Environment & Ecology
Climate, biodiversity, pollution control and environmental legislation
India’s reservoirs can host 102 GW of floating solar, says first national assessment
The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), released the first comprehensive national assessment of...
329 million children in India exposed to extreme heat: UNICEF report
A UN agency report released in June 2026 reveals that approximately 329 million children in India — representing 92% of the country's child population — are ...
No dip in grain output in last 2 deficit rain years
Official data shows that India's foodgrain production did not decline in either of the two most recent deficit monsoon years: 2023-24 output was 332.30 milli...
Centre’s foodgrain reserves at record high as El Nino threatens kharif production
Despite IMD's forecast of a "below normal" monsoon — at 90% of the Long Period Average — the government has set a kharif foodgrain production target of 176.1...
El Nino to hit 9-10 states severely; Chouhan calls for district-level contingency plans for Kharif
The Union Agriculture Ministry has issued directives to 9–10 states expected to face severe El Niño impacts during the Kharif 2026 season, calling for distri...
Heatwaves and ozone together increase India’s cardiac deaths: study
A peer-reviewed study has found that the simultaneous occurrence of heatwaves and elevated surface ozone levels significantly increases the number of cardiac...
Mint Explainer | What a strong El Nino could mean for India
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced the onset of an El Niño event in June 2026, downgrading its seasonal rainfall forecast to approximately 9...
Kharif 2026 sowing gets off to a slow start as El Niño casts shadow over monsoon
Kharif crop sowing for 2026-27 has commenced at a slower-than-normal pace, with total area sown at 7.25 million hectares by June 5, 2026 — approximately 200,...
Planet’s vital signs deteriorate at unprecedented pace since last UN climate assessment, warns new paper released at Bonn Climate Conference 2026
An annual peer-reviewed study published in the journal *BioScience* (DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf149) found that all 35 monitored planetary vital signs have dete...
Bonn Climate Conference 2026: What happened on climate finance in week one
The Bonn Climate Change Conference 2026 (officially the 64th sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies — SB64/SBI64/SBSTA64) convened June 8–18, 2026 in Bonn,...
Gadkari clears E100 fuel framework, paving way for ethanol-only vehicles in India
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways approved the E100 fuel framework by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), creating the legal foundati...
Rajasthan: In-principle clearance for coal block in Hasdeo-Arand
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change granted Stage-I (in-principle) clearance for diversion of ap...
El Niño emerges in Pacific Ocean, to intensify during SW monsoon season: IMD
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed the emergence of El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean in June 2026, with sea surface temp...
The worries in India’s push beyond E20 fuel — and the lessons it can take from Brazil
India has achieved its Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) target of 20% ethanol in petrol (E20) ahead of the revised deadline of Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025...
World Bank cuts global growth forecast to 2.5% as West Asia conflict triggers energy shock
The World Bank's June 2026 *Global Economic Prospects* report, released on 11 June 2026, cut the global economic growth forecast for 2026 to 2.5% — the lowes...
El Nino sets in, clouds kharif outlook
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has officially confirmed the onset of El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean, raising concerns for In...
Forecasts indicate El Niño to grow stronger during monsoon: IMD
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has officially announced the onset of El Niño conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean as of June 2026. IMD's f...
Great Nicobar project: Jairam Ramesh urges Rajnath Singh to reconsider INZ Baaz expansion
A letter was sent to the Union Defence Ministry urging reconsideration of the decision not to expand the existing runway at INS Baaz — India's southernmost n...
4 sites on Nicobar west coast identified for coral translocation, says Zoological Survey of India
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has identified four sites on the west coast of Great Nicobar Island for the translocation of coral colonies and Giant Cl...
Over 60% chances of Super El Nino developing by winter, says US weather body
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has formally declared the onset of El Niño conditions and forecasts a greater than 60% probabil...