Sri Lanka's overall environmental performance is improving and the country has been ranked as a modest performer according to a study on global environment released during this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last week.

Sri Lanka has been ranked at the 55th place, six places below the United States ranked at 49th, in the 2012 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) prepared by the Yale University in the United States.

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Beijing's government on Friday bowed to a vocal online campaign for a change in the way air quality is measured in the Chinese capital, one of the world's most polluted cities.

Authorities said they would start publishing figures this month showing the smallest, most dangerous pollution particles in the air after considering the wishes of residents, expressed on China's popular microblogs.

The Chinese capital currently bases its air quality information on particles of 10 micrometers or larger, known as PM10, and does not take into account the smaller particulates that experts say are most harmful to human health.

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Beijing’s winter winds have never been much cause for celebration, typically prompting locals to grumble and groan about the capital’s harsh, frigid weather.

This week, it seems there are worse things than cold weather. A cold front and strong winds that pushed in on Wednesday drove out some of the worst air pollution of the year, and Beijingers found relief in the gusts.

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ADB is supporting an initiative to introduce tens of thousands of biogas systems in rural communities throughout Viet Nam. By turning waste to fuel, families save on their energy bills and enjoy a cleaner environment.

ADB

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III today transferred 20 Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded electric tricycles (e-trikes) to the City of Mandaluyong, marking an important first step towards a sustainable, energy-efficient transport model for the country.

Emissions from the transport sector currently represent 30% of all pollution in the country, and approximately 80% of air pollution in Metro Manila. A sizeable proportion of vehicle emissions are attributable to inefficient public transport, particularly from tricycles, jeepneys and buses.

The 20 e-trikes are part of an ADB-funded project to introduce energy-efficient transportation alternatives in the Philippines. ADB is currently in discussions with the government and other development partners on a proposed project to significantly scale up the rollout of energy efficient e-trikes in Manila and other urban areas as early as 2012.

Jo Yamagata, Deputy Director General of ADB's Private Sector Division, discusses a US$200 billion project to convert municipal waste into clean energy that will light homes and fuel businesses in China. China is currently the world's largest producer of industrial waste -- generating 148 millions tons a year and growing at 8-10% annually.

Poor air quality in Indonesia’s capital city is having a significant impact on residents’ health and there is an urgent need to introduce new initiatives to deal with the problem. To help justify investment in such new strategies, this EEPSEA study looked at the value that citizens in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (JMA) place on pollution reduction policies for the transportation sector. It shows that, although many residents are mistrustful of the government’s ability to clean up the city’s air, they do place a significant value on clean air.

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EEPSEA

BAQ 2010 was held in Singapore from 9 to 11 November at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre. The theme of the BAQ2010 conference - managing air quality against the backdrop of a changing climate reflects three key developments: the growing relevance of climate change for air quality management; the rapid urbanization in Asia that requires a total shift in city planning; and the changing role of stakeholders.
Read the souvenir program here.

While residues of banned pesticides in the atmosphere are declining around the world India continues to have exceptionally high levels, a new study shows.

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SciDev.net

Known as the land of a million elephants, Laos experienced an economic boom when it opened up its economy more than a decade ago. Although economic growth rates were impressive, urban planners scrambled to develop new ways to cope with the by-product of this growth: increased pollution of the air, water, and soil in the cities, where most of the growth was occurring.

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http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca