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On the occasion of ‘World Environment Day’, <keyword id="556562" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ricoh">Ricoh</keyword> India Ltd., a Printing &amp; Document Management, IT Services &amp; Communication Solutions company, has announced that it had received silver ratings for 32 of its imaging equipment products marketed in India, like MFPs and printers. 
 EPEAT is the definitive <keyword id="2885401" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="global-environmental-rating-system">global environmental rating system</keyword> for electronics and combines strict, comprehensive criteria for design, production, energy use and recycling with ongoing independent verification of manufacturer claims. 
 
Manoj Kumar, CEO and Managing Director, Ricoh India Ltd. said, “As part of our important focus on initiatives to achieve those goals, Ricoh has developed environmentally-friendly products while promoting energy conservation, production of smaller and lighter products, resource circulation, and a reduction/elimination of environmentally sensitive substances.” 
 
Ricoh also plans to achieve medium and long-term environmental impact reduction goals for 2020 and 2050, respectively, in the fields of energy conservation, prevention of global warming, etc.

On the Environment’s Day, Ricoh India meets global environmental benchmark

Is India environmentally a developed nation? The first ever Environmental Democracy Index has the answer. 
 
As per a Press Trust of India (PTI) news report, India has ranked 24th out of 70 countries in the index to understand the state of environmental democracy for countries around the world. 
 Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, the US, South <keyword id="12925" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Africa">Africa</keyword>, the UK, Hungary, Bulgaria, Panama and <keyword id="15385" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Colombia">Colombia</keyword> are the top 10 nations in the list launched by Washington-based <keyword id="6356505" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Resources-Institute">World Resources Institute</keyword> (WRI) and Access Initiative yesterday. 
 "With a number of critical moments in <keyword id="6356826" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="environment">environment</keyword> and sustainability in 2015, advancing good governance and environmental rights are essential. This index is a powerful lever that will help governments to become more transparent and ordinary citizens to advocate for more rights," <keyword id="130143" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mark-Robinson">Mark Robinson</keyword>, <keyword id="241804" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-director">global director</keyword>, Governance, WRI told the news agency. 
 
According to the report, 93 per cent of the assessed countries have established the right to environmental information. 
 
However, almost half of these countries (45 per cent) do not have strong protections to ensure that access to information is affordable and timely, it said. 
 
The PTI report further says, nearly half (46 per cent) of the countries assessed do not provide any ambient air quality data online for their capital cities. 
 
In 73 per cent of the countries, courts will hear environmental cases. But very few countries assessed have assistance for marginalized groups, the report said. 
 Only 14 per cent of the countries have legal mechanisms that help <keyword id="624" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Women">women</keyword> access courts to obtain redress when their environmental rights are violated, the PTI report added.

​Breathe free: India ranks 24th in Environment Democracy Index

New Delhi, Dec 14 () As the central government is planning to invite bids for Air India soon, its CMD said on Saturday that expecting a radical improvement in the airline bordering on a turnaround is an impractical thought "in this environment of disinvestment".
In a Facebook post, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani said, "Air India needs to survive till it is sold."
"I wonder why is it so difficult for this appreciation to sink in and also that in this environment of disinvestment, expecting a radical improvement bordering on a turnaround is an impractical thought. That output can be given sans inputs is a grossly impractical thought," he added.
Air India's net loss in 2018-19 was around Rs 8,556 crore.
Lohani said: "Air Indians are indeed putting in their best even at this critical juncture and that is very very appreciable."
On Dec 5, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had told Parliament that the preparation of Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) for inviting Expression of Interest (EoI) for Air India disinvestment is in process.
According to the October data of aviation regulator DGCA, low-cost carrier IndiGo carried around 47 per cent of domestic passenger traffic. SpiceJet and Air India were at number two and three with around 15 per cent and 13 per cent share, respectively. DSP ABH
ABH

In this disinvestment environment, expecting radical improvement in Air India impractical: CMD

<ul><li>The world has produced over 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste since 1950.</li><li>Every Indian on an average consumes 11 kgs of plastic per year. </li><li>India also planning to join the “Clean Marine Ecosystem”.</li></ul>Plastic is a growing concern not only for India but the whole world. Disposal and recycling of single-use plastic items such as polythene bags and containers are a major concern. Since the 1950s, an estimated 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2018/03/03/the-known-unknowns-of-plastic-pollution">produced</a>, of which an estimated 9% has been recycled and another 12% of plastic waste has been incinerated. India was the global host of the <keyword id="18996" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Environment-Day">World Environment Day</keyword> this year. The country, which is in the 75th year of its independence, pledged to eliminate the use of all single-use-plastic items like straws, plastic bags and water bottles, by the year 2022. 
 
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Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, on the occasion of the World Environment Day, said - "We make a solemn pledge that we will eliminate all single-use plastics from our country." This statement has also shed some light on the PM’s idea of new India by the year 2022. 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom"><cdata><![CDATA[



]]></cdata></div> At Vigyan Bhawan where India’s Prime Minister <keyword id="6597234" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-singh-modi">Narendra Singh Modi</keyword> emphasised on India’s relentless commitment towards protecting the environment, Vardhan said - "This India of our dreams (New India) will be single-use plastic free." This commitment is intended to send strong messages to the world which is threatened with increasing <keyword id="1820144" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="plastic-pollution">plastic pollution</keyword> due to the huge amounts of environmental degradation it causes. 
 
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]]></cdata></div> <keyword id="6354642" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi">Modi</keyword> in his speech mentioned that India is preparing to join the “Clean Sea Campaign” and make its contribution towards saving the world's oceans. "Plastic threatens to become a menace to humanity. A lot of it never makes it to the recycling stations”, he said. The annual average per capita <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/environment/the-good-earth/by-2022-india-vows-to-stop-single-use-plastics/articleshow/64471467.cms">consumption of plastic in India</a> is at 11 kg as against the global average of 28 kg. The large amount of plastic waste the world produces inevitably enters the environment, with <a href="https://globalnomadic.com/turning-rubbish-into-money-environmental-innovation-leads-the-way/">studies</a> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016648014004225?via%3Dihub">suggesting</a> that the bodies of 90% of seabirds contain plastic debris.

India pledges to eliminate single-use plastics by 2020

Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> is expected to voice India's strong opposition to conditions on environmental and social standards being proposed by multilateral agencies for project loans, at G20 leaders’ summit. 

	"Our interest is a fair and equitable climate agenda. We will seek a balance between concerns for climate change and the need for development," economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das told reporters in Antalya. 
 

	New Delhi is also expected to seek a roadmap for the $100 billion climate financing that has been promised by developed countries by 2020. 
 Das also said India will voice its concerns against the new conditions being proposed by agencies such as the <keyword id="6354424" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="World-Bank">World Bank</keyword> as this will make loans costly and be a burden on development. India is one of the biggest borrowers from the World Bank. 

	He also said India will reiterate its demand for implementation of the International Monetary Fund, quota reforms agreed in 2010 as well as governance reforms at the multilateral agency to better reflect the new global economic order. India has taken up the issue of IMF reforms with the United States. 
 

	Modi will also press for adoption of the recommendations on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and automatic exchange of information as it steps up its fight against black money.
 The PM will also meet leaders from BRICS countries on the sidelines of the summit when they will undertake a review of the new development bank and the global economy. A meeting with US President <keyword id="15962" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Barack-Obama">Barack Obama</keyword> is also on the cards though there has been no confirmation on this so far. Das said India will insist on country-specific strategy for development. "There cannot be a 'one size fits all' strategy," he said adding that the <keyword id="51196" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="G-20">G-20</keyword> leaders will review the progress made in delivering on the commitment to add 2 per cent to global growth. India is expected to showcase its strong economic growth which enabled it to emerge as a significant contributor to global growth. 

	On employment, India will back the demand for global mobility of skilled labour and the need to make it more flexible, Das said adding that visa restrictions on employment will be taken up under this segment. 

	 
	 
	(Image credits: Indiatimes)

India to voice its opposition against proposed loan clause on environment at G20

The implementation of general anti-avoidance rules (<keyword id="6533263" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="GAAR">GAAR</keyword>) is likely to be put off by about two years in order to allow the business environment in India to improve. But it will have to be implemented at least partially by 2017 to ensure compliance with G20’s international framework on preventing treaty abuse, The Economic Times (ET) reported. 
 
India has shown keen interest in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) plan on Base Erosion on Profit Shifting (BEPS). "A holistic view will be taken on GAAR... There is a demand but a balance needs to be struck," ET quoted a government official as saying. 
 
According to the newspaper, industry would like GAAR to be done away with completely, but India will have to take action in this regard due to international commitments. In the run-up to the Budget, discussions were held on removing hurdles to investment. The issue of postponing GAAR had also come up in these talks. 
 
GAAR was earlier scheduled to be implemented from April 1, but the Narendra Modi-led government does not want to mar the investment sentiment in the early stage of implementation of its economic agenda. 
 "Deferment of GAAR would avoid any uncertainty that could creep into tax outcome due to subjectivity involved in GAAR. Our tax system should first be able to contain disputes on tax matters in the current regime before we think of GAAR," Rahul Garg, leader, <keyword id="45697" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Direct-Tax">direct tax</keyword>, <keyword id="148915" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PWC-India">PwC India</keyword>, told ET. 
Image: Thinkstock

GAAR likely to be put off
for two years to improve India’s business environment

<ul><li>The Indian environment ministry issued a letter to states and union territories informing them that there is no imminent ban on single-use plastics. </li><li>It also clarified that the ban would not affect multi-layered packaging, normally used for food and beverages. </li><li>The document shared by ministry outlines action points to achieve the goal of eliminating single-use plastic by 2022. </li></ul>Companies in India were anxious about the government implementing a nation-wide ban on plastic but it seems there are no plans to announce any such restrictions — for now. The environment ministry issued a document to states and union territories (UTs) clarifying that there is no ban on single-use plastics but that the country is still planning on eliminating their use by 2022, according to <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/plastic-curbs-to-spare-multi-layered-packaging/cid/1709407">The Telegraph</a>, "There is now a need to take it (the awareness) to a new level and ensure that by 2022, we eliminate single-use plastic from our society," stated Environment Secretary Chandra Kishore Mishra in the letter. The ministry outlines that states need to implement legislative interventions and behavioural changes to wean people away from consuming <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/In-some-countries-people-face-jail-time-for-using-plastic-bags-Here-are-all-the-places-that-have-banned-plastic-bags-and-straws-so-far-/articleshow/68712914.cms">single-use plastics</a>. Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi’s call to action during India’s 73rd <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/topic/Independence-day">Independence Day</a> had businesses in India worried about the potential economic impact. If such a ban were to be implemented, it would affect <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/here-are-all-the-things-you-wont-be-able-to-use-after-india-bans-single-use-plastics/articleshow/71375802.cms">everyday items</a> like plastic cups and plastic plates at food stalls, packaging on biscuits and sodas, and small bottles. Food and beverages are safe The environment ministry also clarified that any planned guidelines to curb the consumption of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=single+use+plastic&amp;sortorder=score&amp;curpg=1">single-use plastic</a>s will not apply to multi-layered plastic packaging, which is commonly used to package products like food and beverages. During the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-pm-endorses-iit-camera-to-catch-inattentive-mps-in-parliament/articleshow/71376832.cms">Singapore-India Hackathon</a> at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) on 30 September 2019, Modi clarified that he was exclusively campaigning against single-use plastic and not a plastic-free india. "Some people, by mistake, are talking about plastic-free India. I have not said this. I have said that single-use plastic, which comes to use only once, causes a lot of problems," explained Modi. The environment ministry pointed out that only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/which-states-in-india-have-banned-plastic/articleshow/70218756.cms">five states</a> — Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh — currently have legislation in place to regulate plastic waste. It has asked other states to plan on introduce restrictions on plastic use to curate a list of products that they plan to on restricting. It also clarified that there may not be a requirement to ban plastic bottles, like the ones used for packaging water and sodas, and that the focus should be on making sure the bottles are recyclable and can be reprocessed. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/article/amazon-flipkart-and-bigbasket-are-racing-to-eliminate-single-use-plastic-from-their-supply-chain/articleshow/71402437.cms">Big Basket ahead of e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart in eliminating single use plastics</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/here-are-all-the-things-you-wont-be-able-to-use-after-india-bans-single-use-plastics/articleshow/71375802.cms">Here are all the things you won't be able to use after India bans single-use plastics</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/mount-everest-will-turn-into-a-plastic-free-zone-by-2020-as-nepal-bans-it/articleshow/70780916.cms">Mount Everest will turn into a plastic-free zone by 2020 as Nepal bans it</a>

You Searched For "India environment" and got 7 results

On the Environment’s Day, Ricoh India meets global environmental benchmark

BI India Bureau

Breathe free: India ranks 24th in Environment Democracy Index

BI India Bureau

In this disinvestment environment, expecting radical improvement in Air India impractical: CMD

PTI

India pledges to eliminate single-use plastics by 2020

BI India Bureau

India to voice its opposition against proposed loan clause on environment at G20

BI India Bureau

GAAR likely to be put off for two years to improve India’s business environment

BI India Bureau

India won’t be banning plastic — for now

Prabhjote Gill

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You Searched For "India environment" and got 7 results

On the Environment’s Day, Ricoh India meets global environmental benchmark

BI India Bureau

​Breathe free: India ranks 24th in Environment Democracy Index

BI India Bureau

In this disinvestment environment, expecting radical improvement in Air India impractical: CMD

PTI

India pledges to eliminate single-use plastics by 2020

BI India Bureau

India to voice its opposition against proposed loan clause on environment at G20

BI India Bureau

GAAR likely to be put off for two years to improve India’s business environment

BI India Bureau

India won’t be banning plastic — for now

Prabhjote Gill

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides

Breathe free: India ranks 24th in Environment Democracy Index