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 NEW DELHI 00004908 001.2 OF 002 -------------- ENVIRONMENT -------------- ¶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. -------------- SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY -------------- ¶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. -------------- HEALTH -------------- ¶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 NEW DELHI 00004908 002.2 OF 002 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. WHITE