China started construction of the country's first 10-gigawa wind power base in Jiuquan of northwest Gansu province on Saturday as Beijing seeks more clean power to fuel its fast economic growth.

ENERGY plays an important role in accelerating economic growth inasmuch as it serves as an important element in providing food, shelter, healthcare facilities, safe water, sanitation, education and access to jobs to either an individual or group or the whole community.

The World Bank on Friday approved a $130 million credit for Bangladesh to finance a project which was designed to support installation of affordable solar home systems in rural areas to increase the people

Bangladesh, where natural gas reserves are falling while demand for power is rising fast, will not allow new power plants that cannot use both gas and coal, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said on Sunday.

Nine dangerous chemicals used in farming and industry will be added to a list of banned substances whose presence in the environment causes serious health risks, more than 160 government agreed on Saturday.

The nine pesticides and industrial chemicals join 12 substances targeted for elimination under the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

China must swiftly decouple its rapid economic growth from rising carbon dioxide emissions for global greenhouse gas levels to stay manageable, the authors of a new study said, urging sweeping support to help that transition.