Cement, Energy and Environment

LOW-CARBON COMMITTEE CHARTS HIGH-CARBON GROWTH In January 2010, the Planning Commission, Govt. of India appointed a 26-member Expert Group to prepare a 'low– carbon growth strategy' for India called the 'Report (draft) of the Expert Committee on Low– Carbon Strategies for Inclusive Growth in India.' The group, chaired by Kirit Parikh, former Member, Planning Commission, has 25 other members from various walks of life. The terms of reference of the committee are as follows: 1) Review existing studies on low-carbon growth/low– carbon pathways for India prepared by various organizations. 2) Conduct further analysis, as required, to assess low– carbon options for the Indian economy. 3) Present a report outlining the roadmap for India for low-carbon growth. This would include the following: • An evaluation of some key alternative low-carbon options with an analysis of their cost-benefits and relative merits and demerits. • An Action Plan comprising critical low-carbon initiatives to be undertaken, including sector-specific initiatives, along with a suggested timeline and targets starting 2011 that can feed into the 12th Plan process. • List of enabling legislation, rules and policies, as required to operationalize the low-carbon roadmap. One of the major flaws in the constitution of the committee was the absence of some critical agencies from the government such as the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). An 'Expert Group' is not to be filled up with government officials, but key stakeholders like MNRE should certainly have been there. The Omission of MNRE also has great negative symbolic value, in that it refuses to recognize the importance of renewables in the development of a low-carbon economy. Stakeholder buy-out is important in such critical areas and their involvement at the stage of report preparation would have smoothened the process of their acceptance of the recommendations . Courtesy: Green Energy, Vo/.6, Nov.-Dec. 2010, P12. ORISSA MOOTS RS 180- BILLION ACTION PLAN TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE Orissa is the first state in the country to have prepared a climate change action plan and the state government has planned to invest Rs . 180 billion for the implementation of this plan, said Chief Minister Mr. Naveen Pattnaik . Mr. Pattnaik inaugurated the national conference on 'Coastal Eco– System and Sustainable Development'at Paradip, being organized by Coastal Orissa Eco Foundation. Courtesy: TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) Newswire, 1-15 January 2011, P19. 2010, A REMARKABLE YEAR IN THE ANNALS OF CLIMATOLOGY Recent figures for the global climate show that 2010 was the wettest year in the historical record, and it tied 2005 as the hottest year since record– keeping began in 1880. The new figures confirm that 201 0 will go down as one of the more remarkable years in the annals of climatology. It featured prodigious snowstorms that broke seasonal records in the US and Europe; a record– shattering summer heat wave that scorched Russia ; strong fl oods that drove people from their homes in places like Pakistan, Australia, California, and Tennessee; a severe die-off of coral reefs; and a continuation in the global trend of a warming climate. Two agencies, NASA and the NOAA, reported in January that the global average surface temperature for 2010 had tied the record set in 2005. The analyses differ slightly; in the NOAA version , the 2010 temperature was 1.12°F above the average for the 20th centu ry, which is 57 °F. It was the 34th year running that global temperatures have been above the 20th century average; the last below-average year was 1976. The new figures show that nine of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred since the beginning of 2001. The earth has been warming in fits and starts for decades, and a large majority of climatologists say that is because humans are releas ing heat-trapping gases like C0 2 into the atmosphere. The C0 2 level has increased about 40% since the Industrial Revolution. Courtesy: TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) Newswire, 1-15 January 2011, P24. C0 2 TWEAKS NITROGEN CYCLE Can affect marine food web In what could have ramifications on the ocean food web, scientists have found that rising acidity of seawaters slows down marine nitrogen cycle. 35