TRINet Newsletter June 2012
Clearance to Cuddalore Thermal Plant suspended
The National Green Tribunal in New Delhi has suspended the environmental clearance (EC) given to the Chennai-based IL&FS Tamil Nadu Power Company to set up five units of coal-fired thermal power stations with a combined capacity of 3,600 MW in Cuddalore district.
Secrets of the Western Ghats
The government's decision to keep the Gadgil Committee report under wraps has prevented an informed discussion on the competing claims of development and ecology, says Ramachandra Guha
Report: Global Biodiversity Down 30 Percent in 40 Years
The world's biodiversity is down 30 percent since the 1970s, according to a new report, with tropical species taking the biggest hit. And if humanity continues as it has been, the picture could get bleaker.
A Price Tag On Nature
TEEB estimates that every year the world loses $2-4.5 trillion worth of natural capital. Does it make sense to put an economic value to our natural resources? Darryl D'Monte explores
Extinction Countdown: The Last 400 Asiatic Lions Need More Room to Grow. But Where Will They Go?
They are mostly forgotten today, but Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) once roamed in vast numbers across the Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean and Middle East until overhunting brought them to within a hair’s breadth of extinction. By 1907, when an Indian prince finally banned hunting and protected the last lions, only 13 members of the subspecies remained. Today, after more than a century of conservation, the population of Asiatic lions stands at a high of around 400 animals, all of which live in and around the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in the Indian state of Gujarat, just a few kilometers from the Arabian Sea.
Fixing Corbett: Where to begin
Outraged by the TEHELKA exposé, many readers have slammed the plunder of Corbett’s legacy. But the tiger reserve still has every chance if we insist on a few answers, says Jay Mazoomdaar
Supreme Court red flags move to translocate African cheetah in India
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dealt a blow to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) by staying its ambitious Rs 300 crore cheetah reintroduction project proposing translocation of the exotic African species from Namibia to Palpur-Kuno Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
Apocalypse Soon: Has Civilization Passed the Environmental Point of No Return?
Although there is an urban legend that the world will end this year based on a misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar, some researchers think a 40-year-old computer program that predicts a collapse of socioeconomic order and massive drop in human population in this century may be on target
Disaster Management:
Building livelihoods
Annie George, CEO of Nagapattinam-based Bedroc, talks about the work she does to give a firm foundation to the lives of the people in the district.
First-Of-Its-Kind Study Reveals Surprising Ecological Effects of Earthquake and Tsunami
The reappearance of long-forgotten habitats and the resurgence of species unseen for years may not be among the expected effects of a natural disaster. Yet that's exactly what researchers have found on the sandy beaches of south central Chile, after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami in 2010. Their study also revealed a preview of the problems wrought by sea level rise -- a major symptom of climate change.
Community Drills Part of Cuba’s Top-Notch Disaster Response System
A well-oiled prevention system that involves the entire country, from the highest spheres of government to the most isolated rural community, makes Cuba one of the best-prepared countries in the world when it comes to preventing deaths and mitigating risks in case of disasters.
Book review:
Richard Maxwell and Toby Miller
OUP USA
288 pages | 235x156mm
978-0-19-991467-8 | Hardback | June 2012 (estimated)
You will never look at your cell phone, TV, or computer the same way after reading this book. Maxwell and Miller not only reveal the dirty secrets that hide inside our beloved electronics; they also take apart the myths that have pushed these gadgets to the center of our lives. With an astounding array of economic, environmental and historical facts, Greening the Media debunks the idea that information and communication technologies (ITC) are clean and ecologically benign. In this compassionate and sharply argued book, the authors show how the physical reality of making, consuming, and discarding them is rife with toxic ingredients, poisonous working conditions, and hazardous waste. But all is not lost. As the title suggests, Maxwell and Miller dwell critically on these environmental problems in order to think creatively about ways to solve them.
TED/YouTube:
Jonathan Foley: The other inconvenient truth
A skyrocketing demand for food means that agriculture has become the largest driver of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental destruction. Jonathan Foley shows why we desperately need to begin "terraculture" -- farming for the whole planet.
Donald Sadoway: The missing link to renewable energy
What's the key to using alternative energy, like solar and wind? Storage -- so we can have power on tap even when the sun's not out and the wind's not blowing. In this accessible, inspiring talk, Donald Sadoway takes to the blackboard to show us the future of large-scale batteries that store renewable energy. As he says: "We need to think about the problem differently. We need to think big. We need to think cheap."
TRINet DeBunk:
What We Don't Know
How did life begin? What's the universe made of? Why do we sleep? 42 of the biggest questions in science.
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