China/Water/Energy events on 9/15 & 9/22

The Evolution of Sulfur Dioxide Pollution Control in China's Power Sector
Date: Wednesday, September 15th, 2010, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Speakers: Xuehua Zhang, Independent Energy and Environment Consultant; Jeremy Schreifels, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Location: 5th Floor Conference Room
RSVP with your name and affiliation: cef@wilsoncenter.org

2010 is the final year of what was one of China’s “greenest” five-year plan (FYP) periods. The 11th FYP contained considerably stricter standards for SO2 and other pollutants and aggressive energy intensity standards have been touted as key in shifting the country to a more low carbon development path. However, skies over Chinese cities are still smoggy, which raises valid questions as to the effectiveness of China’s air pollution control efforts. It is often too easy for outside assessments to blame the apparent poor air quality to lack of political commitment, limited action by Chinese local governments, low quality pollution control equipment, and untrustworthy data. At this September 15th CEF meetings our speaker— Jeremy Schreifels (U.S. EPA) and Xuehua Zhang (Independent Energy and Environment Consultant)-will dig into some of the complexities of pollution control efforts in China to help us understand some major progress in SO2 emission measurement and control in the power sector with thoughts on what led to this progress.

ChokePoint: US: Understanding the Tightening Conflict between Energy and Water in the Era of Climate Change
Date: Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Speakers: J. Carl Ganter, Circle of Blue, Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue, Jeffrey Fulgham, GE

Location: 5th Floor Conference Room
RSVP with your name and affiliation: cef@wilsoncenter.org

On September 22nd, 2010, J. Carl Ganter, the director of Circle of Blue <http://www.circleofblue.com/> , Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue’s senior editor, and Jeffrey J. Fulgham, chief sustainability officer and ecomagination leader at General Electric will discuss the findings of Choke Point: U.S., an exploration into the fierce contest between the nation’s growing demand for energy, and the tightening supplies of fresh water. The presentation will also look into the development of a similar project, Choke Point: China.

In undertaking Choke Point: U.S., Circle of Blue set out to understand whether the transition to a low-carbon economy would produce a penalty or a dividend for freshwater consumption in the United States. Multi-media reporters were dispatched to the coalfields of southwest Virginia, the dry plains of South Dakota, the tar sands region of Alberta, Canada, the oilfields and solar generating deserts of southern California, and the biofuel production plants in the Midwest.

The facts and insights gathered by Circle of Blue also point to a new national narrative of resource urgency. Choke Point: U.S. makes a strong case that the United States quickly needs to reconsider and realign much of its energy production policy and water management practices in order to avoid dire shortages of water and potential shortfalls in energy. None of the big energy producers or large water use sectors will be left untouched.

CEF programming, publications, and other activities are currently funded by The Blue Moon Fund, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, USAID, Vermont Law School, Western Kentucky University, Japan Foundation's Center for Global Partnership, U.S. Department of State, World Resources Institute, and the ENVIRON Foundation.