A possible link between hydraulic fracturing and pollution of groundwater supplies causes concern.  Environmental groups contend that governments have been slow to react and are not looking hard for contamination Gas companies use at least 260 types of chemicals, many of them toxic, during the hydraulic fracturing process Victoria Switzer dreamed of a peaceful retirement. Instead, she is coping with a big hassle after a nearby natural gas well contaminated her family’s...

DELEGATES turning up to the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change—known as the Copenhagen conference—face a fortnight of negotiation, beginning on Monday December 7th, almost as rich in complexity as in hyperbole. The range of different possibilities in the negotiations means that there is, potentially, something for everyone, which raises hopes for success. At the same time, there is the near certainty of...

The highly-anticipated United Nations climate change conference kicked off in Copenhagen, Denmark, today with countries issuing urgent calls for action to curb Global Warming. Over 15,000 people, including government officials and representatives from the private sector, environmental organizations and research institutions, as well as 110 heads of State and government – including United States President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao – are expected to take part in the...

As delegates from across the world begin negotiations at the Copenhagen summit, a survey by The Nielsen Company and Oxford University Institute of Climate Change reveals that while Indians were "very concerned" about climate change, globally, concern on the topic has declined. According to the survey conducted in October 2009, concern for climate change in India has increased by 1% in the last two years, with 54% Indian consumers expressing...

Worthies such as Ratan Tata who have been lobbying the government to go easy on Union Carbide Corporation (http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/5_27.pdf) would do well to read Carbide’s useful FAQs on the 25th anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy, which claimed over 10,000 lives. Worse, over 5 lakh humans, including those born after the disaster, are still suffering the consequences of the gas leak. Even now, Carbide refuses to accept any kind of...