"Although the Indian government has announced a new climate plan that identifies renewable energy such as solar power as key elements, coal remains the backbone of energy supply in a country where almost half the 1.1 billion population still has no electricity. As the world meets in Copenhagen for crucial negotiations on a global pact to fight climate change, part of the debate will be on how developing countries such as India tackle the use of fossil fuel without hampering their growth.

India, the world's fourth largest greenhouse gas emitter though still low on per-capita emissions, is under pressure to cut pollution to battle climate change while demands for power increases as its middle class clamors for more cars, TVs and housing."

"The Philippine government expects to receive $250 million from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) to help the country implement projects that will mitigate climate change, according to Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes. He said the fund would help leverage an estimated $2.75 billion worth of investments needed to implement key programs that would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The CTF is as part of a broad global initiative to help developing countries meet the cost of actions needed to combat climate change. To be issued as concessional loans, the CTF will largely support the deployment of low carbon energy technologies as well as energy efficiency measures for industry, commercial buildings and municipalities."

"The Cambodian government is considering a range of tax incentives to encourage companies to list on a planned stock exchange as well as set up in a financial district being developed. The government wants firms to list and trade shares on its planned stock exchange, a top official said last week.

Tax breaks could also be directed at other companies that set up operations in a new financial district planned for the area surrounding the exchange. The stock exchange, which is being developed in partnership with the Korea Exchange, Asia's fourth-largest bourse operator, will be housed in Camko City, a satellite city in a suburb north of central Phnom Penh."

"As the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen gets underway, it gives humankind a much-needed chance to define its growth model, as well as its future. If negotiators both from advanced and developing countries demonstrate enough resolution and flexibility in their talks, a Copenhagen deal could well mark the end of the beginning of the global fight against climate change.

It is not clear exactly how long it will take for the world economy to shift from carbon-intensive growth to low-carbon development. But it is crystal clear that if that change is to happen, it should start now."

"Almost all the provinces in the Mekong Delta have joined the 'race' to develop industrial zones (IZs), considered these an effective way to develop local economies. To date, however, most IZ's are empty or poorly tenanted, and the costs to the Delta's fragile environment are becoming evident, says an expert. Some are reconsidering their strategy, aiming toward more sustainable development.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tuyen, head of the Economics and Finance University, said that Mekong Delta provinces will find it very difficult to make a big economic leap if they place overly high hopes in industry. He emphasized that the forte of many Mekong Delta provinces is trade and services related to tourism, export of agricultural products, communications, transportation, healthcare and education."

"Indonesia's state budget for fiscal year 2010 will show a significant reduction in fertilizer subsidies. The amount of fertilizer subsidy allocation for fiscal year 2010 is planned at Rp 11.3 trillion ($113 million), a drop of 35.4 percent compared to fiscal year 2009, which amounts to a decrease of Rp 17.5 trillion.

The fertilizer subsidy reduction will naturally increase the market fertilizer price and the government is still considering how to set the highest retailer price for subsidized fertilizer. The new policy may possibly threaten domestic food sufficiency because farmer's purchasing power is still too low, with no significant improvement and farmers may reduce the use of fertilizer on their farms. The government needs to take effective action to compensate for the reduction in the fertilizer subsidy."

"Researchers in China and India have joined forces to explore the best ways of turning unpromising drylands into productive farming land. Both countries have successful dryland agriculture policies but these rarely gain exposure. An example is an experiment with 'zero pesticide' villages supported by the Andhra Pradesh state government in India.

It involves using local natural resources such as plant products, cattle dung and compost instead of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The project, which started in 2005, aims to cover two million acres by the end of 2009, about a tenth of the state's cultivable area."

"Pensioners in Tajikistan are finding life increasingly tough as their benefits fail to keep pace with inflation. More than half of this Central Asian state's population lives below the poverty line, as the average monthly wage is $40, a sum that is at the top end of the state pension scale. The lowest pension is $15.

The hardest hit are elderly people on their own, without children or extended family to support them. Female widowed pensioners get an extra $7 a month from the state. As pensions in Tajikistan are not index-linked, different agencies do not agree on what the minimum subsistence level should be."

"As India geared up for the Copenhagen climate summit, its automobile and oil sectors are getting ready to face an explosive situation on the clean fuel deadline that comes into effect from April 1, 2010. This date will see 14 cities graduate to Bharat Stage IV emission norms (from the present BS III) while the rest of the country transits to BS III from BS II levels.

Simply put, it means that cars, utility-vehicles and trucks in the top rung cities will be supplied cleaner BS IV petrol and diesel while other vehicles will get a leg up with BS III fuel. The only hitch is that there is practically no hope of BS III auto fuel being available across the country because the time is just too short for oil companies to have a supply network in place. This calls for more rail wagons, space at ports, upgrading refineries etc."

"Indonesia is in danger of running out of white sugar by early February and shortages in producing countries will make importing additional supplies expensive, industry and government officials have warned. Indonesia now has less than 500,000 tons of white sugar in stock, while it consumes 200,000 tons to 250,000 tons per month.

This means that the country would need about twice its current stock to last until the milling season starts at the end of April. The government warned last month that the country faced a projected sugar shortage of 1.2 million tons through June, as the production capacity of domestic producers had failed to keep pace with rising demand."

Please share this e-newsline with others interested in the development of Asia-Pacific.

For questions, comments, complaints please visit our online contact form

To change your email address or to unsubscribe from ADBI e-newsline please visit:
http://www.adbi.org/e-newsline/subscribe.php

Sign-up for ADBI's free e-notification service to ensure you receive an e-mail when we post new publications and opportunities.

The stories and links selected and the views expressed in e-Newsline are those of the authors and editors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the ADB Institute. The Institute does not endorse them and accepts no responsibility whatsoever for any consequences of their use. Original name usage is retained in quoted articles, although it may not necessarily follow ADB naming conventions.