The Olympics won’t spread Zika around the world

The chance that someone at the Rio games will import the virus to their home country is low

Consuming to sustain?

At UNCED, the North tried using the facile argument that their larger consumption actually provided trade and jobs for the poorer South. But …

New database shows how large rivers form the basis of global borders

Rivers have historically formed the bedrock of several civilisations, but have also been used to divide land and form borders

Earth Matters

Will the North decide the path of sustainable development for the rest of the world? Will the interests of the South be protected?

Why certain parts of India churn out the best sportspersons

Haryana, with just two per cent of India's population, accounts for 20 per cent of its Olympic contingent

Filthy water, toxic air don’t make Rio Games environment-friendly

Large amount of untreated sewage continues to flow into Guanabara Bay, where the Olympic sailing events will take place

Hot air?

Agenda 21, formulated during the Rio Summit in June 1992, was touted as an earth-saving measure by the leaders of more than 100 participatory …

CSD must become a forum for debate

New Zealand's minister for the environment Simon Upton is the chairperson of the seventh session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (…

East and West: Extreme weather strikes on opposite sides of globe in Brazil, Texas, Vietnam & Indonesia

75 dead in Brazil floods; evacuations in flood-hit Houston; heat dries up Vietnam while 14 die in Indonesia due to floods and landslides  

Green funds dry up for developing countries

With the US halving its contribution to the Global Environment Facility, the oldest green fund sees first budget cut in 27 years, hurting the …

The politics of climate change: COP 21 and emerging economies

While top 10 emitters contribute 72 per cent of global greenhouse gases, the lowest 100 emitters contribute even less than 3 per cent

Focus shifts to N-plant revamp

Environmental issues took a backseat at the recent G-7 meet where the main concern was the business of revamping Soviet-built nuclear power plants

Blending green concerns into market economy

GERMAN environment minister Klaus Topfer has come under fire for his tough green laws such as the one against packaging. Environmental ministries,…

Panel to smooth North-South squabbles on GEF

A special committee is being set up to solve clashes between the industrialised and developing countries over national and international gains in …

Diary of a political carnival

UNCED saw the largest ever gathering of heads of government in history. Ceremony, glitter and pomp were played out against a backdrop of …

Convention on biological diversity

Gene doping can change the nature of sports

It involves injecting a gene helpful in boosting athletic performance into the cells of a person. The International Olympic Committee says it …

Aid cuts will defeat objectives of Agenda 21

WITH HUGE reductions in aid already under way and further cuts to follow soon, transfer of resources remains the most contentious issue in …

Seven point agenda for Rio meet on sustainable development

Differences remain between developed and developing countries

Will Rio+20 change the way the world is growing?

Mining industry makes all-out bid to send right signals before WSSD

Going slow

The bumpy road to Rio+20

The meeting will review achievements and failures since the Earth Summit of 1992

A new world order taking shape

Proponents have turned their backs to the idea of unfettered global trade; how will new globalisation rules take shape in a climate-risked and war-…

Ghost of climate change haunts Rio