Category: Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity
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Electric Vehicles and Air Pollution
Tyre particles: How EVs are a climate solution with pollution problem Context: A new study published in Soft Matter, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, by researchers from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), IIT Bombay, and Columbia University, reveals that EVs release significantly more plastic particles from tyre wear than…
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The Growing Threat to Urban Forests in India
Why India needs stable urban forests Context: One of Hyderabad’s last remaining urban forests, Kancha Gachibowli, recently faced an existential threat when the Telangana government decided to allocate 400 acres of this ecologically rich land for industrial development. More on News The government justified this move by claiming ownership of the forest and alleged…
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Olive Ridley Turtles and the Fragile Balance of Conservation
Kurma mela: The science of the mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles Context: Earlier this year, Odisha’s Rushikulya beach witnessed an awe-inspiring natural event — a record-breaking seven lakh Olive Ridley turtles nested along its shores in March. More on News These turtles are known for synchronised mass nesting events called arribada (Spanish…
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India’s Climate risk for Future
Progress should not just be fast but future-proof Context: India’s Climate risk for Future is being shaped by rising temperatures, erratic monsoons, and intensifying natural disasters. According to the World Bank, over 80% of India’s population lives in districts exposed to climate-induced disasters. More on News From unrelenting floods in the northeast to heat-induced…
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Shirui Lily Festival
Manipur’s flower festival starts on thorny note Context: The Shirui Lily Festival, named after the endemic Shirui Lily flower, began in Ukhrul district of Manipur on May 20, 2025, after a two-year hiatus due to ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities. More on News The return of the Shirui Lily Festival,…
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Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan
Nationwide ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’ to Begin from May 29: Union Minister Shri Shivraj Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan Context: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that a nationwide campaign, Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, will be conducted from May 29 to June 12 to raise awareness among farmers about modern technology and new seed…
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Weather Balloons
NOAA slashes its weather balloon launches Context: In a significant shift driven by budget cuts, the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is reducing its use of traditional weather balloons. More on News These balloons, crucial for accurate weather forecasting, are being phased out in favor of AI-powered alternatives developed by a Silicon…
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Potential of Blue Carbon in India’s Voluntary Carbon Market
The Missing Piece: Blue Carbon in India’s Voluntary Carbon Market Context: In the global effort to combat climate change, a crucial natural ally is being overlooked — blue ecosystems. What is Blue Carbon? Definition: Carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems — mangroves, seagrass meadows, and tidal marshes. Carbon Storage: These ecosystems store 33 billion…
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India’s E-Waste Challenge and the Path to Sustainable Progress
India’s rising e-waste, the need to recast its management Context: India’s digital transformation, pivotal to the vision of Viksit Bharat, is underpinned by widespread adoption of electronic devices — from smartphones to industrial and medical equipment. While this technological surge boosts economic growth and connectivity, it brings with it a growing by-product: electronic waste…
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Rethinking Air Quality in India
India’s air pollution strategy needs atmanirbharta Context: India’s Make in India initiative has sparked a wave of innovation and national pride. From space exploration and the Moon Mission to Covid-19 vaccine development and Vande Bharat trains, the country has showcased its growing capabilities across sectors. However, this self-reliant spirit has yet to take root in…
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Vanishing Wolves of Kadbanwadi
How Stray Dogs Threaten India’s Grey Wolves Context: Located 276 km from Mumbai, the Kadbanwadi grassland in Maharashtra’s Pune district transforms with the seasons—golden in summer, lush green in monsoon. This 2,000-hectare ecosystem is home to the Shegar Dhangar shepherds, Bengal foxes, striped hyenas, and the Indian grey wolf—an apex predator crucial to maintaining ecological…
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Fight for Just Development and Climate Justice
The women who remain largely invisible Context: Across India and South Asia, women have been the driving force behind grassroots resistance to unjust development, environmental degradation, and extractivist projects. More on News From opposing destructive mining operations to challenging large-scale infrastructure and nuclear projects, women have consistently stood on the frontlines. However, when it…
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Plastic Waste Crisis in the Himalayas
Single-use food, beverage packaging forms 84% of Himalayan plastic waste Context: An alarming environmental crisis is unfolding in the Indian Himalayan region, where over 84% of plastic waste is made up of single-use food and beverage packaging, according to findings by the Zero Waste Himalaya Alliance, a coalition of NGOs combating plastic pollution. …
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India’s Draft Climate Finance Taxonomy: A Powerful Step Toward Sustainable Investment
India’s Draft Climate Finance Taxonomy: A Critical Move to Tackle Greenwashing Context: In line with India’s climate commitments and Budget 2024-25 announcement, the Ministry of Finance has released a draft framework for a Climate Finance Taxonomy aimed at enabling clean energy investments and preventing greenwashing. More in News: Aligning Finance with Climate Goals Objective:…
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Climate change is disrupting the human gut in a new path to illness
Context: A recent review published in The Lancet Planetary Health explores a critical but underexplored consequence of climate change: its effect on the human gut microbiota through climate-driven food shortages and undernourishment. Key Findings and Insights from the Review Climate change threatens the diversity of the human gut microbiota, which plays a vital role…
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Global Study on Bird Colouration and Urbanisation
Successful urban birds sport different colours from unsuccessful ones Context: Juan Diego Ibáñez-Álamo (University of Granada) and Kaspar Delhey (Max Planck Institute) launched a study to explore how urbanisation affects bird colouration. Previous studies mostly focused on urban noise and its impact on bird communication, but little attention was given to how urbanisation affects appearance.…
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Tree Plantation and Carbon Sequestration
Expanding tree cover is crucial Context: As climate change accelerates, India faces the twin challenge of maintaining economic growth while mitigating environmental degradation. One powerful solution lies in expanding tree plantations, which offer both carbon sequestration and socio-economic benefits. Tree Cover: A Strategic Imperative India’s current forest and tree cover stands at 25.17%, well below…
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Urban India and Climate Change
India’s Urban Future is at a Crossroads Context: As summer heat intensifies across India, major cities are facing mounting pressure from water shortages, rising electricity demand, and increasing climate-related stress. More on News Cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad have seen a spike in water tanker bookings, while power outages loom due to surging air-conditioner usage. …
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Climate Change and Dengue Mortality
Context: A study conducted by researchers from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, analysed the relationship between meteorological conditions and dengue deaths in Pune from 2004 to 2015. More on News Climate change-driven warming is expected to increase the global burden of dengue, with India contributing to a third of the 100 to…
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Resilience of the Sundarbans Mangroves
Context: A study titled “Resilience of Sundarban mangroves in South Asia to Weather Extremes and Anthropogenic Water Pollution” was conducted by researchers from IIT Bombay, IISER Kolkata, and ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad. More on News Researchers studied vegetation productivity (how efficiently mangroves convert solar energy into biomass) and flux data (gaseous exchanges of…