In This Edition

 

Delegates work extended hours at UN climate session in Durban trying to approve a compromise package of accords on fighting global warming.

 

President of the European Council Hermann Van Rompuy says it was a shame that European leaders have failed to negotiate a full EU treaty change.

 

Russia's electoral authorities declare last Sunday's parliamentary election valid, handing the victory to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.

And star gazers in Asia and Australia are fascinated by the most-anticipated lunar eclipse in ten years.

 

 

Hot Issue Reports

UN Climate Change Conference Extended to Compromise on Fighting Global Warming

Negotiators from 194 nations at the U.N. climate change conference in Durban have worked during an extended period, deliberating over drafts and seeking compromises to map out a future pathway to fight global warming.　　

　　

Delegates huddled with allies to prepare for a decisive meeting at which point it will become clear whether the diverse and long-bickering parties can come together on a plan to extend and broaden the global campaign to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Under discussion was an extension of binding pledges by the EU and a few other industrial countries to cut carbon emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. Those commitments expire next year.

　　　　　　　　　

The EU, the primary bloc bound by commitments under the 1997 protocol, conditioned an extension on starting new talks on an accord to succeed Kyoto.

The talks would conclude by 2015, allowing five years for it to be ratified by national legislatures. The plan insists that the new agreement equally oblige all countries, not just the few industrial powers, to abide by emission targets.　

　　　　　　　

Developing countries were adamant that the Kyoto commitments continue since it is the only agreement that compels any nation to reduce emissions.

Industrial countries say the document is deeply flawed because it makes no demands on heavily polluting developing countries. It was for that reason the United States said it never ratified the agreement.

　

Meanwhile, David Wasaow, Climate Policy Advisor of Oxfam, reiterates the fair distribution of climate finance since only a small percentage of it flows into poor countries.

 

"If we don't really get moving sooner than later in terms of climate finance, we're not going to be able to combat climate change and deal with its consequences. So, we can't have this type of time out. So, I think what we need to do is start ramping up in terms of cutting emissions, doing the finance and having clear commitments to that in the text."

　　　　　　

The UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, scheduled to end on Friday, has been extended by several days.

 

Van Rompuy: UK's Opposition to EU Treaty Change a Shame

President of the European Council Hermann Van Rompuy said it was a shame that European leaders had not managed to negotiate a full EU treaty change.

Van Rompuy made the remarks at the end of the two-day summit, which saw the UK and Hungary isolated by their 25 EU counterparts in the opposition to closer EU integration.

 

"It is unfortunate that we missed that chance to have a full fledged treaty change."

 

Van Rompuy also acknowledged that the agreement was not perfect but would still require governments to treat it as binding.

 

"This formula has some handicaps, but we will try to overcome them, and I think we have, we will need a large interpretation of the role of institutions and others, as we did it in the past. So I think that there is also a very clear political message to the outside world, that even if we have not all the legal instruments of enforcement, that via an intergovernmental treaty, we will be as binding as possible."

 

The 27 European leaders had prepared to agree upon the proposed changes in the EU treaty which will pave the way to closer economic integration in the euro zone. But the UK and Hungary said no to the changes.

 

United Russia gets 238 seats in new Duma

Russia's electoral authorities have officially declared last Sunday's parliamentary election valid, handing the victory to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party.

 

Vladimir Churov, head of the Central Election Commission:

 

"32,379,135 people voted for the All-Russian political party 'United Russia', which is equal to 49.32 percent."

 

With all the votes counted, the United Russia party gained 238 out of 450 seats in the new State Duma, or the lower house of parliament. It lost a constitutional majority in the new Duma but still kept an absolute majority.

 

The Communist Party won 92 seats, A Just Russia won 64 seats and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia won 56 seats.

 

Opinion polls reveal that former President, and now Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin is still Russia's most popular politician, and is seen likely to retake the country's top job in the upcoming Presidential election.

 

Meanwhile, hundreds of people turned out on Saturday in the pacific port city of Vladivostok, denouncing the widespread fraud reported in Russia's parliamentary election.

 

Protest leaders predict that the weekend will bring the largest show of public anger in the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union 20 years ago.

The demonstrations reflect growing public frustration with Putin's rule, which may complicate his bid to reclaim the presidency in the March.

 

China is a fast learner in using WTO DSB

 

Sunday marks the 10th anniversary of China's entry into the World Trade Organization.

 

And the State Council has announced that China now ranked number one in exports of goods and number two in imports of goods globally.

 

However, as the trade volume of China grows dramatically, so too does the amount of trade disputes.

 

So, how has China utilized the WTO Trade Dispute Mechanisms to settle disputes with other WTO members?

 

Ding Lulu has more.

 

Report:

 

On July 15th, 2011, China scored a broad victory at the World Trade Organization in its appeal against Brussels over EU anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of Chinese metal fasteners such as nuts and bolts.

 

This was the first time China has won a lawsuit against the EU on a trade dispute.

 

10 years after China's entry into the WTO, China has grown from a new member into a successful user of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body or DBS.

 

Thomas Cottier, managing director of the World Trade Institute in Switzerland, emphasizes that China is a fast learner when it comes to settling disputes within the WTO DBS.

 

"China used the WTO dispute settlement as a training camp, first by intervening as third party in other disputes, and learning how this is being conducted. And then of course China faced a number of anti-dumping measures imposed, which it challenged partly successfully. I think China is one of the main users today of the system, and no other countries again have made such a fast development in this field."

 

According to Professor Mo Shijian, Dean of the School of International Law at the Chinese University of Political Science and Law, out of the 427 trade disputes within the WTO DSB since the organization was first founded, China has been actively involved in 31 cases, 7% of the total caseload.

 

Out of those cases, China has participated in 8 cases as complainants, and 23 as respondents. 5 out of 8 cases that China initiated are about anti-dumping measures or countervailing duty measures. Professor Mo runs through the major areas where China and other WTO members have disputes.

 

"China has not been very happy about the misuse of anti-dumping or countervailing duty measures by other members. However, if you look at the other side, as a respondent, China has been forced to respond in many areas. It appears other WTO members are trying to force China to open its market wider to other members."

 

The expert of international law also contends that China has done well in utilizing the WTO DSB, however, he suggests that there's still room for improvement

 

"China could have done better in adopting innovative or creative approaches in the application of WTO law. WTO DSB is a common way of life for WTO members; it's just a kind of game we have to play. In another way, the players in this field, in particular the Ministry of Commerce and the relevant personnel can be more free-minded and also better use their professional judgment rather than worrying about other pressures."

 

As China celebrates and reflects on its10 year anniversary of joining the WTO, experts believe that amid the economic slowdown, protectionism and trade frictions are on the rise; many of which are targeted at China. Thus, this country still has a long way to go in dealing with trade disputes.

For CRI, this is Ding Lulu.

 

Light News

 

Family Members Mourn Hospital Fire Victims in Kolkata

Relatives and family members are mourning the death of 89 people who died in a massive fire at a hospital in Kolkata, India, one day after the blaze.

 

Most of those who died were intensive care unit patients who were too weak to move or were asleep when the fire broke out early on Friday. Officials said many suffocated due to inhaling smoke from the fire which ripped through the seven-storey AMRI Hospital.

 

The rescued patients as well as those who were injured in the fire were moved to another hospital where they were provided with medical treatment.

Manik Morg is a relative of a victim in the fire.

 

"My elder brother was admitted here but he died. His name was Naresh Chandra Morg. We all saw and heard in the news how the terrible fire occurred. After seeing the news I immediately took a flight from Tripura and came here to Kolkata. I will take the body back today. We spent so much money but what can we do? Maybe this is what was written in our destiny."

 

The fire, which is suspected to have started in the electrical department situated in the basement of the hospital, quickly spread to the upper floors through the air-conditioning shafts.

 

AMRI hospital officials said 90 patients were safely evacuated.

 

This was the second fire to take place at AMRI Hospital since 2008.

 

Thirteen dead as plane crashes in Manila

At least 13 people have died after a small plane carrying two passengers crashed into a shanty town in Manila, the Philippines. All passengers aboard the aircraft died as a result of the accident.

 

Dennis Sirilan is a senior police inspector investigating the crash site.

 

"We can't confirm yet if the plane crashed into the houses or into the nearby creek, but we saw parts of the plane near the burned bodies."

 

Residents said they heard a loud bang and saw the small plane descending into a nearby apartment complex.

 

Emilyn Sebitoria, a tenant in the apartment complex, managed to escape with her four children, but her husband who was trailing behind is missing.

 

"We managed to escape but I don't understand why he wasn't able to get out in time. The plane crashed inside our home. Please help us."

 

An initial police investigation says the plane took off around 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and was headed for Mindoro province, south of Manila, to deliver cargo when it crashed.

 

The fire quickly spread to the nearby shanties and a school. Around 50 families have been evacuated.

 

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash and working to identify the victims.

 

Residents near Erupting Volcano in Eastern Indonesia Forced to Evacuate

Mount Gamalama on the eastern Indonesian island of Ternate has continued to spew ash, forcing residents living near the volcano to stay in temporary shelters.

The mount's peak, which is over 1,700 meters above sea level, was shrouded by an ash cloud with dark grey volcanic ash shooting into the air at times from the area near its crater.

 

Volcanologists have been working around the clock to monitor the volcano's activity.

 

"Using a seismograph we have observed that tremors are still occurring and we can see that volcanic ash is still rising high between 300 to 500 meters from the peak, so we have concluded that the current status of volcanic activity is still worthy of the second highest alert level."

 

Officials said more than 1,200 people from nearby villages have been living in five different temporary shelters, though some of the shelters lack enough supplies.

North Maluku Governor, Thaib Amaiyn, who visited the shelters said the situation was under control.

 

"All is going well. All of the teams have been working well for 24 hours; medical teams and doctors are standing by, food and logistics are at a satisfactory level and the situation is being handled well."

 

The area has been blanketed by smoke from the volcano in the past week but there have been no reports of casualties since its first eruption on Sunday last week.

Indonesia, situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and floods.

 

Colombia rainy season death toll reaches over 100

Torrential rains in Colombia have touched off a mudslide that buried a bus and caused farms and neighborhoods to flood.

 

In the Santander province, a mudslide covered a bus, killing at least six people. The commuters remained under the mud for hours as rescue workers scrambled to get them out.

 

In the Tolima province, the banks of the Magdalena River burst, soaking homes in 11 neighborhoods across the town of Honda.

 

Authorities warned people in the flood plain to evacuate, but many said they had nowhere to go. Ana Maria Osorio described the frightening scene.

 

"The only thing we can do is wait and be patient because there is nowhere to go. We are at home and see the waves coming up and there is nothing we can do, nowhere to go."

 

Authorities say this year's rainy season has killed more than 130 people and affected over 500,000 others.

 

Lunar eclipse in China, Japan and Australia

Star gazers in Asia and Australia were fascinated by the most-anticipated lunar eclipse in ten years Saturday night.

 

The lunar eclipse was said to be the best to watch in a decade. And people in Beijing were excited at the sight.

 

"This is the first time I've see a complete lunar eclipse. I am very excited and happy. It's so beautiful."

 

"I've known for days that the lunar eclipse was going to take place today. The moon hasn't been fully blocked yet, but it will be totally blocked soon. It's very beautiful. I am in a very good mood. Everyone is happy."

 

In Tokyo, more than 200 people gathered at a waterfront park in the city's Odaiba island to witness the spectacle.

 

It was the first total lunar eclipse in more than 11 years that was visible in all areas across Japan.

 

The phenomenon lasted more than three hours, including 52 minutes of total eclipse.

 

"It's mysterious and intriguing because the shape of the moon keeps changing."

 

"I feel a little bit sad looking at the moon slowing disappearing."

 

Sky gazers were also treated to a total lunar eclipse in Sydney, Australia, where the spectacular scene continued for three hours.

 

As it moved into the darkest part of the shadow, the moon assumed a grey or red colour as the light from the sun was scattered.

Andrew Jacob, from Sydney Observatory:

 

"...this eclipse is occurring in the horns of Taurus the Bull. It's occurring between the horns of Taurus the Bull in the sky. The Earth's shadow spends about eleven days between the horns of Taurus the Bull and this time it happens that the moon has passed through that shadow."

 

The next total lunar eclipse will occur in 2014 and will be visible only in parts of Asia, New Zealand and Australia.

 

Durban Conference should avoid "unifying tracks" forcibly

As a sign that the climate change negotiations have hit a rough patch, the UN Climate Change Conference, scheduled to end on Friday, has been extended by several days.

 

During the past two weeks, countries attending the COP 17 negotiations in Durban, South Africa have been unable to clarify the future of the Kyoto Protocol; the first phase of which is due to expire by the end of 2012.

 

An editorial in China's People's Daily newspaper points out that negotiations on the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol, emission peaks and other issues will inevitably involve the allocation of space for future emissions. At present, a big gap exists between the total commitments of various countries in aspects including emission reduction and the achievement of the 2 degrees Celsius target.

 

The commentary says the international community as a whole has been vocal in requesting that all countries advance emission reduction commitments to fill the gap. But developed countries are trying to obscure the international assessment and review mechanism for themselves in regards to computation rules, comparability and the compliance mechanism.

 

The article points to the difficulty of breaking the deadlock with the international climate negotiations. The US is facing elections, Europe remains debt-ridden, and many others face political turmoil, which means the concern over climate change is not at the forefront of people's minds.

 

It is predicted that at the Durban conference, the working-level talks will lack any kind of substantial progress due to the developed countries' lack of political will, and the fact that the major parties still have serious differences on key issues.

 

The editorial suggests that the point of the Durban Conference is for countries to express political will and establish a forward direction for the international community in order to avoid going backwards in the international climate change process.

 

It believes that only through such an expression of political will and a smooth transition of policies can the international climate process lead to a brighter future.

 

China Daily: Reduce, reuse and recycle

The Beijing municipal authority plans to introduce a garbage disposal fee beginning in March 2012. An editorial in the China Daily lauds the decision and suggests that more needs to be done to raise public awareness of the importance of garbage sorting and reclamation.

 

The commentator states that everybody needs to reduce, reuse and recycle in light of the fact that more than 13 hectares of new land is needed in Beijing alone for landfill every year.

 

What's more, the article goes on to state that the garbage we throw away could become a useful resource if it is properly sorted, classified and reused.

 

The writer introduces estimates by the China Urban Construction Design and Research Institute which reveal that China's garbage disposal industry can achieve a production value increase of more than 30 percent over the next five years, which amounts to 260 billion yuan.

 

The article goes on to say, however, that more needs to be done to raise public awareness of the importance of garbage sorting and reclamation.

 

The writer suggests that the environmental authority introduce special bags for domestic garbage and only permit these bags to be used for garbage disposal. The cost of these bags will help cover garbage transportation and disposal costs and also serve as a reminder for people to think twice before dumping their waste.