'Avoiding controversy is crucial for the GEF'

Mostafa K Tolba , has been an influential figure in the global environmental arena, and has monitored the state of the world's environment. …

Inclement climate

Climate change discussions should focus on issues that are of importance to the South

North prefers UN to act as 'global governor'

Environmental concerns and the end of the Cold War are spurring radical changes at the UN. But the revamp is turning out to be another thorny issue.

Time, space set limits to sustainable planning

Sustainable development involves a practical compromise between short-term human needs and never-ending preservation of natural resources.

The racket at Rio

The save-the-planet bazaar does not deserve to be taken seriously

Aluminium's birth defect

The extraction of aluminium from its ore is a highly polluting process

'There should be consensus among G-77'

Developing countries have a reputation for lacking political strategy when it comes to international negotiations. They have been slow in …

North vs South

Developing nations should not sit back and allow the US to do the thinking. They should find a way of making their contributions meaningful and, …

Challenges in Agriculture

Biotechnology issues pose tremendous challenges for developing countries. As a member of the World Trade Organisation, India will have to gear up …

Why don't we set our own house in order first?

The state uses all the right words. But its actions don't match its rhetoric, unfortunately

Code of ethics for scientific "eco-tourists"

Most of the world's tropical forests are in the developing world. Guidelines have been suggested for researchers to regulate the flow of data to …

DENMARK

People collect rainwater without any support from the government. This saves the avoidable overuse of drinking water

The value of a raindrop

Rainwater is as usable to the industrialised North as to the underdeveloped South. As important to the poor, rural household as to the gardens …

Demystifying science

To promote public understanding of science, it is essential not only to initiate openness and dialogue between the scientific community and the …

That 'E' word again

Most Northern groups that dominate the civil society opinion-making process within the climate convention have consistently ignored Southern …

Symbolic solution?

In the recent discussion about reforming the international environmental governance structure, there have been calls for a World Environment …

Back to basics

Every taluka in India can meet its own food, water and energy needs

Entitlements

Two weeks of discussions on the Kyoto Protocol on climate change have just ended. But core problems remain. The world's worst polluters are …

Third world power

China has proved that genomics is no longer the preserve of developed countries

Big brother

WSSD clearly illustrated the hatred of the US' bullying tactics

Trade might is not right

What's wrong with global negotiations today?

Creative accounting

The US administration reneged on its earlier undertaking on the Kyoto Protocol, choosing instead to come up with its own climate change strategy: …

Conditions to aid and trade

World Resources Institute objects to criticism that Northern groups are arm-twisting developing countries into reducing greenhouse gas emissions

What's on the table

'Nature's gardeners' to the fore

Pampered European farmers cried foul as the Uruguay Round of GATT raced to a tense finish.