HC asks Vedanta subsidiary to shut down plant

Chennai: The Madras High Court has ordered Sterlite Industries, the subsidiary of Vedanta Group, to close its copper smelter plant in Tuticorin in southern Tamil Nadu for violation of environmental laws.

The court held that the facility should be closed because of its proximity to an ecologically fragile area and has also faulted Sterlite for not developing a green belt around the plant in southern Tamil Nadu.

Kyoto Protocol to stay past 2012: UN climate chief

New Delhi: As hopes for any deal on global warming dims at the Cancun meet later this year, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres on Wednesday made it clear that the Kyoto Protocol will continue post 2012 as a second protocol since it does not have a "sunset" clause.

"Yes, it (Kyoto Protocol) will continue to exist as a second protocol because it does not have a sunset clause. It does not end," said Figueres, newly-appointed executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Priyanka Chopra India's new green ambassador

New Delhi: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra has agreed to be the national green ambassador to initiate eco-friendly campaigns in India, Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh announced Monday.

"I have been talking to Priyanka about how she can be a part of environment friendly campaigns nationally and be involved with projects such as tiger conservation and river cleaning, especially the Ganga river. I have said that this would be like her public service," Ramesh said at a press conference here.

Obama says 'long battle' in Gulf close to end

Washington: BP said on Wednesday it was close to subduing its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well, and the White House hailed the "beginning of the end" of efforts to contain the worst spill in the US history.

After months of setbacks in efforts to permanently plug the deep-sea well, BP said heavy drilling mud injected into it on Tuesday was stemming the flow of crude.

Arctic Ocean may be ice-free by 2050: expert

Moscow: Climate change on the planet may make the Arctic Ocean ice-free by 2050, a top Russian expert has said.

"In 30-40 years, the Arctic may have no ice in the summertime, including the North Pole," Director of the Russian Meteorological Centre Alexander Frolov said.

Silicon Valley all aglow on green lighting

San Francisco: Silicon Valley has seen the light, and it's LED.

The incandescent light bulb has had the global lighting market in its grip for more than 130 years, building into a more than $100 billion industry.

Indian Hotels initiate green practices

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces have launched EARTH (Environment Awareness and Renewal at Taj Hotels), a movement that works to minimise the impact of its businesses on the environment. The initiatives under this include environmental training for all employees, energy audits every three years, and a phased reduction of freshwater consumption.

Mentioned below are some measures that the group has taken for making their hotels and chains eco-friendly.

Melting mountains putting millions at risk in Asia

Singapore: Increased melting of glaciers and snow in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau threatens the food security of millions of people in Asia, a study shows, with Pakistan likely to be among the nations hardest hit.

A team of scientists in Holland studied the impacts of climate change on five major Asian rivers on which about 1.4 billion people, roughly a fifth of humanity, depend for water to drink and to irrigate crops.

Govt, UN initiative on encouraging 'green jobs'

New Delhi: Recognising the importance of jobs that contribute to environment protection, Government and the ILO have come together to organise the first national conference on 'green jobs' here next week to discuss emerging trends and policy options.

It will delve into issues relating to the creation of new green jobs, their adaptation in existing forms of employment and share inspiring cases from India and around the world, said an ILO official, adding the conference will be held on June 24 and 25.

Study shows unhealthy Scots live dangerously

London: Almost the entire adult population of Scotland are likely to be either cigarette smokers, heavy drinkers, physically inactive, overweight or have a poor diet, according to a study published on Friday.

Researchers from Glasgow studied data from more than 6,500 people who took part in a 2003 Scottish Health Survey and concluded that 97.5 percent of adults have habits or lifestyles that are dangerous to health.