Page 14 - Environment

Inorganic fertiliser manufacture requires prior envt clearance: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has clarified that the manufacture or production of inorganic fertilisers required environmental clearance and added that such chemicals were covered under the Environmental Impact Assessment notification of 2006. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification imposes certain restrictions and prohibitions on new projects or activities or the expansion or modernisation of existing projects, unless prior environmental clearance has been obtained. The tribunal observed that merely because an erroneous stand regarding inorganic chemicals was taken by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in an earlier case, it could not be grounds to accept the petitioner's contentions. The NGT was hearing a petition filed by a private company for clarification that its products -- Potassium thiosulfate and Calcium, classified as liquid fertilisers -- did not fall under the notification. The petition further said that on representation made to

India can comfortably achieve '30X30' biodiversity target: COP15 delegate

India has about 27 per cent of its area under conservation and can comfortably reach the target of protecting 30 per cent of land and water by 2030, according to a senior delegate negotiating for the country at the COP15 biodiversity conference here in Canada. J Justin Mohan, the Secretary of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), noted that India is already a member of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC), a group of 113 countries that aims at bringing 30 per cent of the geographical area under conservation by 2030, also known as 30X30 target. With our protective area network comprising reserved forests, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, mangroves, Ramsar sites, eco-sensitive zones, and community reserves, India has already achieved about 27 per cent of the area under conservation, Mohan told PTI. We are now focusing on more areas to be brought under conservation through biodiversity heritage sites and Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMS). India can comfortably achiev

Methane from Nord Stream leakages may threaten ecosystem: Research

Research has shown that "a significant part of the methane gas that leaked from the pipelines on the bottom of the Baltic Sea did not rise into the atmosphere

Study finds climate change can cause itchy eyes, runny nose

Researchers have discovered how the contiguous United States' two most common allergies, oak and ragweed pollen, would vary due to climate change

Himalayan Fritillary among 29 new threatened species in India: IUCN

White-cheeked Dancing Frog, Andaman Smoothhound shark and Yellow Himalayan Fritillary are among 29 new species assessed in India that are under threat, according to the latest update to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List unveiled during the COP15 biodiversity conference here in Canada. The latest update warns that a barrage of threats including illegal and unsustainable fishing, pollution, climate change and diseases is destroying sea species such as the Andaman Smoothhound shark. The IUCN Red List unveiled on Friday is a critical indicator of the health of the state of the world's biodiversity. It provides information about the global extinction risk status of species and is a key tool to help define and inform conservation targets. Over 15,000 scientists and experts from around the world are part of the IUCN Commission. They found 1,355 of over 9,472 species of plants, animals, and fungi across India's land, freshwater, and seas assessed for the

Environment minister tables Wild Life (Protection) Bill in Rajya Sabha

Environment Minister Bupender Yadav on Wednesday tabled the Wild Life (Protection) Bill in the Rajya Sabha that seeks to include a dedicated framework to regulate or ban international trade of endangered species as well as permit certain traditional activities of communities living around forest areas. The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha in the monsoon session of Parliament. The minister said there were two main objectives of the bill which includes bringing the international treaty that India has signed into the legal framework. "Along with this, some level of protection to people living in forest area for their livestock and traditional rights was necessary till the time they are completely relocated," Yadav said. The bill seeks to amend the principal Act for better management of protected areas. It inserts an explanation to provide for certain permitted activities such as grazing or movement of livestock, bona fide use of drinking and household water by local communities. The

Australia, India working to ensure clean, sustainable environment: Official

Australia and India are working together to ensure a clean and sustainable environment for future generations as part of a comprehensive strategic partnership initiative between the two countries, Australian Consul General for South India Sarah Kirlew said on Thursday. The bilateral relationship between the two countries is at an all-time high, Sarah Kirlew said here while highlighting the importance of collaboration between India and Australia at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-Madras) Energy Consortium - Energy Summit 2022 to power the global transformation to a low-carbon future. Over 400 industry leaders, faculty, researchers, and students from academia besides policymakers and government officials are taking part in the two-day summit, which commenced at IIT-Madras Research Park today. "As part of our comprehensive strategic partnership, our governments and leaders are working together to ensure a clean and sustainable environment for future generations. ...

GRAP Stage III revoked in entire NCR with immediate effect

While the overall air quality over Delhi is likely to fluctuate between "Poor" to "Very Poor" category in coming days, authorities decided to revoke Stage-III of GRAP in the NCR with immediate effect

Rooting for mangroves: Many reasons to expand these carbon sinks in India

The mangrove ecosystem offers economic benefits besides safeguarding the country's vast coastline

Maha govt tweaks policy on single-use plastic, allows compostable materials

The Maharashtra government has permitted the production of straws, cups, plates, forks and spoons made from 'compostable' materials by making changes to the policy on single-use plastic, a senior official said here on Friday. Satish Darade, secretary of the Environment and Climate Change department, told reporters that a panel which studied the ban on single-use plastic and thermocol items, headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, decided to permit items made from compostable material. But it will be mandatory to get approval for these products from the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) and Central Pollution Control Board, he said. The move will give relief to plastic product manufacturers, he said. There was a demand to allow production of single-use items made from degradable materials, Darade said. In 2018, the Maharashtra government had imposed a ban on single-use plastic.

COP15 goals to halt biodiversity decline but can downgrade ocean action

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) or COP15 is the long-awaited conference to finally set the new post-Aichi goals to halt and reverse global biodiversity decline

GM Mustard plants needs uprooting to avoid contamination: Campaigners to SC

The seeds of GM mustard have started germinating after their environmental release and before the plants start flowering in few weeks they must be uprooted to prevent the environment from getting irreversibly contaminated, campaigners against genetically modified crops told the Supreme Court on Wednesday. On October 25, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Union environment ministry approved the environment release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11 and the parental lines containing barnase, barstar and bar genes so that they can be used for developing new hybrids. A bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and BV Nagarathna was told by advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for activist Aruna Rodrigues, that no one knows about the effect of environmental release of the Genetically Modified (GM) mustard, which has the potential of contaminating all mustard seeds in the country. "The only benefit claimed is that the technology will be used for developing new hybrids

NGT imposes environment compensation of Rs 200 crore on Nagaland

Rs 200 crores be utilized for setting up solid waste processing facilities, remediation of legacy waste and setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and FSSTPs so there remains no gap, it added

Explained: What is 'loss and damage' fund, what is India's take on it

Agreement on financing one of the most significant steps in UN climate talks in 30 years

Coral select algae partnerships to ease environmental stress: Study

In assessing one of the main reef builders in Hawai'i, Montipora capitata or rice coral, researchers found that the symbiont community in those corals varied significantly in different parts of Kaneoh

COP27 what to watch: Climate progress hinges on crucial week two

Here's how week one went down and what to expect from the rest of this year's UN climate summit

Beyond bloviation: What do climate conferences like COP achieve anyway?

It would be wrong to think that nothing has been achieved. A great deal has, though far too slowly - for which lack of speed the world, especially its poor, will pay the price, writes T N Ninan

NGT orders CPCB to close tyre pyrolysis units violating environment norms

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Central Pollution Control Board to expeditiously close all tyre pyrolysis units (TPUs) functioning without following environment norms. Pyrolysis is the method of recycling old tyres through thermochemical treatment under high temperature to produce industrial oil and other matters. A bench of Chairperson Justice AK Goel said gaps remained with regard to action taken against non-compliant units and units against whom action was taken to close them till compliance. The bench, also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Kumar Agarwal and expert member A Senthil Vel, said the gaps required "to be bridged at the earliest in the interest of the rule of law, environment and good governance". The bench said the units were required to follow zero-liquid and zero-emission norms. It added that instead of transporting the carbon produced during the pyrolysis process to landfills, the material could be utilised in the cement industry. "According

Global supply chains gear up for overhaul next year, survey shows

The survey also showed concerns were broader than supply chains, with 51% of respondents saying their expect the environment for international trade to be harder next year

Mangroves can help meet NDC targets, India can share experience: Minister

India has demonstrated expertise in mangrove restoration for nearly five decades and can contribute to the global knowledge base due to its experience, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said Monday at the launch of the "Mangrove Alliance for Climate". The UAE and Indonesia have launched the MAC on the sidelines of the UN climate summit COP27, to strengthen conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems worldwide. India, Australia, Japan, Spain and Sri Lanka have joined the alliance. Yadav said creating a new carbon sink from mangrove afforestation and reducing emissions from mangrove deforestation are two feasible ways for countries to meet their NDC targets and achieve carbon neutrality. NDCs means national plans and pledges made by countries to limit global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius. "The integration of mangroves into the national programmes for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation i