Opinion
Conservation: Education begins at the grassroots
01 Nov 2008 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Navigator 2009
I truly wonder if the term sustainable tourism is understood in its true and absolute sense in India. As we think of it in a broader sense, the form of travel that is taking place does create an environmental impact. There is a definite damage to the ecology and we all contribute towards this.
Confusing signals on bio-fuels
21 Oct 2008 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
| Financial Chronicle
The bio-fuels policy, which was quoted in the media as a done deal, has been retracted and a complete review of it is being undertaken. This is a very good development, as the policy, in the form in which it was, sent very confusing signals as regards its purpose and the intended beneficiaries. To the cynical, the policy reflects a desire to provide income ‘protection’ to the sugar industry vis-à -vis its role in ethanol production or a mechanism by which the under-recoveries of the oil marketing companies can be contained by facilitating access to cheaper blending options. The cynics may be justified in their views, given the policy’s focus on the minimum procurement price of bio-fuels and the use of molasses for ethanol production.
Market fall and climate change
08 Oct 2008 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
| Financial Chronicle
Every passing day is bringing more bad news on the financial markets and the real as well as psychological impact of this meltdown is deepening. The reaction in the US to the government's bail out plan reflects the real concerns of the common man – what would such a large diversion of tax payers' funds mean to development and investments in necessary infrastructure?
Great ideas, great minds – life enhancement
25 Sep 2008 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| India Today
The one big change that India requires urgently and in large measure is for the population to develop a deep reverence for nature. Indian culture and our traditional beliefs have for ages ensured that nature and its bounty are treated with profound respect and value.
Act before disaster strikes
10 Sep 2008 |
Dr Leena Srivastava
| Mydigitalfc.com
A breach in the embankment of river Kosi has created havoc across half of Bihar, causing not only immediate misery, but also leaving a serious impact on the long-term livelihood of millions of already poor people. Established between 1954 and 1959, the Kosi river embankments were meant to protect the people of Bihar from regular flooding threats, but have under-performed consistently with the reality being far from model predictions made at the time.
Only a small price to tackle emissions
08 Sep 2008 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Australian
Awareness of human influence on the planet's climate has grown substantially in recent months thanks to the efforts of Al Gore and the release of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It is no surprise that the outcome of the last Australian general elections was determined significantly by the position that today's Government articulated on climate change during the election campaign.
In the last Conference of the Parties held in Bali during December 2007 the driving force for moving the global community towards an agreement on adequate mitigation of emissions of greenhouse gases was the scientific rationale for taking action. The Synthesis Report as part of the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC, which was finalised in November, brought out some strong findings on the nature of the impacts of climate worldwide, highlighting reasons for concern related to each one of these impacts.
Rationalizing coal prices
20 Aug 2008 |
Ms Anjali Garg
| The Economic Times
Although the last few months have seen international prices of almost all energy resources spiralling, the focus of all debates and discussions has been crude oil price and its impact on the economy and the consequent inflationary pressures. But beneath the headlines, a silent crisis is brewing on the coal front with far-reaching consequences for the power sector and, ultimately, the economy.
Energising Indian manufacturing
01 Aug 2008 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| Electrical and Electronics
Energy security is a crucial issue for every country today, even more so for India at its current stage of development. At present, there is a growing concern about the future of energy to fuel the growing global economy, with an increasing population ratio and higher incomes. These concerns stem from the growing scarcity of conventional fossil fuels, which has a direct impact on oil prices, which has escalated to around $100 per barrel. Also, higher level of air pollution, resulting from diverse use of energy, has dramatically increased the awareness on the global threat of climate change. These concerns are leading to fierce competition to procure fossil fuel resources in different locations, with various countries attempting to assert control over these resources through market measures and political or military means.
Stand Up And Deliver
14 Jul 2008 |
Dr R K Pachauri
| The Times of India
The G8 summit held in Hokkaido last week did not generate major expectations and, therefore, did not perhaps result in any great disappointment. The chair's summary issued at the end of the summit undertakes the usual tour across major issues and hotspots across the globe. However, the most important part deals with the subject of climate change, on which the G8 leaders agreed to a common vision of reducing by 2050 global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 50 per cent.