Monday Feature: Green News and Media Roundup for Week 32, 2011

Weekly environmental news roundup from across different media networks for week 32 (starting August 08), 2011.

1. Proposed NEAMA may subsume environment, forest committees

The proposed Environment Appraisal and Monitoring Authority (NEAMA), once it comes into existence, may subsume the existing environment appraisal committees (EAC) and forest advisory committee (FAC) of the environment ministry.

2.  Vodafone to set India-specific GHG emission reduction target

Telecom services provider Vodafone Essar is looking to set India-specific greenhouse gas emission mitigation targets for itself as part of an initiative to reduce its carbon footprint by 20 per cent globally by 2015.

3.  Experts say oil spill to impact marine life, environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan rules out any problem

Ruling out any cause of concern over the oil spill from a sunk cargo vessel off the Mumbai coast, union environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan on Monday said that her ministry is “constantly monitoring” the situation.

4. Speaker’s green drive in Parliament complex

In an initiative to turn Parliament green, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar inaugurated a solar energy system in the Parliament complex.

5. Jayanthi sees no conflict between development and environment

Indicating that the era of conflict between environment and industries is over, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan on Wednesday said the question being raised now is how can green economy lead to sustainable development and poverty eradication.

6.  Only 19 projects were denied green clearance from 2008 to Aug 2011

Are environmental clearances delaying industrial development in the country? Some in the government might claim so and argue for further easing of green norms but government data shows otherwise. In the past three years, the rate of rejection of projects for environmental clearance was an insignificant 1.13%.

7. Govt starts review of forest produce rules to make them more tribal-friendly

They can cut and extract bamboo, mahua, tendu and tamarind from the jungle but tribals have to carry it on their head or on hand-pushed carts or bicycles if they have to sell what they own. Such rules under the Forest Rights Act ensure that the Rs 50,000 crore trade in forest produce remains practically out of the hands of tribals despite the law requiring otherwise.