Green has many shades

Subhas Datta, an environmental activist in Kolkata, is taking the initiative to launch Indias first organized green party. He has already been in touch with green party leaders in Europe and has been assured support and offered advice. Since the party is still at the concept stage, it is difficult to tell what will happen once it gets off the drawing boardin terms of manifesto, programme, constitution, organizational structure and areas of special focus.

US presidential candidates' take on climate change

There are no more soft options on climate change. The two candidates running to be the future president of America realize this better than does George Bush, who even questioned the scientific basis of climate change.

Online

www.commondreams.org POLITICIZING the InterNET The people who run this site say, "We are committed to being on the cuttingedge of using the Internet as a political organizing tool--and creating new models for Internet activism." The site combines an eclectic mix of politics, issues and breaking news with an emphasis on progressive perspectives that are increasingly hard to find with the media getting increasingly corporate-dominated.

No food

palaniappan Chidambaram, India's finance minister, is angry about the global food crisis. This senior member of the international 'Growth Club' has been saying things, publicly, that may harm the divine cause of economic growth! He called the rush for biofuel a "crime against humanity". In the 77th Meeting of Development Committee of the World Bank and imf, he pointed out, "converting food into fuel is neither good policy for the poor nor for the environment".

Climate change new opportunity to renew old orders

In recent months, Delhi has seen unprecedented growth in star foreign visitors flying in by night to advise us on the impending dangers of climate change and hand out 'how to' manuals on reducing the threat (see Factsheet Natural burden). These visitors have Indian friends who have just heard of this strange rogue phenomenon and find it damn cute to organize 'climate balls' and 'climate receptions'. The star guests are invariably former heads of states historically identified as the greatest climate criminals.

Capitol's green initiative

With pressure mounting on the US establishment to take climate change seriously, the US House of Representatives has hit upon an ingenious solution: buying carbon credits to offset emissions from an antiquated power plant that services the Capitol's needs. The credits, worth US $89,000, were purchased on November 5 through an auction at the Chicago Climate Exchange.

Cheap thrill

a sudden spurt in public discussion in Delhi over worsening air quality over the last few years has brought into focus a few interesting points about controlling urban air pollution. This is not to lament over the capital's foul air, because Delhi's air quality still remains much better than that of Kolkata and Bangalore, but to point to the reasons why Delhi has to breathe bad air even after taking so many steps to check air pollution.

US approves water bill

The us House of Representatives approved the Water Resources Development Bill on November 6, after Republicans joined Democrats challenging president George W Bush. The 361-54 verdict, well over the two-thirds majority, is the first override of Bush's presidential veto. Bush vetoed the us $23.2-billion measure on November 2, calling it "too costly" and lacking "fiscal discipline".

Environmental organisation challenges US federal agency

In a major legal action against a us federal agency, an environmental organisation has filed a notice of intent against the agency's political interference in protecting endangered species. At stake are 55 endangered species in 28 us states together with the restoration of around 3.5 million hectares of protected habitat.

New York mayor announces plans to make city green

new York City is set to go green. Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced his ambitious "planyc-2030" for a "greener and greater" New York. The following are the highpoints of the plan Reduce 30 per cent greenhouse gas emissions by 2030