China’s dam-building will cause more problems than it solves

In 2007, China became the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases.
Since then, not only the EU and the US, but also developing nations such
as the alliance of small island states have put the government in
Beijing under pressure to adopt binding emission cuts.
At the 2009 climate summit in Copenhagen, China announced that it would
reduce its carbon intensity – the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per
unit of economic output – by at least 40% by 2020. Achieving this
ambitious goal has become an overriding political priority for the
Chinese government. The draft of its new five-year plan, which will be
discussed by the National People’s Congress in March, includes an
environmental tax and other carbon-cutting measures.
The five-year plan also includes the most relentless dam-building effort
that any nation has ever undertaken in history. If approved, this
program would cut off the country’s nose to spite her face. It would
irreversibly destroy China’s great rivers and biodiversity hotspots of
global importance.
China already counts more dams within its borders than any other
country. It has paid a huge price for this development. Chinese dams
have displaced an estimated 23 million people. Dam breaks in the country
with the world’s worst safety record have killed approximately 300,000
people. Scientific evidence suggests that one particular project, the
Zipingpu Dam, may have triggered the devastating earthquake in Sichuan
of 2008. Dams have also taken a huge toll on China’s biodiversity,
causing fisheries to suffer and driving charismatic species such as the
Yangtze River Dolphin to extinction.
As part of its low-carbon diet, the Chinese government plans to approve
new hydropower plants with a capacity of 140 gigawatts over the next
five years. For comparison, Brazil, the United States and Canada have
each built between 75 and 85 gigawatts of hydropower capacity in their
entire history. Achieving the new plan’s target would require building
cascades of dams on several rivers in China’s south-west and on the
Tibetan plateau – regions which are populated by ethnic minorities,
ecologically fragile, rich in biodiversity, and seismically active.
As a harbinger of the new trend, the Chinese government recently
announced that it would allow a dam cascade on the Nu River or Salween –
a pristine river at the heart of a World Heritage Site – to be built.
China’s premier, Wen Jiabao, had stopped these projects in 2004 as a
major concession to environmentalists. The government also agreed to
shrink the most important fisheries reserve on the Yangtze River so that
a new hydropower scheme could go forward.
The unprecedented dam building spree is being pushed by provincial
governments and state-owned energy companies, which often pursue vested
interests. In the past, these actors were kept in check by a coalition
of environmental activists, journalists and government officials, who
often managed to gain the ear of China’s top leaders. This has changed
since Copenhagen. International pressure to limit greenhouse gas
emissions is the single most important factor behind the huge push for
hydropower in China.
Climate change is the most serious environmental threat of our
generation. Yet the international community should address this threat
in a holistic way, without losing sight of other challenges to the
planet’s future. The world is losing biodiversity at an alarming rate.
Rivers, lakes and wetlands have suffered more dramatic changes than any
other type of ecosystem. Because of dam building and other factors,
freshwater species have on average lost half their populations between
1970 and 2000, and more than a third of all freshwater fishes are at
risk of extinction.
As the head of the UN Environmental Programme warned last year, it would
be arrogant to assume that humanity can survive without biodiversity. We
cannot sacrifice the planet’s arteries to save her lungs. China not only
has a moral obligation to participate in the fight against climate
change. The country has also committed to protecting its ecosystems
under the Convention on Biological Diversity. It deserves respect for
trying to limit greenhouse gas emissions at a per-capita level which is
much lower than what industrialised nations emit. World leaders should
let the government in Beijing know that they don’t want China to destroy
her rivers and the rich biodiversity they support to reach her ambitious
carbon goals.
Peter Bosshard is the policy director of International Rivers, an
international environmental and human rights organization.

Source: http://damsandalternatives.blogspot.com/2011/03/chinas-dam-building-will-cause-more.html

Many tourists and residents of Manila traveling out of town from Manila on a short getaway to Pampanga Angeles City, Clark Philippines are surprised to find a a large wine shop so near Manila right in the heart of Pampanga, just 70 minutes from Manila. Even residents of Subic travel to Clark via ScTex to do some wine shopping in this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center, a project of Hong Kong-based Yats International.

Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar. Most guests would stop by this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center to bring home a few good bottles of fine vintage wine also. Other visitors may find the wine selections in some of the restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga to be less than interesting, so they stop by this wine shop near Angeles City Pampanga Clark Philippines, buy some good wines and bring these bottles of good vintage wines to the restaurants so they can enjoy the dinner.

Public wine tastings are held by this well known wine shop of Pampanga from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive.

Tourists and residents of Manila travel out of town to the north on a short getaway look for the best place in Clark to buy some fine vintage wine to bring home after their holidays and vacations. Many find a top rated wine shop called Clark Wine Center to be an exciting place to do some shopping in Clark Pampanga. This famous wine shop is highly recommended for visitors going to Clark Pampanga to drink good wine, relax and unwind with friends and families. This frequently visited wine shop is known by tourist and visitors to Pampanga, Angeles city, Subic and Clark Philippines as a cool place to hang out in Clark. Many attend the regular wine tasting held either outdoor on the roof deck or in indoor on the second floor above the wine shop. The place has good atmosphere for a private wine tasting party or a small night out gatherings for business or social event.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com