Towards environmental sustainability

BY UBA ABDULLAHI
DESPITE calls and appeals by both government and concerned groups (non governmental organizations) to enlighten and sensitize the public on the importance of managing and sustaining our environment for a better society, yet the calls and appeals seem to fall on deaf ears.
One thing to notice is that environment is a life partner of human and other species, and its management is compulsory, as such human beings needs to maintain a mutual and reciprocal relationship with the environment.
Basically, we know that environment is the major resources that sustain both human and other species life for development. Environment naturally has effects on our lives, whether positive or negative. A proper managed environment promotes good health and leads to societal progress, whereas on the other hand, improper usage of environment lead to high morbidity and high mortality rates as observed in densely populated areas with poor environmental management.
In essence, the sustainability of environment depends largely on government in partnership with non-governmental organizations(NGOs) to achieve a common goal. Partnership is referred to as a mutual benefit and relationship entered into by two or more organizations for the purpose of attaining a specific or general objective, which is achievable together (in partnership) than individually.
Ordinarily, when we talk of environmental sustainability in this West African sub-Sahara, what readily comes to mind is the negative concept of rampant felling of trees as fire woods, but far more than that, this is just one aspect of human factor of environmental degradation.
Environmental sustainability starts from a single household, and the way environment is properly managed, to a great extent determine the well being of a society.
As such cleared and cleaned environment with potable drinking water would ensure a healthy environment, which in turn ensures healthy family/society.
There is need for the three tiers of governments to engage in partnership with other non-governmental organizations to sensitize the public on the dangers of environmental abuse and suggest the way forward.
Also, there is need to re-define the forest law which prohibits rampant felling of trees, indiscriminately and viz-a-viz help to provide kerosene at affordable rate for the common man, which will reduce high dependence on firewood for cooking.
Factors of environmental degradation
In general phenomenon there are two factors that lead to environmental degradation, they are natural and human factors.
Natural Factor:
Natural factor includes drought, storms on sea, land, deserts such as hurricane, catrina, tornadoes etc, other natural factors are earth movement as a result of faulting and folding of earth, volcanic eruption due to compression and contorted molten magma which force its way out through crater to the mouth of volcano where it erupt violently and spread its lava over the plain at the foot of the volcano and the ashes travel on air into far distance which is harmful to both human being and plants.
Human factor:
Other factor is human factor which causes environmental degradation, this includes; deforestation, which is rampant felling of trees indiscriminately thereby extending an invitation for the desert to take over, then industrialization which is the setting up of industries in a specific area where it will be close to source of raw materials.A s a result of industrial waste and air pollution, it causes environmental degradation which is so toxic and harmful to human existence.
Similarly, urbanization as one of human factor that causes environmental degradation, especially where there is high population density, there is the tendency of violation of environmental laws and this consequently lead to out break of certain communicable disease such as Cholera, Malaria, Gastroenteritis, Anemia etc. Also war and conflict plays a vital role towards environmental degradation as human factor.
Both natural and human environmental degradation factors has side effects to our environment which includes; land degradation i.e erosion; mass movement, desertification or encroachment, pollution i.e land, water, air, noise, high rate of morbidity and mortality, famine and food insecurity, climatic change, bio- diversity as well as population displacement.
To check the aforementioned environmental problems we have to be environmentally friendly and support efforts by the government, NGOs, civil society, press etc.
Also on the part of the three tiers of governments there has to be an accelerated budgetary allocation to environmental sector, for the sustainability of the environment. There has to be a series of sequential mobilization in the media for proper enlightenment.
On the part of tree planting campaign ( TPC) , it has to go beyond federal, state andlocal governments; it has to be taken seriosly all stakeholders like the public and private educational institutions, farmers, traditional title holders were to borrow a leaf from Kano state where the ministry of environment actively collaborates with the emirate council in the tree planting campaign, based on the important role the emirate is playing towards socio-economic and political development of the state. In fact, if possible, every Nigerian should plant and nurse a seedling at least once a year.
Also, timely distribution of seedlings at the on set of rainy season would definitely help towards the up bringing of the seedlings as rain water would help in providing of water to the infant seedlings.
In conclusion, it is high time to join hands on deck to ensure the sustainability of our environment. The challenge is enormous but, by working together as a team, proper utilization and sustainable development can be achieved. To help achieve the (MDG) millennium declaration of the seven point agenda of Mr. President to ensure environmental sustainability a rigorous team work is the only alternative with a full slogan thus: “our environment is our wealth and our health”.
Uba Abdullahi is the information officer, Dambatta local government, Kano state.

Environmental Pollution

The environmental problems in India are growing rapidly. The increasing economic development and a rapidly growing population that has taken the country from 300 million people in 1947 to over one billion people today is putting a strain on the environment, infrastructure, and the country’s natural resources. Industrial pollution, soil erosion, deforestation, rapid industrialization, urbanization, and land degradation are all worsening problems. Overexploitation of the country's resources be it land or water and the industrialization process has resulted in considerable environmental degradation of resources.

The skies over North India are seasonally filled with a thick soup of aerosol particles all along the southern edge of the Himalayas, streaming southward over Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. - NASA research findings.
The cost of environmental damage in India would shave 4 percent off of the country's gross domestic product. Lost productivity from death and disease due to environmental pollution are the primary culprits.
The government agency responsible for environmental affairs is the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). Coping with India’s industrial pollution is perhaps the agency’s top priority. MoEF recognizes the need to strike a balance between development and protecting the environment in administering and enforcing the country’s environmental laws and policies. The government heightened the Ministry’s powers with the passage of the 1986 Environment Protection Act. This act built on the 42nd amendment to India's constitution in 1976 that gave the government the right to step in and protect public health, forests, and wildlife. This amendment however had little power as it contained a clause that stated it was not enforceable by any court. India is the first country in the world to pass an amendment to its constitution ostensibly protecting the environment.
Industrial pollution

Fog due to air pollution Air Pollution
There are four reasons of air pollution are - emissions from vehicles, thermal power plants, industries and refineries. The problem of indoor air pollution in rural areas and urban slums has assumed significant attention lately.
India’s environmental problems are exacerbated by its heavy reliance on coal for power generation. Coal supplies more than half of the country’s energy needs and is used for nearly three-quarters of electricity generation. While India is fortunate to have abundant reserves of coal to power economic development, the burning of this resource, especially given the high ash content of India’s coal, has come at a cost in terms of heightened public risk and environmental degradation. Reliance on coal as the major energy source has led to a nine-fold jump in carbon emissions over the past forty years. The government estimates the cost of environmental degradation has been running at 4.5% of GDP in recent years.
The low energy efficiency of power plants that burn coal is a contributing factor. India's coal plants are old and are not outfitted with the most modern pollution controls. Given the shortage of generating capacity and scarcity of public funds, these old coal-fired plants will remain in operation for sometime. Power plant modernization to improve the plant load factor, improvements in sub-transmission and distribution to cut distribution losses, and new legislation to encourage end user energy conservation were all mentioned as part of the energy efficiency effort. The government has taken steps to address its environmental problems. As of now the use of washed coal is required for all power plants.
Vehicle emissions are responsible for 70% of the country’s air pollution. The major problem with government efforts to safeguard the environment has been enforcement at the local level, not with a lack of laws. Air pollution from vehicle exhaust and industry is a worsening problem for India. Exhaust from vehicles has increased eight-fold over levels of twenty years ago; industrial pollution has risen four times over the same period. The economy has grown two and a half times over the past two decades but pollution control and civil services have not kept pace. Air quality is worst in the big cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, etc.
Bangalore holds the title of being the asthma capital of the country. Studies estimate that 10 per cent of Bangalore’s 60 lakh population and over 50 per cent of its children below 18 years suffer from air pollution-related ailments.
CHENNAI: Exhaust from vehicles, dust from construction debris, industrial waste, burning of municipal and garden waste are all on the rise in the city. So are respiratory diseases, including asthma. At least six of the 10 top causes of death are related to respiratory disease, says Dr D Ranganathan, director (in-charge), Institute of Thoracic Medicine.
Mumbai: Not only are levels of Suspended Particulate Matter above permissible limits in Mumbai, but the worst pollutant after vehicular emissions has grown at an alarming rate. The levels of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), or dust, in Mumbai’s air have continued to increase over the past three years.
These cities are on the World Health Organization's list of top most polluted cities. Vehicle exhaust, untreated smoke, and untreated water all contribute to the problem. Continued economic growth, urbanization, and an increase in the number of vehicles, together with lax enforcement of environmental laws, will result in further increases in pollution levels. Concern with New Delhi's air quality got so bad that the Supreme Court recently stepped in and placed a limit on the number of new car registrations in the capital.
The effects of air pollution are obvious: rice crop yields in southern India are falling as brown clouds block out more and more sunlight. And the brilliant white of the famous Taj Mahal is slowly fading to a sickly yellow.
In India, air pollution is estimated to cause, at the very minimum, 1 lakh excess deaths and 25 million excesses illnesses every year. Poison in the air due to Power plants. Poison in the air due to vehicle emissions

The brilliant white of the famous Taj Mahal is slowly fading to a sickly yellow.

River water Pollution
Fully 80 percent of urban waste in India ends up in the country's rivers, and unchecked urban growth across the country combined with poor government oversight means the problem is only getting worse. A growing number of bodies of water in India are unfit for human use, and in the River Ganga, holy to the country's 82 percent Hindu majority, is dying slowly due to unchecked pollution.
New Delhi's body of water is little more than a flowing garbage dump, with fully 57 percent of the city's waste finding its way to the Yamuna. It is that three billion liters of waste are pumped into Delhi's Yamuna (River Yamuna) each day. Only 55 percent of the 15 million Delhi residents are connected to the city's sewage system. The remainder flush their bath water, waste water and just about everything else down pipes and into drains, most of them empty into the Yamuna. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, between 75 and 80 percent of the river's pollution is the result of raw sewage. Combined with industrial runoff, the garbage thrown into the river and it totals over 3 billion liters of waste per day. Nearly 20 billion rupees, or almost US $500 million, has been spent on various clean up efforts.
The frothy brew is so glaring that it can be viewed on Google Earth.
Much of the river pollution problem in India comes from untreated sewage. Samples taken recently from the Ganges River near Varanasi show that levels of fecal coliform, a dangerous bacterium that comes from untreated sewage, were some 3,000 percent higher than what is considered safe for bathing.

Groundwater exploitation
Groundwater exploitation is a serious matter of concern today and legislations and policy measures taken till date, by the state governments (water is a state subject) have not had the desired effect on the situation.
Plastic Pollution
Plastic bags, plastic thin sheets and plastic waste is also a major source of pollution.
See in detail: Plastic Bag Pollution in the country
Municipal solid waste
Municipal solid waste is solid waste generated by households, commercial establishments and offices and does not include the industrial or agricultural waste. Municipal solid waste management is more of an administrative and institutional mechanism failure problem rather than a technological one.

Pollution due to Mining
New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on December 29, 2007 said mining was causing displacement, pollution, forest degradation and social unrest. The CSE released its 356-page sixth State of India’s Environment report, ‘Rich Lands Poor People, is sustainable mining possible?’ According to the Centre for Science and Environment ( CSE) report the top 50 mineral producing districts, as many as 34 fall under the 150 most backward districts identified in the country.
The CSE report has made extensive analysis of environment degradation and pollution due to mining, wherein it has said, in 2005-06 alone 1.6 billion tonnes of waste and overburden from coal, iron ore, limestone and bauxite have added to environment pollution. With the annual growth of mining at 10.7 per cent and 500-odd mines awaiting approval of the Centre, the pollution would increase manifold in the coming years.

Delhi's air is choking with pollutant PM 2.5
PM 2.5 is only 2.5 microns in diameter is very very small particle. The diameter of a human hair strand is around 40-120. Being so small, it escapes emission apparatus prescribed by Euro II and III. Any kind of combustion, especially of vehicular origin, contains this particle. If PM 2.5 is not regulated it will ensure major health hazards. The number of Asthma patients will rise and in future there may huge rise of lung cancer cases also. The toxic value of PM 2.5 is such that metals like lead present in the PM 2.5 get inhaled deeper into lungs which deposits there. The children are most affected by depositing lead due to inhaling the poisonous air. The increasing amount of PM 2.5 is like a poison in the air we breathe. Researchers believe particulates, or tiny particles of soot, interfere with the respiratory system because they are so small they can be breathed deeply into the lungs.
Toxic smog is set to engulf New Delhi once again this winter after a six-year respite because of the huge number of new cars clogging the roads. New Delhi adds nearly 1,000 new cars a day to the existing four million registered in the city, almost twice as many as before 2000. Pollution levels are up to 350 micrograms per cubic metre in 2006-2007 and the levels of nitrogen oxides have been increasing in the city to dangerous levels, which is a clear sign of pollution from vehicles. Of these it is the diesel cars that are responsible for the pollution. Diesel- run vehicles constituted just two percent of the total number of cars on Delhi's roads seven years ago compared to more than 30 percent today and a projected 50 percent by 2010.Diesel is being increasingly used because it is a cheaper fuel. Diesel emissions can trigger asthma and in the long run even cause lung cancer.
A survey by the Central Pollution Control Board and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences survey showed that a majority of people living in Delhi suffered from eye irritation, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath and poor lung functioning. One in 10 people have asthma in Delhi. Worse, the winter months bring respiratory attacks and wheezing to many non-asthmatics who are old, who smoke, have respiratory infections or chronic bronchitis. Across the national capital and its suburbs, polluted air is killing people, bringing down the quality of life, and leaving people feeling ill and tired.
Some studies show children are among the worst-affected by the dense haze that often shrouds the city, and doctors frequently tell parents to keep their children indoors when smog levels are particularly high. In a survey of almost 12,000 city schoolchildren late last year, 17 percent reported coughing, wheezing or breathlessness, compared to just eight percent of children in a rural area.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
India emits the fifth most carbon of any country in the world. At 253 million metric tons, only the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan surpassed its level of carbon emissions in 1998. Carbon emissions have grown nine-fold over the past forty years. In this Industrial Age, with the ever-expanding consumption of hydrocarbon fuels and the resultant increase in carbon dioxide emissions, that greenhouse gas concentrations have reached levels causing climate change. Going forward, carbon emissions are forecast to grow 3.2% per annum until 2020. To put this in perspective, carbon emissions levels are estimated to increase by 3.9% for China and by 1.3% for the United States. India is a non-Annex I country under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and as such, is not required to reduce its carbon emissions. An historical summary of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel use in India is increasing rapidly and causes global warming.
All inhabitants of our planet have an equal right to the atmosphere, but the industrialized countries have greatly exceeded their fair, per-capita share of the planet’s atmospheric resources and have induced climate change. The most developed countries possess the capital, technological and human resources required for successful adaptation, while in the developing countries, a large proportion of the population is engaged in traditional farming, that is particularly vulnerable to the changes in temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events associated with climate change.
According to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol , the most industrialized countries are mainly responsible for causing climate change. Thus equity requires that they should sharply reduce their emissions in order to arrest further climate change and allow other countries access to their fair share of atmospheric resources in order to develop.

Pollution of Indian Seas
The first sophisticated Pollution Control Vessel to patrol the seas for oil spills and other environmental exigencies is likely to be ready by October, 2008, Vice Admiral Rusi Contractor, Director-General, Indian
Coast Guard, said in the 11th National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP) preparedness meeting on April 23, 2008. Mr. Contractor said the proposed induction of at least three specialised vessels by mid- 2009 would shorten the response time to an emergency. The Coast Guard chief highlighted the importance of enforcement of maritime laws. He said 90 per cent of trade was essentially sea-borne and substantial numbers of vessels were old and un-seaworthy or single-hull vessels and raised the risk of significant pollution of Indian waters.
He said pollution remedy measures were being thought of following the various international conventions on environmental pollution that would also include exhaust and greenhouse gas emissions from ships and energy efficiency certification. He pointed out that none of 10 accidents involving vessels during 2007 in Indian waters had resulted in an oil spill.
NASA research findings
Latest research findings by NASA and Stanford University indicate that aerosol pollution will slow down winds, impacting normal rainfall pattern in tropical countries. The unique combination of meteorology, landscape (relatively flat plains framed by the Himalayas to the north and open ocean to the south), and the large population maximize the effects of aerosol pollution in India. The skies over North India are seasonally filled with a thick soup of aerosol particles all along the southern edge of the Himalayas, streaming southward over Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. Most of this air pollution comes from human activities.
Accumulation of aerosol particles in the atmosphere also makes clouds last longer without releasing rain. This is because atmospheric water forms deposits on naturally occurring particles, like dust, to form clouds. But if there is pollution in the atmosphere, the water has to deposit on more particles. Thus it causes lesser rain.

The most polluted places in India
Vapi in Gujarat and Sukinda in Orrisa is among the world's top 10 most polluted places, according to the Blacksmith Institute, a New York-based nonprofit group.
Vapi : Potentially affected people: 71,000 -Pollutants: Chemicals and heavy metals due to its Industrial estates.
Sukinda: Potentially affected people: 2,600,000. -Pollutants: Hexavalent chromium due to its Chromite mines.
The most polluted cities in India
As many as 51 Indian cities have extremely high air pollution, Lucknow, Raipur, Faridabad and Ahmedabad topping the list. An environment and forest ministry report, released on September 14, 2007 has identified 51 cities that do not meet the prescribed Respirable Particulate Matter (RSPM) levels, specified under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In 2005, an Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) placed India at 101st position among 146 countries.
Taking a cue from the finding, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) formulated NAAQS and checked the air quality, which led to the revelation about air quality in leading cities.
According to the report, Gobindgarh in Punjab is the most polluted city, and Ludhiana, Raipur and Lucknow hold the next three positions. Faridabad on the outskirt of Delhi is the 10th most polluted city, followed by Agra, the city of Taj Mahal. Ahmedabad is placed 12th, Indore 16th, Delhi 22nd, Kolkata 25th, Mumbai 40th, Hyderabad 44th and Bangalore stands at 46th in the list. The Orissa town of Angul, home to National Aluminium Company (NALCO), is the 50th polluted city of the country.
Emissions of gaseous pollutants: satellite data
Scientists and researchers from around the world gathered at ESRIN, ESA’s Earth Observation Centre in Frascati, Italy, recently to discuss the contribution of satellite data in monitoring nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. Using nitrogen dioxide (NO2) data acquired from 1996 to 2006 by the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) instrument aboard ESA’s ERS-2 satellite, Nitrous oxide emissions over India is growing at an annual rate of 5.5 percent/year. The location of emission hot spots correlates well with the location of mega thermal power plants, mega cities, urban and industrial regions.
Emissions of gaseous pollutants have increased in India over the past two decades. According to Dr Sachin Ghude of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), rapid industrialization, urbanization and traffic growth are most likely responsible for the increase. Because of varying consumption patterns and growth rates, the distribution of emissions vary widely across India.
Reduce pollutions: suggestions
Reduce tax on incomes and institute a tax on pollution was a suggestion environmental crusader Al Gore had for India to tackle the issue of global warming effectively. "Reduce tax on employees and employers and put a tax on pollution.
The more carbon dioxide one emits the more he pays in taxes," said Gore in an interactive session at the India Today Conclave here on March 16, 2008. Replying to a question by Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, Gore also suggested subsidising clean energy generation instead of carbon fuels like kerosene.

Protection Of Planet Earth

International School Science Conference at INSA Conference Detail

Aim:

To disseminate the messages and values of nature conservation to youth and students through innovative approaches and help initiate group action on critical issues of concern to society.

Science is an integral part of our life in the present times so much so that even the food we eat is a product of scientific development that has taken place within the last century. Whether it is commerce or media, manufacturing or agriculture, the advancing globalization of human activity would be unthinkable without the development of science and technology. Man from the earliest times has made use of the regularity in natural events to carve out a living from them. Science as a systemic form of study developed in the 19th Century providing great advances in technology, in healthcare, in food production, understanding of nature – its working and its implications for man etc. ‘Science’ has an all pervading presence in our lives giving new meaning and definitions to our very existence. Science, by definition, “limits itself to what can be observed, measured and verified”.

A timeline of Science shows continuity as scientific knowledge has accumulated through time. It took just 100 years each to the revolutions in chemistry, biology and geology. Science as a field of study includes reasoning and logic that is deductively applied to gain knowledge. Thus it is important to understand the methods, processes, possibilities and limitations of the scientific method. Innovations and discoveries in Science have given us higher scope for development in agriculture and industry.

Man’s activities have given rise to developed societies with a higher degree of comfort and standard of living. Earth’s environment or Nature forms the very basis of our existence where we are directly and indirectly dependent on this Earth for our survival. Numerous changes are taking place in the world environment as well as our immediate environments at a fast pace. This in turn affects the health and social wellbeing of human beings. Issues of Global Warming, Climate change, Biodiversity degradation, Loss of Habitats, etc., have compounded to man’s problems.

The urgency to take action and adaptation is highlighted by projections from the three reports produced by the IPCC in 2007. This report predicts that with a temperature rise of 1-2.5 degrees C there could be serious effects on crop yields in tropical areas, spread of higher number of vectors even in areas that were earlier not suited to them. Millions of people could be at greater risk due to water stress. Closer home with the Himalayan glaciers receding, population of the plains will be greatly affected in turn the economy of the country and livelihoods of millions of people will be at stake.

There is greater evidence now to suggest that global warming is mostly due to man-made emissions of greenhouse gases. Human beings have been greatly adapting to the variable climate around them for centuries. World wide local climate variability can influence people’s decisions with consequences for their social, economic and personal conditions, and effects on their lives and livelihoods. The effects of climate change imply that the local climate variability that people have previously experienced and have adapted to is changing and changing at a greater speed. Most of the above stated problems are anthropogenic in nature and call for a vigilant society in order to preserve the balance of nature in turn saving the human species.

There is an urgent need for concerted action involving various stakeholders in society for conservation of our resources. Students form the backbone of any society as they are the citizens of tomorrow. Therefore, there is a need to identify and nurture the creative potential in every student for a brighter and stronger tomorrow. Students have higher degree of understanding and grasping power, if this is used in a positive manner there can be great benefits to society. Along with the traditional subjects a holistic education on the various issues of environment and their consequences would result in a well-armed generation to spearhead a movement for the conservation of Earth’s finite resources.

Objectives:

This is a unique programme devised for promoting a sense of responsibility and understanding about the ‘PLANET EARTH’ among young students. The aims of the programme are:

To promote ‘Environmental Literacy’ among students and youths on issues of concern to society
To enable students to understand the concepts of conservation and environment protection in view of their local settings and promote a spirit of enquiry among students
To enhance environmental activities while popularizing ‘Scientific Method’ in schools with a scientific spirit
To create an interface/platform between students of different ages and scientists for interaction and free flow of ideas
To bring together leading personalities in the field of science education and communication to discuss and bring forward solutions for problems of the day
To publish papers, journals and transactions on the proceedings, etc
Target Groups:

The primary target groups would consist of:

Students – Students are the citizens of tomorrow and they are the most effective and easily communicable group.
Teachers – Teachers are links/mediums of communication with the students.
Scientists and Experts – They provide the background of our activities providing us with the requisite scientific expertise and guidance on topics and issues of concern.
Media – Involvement of media is important for the successful dissemination of the programme to the general public at large.
Thematic Focus:

An everlasting image of a green neighbourhood remains in the mind’s eye of every urbanite. There is a need to create ‘Science and Environmental Literacy’ among the population in general. The focal theme of the programme would be ‘Environmental Literacy’. This would include:

Water Dynamics – This would focus on awareness generation on conservation methods, better means of water storage, efficiency in water use, etc. through concepts of Water Harvesting, Wetland Conservation, Water Cycle, Effects of pollution, etc.
Biodiversity Conservation – Biodiversity includes the variety in plant and animal life. Knowledge on the same and conservation of the variety of the flora and fauna as well as the agro-biodiversity to meet our requirements in food would also be the focus.
Carbon Cycle – Understanding the changes taking place in our environment due to pollution and other manmade causes that have led to Global Warming, disease and displacement of people. To understand the concepts of carbon credits and carbon foot printing, etc.
Understanding the Local Environment – Every region has its specific weather patterns and biodiversity that is specific to that region only. For example, desert type or alpine type, riverine types, etc. What could be the possible methods that can be adopted for conservation in that particular area?
Activities Planned:

The following activities are planned during the Congress:

Eminent Scientists will be invited to deliver lectures during the Congress, which will also include contributory lectures, and keynote addresses, by well-known speakers.
Exhibition – An exhibition will be organized at the venue where school students will display their exhibits such as hand crafted materials, posters, recycled products, etc.
Poster Session – Poster competition will be held where students from different schools will be able to participate. This will give an opportunity to the students to hone their skills as well as present their creative ideas.
Demonstration – The students will be given an opportunity to present their skills by displaying models/designs on conservation methods that can be easily put to practice in daily life.
Implementing Agency:

Indian Environmental Society has been promoting and implementing Environmental Awareness Programmes since the early 1970’s. Environmental Education based on sound research work has been the centerpiece of its activities. The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India has appointed IES as an ENVIS (Environmental Information System) Centre to disseminate information on Panchayati Raj and Environment. IES has also been appointed as a nodal agency for implementing the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) and NGC (National Green Corps) Programmes in India.

IES is also active in Biodiversity Conservation, Capacity Building of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), Solid Waste Management, Eco-technology, and Heritage Conservation. Environmental Education programs of IES aim at strengthening, both human and institutional capacity in nature conservation and environmental protection on a long term and enduring basis. The organization is meritoriously operating in different States of the Country under various environmental awareness and capacity building projects. IES has expertise from different fields and a country-wide network in implementing environmental programs in India.

The Society has vast experience of working with school children and propagating environmental consciousness among children in schools. IES has been conducting ‘Earth Day’ programmes since 2002 in collaboration with schools from Delhi. IES conducts Campaigns, Rallies and Training programmes with school students on various issues through out the year. The Society has successfully trained people on methods on Solid Waste Management, Water Quality Monitoring, Recycling of Marble Waste Slurry, etc.

Indian Environmental Society keeping the above in perspective proposes to organize the “International School Science Congress” during October 6th-8th, 2008 at Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi. New Delhi. The Society has clear objectives to conduct this programme with maximum involvement from schools and students. We plan to provide a platform for the students to interact with eminent scientists for the protection of Planet Earth.

Registration Details

The registration for the congress is as below:

Indian Overseas
(1) Teachers Rs. 2000/- USD 100

(2)
Students Rs. 1000/- USD 50
(3) NGO’s and General Registration Rs. 2500/- USD 125


The registration fees include the participation at the congress, background documents, lunches and refreshment during the sessions and dinner on October 6, 2008.

Download Programme Details and Registration Form.

Travel and Accommodation:

The participants are requested to make their own travel and accommodation arrangements. The organizers will be happy to help the participants in case informed well in advance.

Visa and Travel Formalities:

The overseas participants require valid passport and visa to attend the congress. In case the help is required in this matter, kindly inform the organizers.

Contact Details

Please feel free if there are any questions. You can reach to IES on phone numbers as below:

Dr. Deshbandhu, President
Indian Environmental Society
U- 112, Vidhata House (3rd floor)
Shakarpur, Vikas Marg, Delhi - 92
Tel: 011-22450749, 22046823/24
Fax: 011- 22523311
Email: deshbandhu@iesglobal.org or iesenro@vsnl.com