Shalini Dhyani: With depletion of agricultural lands due to shift in monsoon patterns, landslides, run off, regular leaching of nutrients, and drying up of natural springs and lack of irrigation facilities has resulted into uneconomical agriculture in the mountain regions of India. Most of the villages in mountains are witnessing migration at a very large

[continue reading...]

Expectations are high that the newly evolving mechanism of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) will enable large-scale emission reductions in developing countries. Even though modalities and procedures for NAMAs are still evolving, a number of developing countries and consultants are developing concrete actions and policies with the aim of gaining financial, technological and capacity-building support

[continue reading...]

Next generation biofuels and synthetic biology For some, biofuels hold out the promise of a win-win-win solution. They claim that biofuels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy independence, and encourage rural development. This enthusiasm translates into significant government support. Annual global subsidies for biofuel production were $11 billion in 2006 and could rise to

[continue reading...]

The Pioneer: Increase in global warming has encouraged the need for not just environment-friendly practices, but also green jobs. SANGEETA YADAV tells you more Climate change and global warming have become a challenge. With the increasing demand for environment-friendly practices, green jobs or green collar jobs have been billed by experts as an answer to

[continue reading...]

Alertnet: The recent statement of the UN Security Council identifying the impacts of climate change as a threat to international peace and security is most timely. Nothing can be more severe as a looming threat to humanity than the rapid climatic changes witnessed by the world today. Putting an end to the debate over climate

[continue reading...]

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has published a report of the UN Secretary-General that was prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) in response to UNGA resolution 64/205 requesting the Secretary-General to report to it at its 66th session on the status of sustainable development in mountain regions. The report notes that mountain regions face

[continue reading...]