Environment & Ecology
Climate, biodiversity, pollution control and environmental legislation
May 2026 was second warmest May on record, Copernicus says
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reported that May 2026 was the second warmest May in recorded history, with a global average surface air temperat...
Resettlement census to begin to make way for Great Nicobar project
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration launched a Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) census for families likely to be displaced by the trunk infra...
India pushes for dialogue on climate finance, adaptation at Bonn climate talks
At the 64th session of UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64), held in Bonn, Germany from June 8–18, 2026, India actively engaged in negotiations on climate finance...
Bonn Climate Meet: India flags declining climate finance levels, COP31 Presidency announces '35% by 2035' electrification target
At the Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB64, June 2026), India called on developed economies to significantly scale up climate finance commitments and accele...
Strategic afterthought: On the Great Nicobar project
The Great Nicobar Island Development Project — an ₹81,000 crore (~USD 9.7 billion) mega-infrastructure initiative on the southernmost island of the Andaman a...
Govt bets on coal gasification projects to cut import dependency, targets Rs 4 lakh crore investment
The Union Coal Ministry has set a target of attracting Rs 4 lakh crore in combined domestic and foreign private investment for coal gasification projects, wi...
Bonn Climate Conference 2026: Health groups urge tripling adaptation finance to $120 billion by 2035
At the 64th sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SB64), convening in Bonn, Germany (June 8–18, 2026), the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA) call...
Chemicals from plastic waste contaminating water sources near Jaipur dumping yard: Study
A year-long scientific study by the Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, found dangerously high concentrations of Bis...
Heat, humidity of India's monsoon could extend summer heat stress as climate warms: study
A peer-reviewed study published in the journal *AGU Advances* warns that India's monsoon season (July–October) could dramatically increase uncompensable heat...
Government defends Great Nicobar development plans, cites strategic and environmental safeguards
The Indian government has formally defended the Great Nicobar Island Development Project (GNIDP) before Parliament and the public, citing the island's strate...
Rural India’s energy crisis: Why dung cakes still fuel kitchens in Uttar Pradesh villages
Despite over 10.33 crore LPG connections distributed under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) as of July 2025, rural households in Uttar Pradesh contin...
Why does the Global Zero Waste Forum matter for India’s waste management?
The Global Zero Waste Forum (Zero Waste Forum 2026) is being held in Istanbul, Turkey from June 5–7, 2026, gathering representatives from over 150 countries,...
You saw Churu dust storm videos. Aravallis protect Gangetic plains from that, but shield is weakening
Severe dust storms originating from Churu district in Rajasthan — a desert-fringe zone near the Thar — have highlighted the deteriorating effectiveness of th...
Railways’ electrification push reduces diesel consumption by 63%
Indian Railways has electrified 99.6% of its broad-gauge network, covering 69,873 route kilometres out of approximately 70,001 km, completing what was envisi...
Why is India pushing for coal gasification?
The Union Cabinet approved a ₹37,500 crore incentive scheme for surface coal and lignite gasification projects, targeting gasification of approximately 75 mi...
One day of extreme heat causes 3,400 excess deaths across India, study estimates
A peer-reviewed study published in *Frontiers in Environmental Health* by researchers Piyush Narang and Ashok Gadgil of the India Energy and Climate Center (...
IMD makes downward revision in monsoon forecast, India headed for driest year in a decade
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued its second-stage (updated) forecast for the 2026 Southwest Monsoon season (June–September), revising project...
Explained | El Niño, La Niña and changing weather patterns
The planet recently exited the first "triple-dip" La Niña of the 21st century — a rare event in which La Niña conditions persisted for three consecutive year...
IMD lowers monsoon forecast, raises spectre of drought
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) revised its Southwest Monsoon (SWM) forecast for 2026 downward to 90% of the Long Period Average (LPA), the thresho...
One day of extreme heat causes 3,400 excess deaths across India, study estimates
A peer-reviewed study published in *Frontiers in Environmental Health* estimates that a single day of extreme heat causes approximately 3,400 excess deaths a...