EQ: Taj Under Attack, #NoMore50, Rain-Making Mountain, and More

The Quint’s green newsletter: Read about the environment, climate, and wildlife to build your Environment Quotient.

E-India

• New institute for air pollution: In an effort to promote research in air pollution, India’s environment minister has announced that the government is considering setting up a new air pollution institute.

• #Nomore50: A new campaign by animal activists is pushing to increase the penalty for mistreating animals. The original fine amount was set in 1960 and activists want the amount changed to reflect current price levels.

• To link or not to link? A report submitted by the National Board for Wildlife has warned of the negative impacts of the proposed Ken-Betwa river linking project on local ecology and wildlife. The proposed project will inundate about 10% of the Panna National Park and has been strongly criticized by environmentalists.

E-Transport

• Nissan fined for emissions scandal: South Korea imposed a fine of $280,000 on Nissan for illegally manipulating emissions data. This makes Nissan the third carmaker after Volkswagen and Mitsubishi to be punished for manipulating emissions data. E-Law

• Taj under (insect) attack! Green pigment from an insect breeding in the polluted Yamuna waters has been discolouring the Taj Mahal’s marble exterior. The NGT has issued a notice to the authorities on this matter.

E-Stat

• 1900: The number of kangaroos being killed in Australia to control their environmental impact.

E-International

• Rule-making for the Paris Agreements: Five months after the Paris agreement on climate change was signed, countries have gathered in Bonn to discuss the rules that will determine the exact shape of the Paris climate architecture.

E-Nature

• Set Ustad free: Should Ustad the tiger be in a zoo or in the wild? A new report investigates the curious case of how Ustad was accused of being a man-eater, and makes a case for the tiger to be returned to his natural habitat.

E-Architecture

• Building a rain-making mountain: As the UAE debates whether to build a mountain to bring rain to the country, a report questions such interference with the natural landscape.

Video

• Did you know how important wetlands are for a healthy ecosystem? Watch this video here:

E-Quiz

• Where in India would you find the Deepor Beel?
(a) Goa
(b) Assam
(c) Jammu & Kashmir
(d) Chattisgarh

(Shalini Iyengar is a lawyer and Research Associate at the International University College of Turin)