Natural gas as fuel has environmental benefits, particularly when compared to burning coal for power generation or using diesel for vehicles. So when the government increases—in fact, doubles—the price of domestically produced natural gas it has far-reaching implications for air quality and public health. But these benefits do not matter at all in the price-benefit calculations.
The power blackout in northern India on two days should not be dismissed or misjudged. Analysts are jumping to conclude that the crisis was foretold. They blame delays caused by environment and forest clearance procedures and demand winding down the regulatory framework so that we can re-energise ourselves. Their other favourite whipping horse is ‘free’ electricity to farmers, which is said to be crippling the state electricity boards. These explanations are naïve and mistaken.
Two monopolies. One private and the other public; one in gas and one in coal. Both equally disastrous for the environment. I speak here of Reliance Industries Ltd and Coal India Ltd.
The United States has always been the climate change renegade. For the past 25-odd years, since negotiations for a global agreement to combat the threat of this potential catastrophe began, the US has been the naysayer, pushing against a deal, weakening the draft and always hiding its inaction behind the legitimate growth of emissions in countries like China and India.
The oil price surge has left the market watchers and media agog. Expert views sparred on price insulation, energy security and our vulnerability. It was fascinating to follow the desperate bid to brag that the global crude price hike will not hurt Indian incomes as much as they did the last time. Oil dependence of Indian income is on the downturn as we are earning more from non-oil based IT sectors. Reportedly, India’s oil consumption to GDP ratio has fallen by 56 per cent since the nineties.
A report by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency says the developed world will meet their Kyoto Protocol target and blames India and China for the increase in global CO2 emissions in 2010. But that is not true. Read the analysis that brings out the bias in the report Read more
The Ministry of Environment and Forests constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of Shri J.M. Mauskar, Special Secretary to Government of India vide Office Order No.J-11013/30/2009-IA.II (I) (Pt.) dated 14th December, 2009 to examine the issues relating to monitoring of projects.
The Clean Air and sustainable mobility programme of the Centre for Science and Environment organised the Sri Lanka Country Workshop on Air Quality and Environmentally Sustainable Transport along with the Air Resource Management Centre (Air MAC), Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Transport in Colombo.
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Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi, and Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB), Dhaka, organised a Media Briefing on the Challenge of Urban Air Quality and Mobility Management. The details of the briefing are as under:
Dhaka and Delhi met to discuss natural gas vehicle programme -- a unique opportunity for a clean up in the region where the mainstream technology of diesel and petrol are languishing. CSE-DOE event enthused all for a more robust CNG strategy for cleaner air.
New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and the Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB), Dhaka organise a media briefing on the ‘Challenge of Urban Air Quality and Mobility Management’ Dhaka has inherent advantages in its dominant commuting practice of using bus, non-motorised vehicles and walking, to manage its air pollution and urban mobility issues. Dhaka can learn from Delhi’s mistakes and avoid pro-car policies