Costa Brava experience on water recycling explained in Taiwan

From http://www.ccbgi.org/activitats.php#id_23 and http://www.ccbgi.org/activitats.php#id_30b (in English)

[caption id="attachment_862" align="alignleft" width="300"] Presentation at the National Taiwan University, Taipei, November 2010[/caption]

Wondering what to post during these days of August of such low activity here, I realized that nothing was more "Sinalunya" than explaining my own adventures in Taiwan, where I gave two presentations about water recycling, one in September 2009 at the National Taipei University of Technology (國立台北科技大學), and the other one in November 2010 at the National Taiwan University (國立台灣大學). Consorci de la Costa Brava, the water agency that I work for, is a pioneering utility on water recycling in Spain and its experience seems to be of interest for a country that, despite the high rainfall -at least compared with Spain-, has a rather low per capita availability of water resources due to the high population, high industrial demand and a limitation on the capacity of building more dams due to the seismic activity of the area. Treated wastewater can be conveniently reclaimed and recycled for non-potable uses, which produces water savings and also reduces discharges into the environment. Consorci de la Costa Brava is collaborating on the organization of the 8th IWA International Conference on Water Reclamation and Reuse, led by Agbar, where the main findings on the area where they will be presented. Taiwanese professor Elliot Chen (陳筱華), Vice President and Chief Researcher at the Environment and Development Foundation (財團法人環境與發展基金會), is serving as member of the conference Scientific Committee.

Industrial production in Taiwan increases in June and July 2011

From http://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/english/news/News.aspx?kind=6&menu_id=176&news_id=22188 and http://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/english/news/News.aspx?kind=6&menu_id=176&news_id=22551 (in English)

The Department of Statistics of the Republic of China (Taiwan) government has released information about the evolution of the industrial production in June and July 2011. A similar growth was detected in both months, 3.61% in June and 3.93% in July. The June growth was due mainly to construction (+11.90%) and supply of electricity and gas (4.59%), which counterbalanced the decrease by 8.28% of mining and quarrying. In July, growth was due mainly to construction (+36.24%) and manufacturing (3.73%), which supply of electricity and gas (4.59%), which compensated the slight decrease of the other sectors.

Taiwan's exports increased in July 2011

From http://www.moea.gov.tw/Mns/english/news/News.aspx?kind=6&menu_id=176&news_id=22387 (in English)

The Department of Statistics of the Republic of China (Taiwan) government has released information about the evolution of exports in July 2011, which has had an increase of 17.6% compared to July 2010 and has amounted US$28.12 billion. Imports reached US$24.77 billion, an increase of 14.0% compared with the same period last year, resulting in a Taiwan's trade surplus of US$3.3 billion.

10th edition of Asia Festival 2011 in Barcelona

Asia Festival, the annual festival devoted to Asian culture organized by Casa Asia, is reaching its 10th edition. This year's festival will mainly focus on Central Asia and it will take place in Barcelona between Friday, September 16th and Sunday, September 25th, 2011. The program includes music from Kazakhstan, Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan, Iran and China, as well as the exhibitions of shadow theatre from Indonesia and of the fighters of the Naadam Festival from Mongolia. Most of these performances are free, but interested people are recommended to visit http://festivalasia.es/eng/entradas.html in order to get accurate information on the condition of each of the shows. Detailed information on the previous editions of the festival can also be obtained by visiting http://festivalasia.es/eng/ediciones.html.

Catalan companies in promotional mission for food products in Singapore and Malaysia

From http://www.icex.es/icex/cda/controller/pageICEX/0,6558,5518394_5519005_6366453_4507542,00.html (in Spanish)

The Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade (ICEX) included 5 companies from Barcelona province and 1 from Tarragona province among the 45 companies that  showcased their wines and food products in Singapore and Malaysia between July 26th-28th, 2011. The goal of this promotional mission was to back their introduction and distribution in these Asian markets. Total Spanish exports to Singapore in 2010 totalled 686 million euros, a 21% increase in comparison with exports in 2009, of which 26 million euros corresponded to the food and drinks industries. Total Spanish exports to Malaysia in 2010 totalled 225 million euros, of which 13 million euros corresponded to the food and drinks industries.

Unemployment in Catalonia reduced by 5,525 people in July

From http://www.expansion.com/2011/08/02/catalunya/1312295459.html (in Spanish)

According to official statistics, Catalonia was the third autonomous community with the greatest reduction of unemployment in July after Galicia and Valencia. The number of jobless people in Catalonia decreased by 5,525 during the previous month, which represents a decrease by 0.96%. Greatest percentual reduction has happened in Girona (2.4%), followed by Tarragona (1.9%), Barcelona (0.7%) and Lleida (0.2%).

Catalonia's long-term rating downgraded

From http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/business/moodys-downgrades-catalonias-long-term-rating (in Spanish)

The international rating agency Moody's Investors Service has downgraded by one level Catalonia's long-term rating, together with other Spanish autonomous communities such as Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia and Valencia. Catalonia's rating has been downgraded from A3 to Baa1 due to Moody's expectation that the region will still deviate widely from the deficit limit for the year, despite the efforts done by present Catalan government of reducing deficit by 1.2% in comparison with 2010.