Feature Article

But a workshop on equity at the climate inter-sessional refused to move beyond well-embedded party demarcations. It was India, which at last year’s climate negotiations at Durban had insisted on bringing the principle of equity back into the agenda for tackling climate change. The concept, which not so long ago had almost fallen off the climate agenda now features in almost everyone’s negotiation agenda at the mid-year climate change meeting at Bonn.

The degree to which countries can help support their burgeoning renewable energy sectors was again the subject of debate at the WTO this week, with Canada defending itself at a second dispute settlement hearing. Japan and the EU have brought two separate cases - DS412 and DS426, which are being heard together - against Canada over local content requirements in the province of Ontario's feed-in tariff scheme.

The teeming millions on foot and pedal are powering mobility in Indian cities. Their numbers exceed those who use cars. Yet they are victims of policy neglect. The result is high number of road accidents. Improving public transport systems and road design will encourage more people to walk and cycle. But are cities prepared to make this transition? There is a change of trend in certain pockets of India where communities are organising themselves to assert their right to walk and cycle. These zero carbon emitters have checked the country’s pollution from soaring.

Namrata Hingorani, an ex-business consultant who spent 22 years in the US and UK and has recently relocated to Mumbai wanted to celebrate her 40th birthday in a special way. She met with the Project Chirag team and decided to "light up" a village. It takes INR 3000-4000 to light up one house and each village has anywhere from 15 to 150 houses. She managed to raise more than INR 2.5 lakhs through friends and family, enough to light up 60+ homes.

Energy guzzling modern resorts can take a leaf out of this initiative to promote environmentally friendly tourism.

A village council in the remote northeastern state of Nagaland has offered a template of investment that can be replicated by financial institutions and banks throughout the hilly and rural regions to harness the renewable energy potential of an area

The Indian renewable energy sector has registered a growth of 106 per cent in the Eleventh Five Year Plan period ending March 31, 2012.

Vish Wind Infrastructure LLP (VWIL), 50.4-MW wind energy project, showcases the strong determination on the part of developers and policy makers towards realising the goals for a sustainable future. This is one of the major wind farm projects in India funded by the Indian Renewable Energy Agency (IREDA).