Many Australian businesses appear not to be pulling their weight when it comes to their social responsibility according to a new study that found that just 52% of the country's top 300 listed companies published information on their environmental performance or policies. Furthermore, just 28% provided details on action to reduce greenhouse gases, the report says. Personally, I am not sure what the report authors (Grant Thornton) were expecting, but I do not see these figures as disappointing as they do. The study also found that a "mere" 36% of companies divulged their HR policies and "only" 47% reported on their community activities and initiatives. Am I missing something here? It doesn't look so bad to me....

Major Japanese motor companies are planning to establish special economic zone in Myanmar to produce motor vehicle spare parts. The project will be implemented with the cooperation of domestic industrial enterprises probably in the form of joint venture, this report says. At present, Japanese motor companies as Suzuki and Isuzu are cooperating with Myanmar companies in producing motor vehicles, while Toyota and Honda are running motor car service industry in the country.

Asian pollution from Asian power plants, cooking and heating could create summer hot spots in the central United States and southern Europe by mid-century, US climate scientists reported. Unlike the long-lived greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, the particle and gas pollution cited in this report only stays in the air for a few days or weeks but its warming effect on the climate half a world away could last for decades, the scientists said. Asian soot and sulfate pollution is likely to make for hotter, drier summers in the American Midwest and the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, adding that heating and drying effects are not expected to hit Asia. Targeting these air pollutants now makes sense, because of their role in the quality of the air people breathe as well as their impact on global warming. It's no substitute for targeting CO2 (carbon dioxide), which in the long run is the main contributor to global warming and has to be tackled, but the shorter-term pollutants can have a very large impact. More here.

Chinese dam companies and financial institutions are outpacing their competitors in overseas dam contracts. China's overseas dam industry is building hundreds of dams around the world, particularly in Southeast Asia and Africa, but also in countries like Pakistan and Albania. International Rivers has recently published a guide that provides useful information for groups concerned about dam projects in which Chinese companies and financiers are involved including how communities impacted by these projects can protect their rights and advocate for rivers targeted for dams built by the Chinese. The guide will be covered in our next CSR Asia Weekly.

India's high dependence on fossil fuel makes it more vulnerable than others to adverse effects of climate change, which may result in low crop yields, rising sea level and loss in the country's GDP. Excessive use of fossil fuels will lead to heavy environmental, social and regulatory costs. India will experience the greatest increase in energy and greenhouse gas emissions in the world if it maintains an eight per cent or more annual economic growth, as its primary energy demand would multiply at least three to four fold of the present level. Further, climate change is expected to lead to unpredictable patterns of monsoon as well as increase in the country's temperature, much above the global average. More here.

This week's issue (Vol.4 Week 36) includes two new columns - CASP Profile and CSR Asia Summit 2008 Featured workshops. Other feature articles include Exxon Human Rights abuse in Aceh, Can CSR help rescue the gambling industry? and Beyond the business case for CSR.

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