Page 198 - Environment
Bill and Melinda Gates release 2019 Annual Letter: "Things We Didn't See Coming"
On Wednesday, Bill and Melinda Gates share their 2019 Annual Letter, "Things We Didn't See Coming". In this year's letter, Bill and Melinda share nine things that have surprised them over the course of their nearly two decades of work together in global health and development.They share surprises that both worry and inspire them, and observe that surprises are often powerful calls to action:"Twenty-five years ago, we read an article that said hundreds of thousands of kids in poor countries were dying from diarrhea. We believe in a world where innovation is for everyone - where no child dies from a disease it's possible to prevent. But what we saw was a world still shaped by inequity," write Bill and Melinda Gates. "That discovery was one of the most important steps in our journey to philanthropy", said Bill and Melinda Gates.Surprises in this year's letter address topics including the importance of investing in Africa's growing population of young people, sources of greenhouse gas ...
India, China contribute most to global greenery: NASA
India and China are leading the way in greening lands, thanks to ambitious tree-planting programs and intensive agriculture in both countries, NASA satellite data has shown.
Novel artificial leaves convert carbon dioxide into fuel
Scientists, including those of Indian origin, have created artificial leaves that convert atmospheric carbon dioxide to fuel ten times more efficiently than natural plants. Artificial leaves mimic the process whereby plants use water and carbon dioxide from the air to produce carbohydrates using energy from the Sun. However, even state-of-the-art artificial leaves only work in the laboratory because they use pure, pressurised carbon dioxide from tanks. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago in the US have proposed a design solution that could bring artificial leaves out of the laboratory and into the environment. Their improved leaf, which would use carbon dioxide -- a potent greenhouse gas -- from the air, would be at least 10 times more efficient than natural leaves at converting carbon dioxide to fuel. "So far, all designs for artificial leaves that have been tested in the lab use carbon dioxide from pressurised tanks," said Meenesh Singh, assistant professor at ...
Harrison Ford blasts Trump, other world leaders over climate change threat
Veteran actor Harrison Ford has taken a dig at US President Donald Trump over the country's decision to opt out of Paris climate agreement, saying those who deny the threat of climate change are on the "wrong side of history". During his speech at the final day of the World Government Summit here on Tuesday, Ford said the world needs to protect nature as humans are facing the "greatest moral crisis of our time". "All of us, whether rich or poor, powerful or powerless, will suffer the effects of climate change and ecosystem destruction as we're faced with the greatest moral crisis of our time," he said. "The land and the sea are the legacy we will leave to future generations... We must intervene and act before it is too late... We need to protect nature because nature does not need people, but people need nature," he added. According to Arab News, the 76-year-old veteran, famous for playing cult characters such as Han Solo in "Star Wars" franchise and the title character of "Indiana ...
Climate change could wipe out Bengal tigers
Sundarbans -- the iconic Bengal tiger's last coastal stronghold and the world's biggest mangrove forest -- could be destroyed by climate change and rising sea levels over the next 50 years, scientists say. Spanning more than 10,000 square kilometres, the Sundarbans region of Bangladesh and India is the biggest mangrove forest on Earth, and also the most critical area for the endangered Bengal tiger, researchers said. "Fewer than 4,000 Bengal tigers are alive today," said Bill Laurance, a professor at the James Cook University in Australia. "That's a really low number for the world's biggest cat, which used to be far more abundant but today is mainly confined to small areas of India and Bangladesh," Laurance said. "What is most terrifying is that our analyses suggest tiger habitats in the Sundarbans will vanish entirely by 2070," said Sharif Mukul, an assistant professor at Independent University Bangladesh. The researchers used computer simulations to assess the future suitability of .
India proposes to construct Lower Arun Hydro project
The Indian government has proposed the construction of Lower Arun Hydropower Project in Nepal with a capacity of 400 Megawatts (MW)."In a meeting with Minister for Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Barshaman Pun at New Delhi on Monday, Indian Minister of State for Power Raj Kumar Singh put forth a proposal that the new project can be developed adopting the same model of 900-MW Arun III project," state-run Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) reported."A proposal has been made from Indian side to develop the Lower Arun on the same model being adopted by Indian company while constructing the Arun III. Nepal has put its stance for further discussion observing the progress on the construction of Arun III," Minister Pun was quoted by the agency as saying.Minister Pun noted that the Nepal government would make a proper decision whether or not to award the construction of Lower Arun to India after seeing the progress in Arun III hydro project.Minister Pun arrived in New Delhi to participate in
Spain police seize over 200 stuffed endangered animals
Spanish police said Tuesday they had seized more than 200 stuffed endangered animals, including giraffes, rhinos, lions and tigers, from an illegal taxidermy workshop that was selling them online. Officers found the stuffed animals at a warehouse in an industrial area of Alicante, a city on Spain's Mediterranean coast. They seized others in the nearby city of Monovar, at the home of a man suspected of working as a taxidermist without a licence, police said in a statement. Police placed six people under investigation after the seizing the haul, who could face charges of trafficking in endangered species. The animals seized included "more than 200 specimens of various species" on the United Nation's Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). "The species that were seized included, among many others, African lions, white rhinos, Bengal tigers, African crocodiles, African antelope and giraffes," the statement said. Police began their investigation in May after ...
Patnaik to lay foundation stone of Subarnarekha port tomorrow
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will lay the foundation stone of the much awaited Subarnerekha port in Balasore district on Wednesday, Chief Secretary A P Padhi said. The Subarnarekha port project is being developed by Chennai-based Creative Port Private Ltd (CPPL) which will own 49 per cent stake and Tata Steel with 51 per cent stake. "We have already handed over 692 acre of land to the port developer and remaining 150 acre of land under the ownership of some private persons and the government, will be given soon," Padhi said adding that the developers will start construction work as soon as they get 27 acre required for the approach road to the proposed port site. Tata Steel Managing Director T V Narendran said: "We will soon start construction work for the project and the chief minister will lay foundation stone tomorrow." The proposed port is expected to be built in 4-5 years. Narendran said the Subarnarekha project will be beneficial for the steel plants in ...
Centre's NCAP gets support from TERI, Bloomberg Philanthropies
The Environment Ministry on Tuesday found supporters in international organisation Bloomberg Philanthropies and Delhi-based think-tank TERI on resolving air quality issues under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). An initiative launched at the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS), organised by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), would help mitigate air pollution -- both at the national level and in a group of Indian cities -- a press note issued by the TERI said. The government has collaborated with the TERI, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, aiming to bring together research and civil society organisations to offer technical assistance on air quality issues in support of the NCAP. "The joint project will help address and mitigate air pollution, both at the national level and in a group of Indian cities, by working to develop better understanding and awareness of the sources of air pollution through emissions inventories and source ..
Tiger spotted in Gujarat, makes state home to three big cat species
The Gujarat government on Tuesday announced that a tiger had been spotted in the Lunawada forests in Mahisagar district, making the state the only one in the country to host all the three major big cat species: lions, tigers and leopards.
TERI, Bloomberg join hands with Centre to reduce air pollution in India
With an aim to address air quality issues at the national scale, Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) joined hands on Tuesday to provide technical assistance to the Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry in implementing the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
Former SC judge releases environment think-tank CSE's annual report
The Delhi-based environment think-tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), has released its annual State of India's Environment report covering a wide range of subjects including water and sanitation, waste, health, air pollution, forests, wildlife, climate change, renewable energy and agriculture. The report was released by former Supreme Court Judge Justice M B Lokur and CSE Director Sunita Narain at a three-day media conclave in Alwar, Rajasthan which commenced on Monday The briefings are being delivered by environment experts -- K J Ramesh, Director General, Indian Meteorology Department, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Bhure Lal, Chairperson, Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA), Ajay Deshpande, former expert member of the National Green Tribunal and others, a statement issued by the CSE said.
Trouble mounts for Vadra in Bikaner land deal
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is said to have made a tight case of money laundering against Robert Vadra, brother-in-law of Congress President Rahul Gandhi who is being probed in a land deal in Bikaner in Rajasthan.
Solid waste generation, management not received due attention from Govt: Parl panel
A parliamentary panel has rapped the government for not giving due attention to the solid waste generation and management despite its "potentially devastating ramifications". The panel also said that waste collection efficiency in the country is also "very low" as it ranges from 70-90 per cent in metros and below 50 per cent in small cities. Standing Committee on Urban Development presented its report 'Solid waste management (SWM) including hazardous waste, medical waste and e-waste' in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. "After carefully examining the prevailing scenario and on the basis of documents and evidence placed before them, the Committee is constrained to conclude that in spite of its potentially devastating ramifications, solid waste generation and its management has not received due attention from the government," it stated. The committee stated that it was "highly disconcerting" to note that door to door collection has reached only up to 82 per cent and source segregation has not ..
Forest degradation: Parliamentary panel asks Centre to act against illegal felling of trees
A parliamentary panel expressed concern on Tuesday over forest degradation in the country, especially in the north-eastern states, and urged the Environment Ministry to take stringent steps to curb the illegal felling of trees. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests, in its 324th report on "Status of Forests in India" tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, said no action plan was prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for controlling the illegal cutting of trees in forests. The panel relied on the India State of Forest Report, 2017, according to which the total forest and tree cover in India was 80.20 million hectares, which was 24.39 per cent of the geographical area of the country. However, the report said, there was a reduction of 0.34 million hectares of moderately dense forests, which indicated forest degradation. "The committee is concerned about the decline in the forest cover in the north-eastern states, which
Himachal imports over 7 lakh apple roots to boost output
Himachal Pradesh has imported 7,59,115 high-yield apple planting material (root stock) under the World Bank-funded Rs 1,138 crore ($171.5 million) Horticulture Development Project, the state Assembly was informed on Tuesday.
HC notice to Goa CM's son, others for "destruction of forest"
The Goa bench of Bombay High Court Tuesday issued notice to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's son Abhijat in connection with a PIL accusing him of destroying forest area for his eco-tourism project. A division bench of Justices Mahesh Sonak and Prithviraj Chavan issued notices to Abhijat and several others, including senior government officials, asking them to file replies by March 11. The PIL, filed by local residents Abhijit Satyavan Desai and Prakash Bhagat, alleges rampant destruction of forest, specially in the notified eco-sensitive zone adjoining Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary in Netravali village in Sanguem taluka, by Hideaway Hospitality, a company owned by Abhijat. Notices have also been issued to Secretary, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chief Secretary of Goa, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Goa, the state Eco-sensitive Zone Management Committee, Neturlim village Panchayat and the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board, among ...
Centre releases publication on climate action in India
Union Minister of Environment Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday released a publication on climate action titled 'India - Spearheading Climate Solutions' which mentions the key actions India has taken under various sectors towards combating and adapting to climate change.
China rejects India's study about Belt and Road facing 'push back'
China on Tuesday rejected a report that its ambitious Belt and Road project was "facing a push back" by countries in India's neighbourhood like Pakistan and Nepal.
Environment Minister releases publication depicting steps taken by India to combat climate change
The Centre Tuesday released a publication titled 'India - Spearheading Climate Solutions' highlighting actions taken by the country to combat climate change. The coffee table book was released by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan who said India has accomplished its ambitious targets to combat climate change. He said the initiatives captured in this publication are a reflection of the government's commitment towards addressing climate change concerns while keeping a fine balance with the sustainable development priorities. "The ambitious goal of generating 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, smart cities, electric vehicles, energy efficiency initiatives, leapfrogging from Bharat Stage -IV to Bharat Stage-VI emission norms by April 2020 have been undertaken proactively to minimise the impact of climate change," Vardhan said. The minister for environment, forest and climate change unveiled the book in the presence of MoEFCC Secretary C K Mishra and Joint Secretary Ravi Shankar ...