A chemical spill that has contaminated a river in southern China, threatening the water supply of millions of people, is sparking calls by environmental activists for more corporate and government accountability over industrial waste.

Businesses in China should be required to disclose the amount of chemical waste they produce and where it is discharged, representatives of Greenpeace and the Beijing-based Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs said Tuesday.

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Experts at the Fifth Shafallah International Forum have said that prejudice against and abuse of people with disabilities is alarmingly frequent in disaster-struck areas, although programmes in some countries have made significant contributions to improving the lives and reducing the impact of disasters for disabled people.

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Fears that wind turbines make people sick are ''not scientifically valid'', and the arguments mounted by anti-wind farm campaigners are unconvincing, according to confidential briefings given to the state government by NSW Health.

Documents obtained under freedom-of-information laws show that health officials repeatedly warned ministers last year that there was no evidence for ''wind turbine syndrome'', a collection of ailments including sleeplessness, headaches and high blood pressure that some people believe are caused by the noise of spinning blades.

But the department's advice contrasts with the view of the Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, who was responsible for draft guidelines, released in December, that significantly tighten the approvals process.

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Experts at a seminar Wednesday called for a comprehensive inquiry to explore linkages between health and poverty and factors that negatively influence health sector outcomes. The seminar titled “poverty and social impact of expanded programme for immunization in Pakistan” was organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

“Immunization is the most cost effective health intervention against preventable diseases affecting the poor sections of society”, said the experts. They stressed on researchers to identify gaps with empirical evidences and recommendations for policy makers to improve health situation in the country.

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With the support of the World Bank, Colombia introduced a number of reforms that reduced air pollution levels in large cities and introduced new instruments for improved environmental management, potentially benefitting both the health of its people and also its economy. The Government increased public participation in environmental decision-making, and prepared critical policies and laws related to sustainable development, air quality, water quality, solid waste management, and environmental licensing.

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Many of Asia's poorest people live in unhealthy, squalid conditions, with no clean water or sanitation access. Families cannot escape poverty without water and hygiene infrastructure.

ADB

In rural communities of Africa -- where more than 95 percent of homes have no access to electricity -- solar energy has the power to transform lives. Globally, 1.5 billion people, one quarter of the world's population, live without electricity, according to a United Nations report. Those who can afford any power at all spend large proportions of their income on kerosene for lamps or travel to larger towns to charge their batteries several times a week.

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Many Indians have no clean drinking water. One company is trying to change that with a smart, new and cheap device.

CNN

As part of the Spain-UNEP Partnership for Protected Areas, this initiative supports conservation activities in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo. This short film presents the objectives and positive impacts this initiative has on local populations' livelihoods.

Strengthening the management of the park will ultimately help improve wildlife conservation planning in the region. It will also contribute to law enforcement and monitoring, including Ebola health monitoring and promote eco-tourism.

UNEP

The Ethiopian Government wants to give everyone a toilet in a country where only a third of its 77 million people have access to sanitation. From rubbish tips in the centre of Addis, to rural orchards across the Rift Valley, Earth Report discovers whether the Governments 'universal access plan' is working.

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