N Raghuram became first Indian to get elected as Chair of International Nitrogen Initiative

Indian scientist-academician N Raghuram became first Indian and Asian to get elected as Chair of International Nitrogen Initiative (INI), a global policy making initiative. He will succeed Mark Sutton of the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Edinburgh. Besides, him David Kanter of the New York University was elected as Vice-Chair. The new chairs will formally take up their roles on January 1, 2019.

Responsibilities of new chair

Their responsibility will be to steer network of six regional centres each under INI Regional Director (East Asia, South Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America). Other INI projects under their purview will include N-print activity on nitrogen foot-printing and cooperation with Global Carbon Project on establishment of global nitrous oxide budget. They will also enable INI to strengthen its contribution to global science-policy processes, including supporting the International Nitrogen Management System (INMS) and providing regular input to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

N Raghuram

He specialises in biological determinants of nitrogen use efficiency in crops. He has been President of Indian Nitrogen Group (co-founded by him) and Steering Committee member of UNEP Global Partnership on Nutrient Management. He also had served as Director of the South Asian Nitrogen Centre. At present, he is professor at GGS Indraprastha University, New Delhi.

International Nitrogen Initiative (INI)

INI is international programset up in 2003 under sponsorship of the Scientific Committee on Problems of Environment (SCOPE) and from International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP). Its key aims are to optimize nitrogen’s beneficial role in sustainable food production and minimize nitrogen’s negative effects on human health and environment resulting from food and energy production. INI is coordinated by Steering Committee, led by chair and six regional centre directors representing, North America, South Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and East Asia. INI is also currently sustained partner of Future Earth (an international organisation that works to accelerate transformations to global sustainability through research and innovation).

Month: Current Affairs - August, 2018