Sustainability Outlook Headlines

How India's Commodity Appetite Can Reap a Carbon Dividend

An interesting element of U.S. President Barack Obama's stimulus plan has been its focus on low-carbon technologies. But it could be India and China that hold the key to a solution to the problems of climate change.

Both India and China have massive appetites for commodities and are admired for their fabulous economic resilience despite the world's economy being in a shambles. That appetite can yield a great carbon dividend through the development of cost effective, low carbon technologies that are stimulated by "bottom up" carbon markets that reward innovations.

Both... Read more..

Pedal-charged lights provide sustainable power

Until recently, when Mugirasomi Vestine needed to feed her baby at night, she stumbled around in the dark in her home, trying to light her kerosene lamp.

Now, though, she can simply flip a switch when she needs light - and turn on a battery-powered lamp charged with bicycle-style pedaling.

It has "changed our lives," said Vestine, who lives in Rwanda's Bugesera district. Before, "I was burned by kerosene and sometimes my baby was burned too. With the Nuru light we no longer have such problems."

Finding sustainable sources of energy is crucial around the world,... Read more..

India gears up for investments in bio-fuel sector

At a time, when global community is looking at the development of sound renewable energy sources to meet the ever-increasing energy requirements, India seems to be gearing up with a strong roadmap of bio-fuel sector, thereby creating opportunity for the domestic as well as global investors.

However, the industry has maintained an apprehensive view about the practical applicability of the policy of bio-fuel that was prepared by the union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy last year. Industry sources are of the opinion that despite being an encouraging policy for investors, the... Read more..

Battery-operated vehicles at Parliament soon?

Battery-operated vehicles and solar lighting are being considered by a joint panel of MPs for Parliament House to protect the grand symbol of India's democracy from pollution.

At a recent meeting of Parliamentary forum on Global Warming and Climate Change under the chairmanship of Speaker Meira Kumar, the idea of battery-operated vehicles was mooted with the aim of curbing vehicular emissions within the premises of Parliament, Lok Sabha sources said.

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and senior members of both Houses, who attended the meeting, welcomed and appreciated the... Read more..

Yes Bank to raise $80 mn for Cleantech Fund

New-generation private sector bank Yes Bank is likely to raise $80 million in the first round of fund raising for its private equity fund focused on clean technologies, its chief operating officer Alok Rastogi said here on Sunday.

"We will be raising $80 million in the first phase. The first closure of the Cleantech Fund is expected within the next two to three months," Rastogi said.

The bank is partnering private equity firm Global Environment Fund for the Cleantech Fund, which is targeting a total corpus of $200 million. Global Environment Fund primarily invests in clean... Read more..

Climate was right so I left, says Shyam Saran

Shyam Saran, who was the prime minister's special envoy on climate change, Saturday declined to speak on the controversial subject of his resignation, quipping that the "climate was just right" for him to leave.

Saran left office March 14, having announced his resignation last month allegedly over his differences with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on India's climate change stand in Copenhagen, which he felt was "weak" and "didn't get much action".

"The climate was just right for me to leave," he quipped in reply to a question as to why he demitted office, after speaking... Read more..

'Will cut carbon intensity by 20-25% of 2005 level by 2020

India will be able to meet the target of cutting carbon intensity by 20 to 25 per cent of 2005 level by 2020 without affecting growth, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday.

He called for balancing between economic growth and environment sustainability while planning roadmap for eight to nine per cent growth rate. "We are convinced that we are one of the lowest emission intensity because service sector is the larger contributor of our GDP. We will reduce our carbon intensity by 20 to 25 per cent of the 2005 level by 2020," he said at a summit co-... Read more..

India: Powering Asia's Ascent

If a picture is worth a thousand words, Saturday's panel on climate change showed that a slideshow can be worth more than the many thousands of words spoken on why a meaningful global agreement on controlling carbon emissions remains elusive.

The slideshow in question contained photos provided by David Breashears, a mountain climber and photographer who has documented with disturbing effectiveness the vanishing of glaciers in the greater Himalaya that feed the main river systems of Asia. Slide after slide compared photos he took of glaciers at Mt. Everest, the Karakoram range and... Read more..

India, US sign Trade Policy Forum Framework

New Delhi, Mar 18 : India and the US have signed the Trade Policy Forum Framework for Cooperation in Trade and Investment between the two countries. The agreement which was signed by Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, in Washington yesterday, seeks to build on the success of the Trade Policy Forum by facilitating trade and investment flows between the two countries.

Both the countries also announced launch of an initiative 'Integrating U S and Indian Small Businesses into the Global Supply Chain' which aims at expanding trade and job-... Read more..

Solar energy players launch industry body

To help in policy development, awareness creation, as well as training and capacity building for solar energy is the main focus of Solar Thermal Federation of India (STFI).

Subsequent to the launch of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, players who claim to control over 75 per cent of the market have come together to launch STFI, which will not only help expand solar water heating usage, but also promote applications beyond that.

Formally launching the industry body here on Thursday, Mr K. Subramanya, CEO, Tata-BP Solar and Chairman of STFI, said, “... Read more..

China and India called on by scientists to collaborate

China and India could together decide the future of the global environment, a team of senior scientists warn today in a call for closer collaboration on conservation by the world's two most populous nations.

Writing in the journal Science, the eight coauthors — including zoologists from both nations — warn of the security and biodiversity threat posed by rising consumption, dam construction and industrial emissions.

The ecological footprint of the two fast-emerging Asian economies has already spread beyond their borders and with future economic growth rates likely to continue... Read more..

Government Funding Fueled Clean Energy

Government stimulus funds will provide some needed fuel to a cleantech sector buffeted by the global recession and sharp declines in solar prices, says a new report.

Total investment in clean technology last year fell 6.5% worldwide to $145 billion, partly due to a weak market for initial public offerings and investment cutbacks by venture capital firms. So says the "Clean Energy Trends 2010" report released Tuesday by research firm Clean Edge.

Still, the three major clean energy fields — solar photovoltaic power, wind power and biofuels — had an 11% increase in total revenue... Read more..