Umashankar S | Down To Earth

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May 16, 2012

Losers again

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

By : Anonymous

May 15, 2012

Endgame for bustards

since birds are free to move to a suitable climate and environment for briding and their survival therefore you cannot just...

By : pradip sharma

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Umashankar S

Umashankar S is a senior researcher with CSE. He works on concerns relating to slow progress of energy and environmental policies

Articles by the Author

New national steel policy in the offing

Issue: : 2012-5-15

Policy to propose 14 rail projects, seven road projects and four ports for transportation of minerals

Fearing poor steel sector growth due to sky-rocketing prices of minerals and poor infrastructure for its transportation, the government is planning a new national steel policy, said Beni Prasad Verma, the Union minister of steel. He was speaking at a function organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in New Delhi on April 30. The policy will be finalised in the next two months.

IFC’s green claims ring hollow

Issue: : 2012-2-1

Analysis of media reports on Indian projects financed by the World Bank arm

The World Bank’s investing arm, International Finance Corporation (IFC), is the largest multilateral source of loan and equity financing for private sector projects in the developing world. With a portfolio of US $3.6 billion, IFC states India now forms its largest country of operation with a total of 248 projects.

Tags: annual monitoring reports (AMRs), environmental performance standards (PS), Granules India Limited, International Finance Corporation (IFC), prevention and abatement, PS # 3: pollution, Social and environmental impacts, socially and environmentally sustainable, Usha Martin, Web Specials, World Bank

Pollution glorified

Issue: : 2012-2-15

World Bank arm finances polluting steel mill in Jharkhand

Tags: Air Pollution, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Health Effects, Heavy Metals, Industrial Pollution, Industry, Iron And Steel Industry, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, Land pollution, Occupational Safety, Private Sector, Respiratory Diseases, Solid Waste, State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Usha Beltron Limited, Water Pollution, World Bank, Special Report

Rs 3,300 crore omission

Issue: : 2011-10-15

Subsidies given annually to industries for pollution control are unmonitored

Government grants huge tax exemptions to industries for installing pollution control equipment. This is done to achieve certain environmental, social and economic goals. But it has failed to monitor the working of this subsidy regime.

Tags: CSE Study, Industry, Iron And Steel Industry, Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Paper and Pulp Industry, Pollution Control, Subsidies, Wind Energy, Special Report

Is REC an albatross for power distribution utilities?

Issue: : 2011-7-4

Only two states have achieved their renewable energy targets so far. Others scaled down their commitments

Since the launch of the scheme last year, the government is buoyant on the renewable energy certificate (REC) market to increase the capacity of the sector. But given that the scheme is market-based, it hinges on the fragile commitments by states to meet their renewable energy purchase obligation (RPO) target. Their failure to source the committed amount of energy from renewable sources would mean REC mechanism would be just another all-bark-and-no-bite scheme of the government.

Tags: Climate change, Electricity, Energy, Energy Policy, Karnataka, Legislation, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, National Action Plan for Climate Change (NAPCC), Renewable Energy, renewable energy certificate (REC), renewable energy purchase obligation (RPO), Tamil Nadu, Web Specials

‘Energy conservation is a moving target’

Issue: : 2011-6-30

A decade has passed since the Energy Conservation Act was enacted in 2001. Most provisions of the law are yet to be implemented properly. Ajay Mathur, director of the Board of Energy Efficiency, shares his views with Ruhi Kandhari and Umashankar

What is the mandate of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (bee) set up under the Energy Conservation Act?

Tags: Climate change, Electronics, Energy, Energy efficiency, Energy Policy, Government Of India (GOI), Green Buildings, India, Irrigation, Legislation, Interview

Energy market glitch

Issue: : 2011-5-31

Why new renewable energy trading policy could be a win-lose rather than a win-win instrument

The newly launched renewable energy certificate (REC) market has been witnessing a flurry of activity. Governments, regulators and project developers are upbeat, and the first trading day in March 2011 hit the ceiling price. Though the subsequent session was subdued, stakeholders are optimistic that the new market can quicken the harnessing of renewable energy potential of the country, which has been sluggish so far. But REC is not a magic wand to achieve clean energy goals and it could have problems.

Tags: Climate change, Electricity, Energy, Energy Policy, Legislation, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Renewable Energy, Crosscurrents

An unsteady first step

Issue: : 2010-12-15

Trading in energy-efficiency certificates faces major hurdles

It is increasingly becoming evident that the world may not be ready for a binding international climate treaty at the ongoing climate summit in Cancun, Mexico. Global attention is now shifting towards domestic policies in the major economies.

Tags: Carbon Tax, Climate Agreements, Climate Change, Climate Mitigation, Emission Targets, Emissions Trading, Energy Efficiency, Energy Policy, Global, India, Mexico, Crosscurrents

Realising low carbon infrastructure dream

Issue: : 2010-10-26

IDFC report puts forth an assortment of diverse solutions

India would need major policy and regulatory changes including standards, taxation of pollution and tailored incentives to ensure infrastructure development follows a low carbon route.

Tags: carbon emissions, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, Coal, Electricity, Incentives, India Infrastructure Report, Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited, Low carbon, low-carbon infrastructure, power, power plants, renewable energy certificates, Transport, Web Specials

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