Page 211 - Environment
Monaco Prince, PM Modi hold talks on bilateral cooperation
The head of state of Monaco, Prince Albert II, on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held talks on enhancing bilateral cooperation in key areas such as environment, climate change and renewable energy.Taking to his Twitter handle, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar, said that the two leaders had a "good exchange" of bolstering cooperation between the two countries."Harnessing mutual strength. PM @narendramodi met HSH Prince Albert II of #Monaco. Good exchange of views on enhancing cooperation, especially in environment & climate change and renewable energy through sharing best practices," Kumar tweeted.The two leaders also met at the Hyderabad House for an official photo session before going for bilateral talks.Earlier in the day, Prince Albert II, who arrived in India on a two-day official visit, laid a wreath at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.The Monaco Prince met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and discussed on opportunities for ..
PM holds talks with Monaco's Prince Albert II, discusses combating climate change
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held wide-ranging talks with Monaco's reigning monarch Prince Albert II and discussed stepping up cooperation, especially in the renewable energy sector and in combating climate change. Prince Albert, who arrived here on Monday on a week-long India visit, met the prime minister at Hyderabad House here. There was a good exchange of views on enhancing cooperation, especially in environment and climate change and renewable energy, through sharing best practices, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. India and Monaco established diplomatic relations in 2007, though their friendship goes back much further in time, he said on Twitter. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on Prince Albert and discussed opportunities for cooperation in the areas of environment, specially renewable energy, investment into India, smart cities, marine ecosystems, tourism and people-to-people contacts, Kumar said. On ...
Global warming increases air pollution
A new University of California, Riverside study now finds that while climate change is warming the ocean, it's warming land faster.The study, published February 4 in Nature Climate Change, shows that the contrast in warming between the continents and sea, called the land-sea warming contrast, drives an increased concentration of aerosols in the atmosphere that cause air pollution.Aerosols are tiny solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in the atmosphere. They can come from natural sources, like dust or wildfires, or human-made sources such as vehicle and industrial emissions.They affect the climate system, including disturbances to the water cycle, as well as human health. They also cause smog and other kinds of air pollution that can lead to health problems for people, animals, and plants.Speaking about it, first author Robert Allen said, "A robust response to an increase in greenhouse gases is that the land is going to warm faster than the ocean. This enhanced land warming is .
Climate change increasing air pollution across globe: Study
Rising temperatures increase the concentration of aerosols in the atmosphere that cause air pollution, according to a study which highlights another disturbing effect of climate change. While climate change is warming the ocean, it is warming the land faster, which is bad news for air quality all over the world, according to researchers from the University of California, Riverside in the US. The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows that the contrast in warming between the continents and sea, called the land-sea warming contrast, drives up the aerosol concentration in the atmosphere. Aerosols are tiny solid particles or liquid droplets suspended in the atmosphere. They can come from natural sources, like dust or wildfires, or human-made sources such as vehicle and industrial emissions. Aerosols affect the climate system, including disturbances to the water cycle, as well as human health. They also cause smog and other kinds of air pollution that can lead to ...
Germany's Merkel signals support for 2038 coal exit deadline
TOKYO (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that her country would withdraw from coal-fired power production by 2038, showing her support for the deadline recommended by a government-appointed commission.
Climate change will melt vast parts of Himalayas: Study
At least a third of the ice in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region could melt by the end of this century due to climate change, even if there is aggressive action to curb greenhouse gases and meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement,according to a new study.
Trump to nominate David Bernhardt as US secretary of interior
US President Donald Trump said that he will nominate David Bernhardt, acting secretary of the Department of Interior, to lead the agency.
US prepares to start building portion of Texas border wall
The US government is preparing to begin construction of more border walls and fencing in South Texas' Rio Grande Valley, likely on federally owned land set aside as wildlife refuge property. Heavy construction equipment was expected to arrive starting Monday, US Customs and Border Protection said. A photo posted by the nonprofit National Butterfly Center shows an excavator parked next to its property. Congress last March approved more than USD 600 million for 33 miles (53 kilometers) of new barriers in the Rio Grande Valley. While President Donald Trump and top Democrats remain in a standoff over Trump's demand for USD 5.7 billion in border wall funding, US Customs and Border Protection has pushed ahead with building what's already funded. That construction was often described as fencing, and the government funding bill that included construction was supported by some Democrats in the House and Senate. CBP refers to what it plans to build as a "border wall system." According to ...
System to provide clean energy to off-grid populations developed
Environment think-tank TERI, in partnership with STEAG Energy Services, has developed a system to provide clean energy to off-grid populations. The containerised hybrid Solar PV solution is expected to generate around 10,000 kWh (kilowatt hour) per year and will remain on display near the TERI building in India Habitat Centre, New Delhi till the World Sustainable Development Summit later this month. Keeping in view the agenda of attaining universal electricity access by 2030, and to enable access to reliable and affordable energy, STEAG Energy Services has developed the system that can provide 24-hour electricity even without grid connection. The system was launched Monday by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in the presence of Professor Andreas Pinkwart, Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Pinkwart said, "The PV container solution, as developed by STEAG, is a proven template of innovative products being .
JGI for recycling old mobiles to save chimps
The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), an wildlife and environment conservation organisation, announced on Monday an initiative to recycle used cellphones and use the proceeds to finance conservation projects in Africa.
Farmers halt work on Delhi-Meerut Expressway
Ghaziabad farmers halted construction work on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME) on Monday.
IAS officers reshuffled in U'khand
In a major bureaucratic rejig, the Uttarakhand government on Monday reshuffled departments of 21 senior officials, including 19 IAS officers. Animal husbandry secretary Meenakshi Sundaram replaced Bhupinder Kaur Aulakh as education secretary. Aulakh was appointed as secretary irrigation. Anand Vardhan was appointed as secretary forest and environment whereas VVRC Purushottam has been made commissioner, Garhwal. S Ramaswamy has been made chairman of Uttarakhand Roadways. Other IAS officers who got new assignments or were freed of additional charges of departments include Om Prakash, Ranbir Singh, Manisha Panwar, Sushil Kumar, Shailesh Bagoli, Nitesh Kumar Jha, Harbans Chugh, Arvind Singh Hyanki, Ranjit Kumar Sinha, Indudhar Baudai, Brijesh Kumar Sant, Bhupal Singh Manral, R Rajesh Kumar and Dipendra Kumar Chaudhary.
Wild elephant shouldn't be put to any discomfort: Madras HC tells forest dept
The Madras High Court on Monday sought response from Tamil Nadu's principal conservator of forests by February 11 to a plea seeking a direction to prevent authorities from capturing, taming, tranquilising or harming a wild elephant which has been venturing into human habitats. In an interim order, a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad said the jumbo should not, in anyway, be put through any physical discomfort. The jumbo, nicknamed 'Chinnathambi' by locals, was translocated from the outskirts of Coimbatore to Varagaliar by forest department personnel on January 25. The move followed complaints from residents about the elephant destroying crops and damaging houses for the last seven months. The bench said, "The intention of the Tamil Nadu government appears that the elephant should live in its natural habitat...apprehension of the public is also to be taken note of." Additional chief principal conservator of forests submitted it was not possible to just
Leopard attacks 7 in residential area, one hurt while running
At least eight people were injured Monday during a pandemonium triggered by the entry of a leopard into a residential area in Pune in Maharashtra, police said. The feline was spotted between 5 am and 6 am in Keshav Nagar locality which has several under-construction housing projects, a Mundhwa police station official said. He said seven people, included an old woman and a forest department personnel, were injured when they were attacked by the big cat while another person got hurt when he was running to safety. As people ran helter-skelter and many others gathered at the spot, the feline panicked and fell into the duct of an under-construction building while running away. It was later rescued by the personnel of forest department, police and fire brigade, the police official said. "Between 5 am and 6 am on Monday, the leopard was spotted in the area, which has several under-construction housing projects and is fairly populated. The animal attacked seven people, including
Projects worth over Rs 11,000 crore to be launched in Paradip
A slew of mega projects of Indian Oil (IOCL) and Paradip Port Trust (PPT) worth over Rs 11,000 crore will be unveiled on Wednesday at Paradip in Odisha, officials said on Monday. The projects are slated to be launched in the presence of Union Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Minister, Nitin Gadkari, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Details of these projects were presented at a joint press meet here by by PPT chairman Rinkesh Roy, executive director, IOCL, Paradip Refinery, TDVS Gopalkrishna and ED, IOCL, Pritish Bharat. IOCL's state-of-the-art 15-MMTPA refinery will take a leap forward with the inauguration of a Polypropylene (PP) plant built at an investment of Rs 3,150 crore, they said. The 680-KTA Polypropylene Plant at Paradip Refinery will increase Indian Oil's petrochemicals capacity to 3.15 MMTPA, with many other projects to follow. It will also considerably reduce import of polypropylene grades, thereby
In the year of the pig, Hong Kong debates its boar problem
Like many Asian communities, Hong Kong ushers in the astrological year of the pig. That's also good timing to discuss the financial centre's contested relationship with its wild boar population. While some argue for an ongoing cull to keep the boar numbers down, others urge preservation, a position the government has lately embraced. A growing human population and encroaching urbanisation have brought humans and wild pigs into increasing proximity, with the boars making frequent appearances on roadways, in housing developments and even in shopping centres. The debate about how to handle them comes as the densely populated city of more than 7 million people is being festooned with pig-themed decorations in preparation for the holiday that officially begins on February 5. Not far from its cramped apartment blocks and neon lights, Hong Kong has plenty of green land, traditionally home to a variety of animals, including wild boars. Some areas where homes are close to parks or forests, ...
PM set to visit Assam, Arunachal and Tripura on Feb 9: Sarma
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set for a whirlwind tour of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura on February 9 to inaugurate several projects and address a public rally, state Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Monday. The PM will lay the foundation of a greenfield airport at Hollongi in Parum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh, before heading to Guwahati in the afternoon, Sarma told reporters here. At Guwahati, he is scheduled to lay foundation of a six-lane bridge over river Brahmaputra and kick off construction work of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Changsari near here, he said. The prime minister will also inaugurate Numaligarh Refinery Ltd's bio-diesel refinery and the Barauni-Guwahati gas pipeline, the minister said. The pipeline, connecting northeast with the national gas grid, will meet fuel requirement of industries, supply CNG to automobiles and cooking gas to households, he explained. Later in the day, Modi is scheduled to fly to ...
2 degree temp rise my melt one-third of glaciers in Hindu Kush: Study
A first-of-its-kind study of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region on Monday found that even the most ambitious Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century would lead to 2.1 degrees rise in temperatures.
100 tortoises seized in Jharkhand
More than 100 tortoises were seized from a train at the Dhanbad railway station in Jharkhand on Monday, police said.
Stark warning on melting Himalayan glaciers
Two-thirds of Himalayan glaciers, the world's "Third Pole", could melt by 2100 if global emissions are not reduced, scientists warned in a major new study issued Monday. And even if the "most ambitious" Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is achieved, one-third of the glaciers would go, according to the Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region are a critical water source for some 250 million people in the mountains as well as to 1.65 billion others in the river valleys below, the report said. The glaciers feed 10 of the world's most important river systems, including the Ganges, Indus, Yellow, Mekong and Irrawaddy, and directly or indirectly supply billions of people with food, energy, clean air and income. Impacts on people from their melting will range from worsened air pollution to more extreme weather, while lower pre-monsoon river flows will throw urban water systems and food and energy production ...