VZCZCXRO1179
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHNE #4908/01 3120918
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 080918Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9201
INFO RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1188
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 1857
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0955
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 8274
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 4199
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHDC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUCPDC/NOAA WASHDC//NMFS//
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEAEPA/EPA WASHDC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE

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 
 
 
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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. 
 
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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