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No alarming glacier retreat, none in 2009, says MoEF study

While the threat of Himalayan glaciers receding remains, a new review has shown that there was no retreat in 2009 and no “alarming” decline otherwise. ...
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Saturday,15 August, 2009 | Hits: 71

Climate change talks need a big push

Only political will at the highest level can break the ongoing deadlock in the global climate change negotiations. The biggest opportunity to give a push to the post-Kyoto talks is expected to come up during the UN secretary-general’s climate change summit in New York on September 22, when more than 100 heads of state and government are expected to assemble, say sources involved closely with the preparatory talks. ...
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Saturday,15 August, 2009 | Hits: 48

50 trees axed in S Delhi

Over 50 trees are alleged to have been illegally hacked in the upscale Westend colony of south Delhi. The Vasant Vihar police has arrested an office superintendent of the local RWA and a contractor who is alleged to have cut more trees than what was allowed by the forest department, said the police. ...
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Friday,14 August, 2009 | Hits: 66

World’s oceans changing in irreversible ways

There is mounting evidence that human activity is changing the world’s oceans in profound and irreversible ways, according to a recent study. ...
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Thursday,13 August, 2009 | Hits: 51

Surrender or success?

India should welcome the intent to restrict global warming to 20 Celsius, says KIRIT S PARIKH: India’s agreeing to the declaration on global warming at the major economies forum (MEF) in Italy has been criticised in and out of Parliament. India agreed with other countries to work to restrict the increase of the earth’s temperature to 2° Celsius. Is this outcry justified? Was this a surrender by India or a success of its diplomacy? ...
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Thursday,13 August, 2009 | Hits: 51

Groundwater vanishing in North India, says NASA

Groundwater levels in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi are falling dramatically — by one foot a year — a trend that could lead to “extensive socio-economic stresses” for the region’s 114 million residents, says a scientific paper based on the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s satellite imagery. ...
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Thursday,13 August, 2009 | Hits: 50

TALKING GREEN 1.27, from MY GREEN CHANNEL

" TALKING GREEN " weekly e-Newsletter of My GREEN CHANNEL, an initiative of LAKSHYA [ issue 1.27, Friday, 21st August 2009 ] 21st August 2009, Friday Dear Friends, A glance at the happenings around the globe and across my country has unveiled many facets of negotiations and agendas of the work, vision and the perspective of decision makers of this globe. It has been a continuous mud shedding for the developed and the developing nations as to who should be held responsible for the problems and its remedies.! It is very disappointing to see that at this hour of crisis many of us are trying to bank on development at the cost of the future of the human race. In India we have been exposed to alarming facts about sufferings of the planet whether be it in Surat or in the town hall of the capital city but we have been failing to take up a concrete action to say that “ YES WE ARE AWARE AND WE ARE DOING SOMETHING “ , our actions are reaching the dead end with publishing reports and announcing policies without knowing how these policies are going to be a REALITY. Awaiting for changes ! but for how long ? Thank you friends for being with us with your support and feedback and encouraging us to develop everyday and work for a green future.with GREEN THOUGHTS ….………… ENJOY READING! Developed nations must spend 1% of GDP for clean tech: India India on Friday proposed financial allocation in the range of 0.5%-1% of developed countries GDP annually to developing nations for mitigation and adaptation of adverse impact of the climate change. Releasing India’s paper presented to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) negotiations, minister for environment and forest Jairam Ramesh said the developed countries must commit $400-$500 billion annually towards green technology transfer and initiatives for various mitigation strategy to be adopted by developing countries. MCD head office Town Hall India’s most polluted, says ministry study The air around Delhi’s Town Hall — the seat of the Capital’s Mayor and 271 other lawmakers — is the most poisonous in the country. The latest National State of the Environment report — a review of the nation’s environment — prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and NGO Development Alternatives, Global warming threatens Lakshadweep corals _ The hard corals of Porites species, found in abundance in the blue-water lagoons of the picturesque Lakshadweep islands, are facing a threat to their existence. Global warming caused by high CO2 levels has retarded the growth of these corals, leading to fears that they might eventually disappear if the trend continued. AMC's solid waste plant to clean up Pirana _ Your drive down Pirana, on city's outskirts, makes you feel dizzy because of noxious industrial gases and stench from garbage dumps and sewage treatment plants. But now, you may say goodbye to your ordeal, thanks to a solid waste processing plant which is transforming municipal trash into pellets Near Yamuna bed, ‘O-zone’ layer to be left intact The Yamuna river bed will now be protected from turning into a concrete jungle. The Delhi De elopement Authority (DDA)-the largest land development agency in the Capital-has barred any future concretization on the river bed. This decision was taken at the DDA Board meeting which cleared the plan for zone “O” (riverbed/riverfront). It is the zonal plan, which specifies the usage of the existing vacant land in the city. Some of the other proposals that were cleared in Monday’s 4 States drawing too much groundwater _ Four north Indian states — Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi — are depleting at least 30% more of their groundwater resources than previously estimated by the government, a new report from the US National Aeronautical and Space Administration, or NASA, says. The study, conducted by a team of NASA scientists is being published in Friday’s edition of Nature, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Chemicals washed ashore on Guj beaches raise a stink Usually, the road to south Gujarat beaches is buzzing with traffic, But this Sunday the Story was different. Tourists stayed away from Tithal. Umargam and Umarsadi beaches in Daman Because of the overpowering stink of chemical residue strewn all over after being washed ashore over that last week. “The chemical deposits getting washed on shore is not only a huge shocks for tourists but also for people Court verdict on Games Village has let us down: Environmentalists The Supreme Court’s Thursday verdict, allowing construction of the Commonwealth Games Village on the Yamuna banks has come as a “disappointment” to activists fighting to save the river and its floodplains. “Waterman” Rajinder Singh, who led a protracted battle against the government’s decision to allow construction on the riverbed, said: “Anything that is not in favour of the people and is against the rivers and the environment cannot be a court’s ruling. This judgment is a disappointment, and we will oppose it.” Legalities of climate change A recent climate change declaration poses significant challenges--and opportunities--for India: “The core issue is the obligations India can afford to undertake, given its own development priorities.” The Declaration of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) signed on 9 July, marks a significant event in the run-up to the United Nations (UN) climate change conference in Copenhagen in December. Launched in March this year, MEF comprises 17 developed and developing economies—Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the UK and the US. The crux of the MEF declaration is a clear acknowledgement that the increase in global average temperatures above pre-industrial levels should not exceed 2 degrees Celsius and that both developed and developing countries need to work towards this goal. This article seeks to examine the broad contours of the MEF declaration and the legal niceties that a developing country such as India would need to bear in mind during the forthcoming negotiations for a climate deal that would follow the Kyoto Protocol in 2012. ‘We may survive, our kids won’t’ Says environment minister summing up the State Environment Report India 2009: Seventy per cent of Indian rivers are polluted. Underground water in 19 states is contaminated. Air pollution in 90 per cent Indian cities can cause respiratory diseases. Indian forests are depleting. This sums up the findings of State Environment Report India 2009 released by Environment and Forest minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday, the day negotiations for global climate change started in Bonn. Let our commitment towards protecting our future and our beautiful planet stays strong , bold and high with the best of our spirits. We appreciate your valuable feedbacks and suggestions and also letting us know that our news and information’s have helped you to know our world and environment better.....................! Climate change is not just about switching off your lights when you move out or replacing CFL and using public transport, it’s a conscious lifestyle that we need to adopt in order to secure our future. I term it [ COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE ] as an movement towards an attitudinal change in our way towards looking at life. For any queries/problems and issues please write to us. We look forward to hear from you. Lets commit to make this world a better and a safer place to live in. Let’s take a Green Promise ! With commitment Uzzwal Madhab Executive Director LAKSHYA Foundation Address : Lakshya Foundation, X-56, 2nd Floor, Green Park Main, New Delhi-110 016 ...
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Thursday,20 August, 2009 | Hits: 157

Renewed thrust on alternative energy

India is in an unenviable position. While it would do well to engage with the rest of the world in carbon-reduction projects to reduce the high-energy intensity of its economy, simultaneously earning global good-citizen brownie points, it would be ill-advised to be pressured into committing to any multilateral agreement on containing carbon emissions.This dilemma was brought to head during the recent visit to India of the US Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Clinton. In response to the US demand that India contribute to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) target for developing countries by cutting emissions by 15-20 per cent below the business-as-usual (BAU) levels by 2020, the Minister of State for Environment, Mr Jairam Ramesh, went on record stating that while it would be unfair to India’s poor if the Government agrees to such mandated emission cuts, India remains committed to moving toward a low-carbon economy over time. ...
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Thursday,30 July, 2009 | Hits: 60

Three-pronged strategy to combat climate change

Haryana government is adopting a three pronged long-term strategy to combat climate change by bringing more areas under the forest/green cover, containing emissions from industries and constantly monitoring the air river waters. ...
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Thursday,30 July, 2009 | Hits: 65

Warmed-over inequalities

A global emissions trading scheme will skew development, without a substantial tech-transfer component: With a global emissions trading scheme, the inflow of foreign exchange into the developing economies would not be an unmixed blessing. It would lead to an appreciation of their real exchange rates vis a vis the rich countries, thus lowering their exports competitiveness. ...
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Wednesday,29 July, 2009 | Hits: 79