Neelima Naik

Estimation of Carbon Stocks in Avicennia marina Stand Using Allometry, CHN Analysis, and GIS Methods

The paper suggests a framework for the estimation of biomass and, ultimately, the amount of carbon sequestered in Avicennia marina stands of Mumbai region in Thane creek. The literature-adopted framework for estimating biomass uses a direct (Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen (CHN) analysis), an indirect (allometry and remote sensing) and a hybrid approach. The study area has Avicennia marina as a dominant species. The carbon content was estimated using allometry and CHN analysis and further refined with GIS techniques. The Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) of 1,726 trees at 49 different locations in the study area was measured for estimating total biomass. A CHN analysis of leaf and soil samples was performed to determine the carbon content and the data extrapolated using geostatistical analysis. Using allometry and a GIS hybrid approach, the estimated carbon stock was 34.14769 tons per hectare. The regression model developed may be useful for estimating the carbon stock of areas that are inaccessible for conducting allometric measurements or gathering samples for CHN analysis. The study attempts to improve the estimates of the carbon content by including geostatistical analysis as a final step for allometry and combines CHN analysis for better conversion of biomass to carbon content.

Web-Based GIS and Desktop Open Source GIS Software: An Emerging Innovative Approach for Water Resources Management

This paper introduces an overview of Web-based GIS and its applications and some of the easily assessable Desktop Open Source GIS Software with easy–to–follow guidance that will help water resource decision-maker and interested stakeholder. Web-based GIS is a prospective application in GIS and represents an important advancement over the traditional desktop GIS. Its application eliminates duplication and inconsistency (which is often possible between GIS professionals) and makes location information conveniently and intuitively accessible across organization/s, at a lower cost per user. Internet provides a medium for processing geo-related information and spatial information to users at an amount larger than traditional GIS. XML and Java have been developed to facilitate the utilization of the internet as well as to provide a coding standard in the software industry. Therefore, in the last few years, there has been a significant development in the area of free and open source GIS software. This paradigm shift from stand-alone GIS to open access Web GIS services provide greater opportunities for sustainable solutions in water resource management and planning.

Business reporting on biodiversity and enhancement of conservation initiatives

ABSTRACT This article assesses 101 randomly selected companies for their biodiversity-related reporting of environmental performance indicators to meet the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3.1 guideline requirement. To evaluate the reporting of environment performance indicators related to biodiversity, a 1–5 rating scale was developed where 5 ranked the highest. The maximum rating of 5 was obtained by 13% of the reporting companies. According to the GRI G3.1 guideline, environmental performance indicator number 12 (EN12) requests the companies to describe the ‘significant impacts of their activities, products, and services on biodiversity in protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value outside protected areas’. Most of the sampled companies (82%) reported this indicator. Environmental performance indicator number 15 (EN15) requests the companies to disclose the ‘number of IUCN Red List species and national conservation list species with habitats in areas affected by operations, by level of extinction risk’. This was the least-reported indicator by the surveyed companies (25%). Reporting of environmental performance indicators related to biodiversity, and initiatives based on GRI guidelines have been adopted with varying degrees of success by business organizations, but efforts are still required to understand the returns from the initiatives undertaken and reporting the returns earned.

Role of India's forests in climate change mitigation through the CDM and REDD+

Forestry is at the centre-stage of global climate change negotiations as it is a low cost carbon mitigation option. Forests have the potential to be a source as well as sink for carbon emissions. The main aim of this paper is to provide a useful snapshot of the carbon value of Indias forests, and give a glimpse of the potential of Indias forests to offset both Indias and the worlds carbon emissions. This paper also highlights the initiatives taken by India towards the implementation of REDD+ and the status of REDD+ in a few other countries.

Role of the Clean Development Mechanism (Cdm) in the Development of National Energy Industries

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is an agreement under the Kyoto Protocol (1997) allowing industrialized (Annex-I) countries with Greenhouse Gas emission reduction commitment to invest in or finance projects that reduce emissions in developing countries using clean technologies. Under CDM, for every tonne of CO2 that does not enter into the atmosphere, a developing (Non-Annex-I) country earns one carbon credit which can be further sold to developed countries (Annex-I) through the international carbon market. Developed countries exchange these credits in terms of money and technology transfer with developing countries to meet their GHG emission reduction targets. 7391 CDM projects were registered worldwide by November 2013, out of which 6205 (84%) are under energy industry sector. India is contributing 828 (13%) CDM projects with estimated emission reduction of 69,156,926 metric tonnes of CO2e. By the end of the first commitment period (2012), 19,061,210 metric tonnes of CO2e emission reduction was achieved. The estimated range of annual CDM-generated revenue in India varies between US

Eco-industrial estate management: a case study

10 and 330 million (Birla et.al.2012). India has the second largest number of CDM projects in the world. The National Clean Development Mechanism Authority (NCDMA) is the Designated National Authority (DNA) which was set up to evaluate and approve CDM projects. This paper provides a probing insight into these projects, and the methodologies used in order to achieve emission reduction by Indian industries.

Role of ecolabeling in reducing ecotoxicology.

IEs (industrial estates) are today perceived as integral parts of the development strategies of many countries worldwide. The environmental impacts of a concentration of industries in a small area or an unplanned IE can pose a serious threat to both local and global sustainable development initiatives. On the other hand, the formations of ecologically balanced industrial systems can result in numerous environmental and economic benefits. The study described in this paper examines the environmental performance of 34 industries in the Taloja IE in the state of Maharashtra, India. It emphasizes the need to focus on integrated industrial planning in developing countries like India. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Taloja Industrial Estate and the various strategies formulated to improve the environmental performance of the estate are discussed with reference to India. The study also focuses on the need to implement eco-industrial networks in the existing as well as new IEs. This requires strong support from the government and institutions in terms of infrastructure as well as economic incentives.

Review of Clean Development Mechanism and use of Bundled Projects inSmall and Medium Scale Enterprises

Ecolabeling helps consumers to select environment friendly products, while meeting high demands on occupational health, safety, and usability. Ecolabeling undertakes cradle-to-grave approach which helps in minimizing the toxicological impacts at every stage of the product life cycle. The ecolabeling procedure calls for substitution or reduction of hazardous substances thereby reducing the toxicity caused due to these chemicals. China, Japan, Australia, European Union, and Nordic countries are leading in the race of awareness and implementation of ecolabeling schemes. In India, the ecolabeling scheme (Ecomark) was initiated in 1991. The Ecomark scheme lacked adoption of the green marketing principles and thus failed to create an impact. This study presents an overview of ecolabels in European Union, Nordic countries, Germany, China and India. Furthermore, it assesses the awareness of ecolabels among the retailers and traders of environment friendly products in India through a survey. The study highlights that the ecolabels are a success in most of the countries studied and are applied across a range of industrial sectors. The survey is administered to 80 retailers and traders of stores selling environment friendly products across different Indian cities. A correlation is established with the variables identified. The survey results indicate that although the retailers and traders of environment friendly products have low awareness of the ecolabels on environment friendly products, they are taking considerable efforts to promote and deliver environment friendly products to consumers. Large-scale awareness drives initiated by the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change permeating at grass root levels with the involvement of stakeholders could prove beneficial for promotion of the ecolabeling schemes.

Approaches to Urban Noise Management in India

Carbon finance through the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) offers significant opportunity to a developing country like India for an array of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction projects. However, the transaction cost associated with the development of CDM project is a serious barrier to many small scale CDM (SSC) projects due to which these proponents face many difficulties in attracting international investors. To reduce this transaction cost, individual small projects with similar project context can be bundled together to form a single CDM project. These SSC bundled projects that reduce GHG emissions can claim Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) under the concept of bundling. This paper presents 98 bundled CDM projects registered and issued worldwide till October 2014, out of which India has 29 projects, along with a case study on small scale hydro-electric power generation project. The visited project is a good example of clean technology that helps to reduce stress on conventional energy sources and is an improvement of social and economic life of local people. Energy efficiency, grid connected electricity generation, fossil fuels switching, thermal energy production and methane recovery are some of the methodologies in these types of projects. These methodologies reduce GHG emissions without harming the environment.

Innovation in solid waste management through Clean Development Mechanism in India and other countries

Noise pollution in urban areas is recognized as a major environmental concern in India. The lack of infrastructure and fast paced life in major metropolitan cities of India has made the urban environment extremely crowded, busy as well as noisy and as a result the millions of people living in the major metropolitan areas are suffering from the impacts of noise pollution. Noise levels are escalating at such a rate that it has become a major threat to the quality of human lives. Direct links between noise and health have been established by research conducted over the past few decades. There are several causes for urban degradation such as population migration, environmental considerations not adequately being incorporated into master plans, uncoordinated and haphazard development, weak implementation of plans and laws and inadequate institutional competences and resource crunch. This paper discusses the causal factors, impacts and the different approaches adopted by the Central Government as well as some major State Pollution Control Boards to curb the urban noise problem and the need for looking into non-conventional solutions such as Ecocity programme to bring in visible environmental improvement.Copyright