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‘Stakeholders invested in reducing reliance on fossil fuels should pay close attention to the plastics crisis’

Global plastic production now amounts to some 400 million tonnes per year, as per United Nations Environment Programme. Yet only an estimated 12% of the plastics produced have been incinerated and only an estimated 9% have been recycled. About 8% of the world’s oil goes into plastic production and it’s going to rise to 20% […]

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‘Policy changes and alternatives to plastic is the key to beat plastic pollution’

A 2019 study, led by Dr Thava Palanisami and other researchers at the University of Newcastle, Australia, and commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, reported that humans are gobbling upto 5 grams of microplastics in their weekly diets — or about as much as the weight of an ATM card. Recognised globally by […]

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Sculpting plastic trash into treasure

We produce more than 430 million tonnes of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are short-lived products that soon become waste, filling the ocean. And often, working their way into the human food chain. Overall, 46 per cent of plastic waste is landfilled, while 22 percent is mismanaged and becomes litter, according to the UNEP. In […]

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‘The only good plastic is the plastic that does not get made’

In April an international team of researchers published the study that Arctic ice algae is heavily contaminated with microplastics that seep into the food web. The research team collected samples of the algae and the surrounding water from ice floes during an expedition with the research vessel Polarstern in the summer of 2021.The team consisting […]

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Solar powered water desalination 

“Imagine a bigger magnifying glass and it has a point focus that is tracking with the sun”, says Yash Tarwadi while explaining how his solar desalination plant Sol-Evo works. He has built a solar desalination plant which purifies upto 70 percent of the water that’s fed into it. It saves 5.7 lakh litres of water […]

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Explained: What are carbon sinks and why do they matter?

You might have often heard how our forests and the oceans help in reduction of greenhouse gases. Ever wondered how? Well they act as carbon sinks and trap the excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. With climate disasters becoming more frequent and alarming, the role of carbon sinks become more significant. Carbon sinks on land […]

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UN talks on a treaty to end global plastic pollution underway in Paris

A United Nations committee is convening on May 29 in Paris to work on a groundbreaking treaty aimed at ending global plastic pollution. However, reaching an agreement on the desired outcome remains a challenge. The theme for this year’s World Environment Day is #BeatPlasticPollution and finding solutions to this monumental challenge is the key focus […]

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Plastic pollution crisis demands global collaboration between stakeholders

A network of dedicated scientists researching plastic pollution warns that progress in reducing this global threat has been painfully slow, leading to escalating damage to our natural environment and human health. Their findings, published in the journal ‘Nature Communications’, reveal a critical lack of integration among four key stakeholder communities: scientists, industry, society, and policymakers. […]

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Delhi’s EV policy spurs growth, reaches 86% target completion

The Electric Vehicles (EVs) Policy 2020 implemented by the Delhi government has been highly successful, with 86% of the set targets already achieved.  Over the past three years, there has been a significant increase in the sales of EVs. In 2020, the sales of EV two-wheelers stood at 1,165, which rose to 34,596 in 2022. […]

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The role of women in solid waste management 

Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tonnes of solid waste is collected worldwide. And decay of the organic proportion of solid waste is contributing about 5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a UNEP report. In this episode of For Her Future, we have Divya Hegde, a climate action entrepreneur from Udupi, Karnataka. […]

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Preterm babies at risk due to air pollution, climate change

A recent report by UN agencies reveals that although high-income countries contribute the most to climate change, the ones bearing the brunt of its impacts are those who have contributed the least. The report, titled ’Born Too Soon: Decade of Action on Preterm Birth’, released by World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Partnership for Maternal […]

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Turning textile waste into high-end fashion clothes

According to a UNEP report, the average person is buying 60 percent more clothing than 15 years ago, while each item is kept for only half as long.The clothing sector produces between 2 to 8 per cent of global carbon emissions, while textile dyeing is a major polluter of water. Fast fashion is responsible for […]

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India to soon launch new scheme for livelihood applications of distributed renewable energy

The Centre will soon come up with a scheme that will enable people to have easy access to livelihood applications of distributed renewable energy (DRE) technology such as those using solar and wind energy. “There is already a lot of work happening on the ground and our scheme could benefit lakhs of families across the […]

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Sorting Scrap for the Capital

“They are as big as mountains”, exclaims Mukul Chhabra, the founder and CEO of ScrapUncle, while talking about the ever-increasing landfills of the National Capital Region. Everyday, the bustling city produces a staggering 11,332 tonnes of solid waste, a concerning statistic revealed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Regrettably, 4,360 tonnes of this refuse […]

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What is World Biodiversity Day and why does it matter?

World Biodiversity Day, also known as the International Day for Biological Diversity, is celebrated annually on May 22. It aims to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and its vital role in sustaining life on Earth. The day serves as a reminder of the need to protect and conserve biodiversity for present and future […]

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