This report summarizes the findings of a review aimed at understanding emerging approaches to energy subsidy reform, discerning trends, and identifying major strands of thinking and research in the field, as reflected in major policy and academic journals relevant to the subject. The review was initiated in early 2020 as …
according to a recent study by the us based non-governmental organisation Natural Resources Defense Council (nrdc), China has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 17 per cent in the four-year period from 1996 to 2000, even as its economy grew by 36 per cent. This reduction was the result of …
The Swiss take pride in their lush landscapes, and Bolly wood buffs know why. The breathtaking alpine pastures of this small mountain country have replaced strife-torn Sri nagar and polluted and overpopulated Ooty as a backdrop for frolicking fantasies as our buxom actresses and burly actors join Heidi in yodeling …
In what can be termed a landmark ruling, the European court of justice has decided that Germany's legislation that concerns subsidising renewable energies does not violate trade laws of the European Union (EU). The ruling clearly indicates that free trade is not as important as EU's obligation to cut greenhouse …
hailed as a "bold' step to create the right environment for economic reforms, the Union Budget, presented by Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha on February 28, totally ignores the real environment. Rather, it creates an atmosphere to pollute the environment in more ways than one. At a time when there …
"A new politics that stands for consumer protection, improved food safety and natural environment friendly agriculture by reversing the age old practice is needed,' said German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder while creating a powerful new consumer protection ministry. Renate Kunast, co-chairperson of the Green Party, will head the new ministry. "We …
It was very strange indeed. Nuclear babus at an environment meeting. During the negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol - the legally binding protocol for reducing greenhouse gas emissions - in The Hague recently, one issue, among others, that would constantly hold up progress was nuclear power. And every time the …
Achampet mandal of Mahabubnagar district, Andhra Pradesh (AP), was in the clutch of drought six years ago. But it is doing well at present. “Satellite images show an improvement of about 300 per cent between February 1994 and March 1998 with regard to the groundwater table,” says Ramesh Reddy, head …
SEVERAL messages emerge from the analysis of crash programmes to harvest rainwater in Gujarat and ap. It is amply clear that the government of Gujarat has been much more successful in addressing the need of the hour than the AP government. POLITICIANS' RESPONSE: The way the political establishment has gone …
It was quite visible in several districts, whether it was Rajkot, Junagadh or Jamnagar in Saurashtra or Bhuj in Kachchh. People in several villages of these drought-prone regions looked a lot more confident in September 2000 about dealing with drought in the future. Barely four months ago, they had looked …
In our January 15, 2000 issue, Down To Earth had highlighted the situation in drought-struck areas of Gujarat. The conclusion was that villages with structures to harvest rainwater were faring much better than villages which had forgotten the value of rain (see:
As the international crude oil crisis worsensits tremors are being felt in India. Seventy per cent of India’s oil is imported. The country’s oil import bill which was Rs 530crore in 1999is expected to be more than Rs 800crore this year. Most of this is due to the international oil …
The Indian government subsidises certain petroleum products like diesel This encourages consumers to switch from expensive petrol to cheap diesel Diesel emissions are more harmful than petrol emissions Increase in diesel vehicles means more pollution More pollution will only results in more health problems Subsidy keeps fuel use inefficient. Freight …
steel industry: To produce one tonne of steel, India spends 9.5 million kilocalories. In Italy it is 4.3 million kilocalories and for Japan it is only 4.1 million kilocalories. cement industry: Over 2 million kilocalories are used to produce one tonne of cement in India. In Germany it is 0.82 …
It has shaken the confidence of the new Europe. Oil crisesfuel shortagesstreet blockades and protests that had become commonplace during the 1970s oil shortagehave come back to haunt Europe once again. Over the past few weeksas the price of oil touched a 10-year high of us $35 a barrel
Diesel is under-prised by Rs 5. The government claims that it is used by farmers for their tubewells and tractors. But a major share of diesel is used by trucks and other heavy commercial vehicles. A cabinet decision was taken in November 1997 to deregulate diesel prices. But for the …
the Union government has once again shown how indifferent it is towards the environment. A number of measures to benefit small-scale industries ( ssi s) were recently announced by prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. But what was conspicuously missing, though, were policies to curb environmental threats from small manufacturing units …
the Union ministry of non-conventional energy sources ( mnes ) is planning to increase the output of non-conventional energy sector by 10 per cent. The ministry hopes to achieve its aim till the year 2012. The new policy statement of the ministry also shows a shift of policy for the …
the National Zoological Park in Delhi may soon be granted autonomy. The Union ministry of forest and environment will soon form a committee which will look into the modalities of the process. "A zoo might be a low priority area for the government. But an autonomous body will ensure better …
Thanks to the comprehensive use of wastewater and solid waste material, northwest China's Gansu Province yielded economic benefits worth over US $49 million. The province discharges 240 million cubic metre of waste industrial gases, 35,000 tonnes of wastewater and more than 16 million tonnes of solid waste material each year. …
subsidy is an indirect payment given by governments for various economic and social reasons. A major part of the "cost' of the subsidy is paid by the government. At the same time, granting subsidies more than often lead to overuse of goods and services and environmental degradation. With the steady …
