In 2019, the illegal wildlife trade reached staggering levels. Pangolin scales and ivory were being trafficked in massive quantities from Africa to Asia, exposing a network of crime syndicates operating at an industrial scale. The sheer volume of these shipments marked a disturbing milestone, one that revealed the global reach …
After having got off on the wrong foot by welcoming US President George W Bush's plan to tackle global warming, the Union ministry of external affairs (MEA) tried to make amends by clarifying that India's position on climate change was unaltered. But all it could manage was a weak-kneed response …
an unusual document called the Bellagio memorandum was released recently. It comprises a set of principles to guide policies for motor vehicles and transportation fuels around the world. The memorandum is unique, as it aims at best practices to benchmark progress in emissions reduction and device strategies to catch up …
the Montreal Protocol may be doing wonders for healing the ozone layer over the poles, but it seems to have overlooked the problem in other places. According to a recent study, northern mid latitude stratospheric ozone levels will not recover to pre-1980 levels due to increasing levels of nitrous oxide …
"THIS is the fifth time that the Union and state governments have come back to this court with the prayer that diesel buses be allowed. If this were a private party (instead of being the government), it would amount to abuse of process and the party would be made to …
A constructive critique should consider desirable consequences, intended or otherwise. The Bush administration's climate change plan, us Climate Change Strategy: A New Approach , obviously deserves the same treatment, particularly in the light of the numerous domestic initiatives that have recently sprung up in the us , and their potential …
As always , in the run up to Budget 2002-2003, there was much speculation about what the budget would or would not contain, and what finance minister Yashwant Sinha might or might not say in his speech. February 28 has come and gone, and the speculation is over. Budget pundits …
an ocean circulation system that brings cool water from ocean depths to the surface has been slowing down since the mid-1970s, causing a decrease of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere but an increase in sea surface temperatures along the Equator in the Pacific Ocean. This was discovered by scientists …
germany is aiming to produce 25 per cent windpower by 2030. To increase its current wind generation capacity, offshore wind parks in the Baltic and the North Seal have already been set up. According to environment minister J
"too small, too slow, or too poorly rooted.' This is how the recently released 19th annual edition of Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2002 report describes the steps taken in the 1990s for an ecologically resilient world. Considering the dismal scenario, the document recommends "a global war on poverty …
Our penchant for setting up yet-another committee never seems to end. But when all they do is endorse the position of the government, with little thought of public interest, what purpose do they serve, one often wonders. Take the Ranganath Mishra committee on plastic waste management or the R A …
As we have often said before, the Indian automobile industry has come of age. But in terms of environmental management, even the giants prefer to remain greenhorns. This is reflected in the last auto fair that took place in the capital. Ostensibly, they talked about "going green'. Yet none of …
What do you say when a Cabinet minister - an articulate and vocal one at that - refuses to appear on a television panel to discuss a serious public policy issue with you? Ram Naik, the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and I were invited by a private …
Unmasking the dragon Two and three wheeler population is exploding in Asia. The health implications are scary: they emit dangerous pollutants that have gone unnoticed till now ASIANS are riding high on dragons that they cannot get off. The dragons are small but far too many. Consider this: About 85 …
the famous red double-decker buses will soon be joined by zero emission fuel cell-powered buses on London roads. In a major move to curb air pollution, the European Commission (ec) has allocated us $16.65 million for the launch of these green vehicles. This funding
there would be no sulphur in petrol from January 1, 2009, in 15 countries of the European Union (eu) block. This decision was taken by the eu environment ministers recently. The eu intends to reduce harmful pollutants and carbon dioxide from vehicle emissions. The sulphur ban is in consonance with …
ever since the Mashelkar Committee submitted its interim report on the country's auto fuel policy on January 1, 2002, the authorities have gone into overdrive. While it took the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas barely four days to accept the recommendations in their entirety, the Union cabinet too …
norway's plan to increase coal mining from Arctic Svalbard has invited the ire of environmentalists. The greens say that coal is the most polluting source of power and can wreak havoc on the islands' fragile ecosystem. Recently, the Norwegian government presented a Bill for opening commercial operations at the Svea …
