Publications From Other Sources

Learn more about the environment in Asian countries from the following resources:

Global

• The Little Green Data Book (The World Bank)
• Country Profile and/or State of Environment (UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
• Country Environmental Factsheets (The World Bank)
• Key World Energy Statistics 2007 (International Energy Agency)
• Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (UNEP)

Singapore

• Singapore Nature Map (Website)
• National Energy Policy Report (Ministry of Trade and Industry)
• Energy Efficient Singapore (National Environment Agency)
• ABC Waters Programme (Public Utilities Board)
• Green Mark Scheme (Building and Construction Authority)
• Key Environmental Statistics 2007 (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• NEA Annual Report 2006/2007 (National Environment Agency)
• NParks Annual Report 2006/2007 (National Parks Board)
• National Climate Change Strategy (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• Singapore Green Plan 2012 (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• State of the Environment 2005 Report (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• PUB Annual Report 2005 (Public Utilities Board)
• Guidebook on Waste Minimisation for Industries (National Environment Agency)

Hong Kong

• Environment Hong Kong 2007 (Environmental Protection Department)
• EPD Environmental Performance Report 2007 (Environmental Protection Department)

Japan

• Annual Report on the Environment and the Sound Material-Cycle Society in Japan 2007 (Ministry of the Environment)
• Annual Report on the Environment in Japan 2006 (Ministry of the Environment)
• Outline of the Basic Environment Plan (Ministry of the Environment)

South Korea

• Green Korea 2006 (Ministry of Environment)

Green Investments Summit 2009

February 9, 2009

to

February 11, 2009

Add an unprecedented escalation in global energy and commodity prices with the current demise of the investment sector and we have in our hands one of the biggest financial crisis in history.

What you do now? Find the silver lining of course. The best of opportunities often rise from the worst of crisis.

“Going Green” is no longer simply taking an “environmental friendly” mind-set. It is now a full-fledged profit play.

With this in mind, Finance Connection is proud to introduce Green Investments Summit 2009. With the theme, “Generating Unique Investment Perspectives and Partnerships for Clean Technology, Socially Responsible Companies and Capital Owners”, GIS 2009 is an ideal platform for investors, governments, project owners and intermediaries to discuss and debate on the exciting opportunities for green investments in Asia. Look forward to hear from the best of minds on what you need to do to maximise your returns.

The potential for Renewable Energy Investments sees no end but seats to this event are limited. Join us this 9-11 February 2009 in Hong Kong.

Register now in 3 simple ways:

1) Email marketing@alleventsgroup.com

2) Call us at +65 6506 0965

3) Log on to http://www.alleventsgroup.com/greeninvest2009

AsiaIsGreen is the marketing partner of Green Investments Summit 2009.

News on plastic bags in Japan and Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, a leading supermarket chain has started charging customers an optional 20 Hong Kong cents each for a biodegradable shopping bag. This is in response to the government’s plan to introduce an environmental levy of 50 Hong Kong cents each on plastic shopping bags soon. More on the news from The Straits Times website. And if you’re interested in the proposal on the levy on plastic bags, details are available from the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department website.

In Japan, more customers agree to the charge on plastic bags than those that oppose, and 60% of customers bring their own bags. Read more from the Japan for Sustainability article below.

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60% of Shoppers Carry Own Shopping Bags, 12% Always Decline Free Plastic Bags

Japan’s Ministry of the Environment released on May 30, 2007 the results of two surveys conducted in March, 2007: one survey on “customers’ utilization of plastic shopping bags and their awareness of the system for promotion of sorted collection and recycling of containers and packaging” and another survey on “retailers’ efforts to reduce the consumption of plastic shopping bags.”

The results show that, during the week before the survey, 85.0 percent of the customers received free plastic shopping bags every time they went shopping and only 11.9 percent did not.

Approximately 60 percent of those surveyed have their own shopping bags, showing that the practice of utilizing reusable shopping bags has become popular to some extent. Regarding the issue of charging for plastic shopping bags, 46.4 percent of the respondents agreed with the idea, outnumbering those who opposed it (28.9%). The price they said they wouldn’t mind paying for plastic shopping bags varied: Five yen (4 US cents) was the most popular (36.0%), followed by one to two yen (0.8-1.6 US cents) (21.5%) and three to four yen (2.4-3.3 US cents) (10.3%). Those who were aware of the revised Containers and Packaging Recycling Law accounted for 59.8 percent of respondents.

The latter survey of retailers confirmed that about 40 percent of retailers have set numerical targets for reducing the number of plastic shopping bags they distribute. Among specific efforts for reducing plastic bag distribution, the most popular was offering services such as giving customers stamps when they bring their own shopping bags. Only 9.4 percent of retailers were charging for plastic shopping bags.

Source credit: Japan for Sustainability.

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Source: The Straits Times; Environmental Protection Department; Japan for Sustainability. Image attribution: KingOfHiking: (r) 愛, 回家.