Global warming may or may not be a problem. Man may or may not be driving it. Given the uncertainties, a significant amount of global regret may apply if we divert too much of our global wealth to solving what may be a non-existent or trivial problem, especially if that diversion mires billions in poverty. On the other hand, we may also regret not doing anything if man-made global warming does turn out to be a problem. It is therefore prudent to examine what steps we can take that would prove beneficial whether or not anthropogenic global warming turns out to be a problem. These steps can be termed “no regrets” policies.
What makes a No Regrets Global Warming Policy? A global warming policy can be termed “no regrets” as long as it:
Reduces the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere, or
Mitigates, prevents or reduces a harm associated with global warming, or
Provides greater capacity for dealing with problems associated with global warming
Without imposing significant cost or diverting economic activity.
Top Five “No Regrets” Policies
1.) Eliminate all subsidies to fuel use.Subsidies to energy R&D cost taxpayers millions of dollars while producing minimal benefits. While these programs may be relatively small given the size of domestic energy markets, they serve little, if any, useful purpose while subsidizing large corporations at taxpayer expense. The potential threat of global warming, whether it is real or not, is simply one more reason to eliminate these subsidy programs. An international agreement aimed at ending energy subsidy with binding targets would be a significant victory for emissions reduction. Unlike Kyoto, which forces an energy starvation diet on its participants, such a treaty would be a move to combat energy obesity.
2.) Repeal the Federal Flood Insurance Program.Much of the concern over global warming’s potential for harm in the US relates to sea level rise and the flooding that will result. However, much of the investment in potentially vulnerable areas is a result of the Federal flood Insurance Program. This program encourages building in vulnerable areas by acting as a moral hazard: people take greater risks because the government has said it will help bear that risk. Reform would reduce the moral hazard connected with building on vulnerable land, transferring the risk from the taxpayer to the private sector, which is likely to take a more realistic view of the issue.
3.) Reform Air Traffic Control Systems.Greater demand for air travel means more flights, which means greater fuel use and increased emissions. Yet, the current government-operated system of air traffic control, based on a 1920s-era system of beacons, may hinder innovations that could reduce fuel use and emissions. As a general rule, the shorter the flight, the less fuel will be consumed. Yet neither airlines nor pilots have the freedom to choose the most direct and economical route. Giving pilots freedom to map their own course is an attractive and desirable change in the eyes of the industry, and the impact on the environment would be tremendous. As well as saving considerable amounts of greenhouse gas emissions, the policy will deliver significant benefits in terms of time and expense to the US economy. By obviating significant reductions in service levels associated with more routine applications of emissions reduction policy, it is to be preferred to that approach.
4.) Facilitate Electricity Competition.By rejecting the model of central regulation and allowing suppliers to meet their customers’ needs more exactly while relying on distributed generation, energy waste and the associated emissions will reduce considerably. This reduction in waste will prove economically beneficial even if emissions themselves do not cause problems.
5.) Reduce Regulatory Barriers to New Nuclear Build.There is no other technology than nuclear that is proven to be capable of providing emissions-free energy at the scale required to make significant reductions in carbon emissions. The problem is that thanks to anti-nuclear activism by environmentalists in the 1970s, it takes a very long time to build a nuclear plant. This pushes development and construction costs up to the level where it is not economically competitive with higher-emitting forms of electricity generation like coal and natural gas. According to the nuclear energy institute, it takes 10 years from concept to operation to build a nuclear plant, and only four of those are construction, the rest is permit application development (2 years) and decision-making by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (4 years).
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Argentine glacier advances despite global warming
Argentina's Perito Moreno glacier is one of only a few ice fields worldwide that have withstood rising global temperatures. Nourished by Andean snowmelt, the glacier constantly grows even as it spawns icebergs the size of apartment buildings into a frigid lake, maintaining a nearly perfect equilibrium since measurements began more than a century ago. "We're not sure why this happens," said Andres Rivera, a glacialist with the Center for Scientific Studies in Valdivia, Chile. "But not all glaciers respond equally to climate change." Viewed at a safe distance on cruise boats or the wooden observation deck just beyond the glacier's leading edge, Perito Moreno's jagged surface radiates a brilliant white in the strong Patagonian sun. Submerged sections glow deep blue. And when the wind blows in a cloud cover, the 3-mile-wide (5 kilometer) glacier seems to glow from within as the surrounding mountains and water turn a meditative gray. Every few years, Perito Moreno expands enough to touch a point of land across Lake Argentina, cutting the nation's largest freshwater lake in half and forming an ice dam as it presses against the shore. The water on one side of the dam surges against the glacier, up to 200 feet (60 meters) above lake level, until it breaks the ice wall with a thunderous crash, drowning the applause of hundreds of tourists. "It's like a massive building falling all of the sudden," said park ranger Javier D'Angelo, who experienced the rupture in 2008 and 1998. The rupture is a reminder that while Perito Moreno appears to be a vast, 19-mile-long (30 kilometer) frozen river, it's a dynamic icescape that moves and cracks unexpectedly. "The glacier has a lot of life," said Luli Gavina, who leads mini-treks across the glacier's snow fields.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
India’s rich biodiversity is under threat from invasive species of foreign origin, both plant and animal.
BIODIVERSITY is the source of all ecological goods and services that constitute the source of living of all. India is not only gifted with geographical, climatic, cultural and social diversity but is also endowed enormously with biological diversity. The country is among the 12 mega gene centres of the world, and two of the 31 global hot spots of biodiversity (the North-eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats) occur in this region. About 8 per cent of all the estimated species on the earth exist in India though it occupies only 2.4 per cent of the world’s land area. Among the existing biota, nearly 91,000 species of animals, 45,500 species of plants and 5,650 microbial species have already been documented in India’s 10 biogeographic regions. It is estimated that nearly 40 per cent of these are aliens, and 25 per cent of them have become invasive.
The diverse agricultural systems, employing both traditional and modern systems of cultivation, utilise thousands of locally adapted as well as bred crop varieties and nearly 140 native breeds of livestock. The country is recognised as one of the eight “Vavilovian Centres” of origin and diversity of crop plants, having more than 300 wild ancestors and close relatives of cultivated plants still growing and evolving under natural conditions. About 168 domesticated species of crops (including 25 major and minor crop species) have originated and/or developed diversity in this part of the world. Indigenous medical systems utilise nearly 6,500 native plants for both human and animal health care. India’s diverse preponderance of native tribal and ethnic groups has contributed significantly to the conservation and diversification of biodiversity.
In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on that day in 1992, in Nairobi. Since 2001, the day is celebrated with a central theme. The theme for the IDB in 2009 was Biodiversity and Invasive Alien Species (IAS).
In India, the National Biodiversity Authority, established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, conducted programmes that emphasised the importance of biological biodiversity, organised outreach activities for schoolchildren, held seminars, published posters and pamphlets and staged exhibits and events designed to attract and educate the media.
Invasive alien species are species whose introduction and/or spread outside their natural habitats threatens biological diversity. They occur in all groups, including animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and viruses, and can affect all types of ecosystems. While a small percentage of organisms transported to new environments become invasive, the negative impact they have can be extensive and over time these additions become substantial. ARRIVE, SURVIVE, THRIVE
A species introduction is usually vectored by human transportation and trade. If a species’ new habitat is similar enough to its native range, it may survive and reproduce. However, it must first subsist at low population densities, when it may be difficult for it to find mates to reproduce. For a species to become invasive, it must successfully out-compete native organisms, spread through its new environment, increase in population and harm ecosystems in its introduced range. To summarise, for an alien species to become invasive, it must arrive, survive and thrive.
On April 27, 2009, news about the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico caught the attention of people all over the world. In spite of unprecedented measures to check its spread, the swine flu virus managed to sneak into more than 30 countries, including India, and within weeks it had infected nearly 5,000 people all over the world. Mikania (here, overrunning a banana plantation) was introduced in India during the Second World War to help soldiers camouflage themselves.
The swine flu has, once again, reminded us about our vulnerability to invasive aliens, which do not respect geographical boundaries. Sometimes they manifest themselves as bird flu and at other times as foot-and-mouth disease and mad cow disease and lead to massive destruction of livestock populations all over the world. But human beings, birds and cattle are not the only targets of invasive alien species. Over the years, the biggest casualty of such species has been our rich biodiversity, and they have emerged as one of the greatest threats to food security. Be it mountains, plains, deserts, rivers or seas, there is no ecosystem in the country that does not reel under the impact of invasive aliens.
The common characteristics of IAS include rapid reproduction and growth, high dispersal ability, phenotypic plasticity (ability to adapt physiologically to new conditions), and the ability to survive on various food types and in a wide range of environmental conditions. A good predictor of invasiveness is whether a species has successfully invaded elsewhere.
Increasing travel, trade and tourism, associated with globalisation and expansion of the human population, have facilitated both intentional and unintentional movement of species beyond natural biogeographical barriers, and many of these alien species have become invasive. IAS is considered to be one of the main direct drivers of biodiversity loss at the global level. These species can be expected to cause substantial environmental and economic damage, and their negative effects are exacerbated by climate change, pollution, habitat loss and human-induced disturbance. Increasing domination by a few invasive species increases global homogenisation of biodiversity, reducing local diversity and distinctiveness. MIKANIA (HERE, FULLY spread out on a banyan tree in Tamil Nadu) is now a major threat in many parts of the country. It grows 8 to 9 cm a day and muzzles small plants and chokes larger trees.
Invasive alien species can directly affect human health. Infectious diseases are often traced to IAS imported by travellers or vectored by exotic species of birds, rodents and insects. IAS also have indirect health effects on humans as a result of the use of pesticides and herbicides, which pollute water and soil.
They may look harmless but are dangerous, mainly causing flu, allergies, respiratory disorders and even infertility among humans and animals. In economic terms, the cost of IAS is significant. The total annual cost, including losses to crops, pastures and forests, and in terms of environmental damage and control costs, has been conservatively estimated to be hundreds of billions of dollars, possibly more than one trillion dollars. STEM RUST ATTACK
Manifesting themselves as microorganisms, plants, animals and fungi, these invasive alien species are notorious for their rapid reproduction and high dispersal ability. Recently, a new strain of the stem rust virus, called Ug99, has been invading wheat, leading to the loss of almost the entire crop, in many African countries including Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. It has been spotted in Iran and is believed to be heading towards countries in South Asia. It may spell doom for the food security of the region because all wheat varieties cultivated in Asia are susceptible to Ug99. As one of the megadiversity countries in the world, India is particularly vulnerable to invasions by alien species.
The invasive alien often proves difficult to control. Through their uncontrolled and rapid growth, they out-compete more useful native species and leave them on the brink of extinction. Lantana is now considered one of the 10 notorious weeds in the world. A native of Central and South America, lantana came to India as an ornamental plant in 1807, when the British introduced it into the Calcutta Botanical Garden. Since then it has occupied over one lakh hectares of land in the country and proved to be a bane of0 cash crops such as coffee, cotton, oil palm and coconut. However, it is the hilly regions of the country that have largely borne the brunt of the attack. THE WATER HYACINTH, which is believed to have originated in the Amazon basin, has become a big nuisance in ponds, lakes and lagoons in the country. Here, in the Hebbal lake in Bangalore.
The parthenium may not be as attractive as the lantana, but there is hardly any invasive alien species in the world that can match its dispersal ability and devastation capacity. Believed to have entered the country in the 1950s along with the supply of P.L. 480 (Public Law 480 food aid programme) wheat from the United States, parthenium now occupies 50 lakh hectares in the country and has become a major health hazard for people and animals. Other than occupying wasteland, roadsides, and railway tracks, it has colonised public parks, residential colonies and orchards.
Other prominent ones include mikania (mile a minute), which was introduced in India during the Second World War to help soldiers camouflage themselves. Now a major threat in many parts of the country, it grows 8 to 9 cm a day and muzzles small plants and chokes larger trees such as coconut and oil palm.
Eupatorium was introduced as an ornamental plant in the Calcutta Botanical Garden in the 1840s. Since then it has spread throughout South-East Asia. Its capacity for regeneration and prolific seed production enables it to form dense tangled bushes, which depress the growth and yield of crops such as rubber, cardamom, coffee, tea and mango.NILE TILAPIA OR Oreochromis niloticus. Tilapia, a freshwater fish, was introduced into the pond ecosystem of India in 1952, and it has now been declared as invasive in 90 countries.
India suffers an annual loss of Rs.20,000 crore in terms of agriculture produce owing to weed infestation. The most prominent among the weeds is Phalaris minor. It affects the wheat crop in particular and has curtailed yield by five million tonnes a year.
Prosopis juliflora was introduced in India in the last century and was thought to be a very promising species for the afforestation of dry and degraded land. But over the years, it has emerged as a noxious invader that can grow in diverse ecosystems, right from coastal areas to desert regions. Its rapid growth and dense formation enable it to wipe out other plant species in its surroundings.
Except for mikania, so far the control and eradication measures, through manual extraction, chemical spraying and biological means, have had very little impact on the growth of these invasive aliens. The release of Mexican beetles against parthenium has shown promising results, but given the fact that it occupies nearly five million hectares the use of beetles does not seem to be a feasible optionALONG THE ROAD, a mikania invasion on palms.
Our fresh and marine water resources, including the corals, also face a grave threat from invasive alien species. The water hyacinth is believed to have originated in the Amazon basin, but it has become a big nuisance in India’s ponds, lakes and lagoons.
Tilapia, a freshwater fish, was first introduced into the pond ecosystem of India in 1952, and it has now been declared as invasive in 90 countries around the world. It multiplies at an extremely rapid pace, survives in all kinds of waters and eats everything, to the extent that native species are starved to death.
The challenge now is to find ways to manage the invasive aliens that are firmly entrenched in the country and, at the same time, take every possible step to prevent the entry of new aliens that may become invasive. The future of India hinges on the protection of its biodiversity. This task cannot be the responsibility of the government alone. We have to be partners in protecting this common heritage. THERE IS HARDLY an invasive alien species in the world that can match the parthenium weed's dispersal ability and capacity to destroy. Believed to have entered the country in the 1950s along with the supply of P.L. 480 wheat from the United States, parthenium now occupies 50 lakh hectares in the country and has become a major health hazard for people and animals.
Invasive alien species are a global issue and dealing with this requires international cooperation and action. Preventing the international movement of IAS and their rapid detection on the borders are less costly than their control and eradication. Preventing the entry of IAS is carried out through inspections of international shipments, customs checks and quarantine regulations.
This requires collaboration among governments, economic sectors and non-governmental and international organisations. There are many international and regional binding agreements and voluntary guidelines that include regulations on IAS. PROSOPIS JULIFLORA WAS introduced in India in the last century and was thought to be a very promising species for the afforestation of dry and degraded land. But over the years, it has emerged as a noxious invader that can grow in diverse ecosystems, right from coastal areas to desert regions. Its rapid growth and dense formation enable it to wipe out other plant species in its surroundings.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD has recognised that there is an urgent need to address the impact of IAS, and at its fourth meeting it established IAS as a cross-cutting issue. The decision of the COP 6 meeting included the adoption of the Guiding Principles for the Prevention, Introduction and Mitigation of Impacts of Alien Species that Threaten Ecosystems, Habitats or Species. This target was subsequently endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the U.N. General Assembly and was incorporated as a new target under the Millennium Development Goals.•
The diverse agricultural systems, employing both traditional and modern systems of cultivation, utilise thousands of locally adapted as well as bred crop varieties and nearly 140 native breeds of livestock. The country is recognised as one of the eight “Vavilovian Centres” of origin and diversity of crop plants, having more than 300 wild ancestors and close relatives of cultivated plants still growing and evolving under natural conditions. About 168 domesticated species of crops (including 25 major and minor crop species) have originated and/or developed diversity in this part of the world. Indigenous medical systems utilise nearly 6,500 native plants for both human and animal health care. India’s diverse preponderance of native tribal and ethnic groups has contributed significantly to the conservation and diversification of biodiversity.
In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on that day in 1992, in Nairobi. Since 2001, the day is celebrated with a central theme. The theme for the IDB in 2009 was Biodiversity and Invasive Alien Species (IAS).
In India, the National Biodiversity Authority, established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, conducted programmes that emphasised the importance of biological biodiversity, organised outreach activities for schoolchildren, held seminars, published posters and pamphlets and staged exhibits and events designed to attract and educate the media.
Invasive alien species are species whose introduction and/or spread outside their natural habitats threatens biological diversity. They occur in all groups, including animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and viruses, and can affect all types of ecosystems. While a small percentage of organisms transported to new environments become invasive, the negative impact they have can be extensive and over time these additions become substantial. ARRIVE, SURVIVE, THRIVE
A species introduction is usually vectored by human transportation and trade. If a species’ new habitat is similar enough to its native range, it may survive and reproduce. However, it must first subsist at low population densities, when it may be difficult for it to find mates to reproduce. For a species to become invasive, it must successfully out-compete native organisms, spread through its new environment, increase in population and harm ecosystems in its introduced range. To summarise, for an alien species to become invasive, it must arrive, survive and thrive.
On April 27, 2009, news about the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico caught the attention of people all over the world. In spite of unprecedented measures to check its spread, the swine flu virus managed to sneak into more than 30 countries, including India, and within weeks it had infected nearly 5,000 people all over the world. Mikania (here, overrunning a banana plantation) was introduced in India during the Second World War to help soldiers camouflage themselves.
The swine flu has, once again, reminded us about our vulnerability to invasive aliens, which do not respect geographical boundaries. Sometimes they manifest themselves as bird flu and at other times as foot-and-mouth disease and mad cow disease and lead to massive destruction of livestock populations all over the world. But human beings, birds and cattle are not the only targets of invasive alien species. Over the years, the biggest casualty of such species has been our rich biodiversity, and they have emerged as one of the greatest threats to food security. Be it mountains, plains, deserts, rivers or seas, there is no ecosystem in the country that does not reel under the impact of invasive aliens.
The common characteristics of IAS include rapid reproduction and growth, high dispersal ability, phenotypic plasticity (ability to adapt physiologically to new conditions), and the ability to survive on various food types and in a wide range of environmental conditions. A good predictor of invasiveness is whether a species has successfully invaded elsewhere.
Increasing travel, trade and tourism, associated with globalisation and expansion of the human population, have facilitated both intentional and unintentional movement of species beyond natural biogeographical barriers, and many of these alien species have become invasive. IAS is considered to be one of the main direct drivers of biodiversity loss at the global level. These species can be expected to cause substantial environmental and economic damage, and their negative effects are exacerbated by climate change, pollution, habitat loss and human-induced disturbance. Increasing domination by a few invasive species increases global homogenisation of biodiversity, reducing local diversity and distinctiveness. MIKANIA (HERE, FULLY spread out on a banyan tree in Tamil Nadu) is now a major threat in many parts of the country. It grows 8 to 9 cm a day and muzzles small plants and chokes larger trees.
Invasive alien species can directly affect human health. Infectious diseases are often traced to IAS imported by travellers or vectored by exotic species of birds, rodents and insects. IAS also have indirect health effects on humans as a result of the use of pesticides and herbicides, which pollute water and soil.
They may look harmless but are dangerous, mainly causing flu, allergies, respiratory disorders and even infertility among humans and animals. In economic terms, the cost of IAS is significant. The total annual cost, including losses to crops, pastures and forests, and in terms of environmental damage and control costs, has been conservatively estimated to be hundreds of billions of dollars, possibly more than one trillion dollars. STEM RUST ATTACK
Manifesting themselves as microorganisms, plants, animals and fungi, these invasive alien species are notorious for their rapid reproduction and high dispersal ability. Recently, a new strain of the stem rust virus, called Ug99, has been invading wheat, leading to the loss of almost the entire crop, in many African countries including Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania. It has been spotted in Iran and is believed to be heading towards countries in South Asia. It may spell doom for the food security of the region because all wheat varieties cultivated in Asia are susceptible to Ug99. As one of the megadiversity countries in the world, India is particularly vulnerable to invasions by alien species.
The invasive alien often proves difficult to control. Through their uncontrolled and rapid growth, they out-compete more useful native species and leave them on the brink of extinction. Lantana is now considered one of the 10 notorious weeds in the world. A native of Central and South America, lantana came to India as an ornamental plant in 1807, when the British introduced it into the Calcutta Botanical Garden. Since then it has occupied over one lakh hectares of land in the country and proved to be a bane of0 cash crops such as coffee, cotton, oil palm and coconut. However, it is the hilly regions of the country that have largely borne the brunt of the attack. THE WATER HYACINTH, which is believed to have originated in the Amazon basin, has become a big nuisance in ponds, lakes and lagoons in the country. Here, in the Hebbal lake in Bangalore.
The parthenium may not be as attractive as the lantana, but there is hardly any invasive alien species in the world that can match its dispersal ability and devastation capacity. Believed to have entered the country in the 1950s along with the supply of P.L. 480 (Public Law 480 food aid programme) wheat from the United States, parthenium now occupies 50 lakh hectares in the country and has become a major health hazard for people and animals. Other than occupying wasteland, roadsides, and railway tracks, it has colonised public parks, residential colonies and orchards.
Other prominent ones include mikania (mile a minute), which was introduced in India during the Second World War to help soldiers camouflage themselves. Now a major threat in many parts of the country, it grows 8 to 9 cm a day and muzzles small plants and chokes larger trees such as coconut and oil palm.
Eupatorium was introduced as an ornamental plant in the Calcutta Botanical Garden in the 1840s. Since then it has spread throughout South-East Asia. Its capacity for regeneration and prolific seed production enables it to form dense tangled bushes, which depress the growth and yield of crops such as rubber, cardamom, coffee, tea and mango.NILE TILAPIA OR Oreochromis niloticus. Tilapia, a freshwater fish, was introduced into the pond ecosystem of India in 1952, and it has now been declared as invasive in 90 countries.
India suffers an annual loss of Rs.20,000 crore in terms of agriculture produce owing to weed infestation. The most prominent among the weeds is Phalaris minor. It affects the wheat crop in particular and has curtailed yield by five million tonnes a year.
Prosopis juliflora was introduced in India in the last century and was thought to be a very promising species for the afforestation of dry and degraded land. But over the years, it has emerged as a noxious invader that can grow in diverse ecosystems, right from coastal areas to desert regions. Its rapid growth and dense formation enable it to wipe out other plant species in its surroundings.
Except for mikania, so far the control and eradication measures, through manual extraction, chemical spraying and biological means, have had very little impact on the growth of these invasive aliens. The release of Mexican beetles against parthenium has shown promising results, but given the fact that it occupies nearly five million hectares the use of beetles does not seem to be a feasible optionALONG THE ROAD, a mikania invasion on palms.
Our fresh and marine water resources, including the corals, also face a grave threat from invasive alien species. The water hyacinth is believed to have originated in the Amazon basin, but it has become a big nuisance in India’s ponds, lakes and lagoons.
Tilapia, a freshwater fish, was first introduced into the pond ecosystem of India in 1952, and it has now been declared as invasive in 90 countries around the world. It multiplies at an extremely rapid pace, survives in all kinds of waters and eats everything, to the extent that native species are starved to death.
The challenge now is to find ways to manage the invasive aliens that are firmly entrenched in the country and, at the same time, take every possible step to prevent the entry of new aliens that may become invasive. The future of India hinges on the protection of its biodiversity. This task cannot be the responsibility of the government alone. We have to be partners in protecting this common heritage. THERE IS HARDLY an invasive alien species in the world that can match the parthenium weed's dispersal ability and capacity to destroy. Believed to have entered the country in the 1950s along with the supply of P.L. 480 wheat from the United States, parthenium now occupies 50 lakh hectares in the country and has become a major health hazard for people and animals.
Invasive alien species are a global issue and dealing with this requires international cooperation and action. Preventing the international movement of IAS and their rapid detection on the borders are less costly than their control and eradication. Preventing the entry of IAS is carried out through inspections of international shipments, customs checks and quarantine regulations.
This requires collaboration among governments, economic sectors and non-governmental and international organisations. There are many international and regional binding agreements and voluntary guidelines that include regulations on IAS. PROSOPIS JULIFLORA WAS introduced in India in the last century and was thought to be a very promising species for the afforestation of dry and degraded land. But over the years, it has emerged as a noxious invader that can grow in diverse ecosystems, right from coastal areas to desert regions. Its rapid growth and dense formation enable it to wipe out other plant species in its surroundings.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD has recognised that there is an urgent need to address the impact of IAS, and at its fourth meeting it established IAS as a cross-cutting issue. The decision of the COP 6 meeting included the adoption of the Guiding Principles for the Prevention, Introduction and Mitigation of Impacts of Alien Species that Threaten Ecosystems, Habitats or Species. This target was subsequently endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the U.N. General Assembly and was incorporated as a new target under the Millennium Development Goals.•
Climate change to displace millions: UN report
Climate change could uproot millions in the future causing displacement and migration, warns a new UN-supported report.The report said that displacement will get worse 'unless vulnerable populations, especially the poorest, are assisted in building climate-resilient livelihoods.'
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Researchers interviewed more than 2,000 migrants in various parts of the world and mapped climate change in the Ganges, Nile and Mekong deltas, Tuvalu and the Maldives, among other areas.The publication supported by the UN University (UNU), UNHCR, the World Bank, Columbia University and the NGO CARE was launched at the UN climate change conference under way in Bonn, Germany.'In coming decades, climate change will motivate or force millions of people to leave their homes in search of viable livelihoods and safety,' it said.'Unless aggressive measures are taken to halt global warming, the consequences for human migration and displacement could reach a scope and scale that vastly exceed anything that has occurred before,' it warned.Koko Warner of UNU's Institute for Environment and Human Security told UN Radio that the majority of the migrants polled said that the environment has affected their decision on where and how to live.
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Researchers interviewed more than 2,000 migrants in various parts of the world and mapped climate change in the Ganges, Nile and Mekong deltas, Tuvalu and the Maldives, among other areas.The publication supported by the UN University (UNU), UNHCR, the World Bank, Columbia University and the NGO CARE was launched at the UN climate change conference under way in Bonn, Germany.'In coming decades, climate change will motivate or force millions of people to leave their homes in search of viable livelihoods and safety,' it said.'Unless aggressive measures are taken to halt global warming, the consequences for human migration and displacement could reach a scope and scale that vastly exceed anything that has occurred before,' it warned.Koko Warner of UNU's Institute for Environment and Human Security told UN Radio that the majority of the migrants polled said that the environment has affected their decision on where and how to live.
Gartner: Five cost-effective CRM strategies
Companies that fail to invest in CRM strategies because of the tough economic climate will delay perceived benefits by at least 12 months once the economy recovers, giving rivals an advantage in the market, according to Gartner Inc.
Gartner analysts said that lesson learned from previous downturns indicate that 40% of companies will use the current economic slump as an opportunity to generate post-recovery growth via effective use of CRM strategies.
“Just because times are tough and budgets are being cut, companies should not think that means no CRM investment,” said Scott Nelson, Managing Vice President at Gartner. “Companies need to think in terms of spending smarter, not spending less. There are zero, or low-cost strategies that can be implemented now that can make all the difference, generate competitive differentiation and not draw the attention of the CFO.”
Nelson said in reality there is no such thing as true “zero cost strategy”—as money has often already been spent on CRM systems and there are ongoing care and maintenance expenses—CRM success can be secured without spending more money on technology. Many organizations have large investments in call centers, websites, marketing systems and sales force automation. With these pieces in place, companies can wrap effective strategies around these tools and generate real success from a customer standpoint.
“CRM is a journey, not just a one-time and done strategy,” said Nelson. “If the right strategies are employed now, then companies will get a ‘sling shot’ effect going into the eventual recovery, putting them well ahead of the rivals who chose to wait and who equate CRM success with spending more money on technology.”
Gartner has identified five strategies that companies can undertake now that cost very little or nothing, but which will generate positive results from a CRM strategy point of view.
Customer communities: Gartner predicts that CRM of the future will be about creating online communities of customers via emerging social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and similar websites. The economic downturn provides a great opportunity to begin experimenting in this area, and Gartner advises companies to set up accounts on the various websites and learn what they do and don’t do, and how users interact.
Analytics: Once bought and installed, analytic tools can be put to good use during economic downturns. Many companies have more information than they know what to do with, and now they have the opportunity to put this to good use studying attrition models, looking at the next most likely to buy models, and figuring out channel usage patterns. While doing so, companies should bear in mind that customer behavior may change when the economy improves.
Segmentation: Many segmentation schemes are based on psycho-demographics, profitability or account attributes. However, a down economy provides companies with the opportunity to review their segmentation strategy and see if it really is the very best one that they could have.
Process redesign: Process is often an overlooked part of CRM and in many cases all that CRM technologies have done is taken out old, broken processes and made them run more efficiently. Now is an excellent time to study customer processes with a view to redesigning them and creating a win/win situation for both the company—which gets greater efficiency—and the customer—who gets a “partner” that interacts with them in a meaningful way.
Organizational redesign: Organizational change is one of the most difficult areas of CRM strategy, but many companies need to make the move from product-centric to customer-centric. In a down economy, with fewer distractions, many companies will find that this is the perfect time to start to address some of the organizational issues that get in the way of serving the customer.
“At the end of the day, CRM is all about change. Changing from product to customers, changing age-old processes, changing enterprise mindsets, and changing how companies relate to customers,” said Nelson. “All of this can be done without new systems, and the challenging economic environment may give companies just the chance they have been waiting for.”
Nelson will discuss the key issues facing the CRM industry during the Gartner Customer Relationship Management Summit in September this year in Scottsdale, Arizona.
This Summit delivers leading-edge insights on how technology enables the marketing, sales and customer service functions, adding value to the customer experience and delivering higher levels of customer satisfaction while increasing sales and saving money
Gartner analysts said that lesson learned from previous downturns indicate that 40% of companies will use the current economic slump as an opportunity to generate post-recovery growth via effective use of CRM strategies.
“Just because times are tough and budgets are being cut, companies should not think that means no CRM investment,” said Scott Nelson, Managing Vice President at Gartner. “Companies need to think in terms of spending smarter, not spending less. There are zero, or low-cost strategies that can be implemented now that can make all the difference, generate competitive differentiation and not draw the attention of the CFO.”
Nelson said in reality there is no such thing as true “zero cost strategy”—as money has often already been spent on CRM systems and there are ongoing care and maintenance expenses—CRM success can be secured without spending more money on technology. Many organizations have large investments in call centers, websites, marketing systems and sales force automation. With these pieces in place, companies can wrap effective strategies around these tools and generate real success from a customer standpoint.
“CRM is a journey, not just a one-time and done strategy,” said Nelson. “If the right strategies are employed now, then companies will get a ‘sling shot’ effect going into the eventual recovery, putting them well ahead of the rivals who chose to wait and who equate CRM success with spending more money on technology.”
Gartner has identified five strategies that companies can undertake now that cost very little or nothing, but which will generate positive results from a CRM strategy point of view.
Customer communities: Gartner predicts that CRM of the future will be about creating online communities of customers via emerging social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and similar websites. The economic downturn provides a great opportunity to begin experimenting in this area, and Gartner advises companies to set up accounts on the various websites and learn what they do and don’t do, and how users interact.
Analytics: Once bought and installed, analytic tools can be put to good use during economic downturns. Many companies have more information than they know what to do with, and now they have the opportunity to put this to good use studying attrition models, looking at the next most likely to buy models, and figuring out channel usage patterns. While doing so, companies should bear in mind that customer behavior may change when the economy improves.
Segmentation: Many segmentation schemes are based on psycho-demographics, profitability or account attributes. However, a down economy provides companies with the opportunity to review their segmentation strategy and see if it really is the very best one that they could have.
Process redesign: Process is often an overlooked part of CRM and in many cases all that CRM technologies have done is taken out old, broken processes and made them run more efficiently. Now is an excellent time to study customer processes with a view to redesigning them and creating a win/win situation for both the company—which gets greater efficiency—and the customer—who gets a “partner” that interacts with them in a meaningful way.
Organizational redesign: Organizational change is one of the most difficult areas of CRM strategy, but many companies need to make the move from product-centric to customer-centric. In a down economy, with fewer distractions, many companies will find that this is the perfect time to start to address some of the organizational issues that get in the way of serving the customer.
“At the end of the day, CRM is all about change. Changing from product to customers, changing age-old processes, changing enterprise mindsets, and changing how companies relate to customers,” said Nelson. “All of this can be done without new systems, and the challenging economic environment may give companies just the chance they have been waiting for.”
Nelson will discuss the key issues facing the CRM industry during the Gartner Customer Relationship Management Summit in September this year in Scottsdale, Arizona.
This Summit delivers leading-edge insights on how technology enables the marketing, sales and customer service functions, adding value to the customer experience and delivering higher levels of customer satisfaction while increasing sales and saving money
WVa to require coal companies to monitor slurry
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection will require coal companies that use underground injection to dispose of coal wastes to start monitoring for potential pollution problems, the agency's director told lawmakers Wednesday.
The DEP currently permits 13 coal slurry injection wells but doesn't require permit holders to monitor if the contaminants are moving off site through the groundwater.
Orders will be issued next month requiring the companies to modify those permits, DEP Secretary Randy Huffman told a water resources committee. The companies will have 90 days to submit plans to install the monitoring wells.
Huffman said monitoring is necessary because a DEP study on the possible harmful environmental effects of coal slurry injections was inconclusive. The agency doesn't "know if the potential contaminates in the mine pool is migrating through the coal seam and ending up off site," he said.
The action follows DEP's decision in May to place a moratorium on underground injection at new mine sites. The moratorium was issued after the agency issued the first phase of a two-phase report on coal slurry injection. The report was issued two years after its December 2007 due date.
Coal slurry is a byproduct of cleaning coal after it is mined.
For decades, coal companies in Appalachia have injected slurry into mined out deep mines as a cheap alternative to building massive dams or to filtration and drying systems. In theory, solids settle to the bottom of pools inside sealed mine voids, and all the waste stays put, with little risk to groundwater below.
Critics of the practice say the earth continues to shift and crack long after mining has ended, whether through natural settling or human activity such as nearby blasting. They say that lets slurry migrate.
Huffman told lawmakers he couldn't say if injecting slurry was safe, but acknowledged the agency plans to modify its enforcement and permitting processes this year to "bring the regulatory program for slurry injection up to a standard it should have been all alongThe second phase of slurry study falls to the Bureau for Public Health. Walt Ivey, with the bureau's environmental health section, said the agency has contracted with West Virginia University to look for potential human health issues. WVU will be paid $221,519 to determine by Dec. 31 whether the practice is potentially harmful to people.
The contract sets a timeline for researchers, who have until June 30 to review the DEP's report and supporting data, gather any public health information they can find elsewhere and form an expert panel with three to six members who will review WVU's draft reports.
The contract requires WVU to seek information from a diverse array of sources.
A draft of the report must be submitted to the Department of Health and Human Resources in October, with comments from the DHHR and the expert panel to follow.
The final report should go to DHHR by Dec. 31, and the researchers may have to appear before lawmakers when they convene during the 2010 regular legislative session.
___
The DEP currently permits 13 coal slurry injection wells but doesn't require permit holders to monitor if the contaminants are moving off site through the groundwater.
Orders will be issued next month requiring the companies to modify those permits, DEP Secretary Randy Huffman told a water resources committee. The companies will have 90 days to submit plans to install the monitoring wells.
Huffman said monitoring is necessary because a DEP study on the possible harmful environmental effects of coal slurry injections was inconclusive. The agency doesn't "know if the potential contaminates in the mine pool is migrating through the coal seam and ending up off site," he said.
The action follows DEP's decision in May to place a moratorium on underground injection at new mine sites. The moratorium was issued after the agency issued the first phase of a two-phase report on coal slurry injection. The report was issued two years after its December 2007 due date.
Coal slurry is a byproduct of cleaning coal after it is mined.
For decades, coal companies in Appalachia have injected slurry into mined out deep mines as a cheap alternative to building massive dams or to filtration and drying systems. In theory, solids settle to the bottom of pools inside sealed mine voids, and all the waste stays put, with little risk to groundwater below.
Critics of the practice say the earth continues to shift and crack long after mining has ended, whether through natural settling or human activity such as nearby blasting. They say that lets slurry migrate.
Huffman told lawmakers he couldn't say if injecting slurry was safe, but acknowledged the agency plans to modify its enforcement and permitting processes this year to "bring the regulatory program for slurry injection up to a standard it should have been all alongThe second phase of slurry study falls to the Bureau for Public Health. Walt Ivey, with the bureau's environmental health section, said the agency has contracted with West Virginia University to look for potential human health issues. WVU will be paid $221,519 to determine by Dec. 31 whether the practice is potentially harmful to people.
The contract sets a timeline for researchers, who have until June 30 to review the DEP's report and supporting data, gather any public health information they can find elsewhere and form an expert panel with three to six members who will review WVU's draft reports.
The contract requires WVU to seek information from a diverse array of sources.
A draft of the report must be submitted to the Department of Health and Human Resources in October, with comments from the DHHR and the expert panel to follow.
The final report should go to DHHR by Dec. 31, and the researchers may have to appear before lawmakers when they convene during the 2010 regular legislative session.
___
Outsourcing is DJB's plan for plugging water leakage
to minimise loss of water.
Speaking at the Water Summit 2009, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Negi also emphasised the need for investment by the private sector, especially with lesser funds being made available by the government due to recession. Said Negi: "DJB spends Rs 1,500 crore annually on improving Delhi's water supply, this has to be augmented with private sector participation. The investment opportunities in the sector are going up manifolds and a public-private partnership models need to be worked out by which the government will provide land and the private counterpart will carry out water recycling.''
According to Negi, since more than 45% of the city is unplanned growth, the consumers often face water shortage. "As DJB does not have sufficient water inventory, the present norm of 450/350 litre per head per day for hospitals and hotels respectively will soon go down to 200 litres. Hotel and hospitals share the concerns and will recycle the remaining as per their needs," he said.
Talking of saline water supply in Delhi due to higher levels of ammonia and chloride, Negi said while the problem was more or less under control now, DJB had written to Haryana government and central pollution control board also, to control the problem of pollutants being released into Yamuna from industries of Panipat. "When the first rain happens the pollutants that are usually accumulated around the industries enter the Wazirabad pond causing problems,'' said Negi.
Meanwhile, an education kit for children was also released during the summit which was aimed at educating them about water conservation and capturing it as a positive influence on parents.
Francios E Binder, country director and counsellor, Swiss agency for development and cooperation, suggested that the water sector in India should adhere to appropriate regulatory framework which incorporates consumer protection, environmental standards, pricing mechanism and enhancing sustainability. He added that the sector has to introduce accountability amongst stakeholders.
Speaking at the Water Summit 2009, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Negi also emphasised the need for investment by the private sector, especially with lesser funds being made available by the government due to recession. Said Negi: "DJB spends Rs 1,500 crore annually on improving Delhi's water supply, this has to be augmented with private sector participation. The investment opportunities in the sector are going up manifolds and a public-private partnership models need to be worked out by which the government will provide land and the private counterpart will carry out water recycling.''
According to Negi, since more than 45% of the city is unplanned growth, the consumers often face water shortage. "As DJB does not have sufficient water inventory, the present norm of 450/350 litre per head per day for hospitals and hotels respectively will soon go down to 200 litres. Hotel and hospitals share the concerns and will recycle the remaining as per their needs," he said.
Talking of saline water supply in Delhi due to higher levels of ammonia and chloride, Negi said while the problem was more or less under control now, DJB had written to Haryana government and central pollution control board also, to control the problem of pollutants being released into Yamuna from industries of Panipat. "When the first rain happens the pollutants that are usually accumulated around the industries enter the Wazirabad pond causing problems,'' said Negi.
Meanwhile, an education kit for children was also released during the summit which was aimed at educating them about water conservation and capturing it as a positive influence on parents.
Francios E Binder, country director and counsellor, Swiss agency for development and cooperation, suggested that the water sector in India should adhere to appropriate regulatory framework which incorporates consumer protection, environmental standards, pricing mechanism and enhancing sustainability. He added that the sector has to introduce accountability amongst stakeholders.
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