The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provides an opportunity for the Indian power sector to earn revenue through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2). India has tremendous potential for CDM projects. Power generation …
The observed increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) since the preindustrial era has most likely committed the world to a warming of 2.4°C (1.4°C to 4.3°C) above the preindustrial surface temperatures. The committed warming is inferred from the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates of …
The burning of biomass fuels results in exposure to high levels of indoor air pollution, with consequent health effects. Possible interventions to reduce the exposure include changing cooking practices and introduction of smoke-free stoves supported by health education. Social, cultural and financial constraints are major challenges to implementation and success …
Biomass based power generation is one of the promising renewable options. This article reviews the status and potential of biomass based power for India.
Anthropogenic activities are responsible for the enhanced emission of reactive nitrogenous species like nitrous oxide (N2O), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and ammonia (NH3) into the atmosphere from the biosphere. This article reviews the available estimates of emissions of these reactive nitrogenous species for India.
until now, it was believed that methane, from cattle dung and paddy cultivation, was the second biggest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide. A recent review says soot is the second biggest contributor. Soot has 60 per cent of the effect of carbon dioxide on global warming, and China …
Past atmospheric methane concentrations show strong fluctuations in parallel to rapid glacial climate changes in the Northern Hemisphere, superimposed on a glacial
Abstract Black carbon in soot is the dominant absorber of visible solar radiation in the atmosphere. Anthropogenic sources of black carbon, although distributed globally, are most concentrated in the tropics where solar irradiance is highest. Black carbon is often transported over long distances, mixing with other aerosols along the way. …
Rice is the most important Kharif crop of Punjab. With the increase in production of rice there is concomitant increase in the production of residue (rice straw), which is approximately 18.75 MT. About 80 percent of the rice residue it burnt in the fields, particularly after harvesting rice by combine …
Residue burning practice is followed in major Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Agricultural residue burning in the fields and used otherwise for rural domestic needs is responsible for a large number of toxic emissions, which are a health hazard. The main pollutants contributed from biomass burning are aerosols …
The dismal situation and poor quality of life in rural India is because of unavailability of energy. It is shown that sophisticated technology can help solve this and other problems of rural areas. A call is made to the global technological community to help provide such technologies. Finally issues of …
The relationship between climate change and cities is complex. City-based activities contribute significant amounts of greenhouse gases and, simultaneously, are often more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Dhaka is now the world's eighth largest city and a significant proportion of Bangladesh's greenhouse gases are generated there although, relative …
Tobacco smoking, passive smoking, and indoor air pollution from biomass fuels have been implicated as risk factors for tuberculosis (TB) infection, disease, and death. Tobacco smoking and indoor air pollution are persistent or growing exposures in regions where TB poses a major health risk. The researchers undertook a systematic review …
According to the 2001 census, about 43.5% of the households have been provided with electricity connections. This has gone up from 30.5% at the time of the 1991 census. The vast majority of rural population, however, still has no access to electricity and is dependent on kerosene lamps and lanterns. …
The paper brings out detailed account of an intervention through a gasifier system as an alternative to reduce the fuel cost in the silk dyeing industry. The field performance of a gasifier based silk dyeing oven developed by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is described in detail.
Biofuels for transport, including ethanol, biodiesel, and several other liquid and gaseous fuels, have the potential to displace a substantial amount of petroleum around the world over the next few decades, and a clear trend in that direction has begun. This report looks both at recent trends and at the …
Majority of rural households in India use only kerosene for lighting. Most of the lamps are hurricane-type, which produce very poor light intensity of about 60
This paper estimates the economic burden of respiratory illness in rural UP (Uttar Pradesh), a state in North India. This is based on a large comprehensive survey covering a sample of 7564 households in 6 districts and 51 villages in UP. The economic value of the days lost due to …
Human activities are releasing tiny particles (aerosols) into the atmosphere. These human-made aerosols enhance scattering and absorption of solar radiation. They also produce brighter clouds that are less efficient at releasing precipitation. These in turn lead to large reductions in the amount of solar irradiance reaching Earth's surface, a corresponding …
