Clear the Air says: I wonder if Anson Chan was there ? she joined Murray on the board of then major BAT investor Richemont until exposed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/13/glencore-investors-undermine-board?newsfeed=true

Series: Business leader

Previous | Index

Glencore proves investors can’t undermine the board if they’re not allowed to dig too deep

The London-listed commodities giant got through its inaugural AGM unscathed – perhaps because it took place in a small theatre in Switzerland with questions submitted in advance

Glencore could not have chosen a more closeted venue for its stage-managed AGM on Wednesday – its first shareholders’ meeting since its flotation on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges a year ago. Thecommodities firm picked a small theatre in Zug, Switzerland, for its executives’ first outing: a slick show that – remarkably for a FTSE 100 company at a time of unprecedented shareholder protest – ended with polite applause.

Glencore, however, took no risks that its executives might be blindsided by awkward investors, telling shareholders that “for good order” they should submit their questions to the company in writing at least two days before the meeting. It even took the precaution of trying to identify who was going to turn up by asking if they planned to arrive in town by train.

Only a few dozen people bothered to take in the delights of Zug, which promises “unique sunsets” and “world-famous Zug kirsch cake”. Among them were protesters publicising Global Witness’s allegations that Glencore may have had a role in the secret and possibly corrupt sale of stakes in mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but they were outnumbered by policemen. There were only four shareholder questions – a situation the chairmen of other FTSE companies like BP and Marks & Spencer, who annually run the gamut of organised protests, would probably relish.

Perhaps the special measures were designed to protect Glencore’s gaffe-prone chairman Simon Murray, who has shown he cannot always be relied on to make sensible off-the-cuff comments in public (his remarks about the dangers of hiring women in case they get pregnant spring to mind).

Two of the questions concerned the DRC allegations, to which Murray responded that Glencore had behaved properly and regarded bribery and corruption as totally unacceptable. But he dismissed the suggestion of an independent inquiry into the allegations.

The other two questions concerned Glencore’s opaque tax affairs and implied the company should reveal more about how much tax it actually pays. Good news there too, Murray said: Glencore fully obeys the law in all the countries in which it operates – a glib catch-all that will not have satisfied those who say Glencore is too secretive for anyone outside the company to assess whether it is avoiding tax or not, and that no company should claim credit for merely obeying the law.

The only encouraging part of Murray’s answer was his acknowledgement that there is now a debate about how much companies should reveal about their finances. Many campaigners want multinationals to be forced to disclose much more data, to help tax authorities detect if a firm is shifting profits out of the countries where they are earned and into tax havens such as Switzerland. One possible solution would be for multinationals to set out profits made and taxes paid on a country-by-country basis.

So Glencore came through its first AGM remarkably unscathed, albeit after using a few obvious strategies to exclude virtually all its critics from the first public gathering of shareholders. But such a controversial, vast business – which could get larger still if it merges with Xstrata – warrants far more scrutiny. Between now and its next AGM, shareholders should shame it into holding the meeting in London – and ensure that they are better prepared for its stage-management.

http://hkupop.hku.hk/english/report/wkcd11/content/finding.html

The questionnaire comprised a total of 10 opinion questions and ended by registering some basic demographics of the respondents. The key findings are highlighted in this section, please refer to the respective frequency tables for details (Appendix II). It should be noted that, figures reported hereafter have been rounded up to the nearest integer after considering the second decimal place. For the questions repeated from the 2006 Survey, t-tests were used to detect significant changes over the past five years.

The survey began by asking all respondents to assess the healthiness of Hong Kong’s living environment in general. Results showed that more than half of the sample considered it unhealthy (52%), while only around one-fifth found it healthy (22%), a quarter opted for 「half-half」 (25%). As compared to the public views obtained in 2006, the proportion of local residents who considered Hong Kong’s living environment unhealthy has surged by 23 percentage points (52% vs 29%) while only less than a quarter considered it healthy, representing a considerable drop of 13 percentage points (22% vs 35%). Both changes are tested to be statistically significant at 99% confidence level (i.e. p<0.01 ; Table 3).

Meanwhile, majority (69%) of the respondents believed that Hong Kong did not have sufficient open space and green parks in the urban area for its citizens to pursue a healthy living whereas less than one-fifth found it sufficient (18%), around one-tenth opted for 「half-half」 (11%). As compared to five years ago, significantly more citizens thought there was insufficient open space and green parks in urban area (69% vs 62%). The difference is tested to be statistically significant at 99% confidence level (i.e. p<0.01 ; Table 4).

As for the idea of developing Hong Kong into an environmentally friendly green city, highly similar to the results in 2006, an overwhelming majority liked the idea (88%), of which 50% had chosen 「like it very much」, as contrast to only 4% who disliked this idea while less than one-tenth opted for the middle-ground answer 「half-half」 (7%; Table 5).

When asked whether they were aware that the WKCD site was originally zoned for a green park with cultural facilities as part of the Chek Lap Kok Airport development project, more than half (54%) admitted they were not aware of it, while the remaining 46% said yes. Though the awareness level remained to be less than half, it has managed to climb up 5 percentage points over the past five years and this increase is tested to be statistically significant at 95% confidence level (p<0.05; Table 6).

With regards the land use of the WKCD site, majority of the respondents considered allocating almost 60% of its land for residential and commercial development to be 「too much」 (58%), around one-third considered it 「just right」 (34%), only a small proportion considered it 「too little」 (2%). Meanwhile, 6% of the respondents did not comment by opting for「don’t know/hard to say」 (Table 7).

As to the view that WKCD should be a project totally devoted to cultural and green park with no private residential development at all, more than half of the respondents agreed with it (55%). Around one-third (32%) disagreed while one-tenth opted for 「half-half」 (10%, Table 8).

Results of this survey also revealed that a landslide majority (84%) disagreed to auctioning off the residential land in the WKCD for developers to build luxury properties, only 7% agreed to this proposition. Meanwhile, a respective of 5% and 4% opted for 「half-half」 and 「don’t know/hard to say」 (Table 9).

The survey continued to ask all respondents if they agreed or disagreed with the view that 「allowing the residential land in WKCD to be auctioned would make WKCD become another real estate development project」. Results showed that over 60% (62%) agreed, outnumbering those who disagreed (29%) by 33 percentage points. Another 5% and 4% opted for 「half-half」 and 「don’t know/hard to say」 correspondingly (Table 10).

On the other hand, nearly 60% (57%) of the respondents agreed that funding of WKCD should not rely on on-site land sales as trade off, about one-quarter disagreed (23%). About one-tenth held a neutral view by opting for 「half-half」 (9%), another one-tenth or so just did not know (11%; Table 11).

As on what measures should be used to fund the development of WKCD apart from on-site land sales, among the five options provided, 「using part of Hong Kong’s fiscal reserve」 topped the list, as chosen by over half of the respondents (53%), followed closely by 「forming a Board of Director for fund raising, like Po Leung Kok, Tuk Wah Group」 (49%). Meanwhile, a respective of 43% and 38% believed 「selling land from other areas, e.g. Kai Tak Old Airport site」 and「covering the West Kowloon Tunnel Exit top to create land for property development like MTR topside properties」should be considered as possible funding sources. Last of all, one-fifth of the respondents thought 「levying of cultural and environment tax」 should be used to fund the project, while only 6% opted for 「don’t know/hard to say」 (Table 12).

Conclusion

Compared to five years ago, this survey clearly showed that more and more people considered the living environment of Hong Kong to be unhealthy, and open space and green parks in the urban area to be insufficient. This shift in opinion is alarming, be it due to actual deterioration or rising expectation. As in 2006, an overwhelming majority of people would like to see Hong Kong develop into an environmentally friendly green city.

Against this opinion backdrop, even though slightly over half of the population was not aware that the WKCD site was originally zoned for a green park with cultural facilities as part of the Chek Lap Kok Airport development project, over half agreed that WKCD should be totally devoted to cultural and green park with no private residential development at all. When prompted with the fact that almost 60% of the WKCD site will be used for residential and commercial development, almost 60% considered the allocation 「too much」, and 85% disagreed to auctioning off the residential land in the WKCD for developers to build luxury properties, mainly because they feared that such land auction would make WKCD become another real estate development project.

This echoed squarely with the finding that the majority of people agreed that funding of WKCD should not rely on on-site land sales alone, other means like using part of Hong Kong’s fiscal reserve, forming a Board of Director for fund raising purpose, and selling land from other areas in Hong Kong, should also be considered.

All in all, the message is clear that the public wants more open space and green parks for healthy living. They are skeptical of any auction of WKCD land, because they do not want to see WKCD become another real estate development project.

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Clear the Air looks forward to finding out who are the individuals from these organisations who accompanied Edward Yau on his current trip to Europe.

download PDF : P201204240215_0215_92882

Eddie Yau’s jolly to Europe at taxpayer expense – how big a suite did HE stay in ? how can Hong Kong benefit from his jolly ?

SEN to lead green tech mission to Europe (with photos)
******************************************************

The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, today (April 24) led a green tech mission on a visit to Europe. The mission seeks to exchange experience on the development and promotion of green technologies, identify opportunities for co-operation on various green initiatives, and promote the market for green technological and innovative solutions in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region.

The mission, consisting of 20 professionals and business representatives from 15 academic, quasi-government bodies and commercial organisations, will visit various cities in Sweden, Denmark, Scotland and England.

On his arrival in Stockholm, Sweden this morning, Mr Yau will first call on the State Secretary to Minister for the Environment, Mr Anders Flanking. Later, he will attend the Stockholm+40 Conference, which aims to bring the international community together to discuss sustainable development and its challenges. Mr Yau will address two sessions at the conference and will then proceed to Copenhagen, Denmark in the evening.

On Wednesday (April 25), Mr Yau and the mission will visit a recycling station and an incineration plant to learn about the city’s waste-to-energy technology. To identify opportunities for co-operation in green business, the party will attend a luncheon with top executives from various green organisations co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London (HKETO London), Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Denmark-Hong Kong Trade Association.

During their stay in Copenhagen, the mission will attend a meeting with Copenhagen Cleantech Cluster to learn more about cleantech research, development and implementation. Mr Yau will then meet with the Danish Shipowners’ Association to hear more about the Fair Winds Charter. Mr Yau will also address a reception for the Danish business sector entitled “Hong Kong: the Gateway to Green Pearl River Delta”, co-hosted by the HKETO London and Denmark-Hong Kong Trade Association.

On Thursday (April 26), Mr Yau will proceed to Malmo in Sweden where he will begin with a breakfast meeting with the Mayor of Malmo, Mr Ilmar Reepalu. Mr Yau will then join the mission for a meeting with Malmo companies. In Lund he will call on the Mayor and President of the City Council, Ms Annika Annerby Jansson. He will also visit Lund University and listen to a presentation on two major research facilities that are seeking to achieve sustainable development. Afterwards, he will attend a luncheon hosted by the Mayor and Chairman of the City Executive Committee of Lund, Mr Mats Helmfrid.

Mr Yau will return to Copenhagen, Denmark in late afternoon to pay a courtesy call on the Chinese Ambassador to Denmark, Mr Li Ruiyu, and the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Mr Frank Jensen. He will leave for Edinburgh, Scotland in the evening.

On Friday (April 27), Mr Yau will call on the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Scottish Government, Mr Stewart Stevenson. He will then join the mission on a visit to HydroThane UK and the North British Distillery Company Limited to learn how the link between the anaerobic digestion plant and the distillery creates a green energy source. The group will also tour the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University and the Advanced Forming Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow to learn more about their research work.

In Cambridge, England on April 30, Mr Yau and the delegates will visit the Cambridge Consultants and Ricardo at Cambridge Science Park and AmeyCespa – leading organisations in innovative product development, clean automotive technology and waste management. They will also attend a working roundtable hosted by Deloitte, one of the founders of Cambridge Cleantech.

On May 1, the party will attend a breakfast meeting hosted by Chatham House, an independent international affairs think-tank and membership organisation, and visit Transport for London to take a look at the new London bus, which uses the latest green diesel-electric hybrid technology. They will also take the opportunity to talk to the local business community about Hong Kong’s role as the gateway to the “green” Pearl River Delta during a luncheon hosted by HKETO London.

Mr Yau will leave London for Hong Kong in the evening.

Ends/Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:46

NNNN

SEN and green tech mission start visit to Denmark (with photos)
********************************************************

The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and a green tech mission from Hong Kong started their visit to Denmark in Copenhagen today (April 25, Copenhagen time). While in Copenhagen they will take a look at the city’s advanced waste treatment technology and explore possibilities for co-operation in green business.

The mission first visited Amagerforbrænding, which runs Copenhagen’s largest incineration plant. They toured its recycling station and the incineration plant to learn more about the city’s waste treatment facilities and technology for generating energy from waste.

The mission will then attend a luncheon with top executives from various green organisations to identify opportunities for co-operation in green business. The luncheon is co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in London, Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Denmark-Hong Kong Trade Association.

In the afternoon, the mission will meet representatives from Copenhagen Cleantech Cluster, where they will listen to presentations and conduct group discussions on various aspects relating to cleantech research, development and implementation. Mr Yau will also meet the Danish Shipowners’ Association to hear more about the Fair Winds Charter.

The mission will then attend a reception co-hosted by the HKETO London, Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Denmark-Hong Kong Trade Association for the Danish business sector. During the reception Mr Yau will give a presentation entitled “Hong Kong: the Gateway to Green Pearl River Delta” on green business opportunities available to international investors.

The mission will proceed to Malmo in Sweden tomorrow (April 26, Copenhagen time).

Ends/Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:53

NNNN

SEN and green tech mission start visit to Sweden (with photos)
*******************************************************

The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and a green tech mission from Hong Kong arrived in Malmo, Sweden today (April 26, Sweden time).

While in Malmo the mission, comprising 20 professionals and business representatives from 15 academic, quasi-government bodies and commercial organisations, will learn about the city’s achievements in sustainable development and seek to identify green business opportunities.

On his arrival, Mr Yau attended a breakfast meeting with the Mayor of Malmo, Mr Ilmar Reepalu, to exchange views on environmental issues of mutual concern. He then joined the mission for a meeting with local companies on the Sustainability Charter, which was signed between Hong Kong and Malmo in 2011 to encourage partnership between the two cities in achieving sustainable development.

The mission met with the Malmo business sector for an exchange of ideas on sustainability challenges and business opportunities between two places, as well as on Hong Kong’s role in helping European companies enter the Asian market. The mission then toured Malmo’s Western Harbour, a flagship urban redevelopment that has adopted an ecological approach to city planning and construction.

Mr Yau took the opportunity to visit Malmo’s neigbouring city, Lund. He first called on the Mayor and President of Lund City Council, Ms Annika Annerby Jansson, and was briefed on two major sustainable development research facilities, namely the European Spallation Source (ESS) and MAX IV. Mr Yau then attended a luncheon hosted by the Mayor and Chairman of the City Executive Committee of Lund, Mr Mats Helmfrid.

In the afternoon, the mission will listen to presentations by representatives from the local commercial sector, including EON, an international energy company, and MINC, a business incubator for nanotechnology companies. This will be followed by a visit to Augustenborg, an eco-friendly part of Malmo, where the mission will learn about the advanced water treatment technology developed by innovative company Watreco and the environmentally-friendly features of Greenhouse Augustenborg, an ecologically planned housing estate. They will also tour a shopping mall, which has been designed to achieve high energy efficiency.

Mr Yau will return to Copenhagen, Denmark in the late afternoon to pay a courtesy call on the Chinese Ambassador to Denmark, Mr Li Ruiyu, and the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen, Mr Frank Jensen.

Mr Yau and the mission will proceed to Edinburgh in Scotland in the evening.

Ends/Thursday, April 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:00

NNNN

SEN and green tech mission arrive in Edinburgh, Scotland (with photos)
*********************************************************

The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and the green tech mission arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, today (April 27, UK time) where they hope to discover how Hong Kong can learn from the city’s experience in green tech development and academic research.

Mr Yau first called on the Scottish Government’s Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Mr Stewart Stevenson, for an exchange of ideas on environmental issues of mutual concern.

Mr Yau and the mission paid a visit to HydroThane UK, which specialises in industrial waste water treatment, water recycling, solid waste digestion and biogas treatment. They then visited the North British Distillery Company Limited to see how the link between the anaerobic digestion plant and the distillery creates a green energy source, significantly reducing the distillery’s carbon footprint.

Following this the party will tour the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University and the Advanced Forming Research Centre at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, giving them the opportunity to learn more about the research work and collaboration with green industries.

The Biofuel Research Centre is dedicated to the development of renewable and sustainable biofuels, while the Advanced Forming Research Centre supports fundamental and applied research in forming and forging.

Mr Yau and the mission will leave for London in the evening.

Ends/Friday, April 27, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:39

NNNN

Recycle centre: Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau inspects a recycling station in Copenhagen.

Edward Yau visits Denmark

April 25, 2012

Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau and a green tech mission from Hong Kong started their visit to Denmark in Copenhagen today.

They inspected advanced waste treatment technology and explored possibilities for co-operation in green business.

They toured Copenhagen’s largest incineration plant and its recycling station.

They will later attend a luncheon with top executives from various environmental organisations to identify opportunities for co-operation in green business.

They will meet representatives from Copenhagen Cleantech Cluster and listen to presentations and conduct group discussions on various aspects relating to cleantech research, development and implementation.

Mr Yau will also meet the Danish Shipowners’ Association to hear more about the Fair Winds Charter.

The mission will then attend a reception co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in London, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Denmark-Hong Kong Trade Association for the Danish business sector.

Mr Yau will speak on green business opportunities available to international investors.

The mission will head to Sweden tomorrow

SEN continues visit to Europe in Cambridge, England (with photos)
**********************************************************

The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and the green tech mission from Hong Kong continued their trip to Europe in Cambridge, England, today (April 30, UK time) to learn more about European experiences in the development and promotion of green technologies. Mr Yau and the delegates visited Cambridge Consultants and Ricardo at Cambridge Science Park in the morning to learn about their research and development in clean tech and low-carbon vehicles.

Cambridge Science Park, the oldest and most prestigious science park in the UK, is home to more than 100 companies, the majority of which are involved in scientific research and development. Cambridge Consultants is an engineering company specialising in innovative product development including renewable energy efficient products and energy management systems, whereas Ricardo provides engineering solutions and low-carbon automotive product innovations including electric vehicles (EVs).

The party will later attend a working roundtable hosted by Deloitte, one of the founders of Cambridge Cleantech.

In the afternoon, they will tour the recycling facilities at AmeyCespa, a leading waste management company in Cambridgeshire. The company, which is specifically targeted at the UK market, is a fully integrated provider of waste management services, including waste collection and the management of household waste recycling centres and landfill sites.

Mr Yau will return to London in the late afternoon.

Ends/Monday, April 30, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:49

NNNN

SEN concludes visit to Europe in London (with photo)
****************************************************

The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and the green tech mission today (May 1, UK time) concluded their visit to Europe in London, England.

The day began with a breakfast roundtable meeting hosted by Chatham House, an independent international affairs think-tank and membership organisation, to discuss various environmental protection issues including the adoption of business solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The party then visited Transport for London to take a look at the new London bus, a modern, fully accessible vehicle that uses the latest green diesel-electric hybrid technology. The delegation also exchanged views with the bus company management on using green and low-carbon technologies for public transportation.

Mr Yau and the delegates will attend a luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, during which they will have the opportunity to talk to the local business community about Hong Kong’s role as the gateway to the “green” Pearl River Delta (PRD), as well as the green business collaboration between the Hong Kong Government and the neighbouring cities in Guangdong.

Mr Yau has been leading the green tech mission to Europe over the past week to exchange experiences on the development and promotion of green technologies, to identify opportunities for co-operation on various green initiatives, and to promote the market potential for green technological and innovative solutions in Hong Kong and the PRD region.

The mission, consisting of 20 professionals and business representatives from 15 academic, quasi-government bodies and commercial organisations, visited various cities in Sweden, Denmark, Scotland and England.

Mr Yau will leave London for Hong Kong in the evening (UK time).

Ends/Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:37

NNNN

http://www.hketolondon.gov.hk/home/index.htm

• ·        SEN concludes visit to Europe in London
• ·        The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and the green tech mission today (May 1, UK time) concluded their visit to Europe in London, England.

• ·        SEN continues visit to Europe in Cambridge, England
• ·        The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and the green tech mission from Hong Kong continued their trip to Europe in Cambridge, England, today (April 30, UK time) to learn more about European experiences in the development and promotion of green technologies.

• ·        SEN and green tech mission start visit to Scotland
• ·        The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and the green tech mission arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, today (April 27, UK time) where they hope to discover how Hong Kong can learn from the city’s experience in green tech development and academic research.

• ·        SEN and green tech mission start visit to Sweden
• ·        The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and a green tech mission from Hong Kong arrived in Malmo, Sweden today (April 26, Sweden time).

• ·        SEN and green tech mission start visit to Denmark
• ·        The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, and a green tech mission from Hong Kong started their visit to Denmark in Copenhagen today (April 25, Copenhagen time). While in Copenhagen they will take a look at the city’s advanced waste treatment technology and explore possibilities for co-operation in green business.

• ·        SEN to lead green tech mission to Europe
• ·        The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, today (April 24) led a green tech mission on a visit to Europe. The mission seeks to exchange experience on the development and promotion of green technologies, identify opportunities for co-operation on various green initiatives, and promote the market for green technological and innovative solutions in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/napier-welcomes-hong-kong-s-green-guru-1-2265340

Published on Monday 30 April 2012 12:00

HONG Kong’s secretary for the environment has heard from a Capital biofuel expert during an official visit to Scotland.

Edward Yau toured the Biofuel Research Centre at Edinburgh Napier University as part of a European green technology trip encompassing cities in Sweden, Denmark, Scotland and England. As part of the Scottish leg, Mr Yau also met with Minister for Environment and Climate Change, MSP Stewart Stevenson.

Napier has strong links with Hong Kong’s growing renewables sector, working with biofuel sector players including airline Cathay Pacific.

Mr Yau’s visit to the university follows a visit by the current chief executive of Hong Kong, Donald Tsang, in September 2011.

Professor Martin Tangney, director of the Biofuel Research Centre at Napier, said: “It was an honour to welcome Mr Yau and the Hong Kong delegation to the campus, and to be able to share some of the successes we’ve achieved.”

http://www.napier.ac.uk/randkt/rktcentres/bfrc/Pages/Home.aspx

Biofuel Research Centre

The Biofuel Research Centre undertakes research into biofuel, product analysis and provides information on biofuel to academia, government and businesses. We look at ways in which biofuels including biobutanol can be used in everyday life, thus reducing environmental impacts of fossil fuels.

Our research involves the analysis of industrial biomass for conversion to biofuel, and research into new and sustainable sources.

We also work with businesses in Scotland to encourage the use of sustainable renewable energies as an alternative energy source. We can offer businessesfeasibility funding and provide a broad range of business support functions including a range of free workshops.

Watch our video on new super ‘whisky’ biofuel to power cars. Contact us to find out more

> B

Biobutanol – the superior biofuel

Butanol is a 4-carbon alcohol originally central to a number of industrial chemical processes. It is now recognised as an important transport fuel – with superior characteristics to ethanol.

Butanol is produced by solventogenic clostridia via the Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol fermentation. The history of the ABE fermentation stretches back to the early 1900s and it was once only second to ethanol as the largest industrial fermentation. Its demise was ultimately triggered by the availability of cheaper alternatives from the petrochemical industry. The search for a sustainable biofuel has now established biobutanol as a important transportation fuel.

Butanol as a transport biofuel

Unlike conventional biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel that are mainly derived from food-based feedstocks, biobutanol is an advanced biofuel that can be derived from non-food sources and used as a stand alone transportation fuel or blended with petrol or diesel. Its inherent chemical properties make it superior to ethanol for use in combustion engines:

• With 4 carbons, butanol has more energy than ethanol – 25% more energy per unit volume.
• Butanol has a lower vapour pressure and higher flashpoint than ethanol, making it easier to store and safer to handle.
• Butanol is not hygroscopic while ethanol attracts water. Ethanol has to be blended with petrol shortly before use. Butanol can be blended at a refinery without requiring modifications in blending facilities, storage tanks or retail station pumps.
• Butanol can run in unmodified engines at any blend with petrol. Ethanol can only be blended up to 85% and requires engine modification.
• Unlike ethanol, butanol may also be blended with diesel and biodiesel.
• Butanol is less corrosive than ethanol and can be transported using existing infrastructures

Download PDF : Legal & Policy Bases for Sustainable Development in Hong Kong

Download PDF : Environmental Law Conference 2012[v.5]

Chief executive’s junket went way over budget for senior civil servants

26 April 2012

The bill for Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen’s stay in a Brasilia hotel’s “presidential” suite exceeded the cap on his own officials’ daily expense allowance for visiting the Brazilian capital by 23 times.

The controversy over Tsang’s hotel bill gained momentum yesterday after TVB (SEHK: 0511) reported that Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Washington had spent HK$1.6 million on two visits to prepare for Tsang’s trips and on accompanying the chief executive to Brasilia.

According to the Civil Service Bureau, the limit for civil servants’ daily overseas subsistence allowance in Brasilia is 557 Brazilian reals (HK$2,300), more than 23 times Tsang’s US$6,900 (HKD$53,820) bill for his one-night stay in the presidential suite of the Royal Tulip Brasilia Alvorada hotel earlier this month.

Tsang’s bill is also 22 times the US$317 daily lodging and meal allowance for all US civilian officials visiting Brasilia, according to the US State Department’s website.

Citing “working needs” to justify his choice of hotel, Tsang has invited the Audit Commission to probe his spending during his nine-day trip to New Zealand, Chile and Brazil.

“We followed the rules and procedures. The most important thing is we made the decisions according to working needs,” said Tsang. “I believe inviting the [Audit Commission’s director] to examine the arrangements will allow us to scrutinise the situation more objectively.”

Benjamin Tang Kwok-bun, the commission’s director, confirmed that the expenses would be examined by his office, and said the study would focus on whether the spending conformed to “the conservative and moderate principle”. He expected the probe would take a month.

Chief Executive’s Office director Professor Gabriel Leung Cheuk-wai said Tsang had not been involved in choosing the accommodation: “We did not seek approval from the chief executive on the choice of hotels. The presidential suite was needed to provide room for internal meetings, reception of guests and handling of any ad hoc events.

“The nearest ETO [to any destination to be visited by the chief executive] will do the planning for his transport and accommodation a few months or even half a year ahead of the visit,” Leung said.

TVB reported that the Washington ETO paid two site visits, in October and March, spending HK$760,000 on flights alone. Five of the office’s eight staff members took part in the October visit, while seven went on the trip in March.

Lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung said taxpayers’ money had been “wasted” on Tsang’s excursion to Brazil.

“Would Donald Tsang please stop dreaming of being the president,” Leung said. He also feared any review by Tang, the audit commissioner, would be too late and only forward-looking, allowing Tsang to leave office unscathed when his term ends on June 30.

Tanya Chan from the Civic Party also doubted whether it had been necessary for ETO staff to make the two site visits to Brasilia.

Wong Kwok-hing, lawmaker from the Federation of Trade Unions, said the Independent Review Committee for the Prevention and Handling of Potential Conflicts of Interests should draw up guidelines for the chief executive’s overseas trips.

The panel, headed by former Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang, has been set up to examine the rules of behaviour for top officials after a conflict-of-interest row erupted over Tsang’s alleged acceptance of favours from tycoon friends.

However, New People’s Party chief Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said such guidelines would be unnecessary. “It is the job of the Chief Executive’s Office to draw up a guideline with reference to the current strict rules regulating civil servants.”

Labour Party chairman Lee Cheuk-yan also agreed that any guidelines were the Chief Executive Office’s responsibility. “Donald Tsang has been a civil servant for so many years. Does he not know that public servants have to be careful?”

A spokeswoman for the review committee said it had “noted media interest in this matter”.

The contemptuous story of certain Hong Kong Legco members, top officials and arrogance exemplified – this is at the root of why Hong Kong has no political will to fight pollution.

Lawmaker says he did not notice rooftop addition as he has not lived in the penthouse on The Peak

SCMP – 14 April 2012

Finance-sector lawmaker David Li Kwok-po has vowed to remove a rooftop structure on premises on The Peak should it prove to be illegal.

Li, who is also chairman and chief executive of the Bank of East Asia (SEHK: 0023), said he had not noticed the structure previously as he had not lived in the penthouse – in Altadena House, 27 Barker Road – since it was bought a few years ago.

He was responding to news reports yesterday that alleged the structure could be as large as 1,000 square feet. “If there is any illegal structure, I will remove it,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the Buildings Department said officers would examine the approved building plan of Li’s flat and inspect the site.

Li is the latest in a string of serving and former government officials and lawmakers, including former chief secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen, to have been suspected of having, or found to have, unauthorised structures on their properties. Li was chairman of Tang’s office for the chief executive election race.

Asked if the rooftop structure was illegal, Li told i-Cable (SEHK: 1097): “How would I know? It was not me who asked someone to design [and build] it.” He did not say who commissioned the work. “I bought it several years ago and renovation is in progress. I haven’t moved in,” he said.

The rooftop was surrounded by scaffolding yesterday.

Reports said Li bought the duplex for HK$106 million in December 2008. He applied in 2009 to install a lift connecting the main floor, mezzanine level and roof, and received approval from the department, a report said. It is unclear whether Li sought approval for building on the roof.

Last year, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was found to have an unauthorised glass-enclosed balcony at a flat on MacDonnell Road in Mid-Levels. He has since rectified the problem. Other public figures similarly caught out include Secretary for Education Michael Suen Ming-yeung and Dr Kitty Poon Kit, undersecretary for the environment.

The row reached a peak in February with the revelation that Tang had unauthorised structures at a Kowloon Tong family home. They included a 2,090 sq ft basement, glass windows at the bottom of a swimming pool and a footbridge that linked the home, at 7 York Road, to the adjacent house, 5A, which he also owned.

The department is investigating the case.