China puts the eco back in economy | Jonathan Watts

Published on May 25, 2010 by Editor   ·   No Comments

 

As biodiversity declines, China recalculates the value of its forests and other natural resources

Amid all the doom and gloom during the past week about the global loss of biodiversity, there have been a couple of potentially positive steps forward by the usual villain of the piece: China.

For the first time, the government in Beijing has put a hefty value on its forest ecosystems and began drafting new regulations that would oblige rich urban coastal regions to pay compensation fees to unspoiled inland areas that provide carbon sequestration and other environmental services.

These steps suggest China is moving in tandem with United Nation recommendations that environmental costs should be factored into the global economy.

A degree of scepticism is warranted. China has some of the world's most enlightened environmental laws and policies, but all too often they are ignored by local officials and businessmen who won't let anything get in the way of making a fast yuan.

But a marriage of the environment and the economy might provide a new set of financial incentives for maintaining eco-systems that would otherwise be seen merely as obstacles to development.

Serious money is involved. The State Forestry Administration estimated last week that forest ecosystems contribute 10 trillion yuan, or about a third of China's gross domestic product.

This figure – which takes into account carbon sequestration, water conservation, biodiversity protection and biomass production – suggests the administration is seeking not just a new set of values, but a new role for itself now that the nation's forests are logged out and 2,000 species reportedly threatened with extinction.

More intriguing still are reports that the government is drafting an ecological compensation scheme, which would expand and strengthen existing measures such as payment for wildlife reserves, environmental levies imposed on mines, compensation from upstream river polluters to downstream users and economic redistribution schemes that aim to close the income gap between manufacturing hubs on the east coast and rural hinterland.

Depending on how it is written and enforced, this could be either a boon or a menace to the environment. Set the value of conservation high and establish an effective mechanism for compensation transfers and this policy could help to correct the market's failure to protect the commons and recognise the long-term value of biodiversity.

On the other hand, if the price of nature is set too low and regulation is too weak – both currently the case – then this policy could accelerate the unsustainable extraction of resources.
The ministry of environmental protection – arguably the most idealistic but weakest branch of the government – has a tough task ahead in calculating regional ecological accounts.

But, at the very least, such an eco-accounting ought to stimulate a new way of thinking about environmental values.

China surges to No 1 U.S. farm export market: Vilsack

By Charles Abbott and Christopher Doering

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China bought more than $10 billion of U.S. farm exports in the first six months of the fiscal year to become the country's No. 1 buyer, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on Thursday.

During an interview with Reuters, Vilsack said U.S. farm exports during the first half of fiscal 2010 totaled $59 billion, "the best six months ag trade has had." With the strong start, the Agriculture Department probably will raise its forecast of sales for the year, he added.

The forecast now is $100 billion for total U.S. agriculture exports for the fiscal year ending on September 30, up from the recession-hit $98 billion tallied in 2009 and second to the record $115 billion in 2008. USDA will update its export forecast on May 27.

"One of the factors is that China is our top market in the first six months, well over $10 billion," said Vilsack. A USDA official said the exact figure was $10.6 billion.

China is the world's largest importer of cotton and soybeans. It roiled grain markets with a purchase of 369,000 tonnes of U.S. corn on May 13, its largest purchase since 2001, creating hopes of steady, large sales to Beijing.

On Thursday, an official of state-owned COFCO Co Ltd said it bought an additional two cargoes of U.S. corn, boosting Chinese purchases since April to about 600,000 tonnes.

Vilsack declined to comment on the likely size of U.S. corn sales to China.

In February, USDA said China would be the No. 3 export customer this year, displacing Japan and trailing Canada and Mexico. Undersecretary Jim Miller said China could become the overall top U.S. customer "in just a few years."

At present, USDA estimates sales of $11.7 billion to China during fiscal 2010.

U.S. farm exports are rising due to economic recovery around the world, said Vilsack. "Our hope is that it will continue," he added.

Exports of cotton and oilseeds such as soybeans have been "very strong," he said, and livestock sales are "up a bit. The only downside is grains."

Happy Birthday Annie

Another WLI Birthday celebration. Happy Birthday to Annie, seen here being treated like a princess in the royal carriage on top of the city wall in China.

Pest Control Supports Putnam

The pest control industry in Florida showed its support for Adam Putnam at a recent meeting in Orlando. The Florida Pest Management Association, the Florida Fumigation Advisory Council, and several industry leaders were present to meet and greet with our next Commissioner. The fundraising went very well within our industry. I am hoping to work with Adam's crew in the future for an event in or around Pinellas county.

Maybe someone could post something sometime on this blog?

China's Private Party

This Wall Street Journal story in Saturday's paper is fascinating.... deals with the lock the Communist Party has on the country despite the appearance that Western influences have taken hold and that market economics are being allowed to work. You see one thing on the surface, but if you look closely you can see something different entirely. Class VII certainly experienced that firsthand during our international trip.

Richard McGregor writes, "The Party has made strenuous efforts to keep the sinews of its enduring power off the front stage of public life in China and out of sight of the rest of the world... (but) Peek under the hood of the Chinese model, however, and China looks much more communist than it does on the open road."

"For all the reforms of the past three decades, the Party has made sure it keeps a lock-hold on the state and three pillars of its survival strategy: control of personnel, propaganda and the People's Liberation Army."

A subscription may be required, but take the time to read the full article here.

Class VII Representin'

Please join our hosts

Drs. Van and Christine Waddill, Whitney and Katrina Lavene,
Dr. and Mrs. Robert McMillan, Sanford and Robin Stein, and Keith Wedgworth (Host Committee in Formation)

for a fundraiser-reception in support of the State House campaigns



Representative Ron Saunders
and
Katie A. Edwards

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Please come visit with these two outstanding individuals and
watch the sun set on the Florida Bay at the home of
Drs. Van & Christine Waddill, 27 Bay Road, Key Largo.
Get Directions Here

Kindly R.S.V.P. to Chris Waddill at 1 (305) 451-3871.

If you cannot attend but wish to contribute, please mail contributions to:

Campaign to Re-Relect Ron Saunders, P.O. Box 2909, Key West, FL 33045
Campaign to Elect Katie A. Edwards, P.O. Box 900398, Homestead, FL 33090



Make checks payable to Campaign to Re-Elect Ron Saunders.

Make checks payable to Campaign to Elect Katie Edwards.

Maximum contribution per person or business entity is $500.
Contributions are not tax deductible.

Political advertisement paid for and approved by Ron Saunders, Democrat, for State Representative, District 120. The purchase of a ticket for, or a contribution to, the campaign fund raiser is a contribution to the campaign of Ron Saunders. Political advertisement paid for and approved by Katie Edwards, Democrat, for State Representative, District 119. The purchase of a ticket for, or a contribution to, the campaign fund raiser is a contribution to the campaign of Katie Edwards

Putnam Throws Tar Balls Back

Putnam blasts false tar ball report, urges agencies to avoid rumors

Published: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 4:49 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 4:49 p.m.
WASHINGTON - Congressman Adam Putnam on Wednesday sharply criticized the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for helping to spread a false rumor that tar
balls from the Deepwater Horizon oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico had begun to
appear on one Florida beach.

The agency had posted the rumor as fact on the Twitter social networking
site today and then an hour later posted a retraction, according to a
release issued by Putnam's office in Washington, D.C.
"Florida's beaches remain open, clean and welcoming to all visitors," said
Putnam, a Republican from Bartow. "The prevailing wind and currents have
kept the plume from Florida's shores, and no oil, tar balls or other effects
of the leak have been seen here. If you have plans to visit one of Florida's
beaches, you can expect a very enjoyable time. "
In the release, Putnam admonished all organizations involved in monitoring
the oil leak to avoid spreading inaccurate information that could further
damage Florida's beach tourism industry. Many hotel and resort operators are
reporting high numbers of cancellations even though there have been no signs
of the spill on Florida's shores.
"The oil spill is a very serious matter," Putnam said. "But it serves no
purpose other than to drive people away, further hurting our tourist
industry if agencies of the federal government spread false reports. The old
proverb has it that a lie will have traveled halfway around the world before
the truth has pulled on its boots. That was coined long before Twitter was
invented."

From Reuter's

Florida citrus growers reject EPA water rules
Fri, Apr 23 2010
* EPA proposal seen costing Florida agriculture billions
* Agency urged to set "reasonable" goals on nutrients
* EPA warns against "false choice" of health vs economy
By Tom Brown
MIAMI, April 23 (Reuters) - Plans by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to clean up Florida's waterways set unattainable goals and would
saddle the state's farm industry with billions of dollars of costs it cannot
afford, Florida citrus growers said on Friday.
"There is no way Florida agriculture, including the $9 billion citrus
industry, can survive if the EPA actually follows through with their
proposal," said Michael Sparks, head of Florida Citrus Mutual, the state's
main citrus growers association.
"Of course we all want clean water, it is essential to our livelihood in
agriculture, but we need to set reasonable goals," Sparks said in a
statement.
New restrictions on the release of phosphorous and nitrogen, also known as
"nutrient" pollutants, into Florida's lakes and waterways could cost between
$855 million and $3 billion to implement, the statement said.
It cited a report issued on Thursday by the Florida Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) that said recurring costs from the
EPA restrictions would total between $902 million and $1.6 billion per year,
with additional indirect economic impacts to the state of $1.15 billion
annually.
The EPA's proposals, which are open to public comment until the end of this
month, are in line with the agency's January 2009 determination that numeric
nutrient standards were needed in Florida to meet requirements of the Clean
Water Act.
The state, with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and recreational use
of its waterways, suffers from substantial water quality degradation due to
nutrient over-enrichment.
The EPA has said the problem is expected to worsen due to population growth
and land-use changes.
The FDACS report said the EPA had estimated the annual cost of compliance
with the restrictions on nutrient pollutants at about $35 million. But it
said that estimate was incomplete, both in terms of the estimated number of
agricultural acres affected and the methods used to determine the economic
impact.
The EPA did not respond specifically to the question raised by the FDACS
about its cost estimates.
But in a statement provided to Reuters, the agency said "clean and safe
waters are central to Florida's prosperity" as well as to people's health.
"We do not have to make a false choice between our health and the economy.
EPA is proposing a cost-effective rule to curb the impacts of nutrient
pollution that decimates property values and can cause costly illnesses,"
the EPA said.
"We are working closely with Floridians to make sure that these waters are
drinkable, fishable and swimmable, which then ensures a future for those
industries that want to prosper in Florida."

IFAS Transitions

From: On Behalf Of Arrington,Larry R
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 2:13 PM
To: .

Subject: Transitions

As you know, Jack Payne will begin his tenure as Senior Vice President on June 1. I believe that Dr. Payne will be a great asset to IFAS and the University of Florida.

As we approach that date, I wanted you to know what a privilege it has been to serve as Interim Senior Vice President. The faculty and staff in IFAS are extremely dedicated, and I appreciate everything that you do to make IFAS the best in the country.

I also wanted you to know that I have decided not to return to my position as dean for Extension. I will spend the next few months assisting Dr. Payne with transition issues before moving back into my faculty role as professor in the Agricultural Education and Communication Department. I look forward to, once again, having the title of professor.

Thank you for your support over the past 16 months.

Larry

Hannah's Birthday

Dr. Carter is having a milestone....She is turning 25 again!! Happy Birthday, Hannah. You are our favorite!!!!

Happy Birthday Jorge!

WLI Focus Group

Right now there are 8 participants on a WLI web broadcast reviewing and discussing the WLI program. This is a great new technology being utilized for WLI and I hope you all get to participate on one of these. It is very cool. Thanks, Crystal.