His Majesty issues Kasho to convene an Extraordinary Sitting of Parliament

His Majesty issues Kasho to convene an Extraordinary Sitting of Parliament August 28: His Majesty the King has issued a Kasho to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council to convene an Extraordinary Sitting of Parliament. His Majesty's Kasho “The Speaker has sought an Extraordinary Sitting for the deliberation of the Civil Service Bill 2009 and the Local Government (Amendment) Bill. These Bills could not be passed during Joint Sitting of the 3rd Session of Parliament. The Constitution has a clear process for Passing of Bills under Article 13 and under Article 34.2(a). It would therefore not be correct or desirable to view Extraordinary Sittings as a normal extension of the process for Passing of Bills. It would distort the Constitutional process. A Joint sitting on a Bill, as stipulated in the Constitution, serves to bring together different views, different political parties and the Houses of Parliament when there are disputes on a Bill. Under such a setting, keeping national interest above all else, it is assumed that as much consensus as possible will be formed on a Bill allowing for it to have the best chance to be passed during the final vote. If a Bill cannot be passed in a Joint Sitting, it signifies that there are serious differences that must be addressed through means other than another Joint Sitting. Therefore, while the Speaker and the Chairman shall convene an Extraordinary Sitting of one day, it must be reiterated that it cannot be construed as a second Joint Sitting on the two Disputed Bills. First, it is far more important to look beyond the two Bills in order to ascertain the causes of such deadlock and how in the future they might be prevented or minimized. This Parliament has the responsibility of setting the right precedents, laying a strong foundation and promoting the best practices of democracy, in the interest of our People and Country. Second, the failure to pass the Local Government (Amendment) Act has not only delayed greatly the election of local government officials, but has seriously hampered the efficient implementation of the 10th plan. Therefore, given that disputes on the Bill are only a few specific clauses, the Joint Committee of the two Houses should seek to find a consensus position on the disputed clauses acceptable to their respective Houses, to enable the Extraordinary Sitting to vote on the Bill in such consensus form. Third, the disagreements on the Civil Service Bill are not on individual clauses but on principle, and are not confined within Parliament. Therefore, its urgent passage during this Extraordinary Sitting will not guarantee that its implementation will be smooth, effective and above all beneficial to our People and Country. The Bill will benefit from further consultations among stakeholders. The draft based on these consultations may then be tabled in future through Parliamentary process, as mandated by the Constitution and relevant laws in force. In elaboration upon all these issues, I send attached to this Kasho, a Message to both Houses of Parliament as per the Prerogatives provided for in the Constitution.” retrieved from http://www.bbs.com.bt/His%20Majesty%20issues%20Kasho%20to%20convene%20an%20Extraordinary%20Sitting%20of%20Parliament.html on 1.09.2009

His Majesty issues Kasho to convene an Extraordinary Sitting of Parliament

His Majesty issues Kasho to convene an Extraordinary Sitting of Parliament August 28: His Majesty the King has issued a Kasho to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council to convene an Extraordinary Sitting of Parliament. His Majesty's Kasho “The Speaker has sought an Extraordinary Sitting for the deliberation of the Civil Service Bill 2009 and the Local Government (Amendment) Bill. These Bills could not be passed during Joint Sitting of the 3rd Session of Parliament. The Constitution has a clear process for Passing of Bills under Article 13 and under Article 34.2(a). It would therefore not be correct or desirable to view Extraordinary Sittings as a normal extension of the process for Passing of Bills. It would distort the Constitutional process. A Joint sitting on a Bill, as stipulated in the Constitution, serves to bring together different views, different political parties and the Houses of Parliament when there are disputes on a Bill. Under such a setting, keeping national interest above all else, it is assumed that as much consensus as possible will be formed on a Bill allowing for it to have the best chance to be passed during the final vote. If a Bill cannot be passed in a Joint Sitting, it signifies that there are serious differences that must be addressed through means other than another Joint Sitting. Therefore, while the Speaker and the Chairman shall convene an Extraordinary Sitting of one day, it must be reiterated that it cannot be construed as a second Joint Sitting on the two Disputed Bills. First, it is far more important to look beyond the two Bills in order to ascertain the causes of such deadlock and how in the future they might be prevented or minimized. This Parliament has the responsibility of setting the right precedents, laying a strong foundation and promoting the best practices of democracy, in the interest of our People and Country. Second, the failure to pass the Local Government (Amendment) Act has not only delayed greatly the election of local government officials, but has seriously hampered the efficient implementation of the 10th plan. Therefore, given that disputes on the Bill are only a few specific clauses, the Joint Committee of the two Houses should seek to find a consensus position on the disputed clauses acceptable to their respective Houses, to enable the Extraordinary Sitting to vote on the Bill in such consensus form. Third, the disagreements on the Civil Service Bill are not on individual clauses but on principle, and are not confined within Parliament. Therefore, its urgent passage during this Extraordinary Sitting will not guarantee that its implementation will be smooth, effective and above all beneficial to our People and Country. The Bill will benefit from further consultations among stakeholders. The draft based on these consultations may then be tabled in future through Parliamentary process, as mandated by the Constitution and relevant laws in force. In elaboration upon all these issues, I send attached to this Kasho, a Message to both Houses of Parliament as per the Prerogatives provided for in the Constitution.” retrieved from http://www.bbs.com.bt/His%20Majesty%20issues%20Kasho%20to%20convene%20an%20Extraordinary%20Sitting%20of%20Parliament.html on 1.09.2009

Today's news: Coldest, Driest, Calmest Place on Earth Found

Mon Aug 31, 4:51 pm ET The search for the best observatory site in the world has lead to the discovery of what is thought to be the coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth - a place where no human is thought to have ever set foot. To search for the perfect site to take pictures of the heavens, a U.S.-Australian research team combined data from satellites, ground stations and climate models in a study to assess the many factors that affect astronomy - cloud cover, temperature, sky-brightness, water vapor, wind speeds and atmospheric turbulence. The researchers pinpointed a site, known simply as Ridge A, that is 13,297 feet (4,053 meters) high up on the Antarctic Plateau on the continent at the bottom of the world. The study revealed that Ridge A has an average winter temperature of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius) and an extremely low amount of water in the air. The site is also extremely calm, which means that there is very little of the atmospheric turbulence that elsewhere makes stars appear to twinkle. "It's so calm that there's almost no wind or weather there at all," said study leader Will Saunders, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory in Australia. All these elements combine to make the perfect recipe for an astronomical observation post: "The astronomical images taken at Ridge A should be at least three times sharper than at the best sites currently used by astronomers," Saunders said. "Because the sky there is so much darker and drier, it means that a modestly-sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on earth." The site would even be superior to the best existing observatories on high mountain tops in Hawaii and Chile, Saunders said. Researchers assert that a telescope at the site could take images nearly as good as those from the space-based Hubble telescope. Located within the Australian Antarctic Territory, the site is 89 miles (144 km) from an international robotic observatory and the proposed new Chinese 'Kunlun' base at Dome A, a higher point on the Antarctic Plateau. The finding was detailed on Aug. 31 in the Publications of the Astronomical Society. * North vs. South Poles: Top 10 Differences * Loneliest Observatory in Antarctica Looks to the Stars * Antarctica News, Images and Information * Original Story: Coldest, Driest, Calmest Place on Earth Found LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/coldestdriestcalmestplaceonearthfound/print on Tuesday, 1.09.2009

Today's news: Coldest, Driest, Calmest Place on Earth Found

Mon Aug 31, 4:51 pm ET The search for the best observatory site in the world has lead to the discovery of what is thought to be the coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth - a place where no human is thought to have ever set foot. To search for the perfect site to take pictures of the heavens, a U.S.-Australian research team combined data from satellites, ground stations and climate models in a study to assess the many factors that affect astronomy - cloud cover, temperature, sky-brightness, water vapor, wind speeds and atmospheric turbulence. The researchers pinpointed a site, known simply as Ridge A, that is 13,297 feet (4,053 meters) high up on the Antarctic Plateau on the continent at the bottom of the world. The study revealed that Ridge A has an average winter temperature of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 degrees Celsius) and an extremely low amount of water in the air. The site is also extremely calm, which means that there is very little of the atmospheric turbulence that elsewhere makes stars appear to twinkle. "It's so calm that there's almost no wind or weather there at all," said study leader Will Saunders, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory in Australia. All these elements combine to make the perfect recipe for an astronomical observation post: "The astronomical images taken at Ridge A should be at least three times sharper than at the best sites currently used by astronomers," Saunders said. "Because the sky there is so much darker and drier, it means that a modestly-sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on earth." The site would even be superior to the best existing observatories on high mountain tops in Hawaii and Chile, Saunders said. Researchers assert that a telescope at the site could take images nearly as good as those from the space-based Hubble telescope. Located within the Australian Antarctic Territory, the site is 89 miles (144 km) from an international robotic observatory and the proposed new Chinese 'Kunlun' base at Dome A, a higher point on the Antarctic Plateau. The finding was detailed on Aug. 31 in the Publications of the Astronomical Society. * North vs. South Poles: Top 10 Differences * Loneliest Observatory in Antarctica Looks to the Stars * Antarctica News, Images and Information * Original Story: Coldest, Driest, Calmest Place on Earth Found LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/coldestdriestcalmestplaceonearthfound/print on Tuesday, 1.09.2009

Climate Change is not only about rise in temperature but about politics, growth and development

Climate change is not about change in temperature or rise temperature. Climate change is about economic growth. It is about politics and political negotiations said the Director of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Sunita Narian. Thus, tackling the loop holes and path to development of the each country will determine the global climate change. She added that it is an irony that the world held numerous dialogues as early as 1980s yet nothing much has achieved so far in practical. The issue of global climate change is actually becoming more complex and is expected to continue further. With the more and more economic growth and re-industrialization taking place across the globe, the emission rate is expected to increase in future.

Mr. Chandra Bushan, one of the environmentalists with the Centre for Science and Environment presented a paper on how the emissions can be reduced? Mr. Chandra Bushan talked on the options and alternatives to reduce the emissions. According to him, the major alternatives to reduce the emission are:
 1. By using the renewable resources or increase the energy efficiency…. That is to increase the mileage of the auto used. Energy is still very expensive….. eg. Cold thermal , it can be done by the using more of these appliances
2. Agriculture by storing the co emission in the soil.
 3. Tropical forest is more in storing the carbon but temperate not.
 4. Replacing indecent with incandesant tubes by fluorescent tubes or bulbs. Potential
5. Co benefits projects, deforestation reductions. Any carbon storage technology is more expensive and is not feasible
6.  Use of nuclear is middle
 7. Cement manufacture options in technology
8. Grassland management
9. Convert pasture land into forest.

 Many experts and journalist expressed the concern that these options are still very expensive and realization will still take time. For instance today, according to the Director of CSE, Sunita electricity cost in India is Rs 3.5 per unit and solar is Rs.17 per unit making affordability an issue. What about the lower class people? Mr. Bushan said that 39% of India’s primary energy comes from renewable energy. He however said that because of chulhas of poor or cattle rearing since the emit black carbon. It is also the case of other countries in the South Asia.

Some of the jounralists from South Asia raised why do we worry more than industrialized country on climate change impacts?  The experts explained that it is because, the impact is more and coping capacity is less and South Asia is monsoon dependent. The experts also said that it is also because South Asia one of the hotspots.

According to the Framework for the global agreement, the industrialized countries by 40% by 2020 but it still remains an issue, which is highly driven by the commitment of the leaders. Politics and climate change in the South Asian country with the political conflicts. Did the political conflicts affect the negotiations on the climate change? This region as whole is definitely affected by the political differences. For instance Bangladesh is known to get a lot of financial assistance from the European countries and need not take part in the issue in the region. But the reality is that since the region is all connected and share a common boundary needs to sort out the political difference to address the issue. The Sharing growth: the emissions are linked to growth. Sharing the growth by reducing the emissions by each share holder to make sure that there is less reduction and more growth is the condition in this case. Initials go down and growth increases. There is no economics on the subject but it is possible. For instance Chinese economy being stable but reducing the emission, that is sharing the growth.

On the science and Impacts of the climate change in the South Asia Dr, Shilash Naik, Secretary of Down to Earth said that “it is an interactive with different components and these interactions in total makes the climate change. Biota, water, air etc are components. It needs a minimum of 30 years and maximum is million years. There is always a effect of the climate change and it is already happening and one example is the collapsing of the infrastructures”. Mr. Saran is the negotiator in India said that “the region is interconnected and thus important for all the countries to work together. We are now negotiating the new climate change in Copenhagen soon. Kyoto protocol” The experts said that the Bali action plan says that the climate change is more dangerous so we need to enhance the provisions such as mitigation ie. to reduce the emission, adaptation and even the science, adequate financial support. Multinational conference at the Copenhagen summit is to bring all these elements. It must be fair and equitable. None of the conventions provision has been achieved so for. The minimum requirement to prevent the irreversible climate change is to reduce emission at least 40% by the developed countries.
The discourse also took place on the fianancial aspects and the climate change. Many said that  climate finance is obligation and thus needs to deal separately. However, the experts warn that the  finance should not be donated instead has to be as per the priority of that country. Capacity: There has to be global capacity to develop a global mechanism to deal with the climate change. There is has to be technology transfer. Many developed countries do not want to sign a legal framework. Technology: the way is to open the market and have a IPR protection. Climate change is right to grow.

These were some of the discussions that took place the Convention Center in New Delhi during the Media briefing Workshop on Climate Change on 27-28 August 2009. More than 200 journalists, scientists, experts and policy makers participated in the two day conference. It was organized by Center for Science and Environment, India.
Compiled by Sonam Tshering in Delhi