WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO VISUALLY CHECK VEHICLE BEFORE STARTING JOURNEY
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WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO VISUALLY CHECK VEHICLE BEFORE STARTING JOURNEY
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Fertiliser ministry wants cheaper natural gas for urea units to continue
Fertiliser ministry wants cheaper natural gas for urea units to continue
Prashant Mukherjee | New Delhi | Updated: Jan 30 2014, 00:15 IST
summary Contending that cost of urea production needs to be kept under check and so should the subsidy burden...
From April 1 this year, the price of domestic gas is set to nearly double as the Rangarajan formula based on reference rates in key gas markets would apply.
In a letter to the petroleum ministry, the ministry of fertilisier has referred to finance minister P Chidambaram's statement after the Cabinet meeting on gas pricing in June last year that even as the output price (price to the gas producers) is being fixed under the formula, the input price (the price at which the consumers buy gas) could be determined later.
The ministry's statement was in reference to the power and fertiliser sector units, which account for nearly 60% of the country's domestic gas consumption.In fact, in line with the fertiliser ministry's thinking, the power ministry has recently said that gas price above $5/unit would make power tariff unviable. However, no particular concessional price has been mooted by the fertiliser ministry.
According to the parliamentary standing committee on finance headed by the former finance minister and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, an increase of $1/mmbtu in price of domestic gas will increase the average cost of production of urea by Rs1,384 per tonne.
The committee has also suggested that the decision to increase domestic gas price needs further strict deliberations. "It is thus evident that gas pricing has serious repercussions for the economy as a whole, which warrants careful deliberations and prudent decisions," the report said.With fertiliser and power continue to enjoy priority status for gas allocation, recently, an empowered group of mininsters decided to put a cap of 31 million standard cubic metres a day (mscmd)on domestic gas supply to the fertiliser sector.
The fertiliser ministry argued that urea plants are already using more than 9 mmscmd of
LNG of total supply of about 42 mmscmd. Still there is a shortage of more than 2 mmscmd for the existing plants that is being made up either with spot LNG or results in lower production.
It is expected that shortage will increase further due to dwindling supply of gas from ONGC under administered pricing mechanism. Any additional replacement of even 1 mmscmd of domestic gas with imported LNG will cost the exchequer almost Rs1,000 crore. Almost 20 gas-based fertilizer plants are facing difficulties due to scarcity of natural gas, with few plants being fired by the more expensive naphtha fuel. India produces about 22 million tonne (mt) of urea in a year and consumes a little more than 30 million tonne.
The remaining is met through imports. The price of urea, which is highly subsidised, is fixed by the government at Rs 5,310 per tonne. The government has estimated fertiliser subsidy at Rs 65,971.50 crore for the 2013-14 fiscal.
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Dust over Africa, Gulf linked to Indian monsoon
Dust over Africa, Gulf linked to Indian monsoon
By Kounteya Sinha, TNN | 17 Mar, 2014, 02.26PM IST
1 comments |Post a Comment
LONDON: The fate of the Indian monsoon has for the first time been tracked back to the dust particles in North Africa and West Asia.
A new analysis of satellite data has revealed a link between dust in North Africa and West Asia and stronger monsoons in India.
The study shows that dust in the air absorbs sunlight, west of India, warming the air and strengthening the winds carrying moisture eastward.
This results in more monsoon rainfall about a week later in India. <br ..
A new analysis of satellite data has revealed a link between dust in North Africa and West Asia and stronger monsoons in India.
The study shows that dust in the air absorbs sunlight, west of India, warming the air and strengthening the winds carrying moisture eastward.
This results in more monsoon rainfall about a week later in India. <br ..
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What is activated charcoal and why is it used in filters?
What is activated charcoal and why is it used in filters?
Charcoal is carbon. , Activated charcoal is charcoal that has been treated with oxygen to open up millions of tiny pores between the carbon atoms
The use of special manufacturing techniques results in highly porous charcoals that have surface areas of 300-2,000 square metres per gram. These so-called active, or activated, charcoals are widely used to adsorb odorous or coloured substances from gases or liquids.
The word adsorb is important here. When a material adsorbs something, it attaches to it by chemical attraction. The huge surface area of activated charcoal gives it countless bonding sites. When certain chemicals pass next to the carbon surface, they attach to the surface and are trapped.
Activated charcoal is good at trapping other carbon-based impurities ("organic" chemicals),as well as things like chlorine. Many other chemicals are not attracted to carbon at all -- sodium, nitrates, etc. -- so they pass right through. This means that an activated charcoal filter will remove certain impurities while ignoring others. It also means that, once all of the bonding sites are filled, an activated charcoal filter stops working.
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International Day of Forests
International Day of Forests
"As we deliberate on the post-2015 development agenda, let us acknowledge the vital role of forests and pledge to work together to protect and sustainably manage these vital ecosystems."
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonMessage for the 2014 International Day of Forests
- Forests cover 31% of total land area
- The world's total forest area is just over 4 billion hectares, which corresponds to an average of 0.6 ha per capita.
- The five most forest-rich countries (the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the United States of America and China) account for more than half of the total forest area.
- Ten countries or areas have no forest at all and an additional 54 have forest on less than 10 percent of their total land area.
Deforestation and net forest area change
- The rate of deforestation shows signs of decreasing – but is still alarmingly high. Deforestation – mainly the conversion of tropical forests to agricultural land – shows signs of decreasing in several countries but continues at a high rate in others.
- Around 13 million hectares of forest were converted to other uses or lost through natural causes each year in the last decade compared to 16 million hectares per year in the 1990s.
- Both Brazil and Indonesia, which had the highest net loss of forest in the 1990s, have significantly reduced their rate of loss, while in Australia, severe drought and forest fires have exacerbated the loss of forest since 2000.
- Large-scale planting of trees is significantly reducing the net loss of forest area globally
- Afforestation and natural expansion of forests in some countries and regions have reduced the net loss of forest area significantly at the global level.
- The net change in forest area in the period 2000–2010 is estimated at –5.2 million hectares per year (an area about the size of Costa Rica), down from –8.3 million hectares per year in the period 1990–2000.
The five most forest-rich countries are the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the USA and China, and they account for more than half of the total forest area.
Ten countries or areas have no forest at all and an additional 54 have forest on less than 10% of their total land area.
Secretary-General's Message
Forests are the lungs of our planet. They cover one-third of all land area, and are home to 80 per cent of terrestrial biodiversity. They are crucial for addressing a multitude of sustainable development imperatives, from poverty eradication to food security, from mitigating and adapting to climate change to reducing disaster risk.It is estimated that 1.6 billion people depend on forests for food, fuel, shelter and income. The World Health Organization estimates that between 65 and 80 per cent of people rely on medicines derived from forests as their primary form of health care.
Not only do forests provide essential economic safety nets for a significant number of the world’s poor, they underpin economies at all levels. Round wood production, wood processing and the pulp and paper industries account for nearly 1 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product. Non-monetary benefits from forests, such as water, energy, shelter and medicine, are estimated to be two to three times as great. Forested catchments supply three-quarters of freshwater, which is essential for agriculture, industry, energy supply and domestic use.
The International Day of Forests is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of all types of forests and trees to our economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being. However awareness must be coupled with concrete action. As we deliberate on the post-2015 development agenda, let us acknowledge the vital role of forests and pledge to work together to protect and sustainably manage these vital ecosystems.
Ban Ki-moon
Facts and figures
Do you know...
- Which countries have the highest forest cover?
- Which countries are the major consumers and producers of forest products?
- How many people depend on drugs derived from forest plants?
- How much deforestation contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions?
- How many countries have less than 10 percent forest cover?
- The annual deforestation rate in the world?
- How many people are employed in the formal forestry sector worldwide?
- The total number of mountain people worldwide?
Background
The International Day of Forests is held annually on 21 March to raise awareness of the importance of forests to people. Forests shelter, nurture and inspire. 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods, medicine, fuel and food. Forests cover 31% of global land area.The International Day provides a platform to communicate the vital role forests play in poverty eradication, environmental sustainability and food security.
Sustainable management of all types of forests are at the heart of unlocking challenges of conflict-affected, developing and developed countries, for the benefit of current and future generations.
International Day of Forests Resolution
The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/67/200 on 21 December 2012, which declared that 21 March of each year is to be observed as the International Day of Forests.The resolution encourages all Member States to organize activities relating to all types of forests. Activities expected to take place on the International Day include tree-planting and other community-level events, and national celebrations including art, photo and film as well as social media outreach.
The resolution requests the secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, to facilitate the implementation of the International Day of Forests, in collaboration with Governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and international, regional and subregional organizations and processes as well as relevant major groups.
An area with high density of trees is generally referred as forest.The forest on the whole accommodates about 30% of total land area. However there is a considerable reduction which was initially covering a total of about 50% of the total land area. These forests essentially function as habitats for organisms, hydrologic flow modulators, and soil conservers, constituting one of the most important aspects of the Earth's biosphere. The forests help to control our planet's temperature, provide us with oxygen and absorb pollution. It is not only home for all living species but also the forest is one of the best and continuous sources of rich nutrients. Studying in deep will make us realize that the place we are living today was initially a forest area. Thus World Forestry Day has been celebrated around the world on March 21st every year to alarm the people in the society about the importance and significance of forests and the scores of benefits which are gained from them. The origin of the concept of celebrating this World Forest Day came up at the 23rd General Assembly of the European Confederation of Agriculture in 1971.The celebration also involves bringing awareness in people about the anatomy of forestry like protection,production,recreation and the major contribution to the living organisms. March 21st was chosen to be observed as World Forest Day for it is both the autumnal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere and the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the duty of each and every individual to participate in deforestation and creation of new forests. |
The significance of forests and its importance dates back even much before the prehistoric days. The forests promote or enhance well-being of environment, people, and animals. Today the development in the industrial domain is at the cost of clearing away forest and thereby reducing the vegetation. Forest is a major source of furniture, houses, ships and railway sleepers, plywood, fuel wood or charcoal, paper, processed wood products like cellophane, plastics, synthetic fibers like rayon and nylon, rubber from the latex of rubber tree. Apart from the benefits of the forest to the mankind is in numerous way like in preventing floods where the roots of the trees hold the soil together and thus help to conserve soil by preventing rapid runoff of water after heavy rain. Sustainable Management of Forest has been recognized in the Earth summit at Rio and it has been stressed the need for enhancing the tree cover to 33% by 2012 to combat the global warming.
The World Forest Day brings together participants from a diverse range of forest stakeholders, academics and decision makers from around the world, to discuss key issues that discuss about forests and issues related to it. There are themes decided for the day every year and the participants take part in its related activities and events. The celebration also includes awards for those who have achieved in the domain of forestry. There are so many organizations and societies which work on the World Forest Day conducting various events and activities. One can also hold a presentation at the workplace, schools, colleges or community centre on the importance of forest. Sometimes there are invites for people who are working on the preservation of forest to talk about the contribution of the community towards the welfare of the forest. Thus such events and activities always promise to encourage a sense of inspiration in the public. Globally many social meets and cultural events are organized to emphasis on the World Forestry. Also on this day the school children and sometimes even the political leaders celebrate the day by planting saplings symbolizing preservation and creation of forest. There are Forest awareness rally held in different parts of the world.
Forests and climate change adaptation
Forests facilitate adaptation: Managing standing forests better, and expanding tree cover through socially- and environmentally-responsible reforestation and restoration, helps deliver a range of livelihood and environmental benefits that assist both people and ecosystems adapt to climate change.1 The benefits include, but are not limited to, the points listed below.
Safety nets: Forests are important safety nets for communities, helping them cope with climate shocks. Many forest products are more resilient to climate variability and extremes than crops, and so are crucial to the resilience of local livelihoods. If crops fail due to drought2 or assets are lost because of floods,3 communities can sell forest and tree products – timber, fuelwood and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) – for income. They can also consume products – such as mushrooms, sago, fruits and bushmeat – as food. In addition, fodder from trees can help ensure the survival of livestock for months at a time if drought strikes.4
Agriculture: Trees on farms protect the soil and regulate water and microclimate, and help protect crops and livestock from climate variability. Crops grown in agroforestry systems are more resilient to drought, excess precipitation, and temperature fluctuations and extremes.5 Research in Africa, for example, shows that leguminous trees can make agriculture more drought resilient by improving water infiltration and increasing productivity through nitrogen fixation.6
Watersheds: Forests contribute to regulating river flows – base flows during dry seasons and peak flows during rainfall events – minimising risks related to water scarcity and floods.7 In Flores, Indonesia, for example, tropical forested watersheds have been shown to increase base flows and reduce the impacts of drought on downstream agrarian communities.8
Coasts: Coastal forests such as mangroves help reduce risks from disasters relating to climate extremes (storms or cyclones) and sea-level rise (coastal flooding). Research in India9 and Vietnam10 has shown that coastal settlements with mangroves in close proximity suffer less damage from such events than those without.
Cities: Urban forests and trees provide green infrastructure – shade, evaporative cooling, and rainwater interception, storage and infiltration – in cities. They can play a significant role in urban adaptation to climate variability and change11 by reducing temperatures during heat waves.
Regional climate: Tropical forests influence precipitation and can have a cooling effect on a region through increased evaporation and cloud cover.12 This can occur over large distances: for example, land use change in the humid tropics can influence precipitation in the middle and higher latitudes.13
National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs): The critical role of forests and trees is already recognised in projects on human adaptation, several of which are being proposed in NAPAs. Some examples include the conservation or rehabilitation of mangroves to protect vulnerable communities in coastal areas of Bangladesh and Cambodia, and for regulating water flows and providing fuel wood to local communities in Benin.14 Forest and tree services can also support and increase the effectiveness of technical or infrastructural adaptation measures, while providing co-benefits for livelihoods, biodiversity and climate change mitigation.
Forests and climate change mitigation
Carbon sinks: Forests play a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate through the carbon cycle; removing carbon from the atmosphere as they grow, and storing carbon in leaves, woody tissue, roots and organic matter in soil. The world’s forests absorb 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, or about one-third of the carbon dioxide released through the burning of fossil fuels.1 Forests also represent the world’s most significant terrestrial carbon store, containing an estimated 77 percent of all carbon stored in vegetation and 39 percent of all carbon stored in soils; twice as much carbon as is present in the atmosphere.2
Greenhouse gas emissions: Deforestation and forest degradation accounts for between 10 and 15 percent of global human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the burning of peatland associated with forest clearing accounts for an additional 3 percent of emissions. These emissions are greater than the entire global transportation sector. Eighty percent of these emissions stem from only 10 countries, mainly in the developing world.5 In some countries, such as Indonesia, deforestation and forest degradation are the principal source of emissions. The loss of global forest cover also means a loss of the forests’ natural capture and storage capacity, amplifying emissions from other sources.
Peatlands and mangroves: Peatland forests cover about 3 percent of the Earth’s land area but store as much as one-third of all soil carbon. Similarly, carbon density in mangrove forests is more than four times higher than in upland tropical forests.6 The loss of peatland and mangrove forests contributes disproportionately to carbon dioxide emissions, biodiversity loss and to the vulnerability of coastal communities, making the conservation of these ecosystems key in the fight against climate change.
REDD+: Since the 13th Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bali in 2007, the UNFCCC has progressively recognised the package of measures now known as REDD+, which stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, as well as the conservation and sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing country forests. At the COP16 in Cancun in 2010, REDD+ was officially incorporated into the UNFCCC’s agreement on climate change. At COP17 in Durban in 2011, negotiators agreed on monitoring guidelines as safeguards for REDD+ implementation and on the means for developing estimates of emissions that would have occurred in the absence of REDD+ (i.e., reference emission levels).
Reference levels (RLs) and reference emission levels (RELs) are most commonly used as a business as usual baseline to assess a country’s performance in implementing REDD+ (UNFCCC 2011). RLs are needed to establish a reference point or benchmark against which actual emissions (and removals) are compared. In fact, emissions reductions cannot be defined without having first agreed on the RL, which is therefore critical for gauging the effectiveness or forest carbon impact of REDD+ policies and activities. New research7 at CIFOR on a stepwise approach provides guidance on how countries with little data can begin to develop RL, and can improve their estimates as better data becomes available.
The + in REDD+: Managing standing forests better, and expanding tree cover through socially- and environmentally-responsible reforestation and restoration, are cost- and time-effective strategies to conserve and enhance carbon stocks and mitigate climate change8, as well as to facilitate adaptation. Integrating the + in REDD+ with carbon conservation in agricultural systems capitalises on the potential of whole-of-landscape responses to climate change9.
Doing REDD+ well: CIFOR’s Global Comparative Study of REDD+ is providing negotiators, policymakers and implementing agencies with the information they need to design REDD+ architecture and implementation strategies. A CIFOR study published in June 2012 called Analysing REDD+ says that REDD+ is moving ahead, but at a slower pace and in a different form than expected five years ago. The study takes stock of REDD+ and asks: How has REDD+ changed and why? How is REDD+ unfolding in national policy arenas? What does REDD+ look like on the ground? What are the main challenges in designing and implementing REDD+? And, what are the choices for making REDD+ more effective, efficient, and equitable?
Learning to measure GHG emissions: Recent research by CIFOR has revealed major capacity gaps in the ability of most tropical forest-rich nations to measure and monitor the amount of greenhouse gas emissions they save by safeguarding their forests. Eighty-nine out of ninety-nine tropical countries had ‘very large to medium’ gaps between what is required for REDD+ monitoring under national circumstances and their current capacities.10 The study is intended to help direct international efforts to increase capacity in developing countries to monitor, report and verify (MRV) changes in their greenhouse gas emissions.
Notes
Forests and water
Giant sponges: Forests act as giant sponges, soaking up rainfall during wet seasons and slowly releasing it during times of drought. Forests provide natural filtration and storage systems that supply an estimated 75 percent of usable water globally. Tree roots and leaf litter create conditions that promote the infiltration of rainwater into the soil and then into the groundwater, providing supplies during dry periods.1
In dollars: There are a range of estimates for the value of water regulation and supply. One study puts the figure at USD 2.3 trillion2 globally. Another study, focused at the national level in China, estimates that the value of the water storage function of that country's forests is estimated as 7.5 trillion yuan (approximately USD 1 trillion); three times the value of the wood in its forests.3 Another study calculated that the presence of forest on Mount Kenya saved the country's economy more than USD 20 million by protecting the catchment for two of Kenya's main river systems: the Tana and the Ewaso Ngiro.3 Today, at least one third of the world's biggest cities, such as New York, Singapore, Jakarta, Rio de Janeiro, Bogotá, Madrid and Cape Town, draw a significant portion of their drinking water from forested areas.4
Removing pollutants: Trees and forests improve stream quality and watershed health by decreasing the amount of storm water runoff and pollutants that reach local waters. They take up nutrients and pollutants from soils and water through their roots, and transform them into less harmful substances.5 Forests also maintain high water quality by minimising soil erosion and reducing sediment. Deforestation generally increases erosion, resulting in higher sediment concentrations in the runoff and siltation of watercourses.6
Flood protection: The capacity of forests to reduce the incidence and severity of downstream flooding associated with major rainfall events may be more limited than is commonly thought. Nevertheless, maintaining natural vegetation in catchments and riparian zones can reduce flash flooding and flood peaks through the sponge effect of standing forests, and diminish the damaging impacts of local floods by blocking the path of the water with tree trunks, branches and other forest litter.7
Global significance: Recent research8 highlights the global significance of forests in recycling rainfall and groundwater to support continental-scale and intercontinental-scale hydrological cycles. At these scales, forest loss and degradation appear to have deleterious effects on rainfall.9 These results suggest that forest–water relations at the continental and intercontinental scales are different from those at a catchment scale, where deforestation can increase water yield in the catchment.
Examples of continental-scale impacts: Deforestation and forest degradation in one area can impact rainfall patterns in other parts of the world. Moisture evaporating from the Eurasian continent is responsible for 80 percent of China's water resources. In South America, the Río de la Plata Basin depends on evaporation from the Amazon forest for 70 percent of its water resources. The Congo Basin is a major source of moisture for rainfall in the Sahel.1
Forests, food and livelihoods
Food security:Forests are natural supermarkets for 1 billion of the world's poorest people. They provide nuts, berries, roots, meat and cooking fuel, complementing agricultural crops and providing essential nutrients that would otherwise be unavailable.1 In rural areas of the Congo Basin, five to six million tonnes of bush meat are harvested each year and account for up to 80 percent of the fats and proteins consumed by local communities.2 In areas where fish are an important source of protein, forests—especially mangroves—support the healthy aquatic ecosystems necessary to maintain fish stocks.
Livelihoods: New global research by CIFOR has shown that environment-related income makes up about one-quarter of total household income for people living in or near forests, a value comparable to what these households derive from agricultural crops.3 This and other research4 demonstrates how the contributions of forests and agriculture to food and livelihood security are complementary.
Vital for agriculture: Forests provide goods and services that support the agricultural sector. Livestock production benefits from the fodder and shade provided by forests and trees. Forests provide homes for bees, bats, and other pollinators of agricultural crops. Coffee cultivated in the fields furthest away from forested areas has been shown to have lower yields due to reduced pollination services.5 Forests provide hydrological services to agriculture, moderating the quantity and quality of surface water available for irrigation, and controlling the sedimentation of irrigation infrastructure.6
Safeguarding biodiversity: Natural forests provide habitat for the wild relatives of many important tree crops, a source of genetic diversity that will become increasingly important for these species to adapt as climate change advances, and for humans to adapt to climate change as well. Our diet once included more than 7000 species of plants and animals, but today it contains fewer and fewer species.7 This limited biodiversity in our food sources makes us more vulnerable to the onset of new pests and diseases brought on by climate change.
Empowering women: In many cultures, non-hunting gathering and harvesting of food is the responsibility of women. Easy access to forest-derived foods decreases the time and effort women have to spend to ensure their families have adequate nutrition. There are many flow-on benefits for women and their households.8
Forests, fuel wood and charcoal
Cooking with forests: More than two billion people depend on wood energy for cooking and heating, particularly in households in developing countries. In parts of Africa, wood fuels—often the only domestically available and affordable sources of energy—account for almost 90 percent of primary energy consumption. Estimates suggest that biomass energy in sub-Saharan Africa will account for about three-quarters of total residential energy by 2030.Fuel for industry. In some regions, such as parts of South America, industrial and commercial use of charcoal is a major driver of demand, as well as an important source of income along production chains. At the continental scale, South America is second only to Africa in total and per capita charcoal use.
Hungry for energy: Global energy demand is projected to increase rapidly in coming years, owing to many factors, including population growth, more people having access to energy supply grids, and lifestyles becoming more energy demanding. In the longer term, forest biomass has the potential to significantly lessen the strain on global energy supply when oil resources decline. Wood energy is the most important source of bioenergy in the world, providing nine percent of the global primary energy supply. Well-managed forests can play a vital role in responding to future bioenergy demands and can help to create a more stable energy future, improve environmental quality and increase economic opportunities.
Substituting wood energy for fossil fuels: Wood energy use in Europe accounts for 50 percent of energy from renewable sources, with private households being the largest users. Some European countries are expanding the use of solid biomass, in the form of pellets, briquettes and wood chips, to meet their fossil fuel substitution goals. The expansion of forest biomass-based energy to meet global demand, while enlarging the contribution of forests to global energy supply, can also lead to higher competition with more conventional markets for timber.
Although local use of wood fuel helps limit carbon emissions from transport, the global trade in wood pellets, briquettes and chips is expected to expand. Pellets and chips can be transported economically over long distances, opening up opportunities for trade in biomass between countries and creating significant opportunities for forestry to contribute. However, this may lead to more exports from timber-producing countries and can increase pressures on forests and local populations if governance, tenure security, and sustainable production schemes are not developed.
New opportunities for the efficient use of wood for multiple purposes may also arise from innovations in biotechnologies for the production of renewable and cost efficient bioproducts such as bioplastics, biofuels, biochemicals and others.
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IAF douses forest fire in Tirupati- completely extinguished
IAF douses forest fire in Tirupati
On March 19 HQ Training Command, IAF in Bangalore had received a request for assistance from Andhra Pradesh Government to control the forest fire in Tirupathi area, which was spreading rapidly towards the Tirumala shrine. The IAF quickly swung into action and responded to the request in a prompt manner. One helicopter was immediately launched to survey the extent of fire and to scout for nearby water bodies.
The forest area where the fire was raging was inaccessible and hilly. Based on the inputs received from helicopter survey, the latest aircraft on the inventory of IAF, the C-130J and Mi-17 V5 Helicopters were put to task. Mi-17 V5 Helicopters with Bambi Bucket (equipment used for carrying water from a water body and spraying it over the fire) flew throughout the night from various units in North India and positioned at Hakimpet.
One C-130 Hercules with Task Force Commander carried out the reconnaissance of the fire affected area around Tirupathi on March 19. Wg Cdr AS Parandekar (Task Force Commander for the Operation), along with the crew members planned the exercise after completing the reconnaissance.
On March 20, two Mi 17 V5 helicopters started the firefighting operation from Tirupathi Air field. They used Bambi Bucket equipment to airlift water from a nearby dam and sprayed it on the fire which was raging in the hills around. Helicopters flew throughout the day and 20 sorties were flown.
About 32,000 liters of water was sprayed to douse the fire and this herculean effort was instrumental in stopping the fire from spreading towards temple area. Firefighting operations were continued on till Friday afternoon wherein 18 more sorties were flown.
A similar operation was carried out in North East of the country recently where the helicopters were used to douse forest fire using the Bambi Bucket. The Bambi Bucket has a capacity to hold around 4000 liters of water which can be transported under slung from a helicopter.
The fire was completely extinguished due to the relentless efforts of the IAF thus saving the forest, precious lives and damage to the holy shrine. Later in the afternoon, one sortie was flown to reconfirm that the fire was completely extinguished.
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World Water Day
World Water Day
World Water Day has been observed on 22 March since 1993 when the United Nations General Assembly declared 22 March as "World Day for Water".WISH YOU ALL VERY HAPPY WORLD WATER DAY , SAVE WATER ANY HOW, REDUCE, REUSE, RECOVER, RECYCLE FOR BEST WATER MANAGEMENT , ZERO POLLUTION DISCHARGE , PLANTATION, PHYTO-REMIDIATION PLANT IN POLLUTED WATER BODIES
This day was first formally proposed in Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Observance began in 1993 and has grown significantly ever since; for the general public to show support, it is encouraged for the public to not use their taps throughout the whole day. The UN and its member nations devote this day to implementing UN recommendations and promoting concrete activities within their countries regarding the world's water resources. Each year, one of various UN agencies involved in water issues takes the lead in promoting and coordinating international activities for World Water Day. Since its inception in 2003, UN-Water has been responsible for selecting the theme, messages and lead UN agency for the World Day for Water.
Water Day, by the years
2014: Water and EnergyWater and energy are closely interlinked and interdependent. Energy generation and transmission requires utilization of water resources, particularly for hydroelectric, nuclear, and thermal energy sources. Conversely, about 8% of the global energy generation is used for pumping, treating and transporting water to various consumers.
In 2014, the UN System – working closely with its Member States and other relevant stakeholders – is collectively bringing its attention to the water-energy nexus, particularly addressing inequities, especially for the 'bottom billion' who live in slums and impoverished rural areas and survive without access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, sufficient food and energy services. It also aims to facilitate the development of policies and crosscutting frameworks that bridge ministries and sectors, leading the way to energy security and sustainable water use in a green economy. Particular attention will be paid to identifying best practices that can make a water- and energy-efficient 'Green Industry' a reality.
What do you know about water issues?
Discover this updated and expanded series of Water Factsheets proposed by UN-Water to use in your efforts towards awareness raising of issues related to water.
These thematic factsheets present a series of quick facts on a range of issues including water scarcity, climate change, sanitation, water and urbanization, water quality, transboundary waters, water and food, water and disasters, water and biodiversity.
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Water Facts
Enjoy our fun water facts for kids. Learn how important water is to life on Earth as well its many amazing uses and properties. Read about ice, steam, snow, drinking water, oceans, water pollution, seawater, rivers the water cycle and much more with our huge range of interesting facts about water. - Water is made up of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Its chemical formula is H2O.
- Each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms bonded to a single oxygen atom.
- The existence of water is essential for life on Earth.
- Water has three different states, liquid, solid and gas.
- The word water usually refers to water in its liquid state. The solid state of water is known as ice while the gas state of water is known as steam or water vapor.
- Water covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface.
- The three largest oceans on Earth are the Pacific Ocean (largest), the Atlantic Ocean (second largest) and the Indian Ocean (third largest). Found in the Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in the world’s oceans.
- Ocean tides are caused by the rotation of the Earth and the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun acting on ocean water.
- Water from a sea or ocean is known as seawater. On average, every kilogram (2.2lb) of seawater contains around 35 grams (1.2 oz) of dissolved salt.
- The freezing point of water lowers as the amount of salt dissolved in at increases. With average levels of salt, seawater freezes at -2 °C (28.4 °F).
- The longest river in the world is the Nile River, it reaches 6650 kilometers in length (4132 miles).
- The second longest river in the world is the Amazon River, it reaches 6400 kilometres (4000 miles) in length.
- The longest river in the USA is the Missouri River. At around 2,340 miles (3,770 km) in length it is slightly longer than the Mississippi River (2,320 miles). The two combine to form the longest river system in North America.
- Water makes a good solvent with many sugar, salts and acids easily dissolving in it. On the other hand oils and fats don’t mix well with water.
- The water cycle involves water evaporating (turning into a gas), rising to the sky, cooling and condensing into tiny drops of water or ice crystals that we see as clouds, falling back to Earth as rain, snow or hail before evaporating again and continuing the cycle. Learn more about the water cycle.
- Water in the form of ice is found at the polar ice caps of the planet Mars, some scientists have also suggested the possibility of liquid water on the red planet.
- Pure water has no smell and no taste, it also has a pH level around 7.
- While most people know that water boils at 100 °C (212 °F), this is at the normal conditions of sea level. The boiling point of water actually changes relative to the barometric pressure. For example, water boils at just 68 °C (154 °F) on the top of Mount Everest while water deep in the ocean near geothermal vents can remain in liquid form at temperatures much higher than 100 °C (212 °F).
- Water expands as it cools from 4 °C to 0 °C (above 4 °C it does the opposite). In freezing conditions, water has been known to burst water pipes as it freezes to ice.
- Water can move up narrow tubes against the force of gravity in what is known as capillary action. Check out this capillary action experiment for more.
- Most people around the world have access to clean drinking water but it is a major problem in poorer areas of the world. Water pollution and low quality water can lead to dangerous bacteria, disease and viruses such as E coli and Cryptosporidium.
- Drinking water is needed for humans to avoid dehydration, the amount you need each day depends on the temperature, how much activity you are involved in and other factors.
- An important use for water is in agricultural irrigation, this is when water is artificially added to soil in order to assist the growth of crops.
- Water is used frequently by firefighters to extinguish fires. Helicopters sometimes drop large amount of water on wildfires and bushfires to stop fires spreading and limit the damage they can cause.
- The water industry helps deliver water to homes in various cities and countries around the world. This can involve services such as purification, sewage treatment, filtering, distillation and plumbing.
- Electricity can be created from hydropower, a process that uses water to drive water turbines connected to generators. There are many hydroelectric power stations around the world.
- Water also plays a role in cooking. Steaming and boiling food are well known cooking methods. You may have noticed this last time you made pasta or noodles.
- Water is also used for fun. Water sports are a very popular recreational activity and include things like swimming, surfing and waterskiing. Ice and snow is also used in ice skating, ice hockey, skiing and snowboarding.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the largest renewable source for power generation and its share in total electricity generation is expected to remain around 16% through 2035.
Hydropower and water use
Most of the water used for hydropower generation is returned to the river though some evaporates and there are important impacts on timing and quality of streamflows.
Industrial water use
Roughly 75% of all industrial water withdrawals are used for energy production.
Financing water
For developing countries alone $103 billion per year are required to finance water, sanitation and wastewater treatment through 2015.
Energy for water
Energy is required for two components of water provision: pumping and treatment (before and after use).
Waterborne transportation
Waterborne transit is one of the most energy efficient. Inland towing barges are more than 3 times more energy efficient than road trucks and 40% more efficient than rail.
Biogas produced from sewage
In Stockholm, public buses, waste collection trucks and taxis run on biogas produced from sewage treatment plants.
Access to water and sanitation
In 2011, 768 million people did not use an improved source of drinking-water and 2.5 billion people did not use improved sanitation.
Access to electricity
More than 1.3 billion people still lack access to electricity, and roughly 2.6 billion use solid fuels (mainly biomass) for cooking.
Wind power
Wind power is the most sustainable source of renewable energy, mainly because of its low greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.
Pollution by fossil fuels
Approximately 15–18 billion m3 of freshwater resources are contaminated by fossil fuel production every year.
Biodiesel and water
China's target to produce 12 million metric tonnes of biodiesel by 2020 requires an amount of water approximately equivalent to the annual discharge of the Yellow River.
Biofuels and food prices
The demand for biofuels feedstock is the largest source of new demand for agricultural production in decades, and it was a major factor behind the 2007−08 spike in food prices.
Geothermal electricity potential
The installed worldwide geothermal electricity capacity could be increased from the current 10 GW to 70 GW with present technology, and to 140 GW with enhanced technology.
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Methane gas kills 7 workers of Perundurai dyeing unit
Methane gas kills 7 workers of Perundurai dyeing unit
![The tank in which seven workers of a dyeing unit in SIPCOT Industrial Estate in Perundurai town died after inhaling poisonous gas on Tuesday. Photo: M. Govarthan]( "The tank in which seven workers of a dyeing unit in SIPCOT Industrial Estate in Perundurai town died after inhaling poisonous gas on Tuesday. Photo: M. Govarthan")
The HinduThe tank in which seven workers of a dyeing unit in SIPCOT Industrial Estate in Perundurai town died after inhaling poisonous gas on Tuesday. Photo: M. Govarthan![Superintendent of Police Sibi Chakravarthy at the dyeing unit in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Perundurai in Erode where 7 workers died following a gas leak. Photo M Govarthan]( "Superintendent of Police Sibi Chakravarthy at the dyeing unit in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Perundurai in Erode where 7 workers died following a gas leak. Photo M Govarthan")
THE HINDUSuperintendent of Police Sibi Chakravarthy at the dyeing unit in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Perundurai in Erode where 7 workers died following a gas leak. Photo M Govarthan![Police officials conducting inquiries with an employee of the dyeing unit in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Perundurai on Tuesday following the death of seven workers. Photo: M Govarthan]( "Police officials conducting inquiries with an employee of the dyeing unit in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Perundurai on Tuesday following the death of seven workers. Photo: M Govarthan")
THE HINDUPolice officials conducting inquiries with an employee of the dyeing unit in the SIPCOT Industrial Estate at Perundurai on Tuesday following the death of seven workers. Photo: M Govarthan
The valve that regulated movement of sludge in the plant reportedly gave way, causing gas leak
Seven workers of a textile dyeing unit at the SIPCOT Industrial Estate in Perundurai died after inhaling methane gas emanating from a valve that they were repairing on Tuesday morning. The deceased included two workers from Nepal.
Eight other workers of the mechanical section involved in the repair work were admitted to a private hospital with respiratory problems.
The valve that regulated the movement of sludge from the sedimentation tank to the filter press section in the zero discharge plant of the dyeing unit reportedly gave way, causing gas leak. This resulted in the death of Anand Kumar, Madan Kumar, Murugan, Sudakar, Sasikumar, and Ubasakthi and Subasakthi, from Nepal, who were employed as helpers.
Sources said two workers initially tried to set right the valve in the 12-foot-deep tank. When they shouted for help as the valve gave way and gas leaked, the other five stepped in to rescue them and were suffocated.
A few other workers who tried to rescue them gave up owing to foul smell. They were later admitted to a private hospital as six of them lost consciousness, police sources said.
Out of dangerSuperintendent of Police N. Sibi Chakravarthy said the workers under treatment were out of danger.
After the bodies were brought to the hospital, relatives and friends of the victims demanded action against the company management.
The Chennimalai police registered a case against four persons, including company çhairman K.P. Ramasamy. Three officials — Nagendran (35), in-charge of the ETP Section; Ramanan (28), Personnel Officer; and Ranganathan (32) — were arrested. They were booked under Sections 304 (II) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 337 (endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
A post-mortem was conducted at the Government Headquarters Hospital, Erode, and the bodies were handed over to relatives of the victims later in the day, Collector V.K. Shanmugam said.
Notice to firmOfficial sources said the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health issued a notice to the company and would take action against its owner as getting into a pit and carrying out repair works without proper precautions violated safe operating procedure. The workers should have carried out the repair work with oxygen cylinder and gas masks. Also, the company could not provide medical aid immediately, official sources said. According to Divisional Fire Officer T. Mathialagan, the company did not seem to have a rapid response system for safety.
An accident, says companySpecial Correspondent reports from Coimbatore:
When contacted, representatives of the company’s management said this was an accident though precautionary measures were in place. The incident would be studied to find out what went wrong and whether more preventive measures were needed.
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RIL changes contracts, prices to rise by 10% over new rate of $8.3
RIL changes contracts, prices to rise by 10% over new rate of $8.3
In the new Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement, RIL has proposed to charge govt-fixed rate for natural gas on Gross Calorific Value basis instead of current practice of billing $4.2 on Net Calorific Value basis.
New Delhi : Reliance Industries has made drastic changes in gas supply contracts that will jack up its KG-D6 gas price by 10 per cent over and above the new rate of USD 8.3 coming into effect from next month.
RIL has circulated to urea manufacturing fertiliser units a new Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) for supply of natural gas from its eastern offshore KG-D6 fields from April 1 upon expiry of current 5-year supply contract at month end.
In the new GSPA, RIL has proposed to charge government- fixed rate for natural gas on Gross Calorific Value (GCV) basis instead of current practice of billing USD 4.205 per million British thermal unit on Net Calorific Value (NCV) basis, sources privy to the development told PTI.
The heat produced from natural gas is measured in calorific value. The heat rate is measured in gross (GCV) or net (NCV) basis. One GCV equals to 0.9 NCV and so on a like to like basis billing urea plants the new price of USD 8.3 per mmBtu on GCV would mean an actual rate of USD 9.13 on NCV basis.
A senior official in the fertiliser ministry said his ministry has taken up the issue of changes made by RIL in the GSPA with the Oil Ministry.
”We expect the Cabinet decision to price natural gas based on Rangarajan Committee formula to be implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.
The Rangarajan formula of pricing natural gas at an average of international hub rates and actual cost of importing LNG into India does not specify pricing the fuel on GCV or NCV basis.
Since gas in its liquid form (liquefied natural gas or LNG) is imported into India on GCV basis, RIL is using the same logic to price gas from April 1, sources said.
Currently, most of the domestically produced gas is priced on NCV basis.
Email sent to RIL seeking comments remained unanswered.
Sources said the Fertilizer Association of India (FAI) has written a letter to the fertiliser ministry raising concerns about the proposed GSPA. The fertiliser ministry has taken this up with the Oil Ministry.
As per preliminary calculations made by the oil ministry, the new rate in April will be USD 8.3 per mmBtu. But the ministry is unhappy with the rate and has asked for reworking of some of the numbers.
Gas accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the production cost of urea.
An increase of USD 1 per mmBtu in gas price translates into an enhanced cost of production of about Rs 1,369 per ton. For 18 million tons of urea produced from gas, USD 1 per mmBtu price increase translates into an increase in cost of almost Rs 2,465.1 crore.
A USD 4 per mmBtu increase in rate would mean Rs 9860.4 crore increase in cost of production and using GCV method would mean a further Rs 2,046 crore increase in cost.
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Need for expediting planned growth of urea plants with natural gas!
Need for expediting planned growth of urea plants with natural gas!
As the fertiliser subsidy is reaching Himalayan heights at Rs67,970 crore, the New Investment Policy should expedite planned growth of Urea plants and availability of natural gas
It is too early even for India Meteorological Department (IMD), to predict the type of monsoon that we may have this year. What is certain is the continued and increasing usage of fertilizers to grow more foodgrains, not only to meet our own needs, but also have enough for export, as we have now a number of established markets for these.
It is too early even for India Meteorological Department (IMD), to predict the type of monsoon that we may have this year. What is certain is the continued and increasing usage of fertilizers to grow more foodgrains, not only to meet our own needs, but also have enough for export, as we have now a number of established markets for these.
Over the past 13 years, there have been no developments in this industry; no expansion plans as manufacturers have been saddled with lower or inadequate supplies of fuel, resulting in the short fall of about 8 million tonnes, against our annual requirement of 29-30 million tonnes, with the domestic production almost static at 22 million tonnes. These 8 million tonnes have been imported so far.
The international price of urea has been ruling around $350-$360 a tonne and has now dipped down to a $300 level; other nutrient prices have also come down. Our first move, therefore, should be to ensure that serious and immediate steps are taken to negotiate better prices with our established suppliers to plan shipments in time so that we are ready before the monsoon arrives.
The New Investment Policy was notified in January 2013 to boost urea production in country, whose manufacturers have not expanded their production capacities in the last 13 years. A Group of Ministers, who studied the issue of the industry, have recommended increasing the fixed production cost of Urea plants that are 30 years old or more by Rs150 per tonne and for all others by Rs350 per tonne. Consequently, the fixed cost would be uniformly at Rs2,300 per tonne.
For easy reference, it may be mentioned that "fixed cost" refers to the salary and wages paid, contract labour cost, repair and maintenance and selling expenses. The new policy also eliminates the expression of "guaranteed
buy-back" of the urea produced, as, in the true sense of the term, theGovernment does not buy back the production .
In so far as the increase in gas price, effective from 1st April is concerned, the policy has already a prescribed formula of a flexible floor and ceiling price of gas based on $6.5 to $14 per mmbtu. The floor price has been determined at a return on equity of 12% and the ceiling price at a ROE of 20%.
Beyond delivered gas price of $14 per mmbtu only the floor price will be increased.
By 2017, the demand for Urea is expected to reach 34 million tonnes, as against the current requirement of 30 million tonnes (indigenous production is now 22 mt), and instead of continuing to import, the new investment policy has brought keen interest for development of brownfield projects by existing makers like Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd (RCF), Chambal Fertilisers and Tata Chemicals, with two new players to start greenfield projects of 1.3 million tonnes each. If all these projects go through without hiccups, the total output is envisaged at 41.5 million tonnes, more than what we might need. As much as Rs25,000 crore may thus be invested in these expansions and new projects in the next few years. One of the most important conditions that the government wants to make is to provide a bank guarantee that they will complete the projects on schedule.
To support this, the government plans to give subsidy at a certain percentage for a period of eight years, for those projects that comes up after the amended policy comes into force. It may be noted that the fertiliser subsidy has grown to a staggering Rs67,971 crore (revised) for 2013-14 from Rs18,460 crore in 2005-06 and the budget estimate for 2014-15 remains practically unchanged at Rs67,970 crore.
The only one thing that the Government can consider seriously is if and when increased gas production is available from Reliance Industries Ltd and ONGC can they allocate some for the Urea plants? One option is to decontrol urea prices to assess the impact that it may have?
(AK Ramdas has worked with the Engineering Export Promotion Council of the ministry of commerce. He was also associated with various committees of the Council. His international career took him to places like Beirut, Kuwait and Dubai at a time when these were small trading outposts; and later to the US.)
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Fluoride contamination of groundwater
Fluoride contamination of groundwater
Ingestion of low levels of fluoride compounds is beneficial to the body and prevents dental caries. Some of us can perhaps still remember advertisements of fluoridated toothpastes. But long term ingestion of excess fluoride can be harmful to the body and cause a condition known as fluorosis that affects teeth and bones.
In the recent past there has been excessive dependence on groundwater to meet potable water needs. If groundwater passes through fluoride rich rocks, it dissolves the fluoride and the water consequently can have more than an acceptable level of fluoride. Water used for drinking should not have fluoride in excess of 1.0 mg/l.
According to the Department of Drinking Water Supply, out of 593 districts from which data is available, water in 203 districts has shown high fluoride (Susheela A K, 2001). As seen from the map below, almost all states in India have districts where groundwater contains excess levels of fluoride.
Dental and skeletal fluorosis
Moderate amounts of fluoride ingestion can cause dental fluorosis, which is characterized by staining and pitting of the teeth. In more severe cases all the enamel may be damaged.
Chronic high-level exposure to fluoride can lead to skeletal fluorosis. In skeletal fluorosis, fluoride accumulates in the bone progressively over many years. The early symptoms of skeletal fluorosis include stiffness and pain in the joints. In severe cases, the bone structure may change and ligaments may calcify, with resulting impairment of muscles and pain.
There is no medicine for fluorosis, but treatment systems that can regulate the amount of fluoride in water are available. The control of drinking-water quality is therefore critical in preventing fluorosis. In all fluoride affected areas it is advised that rainwater harvesting is done to recharge the groundwater source that shows high fluoride levels.
In places where fluoride levels are between 1.5 to 2 mg/l, some nutritional interventions can help. In these places it is advised to eat more of foods that are rich in iron, calcium and Vitamin C. The use of black salt (kalanamak) and products containing it, as well as the use of fluoridated toothpastes should be avoided in these areas.
Nalgonda District in Andhra Pradesh is said to have the highest concentration of people affected by fluorosis. Nearly 500 villages in the district are gripped by fluorosis resulting in twenty thousand fluorosis victims in the district. According to the World Health Organization, maximum level of fluoride in water should be 1 ppm or 1 mg/l. In Nalgonda, the water contains up to 10 ppm of fluoride. Many adults and even young children have been irreversibly affected by skeletal fluorosis in this district.
| Fluoride Affected Areas | ||||||||||||
Fluoride is often called a two-edge sword – in small dosages, it has remarkable influence on the dental system by inhibiting dental carries, while in higher dosages causes dental and skeletal fluorosis. When present in concentration of 0.8-1.0 mg/L, fluoride is beneficial for calcification of dental enamel especially for the children below 8 years of age. At higher concentrations (1.5-2.0 mg F/L), fluoride effects adversely and leads to dental fluorosis. At still higher concentration, (3-6 mg F/L) skeletal fluorosis occurs. The disease affects the bone and ligaments. Intakes of 20-40 mg F/day over long period have resulted in crippling skeletal fluorosis. High concentrations of fluoride in ground water are common in some of the semi-arid areas of Rajasthan, southern Punjab, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and southern Haryana. Several areas of Andhra Pradesh have high concentrations of fluoride in ground water (exceeding 5 mg/l). There are a number of cases of dental and skeletal fluorosis in these areas. In several parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, U.P., and other areas, fluoride concentrations of groundwater are more than the permissible level of 1.5 mg/l. An extensive survey of the community water supplies has shown that around 25 million people in rural areas consume water with fluoride content more than this limit. Various authorities have given permissible limits for fluoride content in drinking water. Concentrations of fluoride in drinking water in different parts of the country varies from 0.5 to 50 mg/L. Permissible limit of fluoride in drinking water prescribed by various organizations
Fluoride contaminated ground water is creating health problems in India. Nearly 90 million people including 6 million children in the country in 200 districts in 15 states are affected with dental, skeletal and/or non-skeletal fluorosis. The extent of fluoride contamination in ground water varies from 1.0 to 48 mg/l. The fluoride affected states are: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, In Rajasthan, in the absence of perennial rivers, surface and canal systems, ground water remains the main source of drinking water for about 95% population. Ground water of 18 districts contains high fluoride (2 to 20 mg/l) affecting approx. 3 million people. Studies have revealed that three million people in the state are consuming water with excess fluoride. Rajasthan has to depend on ground water resources to a greater extent and in arid in semi-arid areas, the ground water is the only water resource for drinking as well as agricultural purposes. According to the survey of states for drinking water supply in rural habitation conducted by the Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Mission, 9,741 villages and 6,819 habitations have fluoride content more than 1.5 mg/l in ground water. In Tamil Nadu, fluoride monitoring is carried out at 1286 observation wells by TWAD Board throughout the State twice in a year – during pre-monsoon and post monsoon periods. About 121 blocks in 19 districts are found to have high fluoride concentration in ground water. | ||||||||||||
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Uttar Pradesh: State Development Report (Volume I & II)
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http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/stateplan/index.php?state=sdr_up.htm
Uttar Pradesh: State Development Report (Volume I & II)
State Plan Division, Planning Commission, Government of India
| S.No. | Particulars (PDF files) | Page Nos. |
| Uttar Pradesh: State Development Report - Volume I | ||
| 1 | 7 | |
| 2 | 9 | |
| 3 | 11 | |
| 4 | 13 | |
| 5 | 15 | |
| 6 | 17 | |
| 7 | 19 | |
| 8 | 21 | |
| 9 | 25 | |
| 10 | 29 | |
| 11 | 31 | |
| 12 | 33 | |
| 13 | 35 | |
| 14 | 37 | |
| 15 | 51 | |
| 16 | Chapter 1. Uttar Pradesh Economy; Trend and Status | 91 |
| 17 | 123 | |
| 18 | 153 | |
| Uttar Pradesh: State Development Report - Volume II | ||
1 | Contents of Vol 1 | 9 |
2 | list of Tables, Figures, Boxes and Appendices | 11 |
3 | Acronyms | 19 |
4 | List of Regions, Circles and Districts of Uttar Pradesh | 23 |
5 | Codes for the States | 25 |
| SECTION I : BASIC SECTORS | ||
6 | Chapter 1. Agriculture | 27 |
7 | Chapter 2. Industrial Growth | 61 |
| 8 | Chapter 3. Handloom | 85 |
| 9 | Chapter 4. Handicrafts | 127 |
| 10 | Chapter 5. Tourism | 153 |
| 11 | Chapter 6. Village Development | 169 |
| SECTION II : PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT | ||
| 12 | Chapter 7. Power | 227 |
| 13 | Chapter 8. Road | 245 |
| 14 | Chapter 9. Telecom and Information Technology | 259 l |
| 15 | Chapter 10. Urban Water | 267 |
| 16 | Chapter 11. Water Resources: Management and Development | 283 |
| SECTION III : SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE | ||
| 17 | Chapter 12. Social Development | 333 |
| 18 | Chapter 13. Governance | 397 |
| 19 | Chapter 14. Environment: Status and Strategies | 413 |
| SECTION IV : STATE PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS AND STATE FINANCES | ||
| 20 | Chapter 15. State Public Sector Undertakings | 445 |
| 21 | Chapter 16. State Finances | 481 |
* PDF - Portable Document Format files needs Acrobat Reader to open the file;
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Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything !
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. & while you walk, SMILE.
It is the ultimate antidepressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
3. When you wake up in the morning, Pray to ask God’s
guidance for your purpose, today.
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food
that is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past,
negative thoughts or things you cannot control.
Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a
college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for
everything !
11. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what
their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years,
will this matter?’
17. Help the needy, Be generous ! Be a ‘Giver’ not a ‘Taker’
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. Time heals everything.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your
friends will. Stay in touch.
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed ,Pray to God and Be thankful
for what you’ll accomplish, today !
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
25.Share this to everyone on your list to help them lead a happier
life…!!!!
With best regards,
(2014)
Dr. AMAR NATH GIRI(2014)
amarnathgiri@nagarjunagroup.
M.Sc.,Ph.D & DIPLOMA AS - P.G.D.E.P.L,CES, DCA,
IGIDR-MUMBAI
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Celebrating Earth Hour-Earth Hour 2014 will be held on Saturday 29 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time zone.
Celebrating Earth Hour
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About Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a global environmental movement of WWF. Headquartered in Singapore, Earth Hour is one of the first opensourced environmental campaigns; it has grown from a symbolic event in one city into a global movement, crowdsourcing actions from individuals, businesses, organizations and governments to generate environmental outcomes. In 2014, Earth Hour Blue sees the movement enter the most exciting stage of its evolution, to be at the forefront of crowdfunding and crowdsourcing for causes, innovation and creativity for the planet.
1. What is Earth Hour?
Earth Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement uniting people to protect the planet, and is organised by WWF. Engaging a massive mainstream community on a broad range of environmental issues, Earth Hour was famously started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then it has grown to engage more than 7000 cities and towns worldwide, and the one-hour event continues to remain the key driver of the now larger movement.
2. What is Earth Hour Blue?
Earth Hour Blue is an all-new digital crowdfunding and crowdsourcing platform for the planet launched in 2014 to capture the power of the crowd and engage people around the world beyond the lights out event. The crowdfunding section of the platform allows participants to financially support and deliver positive, tangible changes to the environment and communities all over the world. Individuals can also use Earth Hour Blue’s crowdsourcing platform, which will call for people to add their voice to some of the biggest environmental campaigns across the world.
3. When does Earth Hour take place?
Earth Hour 2014 will be held on Saturday 29 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time zone. The event is held worldwide towards the end of March annually, encouraging individuals, communities households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet. Earth Hour 2015 will take place on Saturday, 28 of March at 8:30PM to 9:30PM in your local timezone.
4. What does Earth Hour aim to achieve?
Earth Hour aims to encourage an interconnected global community to share the opportunities and challenges of creating a sustainable world.
5. What does Earth Hour ask people to do?
The first thing anyone can do to get involved is to turn off their lights on Saturday. But there’s much, much more. But our full ambition is for people to take action beyond the hour. Whether it’s supporting a crowdfunding or crowdsroucing campaign on www.earthhour.org or getting involved in Earth Hour campaigns in their own country, or starting the movement in their own community. The vision is always to do more, so make the light switch the beginning of your journey.
6. How long has Earth Hour been going for?
The first Earth Hour event was on March 31 2007. WWF-Australia inspired Sydney-siders to show their support for climate change action. More than 2.2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses turned their lights out for one hour in the first Earth Hour event.
Earth Hour 2014 will mark the eighth year of the campaign.
7. Is Earth Hour an annual event?
Earth Hour is more than annual event – it is a movement that culminates in an hour of inspiration across the world held towards the end of March each year.
8. What exactly has Earth Hour achieved before launching Earth Hour Blue?
o WWF Uganda started the world’s first Earth Hour Forest
o More than 250,000 Russians voiced support for better protection of their country’s seas and forests
o Argentina used its 2013 Earth Hour campaign to help pass a Senate bill for a 3.4 million hectare Marine Protected Area in the country
o Thousands of wood-saving stoves were distributed to families in Madagascar
o Solar-powered lights were installed in three villages without electricity in India
o In Paraguay, WWF used the Earth Hour platform to build public support to gain an extension of the logging moratorium, helping to reduce deforestation
o Education programs for schools were launched in Thailand and Taiwan
o Hundreds of thousands of LED lights were installed by girl scouts in the USA
o More than 2123 mitigation actions submitted by Earth Hour City Challenge 2014 participating cities
But this is just the start, there’s so many more Earth Hour stories out there we’re still discovering, and of course much more to do.
9. Back to the event. Isn't switching the lights off dangerous? What about public safety?
Earth Hour only asks people to turn off the non-essential lights for one hour - not lights that affect public safety. Earth Hour is also a celebration of the planet so it’s important to enjoy the moment in a safe environment.
10. What lights can be safely switched off?
That is a decision that has to be made individually but usually the overhead lights in rooms (whether it is your house or a business), outdoor lighting that does not impact safety, decorative lights, neon signs for advertising, televisions, desk lamps, the list goes on and on.
There are a few lights we can say with certainty that should NOT be turned off, including safety lights in public spaces, lights for aviation guidance, traffic lights, security lights, just to name a few. We ask people to use common sense. Before you turn off any lights for public spaces, Earth Hour recommends you check with local officials or community centres.
In your own home, use common sense with respect to safety. Keep small night lights on for basic safety especially in halls and on stairs. Make sure you have alternative light sources handy before Earth Hour starts, like torches or flashlights. That way if you need to see, you have a light source close at hand, and you can still respect the spirit of Earth Hour and keep yourself and your family safe.
11. What candles should I use for my Earth Hour event?
If you plan on burning candles during Earth Hour, make sure you use 100% beeswax candles or soy candles, which are gentler on our planet - smoke free, non-toxic and non-allergenic. They are also made of natural products, not petroleum-based materials, so they are effectively carbon neutral (the CO2 they emit has already been taken from the atmosphere to produce the wax). Many communities are now replacing candles with LED lights for their event, as a way to promote energy efficient lighting - a key for any sustainable future. If you're using candles, though, make sure you take care. We suggest you carefully follow these tips:
a. Candles should only be used under adult supervision
b. Candles should never be left unattended
c. Candles should be kept away from children and pets
d. Extinguish candles before going to sleep
e. Keep candles away from flammable liquids and gas-combustible materials
f. Candles should be kept clear of any combustible materials such as paper, curtains and clothing
g. Candles should not be placed in windows as they can be blown over. Blinds and curtains can also catch alight
h. Candles should be placed on a stable, dry, heat-resistant surface away from drafts
12. What is Earth Hour’s position on technology?
Earth Hour embraces technology to spread the message of positive environmental action across the world, and to replace more inefficient means of living our lives. Technology is key to a sustainable future that is aspirational. From LED lights, to hybrid vehicles, to developing replacements for unsustainable use of resources - Earth Hour has thrived off the back of the development in digital technology.
13. Will my city go completely black during the event?
Earth Hour is not a black out. It is a voluntary action by its participants to show their commitment to an act of change that benefits the planet. For many businesses in city skyscrapers or for many government buildings, the lights are turned off at the end of the business day the Friday before Earth Hour. So Earth Hour is more of a fade-out in some ways than a black out. There is usually no instant dramatic difference, but rather a gradual dimming of lights starting the day prior. Many major icons and neon signs are switched off for the hour and they are extremely noticeable. You may be able to see dramatic changes in large business districts or at iconic landmarks and buildings around the world and in your city.
14. If everyone turns their lights back on at the same time will there be a power surge?
People celebrate Earth Hour in a variety of ways for different lengths of time, with many continuing to keep their lights off well beyond the designated hour. After eight years, it’s clear everyone will not switch back on his or her lights simultaneously.
15. Why is Earth Hour the event held in late March?
The second-to-last and last weekend of March is around the time of the Spring and Autumn equinoxes in the northern and southern hemispheres respectively, which allows for near coincidental sunset times in both hemispheres, thereby ensuring the greatest visual impact for a global ‘lights out’ event. Earth Hour 2014 will be held on Saturday 29 March between 8.30PM and 9.30PM in your local time zone.
16. How many cities/countries/landmarks took part in Earth Hour 2013?
Earth Hour 2013 took place in more than 7001 cities and towns in 154 countries and territories across all seven continents. Hundreds of millions of people switched their lights off for an hour, and the campaign experienced its biggest growth since 2009. There were around 3395 landmarks that participated.
17. What does a commitment to Earth Hour mean?
By registering for Earth Hour 2014, individuals, communities and businesses are making a commitment to turn their lights off for an hour at 8.30PM on Saturday 29 March in acknowledgement of an act they will undertake for the benefit of the planet. We hope that these individuals, communities and businesses will take action beyond the hour through Earth Hour Blue.
18. Who can participate?
Earth Hour is a campaign for anyone and everyone who wants to share a commitment to make this planet better.
19. How can I do more for Earth Hour than just switching off my lights?
You can fund a project or add your voice to support projects anywhere around the world on Earth Hour Blue.
20. What energy/carbon reductions have resulted from Earth Hour in previous years?
Earth hour does not claim that the event is an energy or carbon reduction exercise - it is a symbolic action. Therefore, we do not engage in the measurement of energy or carbon reduction levels. Earth Hour is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and engage in dialogue and resource exchange that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges. Participation in Earth Hour symbolises a commitment to change beyond the hour.
21. Aren't you using a lot of electricity and resources to promote this event?
Earth Hour takes every effort to minimise our footprint, not just for the hour but also all year round. Earth Hour Global has a core team of just nine people based in Singapore and relies on a dispersed open-sourced model, meaning that the movement is run locally through WWF and communities all over the world.
All of Earth Hour Global’s emissions are offset and the campaign embraces digital technology to minimise the usage of natural resources and to spread our message.
22. Earth Hour is advertised all over the world. Does Earth Hour pay for this advertising?
Earth Hour Global secures millions of dollars of free advertising space with the help of partners such as Starcom, Discovery Networks International and many others. Earth Hour Global does not spend any money on paid advertising space. Earth Hour’s advice to teams around the world running local campaigns is to only seek either pro-bono or if absolutely necessary, low-bono advertising space.
23. Whose idea was Earth Hour?
Earth Hour came from a think tank initiated by Earth Hour CEO and Co-Founder, Andy Ridley, resulting in the formation of a partnership between WWF Australia, Leo Burnett and Fairfax Media to address the climate change issue.
In 2007, there was still a degree of scepticism and denial about the issue of climate change. Earth Hour came as the inspiration to rally people to the reality of climate change and start a dialogue about what we as individuals can do to help address the greatest problem facing our planet today. Leo Burnett partnered with WWF to promote the idea and help make the campaign a reality in Sydney, a campaign which has now gone beyond climate change to symbolise the growing global pursuit of a better, healthier world.
24. What is Earth Hour’s relationship with WWF?
Earth Hour is an initiative of WWF. In 2007, WWF initiated Earth Hour a way of engaging a broad section of society in the environmental issues challenging citizens across the world. WWF embraced the idea of an open sourced campaign that would allow communities and organisations to become part of a global movement to protect out planet.
25. Do you have requirements or regulations about who can or cannot partner with Earth Hour?
Any partner must uphold and support the aims and principles of Earth Hour. These include encouraging individual and community engagement on environmental issues. Encouraging conscious decisions to change the way we live in order to affect environmental reform, without the use of scare tactics or shaming. The specific decisions about whether or not to partner with a group or corporation are made at local level by Earth Hour country and city teams based on what suits their needs and community in achieving the goals of Earth Hour.
26. Does Earth Hour welcome the support of other NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) and NFP's (Not for Profits)?
Absolutely. In fact, the success of Earth Hour would not be possible without the support of other NGOs and NFPs. Global organisations such as the World Organisation of the Scout Movement and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts have been pivotal in spreading the Earth Hour message, while in some countries where there is no WWF presence, Earth Hour campaigns are orchestrated entirely by other NGOs and NFPs.
27. What does the Earth Hour logo mean?
The standard Earth Hour '60' logo represents the 60 minutes of Earth Hour where we focus on the impact we are having on our planet and take positive action to address the environmental issues we face. For Earth Hour 2011 the ‘60+’ logo was introduced representing a commitment to add to Earth Hour a positive act for the planet that goes beyond the hour. Take up the ‘plus’ and get involved with Earth Hour Blue.
28. Why is Spider-Man Earth Hour’s ambassador in 2014?
Earth Hour and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ (TASM2), distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, are encouraging people across the world to become superheroes for the planet with a simple call to action: “Use Your Power at earthhour.org”.
The partnership will allow us to reach an even broader section of society to spread the Earth Hour message, which is an approach that has allowed the movement to grow to the position it is in today.
Key to the partnership is that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is the most eco-friendly blockbuster produced by Sony Pictures.
Sony Pictures will offset 4,000 tonnes of carbon through WWF-China’s Gold Standard Verified ‘Energy Efficient Stoves To Protect The Giant Panda” project; and these carbon offsets have rendered the entire physical production of the film, as well as well as the appearance and activities of the film’s cast, producers and director for Earth Hour events, completely carbon-neutral.
The film’s stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx and director Marc Webb are also each lending their support to a different crowdfunding project on Earth Hour Blue, as a way to engage individuals to act beyond the hour.
Spider-Man is Earth Hour’s first superhero ambassador, epitomising the power of the individual and inspiring his fans to become superheroes for the planet.
We want every fan of Spider-Man to walk away knowing they can do something to protect the planet. Earth Hour is a movement for people illustrate their support, and Earth Hour Blue is the place they can get involved.
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LIFETIME ASSESSMENT OF NH3 - PLANTS, A PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR LIFETIME EXTENSION
LIFETIME ASSESSMENT OF NH3 - PLANTS, A PRACTICAL APPROACH FOR LIFETIME EXTENSIONfeel free to pdf folder
With best regards,
(2014)
Dr. AMAR NATH GIRI(2014)
amarnathgiri@nagarjunagroup.com
M.Sc.,Ph.D & DIPLOMA AS - P.G.D.E.P.L,CES, DCA,
IGIDR-MUMBAI
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WHO: air pollution 'is single biggest environmental health risk'
WHO: air pollution 'is single biggest environmental health risk'
India Gate can barely be seen through smog in Delhi. Around 4.3 million deaths in 2012 were caused by indoor air pollution, mostly from wood and coal stoves in Asia. Photograph: Louis Dowse/Corbis
Air pollution has become the world's single biggest environmental health risk, linked to around 7 million – or nearly one in eight deaths in 2012 – according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The new figures are more than double previous estimates and suggest that outdoor pollution from traffic fumes and coal-burning, and indoor pollution from wood and coal stoves, kills more people than smoking, road deaths and diabetes combined.
Around 80% of the 3.7 million deaths from outdoor pollution came as a result of stroke and heart disease, 11% from lung diseases and 6% from cancers. The vast majority were in Asia, with 180,000 in the Americas and Europe combined, said the WHO.
Indoor air pollution led to 4.3 million deaths, of which 34% were caused by strokes, 26% heart diseases and 12% respiratory disease in children. Only 19,000 of these deaths were in rich countries, with the vast majority being in low- and middle-income countries. Because many people are exposed to both indoor and outdoor air pollution, the WHO said deaths attributed to the two sources cannot be added together.
"The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes," said Maria Neira, director of WHO's department for public health, environmental and social determinants of health. "Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe."
South-east Asia, said the WHO, is now the most polluted region in the world, with 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths related to outdoor air pollution. This reflects the explosive growth of cities and industrial development in China and India, as well as continuing deep poverty in rural areas.
![Indoor pollution due to cooking open fire : Kagera, Tanzania]()
A woman breastfeeds her baby while another prepares food on an open fire indoor in Kagera, Tanzania. Women had higher levels of exposure than men in developing countries. Photograph: Jochem Wijnands/Alamy The new estimates are based not on an significant increase in pollution, but on improved knowledge of the links between air pollutants and heart diseases and cancers, in addition to known links with respiratory diseases. A 2008 WHO report estimated that outdoor pollution led to about 1.3 million deaths, while about 1.9 million people were killed by indoor pollution. A Lancet study last year suggested that the surge in car use in south and east Asia killed 2.1 million people prematurely in 2010. Last year, WHO's cancer agency classified air pollution as a carcinogen, linking dirty air to lung and bladder cancer.
"Cleaning up the air we breathe prevents non-communicable diseases as well as reduces disease risks among women and vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly," said Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO assistant director general of family, women and children's health. "Poor women and children pay a heavy price from indoor air pollution since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cook stoves."
Martin Williams, professor of air quality at the environmental research group, King's College London, said: "This is an important study, and although the majority of attributable deaths occur in south-east Asia and the western Pacific, air pollution impacts on mortality and health are still a significant public health problem in Europe, including the UK."
Air pollution is increasingly linked with ill health and deaths in rich countries as traffic emissions rise. In the US, air pollution causes about 200,000 early deaths a year, with emissions from cars and trucks causing 53,000 and power generation 52,000, according to MIT's environment laboratory. California suffers most from air pollution, with 21,000 early deaths.
In Europe, poor air quality is the top environmental cause of premature deaths in the EU, causing more than 100,000 premature deaths a year and costing from £300bn-£800bn a year in extra health costs, said Janez Potočnik, the EU environment commissioner.
Air pollution causes 29,000 early deaths a year in the UK and similar numbers in France and Germany.
The new figures are more than double previous estimates and suggest that outdoor pollution from traffic fumes and coal-burning, and indoor pollution from wood and coal stoves, kills more people than smoking, road deaths and diabetes combined.
Around 80% of the 3.7 million deaths from outdoor pollution came as a result of stroke and heart disease, 11% from lung diseases and 6% from cancers. The vast majority were in Asia, with 180,000 in the Americas and Europe combined, said the WHO.
Indoor air pollution led to 4.3 million deaths, of which 34% were caused by strokes, 26% heart diseases and 12% respiratory disease in children. Only 19,000 of these deaths were in rich countries, with the vast majority being in low- and middle-income countries. Because many people are exposed to both indoor and outdoor air pollution, the WHO said deaths attributed to the two sources cannot be added together.
"The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes," said Maria Neira, director of WHO's department for public health, environmental and social determinants of health. "Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe."
South-east Asia, said the WHO, is now the most polluted region in the world, with 3.3 million deaths linked to indoor air pollution and 2.6 million deaths related to outdoor air pollution. This reflects the explosive growth of cities and industrial development in China and India, as well as continuing deep poverty in rural areas.
A woman breastfeeds her baby while another prepares food on an open fire indoor in Kagera, Tanzania. Women had higher levels of exposure than men in developing countries. Photograph: Jochem Wijnands/Alamy The new estimates are based not on an significant increase in pollution, but on improved knowledge of the links between air pollutants and heart diseases and cancers, in addition to known links with respiratory diseases. A 2008 WHO report estimated that outdoor pollution led to about 1.3 million deaths, while about 1.9 million people were killed by indoor pollution. A Lancet study last year suggested that the surge in car use in south and east Asia killed 2.1 million people prematurely in 2010. Last year, WHO's cancer agency classified air pollution as a carcinogen, linking dirty air to lung and bladder cancer."Cleaning up the air we breathe prevents non-communicable diseases as well as reduces disease risks among women and vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly," said Dr Flavia Bustreo, WHO assistant director general of family, women and children's health. "Poor women and children pay a heavy price from indoor air pollution since they spend more time at home breathing in smoke and soot from leaky coal and wood cook stoves."
Martin Williams, professor of air quality at the environmental research group, King's College London, said: "This is an important study, and although the majority of attributable deaths occur in south-east Asia and the western Pacific, air pollution impacts on mortality and health are still a significant public health problem in Europe, including the UK."
Air pollution is increasingly linked with ill health and deaths in rich countries as traffic emissions rise. In the US, air pollution causes about 200,000 early deaths a year, with emissions from cars and trucks causing 53,000 and power generation 52,000, according to MIT's environment laboratory. California suffers most from air pollution, with 21,000 early deaths.
In Europe, poor air quality is the top environmental cause of premature deaths in the EU, causing more than 100,000 premature deaths a year and costing from £300bn-£800bn a year in extra health costs, said Janez Potočnik, the EU environment commissioner.
Air pollution causes 29,000 early deaths a year in the UK and similar numbers in France and Germany.
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IPCC Report: “Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change.”
IPCC Report: “Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change.”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) launched its latest report in Yokohama, Japan, earlier today which deals with the risk to society due to climate change and how to manage this risk.
The main conclusion from the report is that climate change is already having sweeping effects on every continent and throughout the world’s oceans. Scientists warned that the problems will grow substantially worse unless greenhouse emissions are brought under control.
In the words of Rajendra K. Pachauri, chairman of the intergovernmental panel:
“Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change.”
Below is a summary of the main findings around climate risk alongside links to a series of global stories written by 350.org highlighting the reality of climate change affecting the lives of communities worldwide adding to the need for immediate climate action.
SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGSIncreased food insecurity due to more intense droughts, floods, and heat waves in a warmer world, especially for poorer countries.
Increased water insecurity, due for example to shrinking of glaciers that act as key water resources for various regions around the world, and through changing precipitation patterns.Consequently, IPCC anticipates that violent conflicts like civil wars will become more common.
Number of people exposed to river floods is projected to increase.Continued sea-level rise will also cause submergence, flooding, and erosion of coastal regions and low-lying areas.
Ocean acidification poses significant risk for marine ecosystems; coral reefs in particular.
The general risk of species extinctions rises as the planet warms.
The report also estimates that global surface warming of approximately 2°C above current temperatures may lead to global income losses of 0.2 to 2.0 percent.Thus, failing to curb human-caused global warming poses major risks to the global economy.
The IPCC reports that many of these climate risks can be reduced by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and thus avoiding the worst climate change scenarios. The IPCC states that risks associated with reduced agricultural yields, water scarcity, inundation of coastal infrastructure from sea-level rise, and adverse impacts from heat waves, floods, and droughts can be reduced by cutting human greenhouse gas emissions.
In short ..
The only way to minimize these devastating impacts is to keep much of known coal, oil and gas reserves in the ground. We simply cannot allow the fossil fuel industry to continue their business as usual.
This latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) serves as an urgent warning that the world is running out of time to transition away from fossil fuels and towards a low-carbon future.
Read below 350.org’s climate impacts stories from around the world highlighting the reality of climate change:
INDIA: The Rising Cost of Climate Impacts in India
AUSTRALIA: Climate Impacts: Australia’s ‘Angry Summer’
UNITED KINGDOM: UK: Climate Impacts Have Never Hit Closer to Home
AZERBAIJAN: Azerbaijan: Climate Impacts in Mountain Villages
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The Rising Cost of Climate Impacts in India
The Rising Cost of Climate Impacts in India
The impacts of climate change over the last few years have been growing in scale and suffering as the poorest and the most vulnerable in India take the biggest hit. Take the recent crop devastation caused by unprecedented hail storms in central and southern India where over a 100 farmers committed suicide unable to bear the debt they accrued with another year of massive losses. It is hard not to see the climate connect when for many regions that suffered this storm, the precipitation was the highest ever in their recorded history. The state of Maharashtra, the worst hit by the storm is in fact yet to recover from the worst drought it had seen in 40 years that affected 30 million people in the summer of 2013. Such incidents reinforce the vicious cycle that put farmers in perennial debt.
If erratic rainfall is one issue, the intensity of it is another. We don’t have to look too far into our past to remind us of the biblical floods that ravaged the state of Uttarakhand in June last year. An incredible downpour swallowed over 5000 lives and put a dent in the state’s tourism for a long time to come. The frequency and intensity of cyclones battering India has also gone up in the last decade. A case in point is cyclone Phailin, a freak superstorm that left a trail of destruction in its path across the eastern coast of India in August ‘13.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that further inaction on climate change will only exacerbate the erratic rainfall patterns, crop loss, heat waves, droughts and other extreme weather events in India. The challenge as expected does not limit itself to the poorest, as we are beginning to witness indirect effects of extreme weather in the form of rising food prices and ever burgeoning costs of relief and rehabilitation.
Acting on climate change in the Indian context involves both mitigation and adaptation. Proactive measures need to be taken to support people in staving off the worst impacts of extreme weather whilst creating a vision of development that does not focus on aggravating the problem by increasing carbon emissions through our dependence on fossil fuels.
As the world’s largest democracy goes to polls this year, a lot is at stake for the future of those teeming millions of Indians who are barely making ends meet. As political parties of all hues and colours promise development, it is difficult yet important to separate the wheat from the chaff and so far it’s all been chaff. Development that pulls over 300 million people out of poverty is a national imperative but the current policies and polity of parties across the spectrum grossly ignore the impacts of climate change on their well adorned development driven manifestos.(Below are images of the hail storm in Maharashtra and the cyclone Phailin in Odisha)
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IPCC: Climate Change Increasing Risk of Hunger, Thirst, Disease, Refugees, and War
IPCC: Climate Change Increasing Risk of Hunger, Thirst, Disease, Refugees, and War |
By Dr. Jeff Masters
Published: 11:42 AM GMT on March 31, 2014
Climate change is already having "widespread impacts", and has the potential to worsen global hunger, water availability, disease, drought, flooding, refugees, and war in the coming decades if we do nothing to reduce it, said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) today, in the latest installment of their once-every-seven-year report on the climate. Today's report on climate change impacts and how we can adapt to them warned that "throughout the 21st century, climate-change impacts are projected to slow down economic growth, make poverty reduction more difficult, further erode food security, and prolong existing and create new poverty traps." Today's report by the Nobel-prize winning group of scientists was the second of four parts. Part 1, released in September 2013, covered the physical science behind climate change. Part 3 (due out in mid-April, 2014) will discuss how we can mitigate (reduce) climate change impacts. Part 4 (due out in early November, 2014) will present a grand summary of Parts 1, 2, and 3. Some key themes from today's report:Food supplies will tighten. To me, the most important finding of the report is the climate change's threat to reduce global food supplies, which have already been negatively impacted, and are at risk to get much worse: “Based on many studies covering a wide range of regions and crops, negative impacts of climate change on crop yields have been more common than positive impacts. Climate change has negatively affected wheat and maize (corn) yields for many regions and in the global aggregate." For the future, the report acknowledges that some areas will likely see increases in food production, due to increased CO2 in the air and more favorable precipitation, but the overall global trend in food supplies will likely be downward (Figure 1.) This downward trend in yields will occur in the face of rapidly increasing demand, as the population grows by 2 billion, resulting in "increased likelihood of under-nutrition resulting from diminished food production in poor regions."
Figure 1. Summary of projected changes in crop yields, due to climate change over the 21st century. The figure includes projections for different emission scenarios, for tropical and temperate regions, and for adaptation and no-adaptation cases combined. Over the period 2010 - 2029, about as many scenarios predict an increase in global crop yields as predict a decrease. However, beyond 2030, more than twice as many scenarios predict a decrease versus an increase. Relatively few studies have considered impacts on cropping systems for scenarios where global mean temperatures increase by 4°C or more. For five time frames in the near-term and long-term, data (n=1090) are plotted in the 20-year period on the horizontal axis that includes the midpoint of each future projection period. Changes in crop yields are relative to late-20th-century levels. Data for each time frame sum to 100%. Image credit: IPCC.
Water availability to people will decrease, as wet areas get wetter and dry areas get drier. Not only does climate change pose huge risks to our food supply, it also threatens water availability. “The fraction of global population experiencing water scarcity and the fraction affected by major river floods increase with the level of warming in the 21st century.”
We're not adapting fast enough to avoid serious damage. The report talks about "adaptation deficits", as demonstrated by our relatively poor ability to respond to impacts from from recent extreme climatic events. "Climate-change-related risks from extreme events, such as heat waves, extreme precipitation, and coastal flooding, are already moderate (high confidence) and high with 1°C additional warming (medium confidence)." IPCC author and Princeton Professor Michael Oppenheimer put it more succinctly to the Associated Press: “We’re all sitting ducks.”
Poor people are most at risk from climate change. Climate-related hazards constitute an additional burden to people living in poverty, acting as a threat multiplier.
Climate change increases the risk of violence. For the first time, the IPCC lays out the case that climate change can add a destabilizing factor that can make violence more likely in countries with social and economic inequalities. "Climate change can indirectly increase risks of violent conflicts in the form of civil war and inter-group violence by amplifying well-documented drivers of these conflicts such as poverty and economic shocks."
Climate change increases the risk of more refugees."Displacement risk increases when populations that lack the resources for planned migration experience higher exposure to extreme weather events."
Climate change will be costly. Though the uncertainties are high, the costs for an additional 2°C rise in temperature are thought to be between 0.2 and 2.0% of global GDP. "Losses are more likely than not to be greater, rather than smaller, than this range, since it is difficult to account for catastrophic changes, tipping points, and many other factors."
Human health will suffer."Throughout the 21st century, climate change is expected to lead to increases in ill-health in many regions and especially in developing countries with low income…the magnitude and severity of negative impacts are projected to increasingly outweigh positive impacts. Examples include greater likelihood of injury, disease, and death due to more intense heat waves and fires; increased likelihood of under-nutrition resulting from diminished food production in poor regions; risks from lost work capacity and reduced labor productivity in vulnerable populations; and increased risks from food- and water-borne diseases and vector-borne diseases" (like malaria.)
We can take action to reduce these substantial risks."Mitigation is considered essential for managing the risks of climate change."Mitigation refers to human actions to reduce climate change. Burning fewer fossil fuels and thus putting less CO2 in the air is essential to mitigating climate change. We should view the next few decades as the era of ‘climate responsibility’, when we can make a huge difference to keep our future climate livable. The report emphasizes that if greenhouse gases continue to rise, the world can expect an additional 6 - 7°F (3.5 - 4°C) of warming by 2100, instead of the international goal of keeping this rise less than 2°F (1.2°C). Princeton's Dr. Oppenheimer compared these two choices as "the difference between driving on an icy road at 30 mph versus 90 mph. It's risky at 30, but deadly at 90." Uncertainty is not a reason to delay climate action, and it is cheaper to act now on climate change than to delay. The International Energy Agency said in 2013 that in order to keep global warming less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels, "Delaying stronger climate action until 2020 would avoid $1.5 trillion in low-carbon investments up to that point, but an additional $5 trillion would then need to be invested through to 2035 to get back on track." The latest IPCC findings will be a key discussion topic for world leaders at a September 23, 2014 Climate Summit in New York City, hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The summit aims to mobilize political will to pave the way for an ambitious global legal climate agreement to be signed at the critical December 2015 Conference of Parties (COP) negotiations in Paris.
Links
Associated Press coverage of the IPCC Part 2 report.
New Blockbuster IPCC Climate Report: Comprehensive, Authoritative, Conservative, my September 2013 post on who the IPCC is, and how they write their reports.
Landmark 2013 IPCC Report: 95% Chance Most of Global Warming is Human-Caused, my September 2013 post on Part I of the 2013 - 2014 IPCC report.
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RIL, fertilizer companies fail to agree on supply terms
NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries and its only customers on Monday failed to agree on the key terms of sale of natural gas from April 1 but the government asked the Mukesh Ambanirun firm to continue supplies on existing terms in the interim.
After an almost five-hour marathon meeting between RIL and urea companies, the two sides failed to settle on the rate at which gas supplies should be securitised.
The options were the rate of $4.2 per million British thermal units, which expires on Monday, or $8.34, the price that would have been applicable had the Election Commission not postponed implementation of the Rangarajan Committee formula till the completion of the general elections. RIL wanted the 16 fertiliser companies to financially secure payments for about 13 million standard cubic meters per day of gas they buy from its eastern offshore KG-D6 field at $8.34.
But the fertiliser units said that since the new rate is not applicable and the oil ministry had ordered the supply of gas at the existing rate while the model code of conduct is in place, they would provide letters of credit at $4.2Fertiliser secretary Shaktikanta Das, who chaired the meeting, said RIL will supply gas on the existing terms in the interim and a new Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) will be negotiated.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India-Business/RIL-fertilizer-companies-fail-to-agree-on-supply-terms/articleshow/33049996.cms
After an almost five-hour marathon meeting between RIL and urea companies, the two sides failed to settle on the rate at which gas supplies should be securitised.
The options were the rate of $4.2 per million British thermal units, which expires on Monday, or $8.34, the price that would have been applicable had the Election Commission not postponed implementation of the Rangarajan Committee formula till the completion of the general elections. RIL wanted the 16 fertiliser companies to financially secure payments for about 13 million standard cubic meters per day of gas they buy from its eastern offshore KG-D6 field at $8.34.
But the fertiliser units said that since the new rate is not applicable and the oil ministry had ordered the supply of gas at the existing rate while the model code of conduct is in place, they would provide letters of credit at $4.2Fertiliser secretary Shaktikanta Das, who chaired the meeting, said RIL will supply gas on the existing terms in the interim and a new Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) will be negotiated.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/India-Business/RIL-fertilizer-companies-fail-to-agree-on-supply-terms/articleshow/33049996.cms
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