REDD+ and the Clean Development Mechanism: A comparative perspective

The program, ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation’ (REDD), which operates within the international climate change policy framework, is projected to emerge as one of the key climate change mitigation mechanisms for developing countries. The existing Afforestation/Reforestation (A/R) mechanism, operating under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, may prove useful for drawing lessons for the emerging REDD program, since both mechanisms represent flexible means for developed countries to achieve compliance with their mitigation targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The possible means include CDM as the basis for a project-based approach for the implementation of REDD (if adopted) or the inclusion of REDD within CDM. This article compares the features of A/R CDM and REDD, identifies similarities and differences, and analyses the extent to which the former can provide guidance for the development of a carbon governance mechanism for REDD

Green public procurement of pharmaceuticals as a regulatory response to antimicrobial resistance and its compatibility with the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement

This article examines the compatibility of production-related environmental criteria in green public procurement with international trade law, specifically the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). In response to the global health and environmental challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), such measures offer extraterritorial regulation by pharmaceutical purchasing countries where domestic regulation is not forthcoming in pharmaceutical producing countries. The article finds that such green public procurement measures may be compatible with the GPA. The general exceptions of the GPA can be invoked to overcome the potential non-adherence of these measures to the principle of non-discrimination between like products (in this case pharmaceuticals) from different importing countries. The provisions of the GPA relating to technical specifications and tender documentation accommodate such green public procurement measures. The provisions relating to conditions for participation in tenders for a public procurement contract and the award criteria for choosing the bidder to whom the contract should be awarded are silent in respect of environmental considerations. However, this may change with the development of domestic regulation on antibiotic effluent and an expansive reading of the term ‘public interest’ in the GPA. For now, international trade law continues to adopt a limited, accommodationist approach towards non-trade objectives. This approach must be abandoned given the grave implications of failure to address the adverse impacts of global challenges such as AMR. At the same time, compatibility between green public procurement measures and the GPA cannot be taken for granted. The growing interest in domestic or regional drug security, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, may expand the geographical range of pharmaceutical manufacturers, with the possibility that such measures, originally intended to achieve non-trade objectives, restrict trade

Essays on international macroeconomics: debt in emerging and developed economies

We develop a simple model of borrowing and lending within the monetary union. We characterize the default decision of the borrowing country and explore the impact that the monetary union has on the amount of borrowing, the rate of interest and the default probability. The key assumptions of the modelling strategy are that in the monetary union, the lender is risk averse with monopoly power rather than risk neutral with perfect competition. We find that the borrowing member country of the monetary union borrows more at cheaper cost vis-a-vis a standalone borrowing country. Further, we find that forming a monetary union with high initial income disparity between the member countries leads to more and cheaper borrowing and higher default probabilities.Programa Oficial de Doctorado en EconomíaPresidente: Sayantan Ghosal.- Secretario: Hernán Daniel Seoane Bernadaz.- Vocal: José María da Roch

Influence of Strontium Oxide on Mechanical Response of Zirconia Toughened Alumina

Zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) is widely used in total hip arthroplastices. ZTA components are comprised of an alumina-rich composition where zirconia is evenly dispersed in the alumina matrix. Incorporation of strontia (SrO) in ZTA matrix is subject to enhance the fracture toughness and strength through development of elongated grains and cell proliferation in vivo also. In this perspective, the aim of this investigation was to study the effect of SrO on the physical and mechanical properties of ZTA. ZTA pellets were prepared with varying weight percentage of strontia as dopant. The pellets were uniaxially pressed at 5 ton force and then sintered at 1600oC for 3 hours. The effects of SrO addition on properties such as density, microstructure, Vickers hardness, fracture toughness, compressive strength and tribology are studied. The SrO profoundly reacts with alumina and forms strontium aluminates at an optimum processing conditions. These strontium aluminates have elongated structure, which reduces the resultant grain size of matrix and enhancement of sintered density. This developed microstructure assists to improve the mechanical and tribological response of strontia doped ZTA composites

SCREENING OF TOTAL PHENOL AND FLAVONOID CONTENT IN DIFFERENT CYTOTYPES OF TWO SPECIES OF ACHYRANTHES LINN. FROM WESTERN HIMALAYA, INDIA

Objective: Genus Achyranthes Linn. belonging to family Amaranthaceae consists of six species. The present study was undertaken to screen the phenolic components in the different cytotypes of two species of Genus Achyranthes Linn. growing in western Himalaya, India.Methods: Methanol extract of leaves was used to determine the total phenol and flavonoid contents in different cytotypes of A. aspera Linn. and A. bidentata Blume by spectrophotometric method. Total phenol content was expressed as mg gallic acid g-1phenol and total flavonoid content as mg quercetin g-1flavonoid using the standard curves. Further, gallic acid content in methanol extracts of leaves was determined by RP-HPLC method using C-18 column, employing 0.01% (v/v) orthophosphoric acid: acetonitrile (98:2 v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 ml/min with ultraviolet (UV) detection at 272 nm.Results: Hexaploid plants of A. aspera Linn. possess the higher amount of phenol (9.16±0.84 mg/g) and flavonoid (78.36±1.63 mg/g) constituents in the methanol extract of leaves as compared to its dodecaploid counterparts (7.86±0.08 mg/g and 70.20±1.81 mg/g respectively). Similarly, phenol and flavonoid content is found to be more in the methanol extract of leaves of hexaploid plants of A. bidentata Blume (11.93±0.59 mg/g and 115.92±1.32 mg/g respectively) as compared to its dodecaploid counterparts (9.46±0.75 mg/g and 107.76±0.94 mg/g respectively). Further, RP-HPLC analysis of gallic acid revealed that higher amount of gallic acid is present in dodecaploid plants of A. aspera Linn. (1.04±0.02 mg/g) and A. bidentata Blume (1.34±0.03 mg/g) as compared to hexaploid counterparts (1.01±0.01 mg/g and 1.22±0.05 mg/g respectively).Conclusion: The present investigation revealed that A. aspera Linn. and A. bidentata Blume plants show immense intraspecific variability in their phenolic components. Hence there is need to evaluate germplasm to select superior genotype for medicinal and conservation purpose

Inter-Sectoral Water Allocation and Conflicts – Perspectives from Rajasthan

Inter-sectoral allocation of water has become an increasingly important and contentious issue in India. Yet, the law and policy frameworks for allocation or re-allocation of water to different uses, or within a category of use, remain underdeveloped. This article provides the starting point for a conversation on the law and policy dimensions of inter-sectoral water allocation. It first provides a general introduction to inter-sectoral water allocation and inter-sectoral water conflicts in India and examines the contribution of statutes, policies and the judiciary towards resolving these complex issues. It then focuses on the state of Rajasthan and a specific inter-sectoral water allocation conflict in Rajsamand district to illustrate the gaps in the existing law and policy frameworks and to highlight the multiplicity of issues that need to be addressed. The last section argues that existing legal principles can provide the basis of a framework for inter-sectoral water allocation, the law must go beyond providing a simple prioritising of water uses and water allocation must be understood in a multi-scalar and comprehensive manner

Communicating across cultures in the globalized context

Cross Cultural Communication can be challenging yet highly rewarding if one comprehends and respects the differences among people of diverse culture, and can go beyond the superficial without any judgment. With the continuing interest and increase in globalization and the diversity in the workplace, cross cultural management has today become an important element of organization life and therefore assumes great relevance. A key to cross cultural change management is to realize that what was acceptable in the past is not necessarily relevant today; the world is constantly converging on some issues and continues to be divergent on many others

The Indian Forest Rights Act 2006:A critical appraisal

The objective of the recently enacted Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act is to undo the effects of the historical injustice that has been suffered by communities that reside in and depend upon forests for their bona fide livelihood needs. The provisions of the legislation, which grant forest rights to these communities and envisage a role for local government in the decision making process, have been lauded by pro-tribal and social activists. On the other hand, environmentalists and conservationists fear that the implementation of the Act would result in potentially severe adverse impacts on India 's natural resources and their conservation efforts. In an attempt to accommodate the concerns of these various interests, the Act has left several questions unanswered. The continued dominance of government committees in the decision making procedure is unlikely to achieve the decentralisation objective. Moreover, buckling under pressure from environmental lobby, the government has notified certain areas as critical habitats, even before the Act was operationalised. In contrast, the Act envisages notification of certain areas as critical wildlife habitats only after the determination of a reasonable resettlement package for the inhabitants of those areas, who were also holders of forest rights under the Act