NEW DELHI ESTH OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 004908

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS
STATE FOR STAS
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, HICKEY AND VALDEZ
NIH FOR GLASS AND MAMPILLY
FDA FOR LUMPKIN AND WELSCH
CDC FOR BLOUNT AND FARRELL
INTERIOR FOR FWS RILEY
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TSPL TBIO ECON SOCI KSCA IN
SUBJECT: NEW DELHI ESTH OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER
29 - NOVEMBER 2, 2007

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ENVIRONMENT
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1. ESTHOff attended India Forum 2007: Energy Efficiency in
Buildings - A National Competitive Advantage, held in New Delhi on
31 October and co-hosted by the World Business Council on
Sustainable Development and The Energy and Resources Institute.
Forum 2007 facilitated active discussion between private sector and
government officials on a myriad of energy efficiency issues,
including development of financial mechanisms and incentives for
green building, holistic approaches to efficient planning of large
developments, policy and regulatory issues, and sharing of best
practices. Ministry of New and Renewable Energy expressed interest
in signing an MOU with Government of Delhi to generate a green
building rating system, develop a syllabus on green building design
for engineering and architecture students, and to investigate use of
property tax breaks to encourage green building activities.


2. ESTHOff attended the India Carbon Market Conclave 2007 in New
Delhi on 1-2 November which attracted several hundred participants
and high level speakers from GOI and international organizations.
Plenary sessions focused on the future of the regulated carbon
market, implications of different policy options for the post-2012
period, project development in India, and market access strategies
for sellers and buyers of carbon credits. Panel discussions covered
a range of topics, including achievement of low carbon growth in
India, project financing, and presentations by current and
prospective project developers. A knowledge paper on the "status
and outlook" of the carbon market in India was released at the event
and may be available in the near future by visiting www.ficci.com.


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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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3. ESTHOff attended the second International Biofuels Forum (IBF)
meeting held in New Delhi on 30 October. The IBF brought together
delegates from Brazil, China, India, the European Commission and the
United States. Opening statements from each country provided
detailed summaries of their respective domestic biofuels sectors and
indications of the future market. The Information Exchange Working
Group presented a draft Terms of Reference for a joint study on
biofuels and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. A representative
from the Global Bioenergy Partnership discussed the scope of work
undertaken in the partnership and identified potential areas for
collaboration with IBF. The Working Group on Standards and Codes
presented information on current work being done in Brazil, the
European Union and the United States and made plans to meet
informally in December to discuss development of standards and codes
for ethanol production. Reporting cable to follow.

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HEALTH
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4. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of
the Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) co-sponsored a
multi-disciplinary symposium titled "International Symposium on
Avian Influenza: Epidemiologic, Basic and Applied Research" in New
Delhi from October 29-31, 2007 in collaboration with several Indian
institutions and government bodies including the Indian Council of

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Medical Research, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases,
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Department of
Biotechnology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research, the Department of Animal Husbandry
and Dairying, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the International
Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. Scientists and
health professionals from the National Institutes of Health, Food
and Drug Administration, United States Agency of International
Development, United Stated Department of Agriculture also
participated in this meeting. This event provided an excellent
platform to epidemiologists and laboratory researchers for exchange
of information on epidemiologic, virologic, molecular and
immunologic features of H5N1 influenza virus. The collective
presence of major U.S. and Indian research organizations in this
symposium is expected to act as a catalyst for initiating
collaborations in diagnostics, pathogenesis, genetic variability,
and vaccine development and production. Reporting cable to follow.


5. ESTHOff attended the 2007 World Toilet Summit from Oct. 31 - Nov.

3. The event was hosted by Sulabh International Social Service
Organization and sponsored by the Government of India. The
conference brought together senior Indian government officials, NGOs
and experts from 40 countries to discuss sanitation in developing
countries, although most presentations focused specifically on
India. The Indian Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation
announced the Planning Commission had submitted a $150 million low
cost sanitation plan to the Cabinet for approval. The proposal, if
adopted, would provide a 75% subsidy to families constructing a
toilet and would emphasize collaboration with NGOs in an effort to
meet the GOI's goal of providing access to improved sanitation
facilities to all Indian citizens by 2012. Reporting cable to
follow.

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