Full Coverage: Environment

31.12.2007 The Nepal government will spend US$ 1.1 million to set up a national science laboratory to carry out advanced research on biotechnology, biofuels and renewable energy. The laboratory, due to open in the beginning of 2010, will be managed by the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).

31.12.2007 Hundreds of villagers stopped a recent public hearing on a proposed methane mining project in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, backed by a report by the Centre for Science and Environment that says the venture will adversely impact hydrology, agriculture and biodiversity. Australia-based Arrow Energy, the Swedish Energy Infrastructure Group, and GAIL India plan to mine methane in the Raigarh and Korba districts of the state.

28.12.2007 UNDP’s latest Human Development Report 2007-08 titled: Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world, talks of how people across the globe have already started facing the adverse effects of climate change. It makes a passionate call to act now before this ecological catastrophe becomes unavoidable.

27.12.2007 A new book, Communicating Disasters: An Asia Pacific Resource Book released during Third Global Knowledge Conference held in Kuala Lumpur in mid December takes a critical look at the communication lessons of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, and explores the role of good communications before, during and after disasters.

27.12.2007 Valtaosa maailman ihmisistä on valmiita energian hintojen korotukseen, jos sillä voidaan edistää ilmastonmuutoksen torjuntaa. BBC:n teettämää maailmanlaajuista kyselyä varten haasatateltiin yli 22 000 ihmistä 21 eri maasta.

26.12.2007 The Phulbari coalmine in Bangladesh is set to cause major social and environmental upheavals in the region, displacing between 50,000 to 200,000 residents. World heritage site, Sunderbans mangrove forests, would also face extensive damage.

20.12.2007 Located in a small hamlet in Boormajra in northern Indian state of Punjab’s Ropar district, a government school was adjudged as the country’s greenest school second time in a row. A Delhi-based organisation, Centre for Science and Environment under its Green School Programme, in a ceremony held here distributed the awards to 20 schools for their best environmental practices.

20.12.2007

20.12.2007 Increasing levels of greenhouse gases are threatening the disappearance of plants and animals in mountains globally, warns FAO, while also raising chances of flooding, species migration and loss of crops and life.

18.12.2007 Indonesia merupakan negeri dengan kelimpahan sumber daya alam. Namun sayang, kelimpahan itu terancam punah akibat perubahan iklim dan salah urus pembangunan.

17.12.2007 OneClimate, a website by the OneWorld network, has helped people travel light to the UN climate conference at Bali through the online virtual world of Second Life.

14.12.2007 Biopolttoaineet tarjoavat kehittyville maille suuria mahdollisuuksia, mutta niistä aiheutuu myös haasteita ja riskejä. Niihin voidaan parhaiten vastata kehittämällä pitkäjänteisiä ja johdonmukaisia toimintatapoja, sanoo Afrikan tiedeakatemian pääsihteeri S. Arungu-Olende.

14.12.2007 Yet again the US has chosen to go against the UN framework on climate change and instead has put forward a proposal without any binding international commitment. Greenpeace International says it’s a made-in-the-USA plan for a climate catastrophe.

13.12.2007 Biogas systems in Nepal have been in use for last half a century and today thousands of households are using them. Every biogas system avoids nearly 7.5 tonnes of carbon emissions per year, which may be small when compared globally, but this is an example of how poor countries can help combat global warming.

12.12.2007 Magsaysay awardee Rajender Singh spoke to OneWorld South Asia, on December 9, in an interview after the culmination of nine-day long march to save the groundwater resources. His satyagrah on the banks of the Yamuna in New Delhi has been going on for the past more than 100 days. Following are the excerpts:

12.12.2007 A senior US Congressman will “travel” virtually to participate in the climate conference currently going on in Indonesia. This has been made possible by OneClimate along with Cisco to save the carbon cost of flying.

12.12.2007 Aktifitas eksploitasi sumber daya alam secara berlebihan yang dilakukan sejumlah perusahaan besar menjadi faktor utama penyebab terjadinya pemanasan global (global warming). Tidak bisa tidak.

11.12.2007 A fair trade group has compiled a list of holiday gifts produced, without the use of health or environmentally hazardous chemicals, by workers receiving fair pay for their labor.

11.12.2007 The United Nations 'framework convention' on climate change currently going on at Bali, Indonesia is halfway through and yet no breakthrough is in sight, says Anil Netto. The official view, however, is one of optimism that progress has been made in laying the ''building blocks'' for a future agreement.

11.12.2007 Biofuels menjadi cara terbaru yang digunakan oleh Amerika Serikat untuk tetap mengontrol serta mengelola suplai energi dunia. Kabarnya, CIA (Center Intelligent Agency) juga terlibat dalam pengembangan ini.