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July 15th
柴油车“国四”标准实施在即 排放升级须监管从严-中国证券报 The National 4 standard on heavy diesel emission is about to be introduced (2+ years after it was meant to be implemented). It is expected to face many difficulties considering that parts of the country haven't reached National 3 standards and there are more and more old cars on the road and no real aftermarket emission systems upgrades.//我国乘用车国四排放标准实施以来，至今已有三年多时间，由于标准实施过程中执行不够严格，实施效果不尽如人意。当前，北京等地已实施“京五”排放标准，重型柴油车“国四”排放标准实施在即，只有全方位全环节的从严监管，才能保证排放标准切实执行，汽车工业的节能减排才能真正实现。
东三省水泥行业现状调查 产能严重过剩 违规扩建横-新华新闻/上海证券报 Dongbei has 50% overcapacity in cement and yet much capacity is still being added. 3 examples of illegal projects, in Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang. Along with steel, cement is one of the most energy intensive industries.//水泥产业属国家严格限制的产能过剩行业，尽管政策三令五申，但违规项目依然我行我素。根据2009年国务院《关于抑制部分行业产能过剩和重复建设引导产业健康发展若干意见的通知》（下称“38号文”），在2009年9月30日前尚未开工的水泥项目一律暂停建设，对确需建设的项目由国家发改委组织论证核准。2013年5月10日，国家发改委和工信部再次联合发布《关于坚决遏制产能过剩行业盲目扩张的通知》，要求坚决遏制水泥等过剩行业的盲目扩张，对未批先建、越权核准、边批边建的违规项目，尚未开工的不准开工，正在建设的要停止建设。
Related:Energy efficiency targets may be missed, Beijing economic planners admit - SCMP China said it may miss its five-year energy efficiency targets as local governments continue to rely on energy intensive industries to boost growth, despite damage to the environment. . . The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued that warning in a report this week. It also admitted for the first time that energy data collected at the local level was found to be overly optimistic in comparison to national data, hindering progress.
火电毛利六年最高 上网电价明年望每度下调0.08元 新华新闻/ 证券日报Low coal prices mean thermal power companies will have to adjust residential prices downwards, but not until January 1 of next year; in the meantime, what's bad for the coal industry is good for the electric industry.//煤价跌跌不休，电企受益于成本大降，早已摆脱了昔日亏损的困局，仅一季度，电力行业上市公司的净利润增速就创近三年新高，毛利率也创六年来最高。从电企的半年报业绩预告来看，电企今年上半年业绩可谓集体大增，其中，国投电力预报业绩增长更是高达57倍。
值得注意的是，按照煤电联动的新规则，当国内电煤价格波动幅度超过5%时，以年度为周期，相应调整上网电价。目前，煤价已经跌破5%的预警线，电价上调的呼声也日益高涨。
China Oil Data Show 1H Crude Runs up 4.1% on Year - WSJ China processed 236.79 million metric tons of crude oil in the first half of 2013, up 4.1% from a year earlier, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday.
Fuel price reform boost for Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical - SCMP - Sinopec's second-largest oil refinery reported a first-half profit, thanks to an upgrade that cut costs and Beijing changing the fuel mechanism... Wang quoted the National Development and Reform Commission, which said that current domestic fuel prices translate into crude costs of some US$7 to US$8 a barrel lower than international crude prices of around US$105.
河北污染企业顶风作案 基层官员对北京怨气重 新华新闻/ 经济参考报 7 of top 10 most polluted cities in China are in Hebei where local cadres are complaining about the pressure from the capital to stop polluting Beijing's air. Central government only matches 30% of funds for environmental projects and funds are tight already. Beijing can control car its own local car emissions; diesel is 5% of vehicles and 50% of NOX emissions (maybe the new Nat'l 4 standard will help)//北京、河北、天津、山西等地统称为环渤海经济圈，如今这些地方有了个尴尬的新名字，“环首都雾霾圈”。雾霾之下，无人能独善其身。道理显而易见，然而面对责任，区域内成员却开始互相推诿。...在北京看来，作为雾霾“首恶”的机动车尾气是其唯一能有所作为的。中国科学院大气物理研究所研究员王跃思告诉《经济参考报》记者，机动车尾气排放是北京PM 2.5(粒径在2.5微米以下的细颗粒物)的最大来源，约为四分之一。北京，这座产业结构、能源结构在全国遥遥领先的“首善之都”，一方面屡屡强调自己对于来自河北、山西的跨界大气污染“管不了”，一方面在治理尾气时因瞻前顾后寸步难行。
Nuclear Energy in a Changing China - AllThingsNuclear.com In the wake of the protests, the Jiangmen leadership took steps to educate its citizens about the safety risks and economic benefits of the CNNC fuel facility. In addition to sharing everything they learned from CNNC, the leaders invited nuclear energy experts from leading Chinese universities to give presentations to local groups concerned about the facility. The description of these efforts in the Nanfang Ribao story reminds me of presentations I received as a child from Baltimore Gas & Electric, which conducted a massive public relations campaign before building the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in my home state of Maryland.
天然气加气要多排半个小时队 青岛暂未涨价-半岛网/城市信报Qingdao has lots of taxis that use natural gas and it is taking half an hour longer to refill; drivers blame the July 10 increase in non-consumer natural gas prices.//“最近加气怎么这么难？平时最多半个小时加完了，最近这段时间没一两个小时加不上气”。14日上午，的哥衣先生打电话抱怨，最近加气难，常常需要排很长时间才能加上气。记者了解到，这与国家出台政策调整非民用天然气价格有关，但目前，岛城尚未出台涨价新规。
10,000 join Guangzhou refuse incineration protest - SCMP... Nearly 1,000 armed police officers were seen clearing the way for demonstrators, many of whom carried colourful flags and large banners criticising the incinerator plan. The sea of people appeared to stretch about a kilometre along the roads.
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July 14
中国民间试行有奖垃圾分类培养民众环保习惯-新华网Residents of two Beijing neighborhoods can earn points using a swipe card to sort their trash; points can then be exchanged for money. Smart trash cans in one Hangzhou neighborhood enable residents to win an IPhone 5 - and an annual winner can win the right to use a car for 5 years - and Shenzhen is setting up fixed times/places for collecting certain kinds of waste.// 新华网北京７月１５日电（孙伟丽 朱青 彭文卓）每天早上，北京市龙潭街道绿景馨园小区门口的分类垃圾收集点总是格外热闹，无论是送孩子上学的家长、上班的白领，还是晨练的大爷大妈，都在这里“刷卡”扔垃圾。
山东省环保厅发动网友“随手拍”污水- 搜狐/齐鲁网Shandong is enlisting the people in the war on sewage. They are encouraged to photograph drainage problems and upload photos information on pollution source, location, smell, color and downstream effect.//齐鲁网环保频道7月14日济南讯（记者 王娜娜）今天下午，济南吉华大厦会议室热闹非凡。下午三点，伴随着一阵阵热烈的掌声，山东省城市（含县城）建成区污水直排环境"随手拍"活动的启动仪式在这里隆重举行。为进一步加大全省重点流域污水直排河流的新闻宣传和舆论监督，推进全省水环境质量持续改善，山东省公益环保联合会（筹）与齐鲁网等省级媒体将于2013年7月15日在全省范围内开展污水直排环境"随手拍"活动。今天下午，这一备受瞩目的活动终于在济南正式启动，山东广播电视台总编辑吕芃、山东省环境保护厅副巡视员董秀娟等相关领导出席了此次启动仪式。
Villagers angry at losing Jiangmen uranium plant deal - SCMP Residents who stood to gain from relocation, compensation for processing plant project angry that protesters in Jiangmen won the day
Villagers there, who were slated to be compensated and relocated to make way for the 37 billion yuan (HK$46.4 billion) facility, suddenly found their hopes for a better life dashed..."I can't believe that we have had nothing again," one elderly villager told the Sunday Morning Post yesterday. "I almost got all the [relocation] money, but now we have to hand all of it back."
China's apparent oil demand in June surges 11.7% on year to 9.99 mil b/d - Platts China's apparent oil demand in June surged 11.7% year on year to 40.89 million mt, or an average 9.99 million b/d, according to Platts' estimates Monday, based on the latest preliminary government data.
国家能源局发布6月份全社会用电量-国家能源局Hydro generating capacity is up 9.7% versus June 2012. Nuclear generating capacity is up 16.7% versus last year. They have a nice table of data . . .National Energy Agency (NEA) announced an increase in electricity use of 6.3% versus June last year. June YTD consumption is up 5.1% vs last year -- industrial consumption is up 5.7%, residential is up 3.9%.// 6月份，全社会用电量4384亿千瓦时，同比增长6.3%。1-6月，全国全社会用电量累计24961亿千瓦时，同比增长5.1%。分产业看，第一产业用电量461亿千瓦时，同比下降0.8%；第二产业用电量18419亿千瓦时，增长4.9%；第三产业用电量2925亿千瓦时，增长9.3%；城乡居民生活用电量3156亿千瓦时，增长3.9%。
节能环保吹响“集结号” 光伏有望打头炮？新华金融Nice charts of capacity and market share. PV industry support is chief among green industries to receive renewed policy support based on last week's announcements. Consolidating the PV industry and accelerating domestic PV installation -- part of new Li-conomics.// 新华网消息 7月12日，国务院总理李克强主持召开国务院常务会议，研究部署加快发展节能环保产业等工作。从具体细节来看，包括高效节能产品、环保装备等领域都获得明确的政策支持。分析人士指出，新能源电力行业虽然未在此次会议中明确提出，但是从行业产值和产业带动力等角度来看，同样有望获得决策层重视。其中，此前率先获得国务院常务会议关注的光伏产业，或许有望再度成为社会各界及资本市场关注的焦点。
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July 13
新疆建成中国最大天然气储备库-新华网China's largest natural gas storage facility going into service in Xinjiang. Allows for seasonal storage. 10.7 billion cubic meters of storage // 新华网乌鲁木齐７月１４日电（记者 赵春晖）中国规模最大的天然气储气库日前在新疆呼图壁县建成，这一大型储气设施投入使用后，可有效保障“西气”稳定东输，并可解决天山北坡经济带冬季“气短”问题。
燃料涨价天然气汽车的经济优势将打折扣 - 搜狐/汽车周报Natural gas price adjustment lessens the appeal of adopting cars and trucks that use natural gas//试点已久的天然气定价市场化步伐终于有了答案。近日，国家发改委发出通知，决定自7月10日起调整非居民用天然气价格。此次价格调整不涉及居民用气部分，并对非居民用天然气分为存量气和增量气两部分进行区别调价。调整后，全国平均门站价格将由每立方米1.69元提高至1.95元。
天然气价格上调，不但牵动用气工业企业的神经，也引起汽车用户的高度关注，特别是商用车用户对天然气的价格十分敏感。
长沙车用天然气价格今起涨0.3元/立方米-sohu/潇湘晨报In Changsha natural gas prices for cars and trucks goes up 3 mao per m3.//本报长沙讯在长株潭三市，非居民用气价格与车用天然气价格都上涨了。7月14日，记者从省物价局获悉，《关于调整长沙、株洲、湘潭三市非居民用气价格的通知》（下称“通知”）已于日前下发。该通知称，三市非居民用气价格统一调整为3.48元/立方米，其中株洲、湘潭市含0.03元/立方米的价格调节基金。
Landmark medical study offers first statistical link between pollution and rising cancer deaths - SCMP Landmark three-decade medical study establishes first comprehensive statistical proof linking rising malignancies and pollution on mainland...In Shenqiu county, Henan, the mortality rate from liver cancer increased more than fivefold between 1973 and 2006, according to the joint study by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.
Electronic Waste - Moving Mountains - China Water Risk This review covers the extent of China's electronic waste & her attempts at finding solutions
-20-50 million metric tons of electronic waste generated annually; fastest growing waste stream & highly toxic-70% global electronic waste is dumped in China; potential reputation risk issue for brands-China moves to tackle issue: pilot buy-back programme results in ~50 million appliances safely recycled
环保部门“真数据” 为何遭遇“真不信” 凤凰/广州日报Why aren't environmental authorities trusted? 1) saying industry meets standards in the middle of crises ("wearing the same pants as industry"); 2) hiding behind gov't secrecy. What hardships do environmental directors face? Pressure from above for GDP targeting reasons thus not able to take objective, scientific role.// 要想获得老百姓的信任，环保部门就必须“硬”起来：首先，环保部门自身不能被“污染”。前天，环保部部长周生贤表示，环境数据总跟老百姓感受不一致，老百姓不信。事实上，数据是真的，老百姓不信也是真的，因为中国环境经历的问题，块头太大、浓度太高，我们工作减下来这部分，老百姓感受不到。比如PM2.5，不降到60以下，人们很难有一个明显感受。
Groundwater Crackdown – Hope Springs - China Water Risk MEP's company blacklists represent an unprecedented level of information released and increased transparency
...It is the speed of the government’s reaction to groundwater woes since the first announcement of the groundwater plan in late 2011 that is unprecedented. Recent speeches and policies from central and local government all point to increasing government scrutiny and activity on groundwater pollution and enforcement and to a serious crackdown on polluting companies. However, a draft revision of the 1989 Environmental Protection Law released for consultation by the National People’s Congress on 25 June 2013 appears to be a fly in the ointment.
民日报：公众有权知道环评底细-人民日报People's Daily journalist Wu Weizheng: The people have a right to see environmental assessments on large projects. It's the law and author thinks it would help lessen suspicion of large projects, e.g., people's criticism and suspicion of Shen Nong Jia airport focused on lack of environmental report. Continues to say that folks not understanding reports is okay; the right to see is not the the same as the the right to understand -- and just because a project has environmental impact doesn't mean it won't be constructed.//任何工程都会影响环境，有影响不等于不能建。建设项目要争取公众的理解，环评公开是基 | 将于今年10月竣工通航的神农架机场，因建设中削平5个山峰，引发舆论质疑。这个项目有没有环境影响报告书，是质疑的一个焦点。一项投资10亿元的工程，怎么可能没有环评报告？人们当然希望它有。在哪里呢？当地政府过去没有公布，现在也不拿出来。一个建设项目的环评，被披上神秘面纱，不符合法律规定。
China's environment ministry among world's most 'embarrassing' - Guardian Environment minister makes admission as study shows life expectancy 5.5 years lower in Northern China due to pollution.