US coalition rams home ‘coal is climate killer’ message

SINGAPORE ~ A coalition of US activists has launched a US$ multi-million campaign to debunk the myth that burning coal is clean.
The Reality Coalition, comprising the Alliance for Climate Protection, League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club, are uniting to tell the simple truth that there is [...]

Nestle, Cadbury, Coke, Pepsi, Unilever et al refuse to make palm-oil pledge

SINGAPORE – Thirty-one food, cosmetic and consumer goods companies – and one palm-oil supplier – have signed a Rainforest Action Network (Ran) pledge to support a moratorium on the expansion of palm-oil plantations into tropical forests.
  But many others, including major international corporations such as Cadbury, Campbell Soup, Chanel, Elizabeth Arden, Hershey, Kellogg’s, Kraft, L’Oreal, [...]

Thousands expected for Bangkok car-free day

Thailand is the second worst emitter of CO2 in the 12 countries of Southeast Asia

Biofuel is "phoney solution" says FoE

Too few biofuels meet eco-standards
SINGAPORE ~ Less than a fifth of the biofuel used on UK roads meets environmental standards , the Renewable Fuels Association reported recently.
Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth’s (FoE’s) biofuels campaigner said:
“The shocking admission that we are unable to identify the origin of nearly half the biofuels used in the UK [...]

U.S bans illegal wood imports with immediate effect

THE United States is banning the import, sale, and trade of all illegally harvested wood and forest products, effective now.
Approval of an amendment to the US Lacey Act enables the federal government to apply the same Act that has long stopped the import of tropical birds, elephant ivory, and tiger skins to illegally harvested wood [...]

Thailand first to sell E85 in Asia, claim

BANGKOK ¬ Thailand’s PTT Plc has become the first oil company in Asia to sell E85, but the 85 percent ethanol blended fuel will hardly be a money-maker for the first few months, says a report in Bangkok Post.
In fact, the only customers for E85 will be car companies testing their imported flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) [...]

WWF joins Thai government in major push for Ramsar status

BANGKOK ~ Thailand could more than triple the total area of its designated wetlands if a new proposal is accepted by the Switzerland-based Ramsar Convention.
The plan, which is still in preparation, will be submitted to the Ramsar meeting in Korea on October 28 by Thailand’s Office of Natural Resource and Environment Policy (ONEP) with the [...]

Thailand eco ministry set to expand Royal office

BANGKOK ~ Thailand’s National Park, Wildlife and Plant Department has a new chief in the shape of Mr Paisal Kuwalairat. He replaces Chalermsak Wanichsombat who has been transferred to an inactive post.
One of Mr Paisal’s first tasks will be to expand and manage the First Response to Royal Initiatives Office which works on forest-related [...]

Thailand introduces measures to encourage waste

NOT satisfied that their country is already being dubbed as one of the dirtiest in southeast Asia when it comes to carbon emissions, the Thai government seems to be determined to drag the country even further down the league table.
Whilst the rest of the world is grappling with how best to conserve resources and reduce [...]

CNG will remain popular despite Bangkok blast

THE switch from gasoline to compressed natural gas (CNG) may  slow temporarily as a result of the blast that took place last week near Bangkok, injuring a pump attendant and damaging six cars, but it is unlikely to affect demand for natural gas in the mid- and longer-term.
The explosion took place on Friday at a Petroleum [...]