Climate policy in India: what shapes international, national and state policy?

At the international level, India is emerging as a key actor in climate negotiations, while at the national and sub-national levels, the climate policy landscape is becoming more active and more ambitious. It is essential to unravel this complex landscape if we are to understand why policy looks the way it does, and the extent to which India might contribute to a future international framework for tackling climate change as well as how international parties might cooperate with and support India's domestic efforts. Drawing on both primary and secondary data, this paper analyzes the material and ideational drivers that are most strongly influencing policy choices at different levels, from international negotiations down to individual states. We argue that at each level of decision making in India, climate policy is embedded in wider policy concerns. In the international realm, it is being woven into broader foreign policy strategy, while domestically, it is being shaped to serve national and sub-national development interests. While our analysis highlights some common drivers at all levels, it also finds that their influences over policy are not uniform across the different arenas, and in some cases, they work in different ways at different levels of policy. We also indicate what this may mean for the likely acceptability within India of various climate policies being pushed at the international level.     

Biogeochemistry of mercury and methylmercury in sediment cores from Sundarban mangrove wetland, India—a UNESCO World Heritage Site

This study was performed to elucidate the distribution, concentration trend and possible sources of total mercury (Hg(T)) and methylmercury (MeHg) in sediment cores (<63 μm particle size; n?=?75) of Sundarban mangrove wetland, northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, India. Total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in a Leco AMA 254 instrument and MeHg by gas chromatography-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (GC-AFS). A wide range of variation in Hg(T) (0.032-0.196 μg g(-1) dry wt.) as well as MeHg (0.04-0.13 ng g(-1) dry wt.) concentrations revealed a slight local contamination. The prevalent low Hg(T) levels in sediments could be explained by sediment transport by the tidal Hugli (Ganges) River that would dilute the Hg(T) values via sediment mixing processes. A broader variation of MeHg proportions (%) were also observed in samples suggesting that other environmental variables such as organic carbon and microbial activity may play a major role in the methylation process. An overall elevated concentration of Hg(T) in surface layers (0-4 cm) of the core is due to remobilization of mercury from deeper sediments. Based on the index of geoaccumulation (I (geo)) and low effects-range (ER-L) values, it is considered that the sediment is less polluted by Hg(T) and there is less ecotoxicological risk. The paper provides the first information of MeHg in sediments from this wetland environment and the authors strongly recommend further examination of Hg(T) fluxes for the development of a detailed coastal MeHg model. This could provide more refine estimates of a total flux into the water column.     

Regional data refine local predictions: modeling the distribution of plant species abundance on a portion of the central plains

Species distribution models are frequently used to predict species occurrences in novel conditions, yet few studies have examined the consequences of extrapolating locally collected data to regional landscapes. Similarly, the process of using regional data to inform local prediction for species distribution models has not been adequately evaluated. Using boosted regression trees, we examined errors associated with extrapolating models developed with locally collected abundance data to regional-scale spatial extents and associated with using regional data for predictions at a local extent for a native and non-native plant species across the northeastern central plains of Colorado. Our objectives were to compare model results and accuracy between those developed locally and extrapolated regionally, those developed regionally and extrapolated locally, and to evaluate extending species distribution modeling from predicting the probability of presence to predicting abundance. We developed models to predict the spatial distribution of plant species abundance using topographic, remotely sensed, land cover and soil taxonomic predictor variables. We compared model predicted mean and range abundance values to observed values between local and regional. We also evaluated model prediction performance based on Pearson's correlation coefficient. We show that: (1) extrapolating local models to regional extents may restrict predictions, (2) regional data can help refine and improve local predictions, and (3) boosted regression trees can be useful to model and predict plant species abundance. Regional sampling designed in concert with large sampling frameworks such as the National Ecological Observatory Network may improve our ability to monitor changes in local species abundance.     

Distribution of mercury and other trace metals in the sediments of Cochin estuary (a Ramsar site), Kerala, India

Sediment quality data provide essential information for evaluating ambient environmental quality conditions. Sediments are important carriers of trace metals in the environment and reflect the current quality of the system. In the present study, distribution of mercury, lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, chromium and manganese in Cochin estuary were studied. The distribution of oxides of metals and textural quality were also studied in detail. It was found that the concentration of metals in the sediments near the industrial belt was extremely high. Correlation of different metals and metal oxides were analysed. It was found that all the alloys were correlated significantly (α?<?0.01) but in case of metals, correlation was only among certain metals.     

Biodegradation of Pro-oxidant Filled Polypropylene Films and Evaluation of the Ecotoxicological Impact

The biodegradability of calcium stearate (CaSt) and cobalt stearate (CoSt) filled polypropylene (PP) films were investigated in this work. The PP films were prepared using melt blending technique followed by hot press moulding. On the basis of their tensile properties, the optimum amount of pro-oxidants was taken as 0.2 phr. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used for the characterization of optimized films. Presence of pro-oxidant in the PP was confirmed by the FTIR studies. Addition of pro-oxidants in the films decreased the thermal stability as revealed by TGA analysis. Crystallinity of the pro-oxidant filled PP decreased with addition of pro-oxidants as showen by DSC. The maximum biodegradation of CaSt and CoSt containing PP films was showen 7.65 and 8.34%, respectively with 0.2 phr. Both the microbial test and plant growth test (on corn and tomato) indicated that biodegradation intermediates were non toxic.     

Mycoremediation of heavy metals: processes,mechanisms, and affecting factors

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Industrial processes and mining of coal and metal ores are generating a number of threats by polluting natural water bodies. Contamination of heavy...     

Biodegradation of chlorinated organic pesticides endosulfan and chlorpyrifos in soil extract broth using fungi

The present study was designed to screen 20 fungi for their potential to degrade the chlorinated organic pesticides endosulfan and chlorpyrifos. Fungi were first screened for their tolerance to various concentrations of target pesticides using soil extract agar and subsequent degradation studies were performed in soil extract broth containing 25 mg/L of the individual pesticide. Pesticide degradation was evaluated using gas chromatography. Other parameters, such as pH and mycelial weight, were also determined. Based on percent growth inhibition of test fungi and subsequent analysis of EC₅₀ values, the overall results revealed that chlorpyrifos showed significantly more growth inhibition in all tested fungi compared with endosulfan. Trametes hirsuta showed complete degradation of both α‐ and β‐endosulfan isomers and Cladosporium cladosporioides displayed maximum degradation of chlorpyrifos. All test fungi degraded endosulfan more efficiently than chlorpyrifos, except Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Trichoderma harzianum, and Trichoderma virens which showed higher degradation of chlorpyrifos than endosulfan. It was also found that all tested fungi degraded α‐endosulfan more efficiently than β‐endosulfan. Endosulfan sulfate was found to be the major degradation product with all tested fungi. Fungi which showed more endosulfan degradation also produced more endosulfan sulfate. However, less endosulfan sulfate was detected with T. hirsuta and Trametes versicolor, although they degraded endosulfan more efficiently.     

A Stage-Structured Pest-Natural Enemy Dynamics with Holling Type-II Interaction and Maturation Delay for Pest Species

In this paper, a pest-natural enemy dynamics with maturation delay for pest species is proposed. Here, pest is categorized into two stages, namely immature and mature and the natural enemy only harvest mature pest population with Holling type-II interaction. The boundedness and positivity of the solution of the system are presented. The asymptotic behavior of the system is studied and analyzed for all feasible equilibrium points. Sensitivity analysis of the system at interior equilibrium point for the system parameters is performed, and respective sensitive indices of the variables are identified. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to support our analytic results.

     

Health cost of salinity contamination in drinking water: evidence from Bangladesh

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - This study estimates health cost of salinity contamination in drinking water in the severe salinity affected three south-western districts of...