Avoiding harm - how simple a duty is it?

The London High Court judgment on arsenic poisoning cases in Bangladesh explicity clears the way for affected people to claim compensation. …

A handmaiden of the West

The Stockholm Convention is against the interests of the developing world

End of dividend

Blueprints for change

In search of Vision 2020

The vision of a 'common future' appears to have been lost somewhere along the way from the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 to the first assembly of the …

When the G-20 holds

World trade negotiations are bound to be more multilateral

Too opaque for comfort

There is a serious mismatch between global realities and the World Bank's governing structure

Within the enemy

Humankind faces the most prolonged and worst exposure to pollution within the four walls of its homes - indoors - where biomass combustion spells …

A meaningful TREATY?

The Kyoto Protocol to the Climate Change Convention is the first step towards defining the emissions reduction targets of industralised countries.…

Diesel: no answer to global warming

Renewed focus

But the next one year is crucial to renewable energy in India

Smokescreen

The most powerful government in the world and the behemoth tobacco industry are waging a ding-dong battle over...well, cigarettes

Farmers take on multinationals

Small farmers protesting the monopoly of multinationals over the world's food resources take to the streets in Bangalore.

Indian report will stir up Copenhagen meet

An Indian government report that criticises and asks for several amendments in the Montreal Protocol is expected to generate heated debate among …

Water treatment need not cost the earth

Countries like India are increasingly opting for expensive, high-tech water treatment systems instead of low-cost, low-tech water treatment …

Sustainability and the southern perspective

European environmentalists tackle Third World concerns of irresponsible overconsumption by northern countries

No Headway

The just-concluded international conference on climate change in Buenos Aires saw the developing countries ranged against the US which was trying …

Sinks: A carbon reservoir

There is lot os uncertainly on the question of carbon sinks. To what extent can they actually absorb carbon dioxide emissions? And, should …

Time for a rethink

The climate regime needs to get out of the rut it is in

The way out of energy and climate change dilemmas

Providing energy to the poor does not make good business. Take electricity. Connecting the 2 billion in the world who do not have access to large …

SPREADING SMOKE

Strict US legislations are forcing cigarette companies to shift business to developing countries, where they are helped by lax laws and …

Bonn and beyond

The climate change meeting at Bonn tentatively agreed to postpone resolution of issues

Worldly wise

India hardsells its troubled protected areas abroad

Forgotten healers

Traditional medicine system has time and again proved its worth. Then why the cold shoulder?

India's game plan on GATT: Will it work?

The government says there are opportunities to improve the Dunkel packager but not all are convinced that it is trying hard enough. …