Hong Kong has joined the international carbon trading structure with a promise to slash emissions, but analysts say the move will fail to produce any serious reductions in greenhouse gases. "It is a bit of an impotent gesture and is about four years too late," said Shane Spurway, head of carbon banking at Fortis Bank. In a low-key press release sent out just before a public holiday weekend earlier this month, the city's Environmental Protection Department said it had set up the legal framework to allow projects that could sell on their reductions in carbon emissions.

Hong Kong companies that reduce their carbon dioxide emissions in the city can now sell those cutbacks in a $12.9bn global carbon credit market created under the Kyoto protocol. The new arrangements, announced by the Hong Kong government yesterday, are a step towards rectifying an anomaly created by China's "one country, two systems" rule over its special administrative region. Under this rule, Hong Kong companies are treated no differently from foreign companies when doing business in China.

The new subsidiary legislation to govern pesticide residues in food proposed by Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Will take a positive list approach by primarily adopting the maximum residue limits and extraneous maximum residue limits of pesticides recommended by Codex.

There is fresh trouble in the Doha round with an attempt to broker a deal at all costs

This paper sets out the Administration's proposal on the formulation of a Food Safety Bill with new food safety control tools to enhance the protection of public health and consumer interests.

H5N1, the lethal avian influenza virus strain, was first reported in 1996 in China. The virus was transmitted to humans during an outbreak in 1997 in Hong Kong. Nineteen people were affected. Since

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words. The anti-tobacco lobby is learning to use that dictum to its advantage. Gory and graphic pictures of cancer stricken patients occupy 30 per cent of the surface of a cigarette packet in countries like Thailand, Hong Kong, Canada and Australia. As a result, say anti-tobacco lobbyists, tobacco use has fallen.

The .asia regional Internet domain has officially opened for business. The domain comes after the launch of the European-based .eu name last year and aims to join .com and .net as a widely used

scientists have developed a non-invasive method for diagnosing Down's Syndrome

Malaysia has lifted a ban on the export of long-tailed macaques in a bid to thin its monkey population, which has become a menace in its cities. "The cabinet has decided to lift the ban which

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