A group of environmentally-minded companies marked World Earth Day on April 22 by awarding 'eco prizes' worth CNY 500,000 (USD 63,000) to 38 groups and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to environment protection and community governance.

A World Bank environment strategy paper for the East Asia and Pacific region, published in April, praises the region's economic performance but laments its environmental record, which is described as a 'grow now, clean up later' approach to development.

A series of real and 'mock' public enquiries on environmental issues has strengthened the growing, informal alliance between environmental NGOs and the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

Indonesian giant, Asia Pulp and Paper Co. Ltd. (APP), has withdrawn a reputation infringement lawsuit against the Zhejiang Hotels Association, which urged members to boycott the company's products after Greenpeace China alleged that APP is logging illegally in Yunnan Province.

A recent working paper published by the World Bank suggests that although foreign direct investment (FDI) from OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries can raise environmental standards, investment from overseas Chinese sources, which accounts for almost 70% of mainland FDI, lags seriously behind.

Despite recently describing China as 'the most unequal society in Asia' the UN is bullish about its prospects for working with the government to make 'xiaokang' a reality. UN China Representative, Khalid Malik, talking here to Nick Young, points to the top leadership's willingness to learn, a strong relationship with the National Development Reform Commission, and signs of progress on the environment and civil society. All this, Mr. Malik believes, will help to make China's development more balanced.

Seven hundred Tibetan households in the northwest of Sichuan Province can mark off the days of the New Year on a calendar that celebrates Tibetan culture and traditions.

On December 8-9 2004 the Guizhou Environment Protection Bureau held an international conference in Guiyang to discuss environment protection, poverty alleviation and development in Guizhou, with particular emphasis on the possible contribution of international aid agencies and NGOs. World Wide Fund for Nature China Representative, Jim Harkness, was billed to make a keynote address to the conference; but illness prevented him from attending. China Development Brief founding editor, Nick Young, read to the conference Jim's message from his sickbed, and added some thoughts of his own. The following transcript thus provides a double helping of comment on Guizhou's situation and prospects for international cooperation.

Yunnan authorities have relented in their efforts to close down the campaigning organisation, Green Watershed, imposing instead the relatively minor administrative measure of a 'written inspection' (xie jiancha), which requires an admission of wrongdoing.

On the first day of 2005, seven households in Changshui village of Lijiang, Yunnan, switched on biogas systems that, unlike the great majority that have been installed across southern China in recent years, can provide heat and light even in the winter cold. ‘Ninety three more households will enjoy the same convenience soon this year, and hopefully the project will be promoted to another village in Lijiang, too’ Ms. Jin Jiaman, Executive Director of the Global Environment Institute (GEI), told China Development Brief.