22 May 2012

Airlines refuse to report their emissions in the context of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme

After several states have criticised the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), now two airlines from India and eight airlines from China have refused to report to the European Union (EU) the amount of carbon dioxide they have emitted last year.

The ETS is applied to all airlines that use airports in the EU since January, aiming to charge carriers for the pollution they cause. Many states have criticised this system, on the ground that the EU would lack the power to enforce their laws on non-European carriers, or on the ground that the carbon tax which is imposed by the EU, is a “disguised” trade measure, taken unilaterally in the name of combatting climate change.

Source: BBC | Airlines 'are conforming' with EU rules on emissions

10 April 2012

Concerns over India rivers order

An order of the Supreme Court of India has instructed the Indian government to proceed with a, long delayed, plan to link more than 30 rivers and divert the waters to areas that are water-stressed. If the project materializes it could have significant impact on Bangladesh, a downstream state. The project could benefit from the building of dams and reservoirs both in Nepal and/or Bhutan, two upstream states. Bangladeshi and Nepalese authorities claim that they have not been consulted with as yet while Bhutan claims that it has not appraised the project.

Source: BBC | Concerns over India rivers order