Sustainability

Featured Articles
December 6, 2022 Need to shift to a more sustainable diet without compromising on major nutrients and calories
Historically, India has been a net exporter of virtual water (Image: PxHere)
November 6, 2022 In 2020, 559 million children were affected by four to five heatwaves a year; numbers could increase four-fold by 2050, as per a report by UNICEF
Heat-related mortality is four times higher among children under 1 year of age than in persons aged 1–44 years (Image: Taqver, Wikimedia Commons)
April 26, 2022 The water stewardship initiative by WOTR that developed a tool to visualise aquifers has not only helped farmers understand groundwater as a shared resource, but also led to a behavioural change among water users and helped implement groundwater laws and policies.
Groundwater, a fast disappearing resource (Image Source: India Water Portal)
December 6, 2021 Will it be possible to ensure equity and justice while balancing climate action goals with economic progress?
Taking everyone along while achieving a balance between economic growth and climate goals is crucial (Image Source:  Good Energies)
March 22, 2021 The recent 'Water governance standard and certification system' developed by WOTR can greatly help villages to develop good governance practices and manage their water needs equitably and sustainably.
Long queues waiting for tankers are common in different parts of Maharashtra during water scarcity (Image Source: WOTR)
December 29, 2020 Water resources in most Indian cities are overworked and overused, and not adequately replenished.
Cities in India are marked by unequal distribution of water, lack of access, outdated infrastructure and minimal enforcement of rainwater harvesting and other means of supply. (Image: Anish Roy, Pixabay)
The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice: A subsidiary body to the UNFCCC
The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) regularly undertakes work on methodological and scientific matters as they relate to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol process. Posted on 29 Aug, 2009 10:37 AM

Some of the issues the SBSTA is currently dealing with are land use, land-use change and forestry, adaptation, mitigation, research, systematic observation and bunker fuels.

Extensive online resource base on the System of Rice Intensification: Homepage on the CIIFAD website
The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) homepage on the CIIFAD website, setup in collaboration with Association Tefy Saina Madagascar, is an extensive, continuously updated online resource base on SRI. Posted on 29 Aug, 2009 10:31 AM

The site has sections detailing the methodology of SRI, its advantages, origins, current status in countries across the world, videos, articles, research papers, extension information, conference outputs, discussion communities, update series, newsletters and more.

See the homepage: Here

The Kyoto Protocol: Mandate, mechanisms and revisions
The Kyoto Protocol is a landmark agreement reached at the Conference of the Parties (COP 3) in Japan. It derives its name after the city, Kyoto, in Japan, where the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference - COP 3 was held in December 1997. Industrialized countries agreed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as per levels specified in the treaty. Posted on 28 Aug, 2009 04:57 PM

Mandated Quantified GHG Emissions Reduction

Quick reference: Climate change impacts on freshwater ecosystems in the Himalayas (CCIFEH)
Climate change impacts on freshwater ecosystems in the Himalayas (CCIFEH) is a joint initiative of WWF-India and WWF Nepal, funded by WWF-The Netherlands. Posted on 26 Aug, 2009 04:01 PM

The programme entails a panorama of actions working towards understanding future climate change impacts on Himalayan river ecosystems and vulnerable communities for the development of adaptation strategies; implementation of pilot sites; and raising the awareness of climate change impacts on Himalayan river basins, in addition to urging specific adaptation strategie

Impact of climate change on the Himalayan glaciers
40% reduction has occurred in the Himalayan glaciers in the last 40 years. 67% of the glaciers have retreated in the last decade. Gangotri is retreating at the rate of 28 m per year. Global warming and its consequent melting of glaciers would result in floods, fast and furious run-offs, erosion of the topsoil and sedimentation of the rivers. This could also lead to changes in the course of the rivers in the region. Posted on 26 Aug, 2009 03:30 PM

The Himalayas' permanent ice cover is around 97,000 sq.km. with 12,930 sq.km. volume of ice and snow: 10-20 % are covered by glaciers and 30-40% are seasonal snowfalls. The Himalayan streams and rivers are fed by the melting of snow and ice of approximately 500 sq.km / year.

Impact of climate change on water resources
Sea-level rise and coastal delta flooding will result in large-scale migration, affecting traditional fishing communities, agriculture, tourism as well as industries and urban agglomerations along the coast. The stress on water resources will impact agriculture, especially rain-fed agriculture; as well as health; changing temperatures and moisture levels will affect insects and plants; and also our forests and pasture lands. Livelihoods will be at stake for the millions.
Can we do something about these impacts? Is something already happening? Yes, on both counts.
Posted on 26 Aug, 2009 02:30 PM

India has contributed immensely to the body of scientific research and analysis that underpins the understanding of the global impacts of climate change. There is, to a slightly lesser degree, an understanding of specific regional impacts. More needs to be done here, especially understinding micro-level impacts.

Global best practices in the urban water sector
UN Habitat's best practices brief on the urban water sector across the world Posted on 26 Aug, 2009 01:02 PM

Countries around the world have tried to manage their water resources in a sustainable manner. Click here to know more about the global best practices in the urban water sector.

How sea level rise can affect communities around the world: Impacts on man and nature
Detrimental effects of sea level rise are projected to be global but some differences remain between regions and countries. A brief look at the phenomenon as well as its consequences Posted on 26 Aug, 2009 10:54 AM

Sea level rise and decrease are ancient phenomena related to the geologic glacial/interglacial cycles. But since the 19th century and the industrial revolution, an acceleration of sea level rise has been observed through tide gauge measurements and satellite altimetry.

Map: Groundwater exploitation levels in India between 2004 and 2007
Categorisation of blocks/mandals/talukas in the country, in terms of Groundwater exploitation levels in 2004 and 2007 Posted on 25 Aug, 2009 10:34 PM

This CGWB map provides us with block level information about groundwater exploitation across the country. Blocks are categorized as safe, semi-critical, critical, over exploited and saline based on the usage.

How changing climate and melting glaciers affects nations across the globe: Spotlight on the Himalayas
In the next decade, the Himalayas are projected to suffer from devastating Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and landslides - Is climate change the culprit? Posted on 25 Aug, 2009 05:11 PM

As observed by the United Nations Environment Program (GRID-Arendal) ice and snow are major components of the climate system. That is why human induced climate change can be first observed in Polar Regions where most of Earth's snow and ice are concentrated. In these areas global warming induces the progressive melting of ice and snow.

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