................,,.........................
.........................,,...................contact....................,
address.........phone
website ..............................
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ACT NOW ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Letter to the Editor, The Gallon Environment Letter,
By the time the doubters of whether or not we have global warming, ozone,
depletion, etc., are (if ever) satisfied that enough "evidence" has been
collected to vote affirmative, we will be far enough into the effect(s)
that reversal will be difficult, if not impossible, without some currently
unforeseen technological advancement and/or unprecedented advent of a
worldwide spirit of cooperation. We can't afford to wait until enough
"evidence" is collected. We must assume that these effects have begun and
take measures now to minimize them (since we probably cannot stop or
reverse them in the "short term," whatever that may be). Ray Gallucci,
Senior Nuclear Engineer, Rochester, NY, email [log in to unmask]
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MONTREAL PROTOCOL FUND GIVES US$ 760 MILLION
FOR CFC AND OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCE REDUCTION
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer has a
Multilateral Fund, which helps pay developing country (and Soviet Block
country) costs incurred and to promote the transfer of alternative substances
and technologies. The Multilateral Fund of the Protocol has disbursed about
$US 760 million to more than 100 developing countries to phase out more
than half of their CFC consumption. For more information contact ...........
.............................,,................,.................,,.........
...............
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OECD CONSUMPTION OF CFC’S AND OZONE DEPLETING
SUBSTANCES DROPS FROM 1 MILLION TONNES TO 15,000 TONNES
In 1986, before the signing of the Montreal Protocol (Sept. 1987),
the consumption of CFCs in the industrialized countries was about
1 million tonnes. Twelve years later the consumption in the OECD
countries has been completely phased out apart from about 15,000
tonnes for permitted essential uses only. The Website of the
Ozone Secretariat at http://www.....................................
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RUSSIA, INDIA AND 3RD WORLD PRODUCTION OF CFCS
JUMP UP FROM 15% IN 1986 TO 80% IN 1996
Ten years ago, the share of India, Brazil and other developing countries and
the
Russian Federation (then USSR) in the total production of CFCs was 15
per cent. In 1996, it was 80 per cent. For halons, the share was 7
per cent ten years ago. Today, it is 100 per cent. UNEP’s Toepfer
warns that, "the responsibility for saving the ozone layer is now to a
large extent with the developing countries.
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1998 STATE OF THE WORLD POPULATION RELEASED BY
UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on September 2, 1998,
published its "State of World Population 1998" report. The report
found that ,...............................,,.............................
If world fertility rates drop to two births per woman, as the U.N.
hopes, the population will reach 9.4 billion in 2050. If fertility drops
only slightly from the current rate of 2.8 births per woman, the
population will hit 11.2 billion in 52 years. If the fertility rate
doesn't drop at all, the population will near 15 billion by then and
keep going. The full report can be dowloaded in PDF from the web site .......
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ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION FOR MILITARY
Are you running a military base? Do you want your soldiers to clean up?
Then go the DENIX website called the Defense Environmental Network
& Information Exchange. DENIX is designed to give any military official
in any country, and the general public access to environmental
legislative, compliance, restoration, cleanup, safety and occupational
health, and security related to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
Website at ......................,,.................,,,......................
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WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN LATIN AMERICA
An International Workshop sponsored by the Water Environment
Federation (WEF) and the InterAmerican Association of Sanitary
Engineering and Environmental Sciences (AIDIS), will be held
at the Orange County Convention Center Orlando, Florida,
October 3, 1998. To date,...................,,.................,,.............
Contact
................................,,............,,website.....................
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GREENER PURCHASING OPPORTUNITIES AND INNOVATIONS
“Greener Purchasing Opportunities and Innovations”, ( ISBN 1 874719 04 7)
was published September 1998 to provide some possible answers to the
above questions and to facilitate the development and dissemination of best
practice worldwide. Cost US$35.00 for hardback, pp. 328. It is
...................
......................,, contact,..........................., address,
.....................phone
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CHINA ADMITS POOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
CONTRIBUTED TO FLOOD DISASTER
Chinese government officials have made an unusual admission that its
land-use policies are partially responsible for the flooding currently
devastating southern and northeastern China. Causes include clear-cutting of
forests,
land clearing and topsoil removal, and allowing growing populations
to build villages in flood zones. Source: New York Times, 26 August 1998.
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PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS ACCOUNTING
The U.K. Greenleaf Publishing company released its new publication,
“The Green Bottom Line:, Environmental Accounting for Management
— Current Practice and Future Trends”. Cost, US$65.00 in hardback,
pp. 432. It provides ,..............................,,
..........................
Address,................,,...........................,, phone ...............,
website
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COMMERCIAL LOGGING BLAMED IN PART FOR
INDIAN LANDSLIDES
Mankind played a hand in giant landslides that are feared to have
killed hundreds in the Himalayan hills of north India this week,
experts said. Amid reports that the death toll from the landslides
could top 300, a finger of accusation was pointed at deforestation
on the steep foothills of the world's highest mountains. "Landslides
of the sort we have been witnessing in the Himalayan region have
nothing to do with nature's fury a popular explanation to cover man's
rapacious plunder and neglect of the environment," The Times of India
wrote in an editorial.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SUFFERS LACK OF ATTENTION
IN ISRAELI PALESTINIAN DISPUTE
Palestinians have accused Israeli companies of dumping hazardous
waste materials in the West Bank. Middle East Correspondent, Paul
Adams, reports. The earth in the West Bank village of Azun is being
corroded by waste. There is everything from old fertiliser to anti-
corrosion chemicals used on ships. It is all dumped at night and most
of it comes from Israel, Palestinian’s report. Local doctors say illegal
dumping is destroying the village. .......................,, more
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CLEAN WATER SUPPLY TOP ISSUE BETWEEN ISRAEL
AND PALESTINE
In a story written by Reuters New Service, “Palestinians accused Israel
of denying them water so children went thirsty while neighbouring
Jewish settlers watered their gardens and filled swimming pools.”
Palestinian officials in the West Bank told Israeli legislators visiting
Hebron that Israel was pumping only half of the daily allotment of
17,000 cubic metres (595,000 cubic feet) of water promised to the
city and nearby areas under interim peace deals, said Isa Atallah, head
of the Palestinian Water Authority in Hebron...........................
........................... more ...................................,,
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UNCTAD REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL
EMISSIONS TRADING OF GHG’S
A report issued recently at the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD) provides a thorough introduction
to international emissions trading as a tool for reducing emissions
of greenhouse gases. ..............mmore inform at ...............website
...................................,,............................address....
..................
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HONG KONG HOLDING BUSINESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
CONFERENCE
Businessmen will discuss how to protect the environment at a four-day
conference at the Seventh Annual Business & Industry Environment
Conference & Exhibition, organised by the Centre of Environmental
Technology Ltd. It will be held between September .............,,
................
at address ................................,, .................
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REPORT ON US $100 BILLION ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
MARKET IN CENTRAL EUROPE
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC)
completed a study, “The Environmental Technology Market in Central and
Eastern Europe - An Overview of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,
Slovakia and Slovenia”. The REC reports that as the countries of Central
and Eastern Europe continue their transition to a market economy and
prepare for European Union accession, the market for environmental
technologies and services is experiencing strong growth. It is estimated
that environmental investments totaling US $100 to $150 billion
will be needed in the ten accession countries over the coming years in
order to comply with EU environmental requirements. The REC survey
describes......................,,......................,,.................
Address.................... website..............
email................,,.................
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LATEST U.S. EPA EFFORTS TO IMPROVE DRINKING WATER
The U.S. EPA recently released its first annual national assessment of
drinking water system compliance, entitled "Providing Safe Drinking Water
in America1996 National Public Water System Annual Compliance Report and
Update on Implementation of the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments."
Based on the most recently available .............................. okay
.......................
Contact, ..........................name .......................
address.............. website...........
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Copyright (c) 1998 Canadian Institute for
Business and the Environment, Montreal
All rights reserved.
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