Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Powering Eco Sustainability, the Latest Mantra Amongst the Indian Manufacturing Fraternity

India has been a hub for manufacturing outsourcing for over two decades now. Companies have focused on enhancing productivity and maintaining global standards, but there has been pressure on protecting the environment, while doing so, in the recent years. The Indian industrial landscape is slowly warming to the concept of 'Going Green'.

According to Raghavendra Rao, Senior Director, Manufacturing & Process Control Practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia & Middle East, "Green manufacturing practices have begun to gain ground in India, but even concepts like lean... Read more..

India-EU Cleantech Partnerships Set To Go Up – 38 EoIs signed in Global Technology partnership Forum in New Delhi

The joint India-EU business and research initiative on clean-technology, organised under the aegis of Global Technology Partnership Forum by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) concluded today.

The Minister for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, inaugurated this high powered forum on the occasion of the National Technology Day in New Delhi yesterday. He expressed his happiness that the  technology partnerships, especially... Read more..

Wind Energy Initiatives of Tata Power

Tata Power, India’s largest integrated private power utility as part of its sustainability initiative is committed to addition of “clean and renewable energy” generation capacity to its portfolio. The Company endeavours to substantially enhance its green energy generation through various renewable opportunities including a substantial presence in wind power.

Tata Power today is one of the leading private wind generation companies with an installed capacity of 273 MW and plants spread across four states Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the leading states in promoting... Read more..

1.27 crore CFL lamps distributed in State

Kerala's initiative, to become the first to fully implement the Bacchat Lamp Yojana (BLY) in the country, has been recognized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC approved the implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism Programme carried out by the Kerala State Electricity Board under the supervision of the Kerala Energy Management Centre.

The programme involved replacing incandescent lamps with Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL).

Director of Energy Management Centre K. M. Dharesan Unnithan said that the UNFCCC had approved the... Read more..

1 lakh trees to face axe for Central varsity

The Central University project will claim about one lakh green trees at its two proposed centres in Dharamsala and Dehra.

Inquiries by The Tribune have revealed that the figures are now official, with Department of Forest officials finally calculating the number of trees that are standing on the land earmarked for Central University.

Sources said the state government had earmarked about 150-acre forest land near the Indrunag temple in Dharamsala for bringing up the administrative complex and management courses blocks of Central University. As per the calculation of the... Read more..

Centre Treads Green Path

The manner in which environmental and coastal clearances are given by the environment ministry could be overhauled with the government contemplating an independent National Environmental Appraisal and Monitoring Authority.
    The authority, sources in the ministry said, would be rolled out in phases and take over the monitoring role of the ministry first, then the environmental clearances and next the coastal zone regulations. The ministry is at the moment short of staff across the country to undertake monitoring and has often depended on civil society and people’s groups to raise... Read more..

UN body suggests mechanism to adapt to climate change

 The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) — the United Nations' authoritative voice on weather, climate and water — has recommended setting up of a Global System for Climate Services which will help countries understand and adapt to climate change and reduce the risk of natural disasters, saving lives and livelihoods. WMO is billed as one of the most important initiatives, and only next to the Kyoto Protocol and Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change.

Economic losses from flash floods, cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes and other natural calamities amount to about $100 billion... Read more..

Global resource consumption to triple by 2050: UN

Global consumption of natural resources could almost triple to 140 billion tons a year by 2050 unless nations take drastic steps, the United Nations warned Thursday.

A UN environment panel said the world cannot sustain the tearaway rate of use of minerals, ores and fossil and plant fuels. It called on governments to "decouple" economic growth from natural resource consumption.

With the world population expected to hit 9.3 billion by 2050 and developing nations becoming more prosperous, the report warned "the prospect of much higher resource consumption levels is far beyond... Read more..

UREDA clears four renewable energy projects

Empowered committee of Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency (UREDA), which is being led by the Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar, has cleared four projects of renewable energy in a meeting on Thursday.

For the purpose of setting up the projects of other resources - grid solar photo voltaic and alternate energy for self use, exemption would be given to UREDA for taking prior permission from the Government. With a view to take the Central assistance, UREDA would clear the proposal by itself after adequate technical examination and guidelines of the Union Government.

The... Read more..

UN climate change panel refuses to correct `mistakes' in Cancun pact

The government has drawn the attention of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) secretariat to the terms that was agreed upon at Cancun in December 2010, but have not been reflected in sections of the released document.

The Union ministry of environment and forests had demanded a host of changes. However, the UNFCC only effected a few changes, and refused to rectify 'mistakes' in at least two important references.

At the Cancun conference, India, along with almost all other countries, had agreed to decisions that moved the world towards a 'pledge... Read more..

IPCC adopts reform measures for ensuring accuracy in its reports

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was hit by major controversies last year affecting its credibility, has now adopted a stronger governance structure and a set of forward-looking policies across a range of management issues.

 
The IPCC, headed by Dr R K Pachauri, has added new procedures for dealing with errors, conflicts of interest and other procedural issues.

The far reaching changes are based on recommendations issued last year by the Inter Academy Council, an international group of representatives from top science academies... Read more..

GM India may produce electric mini-car at Talegaon after showcasing the model next month

Car-maker General Motors India today said it may consider producing an electric mini-car at its Talegaon facility in Maharashtra after it showcases the model next month in the country.

The company will also introduce a diesel variant of its small car Beat with a 1.0-litre engine in June. The prices of the variant are expected to be 10-15 per cent higher than the existing petrol version.

"We will be showcasing a electric mini-car in June. This car has been developed in the US and is meant for a global audience," General Motors India President and MD Karl Slym told PTI.

... Read more..