Power companies becoming climate sensitive
That’s the verdict that the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers report ‘Energy and Efficiency: Utilities Global Survey 2007’ reveals. The survey that included 114 power companies in 44 countries found that 48% and 45% of the companies are giving wind and nuclear fuel options top priority.
The survey also revealed that 81% of American companies, 43% of European companies and 41% to 62% of the companies world-wide expect technology to help improve energy efficiency
You can download the full report here at www.ukmediacentre.pwc.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=2356&NewsAreaID=2
World Bank plans 250 million dollar fund to grow back rainforests
The World Bank hopes to grow back the forests fast by seeding funds in countries with high rain forest cover. The funds will be disbursed to each country based on how effectively it manages to cut carbon emissions. The bank will raise funds from private investors and donors.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/The_United_States/World_Bank_plans_fund_to_fight_deforestation/rssarticleshow/2116504.cms
Rains are failing in Australia and rainfall is down by 70%
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19426084.400&feedId=opinion_rss20
Tibet plans to ban mining of gold, arsenic, mercury and peat to save environment
source : http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=12950
24 New species found in Suriname Rainforest
Conservation International along with BHP-Billiton Maatschappij Suriname (BMS) and Suriname Aluminium Company LLC (Suralco), carried out a RAP (Rapid Assessment Program) expedition in the rainforests of Suriname.
The study led by Leeanne Alonso, CI vice president and head of the RAP program was carried out from 2005 to mid 2006.
Some of the interesting species discovered include a purple toad with fluorescent markings and a rare armored catfish - Harttiella crassicauda, thought to be extinct
You can check out the full story here at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070604123843.htm
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
WHO says 13 million lives can be saved by cleaner environment
A recently released WHO report shows that 13 million people or 10% of deaths in 23 of the 192 countries studied happen because of unsafe drinking water and indoor air pollution caused by the burning of wood, cow dung and coal.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,date:2007-06-14~menuPK:34461~pagePK:34392~
piPK:64256810~theSitePK:4607,00.html
“ Arctic Tale” to be released on July 25th
Arctic Tale, a new film produced by National Geographic Films makes a dramatic attempt to sensitize the public to global warming. The film does this by portraying the life as experienced by a young male polar bear named Nanu and a female walrus cub named Seela. The suffering that Nanu and Seela undergo will hopefully make the general public more sensitive to the dangerous consequences of climate change.
The film is distributed by Paramount Vantage and premiered at the Silverdocs documentary film festival on June 18th. Directed by Adam Ravetch and his wife, Sarah Robertson, the film's team of script writers include Linda Woolverton and Al Gore’s daughter Kristin.
source : http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=12972
America’s common birds are vanishing…
The Audobon Society has reported a significant drop in the population of 20 of America’s common bird species. Analysis of bird population data shows that the numbers of Northern bobwhite and Evening Grosbeak have fallen by 82% and 78% respectively.
The figures are equally depressing for many of the other common bird species too!
You can read the full report here at http://www.audubon.org/bird/stateofthebirds/CBID/
A recently released WHO report shows that 13 million people or 10% of deaths in 23 of the 192 countries studied happen because of unsafe drinking water and indoor air pollution caused by the burning of wood, cow dung and coal.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,date:2007-06-14~menuPK:34461~pagePK:34392~
piPK:64256810~theSitePK:4607,00.html
“ Arctic Tale” to be released on July 25th
Arctic Tale, a new film produced by National Geographic Films makes a dramatic attempt to sensitize the public to global warming. The film does this by portraying the life as experienced by a young male polar bear named Nanu and a female walrus cub named Seela. The suffering that Nanu and Seela undergo will hopefully make the general public more sensitive to the dangerous consequences of climate change.
The film is distributed by Paramount Vantage and premiered at the Silverdocs documentary film festival on June 18th. Directed by Adam Ravetch and his wife, Sarah Robertson, the film's team of script writers include Linda Woolverton and Al Gore’s daughter Kristin.
source : http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=12972
America’s common birds are vanishing…
The Audobon Society has reported a significant drop in the population of 20 of America’s common bird species. Analysis of bird population data shows that the numbers of Northern bobwhite and Evening Grosbeak have fallen by 82% and 78% respectively.
The figures are equally depressing for many of the other common bird species too!
You can read the full report here at http://www.audubon.org/bird/stateofthebirds/CBID/
Wildlife paradise discovered in Southern Sudan
It’s tough to believe that war wrecked, poverty stricken Sudan has an abundance of wildlife but an exciting discovery made by Dr Michael Fay and his team show that southern Sudan is home to a treasure house of wildlife.
An aerial survey of Southern Sudan shows:
8,000 elephants
800,000 kob
250,000 Mongalla gazelle
160,000 tiang
13,000 reedbuck
8,900 buffalo
2,800 ostriches
4,000 Nile lechwe (the only place in the world where you can see them are in the Sudd swamps)
Plus lions, leopards, elands, Grant’s gazelles, roan antelopes, lesser kudu, hartebeest, giraffes, crocodiles, hippos, and beisa oryx were all seen.
The survey was carried out by
Dr Michael Fay, scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence.
Dr. Paul Elkan, director of the WCS Southern Sudan Country Program, and
Malik Marjan, a Southern Sudanese Ph.D. candidate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst
Says Dr Michael Fay, "We estimated more than 800,000 kob in Southern Sudan. If you were a gold miner and hit a vein of gold, like we found in kob, you would have found El Dorado. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that this kind of abundance in nature existed in a region after 25 years of civil war, virtually unknown to the world at large."
The team started flying on Jan 17, 2007 and in just 150 hours of survey time were able to cover 58,000 square miles (150,000 square km).
Areas surveyed were: Boma National Park, Jonglei region and Southern National Park.
The project was undertaken by The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife Conservation, and Tourism, Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS).
Additional funds were given by USAID/Sudan and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
For this discovery and for exploring the wilderness of Africa, Dr Michael Fay gets the 2007 Lindbergh Award.
The explorations included:
A 15 month, 2000 mile expedition, called Megatransect where Dr Fay traveled from the rainforests of Congo to the sea shores of Gabon. He documented all the large animals, plants and signs of human impact that he saw on the way.
A 600 000 mile expedition called MegaFlyover where he flew across Africa’s wild habitats. That’s when he discovered the wildlife treasure house.
source: http://www.wcs.org/353624/wcs_megascientist
India sets up weather station at glacier in Himachal Pradesh
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) has set up a weather station at the Chhota Shigri glacier in Himachal Pradesh to monitor climate change. The weather station’s Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS), has a warning and recording system to track changes in weather.
source : http://www.indiaenews.com/sports/20070616/56363.htm
Two Sloth bear cubs rescued
The UP Forest department, Delhi based NGO – Wildlife S.O.S. and One Voice Association – France worked together to resuce two endangered bear cubs from smugglers in Baliya district of Uttar Pradesh.
Members of the raiding team included :
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) has set up a weather station at the Chhota Shigri glacier in Himachal Pradesh to monitor climate change. The weather station’s Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS), has a warning and recording system to track changes in weather.
source : http://www.indiaenews.com/sports/20070616/56363.htm
Two Sloth bear cubs rescued
The UP Forest department, Delhi based NGO – Wildlife S.O.S. and One Voice Association – France worked together to resuce two endangered bear cubs from smugglers in Baliya district of Uttar Pradesh.
Members of the raiding team included :
- SDO Rasda Range - Mr. Kewal Prasad
Range officer- Baliya - Mr. Gokul Prasad
Dy Ranger - Arun Kumar Rai
Conservator of Forests - Mr. C P Goyal, IFS
Deputy Conservator of Forests - Dr. R.K.Singh, IFS.
Plus forest guards who worked under their guidance
source : http://www.iar.org.uk/news/2007/jun07-2.shtml
Word Bank lends US$63 million for livelihood project in Bihar
The World Bank has cleared US$63 million to help improve the livelihoods of 2.9 million people living in 590,000 households. Called Jeevika, the rural livelihoods project will be implemented in the districts of Nalanda, Gaya, Muzzafarpur, Madhubani, Khagaria, and Purnea. The project is specifically targeted at helping the women.
Talking about the project, Parmesh Shah, World BankLead Rural Development Specialist and project team leader says, “These communities will be provided skills and tools to develop social accountability mechanisms to enable transparency and good governance within the institutions of the poor. This will also help in building effective service delivery partnerships with local governments.”
You can read more about this project here at : http://www.worldbank.org.in/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=295584&menuPK=295617&Projectid=P090764
Monday, June 18, 2007
NGOs in Agra honor green journalists
Wildlife SOS, International Animal Rescue and Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society got together to honor Agra’s green journalists on World Environment Day.
Chief Guest Dr R S Pareek, famous Homoeopath and President of the Agra Citizens’ Council, said, "Every small effort counts. If each one of us on a daily basis thinks of doing one small deed to save the environment, be it saving a drop of water from being wasted or reusing a polybag or a waste piece of paper, we can all contribute to saving our planet from extinction".
Certificates of appreciation and mementos were given to the following journalists:
Chief Guest Dr R S Pareek, famous Homoeopath and President of the Agra Citizens’ Council, said, "Every small effort counts. If each one of us on a daily basis thinks of doing one small deed to save the environment, be it saving a drop of water from being wasted or reusing a polybag or a waste piece of paper, we can all contribute to saving our planet from extinction".
Certificates of appreciation and mementos were given to the following journalists:
- Hindi print media
Rajeev Saxena (Dainik Jagran)
Ram Kumar Sharma, Sanmay Prakash and Anshu Pareek ( all from Hindustan Times)
Dr Surendra Singh (Amar Ujala) and
Raj Kumar Sharma (DLA)
Special focus on Agra city’s cultural and historical heritage
Mahesh Dhakar (Hindustan Times) Adarsh Nandan Gupta (Dainik Jagran) and Kumar Lalit Bansal (DLA)
- Photo journalism
Brajesh Kumar Singh (DLA)
Aslam Salimi (Dainik Jagran) and
Vishal Khandelwal (Agra Plus)
- Television
Rishi Dixit (Sahara TV)
Jasvir Singh Jassi (Moon Cable Network) and
Shashi Kant Upadhyaya (Sea Cable Network).
Source: http://www.iar.org.uk/news/2007/jun07.shtml
Three major forest fires blaze through Himachal Pradesh in June, 2007
Places affected:
http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/media/2007/06/news_20070605_in.htm
http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/media/2007/06/news_20070612_in.htm
- 2000 hectares of reserve forests in Shimla and Solan districts of Himachal Pradesh
- A Large forest fire that lasted for a week was reported from Bogria forest near Nahan
- Another fire was reported from Cant and Ram Kundi districts of Himachal Pradesh.
Forest fire in at the LOC in Kashmir
- A forest fire that extended for 25-29 km on both side of the Line of Control (LOC) was reported from Kashmir. Critically affected areas were Compartment numbers 130,131,144,145, 205 and 206 at Balnoi, Malikpur, Gollat, Sona Wali Gali in the Mendhar sector.
http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/media/2007/06/news_20070605_in.htm
http://www.fire.uni-freiburg.de/media/2007/06/news_20070612_in.htm
Punjab and Haryana's green initiatives
Three new protected areas in Punjab
The Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister of Punjab, Tikshan Sood outlined the bondaries and location of the three new protected areas as below:
Kathlaur-Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary – that includes forests of 346 acres in Kushlian, 1550 acres in Kathlaur and adjoining area of villages Raipur, Bahadurpur and Jaswa in Tehsil Pathankot, District Gurdaspur.
Keshopur Miani Wetland Community Reserve - of 850 acres of Panchayat area of Miani, Keshopur, Matwa, Dalla and Magarmudian in Tehsil and Gurdaspur district.
Lalwan Community Reserve – that covers 3167 acres of village Lalwan, Tehsil Garhshankar, District Hoshiarpur.
Source: http://news.oneindia.in/2007/06/14/three-more-protected-forest-areas-in-punjab-1181833558.html
Punjab and Haryana go organic
The Haryana government has sanctioned a budget of Rs 3 crores to promote vermiculture while Punjab is focusing on neem as an organic pesticide.
Haryana plans to set up vermi-hatcheries in 25 centres at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh / hatchery and offer earthworms free to farmers. The government is offering incentives like organic farming certification.
With 12 lakh neem trees, the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) is all set to start pilot trials using 70 tonnes of neem. The initiative in Punjab has been supported by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.
Sources: http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=241696
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=166657
Chandigarh to become India’s first eco-friendly, smoke free city
The Tourism Department of Chandigarh and the Chandigarh Administration are working hard to transform Chandigarh into an eco-friendly, smoke free city.
Eco-friendly projects in the pipeline include greening Sukhna Lake, increasing green spaces, restricting entry to Nepli and Kansal forests that envelope the city and lots of other green steps.
For a city that is already well known as India’s greenest, cleanest and well designed city, doing the eco-friendly, smoke free makeover will be just that small step that Chandigarh needs to take, to lead India’s urban eco-friendly initiatives.
Sources : The Pioneer, Saturday, 16 June 2007
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newsid=45431&newstype=local
The Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister of Punjab, Tikshan Sood outlined the bondaries and location of the three new protected areas as below:
Kathlaur-Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary – that includes forests of 346 acres in Kushlian, 1550 acres in Kathlaur and adjoining area of villages Raipur, Bahadurpur and Jaswa in Tehsil Pathankot, District Gurdaspur.
Keshopur Miani Wetland Community Reserve - of 850 acres of Panchayat area of Miani, Keshopur, Matwa, Dalla and Magarmudian in Tehsil and Gurdaspur district.
Lalwan Community Reserve – that covers 3167 acres of village Lalwan, Tehsil Garhshankar, District Hoshiarpur.
Source: http://news.oneindia.in/2007/06/14/three-more-protected-forest-areas-in-punjab-1181833558.html
Punjab and Haryana go organic
The Haryana government has sanctioned a budget of Rs 3 crores to promote vermiculture while Punjab is focusing on neem as an organic pesticide.
Haryana plans to set up vermi-hatcheries in 25 centres at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh / hatchery and offer earthworms free to farmers. The government is offering incentives like organic farming certification.
With 12 lakh neem trees, the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) is all set to start pilot trials using 70 tonnes of neem. The initiative in Punjab has been supported by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.
Sources: http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=241696
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=166657
Chandigarh to become India’s first eco-friendly, smoke free city
The Tourism Department of Chandigarh and the Chandigarh Administration are working hard to transform Chandigarh into an eco-friendly, smoke free city.
Eco-friendly projects in the pipeline include greening Sukhna Lake, increasing green spaces, restricting entry to Nepli and Kansal forests that envelope the city and lots of other green steps.
For a city that is already well known as India’s greenest, cleanest and well designed city, doing the eco-friendly, smoke free makeover will be just that small step that Chandigarh needs to take, to lead India’s urban eco-friendly initiatives.
Sources : The Pioneer, Saturday, 16 June 2007
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newsid=45431&newstype=local
Plants can spot family members and are more hospitable to family than strangers
Dr Susan Dudley, Associate Professor of Biology at McMaster University has made an amazing discovery. Plants happily share space and resources with family members. On the other hand with strangers of the same species, the plants turn fiercely competitive.
Dr Dudley and her research student Amanda File observed the behavior in a species of sea rocket whose Latin name is Cakile edentula.
Says Dr Dudley, "The ability to recognize and favor kin is common in animals, but this is the first time it has been shown in plants. When plants share their pots, they get competitive and start growing more roots, which allows them to grab water and mineral nutrients before their neighbors get them.
It appears, though, that they only do this when sharing a pot with unrelated plants; when they share a pot with family, they don't increase their root growth. Because differences between groups of strangers and groups of siblings only occurred when they shared a pot, the root interactions may provide a cue for kin recognition."
The team have published their findings in the current issue of Biology Letters
source : http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=4754
Dr Dudley and her research student Amanda File observed the behavior in a species of sea rocket whose Latin name is Cakile edentula.
Says Dr Dudley, "The ability to recognize and favor kin is common in animals, but this is the first time it has been shown in plants. When plants share their pots, they get competitive and start growing more roots, which allows them to grab water and mineral nutrients before their neighbors get them.
It appears, though, that they only do this when sharing a pot with unrelated plants; when they share a pot with family, they don't increase their root growth. Because differences between groups of strangers and groups of siblings only occurred when they shared a pot, the root interactions may provide a cue for kin recognition."
The team have published their findings in the current issue of Biology Letters
source : http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=4754
Palakkad district's rainforests are disappearing...
The forest department of Palakkad district has lost more than 15 000 acres of forest land due to encroachment.
Some areas that have been encroached upon include:
Corridors of Silent Valley National Park in the Mannarkkad Forest Division
Nelliampathy Hills adjacent to the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary
Akamalavaram in Malampuzha
Kinnakkara Sholayur in Attappady
Palakuzhy in the Alathur Forest Range
Mangalam Dam in Vadakkumcherry
River beds of the Bharathapuzha, Bhavani, Kalpathy, Korayar, Walayar too have been encroached.
Source : www.thehindu.com/2007/06/18/stories/2007061850590300.htm
Silent Valley National Park to be protected by buffer zone
Kerala State Cabinet has marked out a buffer zone of 148 sq km around Silent Valley National Park.
The buffer zone will be a sandwich made from three forest ranges : Mannarkkad, Attappady and Kalikavu regions
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/09/stories/2007060908770300.htm
Low cost check dam fills up tank in Tajpur village after ten year gap
A small check-dam that cost Rs 4 lakhs to set up across Bandi Halla rivulet on the border of Tajpur village and a 850-metre long diversion channel have helped fill up the Tajpur village tank in Bijapur after a gap of ten years.
All that was needed to fill up the tank that extends to 3.5 acres was just one shower of heavy rain.
Source : http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/17/stories/2007061751960300.htm
110 villages in Andhra Pradesh to get water
The AP Government has cleared a Rs 699 crore lift-irrigation project on Udayasamudram that will cover 1 lakh acres in 110 villages.
The five constituencies include :
Nalgonda
Ramannapet
Bhongir
Nakrekal and
Munugode
source: http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jun172007/scroll200706177954.asp?section=frontpagenews
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