Sustainability Outlook Headlines

Mumbai: Unit in Dharavi to process wet waste of 9 wards

Following the multiple fires that broke out at the Deonar and Mulund dumping grounds earlier this year flagging the poor state of solid waste management in the city, individual residents and a couple of wards have started taking up measures to process the wet waste in their area to reduce the amount of waste being sent to the overflowing landfill sites. Taking up a similar initiative on a larger scale, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is planning to set up a waste processing unit on a 15-acre plot in... Read more..

Section 144 imposed to curb waste burning in Gurugram

Late in the evening on Sunday, deputy commissioner T L Satyaprakash issued an order, imposing Section 144 CrPc across the city, to prohibit burning in the open of waste/garbage or any material that causes air pollution and aggravates smog formation.

It finally brought city authorities out of their apparent stupor, in the wake of the dense smog that had cast a dark shadow on the skyline, reducing visibility... Read more..

Government to complete process for awarding 1K MW wind projects by December

New and Renewable Energy Ministry expects to complete the process for awarding 1,000 MW wind power projects worth around Rs 6,000 crore by December-end. 

"The nodal agency Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has already floated Request for Selection (RFS) document for selection of bidders under the scheme for awarding 1,000 MW of wind power projects," a senior official said. 

... Read more..

Emissions Must Be Cut A Further 25% To Avoid “Dangerous Climate Change”: UNEP

Global emissions must be cut a further 25% beyond existing pledges if we are to have any chance of minimizing dangerous climate change, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released its annual Emissions Gap report on Thursday, which tracks humanity’s progress in restricting global warming to 1.5°C to 2°C. Despite the progress... Read more..

Centre issues guidelines to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan for wind power

The Union ministry of new and renewable energy has issued guidelines for setting up an inter-state transmission system to evacuate wind power to the extent of 1,000MW from windy states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.

As per the guidelines, wind power projects will be selected through an open and transparent competitive bidding and power will be sold to states, which need to purchase wind... Read more..

New research to turn municipal sewage into biofuel

It may sound like science fiction, but wastewater treatment plants may one day turn ordinary sewage into biocrude oil, thanks to new research at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

“There is plenty of carbon in municipal waste water sludge and interestingly, there are also fats,” said one of the researchers Corinne Drennan, who is responsible for bioenergy technologies... Read more..

ZDHC unveils Chemical Gateway tool for chemical management

The Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) has launched the new ZDHC Chemical Gateway tool for chemical management within the textile and footwear value chain, designed to indicate conformance to the ZDHC MRSL (Manufacturing Restricted Substances List), that addresses hazardous substances potentially used and discharged into the environment.

ZDHC MRSL is a list of chemical substances banned from... Read more..

UK, Indian scientists investigating air-pollution causes

British and Indian scientists are working to understand the sources, causes and effects of pollution after fireworks during Diwali and Guy Fawkes’ night sharply reduced visibility in the two countries. Scientists at the University of Birmingham and their partners in Delhi have co-organised a workshop in Delhi next month to investigate air pollution in the two countries.

The worshop will be attended by... Read more..

Uttarakhand facing impacts of climate change

The Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) found the temperature of Almora town rising by 0.46 C and rainfall becoming lesser after probing the related data of last 53 years. Various experts also highlighted the issue of climate change at a workshop on the subject of Himalayas, Climate Change and the media held at GB Pant Institute at Almora on Thursday.

Rajender Dobhal, director... Read more..

India to launch clean energy equity fund of up to $2 billion: Sources

The Indian government and three state-run firms will jointly set up an equity fund of up to $2 billion for renewable energy companies to tap into to help New Delhi meet its clean energy goals, two government sources told Reuters on Wednesday. 

Private and public companies will be able to dip into an initial amount of more than $1 billion starting next fiscal year, said the sources with direct knowledge of... Read more..

Scientists discover new method to turn carbon dioxide into fuel

In a new twist to waste-to-fuel technology, scientists have developed a novel electrochemical process that uses low-cost materials to turn carbon dioxide into ethanol, a useful fuel.

"We discovered somewhat by accident that this material worked," said lead author Adam Rondinone, from US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

... Read more..

South India's 2nd human waste management plant to come up in Coimbatore

After launching a slew of projects to recycle plastic, organic and e-waste, the city is all set to set up a human waste management plant. To be set up jointly by the state government and the Nilgiris-based Keystone Foundation, the plant would process faecal matter and produce compost from it. It will also process the liquid, which drains out, to be used for gardening and irrigation purposes.

The human waste... Read more..