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India
Centre for Science and Environment invites applications from journalists for its media fellowships to focus on off-grid renewable energy - Apply by March 15, 2013
Posted on 26 Feb, 2013 06:25 PMDuration
2 Months - April 1, 2013 to May 31, 2013
Background
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2011 report on renewable energy sources and climate change mitigation, 85 per cent of current primary energy driving global economies comes from the combustion of fossil fuels. These fuels account for 56.6 per cent of all anthropogenic GHG emissions in the world.
About 75 million of India's 226 million households (400 million people) have no access to power, says the Union ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE). In rural areas, the electrification rate hovers at 47.5 per cent -- either the grid does not reach these places, or even if it reaches, it fails to provide end-point connectivity. In such a scenario, decentralised off-the-grid renewable power projects could be a way out.
Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Media Fellowship Programme invites journalists from India writing/reporting in any language to apply for its 16th Media Fellowships to address, analyse and report on the issue of off-grid renewable energy.
Water in India: Situation and prospects: Book release by UNICEF, FAO and SaciWaters
Posted on 26 Feb, 2013 06:13 PMThe report released at UNDP, New Delhi on February 14, 2013 attempts to consolidate the significant amounts of information available on water and sanitation in India and also aims to examine the key current challenges in the sector; both the threats and opportunities for the water sector in India.
Dr Aidan Cronin, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist, UNICEF gives a sneak preview to the report
Video courtesy: UNICEF
An assessment of the impact of MGNREGA on rural water security : Talks from the IWMI-Tata Annual Partners' Meet held at Anand in November 2012
Posted on 26 Feb, 2013 04:04 PMA month ago, India Water Portal tried to make sense of the numbers involved in India's flagship programme. Two-thirds of the works in progress in the current financial year (2012-13) were devoted to works linked with water - split nearly equally between water for domestic use and water for livelihoods.
Even as Maharashtra faces acute water scarcity, a green, lush village in the heart of Marathawada stands water rich and drought proof- Roundup of the week’s news (February 18-24, 2013)
Posted on 25 Feb, 2013 04:00 PMA green oasis amidst despair and drought hit Maharastra
Subsidy or shame: Which technique works better in improving sanitation in India ? - Talk by Sumeet Patil, NEERMAN, at the 3ie seminar at Delhi, February 2013
Posted on 25 Feb, 2013 09:48 AMSubsidy proponents believe that the poor need economic incentives while shaming proponents contend that to bring out lasting behavioural change, intrinsic motivation is required; people are more likely to use and value things they have had to pay for.
Strategies for achieving environmental sustainability in rural development - A report by United Nations Development Programme
Posted on 23 Feb, 2013 10:22 AMThis report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presents strategies for inclusive rural development embodying the principles of environmental sustainability. It recommends measures needed to achieve green, including measuring and tracking, the use incentives and the building of capacities. It also contains a number of case studies showing how green results can be achieved.
Some strategies for managing groundwater by Aditi Mukherji, IWMI
Posted on 22 Feb, 2013 09:53 AMGroundwater is essential for India's agricutural economy. However, there is a large variation in the groundwater resources of each region. Some regions are already over-exploited, while others can still tolerate more withdrawal. In her blog 'Waterscapes', Aditi Mukherji discusses the need for regional strategies to manage groundwater economy.
Video documentary on the work done by Dr. Sudarshan for the upliftment of Soliga tribes in BR Hills, Karnataka- A webisode in Chai with Lakshmi
Posted on 20 Feb, 2013 11:47 AMSource of video: Chai with Lakshmi
Panos South Asia invites applications for the South Asia Climate Change Award Fellowships for journalism - Apply by March 8, 2013
Posted on 19 Feb, 2013 12:12 AMPanos South Asia's vision is to make societies inclusive, democratic and just and to renegotiate power through media by enabling diverse opinions, ideas and theories to be included in the debate on governance and development. Panos South Asia has its headquarters in Kathmandu (Nepal) with country offices in New Delhi (India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Karachi (Pakistan), and Dhaka (Bangladesh).
The Fellowship
The fellowships are being offered by Panos South Asia as part of a Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) project for enhancing climate change awareness and understanding among journalists in South Asia.
- The fellowships will support writing / reporting stories on climate change from the region.
- The fellows will also have the opportunity to participate in a training workshop and field trip that will link them with their peers from the neighbouring countries and understand climate-related issues from a South Asian perspective.
Rights of adivasis over forest lands diminishes; their consent no longer mandatory for all development projects taken up on forest land - Roundup of the week’s news (February 11-17, 2013)
Posted on 18 Feb, 2013 11:18 PMAdivasis' rights over forest lands diminishes