Blog Feed: Think to Sustain

Taiwan Firms Sign First-Ever Carbon Deal of the Country

Published on 2011-02-17 11:06:00

Two local companies completed the first carbon trade transaction in the nation’s history on February 14, helping align business practices in Taiwan more closely with international environmental protection norms. The deal calls for the C

Singapore is Greenest Metropolis in Asia, Finds Asian Green City Index

Published on 2011-02-17 11:01:00

Singapore is Asia’s greenest metropolis. This is the conclusion of the Asian Green City Index – a study commissioned by Siemens and performed by the independent Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Munich, Germany / Singapore City, Singapore 

WWF Showcases Sustainable Rattan Use Amid Design Revival

Published on 2011-02-17 10:54:00

WWF is showcasing an innovative collection of rattan home accessories this week at the international design fair Ambiente in Frankfurt/Main, to promote sustainable production and processing of rattan. Frankfurt, Germany - Natural rattan b

Plants can Adapt Genetically to Survive Harsh Environments

Published on 2011-02-17 10:43:00

Scientists have found genetic evidence of how some plants adapt to live in unfavorable conditions, a finding they believe could one day be used to help food crops survive in new or changing environments. West Lafayette, Indiana - Dav

Worsening Air Quality and Traffic Congestion in South Asian Cities

Published on 2011-02-17 10:39:00

New Delhi-based CSE and Bangladesh-based FEJB organized a media briefing on the ‘Challenge of Urban Air Quality & Mobility Management’ in Dhaka on January 22 which sounded alarm over worsening air quality and traffic congestion in South Asian

ADB Supports First Privately Owned Wind Farm in Pakistan

Published on 2011-02-17 10:34:00

Zorlu Enerji Electrik Uretim will use the $ 36.8 million loan from ADB to install wind turbines to increase the output of its wind farm – located in the southern Sindh province in Pakistan – from the current 6 megawatts to a total 56.4 megawatts.

Greenest Consumer Electronics Showcased by Greenpeace Product Survey

Published on 2011-01-14 23:13:00

The survey ranks greenest products and assesses the progress made over the past year by consumer electronic companies on their public commitments to green their products and reduce their impact on the environment. Las Vegas – A new Greenp

Report Shows Agricultural Innovation as Key to Reducing Poverty, Stabilizing Climate

Published on 2011-01-14 23:10:00

This report by Worldwatch Institute provides a roadmap for food security and agricultural investment, revealing 15 high- and low-tech solutions that are helping to reduce hunger and poverty in Africa. London - Worldwatch Institute&nb

Carbon Taxes are the Answer to the Stalled Climate Negotiations

Published on 2011-01-14 23:06:00

Leading climate economist William Nordhaus argues that the cap-and-trade approach used in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol will not accomplish the goals of slowing climate change. Carbon taxes, though, are the best approach to achieve significant emissions re

Transformation to Truly Sustainable Energy System Requires Stronger Action: WEO-2010

Published on 2011-01-14 23:01:00

Recent policy moves are a good start, but much stronger action is needed to accelerate the transformation of the global energy system, says the IEA's latest ‘World Energy Outlook 2010’. London - “The Copenhagen Accord and

Private Sector Builders to Adopt Green Buildings in Future Constructions

Published on 2011-01-14 22:58:00

Dr. Farooq Abdullah inaugurated the National Conference on Green Design in New Delhi recently and said that private sector, including real estate builders, will take a pledge to adopt green buildings in their future constructions. New Delhi&nb

Role of Business in Advancing Sustainability: Momentum Grows for Rio+20

Published on 2011-01-14 22:53:00

Corporate leaders meet UN Member States to address role of business in advancing sustainability. New York – Meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, business leaders in Business Action for Sustainable Development 2012 (BASD 2012)&nb

Biofuel Grasslands Better for Birds than Ethanol Staple Corn

Published on 2011-01-14 22:48:00

Developing biofuel from native perennials instead of corn in the Midwest’s rolling grasslands would better protect threatened bird populations, Michigan State University research suggests. East Lansing, Michigan - Federal mandates and m

Carbon Swap Bank to Beat Climate Change, Suggest Australian Researchers

Published on 2011-01-14 22:44:00

A carbon swap bank would allow direct deposits of sequestered carbon to be added and withdrawals of emission rights to be made. This approach gets around some of the major obstacles to carbon trading. Australian researchers have suggested that nation

Freshwater Methane Release Changes Greenhouse Gas Equation

Published on 2011-01-14 22:34:00

The study indicates that methane gas release from freshwater areas changes the net absorption of greenhouse gases by natural continental environments, such as forests, by at least 25 percent. AMES, Iowa – An international team of scient

Extreme Weather Prevails in Finland in 2010

Published on 2011-01-11 12:44:00

Because of the cold periods at the start and end of the year, 2010 was slightly cooler than normally. The year is remembered for extreme weather events, for the cold winter and for new temperature records and storms in summer. According to the

Nanoscoops Could Spark New Generation of Electric Automobile Batteries

Published on 2011-01-11 12:43:00

New nano-engineered batteries developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute exhibit remarkable power density, charging more than 40 times faster than today’s lithium-ion batteries. An entirely new type of nano-material developed at Rens

Climate Change and Indian Summer Monsoons

Published on 2011-01-11 12:39:00

“It is essential to get the climate models simulate present day monsoon climate accurately before we can attempt climate change projections,” said Prof. B. N. Goswami from Indian Institute of Tropical Management while speaking at 98th Indian Scie

Silent Momentum on Climate Change: Editorial by Achim Steiner, UNEP

Published on 2011-01-11 12:36:00

This is an editorial by UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner, dated January 6, 2011. The last two years have been a roller coaster ride in respect to securing a new global treaty to combat climate change. Some

Role of Fisheries Subsidies Reform in Ocean Sustainability Gets Highlighted by UNEP Report

Published on 2011-01-11 12:33:00

The new UNEP report titled, "Fisheries Subsidies, Sustainable Development and the WTO," focuses on WTO negotiations and reforms of government fishing subsidies. Geneva - In a new report, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP

Outcome of Cancun Climate Negotiations: An Ethical Analysis

Published on 2011-01-08 13:45:00

This article by Donald A. Brown, Pennsylvania State University, explains that although some hope for a global solution to climate change is still alive due to decisions adopted in Cancun, one must see Cancun in the context of a 20-year

Support Adaptation Now! Why Poor People Can't Wait?

Published on 2011-01-08 13:39:00

This Policy Brief summarizes practical learnings and experiences from one of the first community-based climate change adaptation interventions in Bangladesh, 'Assistance to Local Communities on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Ri

Low Carbon Lifestyles: A Trainer’s Guide to Reduce Individual Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Published on 2011-01-08 13:35:00

The ‘Trainer's Guide’ is a listing of practical climate-friendly actions that can be adopted in our daily life and a quantitative estimation of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by individual actions. {The ‘Training Toolkit on Low Carb

New Crop Varieties for a Changing Climate

Published on 2011-01-08 13:31:00

As climate change and its effects becomes more felt all over the world, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has developed climate change-ready cultivars of dryland crops. Director General William Dar&

New Strategy to Help End Poverty in the Drylands Launched by ICRISAT

Published on 2011-01-08 13:28:00

The goal of a strategy launched by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is to finally shatter the pessimism towards the drylands of developing countries, which are usually propped up by external aid for economic

Pilot Emissions Trading Scheme to be Implemented in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat

Published on 2011-01-08 13:23:00

A ceiling on emissions of a certain pollutant is set, based on its desired concentration in the atmosphere. The government then issues or auctions free permits to industrial units in accordance with the amount of pollutant they are allowed to emit.Ne

South American Migratory Grassland Birds: CMS Draws New Conservation Plan

Published on 2011-01-08 13:18:00

The adoption of the action plan marks the beginning of a series of critical conservation measures to ensure the survival of migratory grassland birds and their habitats. Five South American countries will increase their collaboration to restore popul

Biodiversity Year Ends on High Note as UNGA Backs Resolution Brings to Life 'IPBES'

Published on 2011-01-08 13:15:00

A new international body aimed at catalyzing a global response to the loss of biodiversity and world's economically-important forests, coral reefs and other ecosystems was born December 20 by governments at the United Nations 65th General Assembly (U

Towards Greener Development: Preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment Sector-Specific Manuals

Published on 2011-01-08 13:12:00

To ensure that the economic growth and development in our country are in conformity with regulations for environmental conservation, the Ministry of Environment & Forests has notified the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2006.

Moving towards a Low-Carbon Built Environment in India Calls for Eight Broad Action Areas

Published on 2011-01-08 13:06:00

The recently held RICS Sustainability Conference at New Delhi narrowed down eight broad areas where interventions are required to bring about a low-carbon environment in building & construction sector. ThinktoSustain.com was the Knowledge Partner

2010: Major Environmental Disasters and Campaigns

Published on 2011-01-02 01:17:00

Year 2010 was filled with environmental chaos as governments found themselves helpless and at odds while facing Nature’s wrath Be it the raging fires in Russia, ravaging floods in Pakistan or the heavy snowfall in Europe, government machinery was d