Cement, Energy and Environment

I ~- statutory body "truly autonomous" of the environment ministry was being set up as the laws pertaining to environment pollution were not implemented in their true spirit, according to the Minister. Courtesy: The Economic Times, March 17, 2010, P13. I Environmental Improvement I FLV ASH SPILLING HAZARD, STRICT ACTION ALSO AGAINST ILLEGAL TRADERS TAMLUK, 10 April: The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) on 10 1 h April 2010, cracked the whip on Kolaghat Thermal Power Station (KTPS) for causing an environmental disaster within its locality. At a hearing on the fly ash spill-over, which is affecting the locality severely, the PCB officials have served an order instructing the KTPS authorities to open the canals - Denan and Bankur - by dredging out the dumped ashes in the coming monsoon. "If the canals are not cleaned within this stipulated period, the KTPS will be penalized", the order reads. The stricture to KTPS came as the Krishak Sangram Parishad and Santipur Dusan Pratlrodh Committee lodged complaints with the PCB a few months ago The PCB officials also slapped a Rs. 1 lakh fine on three private companies who have illegally set up three warehouses of storing ash at a place in Santipur Mouza of I Climate Change & Global Warming I UNFCCC GETS GHG COMMITMENTS FROM 55 COUNTRIES Midnapore East district. The PCB officials instructed that all the three warehouses set up illegally in Santipur Mouza should immediately be closed and KTPS will not be allowed to make any business with these three private companies in future. In another decision, the PCB officials asked the KTPS authorities that they would not be allowed to induct manual labours for handling fly ashes. Though the officials, comprising Mr. Dipankar Chattapdhyay, general manager of KTPS, claimed that a lot of relief had already been distributed, Mr. Biswajit Mukherjee, chief low officer of PCB and Mr. A K Bhunia, a retired district judge termed it "inadequate". Courtesy: The Statesman, April11, 2010. Quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020 Countries Emissions reduction in 2020 Base year Australia 5-15% ot25% £!" 2000 Canada 17% to be aligned with the final US targets 2005 ·- EU'and its MemberStates 20%/30.% 2 1990 acting in common · Japan 25% reduction, which is premised on the establishment of a fair and 1990 effective international framework in which all major economies participate and on agreement by those economies on ambitious targets New Zealand 10-20% .. 1990 Norway 30-40% 1990 Russian Federation 15-25% 1990 USA In the range of 17%, in conformity with anticipated US energy and 2005 climate legislation 3 China 40-45% by 2020 2005 India 20-25% by 2020 2005 1 Brazil 36. 1% to 38. 9% by 2020 Not mentioned 0 0 1 South Afnca 34% deVIatiOn from BAU by 2020 and 42% devJatJon from BAU by 2025 Not mentiOned 'Currently not all EU Member States are Annex I Parties (Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom). 2 As part of a global and comprehensive agreement for the period beyond 2012, the EU reiterates its conditional offer to move to a 30% reduction by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission reductions and that developing countries contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities. 1"he pathway set forth in pending legislation would entail a 30% reduction in 2025 and a 42% reduction in 2030, in line with the goal to reduce emissions by 83% by 2050. Courtesy: the energy business, Vol. 1, February 2010,P15. 37 I I