Page 69 - Environment
France to ban destroying unsold goods, targeting Amazon, luxury brands
France's prime minister on Tuesday announced a crackdown on the destruction of unsold or returned consumer products that will affect online retailers such as Amazon and luxury goods brands. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said that a ban on destroying non-food goods -- such as clothes, electrical items, hygiene products and cosmetics -- would come into force within the next four years. The announcement came after Green parties surged across Europe in last month's European elections, not least in France where the EELV party came third with 13.5 per cent of the vote. According to the French premier's office, over 650 million euros (USD 730 million) worth of new consumer products are thrown away or destroyed every year, five times more than donations of the same products. The measure would make it compulsory to hand in the products for re-use or recycling. "It is a waste that shocks, that is shocking to common sense. It's a scandal," said Philippe, as he launched the measure at a ...
US scientist sounds warning on future Everest dangers
Mount Everest and its surrounding peaks are increasingly polluted and warmer, and nearby glaciers are melting at an alarming rate that is likely to make it more dangerous for future climbers, a US scientist who spent weeks in the Everest region said Tuesday. Prof. John All of Western Washington University said after returning from the mountains that he and his team of fellow scientists found there was lot of pollution buried deep in the snow, and that the snow was surprisingly dark when they processed and filtered it. "What that means is there are little pieces of pollution that the snow is forming around, so the snow is actually trapping the pollution and pulling it down," All said in Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. All and his team spent weeks testing snow on Everest and its surrounding peaks, as well as plants on the foothills. "The warming temperature is melting the glaciers and the snow around Mount Everest very quickly, so what happens is even when there is a storm it melts in a ...
UN-supported clean air action plan for Agra questioned
Green activists on Tuesday criticized an action plan launched here to control air pollution in Agra, one of India's most polluted cities and home to the Taj Mahal, for ignoring the contribution of the Yamuna river to the present mess.
UP doubles penalty for using mobile phones while driving, riding two wheelers without helmet
Using mobile phones while driving and riding two wheelers without helmet will attract penalty of Rs 1,000 in Uttar Pradesh instead of Rs 500 earlier to ensure stricter adherence to traffic laws in the state. The state cabinet at its meeting Tuesday, also pegged the penalty for driving without licence at Rs 1,000, double the amount charged earlier. Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Uttar Pradesh minister Siddharth Nath Singh said, "The Cabinet has decided to double fines for violating traffic rules. Violators will be charged Rs 500 (earlier Rs 300) for driving without number plate, Rs 1,000 (earlier Rs. 500) for driving without license, Rs 1,000 (earlier Rs 500) for using mobile phone while driving and Rs 1,000 (earlier Rs 500) for driving without helmet." The Cabinet also gave its nod to a proposal allowing vehicle owners in the state to port the registration number of their vehicles.
Asia, US boost global plastic output
Despite widespread alarm on the environmental cost, Asia and the United States lifted world production of plastic last year while Europe saw a dip, the PlasticsEurope federation said Tuesday. Voicing concern over US imports, the federation noted global output rose by 3.2 per cent last year to 359 million tonnes (Mt), on the heels of a 3.9 per cent increase a year earlier. Asia represented more than half of global production, with China alone churning out 108 Mt as it continues to boost capacity, in particular via coal conversion. Asia as a whole nonetheless has a "structural deficit and is an importer" of plastics, Eric Quenet, PlasticsEurope's regional director for Western Europe, told a new conference. The United States is also producing more as a result of shale gas development. The US has developed ethanol-based production units that provide a competitive advantage over European counterparts, the federation said. Given a worsening trade environment with China, US production is ...
DMRC becomes first-ever metro project to receive power from waste-to-energy plant
Adding another feather to its cap, Delhi Metro has become the first-ever such project in the country to receive power generated from a waste-to-energy plant, the DMRC said. Continuing with its various environment-friendly initiatives, the Delhi Metro has started receiving 2 MW power from a 12 MW capacity plant of a company in Ghazipur, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said in a statement. "This will be the first-ever attempt by any metro project in the country to procure and utilise energy from waste-to-energy plants and thus contribute towards 'Swachh Bharat Mission' and also help in creating awareness about the importance of waste management," it said. The DMRC is receiving the power since the beginning of this month from this facility which is being utilised at the Vinod Nagar Receiving Sub-station (RSS) of DMRC for meeting the operation requirements of Pink Line metro. The DMRC will take approximately 17.5 MUs per annum from this plant. However, the energy offtake will depend upon
Guj to launch Emission Trading Scheme on Environment Day
The Gujarat government will launch an 'Emission Trading Scheme' (ETS) Wednesday, under which a firm which reduces emissions below the stipulated limit can sell its 'emission permits'. The scheme, to be launched on World Environment Day, is the first of its kind in the world, and will incentivise reduction of emission of pollutants, the government said in a release Tuesday. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani will launch it at a function here. "The main aim of the scheme is to incentivise the industrial units which cap their emissions. It will also reduce the cost of reducing pollution," the release said. "Industrial units will be attached to Continuous Emissions Monitoring System...for effective compliance," it added. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) said in another release that emissions trading or cap-and-trade is a market-based approach used in "controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants". Under ...
Mamata's reaction to Jai Shri Ram part of appeasement politics: Supriyo
Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Tuesday said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's angry reactions to BJP's 'Jai Shri Ram' chant was a part of her appeasement politics.
ITBP joining operations to retrieve climbers' bodies
Well-versed and equipped to carry out high-altitude rescue operations, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will join the efforts to retrieve the bodies of eight national and foreign climbers who went missing while on an expedition to Nanda Devi, an official said on Tuesday.
Valiant dog saves owner from rampaging tiger in MP forest
This tribal youth in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district will always owe his life to his pet dog - who distracted an attacking tiger long enough for other villagers to come to his aid and drive away the marauding big cat.
Mahindra Group's new initiative to encourage citizens for tree planting
Multinational conglomerate Mahindra Group Tuesday launched a new initiative to motivate citizens to plant trees at a time when India is lagging behind in achieving its third commitment under the Paris Agreement. The move assumes significance as it comes ahead of the World Environment Day. The country's third commitment under the Paris pact was to create an additional 'carbon sink' of 2.5-3 billion tonnes which translates to 75 billion trees, covering area of Rajasthan. The group, which has planted 16 million trees in the last 12 years, wants to generate awareness among people about the importance of planting trees in order to increase carbon sink in the country for combating climate change. "The activity of tree planting need to be stepped up. Until now we are doing well in the first two commitments under the Paris pact and on the third commitment, we need to move forward little bit more," the Group's Chief Sustainability Officer Anirban Ghosh told PTI. In the last 12 years, the group
NGT asks Army to cooperate with Delhi Cantonment Board to implement solid waste rules
The National Green Tribunal Tuesday asked the Army to cooperate with the Cantonment Board in implementing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in the Delhi cantt area. A vacation bench comprising Justice K Ramakrishnan and expert member Nagin Nanda said the Indian Army can set a model for others as to how the rules should be implemented effectively. The tribunal was hearing a plea by Delhi Cantonment Board seeking change of wards, to be developed as model ones, under the Board for implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in an effective manner. The Board said that the two wards allotted to it fall entirely under the control of the Defence because of which it was finding it difficult to implement the rules. The Board said that in the meeting held by the Delhi chief secretary, they were given three wards namely ward nos. 2,3 and 4 in Delhi Cantonment Area as proposed to be notified as model wards. Accordingly, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had notified the ...
Evolve effective monitoring mechanism to stop encroachments along highways: NGT
The National Green Tribunal has expressed concern over the large scale encroachments along the national highways and directed the government to evolve an effective monitoring mechanism in this regard. The green panel said that the monitoring mechanism should deal with the future policy with regard to highways to be constructed, already constructed and with regard to roads where constructions have already been made. It asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to file an affidavit within two months in this regard. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that large scale encroachment on highways by illegal constructions had made it difficult to implement the policy of plantation of trees. The green panel directed the MoEF to collect requisite data in respect of national highways from National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and in respect of state highways from respective states and Union ...
High-flying balloons, quality air-sensors being used to fight air pollution
As air pollution threatens everyone -- from unborn babies to children walking to school, to people cooking over open fires -- scientists are employing a wide variety of technologies like high-altitude balloons and biosensors to monitor air quality to help in the fight against the global public health emergency. Navakanta Bhat, a professor at Indian Institute of Science, Bangaluru, has devised gas sensors with ultra-precise detection accuracies necessary for environmental monitoring. "With the growing air pollution worldwide, today clean and fresh air is becoming a luxury and premium. If the air pollution continues unabated, it will have very serious and debilitating health implications," Bhat told PTI on the eve of World Environment Day on June 5. He noted that some cities such as Delhi have seen growing incidence of respiratory diseases including bronchitis, severe asthma attack to name a few. "Unless the citizens are aware of the quality of air that they are breathing, they will not
Scandinavian Airlines stops duty free sales to cut emissions
Scandinavian Airlines says it will stop selling duty-free goods on its flights to reduce the weight of its aircraft and save fuel and ultimately reduce carbon emissions, saying "every step on the way to sustainable travel is important." Spokesperson Freja Annamatz said Tuesday the airline "is aiming to cut emissions by at least 25per cent by 2030." Annamatz said Tuesday that "passengers' buying behaviour has changed with fewer inflight sales and sustainability has become more important than ever before." The company did not detail how much weight would be cut by the move. SAS said it is also trying to be more climate-friendly by using new, fuel-efficient aircraft, improving access to high-quality biofuel, and a partnering with Airbus to develop electric and hybrid aircraft.
New mission on desalination will be launched soon, says Harsh Vardhan
Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said that a new mission on desalination will be launched soon."Recently I went to Lakshadweep and got the opportunity to see how desalination plants are working. We are now working on desalination mission. In the next 100 days, we will launch a deep ocean mission, for which the discussion will be held in the Cabinet. The wealth of the ocean will be used as a source of energy," he said.The process of desalination involves removing salt and other minerals from water in order to make it fit for consumption or other purposes. The filtration of saline water can be done through Thermal Desalination Technology or Membrane Technology like Reverse Osmosis (RO).Doctor-turned-politician Vardhan also lauded the scientists working at Ministry of Earth Science for accurately predicting the weather forecast on a daily basis saying, "Our weather forecasting agency is fourth all over the world. America, England, and Japan are ahead of us. ..
Waaree Energies commissions 50-MW solar project in Vietnam
Domestic solar PV module manufacturer Waaree Energies Tuesday announced commissioning of a 50 MW ground-mounted solar project in Vietnam. "In September 2018, we got success and bagged contract for setting up 49.5 MW ground-mounted solar project in Vietnam. Actual work started in December and in May 2019 the plant was commissioned. The project marks Waaree's footprint in South East Asia," Waaree Energies Director - Sales and Marketing Sunil Rathi said at a press conference here. The project has been developed for Song Giang Solar Power JSC in the Khanh Hoa province on EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) mode, he said. The plant is expected to generate more than 78,600 MWh (megawatt hour) electricity per year, he said. "Vietnam government has set a target of 12 GW from solar installations. Demand for energy is expected to increase by 10 per cent by 2020 and Waaree is targeting the growing demand," Rathi said. Waaree Energies, the flagship company of Waaree Group, is ...
Improvements in water quality could off-set climate change impact on river invertebrates
A study by Cardiff University's Water Research Institute and the University of Vermont has suggested that the ecological impact of climate change on rivers could be minimised by improving the quality of water.The study was published in the journal 'Nature Communications'."Globally, freshwaters are amongst our most threatened habitats, showing some of the largest species declines and fastest rates of extinction. Many freshwater species are very sensitive to temperature, with as little as a 0.5degC increase having large effects," said Dr Ian Vaughan, the lead author, Cardiff University's Water Research."Despite rising temperatures, many rivers in England and Wales have continued to recover from historical pollution problems over recent decades, suggesting that ongoing water quality improvements offset temperature rises," Vaughan explained."For the first time, we have estimated the size of this water quality 'credit', which appears to have paid the climatic 'debt' accumulated during this
Marvellous beauty of the Japanese landscape attracts tourists
The summer season has just arrived, which brings a surreal look to the landscape of the islands in Japan's Mie prefecture. In 2016, the G7 Ise-Shima summit was held here."I came from a place where there is no nature, I am happy to be able to feel good," a visitor said.There are many different shapes of islands in the prefecture, where the peninsula merges into the beautiful horizon.Travelling by the cruise ship is quite popular amongst the tourists, as it gives them the opportunity to behold small islands and the pearl farm while enjoying refreshing winds.In Iseshima area, there are many marine museums.'Toba marine museum' breeds fish from the sea around Iseshima, including the Finless Porpoise which is one of the seven porpoise species of dolphin. Visitors can enjoy seal shows and breeding techniques here.The marine mammal dugong is also found in the museum. In fact, marine museums call the lone dugong 'Serena,' who is quite the crowd-puller at the marine museum. The large ...
Kerala govt in constant contact with health ministry after Nipah virus confirmation: CM
The Kerala government Tuesday said it is in "constant contact" with the Union Health ministry in the wake of confirmation about Nipah infecting a person in the state, a year after the deadly virus claimed 17 lives. State Health minister, K K Shailaja, confirmed on Tuesday that a 23-year-old college student, who was undergoing treatment for fever in Kochi, has been infected by the virus. Pathological samples from youth had been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, which confirmed that the youth had been infected by the deadly virus. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there was no need to panic as the health network would rise up to the challenge. "We are in constant contact with the Union ministry for health. A team of experts have arrived in Kochi. Their guidelines will also be used to tackle the virus outbreak," Vijayan said in a Facebook Post. "The news of confirmation should not be a reason for panic. Our health network is ready to rise up to the challenge," he ...