Need to develop skills and knowledge in the science of climate change: PM

October 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The National Council on Climate Change met here Tuesday to discuss the setting up of a network of institutions for mutual exchange of knowledge on climate change. The Prime Minister chaired the meeting meant to give shape to the National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change (NMSKCC).

October 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change met here Tuesday to discuss the setting up of a network of institutions for mutual exchange of knowledge on climate change, a member of the council said. Called "strategic knowledge on climate change", the "networked institutional framework" would help coordinate all research work on the topic going on in universities and other institutions, including modelling the outcome of various scenarios in a warmer world and putting together a database, said the member, speaking on condition of anonymity.

September 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - President Pratibha Patil today called on youth to concentrate on acquiring new skills and knowledge which can be used for the welfare of the people. Speaking after presenting the Rashtrapati Scouts and Guides Award Certificates at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan here, President Patil said advances in science and technology have opened new areas of activities and new fields of knowledge.

September 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Oxfam Australia, an international aid group, has said that the Australian government's proposal to allow developing nations to set weaker emissions targets failed to address financing shortages in poorer countries. Australian Climate Change Minister Penny Wong outlined a plan, during a meeting of world environment ministers in Washington, that would let the developing world set their own binding schedule to cut carbon pollution.

August 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Nine new varieties of heat resistant wheat have been developed by Indian scientists to fight the impact of climate change in the country. Indian Council of Agricultural Research reports that introduction of this hybrid variety of wheat will contribute to a large extent to achieve food security in the country.

July 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister of State for Earth Sciences Prithviraj Chavan Monday said India's per capita energy consumption was "the lowest" in the world and the nation "can defend its interests". Chavan, addressing a gathering on Earth Sciences Foundation Day at Vigyan Bhavan in the capital, said climate change has now come into international diplomatic domain and India needed to carry out reserach and study to put its stance at the international level.

July 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said India and United States have decided to work in close tandem in the field of climate change. Abdullah, who met Todd Stern, US Special Envoy for Climate Change here to bridge differences between the two countries on reducing greenhouse gases, favoured transfer of technology to reduce emissions.

July 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Among all other adverse effects that climate change can and has been bringing about is lessening work productivity, according to an Oxfam report which says the productivity in Delhi can drop by 30 percent because of the global warming. The report, 'Suffering the Science - Climate Change, People and Poverty', said besides the more visible effects of climate change - the scanty rainfall these monsoons for instance - there are a whole lot of other implications that have been and will affect our lives.

July 9th, 2009 NEW DELHI - On the lines of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Calcutta, which launched a business programme through video conferencing, the Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA) has announced the setting up of four centres in the UAE and 50 across India to teach research and analytical skills, through the same method. Open to undergraduates, graduates and even professionals, the certificate programme will enable one to be absorbed in all research based, data analysis and marketing research industries like BPO, knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) and so on.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India is now spending over 2.6 percent of its gross domestic product to adapt to climate change, says the country's annual Economic Survey, tabled in parliament Thursday by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. The effect of climate change on "agriculture, water resources, health and sanitation, forests, coastal-zone infrastructure and extreme events" are "specific areas of concern", says the survey.

May 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - There should be high level talks between Brazil, Russia, India and China on a global pact to combat climate change before the first BRIC summit in Russia next month, India's top climate negotiator Shyam Saran said here Thursday. The talks should be at the level of either politicians or senior officials, Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change Saran told delegates from all BRIC countries at a summit preparatory meeting organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF).

May 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India and Britain have announced five new projects to assess the potential impact of climate change in India and to undertake regional projects to identify and develop adaptation strategies. This was announced at the first Indo-UK Programme on Climate Change Impacts & Adaptation-Phase II workshop here Monday.

March 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - If India has to continuously grow at eight to nine percent, then it should reduce dependence on fossil fuels, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran said here Monday. At the same time, the onus to adopt green technologies should not completely lie on the developing world, he pointed out.

February 28th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India Friday stressed that the global economic crisis should not become a cause for developed countries to cut down spending on projects to counter climate change. 'The economic slowdown should not be an excuse to reduce, but to re-double efforts on funding for climate change,' prime minister's envoy on climate change Shyam Saran told reporters here at an interaction.

January 28th, 2009 AHMEDABAD - A group of young people are travelling across the country in three solar plug-in electric Reva vehicles, inspired by a passion to highlight India's local eco-solutions to the challenges posed by climate change. The group of 19 arrived here Wednesday as part of the Climate Solutions Road Tour organised by the Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN).