Category Archives: News

China takes multiple measures to inject liquidity

09/05/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

BEIJING, Sept. 2 (Greenpost) — The People’s Bank of China, China’s central bank, conducts 150 billion yuan worth of 7-day reverse repos at a yield of 2.35 percent in Tuesday’s open market operation.

Traders note that the move shows the central bank’s intention to inject short-term liquidity into the financial system.

Since the end of June, the central bank continued to pump in liquidity through its routine open market operations and step up sales of reverse repos in August to boost cash supply in the financial system.

On last Friday, the central bank injected 140 billion yuan of liquidity into the market via a 6-day short-term liquidity operation. The amount was the same as a similar contract sold on August 26. The central bank also injected 60 billion yuan into the market via a 7-day SLO on August 28.

China’s central bank lowered key interest rates and cut the reserve requirement ratio on August 26, marking the fourth RRR cut in nearly seven months and the fifth round of interest cut in no more than nine months.

Traders noted that the central bank was expected to employ multiple monetary policy tools such as reverse repo sales, interest rate and RRR cuts to keep liquidity environment stable in the future. (Edited by Yang Yifan, yangyifan@xinhua.org)

China, Chinese circle, culture, Exchange, News

China Day Held in Sandberg’s School in Sweden

09/04/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Upplands Väsby, Sept. 4(Greenpost) — An interesting China Day was held in Sandberg’s School in Upplands Väsby in Sweden on Aug. 28.

The weather is so fine that students have begun the program outside in the playground with the Lion Dance.

Headmaster Eva Svensson said her school was a private school, but with a lot of efforts and investment in building relations with China. They have become sister school with Wenlan School in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province since four years ago.

“The purpose of holding this China Day is to let pupils learn Chinese language and culture through interesting activities with Chinese elements,” said Svensson.

According to Svensson, there are about 300 students and 35 teachers with nine grades and 11 classes.

The students are impress by the lion dance and even tried to learn kongfu excercise from the coach actor and actresses.

Then they moved inside the classroom. Some students wrote characters, cut it and then made a Chinese dragon. Some students made kites and some made Jianzi.

Chinese teacher Sun Kai said she was impressed by her Swedish students because they like to study Chinese and if you give them an idea, they can really make a product for you.

After two hours work, students went out to eat fried Chinese noodles to taste Chinese food.

The last program was to fly all the kites they made themselves.

Many pupils said it was a very lovely day and very interesting.

News

Beijing low carbon delegation trained in Sweden

09/04/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Stockholm, Sept. 3(Greenpost)– Beijing low carbon delegation has been trained for two weeks in Sweden thanks to the arrangement of Beijing CPC’s organization department and Swedish Environment Institute with the coordination of the Swedish Embassy Beijing.

As the last part of the training journey, the delegation held a seminar with the Chinese community in Sweden.

Wu Wangling, deputy chair of Sveriges Kinesiska Rikförbundet welcomed the delegation.

“Today is a special day due to Beijing’s historical Parade in Tiananmen Square. On behalf of the Riksförbundet, I warmly welcome the delegation,” Wu said.

Tang Bing made an introduction about Chinese in Sweden, history, formation of various organizations and their activities such as the China Festival in 2013 and the Pingpong competition in 2014 with the participation of Swedish player and judge Waldner or Lao Wa.

Professor Yan Jinyue from Swedish Royal Technology Institute(KTH) gave a presentation about cooperation between Sweden and China in energy efficiency field.

Chang Wei, head of the 25 member delegation said delegation consists of officials from the government, business sector people and the professors, lawyers and other professionals.

They have had courses in Swedish Environment Institute in Swedish low carbon and energy efficiency, waste and waste water treatment, sustainable traffic and transportation and environmental protection policies and measures.

They have also visited waste water treatment plant, Royal Seaport and Hammarbysjöstad in Stockholm. They travelled to Malmö to study the policy and best practices there too. They visited sustainable companies.

With a holistic method of having both policies and practices, the arrangement was very good, commented Chang.

Meeting with the Chinese community was the last part of their study visits.

Miyun Mayor Wang Haichen said this was his first visit to Sweden and he felt he had learnt a lot in sustainable development.

Zheng Shuanhu said he had been to Sweden before and he himself was dealing with energy saving and environmental protection practices in Beijing. Sweden has a lot of good practices which can be learnt.

The delegation also include Yao Hui, Deputy Director of Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, Zuo Yi, journalist and Chief of the Staff, Beijing Times and Shi Hongmin, from Beijing Enterprises Group.

China, News, World News

Xi Jinping says China to reduce the army by 300 thousand

09/03/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Stockholm, Sept. 3 (Greenpost)–Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced that China will reduce its army by 300 thousand.

He made the announcement at the Tiananmen Parade on Thursday.

He said the aim of our commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War is to bear history in mind, honor all those who laid down their lives, cherish peace and open up the future.

Ravaging through Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania, that war inflicted over 100 million military and civilian casualties. China suffered over 35 million casualties and the Soviet Union lost more than 27 million lives. The best way to honor the heroes who gave their lives to uphold freedom, justice and peace and mourn the loss of innocent lives brutally taken during the war is to make sure that this historical tragedy will never repeat itself.

War is like a mirror. Looking at it helps us better appreciate the value of peace. Today, peace and development have become the prevailing trend, but the world is far from tranquil. War is the sword of Damocles that still hangs over mankind. We must learn the lessons of history and dedicate ourselves to peace.

seventy years ago today, the Chinese people, having fought tenaciously for 14 years, won the great victory of their War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, marking the full victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. On that day, the world was once again blessed by the sunshine of peace.

On this occasion, on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission, I pay high tribute to all the veterans, comrades, patriots and officers in China who took part in the War of Resistance and all the Chinese at home and abroad who contributed significantly to the victory of the War. I extend heartfelt gratitude to foreign governments and friends who supported and assisted the Chinese people in resisting aggression. I also warmly welcome all the foreign guests and representatives of the armed forces of foreign countries present today.

He recalled the history that Chinese people and army fought against Japanese invaders in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War were a decisive battle between justice and evil, between light and darkness, and between progress and reaction. In that devastating war, the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression started the earliest and lasted the longest. In defiance of aggression, the unyielding Chinese people fought gallantly and finally won total victory against the Japanese militarist aggressors, thus preserving China’s 5,000-year-old civilization and upholding the cause of peace of mankind. This remarkable feat made by the Chinese nation was rare in the history of war.

The victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is the first complete victory won by China in its resistance against foreign aggression in modern times. This great triumph crushed the plot of the Japanese militarists to colonize and enslave China and put an end to China’s national humiliation of suffering successive defeats at the hands of foreign aggressors in modern times. This great triumph re-established China as a major country in the world and won the Chinese people respect of all peace-loving people around the world. This great triumph opened up bright prospects for the great renewal of the Chinese nation and set our ancient country on a new journey after gaining rebirth.

During the war, with huge national sacrifice, the Chinese people held ground in the main theater in the East of the World Anti-Fascist War, thus making major contribution to its victory. In their war against Japanese aggression, the Chinese people received extensive support from the international community. The Chinese people will always remember what the people of other countries did for the victory of their War of Resistance.

“In the interest of peace, we need to foster a keen sense of a global community of shared future. Prejudice, discrimination, hatred and war can only cause disaster and suffering, while mutual respect, equality, peaceful development and common prosperity represent the right path to take. All countries should jointly uphold the international order and system underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, build a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation and advance the noble cause of global peace and development.” Xi said.

In the interest of peace, China will remain committed to peaceful development. We Chinese love peace. No matter how much stronger it may become, China will never seek hegemony or expansion. It will never inflict its past suffering on any other nation. The Chinese people are resolved to pursue friendly relations with all other countries, uphold the outcomes of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and make greater contribution to mankind.

Xi stress that the People’s Liberation Army of China is the people’s army. All its officers, men and women must bear in mind their responsibility of serving the people whole-heartedly, faithfully fulfil the sacred duty of protecting the nation’s security and people’s well-being, and carry out the noble mission of upholding world peace.

“Here, I announce that China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000.”

Xi quoted the first Chinese book of poems, “After making a good start, we should ensure that the cause achieves fruition.” The great renewal of the Chinese nation requires the dedicated efforts of one generation after another. Having created a splendid civilization of over 5,000 years, the Chinese nation will certainly usher in an even brighter future.

“Going forward, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, we, people of all ethnicities across the country, should take Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development as our guide to action. We should follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, pursue the four-pronged comprehensive strategy, promote patriotism and the great spirit of resisting aggression and forge ahead as one to reach our goals.

Let us bear in mind the great truth of history: Justice will prevail! Peace will prevail! The people will prevail!” Xi said.

Source: Xinhua

culture, News

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

09/01/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence – Sweden’s candidate for the Academy Award nominations $Beskrivning: Beskrivning: H:\My Documents\roy\Roy_Andersson_c_mair_476.jpg$

Roy Andersson talks to Swedish Film Institute head of press Jan Göransson. To his left producer Pernilla Sandström and Director International Department Pia Lundberg. Photo: Christopher Mair/Swedish Film Institute

The Swedish Oscar Committee has chosen Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence as Sweden’s candidate for the Academy Award nominations. The film is also selected for European Film Award – People’s Choice Award, with Force Majeure by Ruben Östlund as one of the other nine nominated.

A happy Roy Andersson attended the press conference at the Swedish Film Institute in Stockholm, earlier today. He is currently working on a new project, with the working title On Eternity (Om det oändliga); also adding that he wants to see more poetry in film in general.

In autumn 2014, Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron) was awarded a Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. Now, the Swedish Oscar Committee has selected the film as the Swedish candidate for the Academy Award nominations.

The Academy Award judges will then decide which films go on to a shortlist, and which are subsequently nominated for an Academy Award.

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence has been well received both in Sweden and internationally. The average rating from Swedish critics is 3.90 out of 5. The foreign press has also praised the movie:

“The morose, sardonic genius on show in Roy Andersson’s A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence plays like the melancholy inheritor of fellow Nordic miserablists August Strindberg, Edvard Munch and Søren Kierkegaard – but with much better jokes.” (Jonathan Romney, Sight & Sound, May 2015)

“…the film is a master class in comic timing, employing pacing and repetition with the skill of a practiced concert pianist.” (Peter Debruge, Variety, September 2014)

The film is produced by Pernilla Sandström for Roy Andersson Filmproduktion, and co-produced by Société Parisienne de Production of France, 4½ of Norway, and German company Essential Film Production. The film received production funding from the Swedish Film Institute, Film Commissioner Suzanne Glansborg.Coproduction Office is the international sales agent. The movie premiered in Sweden on 14 November and is distributed by TriArt.

Roy Andersson is one of Swedish film’s most important directors of all time. His first feature-length film A Swedish Love Story (En kärlekshistoria) from 1970 set a new standard in psychological realism, subtle tragicomedy and strong visual narrative – something that has characterised Andersson’s work ever since, particularly in his acclaimed 2000 comeback movie Songs from the Second Floor (Sånger från andra våningen). A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence is the perfectionist Andersson’s first feature-length film in seven years. Andersson was also selected Sweden’s candidate for the Academy Award nominations with A Swedish Love Story, Songs from the Second Floor and You, the Living.

In addition to supporting the Swedish entry for Best Foreign Language Film, the Swedish Film Institute will also grant support for the Academy Award campaign forStig Björkman’s Ingrid Bergman – In Her Own Words in the Best Documentary Feature category.

The following Oscar Committee members were involved in making the decision:

Anders Habenicht, appointed by Teaterförbundet – The Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film
Jörgen Bergmark, appointed by Teaterförbundet – The Swedish Union for Performing Arts and Film
Zoran Slavic, appointed by Sveriges Filmuthyrareförening (Swedish association of film renters)
Jan Lumholdt, appointed by the Swedish Federation of Film Critics
George Ivanov, appointed by the Swedish Film Institute
Charlotta Denward, appointed by the Swedish Film & TV Producers Association
Sören Staermose, appointed by the Swedish Film & TV Producers Association

European Film Award – People’s Choice Award

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence is also selected for European Film Award – People’s Choice Award, one of the biggest film awards in the world. Among other nominated is Force Majeure by Ruben Östlund, making it two Swedish films of a total of ten nominated. The winner is announced at the European Film Awards Ceremony on 12 December in Berlin.

Business, News, World News

China’s central bank pumps in billions to ease liquidity strain

09/01/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

BEIJING, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) — The central bank on Tuesday pumped the most funds into the financial system in open market operations since January 2014 amid efforts to ease a liquidity strain.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) conducted 150 billion yuan (23.4 billion U.S. dollars) of seven-day reverse repurchase agreements (repo), a process in which central banks purchase securities from banks with an agreement to resell them in the future.

The reverse repo was priced to yield 2.5 percent, unchanged from the yield on a net injection last week of 150 billion yuan using reverse repos, according to a PBOC’s statement.

Liquidity in the money market has tightened due to dropping new yuan funds outstanding for foreign exchange and a depreciating Chinese yuan.

The PBOC also channelled another 110 billion yuan via its medium-term lending facility, which allows banks to borrow from the central bank by using securities as collateral.

Despite the cash injection, in Tuesday’s interbank market, the benchmark overnight Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate (Shibor), which measures the cost at which Chinese banks lend to one other, climbed by 1.3 basis points to 1.879 percent, a four-month high. Enditem

Business, News

Premier calls for stronger leasing to bolster economy

09/01/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) — The State Council, China’s Cabinet, on Wednesday asked the country’s leasing industry to facilitate financing and bolster real economy.

Stronger leasing services can provide capital to support investment on equipment and industrial upgrades, said a statement released after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

The meeting demanded less red tape, including no threshold for the minimum capital of financial leasing companies to establish subsidiaries and easier procedures for leasing equipment like ships, farming machinery, medical devices and aircraft.

More support will target high-end equipment imports and clean energy, especially services for small enterprises and agricultural development, the statement said.

Better use of “Internet Plus” will help trading of leases, second-hand equipment and leaseback business.

Internet Plus encourages the development of e-commerce, industrial networks, and Internet finance.

The meeting encouraged local governments to provide incentives and risk compensation to guide financial leasing businesses to better serve the real economy. Enditem

China considers amending laws to boost private schools

BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) — Legislators on Wednesday deliberated amendments to laws on education to promote the development of private schools.

The amendments were submitted to the country’s top legislature during its bi-monthly session that started on Monday.

According to the amendments, private schools can choose their own method of operation and register as non-profit or profit-making enterprises.

Non-profit private schools will charge fees according to regulations made by local governments, while for-profit private schools can decide the fee criteria on their own.

Private schools operating in violation of the regulations and rules should be shut down. Violators should return fees and may be fined one to five times of their illegal gains, said the amendments. Enditem

China, Chinese circle, Environment, Green-tech, News

China calls for submission of applicable technologies for contest

08/26/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

Stockholm, Aug.26 (Greenpost)–China is calling for submission of applicable technologies for technologies contest in environmental protection.

The news was released by the delegation from Ministry of Environment Protection of China during the ongoing World Water Week in Stockholm during Aug. 23-28, 2015.

The details is as the following:

Dear Distinguished Partner/Counterpart/Expert/Resource Person,

FIRST 3IPET TOP 100 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

TECHNOLOGIES CONTEST

CALL FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICABLE TECHNOLOGIES

As part of efforts to protect the environment and address the challenges of air, water and soil pollution through appropriate prevention and control strategies, the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office (FECO), with the support of the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) of China, established the Integrated, Intelligent, and International Platform for Environmental Technology (3iPET). 3iPET aims at taking advantages of the technologies and cooperation network of governments, companies, and private organizations in China and other countries to provide both online and offline services to showcase and promote Chinese and foreign environmental technologies to solve the environmental problems locally and globally.

FECO is organizing the first ever 3iPET contest to select the top 100 environmental protection technologies in each of the areas of air, water and soil (including solid waste) pollution prevention and control. The contest will be organized between August and October 2015, and the best 100 adjudged technologies in each of the three categories will be published in the “Top 100 technologies for 3iPET” for Air, Water and Soil (including solid waste) pollution prevention and control. The selected technologies will be promoted through the 3iPET platform.

In recognition of the expertise and active involvement of your organization in the promotion of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) and the global network of your programmes and activities we hereby solicit for your support and assistance in disseminating the information about the contest within and outside China to environmental technology suppliers and promoters. Please find attached information materials and guidelines on the contest. The electronic copies of the information materials and guidelines can be downloaded from the official FECO website at www.mepfeco.gov.cn

It will be appreciated if you can kindly assist in publicizing the contest by disseminating the attached information and materials. Please revert in case you need additional information or further clarifications.

We thank you for your support and cooperation.

(signed)

Chen Liang

Director General

Foreign Economic Cooperation Office

Ministry of Environmental Protection of China

To whom it may concern:

Call for Participation in 3iPET Cooperation Hubs

In order to advance environmental protection in China, the development and adoption of advanced and practical environmental technologies are an important means to improve environmental quality. At the same time, China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” promotes the continuing trend for Chinese environmental technologies and industries to “go out” to promote clean development globally. To support China’s efforts in the “three battles” of preventing and controlling water, air and soil pollution, and its implementation of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of Ministry of Environment Cooperation (MEP/FECO) developed the International, Intelligent and Integrated Platform for Environmental Technologies (3iPET), relying on its advantages in international cooperation in environmental protection. 3iPET was officially launched in June 8^th, 2015.

3iPET relies on the Internet and powerful database, and combines online and offline service. Its functions include integration and exhibition, evaluation and screening, matchmaking and promotion of environmental technologies, technology services, which serves as an exchange and communication platform. Its goals include promoting domestic and foreign exchange and cooperation with respect to environmental technologies, facilitating import and export of environmental technologies, and providing technical support for China’s efforts in pollution control. The organizational structure of 3iPET includes a steering committee, strategic partners, technology service alliances, a domestic and international cooperation hub platform, and expert consultancy teams. For further information, please visit http://3ipet.mepfeco.org.cn.

We now sincerely call for your joining 3iPET as an international cooperation hub. The international cooperation hubs will conduct information exchange with 3iPET. Through 3iPET, international hubs can obtain information about domestic and international environmental protection policies, global environmental technologies, domestic and international projects, and industrial cooperation opportunities, and will be responsible for providing information about international environmental protection policies, advanced abroad environmental technologies providers, international technological mergers & acquisitions and related projects abroad on a regular basis. Additionally, 3iPET will cooperate with hubs to support technology matchmaking, technology promotion, industrial incubation, project demonstration, financial and business combination opportunities, and policy dissemination.

If you are interested, please complete the information form of 3iPET International Cooperation Hub in the attached Annex, and send it via email to FECO by August 31^st, 2015. My colleagues Ms. Tang Lu and Ms. Li Haoting will be at your disposal if you have any question, and you can reach them through:

Tel: 010-82268877, 010-82268880

Fax: 010-82200586

E-mail: tang.lu@mepfeco.org.cn, li.haoting@mepfeco.org.cn

Annex: Information Form for 3iPET International Cooperation Hub

We warmly welcome your participation and contribution. It is our sincere hope that we could achieve win-win cooperation through 3iPET cooperation hubs.

Chen Liang

Director General

Foreign Economic Cooperation Center

Ministry of Environment Cooperation of China

Attachment: Information Form for 3iPET International Cooperation Hub

Attachment

Information Form for 3iPET International Cooperation Hub

Name:
Address:
Contact person:	Telephone:
Fax:	E-mai:
Introduction:

Business, Environment, Green-tech, News

Zurich invests USD 10million to drive innovation in flood resilience

08/25/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

Stockholm, August 25(Greenpost)– Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) has joined efforts with the Global Resilience Partnership to launch the Global Resilience Challenge Water Window.

The Water Window is a grant-based competition focused on building resilience to different water challenges, including floods.

Zurich is the first private sector member of the Resilience Partnership and provides a USD 10 million investment to fund solutions to build flood resilience. The Global Resilience Partnership and Zurich call on other corporations to join them so that all can better realize a resilience dividend.

Zurich will invest USD 10 million as part of its long-term commitment to the Global Resilience Partnership (the Resilience Partnership), convened by The Rockefeller Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The Resilience Partnership is driving a shared global resilience agenda, where humanitarian and development planning is better aligned, deploying precious resources to support innovations, which will build stronger communities that are able to overcome chronic stresses and better handle inevitable shocks.

The Global Resilience Challenge Water Window (the Water Window) invites submissions that will build resilience to different water challenges and which stand to benefit of millions of people. The Water Window will seek to support innovative solutions – or to scale up those that are already working – that fall within one or more focus areas of the Resilience Partnership overall: technology; innovative financing, including risk transfer mechanisms; measurement & diagnostics (e.g. tools that enable better understanding problems and risk caused by water); policy; and learning & innovation (including community practices that enhance awareness, education, engagement, female empowerment, and action orientation). Zurich will look specifically for innovations aimed at enhancing flood resilience in line with its global flood resilience program launched in 2013. The funding is provided by the Z Zurich Foundation.

The Water Window’s goal is to identify and realize strong solutions that will be shared through an open learning platform. Zurich and other corporations joining the Water Window will be part of the challenge’s assessment, selection and development processes. KPMG East Africa Limited, the implementing partner of the first Global Resilience Challenge, will also be the implementing partner of the Water Window, handling all administrative and operational issues.

Beyond the Water Window, Zurich will play an active role in the Resilience Partnership by contributing its market-leading resilience measurement expertise, engaging on finding optimal financing solutions, or supporting the development and implementation of public policy.

Chief Executive Officer Martin Senn said: “Water is one of the most critical development challenges we face today. Tens of millions of people struggle to gain access to clean drinking water every day; a shortage of water is limiting economic growth in many countries, while flooding affects more people each year than any other form of natural disaster. At Zurich, we believe we have a responsibility to use our expertise in insurance and risk management to help communities and households build resilience against such globally interconnected risks. With the commitment of USD 10 million we will build on the progress of our flood resilience program. We invite other companies to join us in the water resilience challenge, where there are a host of issues to focus on beyond floods.”

“Crisis is the new normal, and with so much of the world’s population living on or near water, flooding is often the source of crises,” said Dr. Judith Rodin, president of The Rockefeller Foundation.

“The Global Resilience Partnership is leading the charge to build resilience across the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and South and Southeast Asia, and Zurich is an excellent addition because of the expertise they can lend to spur innovation in building resilience to flooding. We look forward to welcoming other corporations to the Resilience Partnership, because when communities are resilient, so too are businesses. That’s part of the dividend of investing in resilience.”

P.S.

To get instant access to Zurich’s news releases, calendar and other corporate publications on your iPad, iPhone or Android phone please go to your App Store and get the free Zurich Investors and Media App.

For broadcast-standard and streaming-quality video and/or high resolution pictures supporting this news release, please visit our Multimedia Pressroom.

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With more than 55,000 employees, it provides a wide range of general insurance and life insurance products and services. Zurich’s customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, including multinational corporations, in more than 170 countries. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.

Corporate responsibility is a key part of Zurich’s strategy and supports its mission to help its customers understand and protect themselves from risk. Zurich is focusing on its strengths as a business, and on key enablers of success – actions it needs to take to achieve its strategic objectives. Zurich thinks about corporate responsibility in the same way, focusing on seven areas that either make use of its insurance, risk management and investment expertise, or are enablers of Zurich’s success. They are:

• Enhancing community flood resilience (see more on Zurich’s global flood resilience program)

• Investing our Group assets responsibly [Zurich is a signatory of the Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI)]

• Working with Zurich corporate customers to help them understand and manage their corporate responsibility risks

• Community investment locally and through the Z Zurich Foundation

• Environmental performance, and health and safety management in its office buildings

• Diversity and inclusion in its workforce

• Responsible supply chain management

Zurich participates in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), FTSE4Good and CDP.

Zurich has been a signatory of the UN Global Compact since 2011 and is committed to making the Global Compact and its principles part of Zurich’s strategy, culture and day-to-day operations.

Energy, Environment, Green-tech, News, World News

Managing Water Resources for Green Growth and Equity

08/25/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 25 (Greenpost)– The workshop “Managing Water Resources for Green Growth and Equity” was held on Tuesday at the ongoing World Water Week in Stockholm.

Director-General of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), Ms. Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, delivered a keynote speech on green growth and equity.

Practitioners and analysts have given the distinctive development trajectories of countries and regions, the pathways through which water can contribute to green growth and equity.

Dr. Akissa Bahri (African Development Bank), Mr. Dhesigen Naidoo (Water Research Commission, RSA), Ms. Sofia Ahlroth (World Bank Group), Mr. Dammika Sirinesa (National Development Bank PLC) and Dr. Casey Brown (University of Massachusetts) have been the panelists.

culture, Indepth, News, Opinion

Sweden strives for gender equality in film industry

08/22/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

Stockholm， Aug. 22(Greenpost)– Sweden is striving for gender equality in film industry as voices are getting louder in the global film industry regarding gender inequality.

(Video: http://mediaroom.sweden.se/)

A growing body of research and statistics points to what many have been arguing for decades: women are not represented equally behind or in front of the camera.

The Swedish film industry has certainly been no different. Back to 2012, with only 32 percent of Swedish state-funded features produced by women, and women directors and screenwriters underrepresented, Anna Serner, CEO of the Swedish Film Institute (SFI), decided that something needed to be done.

Serner explains, “When I started three and a half years ago, we had an assignment to aim for a 40/60 average of long feature films, in the key positions of director, screenwriter and producer. Of course this always means 40 percent women, but I would say that you should always aim for 50/50 over time”.

Serner has become a bit of a rock-star figure internationally in championing gender equality in the film industry. Her proactive, no-nonsense approach with its proven results has gained worldwide attention from the film industry and media alike.

“What I did was to be very clear in the goal and made an action plan for reaching the goal by the end of 2015. And it took us (only) two and a half years, to reach the goal”.

With four out of five Swedish feature film receiving funding from SFI, their “Towards Gender Equality in Film Production ” action plan naturally had a major effect on what films have been made. Being expected with any shake-up to the existing system, arguments and criticism ensued from both the creative and the business sides of the industry. Even neighboring Scandinavian countries with a similar film funding system questioned the need for such an aggressive program.

Serner’s views have remained steady. “One very common argument is that you shouldn’t do this because it limits the creativity, the freedom of speech and the quality of the artistic level of films. I would say exactly the opposite, actually, that you need gender equality and you need to get the underrepresented voices… to get quality”.

Who gets to make films is one important aspect of equality in the film industry, how women are represented in front of the camera is another.

Sweden also attracted an unexpected amount of worldwide attention for an initiative by a small art house movie theatre in Stockholm.

Ellen Tejle, Director of Bio Rio, explains,

“Back in 2013, we read that only 30% of women in film had speaking roles, and it got us thinking, ‘We need to do something ourselves! But we don’t produce films, we are just showing them’”.

What the theatre did was to develop the world’s first film classification, “A-rate”, to show if a film passes The Bechdel Test. The Bechdel Test was inspired by American animator Alison Bechdel’s idea from 30 years ago, a basic measure to see if women are fairly represented in a film.

For a film to pass The Bechdel Test, the movie must • have at least two female characters • they must both have names • they must talk to each other about something other than a man. As simple as it was, the “A-rate” campaign sent a shock wave through the industry and media from over eighty countries picked up the story.

The Bechdel Test was used in a number of analyses that followed including the oft-quoted analysis in 2014 by New York based FiveThirtyEight, showing that, of Hollywood films produced since 1990, those which passed the Bechdel test actually had a better return on investment.

Tejle cautions, “We realize that the Bechdel Test is only one tool to evaluate film, and it is not a guarantee of quality or equality, but it gets people talking about women’s representation. I know that, since A-Rate, people have been changing their scripts and changing the casting, and that’s amazing!”.

If Serner has anything to say about it, Sweden will continue to push the gender quality question forward .

“Women tell stories with a new perspective, and that’s what feels new, original, and unique. “ She adds with a smile, “There are a lot of countries that talk about things, but we are the only country that actually does things! You can criticize and you can have opposition, but that is a way of making progress”.

Energy, Environment, Green-tech, News, World News

Sweden’s view of the new climate agreement

08/21/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

Stockholm, Aug. 21(Greenpost)–From 30 November to 11 December, the world’s leaders will gather in Paris for the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The session is particularly important since the countries are to agree on a new global climate agreement that will apply from 2020.

The Government wants to see a global, fair and legally binding climate agreement that will help keep global warming as far below two degrees Celsius as possible. The agreement must allow countries to take ever more ambitious emission reduction measures over time.

Sweden wants to see legally binding emissions limitation commitments for all countries. All countries should contribute according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities. Sweden also wants the agreement to cover support to low-income countries’ implementation of measures for both emission reductions and adaptation. Support should cover financing, technology diffusion and capacity-building. In particular, support is needed to strengthen efforts in the poorest and most vulnerable countries.

Being able to measure, report and verify countries’ emissions is a prerequisite for stronger commitments over time. The agreement must therefore contain fundamental principles for a common regulatory framework for transparency and monitoring of countries’ commitments and implementation.

All countries should present their contributions to the new agreement in good time before the Paris session. The EU’s decision to reduce emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2030 is an important step, but a higher level of ambition is needed from both the EU and other parties that have submitted their bids.

The Government considers that a higher level of ambition prior to 2020 is important, both to close the gap between what countries are doing and necessary emission reductions, and to build confidence in the negotiations.

Much work remains before a new agreement can be put into place

Many difficult issues remain to be solved before and during the session in Paris, including what parts of the new agreement should be legally binding, how adaptation and emission reductions can be given equal political importance in the agreement, how climate financing can increase and which countries should contribute.

Reaching a global climate agreement in Paris is expected to be a major challenge, and even if an agreement is reached it will not provide a complete solution to the problem of climate change. The new agreement is needed to create a platform for more ambitious climate commitments and enhanced global action in the years ahead. However, a number of political and technical issues will remain after Paris, for example the detailed reporting regulations and market mechanisms under the new agreement.

Business, China, culture, News

Net ODI of China’s financial institutions at USD2.309 bln in Q2

08/20/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) — Financial institutions on the Chinese mainland reported net outward direct investment (ODI) of 2.309 billion U.S. dollars (14.129 billion yuan) in the second quarter of the year, according to China’s top foreign-exchange regulator on Wednesday.
Data from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange showed that ODI outflows from Chinese mainland’s financial institutions, including banks, insurers, and securities firms, reached 6.146 billion U.S. dollars (37.615 billion yuan) in the second quarter of the year, while ODI inflows amounted to 3.837 billion U.S. dollars (23.486 billion yuan) in the same time period.
The calculations only cover equity investments that enable an investor to own 10 percent or more of voting stock in a company. Enditem

Business, China, News

Turnover of China’s rare earth exchange surges in first 7 months

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HOHHOT, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) — Turnover of China’s rare earth exchange surged drastically in the first 7 months of this year due to declining prices and rising demand.
The Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange processed 116,400 tonnes of products in the first 7 months, with a trading volume of 15.755 billion yuan (2.57 billion U.S. dollars), up 277 percent compared to the full year of 2014, according to Gu Ming, the exchange general manager.
“The drastic price decline of rare earth products invigorated the market demand,” Gu said.
During the first six months of this year, the average export price of rare earth products was 32,000 yuan per tonne, down 34.7 percent from the same period of last year, according to local customs.
As of the end of July, about 120 rare earth enterprises and agents had opened accounts in the exchange, said Gu.
The exchange will compile the rare earth price index and promote cross-border e-commerce in the near future, he said.
China began setting quotas and high duties on rare earth exports in 2010, causing friction with the European Union, Japan and the United States. Quotas were removed on Jan. 1 this year, and export duties were canceled in May after a WTO ruling in August 2014 declared the measures inconsistent with WTO rules and China’s accession protocol.
The Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange was launched in March 2014 in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It was initiated by China North Rare Earth Group Co. Ltd, the country’s leading rare earth producer, and another 12 firms and institutions with a registered capital of 120 million yuan.
Rare earth metals are vital for manufacturing high-tech products ranging from smartphones and wind turbines to electric car batteries and missiles. Enditem

Business, China, Chinese circle, News, World News

Securitization in China helps global investors to RMB assets: S&P

08/20/2015 北欧绿色邮报网 Leave a comment

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (Greenpost) — Global investors are focusing more on renminbi assets in China, primarily to diversify asset allocation and seek higher returns amid the prospering economy, according to a report by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services.

Ongoing improvements in self-governance and information transparency in the securitization market are likely to support the development of China’s capital market, according to “China securitization: linking international investors and renminbi assets”, released Tuesday by the leading rating agency.
“China’s securitization market is small compared with its bond market, but its evolution might indicate answers to some questions regarding China’s capital markets,” said Standard & Poor’s credit analyst Vera Chaplin.
Starting in late 2014, a number of infrastructure enhancements in China’s securitization market had raised issuance efficiency and promoted market self-governance, while narrowing information gaps, Chaplin noted.
For instance, the formal information disclosure requirements in China’s asset-backed securities (ABS) and residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) securitization, set out by China’s National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors in May, enhanced transparency and enabled investors to better understand the performance of transactions.
The result has been an increase in interest from international investors, he said.
Participation of global investors are believed to benefit China’s capital markets. Apart from providing additional capital, a more international scheme will support funding diversity for issuers and promote market infrastructure construction to meet international standards.
“More than 140 billion yuan (21.9 billion U.S. dollars) in securitization transactions was issued under the two major securitization schemes in China in the first six months of 2015,” Chaplin said.
“The transactions reveal a standardized platform for asset collections and how to allocate assets’ economic value, the disclosure of more information so that risks could be analyzed, and the isolation of asset sellers’ credit risk,” Chaplin said.
“As a result, international investors now have an opportunity to reach economic sectors that in the past they could not because of the smaller scale of the issuers or difficulties involved in finding the value of the assets,” Enditem

Why Chinese currency has two names? Yuan and Renminbi. You can read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/10413076