EJNet: The most comprehensive survey of the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming ever done reveals a 97.1 per cent consensus. The research team surveyed the abstracts of over 12,000 scientific articles published between 1991 and 2011 on the subjects of “global climate change” or “global warming” to see to what extent they endorsed or

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Scidev.net: Nepal is looking at waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies to address its huge energy deficit and also manage growing urban and industrial waste. Half of Nepal’s households are off the national grid while supply shortfalls and interrupted power cause industries losses worth 60 billion Nepali rupees (US$ 700 million) annually. Last month (26 April), the ‘Waste-to-Energy

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The world is driven by fossil fuels like oil and gas. This has some negative repercussions: Rising energy prices due to decreasing deposits, dependence on unstable oil and gas producing regimes and global warming. It becomes clear, that a revolution in the way how we produce and use energy is necessary. Central to this energy

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Tribune: Since February, the Pakistan-Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has been negotiating with the business community and plastic bag manufacturers to shift to an eco-friendly alternative for plastic bags. The agency’s efforts began when the Ministry of Law and Justice notified the Prohibition of Non degradable Plastic Bags (Manufacture, Sale, Use) Regulation 2013 earlier this year.

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‘Adaptation Ideas’ is a new series of Climate Himalaya. Here we will be showcasing a number of simple, practical and innovative ideas those could be adopted by individuals, communities and organizations for various environment friendly adaptive practices at home, offices and in public places.  The purpose of this ongoing series is to disseminate and communicate

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‘Adaptation Ideas’ is a new series of Climate Himalaya. Here we will be showcasing a number of simple, practical and innovative ideas those could be adopted by individuals, communities and organizations for various environment friendly adaptive practices at home, offices and in public places.  The purpose of this ongoing series is to disseminate and communicate

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Researchers have come up with a neat solution to the problem of producing some forms of biofuel waste – add it to cement, and make concrete nearly a third stronger than other versions. LONDON, 23 March – Engineers are working on yet another way to deliver more energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions. The latest

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Huffingtonpost: As the realities of global climate change become ever more alarming, advocates of technological approaches to “geoengineer” the planet’s climate are gaining a following. But the technologies that are promoted — from spraying sulphate particles into the stratosphere, to dumping iron particles into the ocean, to stimulate carbon absorbing plankton, to burning millions of

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SciDev.net: Deep inside insects’ guts may lie the key to one of the biofuel industry’s great challenges: how to cost-effectively turn tough plant waste into profit-making fuel. About 50 million tonnes of lignin are produced every year worldwide, mostly as waste after the sugar, or cellulose, in a plant has been converted into ethanol. Finding

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Guardian: Will the oil-rich country become a key engineer in a new global climate deal, or will it sabotage progress? Regardless of one’s position on el Comandante Hugo Chávez, the death of the Venezuelan president opens the door for a policy debate on a critical issue for Venezuela and the world’s security: climate change. As

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Skeptical Science: A few months ago we looked at some hopeful climate news, including Mexico passing comprehensive climate legislation nearly unanimously, and many other efforts from a variety of countries to reduce their carbon emissions. Ultimately the biggest emitters need to get on board as well.  China is often used as a scapegoat and excuse

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Tribune: Speakers at a seminar held on Thursday called for tangible steps to fight climate change and provide potable water to as many as 1.2 billion people who, they said, lacked access to clean drinking water. The event was organised at the Government College University Faisalabad (GCUF) by its Department of Applied Chemistry and the

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UNDP: Poverty reduction and economic growth can be sustained only if natural resources are managed on a sustainable basis. Greening rural development can stimulate rural economies, create jobs and help maintain critical ecosystem services and strengthen and strengthen climate resilience of the rural poor. Conversely, environmental challenges can limit the attainment of development goals. The

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Down to Earth: Himachal court tells state to stop sale of non-essential items in non-biodegradable packs TAKING a strong stance on the adverse effects of plastic on health and the environment, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered a statewide ban on the sale of junk food in non-biodegradable packets. The ban, effective from April

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The Hindu: South Asians share a common historical lineage, of revering and desecrating their rivers with equal impunity at the same time. No wonder, major rivers across the sub-continent are at various stages of neglect. Add legacy of failed institutions to this neglect and you get an all-pervasive picture of environmental callousness, of which polluted

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The Ganga today is more polluted than when the Ganga Action Plan was launched in 1985. Dams, barrages, canals and extremely high pollution pose an ever-increasing threat to the health and life of the river, writes Brijesh Pandey IN THE upper reaches of the Ganga, numerous hydel projects threaten the river’s ecosystem. And in the

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Book Review by Dr. Sudhirendar Sharma: The resolute perseverance with which Dinesh Kumar Mishra has chronicled major rivers, flowing through the flood plains of Bihar, during past three decades makes one realise if this civil engineer could have been anything but a ‘river biographer’. Meticulous with details, ranging from mythology to hydrology, the narrative weaves

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MRD: This paper presents a detailed review of atmospheric pollution observed in the Hindu Kush–Himalaya (HKH) region and its implications for regional climate. Data from in situ measurements made at high-altitude stations in the HKH region, observations from satellitebased instruments, and global climate modeling study results are discussed. Experimental observations discussed include both atmospheric measurements

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Reuters: Green schemes to fight climate change by producing more bio-fuels could actually worsen a little-known type of air pollution and cause almost 1,400 premature deaths a year in Europe by 2020, a study showed on Sunday. The report said trees grown to produce wood fuel – seen as a cleaner alternative to oil and

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Fastcoexist: A Safer Stove For The Developing World, Created By Indian Student Entrepreneurs.. Having an open fire in your house is dangerous, and it’s not good to inhale the smoke. But it’s how billions of people cook and heat their houses. The Greenway Smart Stove aims to change that–with no moving parts and at a

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The Telegraph: The creator of the four billion pixel interactive image of Everest has warned that more must be done to tackle climate change in order to save world’s highest mountain. Since the image, made up of 477 individual photographs taken during the climbing season in spring 2012, went viral, David Breashears says he has

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The Global Warming Policy Foundation: A Times of India article perpetrates a fraud on its readers. It takes estimates of deaths from forces of nature and then ascribes it not just to climate but to climate change. A misleading report in the Times of India, purportedly based on the Global Burden of Disease 2010 (GBD) study published last week in the Lancet,

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A changing climate places great pressure on society, and creates many new challenges. To make city planning easier, a planning tool has been developed to support climate adaptation of cities and regions in Europe. The European research project SUDPLAN, co-ordinated by SMHI, has developed a planning tool for climate adaptation of European cities and regions

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TIES: The UN Climate Change Conference (COP18) in Qatar starts today, and in the next two weeks discussions will be held to assess progress in dealing with climate change. The UN climate talks shed light to the urgent needs for bold climate action, and this is a perfect time for all of us in the

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Guardian: National Intelligence Council also sees water and food shortages and suggests world is at a ‘critical juncture in human history’ A US intelligence portrait of the world in 2030 predicts that China will be the largest economic power, climate change will create instability by contributing to water and food shortages, and there will be

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Huffingtonpost: During a public event at the United Nations climate change conference in Doha, India’s veteran environmentalist Sunita Narain told a senior negotiator from India, “The Indian government should take a principled stand and walk out of the Doha climate talks if equity is not made a part of the deal.” On the same evening,

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Global water crisis: Reporter William Wheeler talks about water stress from the effects of climate change high in the Himalayas where India and Pakistan’s great rivers start to Haiti’s fresh-water pollution. In the Nepalese Himalayas in 2009, I trekked into the Langtang Valley, just short of the Tibetan border, and to a village of empty

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Scientific American: The rich oil nation, host of the talks, should set more of an example, attendees say By Lisa Friedman and ClimateWire Climate change activists are pressing Qatar to pledge an emissions reduction target, money for vulnerable countries or some other significant contribution to the fight against global warming as it welcomes diplomats today

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Ganga is considered the sacred river and the deep bond that the people of India share with this spiritual entity is immense. Now this bond is making many pay a high price, after being diagnosed with cancer. The river was placed on the list of five most polluted rivers back in 2007. Adding to the

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UNEP: Both intensive (industrial) and non-intensive (traditional) forms of meat production result in the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs). As meat supply and consumption increase around the world, more sustainable food systems must be encouraged. Why is this issue important? For many thousands of years, mankind has lived in close proximity with numerous animal species,

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Guardian: Emma Drury delves into the Guardian Teacher Network resource bank goody bag to deliver some eco lesson treats. Coming back after the half-term break attentions will soon start to focus on the inevitable excesses of Christmas – parties, presents and food. So it’s an ideal time to look at how, as individuals, schools and

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ADB: The Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project aims to improve water security and resilience to potential climate change impact in the Bagmati River Basin. It will build on the general public’s desire to restore the river environment in the Kathmandu Valley and the Government’s efforts to improve irrigation development and mitigate the impact of water-induced

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The Climate Institute: China has long been perceived as a laggard on climate action, and used as scapegoat by other countries, like Australia, to delay action. But this argument is increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to make given China’s recent policies. China will soon have the world’s second largest carbon trading scheme and is aggressively

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NT NEws: AN Alice Springs filmmaker has refused to sell footage of a firestorm to former US vice-president Al Gore – to use in Mr Gore’s climate presentations – because the event was unrelated to climate change. Chris Tangey from Alice Springs Film and Television recorded the phenomenon on Curtin Springs Station, 360km southwest of

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Kashmir Life (Srinagar, India): Tonnes of trash dumped in Indian Kashmir during an annual religious pilgrimage pose a serious threat to the region’s water supplies and flora, environmental groups warn. The trash is dumped during an annual trek to a shrine in the Amarnath cave, 3,800 meters (12,800 feet) up in the Himalayas, which is

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Guardian: Dirty snow melts faster than clean snow. Nowhere is this clearer than on the glaciers of the Himalayas, where scientists have recorded accelerated melting, coinciding with a greying of the glaciers. Photo: Scientists have recorded accelerated melting, coinciding with the greying of the glaciers. Photograph: Paul Souders/Corbis Asia’s industrial revolution is pumping out lots

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Brisbane times: If you enjoyed a cup of coffee this morning, it might interest you to know it took 140 litres of water to produce that cup. Such a simple but profound equation. It is strange, strange, strange that when it comes to the most important subject on the planet, the basis of all life

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IPS: South Africa, Nov 30, 2011: Managing the impact of increased disasters due to climate change will only be possible if such efforts are led by local communities, say non-governmental organisations working in climate change. “We cannot use the excuse of money – or the lack of it – not to do anything. Yes, developed

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Eurasia Review: Time has come to become serious about the future of the river. There is a growing perception that the Ganga might completely dry in next fifty years if no effective action is taken to purify the river, keep the flow of its water intact and control the global warming. There cannot be a

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Deccan Herald: The government has earmarked Rs 15,000 crore more to make the river pollution free. Thousands of people took a holy dip in the Ganga river at Patna on the occasion of one of the most auspicious festival Chhath this year, but an equal number avoided the sacred river in the wake of reports

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MRD Journal: Winter Tourism and Climate Change in the Alps: An Assessment of Resource Consumption, Snow Reliability, and Future Snow making Potential The winter tourism industry is facing considerable challenges with climate change; it is increasingly responding with investments in snow making facilities. We present a study on 3 tourism destinations in the Swiss Alps

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Sunday Morning Herald: Amid the bullishness about Asia’s economic future, and the potential for Australia to benefit, there’s a nasty downside risk that can’t be ignored – climate change. With more than half the world’s population, Asia has more at stake than any other region. It has become the largest contributor to the global increase

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Asian Age: Wetlands consist of marshes, swamps, bogs and similar areas. The functions of wetlands are filtering out of sediments and nutrients from the surface water and support all life forms through extensive food webs and bio-diversity. Wetlands contribute to a number of important processes including movement of water into streams and rivers, decay of

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New York Times: Nepalganj (Nepal)-Here’s an unlikely starting point for clean energy: No toilets, and plenty of dung. In developing countries where domestic animals are ubiquitous and sewage systems rare, biogas technology — in this case methane derived from feces — can provide both valuable fuel and improved sanitation. Unlike directly burning animal dung, the

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Kuenselonline: The Big Four ought to do their bit to reduce the waste created from consuming their products. Cold Drinks Companies It is a very common sight to find disposed plastic bottles littering an area almost anywhere in Bhutan. The most common brands on these disposed plastic bottles belong to four major companies of Bhutan Agro,

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Times of India: An environmental group is asking the Nepal government to consider installing portable toilets on Mount Everest for climbers caught short at the roof of the world. Eco Himal says the thousands of trekkers who set off from the South Base Camp in Nepal each year would do a better job of keeping

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The Hindu: Believe it or not, the humble earthworm can be the latest weapon in the war against climate change. A major four-year-old study has revealed that instead of just wriggling around and providing food for birds, earthworms – have been burrowing their way through the ground for 300 million years – can help prevent

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Economic Times: Increasing pollution levels are threatening fresh water bodies worldwide, but the problem is assuming the shape of an environmental crisis in a developing country like India. A study of lakes in Thane, Maharashtra, undertaken by environmental chemist Pravin Singare of Bhavan’s College, Mumbai, and colleagues, shows how they are being contaminated by the

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Telegraph: The prediction comes in a report which shows that the country’s carbon footprint is expanding far faster than predicted. A combination of an infrastructure building spree and the ramping up of carbon-intensive industries after the 2008 financial crisis means China is now being catapulted into the ranks of developed world countries when it comes

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International Rivers: It’s hot in here, it’s hot in here, there’s too much carbon in the atmosphere!” As I heard this chant led through a megaphone this past Saturday, I had to smile. For those of you who attended sporting events at a US high school or college, or, like me, were a cheerleader, this

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Guardian: Climate change is altering the face of the Himalayas but research seeking to confirm this is yet to catch up with the mountain communities sounding the alarm. After an 18-day trek with scientists, Suzanne Goldenberg finds the warning signs hard to ignore. The climb to Everest base camp is a journey into a monochrome

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Pabitra Mukhopadhyay: The importance of Climate Himalaya’s knowledge banking and outreach building efforts, one expects, should be portrayed in our essays. An appeal for a pan Himalayan co-operation is already expressed by Noreen, which apart from making good sense for Himalayan people shines a hope for redemption of the long troubled relationship of two neighboring

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Guardian UK: Nepal wants to lift itself out of poverty by expanding its tourism industry but there is no strategy for waste disposal. There’s nothing like waking up to bright clear skies with spectacular views of the Lhotse and Amu Dablam ranges – and a rubbish dump. This heap of beer cans, mineral water bottles

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Sunday Morning Herald: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he hopes Australia will “lead the way” globally in combating climate change. Mr Ban was in Sydney on Thursday to give his only Australian public lecture. Speaking at the University of Sydney, he talked of the need for world leaders to address global challenges including

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Environment Expert: There is a big potential to cut greenhouse gases (GHGs) from municipal solid waste management, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report, ‘Waste opportunities – Past and future climate benefits from better municipal waste management in Europe’, covers the EU-27 (excluding Cyprus), Norway and Switzerland. It estimates

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TheHimalayanTimes: Minister for Environment, Sunil Kumar Manandhar said the government was going to ban the use of plastic bags of less than 20 micron in the country to be effective from the next week. The offenders will be fined between Rs. 500 to Rs. 50,000, according to Minister Manandhar. Speaking at a program, “Disaster Risk

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Truth Drive: Ladakh has been gradually climbing out of the devastation that struck in August last year when a cloudburst over Leh resulted in massive quantities of water pouring down from the sky on a sleeping population. What followed as was watched by the world in horror were massive mudslides destroying in its wake, homes,

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HindustanTimes: The Ganga is the cleanest river in the world. Mumbai does not have slums. And Delhi is the politest city in the universe. Unless you are one of those ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’ t-shirt-wearing types (only statements, not action) who believe that the Golden Age of India is never-ending and the country is in an

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Environmental Expert: Imagine a community where residents voluntarily separate their household wastes into 24 discrete categories for recycling, where recycling centers are located in almost every neighborhood, and where local coordinators actively promote recycling and waste minimization. It’s happening now in Oizumi, a small rural community about 75 miles (120 km) northwest of Tokyo, Japan.

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Alertnet: Bangladesh is getting involved in carbon credit trading with the certification of a recycling plant that converts organic waste into compost. “We collect some 100 tonnes of vegetable waste from two city markets daily and recycle it in our plant in the city’s suburbs through composting. If that waste had been dumped in the

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