Carbon uptake increases

Sometimes we forget that oceans have helped absorb carbon and acted as natural sinks.  Yet, we also know that is not the ideal way to clean the air.  Nor does it justify creating emissions if we can avoid  doing so in massive quantities.

The ten steps that follow in this article that outline plans for rapidly reducing our use of fossil fuel are the key to our future.  They contemplate major changes without sacrificing economic stability.  New technology will allow us to add many other steps that will accelerate our stable migration to a clean-energy powered system.

What role will you play in this critical, great industrial revolution?

Carbon uptake increases in Southern Ocean: All you need to know

Good news for earthlings! The amount of carbon-dioxide uptake by the carbon sink in the Southern Ocean has increased in the past decade. This means that more dirty air produced all over the world is getting sucked into the water, which is essential for curbing air pollution. The Southern Ocean is responsible for 40 percent of atmospheric carbon uptake. Hence, when 1990s reports showed a decreasing tendency in the CO2 uptake, the scientists treated it as a warning sign. Now, the trend has reversed and the ocean is absorbing adequate amount of CO2 from air.

Although this is apparently a good sign, experts say that the rapid change in carbon uptake can also indicate towards the volatility of the ocean's carbon sink. However, the fear of increasing CO2 in air is not only based on the oceanic carbon uptake, but the amount of emission that takes place across the world.

To curb down air pollution, governments of almost every country have taken certain eco-friendly initiatives. The Government of India, too, has some policies and acts that would reduce air pollution in the country.

Let's look at 10 rules set by India to reduce air pollution on an industrial scale:

• The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, was put in action to set the carbon emission standard from vehicles and industries

• Strict rules have been set for industries to install necessary equipment for pollution control. Violators have been subjected to legal prosecution

• Action plans have been set to reduce pollution at 24 critically polluted areas in the country. The indentified areas are Singrauli, Korba, Vapi, Ankleshwar, Greater Kochi, Vishakhapatnam, Digboi, Jodhpur, Kala Amb, Nagda-Ratlam North Arcot, Haora, Durgapur, Manali, Chembur, Mandi Gobindgarh, Dhanbad, Pali, Najafgarh Drain Basin, Angul-Talcher, Bhadravati, Parwanoo, Patancheru, Bollaram and Tarapur

• Submission of Environmental Statement has been made compulsory for industries

• Environment Auditing has been launched on highly polluting industries

• Methods for identifying suitable areas for industries has been developed in collaboration with pollution control boards of different states

• Under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Minimal National Standards (MINAS) have been scaled for industries with high pollution rates

• Emission norms, according to Bharat stage-IV, have been set across 13 mega cities in India for four-wheelers from 2010. Besides, Mass emission standards, according to Bharat Stage III, are also set for two, three-wheelers and diesel-run vehicles from April 1, 2010

• It is made compulsory for the thermal power plants that are situated beyond 1,000 kilometres from its source pit to use coal with a low ash content (lower than 34%)

• India and Germany are in a bi-lateral programme to help each other curb pollution. The methodology to identify eco-friendly solutions to set up industries is a part of this programme.