With their focus on greenhouse gases, atmospheric scientists have largely overlooked lowly soot particles. But black carbon is now a hot topic among researchers and politicians. Jeff Tollefson investigates.

The MNRE had sanctioned the Saradi test project in January 2006. The project has been implemented by UBB (Uttarakhand Biofuel Board), Dehradun and coordinated and monitored by UREDA (Uttarakhand Renewable Energy Development Agency), Dehradun.

Biomass has been one of the main energy sources for mankind ever since the dawn of civilization although its importance dwindled after the expansion in use of oil and coal in the late 19th century. There has been a resurgence of interest in the recent years in biomass energy in many countries considering the benefits it offers.

Agartala, Nov 5: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has agreed to provide financial support to 8,719 remote villages of 10 states, including 1,704 hamlets in the Northeast in the current fiscal.

Vishal Sharma / Agra October 27, 2008, 0:12 IST

Gasifier plant to cut fuel bills by Rs 8 lakh a year; currently on subsidy.

Worried over the rising prices of liquiefied petroleum gas (LPG) and the unavailability of natural gas, some enterprising industrialists of Agra have come up with an innovative solution to tide over their fuel supply problems.

Let

The observed increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) since the preindustrial era has most likely committed the world to a warming of 2.4°C (1.4°C to 4.3°C) above the preindustrial surface temperatures. The committed warming is inferred from the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates of the greenhouse forcing and climate sensitivity.

The burning of biomass fuels results in exposure to high levels of indoor air pollution, with consequent health effects. Possible interventions to reduce the exposure include changing cooking practices and introduction of smoke-free stoves supported by health education. Social, cultural and financial constraints are major challenges to implementation and success of interventions.

Anthropogenic activities are responsible for the enhanced emission of reactive nitrogenous species like nitrous oxide (N2O), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and ammonia (NH3) into the atmosphere from the biosphere. This article reviews the available estimates of emissions of these reactive nitrogenous species for India.

until now, it was believed that methane, from cattle dung and paddy cultivation, was the second biggest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide. A recent review says soot is the second

Pages