Washing away profits

ALTHOUGH most Bombayites have welcomed the monsoon clouds, scrap merchants, who are a vital link in the waste recycling process, are in a less buoyant mood: huge quantities of scrap deteriorate during the monsoons because of inadequate storage facilities. In the later half of May, scrap traders requested the Maharashtra government to set up a research project to develop technologies to preserve their merchandise during the monsoon months.

Concrete heat

Residents of Bhubaneswar were in for a hot shock when the temperature soared to 46.3 degrees Celsius on May 7. According to environmental scientists, the climatic disorder was caused by the large-scale construction of concrete houses and falling of the groundwater levels. Bhubaneswar has now earned the dubious distinction as the country's hottest state capital this summer, leaving well known hot spots like Lucknow and Patna behind.

Developed nations refuse to reform

WITH the European Community's carbon dioxide emissions rising and the developing countries reluctant to bail them out, industrialised countries found themselves jammed into a tight corner at the ninth meeting of the negotiations on the Climate Change Convention held in Geneva. Right at the start of the February 7-18 meeting, Bert Bolin, chairperson of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific body set up to advise the negotiators, declared

G-7 links aid with environment

THOUGH retaining environmental issues high on their G-7 policy agenda, the leaders of the world's seven richest nations confirmed their determination to maintain the global Environmental Fund (GEF) as the sole funding agency for implementing the biodiversity and climate change conventions, adopted in Rio last year.

USA may soften its stand on global warming

A HINT that Washington may soften its opposition to measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions was given at the recent session of the Framework Convention on Climate Change in New York.

Delayed hazards of earth's fiery outbursts

A VOLCANIC explosion does not affect only those living in the vicinity -- it's impact can be global and it may be felt for years afterwards. A volcanic eruption can cause unexpected changes in the earth's climate and environment and the onset of the Ice Age, global cooling, depletion of atmospheric ozone and the warming of the lower stratosphere are some examples of the long-term effects of such eruptions.

Team break-up may turn tables

EVEN THOUGH tough environmen- Indian delegation that took part in tal negotiations are still ahead in the the earlier discussions have been post-Rio Summit phase, many on the replaced. This could easily put India. at a disadvantage in forthcoming Ozone, Biodiversity and Climate Change convention and at meetings of the Commission on Sustainable Development and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). The official negotiating team existed for more than two years and took part in the negotiations leading to the Rio Summit in June 1992. In

Global warming will increase ozone depletion

RECENT findings that global warming of the lower atmosphere could trigger major ozone destruction have added an alarming new dimension to the climate change scenario (Nature, Vol 360 No 6401).

Delegates stall action on greenhouse gases

AFTER the hype and pomp of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, diplomats met again in Geneva in December to start work on implementation of the emasculated climate convention that world leaders were so eager to sign as proof of their green credentials. Despite warnings from Bert Bolin, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), that stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, will

Unequal representation

AT THE Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting in Harare in November, efforts were made to reorganise its bureauto ensure sgientists from the developing world are better represented. But IPCC secretary N Sundararaman said finding scientists from developing countries was difficult and some governments were reluctant to allow scientists to serve on what is essentially an intergovernmental panel. Several representatives in the