Perhaps you've heard of Baldwin Hills. The southwestern district of Los Angeles has been called the multicultural Beverly Hills, and is the subject of a BET reality knockoff of MTV's "The Hills." It's also surrounded by more than 400 oil wells in a sector of Los Angeles that's consistently ranked the most-polluted region in the nation. Five years ago, Irma Muñoz watched as two of her closest friends and neighbors, both lifelong Baldwin Hills residents, fell ill. It was cancer—one colon and the other, breast—and within two months, both women, in their late 50s, were dead.
It hasn't been proved that the chemicals they'd inhaled over a lifetime in the region had anything to do with their deaths, but cancer is among the health risks warned to be associated with oilfield expansion in Baldwin Hills, according to a 2007 report from a division of the L.A. County Department of Regional Planning. And in Muñoz's mind, it couldn't have been any clearer. "A lot of people in my neighborhood have died of cancer, and I decided that women needed to start speaking up," says the Los Angeles native, a lifelong activist. In 2004, Muñoz, 56, founded Mujeres de la Tierra, an organization that works to empower women who've traditionally been excluded from the environmental conversation. In anticipation of Earth Day, she spoke with NEWSWEEK's Jessica Bennett:
NEWSWEEK: Describe the biggest environmental issues facing the Latino community in Los Angeles.Muñoz: That's a tough question, but I would say it's a lack of access to passive and active recreational opportunities, to green space to play, to parks. Latinos in many urban areas are the new mainstream, but unfortunately that does not translate in the equitable distribution of resources—especially in the "green world." A lot of power plants and factories are traditionally put in minority neighborhoods, and we suffer as a result of that. What we want are all the things that are necessary to good community health in any urban area: trees and clean air quality.
I know the creation of this organization has very personal roots. But why focus on Latinas specifically?Five years ago, the National Resources Defense Council released a report on Latino health—about how Latino children were suffering disproportionately as a result of environmental woes in their neighborhoods. The report was written in both English and in Spanish, and I remember being so happy it had been written in Spanish so that many in the community could read it. But a few days later, there was an article about the report in a local paper, and not one Latino was interviewed for it. I was really bothered by that, but it was a pattern I had begun to see: the Latino community not being involved in the environmental conversation.
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Why do you think that is?At the end of the day, it's all about power, influence and money, which we don't see that much of in our communities. Environmentalism is big business. And though there are good people working in our communities, often they're one-, two- or three-person [efforts], and it's harder to get the funding or recognition.
What does environmentalism mean to you?I think when you talk about the environment, most people are talking about the natural elements: air, water, the earth. But for me, and for many in my community, the environment starts with the family. Many of us come from farming backgrounds, and our relationship with the land is almost a spiritual experience. If you look at the history of Mexican-Americans, our whole lives are related to Mother Earth and the natural elements.
Is it possible that the history of Latinos in this country has actually fostered more sustainable practices?When you don't have the luxury of having a lot of stuff, you're resourceful because you have to be. Many of the women I work with live in apartments without access to yards or land, and when I ask them what would make their lives better, they say, "A place where we can grow our own vegetables." For many of us, land is very precious; we come from backgrounds where we grow our own corn and vegetables and fruit. And this is certainly sustainable, but many people don't continue it, because the land around us is very contaminated.
Do you think that through organizations like yours, we can move beyond the idea that environmentalism is a luxury of the elite?Absolutely. I think for many years, we had these alarming articles about if we don't take ownership, that global warming will result in all these horrible things. Well, now that's happening, and people are seeing it with their own eyes. I think we're beginning to realize that this is not someone else's problem; it's ours. And as a result of that, whether we call it the environment or not, we're doing things to change it. So it's no longer going to be a white, middle-class, affluent movement, it's all of us doing it. It just seems that some of us don't have the media or the publicity machines to show what we're doing.
What can NEWSWEEK readers do to help?On the very small scale, I think we can all look at what we do in our households. Do you take 20-minute showers? Do you turn off the water when you brush your teeth? All of those little things are big things, and it all starts at home. But I think people can also organize themselves and work toward a common goal: get involved in cleanup days, take ownership and pride in your neighborhood. If you want a community garden, look for empty land. Get to know your neighbors. I think all of these things are good for strengthening neighborhoods, and for raising the next generation of activists.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
A Green Trade War?
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Be careful what you wish for. For years, much of the world has been bashing America for refusing to cooperate in the fight against climate change. Now that President Barack Obama has pledged American leadership in cutting greenhouse-gas emissions—and as a far-reaching package of green legislation begins to wind its way through the U.S. Congress—relief is giving way to worry. In recent weeks European, Indian and Chinese officials have warned that the result of America's long-awaited change of mind might not be cooperation but conflict, and possibly the world's first green trade war.
That's because as Washington debates how to regulate emissions, a powerful coalition of energy-intensive industries, labor unions and Rust Belt state legislators is clamoring for protection from imports. They argue that the new cap-and-trade system envisioned by Obama and congressional leaders, which will require major polluters to acquire permits for the right to emit CO2, will put them at a competitive disadvantage against competitors based in countries that don't have similar carbon-pricing schemes. In March Obama's energy secretary, Steven Chu, said the U.S. is prepared to use a border tax on imports as a weapon to force countries like China to limit their own emissions, triggering a warning by Su Wei, China's chief climate negotiator, that this would lead to retaliatory measures. India has since warned the West not to engage in "green protectionism."
So far, the threats have been limited to words, but that may soon change. Introduced in Congress on April 1, America's proposed scheme is loosely based on Europe's, which gives homegrown energy-intensive industries like steel, aluminum and cement generous free allowances of pollution permits, in effect grandfathering them into the new system. The president would have the authority to impose "border adjustments" only if U.S. companies were determined to be at a competitive disadvantage after a five-year trial period. But with the American debate over climate change increasingly driven by worries over jobs and competitiveness, some form of protection seems increasingly likely. In Europe, politicians have called for EU trade sanctions against both China and the U.S. if they don't agree to cut emissions.
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Because they already regulate emissions, the Europeans would likely be exempt from any U.S. carbon tariffs, which appear squarely aimed at China.
The biggest victim of a confrontation, however, would be the environment that U.S. legislators are purporting to save. China is just beginning to get serious about its own environmental record, and as a member of the G20 seems finally to be taking its first baby steps toward a more involved and constructive international role. The global climate regime that the world's biggest polluters will try to hammer out at the U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen in December will not work without major developing-world emitters like China onboard. A nasty trade fight with the United States would make cooperation by Beijing even less likely, says Benjamin Görlach, emissions expert at the Ecologic Institute in Berlin.
Not only does the debate over imports threaten to obscure the original environmental-policy goals, it also obscures the facts. The greatest share of carbon-intensive imports reaches the U.S. not from China but from heavily regulated Europe. What's more, a number of studies have found the effects on industrial competitiveness to be minimal. Among other things, they found that the cost of complying with environmental regulation plays little to no role when companies decide where to locate—access to local markets is by far the most important factor, followed by labor costs. In some cases, such as Germany's €160 billion chemical industry, efficiency improvements prodded by environmental regulation have even helped make the industry more competitive, not less. Even the Chinese case is anything but clear. China itself may be polluted, but its exports tend to come from modern, efficient plants, and the country already has higher efficiency standards for vehicles and appliances than the U.S., leading a Chinese official to remark at a Brookings Institution conference in Washington last year that it may be China that should slap carbon tariffs on U.S. products, not the other way around. The trouble now is that the debate is driven less and less by environmental concerns and is turning into one defined by longstanding domestic U.S. worries that cheap Chinese goods will continue to flood the U.S., take jobs and hurt companies. So far in this downturn, the protectionists have been held in check by fears of repeating the mistakes of the 1930s, when a global tariff war plunged the world into depression. Under the cover of green, they could yet have their day.
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Be careful what you wish for. For years, much of the world has been bashing America for refusing to cooperate in the fight against climate change. Now that President Barack Obama has pledged American leadership in cutting greenhouse-gas emissions—and as a far-reaching package of green legislation begins to wind its way through the U.S. Congress—relief is giving way to worry. In recent weeks European, Indian and Chinese officials have warned that the result of America's long-awaited change of mind might not be cooperation but conflict, and possibly the world's first green trade war.
That's because as Washington debates how to regulate emissions, a powerful coalition of energy-intensive industries, labor unions and Rust Belt state legislators is clamoring for protection from imports. They argue that the new cap-and-trade system envisioned by Obama and congressional leaders, which will require major polluters to acquire permits for the right to emit CO2, will put them at a competitive disadvantage against competitors based in countries that don't have similar carbon-pricing schemes. In March Obama's energy secretary, Steven Chu, said the U.S. is prepared to use a border tax on imports as a weapon to force countries like China to limit their own emissions, triggering a warning by Su Wei, China's chief climate negotiator, that this would lead to retaliatory measures. India has since warned the West not to engage in "green protectionism."
So far, the threats have been limited to words, but that may soon change. Introduced in Congress on April 1, America's proposed scheme is loosely based on Europe's, which gives homegrown energy-intensive industries like steel, aluminum and cement generous free allowances of pollution permits, in effect grandfathering them into the new system. The president would have the authority to impose "border adjustments" only if U.S. companies were determined to be at a competitive disadvantage after a five-year trial period. But with the American debate over climate change increasingly driven by worries over jobs and competitiveness, some form of protection seems increasingly likely. In Europe, politicians have called for EU trade sanctions against both China and the U.S. if they don't agree to cut emissions.
placeAd2(commercialNode,'bigbox',false,'')
Because they already regulate emissions, the Europeans would likely be exempt from any U.S. carbon tariffs, which appear squarely aimed at China.
The biggest victim of a confrontation, however, would be the environment that U.S. legislators are purporting to save. China is just beginning to get serious about its own environmental record, and as a member of the G20 seems finally to be taking its first baby steps toward a more involved and constructive international role. The global climate regime that the world's biggest polluters will try to hammer out at the U.N. climate conference in Copenhagen in December will not work without major developing-world emitters like China onboard. A nasty trade fight with the United States would make cooperation by Beijing even less likely, says Benjamin Görlach, emissions expert at the Ecologic Institute in Berlin.
Not only does the debate over imports threaten to obscure the original environmental-policy goals, it also obscures the facts. The greatest share of carbon-intensive imports reaches the U.S. not from China but from heavily regulated Europe. What's more, a number of studies have found the effects on industrial competitiveness to be minimal. Among other things, they found that the cost of complying with environmental regulation plays little to no role when companies decide where to locate—access to local markets is by far the most important factor, followed by labor costs. In some cases, such as Germany's €160 billion chemical industry, efficiency improvements prodded by environmental regulation have even helped make the industry more competitive, not less. Even the Chinese case is anything but clear. China itself may be polluted, but its exports tend to come from modern, efficient plants, and the country already has higher efficiency standards for vehicles and appliances than the U.S., leading a Chinese official to remark at a Brookings Institution conference in Washington last year that it may be China that should slap carbon tariffs on U.S. products, not the other way around. The trouble now is that the debate is driven less and less by environmental concerns and is turning into one defined by longstanding domestic U.S. worries that cheap Chinese goods will continue to flood the U.S., take jobs and hurt companies. So far in this downturn, the protectionists have been held in check by fears of repeating the mistakes of the 1930s, when a global tariff war plunged the world into depression. Under the cover of green, they could yet have their day.
How to send electricity across the continent, virtually for free.
Remember the Woodstock of Physics? Probably not. Back in the spring of 1987, though, headlines were trumpeting it as the most exciting scientific meeting in history. Three thousand physicists crammed into a ballroom at the New York Hilton to talk about superconductivity-the transmission of electricity with literally zero resistance. The technology was suddenly within reach of being economical. So it appeared, anyway, and that could mean anything from superfast computers to tiny, powerful electric motors to power lines that could carry current with no loss of energy.
In the more than two decades since, superconductors haven't grabbed many headlines. That's partly because the new materials discovered in the late '80s proved to be a lot harder to work with than anyone expected, and partly because their energy-saving wizardry wasn't in high demand during most of the 1990s. But nowadays, using less energy is a key strategy in the fight against climate change-and a lot of the technical problems that have dogged superconductor technology have been solved. "Five years ago, I'd have been skeptical," says Robert Cava, a Princeton materials scientist who was in on the original Woodstock of Physics. "But after years and years and years of people beating their heads against the wall, they've finally got it."
"They" are scientists and engineers at a handful of companies in Europe, the U.S. and Japan who have figured out how to turn brittle, fragile superconductors into flexible wires. "We basically found a way to bend the unbendable," says Greg Yurek, who left the MIT faculty in the late 1980s to found American Superconductor in Massachusetts. Superconductors have found their way recently into ships, wind turbines and electric cars. But the big push now is for power transmission. A major element of the "smart grid" is a new set of long-distance power lines to carry electricity from renewables like wind and solar. Conventional power lines are expensive, unsightly and wasteful-they can lose 14 percent of their energy from the resistance of the copper cables.
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Superconducting cables have no such problem. A set of cables carrying five gigawatts of power-the output, of, say, five big nuclear power plants-can fit into a pipe just three feet across, and you could even bury it underground. Part of the pipe will be taken up with a cooling system: these superconductors work only when kept at the temperature of liquid nitrogen, about minus-170 degrees Celsius. Nitrogen is relatively cheap to manufacture and keep cold compared with the liquid helium (minus-269 degrees) needed for old-fashioned superconductors. The cooling equipment draws some energy from the cable, but still far less than the losses in copper cable. Even so, the power industry isn't likely to trash its old but serviceable transmission lines and install superconductors, even if they are more efficient. If the world is going to start using climate-friendly renewables, it'll require new transmission lines anyway. In the U.S., for example, the most abundant and reliable wind power comes from a belt stretching from Texas north to the Dakotas. The best spots for solar are in Arizona and New Mexico. The biggest consumers of electricity-the cities-are mostly along the coasts and near the Great Lakes.
So new power cables will have to link the source to the consumer. And if it's a choice between ugly, inefficient overhead lines and a pipe buried along existing interstate-highway rights of way, the choice seems kind of obvious-assuming that American Superconductor is correct in its claim that the costs are roughly the same. The Woodstock of Physics, in short, may finally be living up to its mostly forgotten hype.
In the more than two decades since, superconductors haven't grabbed many headlines. That's partly because the new materials discovered in the late '80s proved to be a lot harder to work with than anyone expected, and partly because their energy-saving wizardry wasn't in high demand during most of the 1990s. But nowadays, using less energy is a key strategy in the fight against climate change-and a lot of the technical problems that have dogged superconductor technology have been solved. "Five years ago, I'd have been skeptical," says Robert Cava, a Princeton materials scientist who was in on the original Woodstock of Physics. "But after years and years and years of people beating their heads against the wall, they've finally got it."
"They" are scientists and engineers at a handful of companies in Europe, the U.S. and Japan who have figured out how to turn brittle, fragile superconductors into flexible wires. "We basically found a way to bend the unbendable," says Greg Yurek, who left the MIT faculty in the late 1980s to found American Superconductor in Massachusetts. Superconductors have found their way recently into ships, wind turbines and electric cars. But the big push now is for power transmission. A major element of the "smart grid" is a new set of long-distance power lines to carry electricity from renewables like wind and solar. Conventional power lines are expensive, unsightly and wasteful-they can lose 14 percent of their energy from the resistance of the copper cables.
placeAd2(commercialNode,'bigbox',false,'')
Superconducting cables have no such problem. A set of cables carrying five gigawatts of power-the output, of, say, five big nuclear power plants-can fit into a pipe just three feet across, and you could even bury it underground. Part of the pipe will be taken up with a cooling system: these superconductors work only when kept at the temperature of liquid nitrogen, about minus-170 degrees Celsius. Nitrogen is relatively cheap to manufacture and keep cold compared with the liquid helium (minus-269 degrees) needed for old-fashioned superconductors. The cooling equipment draws some energy from the cable, but still far less than the losses in copper cable. Even so, the power industry isn't likely to trash its old but serviceable transmission lines and install superconductors, even if they are more efficient. If the world is going to start using climate-friendly renewables, it'll require new transmission lines anyway. In the U.S., for example, the most abundant and reliable wind power comes from a belt stretching from Texas north to the Dakotas. The best spots for solar are in Arizona and New Mexico. The biggest consumers of electricity-the cities-are mostly along the coasts and near the Great Lakes.
So new power cables will have to link the source to the consumer. And if it's a choice between ugly, inefficient overhead lines and a pipe buried along existing interstate-highway rights of way, the choice seems kind of obvious-assuming that American Superconductor is correct in its claim that the costs are roughly the same. The Woodstock of Physics, in short, may finally be living up to its mostly forgotten hype.
Coal ash spill cleanup slow; cause still unknown
Glen Daugherty watches from his wooden dock, just beyond his prized pontoon boat, as a floating dredging machine growls from across the channel of the Emory River.
When it isn't broken down, the machine has been slowly sucking up tons of coal ash that spilled six months ago from the Kingston Fossil Plant a few hundred yards upriver.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, owner and operator of the giant coal-fired Kingston plant, calls this progress. Daugherty, 67, who once delivered coal from local mines to the Kingston plant, just sees shattered dreams.
"I was going to be here the rest of my life," he said. "Now I don't know what I am going to do."
A Dec. 22 breach in an earthen dike unleashed 5.4 million cubic yards of toxic-laden ash into the river and 26 lakeside homes, covering some 300 acres with grayish muck.
The 1,900-square-foot brick rancher that Glen and Evelyn Daugherty built on their little acre of paradise along the Emory River in 1991 wasn't damaged by the spill. But it's now part of the cleanup zone. Most of their neighbors have moved or are moving with buyouts from the nation's largest public utility — TVA has paid out $20 million so far.
House or healthDaugherty said TVA won't pay enough to replace his home, and he refuses to take on debt at his age.
Still, Daugherty said his wife's doctor advised them: "Which is more important to you — your house or your health? I am going to tell you right now, you better get out of there."
The Daughertys, who celebrated their 40th anniversary in February, have until July 31 to decide.
The cause of the spill is still unknown, six months after the disaster brought national attention to the regulation and risks of coal ash storage. The ash — which typically contains traces of arsenic and other toxic materials — is stored at 43 other sites in 26 communities around the country, which are so hazardous the Army Corps of Engineers won't disclose their locations.
TVA hired engineering consultants AECOM USA Inc. to study the cause. Lead consultant William Walton, based in Vernon Hills, Ill., isn't taking calls from The Associated Press.
TVA spokesman John Moulton said the document should be out this month.
‘It was an embarrassment’A panel of engineering and environmental experts formed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is waiting to review the AECOM report. So are attorneys handling a half dozen federal lawsuits filed by victims against TVA.
University of Tennessee professor emeritus Bruce Tschantz, an expert in hydrology and dam safety engineering, is on the panel, which was briefed on the report a few weeks ago.
Tschantz wouldn't reveal any conclusions, but said he hopes the final version digs deep into the decisions that led to the wall's collapse. It should explain whether such a spill could happen again — and whether it can be prevented, he said.
Click for related content
Beetles threaten water, power suppliesMoney to shut nuclear plants falls shortEPA declares asbestos emergency in town
"My analogy is when an airplane goes down and they find out the direct reason is the wings were cracked," he said. "OK, so that is why it went down but why were the wings cracked? Why were the wings not inspected? Why were they allowed to crack? Is it because of poor management and inspection?"
Tshcantz added: "No matter what the findings are — it was an embarrassment."
This much is known. The Kingston plant's ash landfill began filling up with the byproduct of coal-fired electric generation in 1958, and the pile stood 60 feet high at the time of the spill. It was licensed to go even higher, to 80 feet, before closing in 2015. A layer of water sat on top to keep the ash from blowing away.
Two small, localized problems with the dikes were found in 2003 and 2006, according to the utility's inspector general. Otherwise, state inspectors found no deficiencies in August, and a visual inspection the afternoon before the spill turned up no problems.
TVA officials noted immediately after the spill that the temperature dropped to 14 degrees that night. President and CEO Tom Kilgore said 4.9 inches of rain fell in December — almost twice as much as normal — which could have added significant weight to the pile.
Even so, the spill could have been worse. Just more than half of the 9.5 million cubic yards of ash the site holds spilled. Kingston has the largest ash pile of any of TVA's 11 coal-fired power plants.
Costly cleanupTo date, TVA has rebuilt roads and railroad tracks, restored utilities, offered compensation to victims, opened community outreach centers and public document rooms, begun dredging and awarded a contract to ship about half the spilled ash to an Alabama landfill. The cleanup cost could reach $1 billion.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing the cleanup, which could cost $1 billion. Anda Ray, TVA's top environmental executive, said the agency is working to get the ash out of the river by next spring to prevent it from being carried downstream during a storm.
When it isn't broken down, the machine has been slowly sucking up tons of coal ash that spilled six months ago from the Kingston Fossil Plant a few hundred yards upriver.
The Tennessee Valley Authority, owner and operator of the giant coal-fired Kingston plant, calls this progress. Daugherty, 67, who once delivered coal from local mines to the Kingston plant, just sees shattered dreams.
"I was going to be here the rest of my life," he said. "Now I don't know what I am going to do."
A Dec. 22 breach in an earthen dike unleashed 5.4 million cubic yards of toxic-laden ash into the river and 26 lakeside homes, covering some 300 acres with grayish muck.
The 1,900-square-foot brick rancher that Glen and Evelyn Daugherty built on their little acre of paradise along the Emory River in 1991 wasn't damaged by the spill. But it's now part of the cleanup zone. Most of their neighbors have moved or are moving with buyouts from the nation's largest public utility — TVA has paid out $20 million so far.
House or healthDaugherty said TVA won't pay enough to replace his home, and he refuses to take on debt at his age.
Still, Daugherty said his wife's doctor advised them: "Which is more important to you — your house or your health? I am going to tell you right now, you better get out of there."
The Daughertys, who celebrated their 40th anniversary in February, have until July 31 to decide.
The cause of the spill is still unknown, six months after the disaster brought national attention to the regulation and risks of coal ash storage. The ash — which typically contains traces of arsenic and other toxic materials — is stored at 43 other sites in 26 communities around the country, which are so hazardous the Army Corps of Engineers won't disclose their locations.
TVA hired engineering consultants AECOM USA Inc. to study the cause. Lead consultant William Walton, based in Vernon Hills, Ill., isn't taking calls from The Associated Press.
TVA spokesman John Moulton said the document should be out this month.
‘It was an embarrassment’A panel of engineering and environmental experts formed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is waiting to review the AECOM report. So are attorneys handling a half dozen federal lawsuits filed by victims against TVA.
University of Tennessee professor emeritus Bruce Tschantz, an expert in hydrology and dam safety engineering, is on the panel, which was briefed on the report a few weeks ago.
Tschantz wouldn't reveal any conclusions, but said he hopes the final version digs deep into the decisions that led to the wall's collapse. It should explain whether such a spill could happen again — and whether it can be prevented, he said.
Click for related content
Beetles threaten water, power suppliesMoney to shut nuclear plants falls shortEPA declares asbestos emergency in town
"My analogy is when an airplane goes down and they find out the direct reason is the wings were cracked," he said. "OK, so that is why it went down but why were the wings cracked? Why were the wings not inspected? Why were they allowed to crack? Is it because of poor management and inspection?"
Tshcantz added: "No matter what the findings are — it was an embarrassment."
This much is known. The Kingston plant's ash landfill began filling up with the byproduct of coal-fired electric generation in 1958, and the pile stood 60 feet high at the time of the spill. It was licensed to go even higher, to 80 feet, before closing in 2015. A layer of water sat on top to keep the ash from blowing away.
Two small, localized problems with the dikes were found in 2003 and 2006, according to the utility's inspector general. Otherwise, state inspectors found no deficiencies in August, and a visual inspection the afternoon before the spill turned up no problems.
TVA officials noted immediately after the spill that the temperature dropped to 14 degrees that night. President and CEO Tom Kilgore said 4.9 inches of rain fell in December — almost twice as much as normal — which could have added significant weight to the pile.
Even so, the spill could have been worse. Just more than half of the 9.5 million cubic yards of ash the site holds spilled. Kingston has the largest ash pile of any of TVA's 11 coal-fired power plants.
Costly cleanupTo date, TVA has rebuilt roads and railroad tracks, restored utilities, offered compensation to victims, opened community outreach centers and public document rooms, begun dredging and awarded a contract to ship about half the spilled ash to an Alabama landfill. The cleanup cost could reach $1 billion.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is overseeing the cleanup, which could cost $1 billion. Anda Ray, TVA's top environmental executive, said the agency is working to get the ash out of the river by next spring to prevent it from being carried downstream during a storm.
Vedanta gets award for environment management: Film on pollution by Vedanta’s refinery
Vedanta’s aluminium refinery at Lanjigarh gets the Golden Peacock award despite several notices from the OSPCB for non-compliance with environmental regulations This timely film by Surya Shankar Dash released today highlights the pollution caused by the refinery, plight of the suffering villages and their protest against it.
The Real Face of Vedanta a film highlighting the pollution caused by Vedanta’s refinery in Lanjigarh, Orissa was released. This 30-minute film has been made by independent film maker Surya Shankar Dash and draws attention to the plight of the communities suffering from the pollution caused by the one million tonne per annum aluminium refinery plant of Vedanta. The film also captures the public hearing held for the expansion plans where people lambasted the company for the pollution caused by it. Vedanta plans to expand its plant to 6 MTPA, making it the world’s biggest aluminium refinery. The public hearing was organised as part of the clearance process. Vedanta’s pollution is affecting more than twenty villages in its vicinity causing widespread skin and respiratory problems.
The Real Face of Vedanta a film highlighting the pollution caused by Vedanta’s refinery in Lanjigarh, Orissa was released. This 30-minute film has been made by independent film maker Surya Shankar Dash and draws attention to the plight of the communities suffering from the pollution caused by the one million tonne per annum aluminium refinery plant of Vedanta. The film also captures the public hearing held for the expansion plans where people lambasted the company for the pollution caused by it. Vedanta plans to expand its plant to 6 MTPA, making it the world’s biggest aluminium refinery. The public hearing was organised as part of the clearance process. Vedanta’s pollution is affecting more than twenty villages in its vicinity causing widespread skin and respiratory problems.
Global assessment report on disaster risk reduction: risk and poverty in a changing climate
This is the first biennial global assessment of disaster risk reduction prepared in the context of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. It focuses on the nexus between disaster risk and poverty, in a context of global climate change.
The 2009 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction is the first biennial global assessment of disaster risk reduction prepared in the context of the International Strategy forDisaster Reduction (ISDR). The focus of this report is the nexus between disaster risk and poverty, in a context of global climate change. Both mortality and economic loss risk are heavily concentrated in developing countries and within these countries they disproportionately affect the poor. Disaster impacts have persistent, longterm negative impacts on poverty and human development that undermine the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This report identifies underlying risk drivers such as vulnerable rural livelihoods, poor urban governance and declining ecosystems that shape the relationship between disaster risk and poverty. It also shows how climate change will magnify the uneven social and territorial distribution of risk, increasing the risks faced by the poor and further amplifying poverty.
The 2009 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction is the first biennial global assessment of disaster risk reduction prepared in the context of the International Strategy forDisaster Reduction (ISDR). The focus of this report is the nexus between disaster risk and poverty, in a context of global climate change. Both mortality and economic loss risk are heavily concentrated in developing countries and within these countries they disproportionately affect the poor. Disaster impacts have persistent, longterm negative impacts on poverty and human development that undermine the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This report identifies underlying risk drivers such as vulnerable rural livelihoods, poor urban governance and declining ecosystems that shape the relationship between disaster risk and poverty. It also shows how climate change will magnify the uneven social and territorial distribution of risk, increasing the risks faced by the poor and further amplifying poverty.
environmental awareness in Tamilnadu
The best way to attempt to bring about a change in the attitudes in the society is through children. They have no vested interests. They are impressionable. They are our future. They are the single most important influence in any family. With this realisation the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India and the department of Environment are working towards creating Environmental awareness among school students in Tamil Nadu.The main objectives of this programme is to educate children about their immediate environment and impart knowledge about the eco-systems, their inter-dependence and their need for survival, through visits and demonstrations and to mobilise youngsters by instilling in them the spirit of scientific inquiry into environmental problems and involving them in the efforts of environmental preservation
KPCL defends power plants at Yedlapur, Yeramaras
KPCL MD S M Jaamdar said on Thursday that even though the land allotted to construct the plant in Yeramaras belonged to Karnataka Industrial Development Board (KIADB), they would still be providing jobs to one member per family to about 250 families. “The land was not purchased for our needs, but by the KIADB for setting up an industrial park in 1980.They had acquired 3,600 acres and have now given us 865 acres. Not only will we be providing jobs to one member each of the 250 families who have given up their land, but we will also be employing 2000 people for direct employment and 3000 people for ancillaries.”He dismissed claims of fly ash from the chimneys polluting the environment and also causing silicosis, a form of lung disease, saying that independent authorities had submitted a report stating that there was no proof of increase in the levels of silicosis. Saying that they were ready to discuss and negotiate, Jaamdar said that there was no point in calling a bundh.Protests galoreProtests have marked the announcement and the foundation laying of the project. Different parties have gathered under the umbrella organisation Raichur Hitarakshana Samithi to protest the project. Some of the protesters want the project to move out of Raichur entirely, while another section wants the power plant in Raichur, but in another place called Chandrabanda. Residents are wary of increase in the amount of fly ash area, with two power plants starting in addition to the eight unit of Raichur Thermal Power Station, scheduled to be operational from November this year. A meeting will be held on Saturday to decide the future course of action. A public hearing has also been called on June 19.
Lighting Research Center assesses light pollution
Scientists at the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Troy, NY-based Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed the first-ever comprehensive method for predicting and measuring various aspects of light pollution. Too much nighttime illumination can cause problems for stargazing and animal healthand may even compromise sleep, but light pollution may not be an issue that most facility managers and building owners consider a top priority. Balancing public and private interests for nighttime lighting has been a difficult undertaking--too little lighting may increase safety and security issues, and too much lighting may cause problems for the environment and human well being--but the LRC research hopes to simplify the problem.
The LRC method, called Outdoor Site-Lighting Performance (OSP), allows users to quantify and optimize the performance of existing and planned lighting designs and applications to minimize the amount of excessive or obtrusive light that leaves the boundaries of a property.
"Until now, the conversation about light pollution had been just that--a lot of talk with no data," says Mark Rea, LRC director and principal investigator for the project. He also says the new method "is a power tool, allowing users to address three important aspects of light pollution--sky glow, light trespass, and discomfort glare--quantitatively and at the same time."
Developed as a practical system for assessing outdoor lighting performance, the OSP method can be used with any commercial lighting software. A database of results has been created to help users compare the performance of their own projects to the glow, trespass, and glare levels measured at nighttime lighting applications across North America and Europe.
The LRC method, called Outdoor Site-Lighting Performance (OSP), allows users to quantify and optimize the performance of existing and planned lighting designs and applications to minimize the amount of excessive or obtrusive light that leaves the boundaries of a property.
"Until now, the conversation about light pollution had been just that--a lot of talk with no data," says Mark Rea, LRC director and principal investigator for the project. He also says the new method "is a power tool, allowing users to address three important aspects of light pollution--sky glow, light trespass, and discomfort glare--quantitatively and at the same time."
Developed as a practical system for assessing outdoor lighting performance, the OSP method can be used with any commercial lighting software. A database of results has been created to help users compare the performance of their own projects to the glow, trespass, and glare levels measured at nighttime lighting applications across North America and Europe.
Indonesia Forest Fires Fan Regional Haze Concern
well as being unhealthy, the smog can cause major economic disruption costing the tourism, transport and farming sectors billions of dollars.
Spurred on by the 1997-98 fires, Southeast Asian countries signed the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2002, but Indonesia has yet to ratify the pact.
Areas such as Sumatra and Borneo regularly suffer from forest fires, but risks appear to have risen with the return of the El Nino weather pattern this year.
"The dry season (in Riau) will peak at the end of June to July which may increase hotspots and with wind coming from Australia to Asia, the haze could travel to Malaysia and Singapore," said Blucer Doloksaribu, head of the meteorology agency in Riau's provincial capital of Pekanbaru.
Riau, along with other parts of Sumatra, frequently suffers from forest fires.
Malaysia has already been suffering from haze this year and visibility was cut in the capital Kuala Lumpur last week while air quality in several parts of the country was deemed unhealthy.
Bustar Maitar, forest campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said the number of fires appeared to be decreasing, but warned an anticipated long dry season could increase the numbers this year.
He also said the risk of forest fires was also being increased by the land clearing practices linked to some plantation firms and pulp-paper firms.
"Burning forests is still the cheapest way for companies to clear land although the government has prohibited it," he said.
Indonesian data showed the number of hotspots in Sumatra based on satellite surveillance had fallen to 28 as of Sunday from 99 last week after rain.
But on Borneo island the number of hot spots rose to 69 from 17 last week.
"If the weather remains dry, they (hot spots in Borneo) will gradually increase just like in Sumatra and will cause haze," Endarwin, head of extreme weather at Indonesia's meteorology agency said.
The agency has so far not issued recommendations to stop flights because visibility was still above minimum level of 1,000 meters (3,280 ft), he said.
Maitar of Greenpeace criticized a government move earlier in the year to end a moratorium on allowing palm oil plantations and pulp companies to operate in peatlands.
Environmentalists are particularly concerned over an increasing trend toward converting peatland forests.
Once these areas are drained, peat soil is highly flammable, producing more smoke and carbon emissions than other soil types.
INDONESIA NEWS
Spurred on by the 1997-98 fires, Southeast Asian countries signed the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in 2002, but Indonesia has yet to ratify the pact.
Areas such as Sumatra and Borneo regularly suffer from forest fires, but risks appear to have risen with the return of the El Nino weather pattern this year.
"The dry season (in Riau) will peak at the end of June to July which may increase hotspots and with wind coming from Australia to Asia, the haze could travel to Malaysia and Singapore," said Blucer Doloksaribu, head of the meteorology agency in Riau's provincial capital of Pekanbaru.
Riau, along with other parts of Sumatra, frequently suffers from forest fires.
Malaysia has already been suffering from haze this year and visibility was cut in the capital Kuala Lumpur last week while air quality in several parts of the country was deemed unhealthy.
Bustar Maitar, forest campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said the number of fires appeared to be decreasing, but warned an anticipated long dry season could increase the numbers this year.
He also said the risk of forest fires was also being increased by the land clearing practices linked to some plantation firms and pulp-paper firms.
"Burning forests is still the cheapest way for companies to clear land although the government has prohibited it," he said.
Indonesian data showed the number of hotspots in Sumatra based on satellite surveillance had fallen to 28 as of Sunday from 99 last week after rain.
But on Borneo island the number of hot spots rose to 69 from 17 last week.
"If the weather remains dry, they (hot spots in Borneo) will gradually increase just like in Sumatra and will cause haze," Endarwin, head of extreme weather at Indonesia's meteorology agency said.
The agency has so far not issued recommendations to stop flights because visibility was still above minimum level of 1,000 meters (3,280 ft), he said.
Maitar of Greenpeace criticized a government move earlier in the year to end a moratorium on allowing palm oil plantations and pulp companies to operate in peatlands.
Environmentalists are particularly concerned over an increasing trend toward converting peatland forests.
Once these areas are drained, peat soil is highly flammable, producing more smoke and carbon emissions than other soil types.
INDONESIA NEWS
Ban the two-stroke rickshaw
The just out Economic Survey of Pakistan notes that although air quality in many of our cities is bad, studies conducted in Lahore and Karachi show that carbon monoxide, cadmium and lead levels in these cities far exceed the internationally accepted threshold limits. An estimated 60 to 70 percent pollution in our cities is caused by vehicular emissions. And the biggest polluters are the 2-stroke rickshaws.While the introduction of Euro-II emission standards, starting next month, can only be welcomed, the measure by itself will not be enough to solve the problem. The government must do a lot more. First of all, there is need to create greater public awareness about the health hazards uncontrolled vehicular pollution creates. Second, the existing motor vehicle fitness regulations should be enforced effectively.Third, the rickshaws must be told to comply with cleaner air requirements or ordered off roads. The provincial governments must announce a cut-off date towards that end. In Punjab the previous government had actually given a deadline to rickshaw owners along with an offer of easy availability of loans to acquire green rickshaws, but its resolve to act fizzled out in the face of resistance from rickshaw owners. The present government has also tried and failed to do the needful.The last government had introduced green rickshaws under the president's and chief minister's schemes. These did not prove successful because of complaints about engineering defects. That is a valid issue and needs to be rectified by those concerned. But the rickshaw owners also cite economic reason to insist that if their old two-stroke vehicles are banned they would face economic hardship.Ordinarily, that should be an important consideration, not in the present case since it has to be weighed against the harm that is caused, on a continual basis, to the health of millions of city dwellers. The government, therefore, must refuse to be blackmailed into giving up doing something that is in the larger public interest. What it can, and should, do to encourage the changeover to green vehicles is to offer some sort of monetary concession - justifiable on account of its likely benefit in the form of reduced public health expenditure on pollution-related diseases.
Pakistan News
Pakistan News
Indoor air pollution 4th leading risk factor for diseases
Health and Family Welfare Minister Prof AFM Ruhal Haque has said necessary measures will be taken to reduce indoor air pollution (IAP) to minimise its dire impact on human body, preserve ecosystem and mitigate global warming.
He was speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop titled 'Indoor Air Pollution' organised jointly by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and GTZ, a German agency for technical cooperation, at a city hotel yesterday.
“We have to take measures to mitigate climate change for our survival, and to preserve our local ecosystems by ensuring maximum utilisation of our natural resources,” the minister said.
Presenting the keynote paper Dr Joseph H Graziano, professor of Environment Health Science at Columbia University, said cooking by burning biomass like charcoal, wood, agricultural residue and cow dung is primarily responsible for IAP.
At least 20 percent of global warming is caused by IAP, he said, adding that it doubles the risk of pneumonia, tuberculosis, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, low birth weight and prenatal health outcomes.
Dr Joseph said it has been estimated that in developing countries IAP is the fourth leading risk factor contributing to various diseases.
“In the urban as well as rural areas of Bangladesh, the level of indoor air pollution is higher than outdoor air pollution,” he added.
Dr Joseph said GTZ has promoted an improved stove to reduce indoor air pollution and its associated health impacts at the household levels.
A better ventilation, which has been set in the improved stoves, is the replacement of traditional three-stone or shielded open-fire cooking, he added.
Dr Joseph said the improved stoves are mainly developed by the Institute of Fuel Research and Development of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and further improved by its partner organisation GTZ.
To date more than 1000 young women and men have been trained, who have constructed over 1,40,000 stoves in the country under the supervision of GTZ, he added.
He also laid emphasis on creating mass awareness about the health damage caused by IAP and encouraging people to take preventive measure in this regard.
Dr Andrew Trevett, acting WHO representative to Bangladesh, Otto Gomm, programme coordinator of GTZ, and Sheikh Altaf Hossain, secretary to health and family welfare ministry were present at the workshop.
Bangladeh news
He was speaking at the inaugural session of a workshop titled 'Indoor Air Pollution' organised jointly by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and GTZ, a German agency for technical cooperation, at a city hotel yesterday.
“We have to take measures to mitigate climate change for our survival, and to preserve our local ecosystems by ensuring maximum utilisation of our natural resources,” the minister said.
Presenting the keynote paper Dr Joseph H Graziano, professor of Environment Health Science at Columbia University, said cooking by burning biomass like charcoal, wood, agricultural residue and cow dung is primarily responsible for IAP.
At least 20 percent of global warming is caused by IAP, he said, adding that it doubles the risk of pneumonia, tuberculosis, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, low birth weight and prenatal health outcomes.
Dr Joseph said it has been estimated that in developing countries IAP is the fourth leading risk factor contributing to various diseases.
“In the urban as well as rural areas of Bangladesh, the level of indoor air pollution is higher than outdoor air pollution,” he added.
Dr Joseph said GTZ has promoted an improved stove to reduce indoor air pollution and its associated health impacts at the household levels.
A better ventilation, which has been set in the improved stoves, is the replacement of traditional three-stone or shielded open-fire cooking, he added.
Dr Joseph said the improved stoves are mainly developed by the Institute of Fuel Research and Development of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and further improved by its partner organisation GTZ.
To date more than 1000 young women and men have been trained, who have constructed over 1,40,000 stoves in the country under the supervision of GTZ, he added.
He also laid emphasis on creating mass awareness about the health damage caused by IAP and encouraging people to take preventive measure in this regard.
Dr Andrew Trevett, acting WHO representative to Bangladesh, Otto Gomm, programme coordinator of GTZ, and Sheikh Altaf Hossain, secretary to health and family welfare ministry were present at the workshop.
Bangladeh news
Biofuels To The Fore In Fight To Reduce Emissions
Biofuels could be used to replace jet fuel in less than five years following recent tests by plane-maker Boeing, while the industry says it is putting billions of dollars into improving its environmental impact.
Boeing's director for environmental strategy Billy Glover told Reuters that results from recent test flights using biofuels such as jatropha and algae had been "better than expected," meaning a partial replacement for jet fuel could be become a reality in "three to five" years.
"It works -- no problem. We don't have to make any changes to aeroplanes or engines," he said at the Paris Air show.
"We expect to get approval for the fuel from the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) next year," he added.
The industry predicts that if 100 percent of all jet fuel was replaced with biofuels it would cut airline carbon emissions by 80 percent. This is because carbon is taken out of the atmosphere by growing plants before being put back in by planes.
Airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Continental and Air New Zealand took part in test flights for Boeing over the past year.
BIGGEST THREAT
EADS-owned rival Airbus is planning its first commercial test flight with biofuels later this year, according to Axel Krein, the company's senior vice president of research & technology. He said Airbus currently spends 2 billion euros ($2.79 billion) a year on research and development -- the bulk of which goes into fuel efficiency.
"I am confident that 100 percent of jet fuel will come from biofuels. The question is, when is that date?" he said, forecasting that 30 percent of fuel could come from plants by 2030.
Boeing and Airbus are also working on reducing carbon emissions via weight and drag reduction on new aircraft.
The importance of cutting emissions for the industry was spelled out by Airbus CEO Tom Enders earlier in the airshow.
"Concerns about the environment and what aviation does to the environment I believe are long-term. if we do not tackle them, they are one of the biggest threats to the aviation industry," he told reporters.
"Of course, given the fact that fuel is up to 40 pct of airline costs, we would be crazy if we hadn't tackled it. efficiency, cost reduction and environment benefit fall together," he added.
Boeing's Billy Glover said the next stage after approval for biofuels would be to set up commercial projects for mass production of plants.
Jatropha, a poisonous plant that produces seeds that can be refined into biofuels, and algae are seen as the most able to be produced commercially, as they do not grow on land currently used for farming foodstuffs.
"The biggest hurdle is supply of plants and getting up to scale. That's the biggest cost -- how to actually get people to produce it on a regular basis," he said.
FRANCE news
Boeing's director for environmental strategy Billy Glover told Reuters that results from recent test flights using biofuels such as jatropha and algae had been "better than expected," meaning a partial replacement for jet fuel could be become a reality in "three to five" years.
"It works -- no problem. We don't have to make any changes to aeroplanes or engines," he said at the Paris Air show.
"We expect to get approval for the fuel from the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) next year," he added.
The industry predicts that if 100 percent of all jet fuel was replaced with biofuels it would cut airline carbon emissions by 80 percent. This is because carbon is taken out of the atmosphere by growing plants before being put back in by planes.
Airlines including Virgin Atlantic, Continental and Air New Zealand took part in test flights for Boeing over the past year.
BIGGEST THREAT
EADS-owned rival Airbus is planning its first commercial test flight with biofuels later this year, according to Axel Krein, the company's senior vice president of research & technology. He said Airbus currently spends 2 billion euros ($2.79 billion) a year on research and development -- the bulk of which goes into fuel efficiency.
"I am confident that 100 percent of jet fuel will come from biofuels. The question is, when is that date?" he said, forecasting that 30 percent of fuel could come from plants by 2030.
Boeing and Airbus are also working on reducing carbon emissions via weight and drag reduction on new aircraft.
The importance of cutting emissions for the industry was spelled out by Airbus CEO Tom Enders earlier in the airshow.
"Concerns about the environment and what aviation does to the environment I believe are long-term. if we do not tackle them, they are one of the biggest threats to the aviation industry," he told reporters.
"Of course, given the fact that fuel is up to 40 pct of airline costs, we would be crazy if we hadn't tackled it. efficiency, cost reduction and environment benefit fall together," he added.
Boeing's Billy Glover said the next stage after approval for biofuels would be to set up commercial projects for mass production of plants.
Jatropha, a poisonous plant that produces seeds that can be refined into biofuels, and algae are seen as the most able to be produced commercially, as they do not grow on land currently used for farming foodstuffs.
"The biggest hurdle is supply of plants and getting up to scale. That's the biggest cost -- how to actually get people to produce it on a regular basis," he said.
FRANCE news
Carbon tax on CNG withdrawn
The government on Thursday withdrew the decision of levying carbon surcharge on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by deleting the word "carbon" from the head of the levy. Now "surcharge" will be used for taxing petroleum products from the next financial year ie 2009-10 after severe drubbing from different quarters.Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani announced in the National Assembly to withdraw the decision of imposing carbon surcharge on CNG and directed the Finance Minister to review the levy as a whole taking into account other petroleum products.Speaking in the National Assembly, the Prime Minister said that the government has withdrawn carbon surcharge on CNG worth Rs 12 billion and "I have directed the Ministry of Finance to review the decision of carbon surcharge and come up with a transparent taxation mechanism."On the occasion, majority of members in the National Assembly lauded the decision of the government and hailed the Prime Minister's view to look into what the members termed anti-poor tax. The government has recently introduced carbon surcharge in the budget 2009-10, which was widely criticised by the lawmakers of both the Houses of the Parliament.Majority of the opposition lawmakers were of the view that the decision to impose carbon surcharge was taken to counter the verdict of the Supreme Court that directed the government to reduce petroleum prices in line with global price mechanism.Meanwhile, Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin informed the Senate standing committee on finance that the government had taken the decision to exempt the CNG industry from the carbon surcharge.Members of the committee demanded exemption of the kerosene oil from the carbon surcharge. But the advisor said that the government feared adulteration of kerosene oil with other petroleum products if the government exempted it from the surcharge.The government has taken this decision after members of the Senate body on finance on Wednesday strongly criticised carbon surcharge saying it was to be imposed for friendly environment but use of CNG had no chance of polluting environment.Analysts are of the view that after exempting CNG from carbon surcharge and its possible imposition on petroleum products would result in price differential that would lead to increase in sale of CNG. CNG dealers are criticising the government to maintain reasonable difference between prices of CNG and petroleum products. Government has targeted collection of carbon surcharge on petroleum products at Rs 122 billion in next financial year ie 2009-10 that would possibly be used to bridge the budget deficit, one analyst said.
Pakistan news
Pakistan news
Solving the puzzle: researching the impacts of climate change around the world
This report addresses some of the major questions facing climate change researchers, and how those puzzles are being addressed by NSF-funded activities. Complex computer models are being developed and refined to predict Earth’s future climate. Observations of climate conditions from observatory networks distributed in Earth’s oceans, polar regions, land masses, and near-Earth orbit improve the accuracy of the climate models. Records of Earth’s past climate provide important insights into the mechanisms involved in climate cycles of the past, and can help to refine computational models by allowing researchers to simulate past climate. Through social, economic, and behavioral science, researchers are learning how human behavior factors into climate change—and how human behavior can be modified to ameliorate the impact on Earth’s climate. Physical scientists and engineers are developing alternative ways of creating, storing, and using energy to reduce the amount of carbon that human activities contribute to the atmosphere. Researchers are also building the scientific foundation for the tools that humanity may need in the future to counteract the effects of global climate change.
Environment Policy
Why Environment is so important?
Development of mankind impacts and, in turn, is impacted by the Environment. Both are not only inter-related but are also inter-dependent
What will we do to protect and advance it ?
We will neither advocate to maintain status-quo nor encourage exploitation of natural resources for short term economic objectives. Instead, through sound and sustainable practices, we shall establish a creative partnership between development and environment. Increase in green cover, conservation of scarce resources, control of pollution, promotion of economic progress are important guiding lights we will follow for nurturing such a relationship.
How will we protect and advance it ?
We will fulfill this policy by committing ourselves to continuous improvement, updation of our processes, products and facilities, on one hand, and through spreading awareness, education and training of our associates, on the other.
Environment Policy for Jain Plastic Park
Environmental and Social Action Plan & Summary Report - Project Environment and Social Risk Management
Development of mankind impacts and, in turn, is impacted by the Environment. Both are not only inter-related but are also inter-dependent
What will we do to protect and advance it ?
We will neither advocate to maintain status-quo nor encourage exploitation of natural resources for short term economic objectives. Instead, through sound and sustainable practices, we shall establish a creative partnership between development and environment. Increase in green cover, conservation of scarce resources, control of pollution, promotion of economic progress are important guiding lights we will follow for nurturing such a relationship.
How will we protect and advance it ?
We will fulfill this policy by committing ourselves to continuous improvement, updation of our processes, products and facilities, on one hand, and through spreading awareness, education and training of our associates, on the other.
Environment Policy for Jain Plastic Park
Environmental and Social Action Plan & Summary Report - Project Environment and Social Risk Management
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