i.) AIR QUALITY DURING BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES, 2008 As per press release,
Beijing, China is taking unprecedented measuresfor Air Quality Measurement
and analysis. For the first time IOC, along with Organising Committee is analysing
data and undertakingextensive measures to assess general standards of health.
This is reflective of a general increase in worldwide awareness of environmental
issues. The data will BE much more useful even beyond the games. In keeping
with international standards,air quality in Beijing ismeasured using WHO's
2005 interim target standards. It is reported that on August 1, 2008, Particulate
mattermeasures in Beijing were lower than New York City on same day.
ii.) BUSINESS IN THE WORLD OF WATER WBCSD, World Business Council for Sustainable
Development, Switzerland, has published an interesting report: "Business
in theworld of water, H2O Scenarios", out lining Business opportunities
in Water & SustainableDevelopment field. The report can be downloaded
from their website www.wbcsd.org
iii.) NEW ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION PORTAL Centre for Science and Environment
(CSE) along with The National Knowledge Commission have launched a web site
to provide entire data base of India in the area of Environment at one place.
The site www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in has about 300,000 articles on Environmental
issues. The services are proposed to be made available in regional languages
also, so the awareness spreads to much wider reach about the burning issues
being faced by India and mankind at large.
Contributed by: H K Prabhakar
