PAGE CHINA NEWS FOR THE GREEN JOBS WORKING GROUP: JANUARY 2022
LEARNING AND SHARING OPPORTUNITIES
ILO Asia-Pacific Green Jobs Network Meeting, 26 January 2022, online
The first 2022 meeting of the ILO Asia-Pacific Green Jobs Network was held on 26 January 2022. The meeting introduced the upcoming event plastic waste through responsible business conduct: Experiences from Southeast Asia (Event OECD-ILO-UNEP, 16th March 2022), followed by a call for proposals/announcements for green events/workshops/forums and green news from different countries in the Asia Pacific region.
Annex 1: Summary A-P Green Jobs Network_26 Jan 2022
WHAT WE'RE READING
China
China to improve waste recycling
2021-01-25 Source: Xinhua
China will improve its capacity in recycling waste materials amid the country's efforts to facilitate green and low-carbon development, according to a guideline on recycling of waste materials.
By 2025, China will build a network for waste recycling with more than 1,000 green sorting centers, said the guideline jointly issued by seven government departments including the National Development and Reform Commission.
China to cut energy consumption intensity by 13.5 pct in five years
2021-01-25 Source: Xinhua
China will appropriately control its total energy consumption and cut the energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 13.5 percent by 2025 compared with the 2020 level, to lay a solid foundation for achieving carbon neutrality, according to a five-year plan on energy conservation and emission reduction released by the State Council.
Global fight against climate change ranks high during WEF discussions
2021-01-21 Source: Xinhua
How to tackle global warming and build a more sustainable future for humankind was an overarching theme during the World Economic Forum (WEF)'s Davos Agenda 2022 as the virtual event entered its fourth day on Thursday, with leaders urging the 2020s become "a decade of new beginnings."
In the opening session on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for stronger international cooperation in overcoming shared global challenges, including defeating the pandemic, revitalizing the global economy and addressing climate change.
China promotes green consumption amid decarbonization drive
2021-01-21 Source: Xinhua
Chinese authorities on Friday unveiled a master plan on boosting the green transformation of consumption in key areas, the latest move for the country to achieve its carbon peak and neutrality goals. The plan, jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and six other government organs, said that green consumption modes will prevail by 2025, calling for efforts to arouse people's awareness of green consumption, curb extravagance and waste, and enhance the market share of green and low-carbon products.
Plastic to 'soon outweigh fish' in oceans
2021-01-19 Source: China Daily
Marine plastics will outweigh the total mass of fish in the world's oceans in the coming decades, according to an environmental report that calls for a multilateral plastics treaty to stem the tide of global pollution.
By 2025, there will be 250 million metric tons of plastic in the oceans, said the United Kingdom-based Environmental Investigations Agency, or EIA. It said the figure will rise to around 700 million tons by 2040, which is equal to the estimated weight of all the fish in the oceans. By 2050, the amount of plastic "will far exceed" the weight of all fish in every ocean, the EIA said.
Policies lay foundation for realizing carbon goals
2021-01-14 Source: China Daily
Laying the foundations for China to achieve its climate targets is like building a giant skyscraper, but a lot of preparations have been done for the difficult work and the country is ready to roll out more measures, experts said.
They made the remarks following the three-day Central Economic Work Conference, which concluded in Beijing on Dec 10. At the annual meeting, President Xi Jinping reviewed the country's economic work for the year and mapped out plans for 2022.
Currently, the country's efforts focus on capping energy consumption and controlling energy intensity, or energy consumption per unit of GDP. Aside from national goals stipulated in the national five-year plans, specific tasks are set for each provincial-level region, and performances in different areas are regularly appraised.
Guideline for green overseas projects updated
2021-01-13 Source: Xinhua
Environmental protection, renewable energy should be given priority in BRI development.
In a move to advance green Belt and Road Initiative development, China has updated a guideline on environmental protection in overseas operations, with Chinese companies sticking to environmentally friendly approaches through the entire life cycle of their projects.
The guideline, unveiled on Tuesday, was jointly issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Commerce as a guide for enterprises to "implement the philosophy of ecological civilization", as well as to "promote green and high-quality development".
With climate change as one of the highlights, the guideline includes environment-related requirements for wide-ranging procedures in companies' overseas operations. The guideline encourages Chinese enterprises to adopt international or Chinese green standards when these are stronger than the host country standards, which is also emphasized in the Green Development Guidelines for Overseas Investment and Cooperation, which the country made public in July.
Climate crisis, social divides and uneven recovery top global risks in 2022: WEF
2021-01-12 Source: Xinhua
A global survey of experts found that only 1 in 6 is optimistic, and only 1 in 10 believes that global recovery will accelerate.
As the world enters the third year of the pandemic, the climate crisis, growing social divides, heightened cyber risks and uneven global recovery are the top global risks in 2022, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said in a new report published on Tuesday.
The "Global Risks Report 2022" warns that five of the top 10 global risks are environment-related, including climate action failure, extreme weather and biodiversity loss. Meanwhile, the main short-term global concerns include the erosion of social cohesion, livelihood crises and infectious diseases.
China's postal, courier industry to advance green transformation in 2022
2021-01-07 Source: Xinhua
China will promote the green development of the postal and courier industry in 2022 with the wider application of recyclable express delivery packaging and new energy vehicles, in a bid to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, postal authorities said on Thursday.
The country will roll out policies to standardize packaging operations, reduce over packaging, and encourage the recycle of packaging boxes, Ma Junsheng, head of the State Post Bureau, said at the bureau's annual work conference.
Indonesia
OJK launches green finance taxonomy
2021-01-24 Source: Jakarta Post
The Financial Services Authority (OJK) has launched a green finance taxonomy, the much-awaited guidelines for financiers wanting to invest in Indonesia's green economy, as the government seeks to bump up the country's green credentials on January 20.
The OJK classifies environmental damage into three tiers: green meaning the operations either protect or improve the environment, yellow meaning they do no significant harm and red meaning they are harmful. The first version of the taxonomy covered 919 business sectors and subsectors, but the regulatory body aimed to eventually cover 2,733 sectors and subsectors listed under the Indonesia Standard Industrial Classification (KBLI).
G20 Presidency; ESDM Ministry to Lead Talks on Sustainable Energy Transition
2021-01-26 Source: Tempo
Under its G20 Presidency, Indonesia will prioritize three main issues namely the transition to sustainable energy, the world health system, and economic and digital transformation. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is preparing to lead discussions and cooperation on sustainable energy transition via Energy Transitions Working Group (ETWG). The group will focus on energy security, energy access and efficiency, as well as the energy transition to a low-carbon energy system, including investment and innovation in cleaner and more efficient technologies.
Govt must keep low profile on energy transition: DEN member
2021-01-27 Source: Antara
Member of the National Energy Council (DEN), Herman Darnel Ibrahim, has asked the government to act in a low-profile manner while tackling the issue of energy transition at the G20 forum. The government should be honest regarding the nation's economic need for coal.
For Indonesia, coal serves two functions, namely, it helps produce safe and cheap, though dirty, electricity, and it is a part of the nation's economy, he said. He also asked the government to not make new promises during its G20 Presidency because that would lower the trust that nations of the world place in Indonesia.
Mongolia
Sustainable Tourism Development Project implementation discussed
2022-01-25 Source: Montsame
The Government has defined the tourism industry as an economic priority sector, and is implementing Sustainable Tourism Development Project with intends to develop Khuvsgul as a natural tourism region and Khentii aimag as a historical tourism region.
As a result of the implementation of the project, the national model for sustainable tourism will be created at Khuvsgul lake and Onon-Balj National Park and local issues related to environment protection, tourism, and economy will be addressed comprehensively.
Accessibility of projects to reduce air pollution to be increased
2022-01-17 Source: Montsame
An assessment is being conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia for the results of internationally funded projects and programs to reduce air pollution. In this framework, Minister of Environment and Tourism N.Urtnasan and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union to Mongolia Axelle Nicaise has worked in the 16th khoroo of Sukhbaatar district. The Switch Off Air Pollution project being implemented by the European Union with a funding of EUR 2.1 million aims to reduce heat loss in houses in the ger area through introducing advanced technology to households and supporting national production.
Thailand
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment launces “Power X” CAMPAIGN THROUGHOUT 2022
2021-01-20 Source: Bangkok Post
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) is committed to continuing its work on natural resource and environmental problems during 2022, amid the Covid-19 epidemic, with the special “Power X” campaign focusing on future goals, building strong communities with stable incomes and creating happiness for all Thais.
Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Natural Resources and Environment Minister, said, “The next step for 2022 under the Power X campaign is about adjustment and restoration of the natural world to achieve environmental stability, a green economy and to develop income growth alongside sustainability. The maximization of natural resources will lead to a stable economy for the community, in accordance with the vision ‘New-Normal Good Quality of Life.’ Our two main goals are to create a strong household economy and BCG Model with low carbonization.”
Japan and Thailand to launch new energy initiative for decarbonization
2021-01-13 Source: thejapantimes
Japan and Thailand agreed on Thursday to launch a new energy policy dialogue and implement joint projects to promote decarbonization, Japan’s industry ministry said, as the two countries aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Koichi Hagiuda and his Thai counterpart Supattanapong Punmeechaow signed a memorandum for the new initiatives during talks in Bangkok, according to the Japanese ministry.
Under the dialogue framework, a comprehensive long-term program will be launched along with joint projects to be carried out through cooperation in green technology and human resources to help promote investment in the energy sector, according to the memorandum.
UN NEWS
UN chief raises five alarms for 2022
2021-01-22 Source: Xinhua
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised five alarms for the world for 2022. "I want to begin the year by raising five alarms -- on COVID-19, global finance, climate action, lawlessness in cyberspace, and peace and security," he told the UN General Assembly in a briefing on his priorities for 2022. "We face a 5-alarm global fire that requires the full mobilization of all countries."
The world's responses to the five emergencies will determine the course of people and planet for decades to come. The world must go into emergency mode and put out this 5-alarm fire -- by fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, reforming the global financial system to ensure a just recovery, tackling the climate crisis, putting humanity at the center of the digital world and frontier technologies, and delivering sustainable peace, he said.
2021 joins top 7 warmest years on record: WMO
2021-01-19 Source: UN News
Last year joined the list of the seven warmest years on record, the UN weather agency said on Wednesday, and was also the seventh consecutive year when the global temperature has been more than 1°C above pre-industrial levels; edging closer to the limit laid out under the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
WMO said that the temperature figures will be incorporated into its final report on the State of the Climate in 2021, which will be issued in April this year. This will reference all key climate indicators and selected climate impacts, and updates a provisional report issued in October 2021 ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
Labour market recovery still ‘slow and uncertain’
2021-01-17 Source: UN News
As the COVID-19 pandemic grinds on and global labour markets continue to struggle, the latest International Labour Organization (ILO) report, published on Monday, warns that recovery will remain slow.
In its flagship World Employment and Social Outlook Trends 2022 (WESO Trends), ILO has downgraded its 2022 labour market recovery forecast, projecting a continuing major deficit in the number of working hours compared to the pre-pandemic era. “Two years into this crisis, the outlook remains fragile and the path to recovery is slow and uncertain”, said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.
Tonga: The UN stands ready to provide support after volcano eruption and tsunami
2021-01-15 Source: UN News
The UN chief aired his concern about the tsunami warnings that have been issued in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the United States. “The United Nations offices in the Pacific are closely monitoring the situation and are on standby to provide support if requested. The Secretary-General is grateful to countries that have already offered their support”, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said in a statement published on Saturday.
COVID-19 pandemic stalls global economic recovery: UN report
2021-01-13 Source: UN News
The UN’s key report on the global economy, released on Thursday, shows that the rapid spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant has put the brakes on a rapid recovery, counteracting signs of solid growth at the end of last year.
The 2022 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report, produced by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), cites a cocktail of problems that are slowing down the economy, namely new waves of COVID-19 infections, persistent labour market and lingering supply-chain challenges, and rising inflationary pressures.
The slowdown is expected to carry on into next year. After an encouraging expansion of 5.5 per cent in 2021 — driven by strong consumer spending and some uptake in investment, with trade in goods surpassing pre-pandemic levels — global output is projected to grow by only 4.0 per cent in 2022 and 3.5 per cent in 2023.
5 things you should know about the greenhouse gases warming the planet
2021-01-08 Source: UN News
News stories about the climate crisis often contain mentions of greenhouse gases, and the greenhouse effect. Whilst most will find the analogy easy to understand, what exactly are these gases, and why are they contributing to the warming of the Earth?
Climate change: For 25th year in a row, Greenland ice sheet shrinks
2021-01-07 Source: UN News
2021 marked the 25th year in a row in which the key Greenland ice sheet lost more mass during the melting season, than it gained during the winter, according to a new UN-endorsed report.
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More information on PAGE China News for Green Jobs Working Group:
Pei Hongye
pei@iloguest.org
Cristina Martinez
martinezc@ilo.org
