Shudder islands

Biodiversity buffer

The inconvenient truth

Many years ago, in a desperately poor village in Rajasthan, people decided to plant trees on the land adjoining their pond so that its catchment would be protected. But this land belonged to the revenue department and people were fined for trespass. The issue hit national headlines. The stink made the local administration uncomfortable.

Can’t switch to renewable energy: telecom operators

The telecom industry is finding it difficult to implement the recent directions issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on cutting carbon emissions. DoT had issued directions on January 4, wherein it asked the service providers to frame a Carbon Credit Policy detailing methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon credit policy for telecom sector

With an aim to minimise carbon emissions from the fast-growing telecom sector in India, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked service providers to frame a Carbon Credit Policy, detailing methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The directions were issued on January 4 after much deliberation over the recommendations made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in its report, Approach towards green telecommunications, submitted last year.

From the blurbs

The politics of climate change and the global crisis: mortgaging our future by Praful Bidwai, Orient Blackswan, Rs 750 This book has dual focus: one, impacts of climate change and the politics of international negotiations; two, lndia as an example of an “emerging economy” major polluter, which can both aid or obstruct the fight against climate change. It analyses the role of the BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India, China) grouping and the short-term calculations of other major players in the climate talks.

Science and Technology - Briefs

Health Sciences Assault by medicines

Rise of livestock

Policy makers in India are finally acknowledging a structural shift in the agriculture sector they have been noticing for a decade. Economic contribution of livestock is today more than that of food grain crops. Traditionally, of the three components of the sector—crops, livestock and fisheries—crops drove the growth, and food grains are a major part of it. As a result, policy and programmes focused on crops.

Letters - January 31, 2012

Safe or unsafe?

Time-out

At Durban, the European Union (EU) pushed hard for a legally binding agreement for all. The aim, it said, was that this legal instrument would bring the US on board, as it would include China, India and other big developing countries to commit to cut emissions.