Environment & Ecology
Climate, biodiversity, pollution control and environmental legislation
Great Nicobar Project: FAQs
The government released a detailed FAQ document clarifying the objectives, safeguards, and current status of the Great Nicobar Island Development Project. Th...
Abu Dhabi’s OPEC exit begins its ascent of ‘peak oil’
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) formally exited OPEC on May 1, 2026 — the largest split in the cartel's 66-year history — ending nearly six decades of members...
After Rahul Gandhi’s attack, government defends Great Nicobar project
The Union government defended the Great Nicobar Island Integrated Development Project against environmental and strategic criticism, reaffirming the project'...
‘Ecocide’: How international law falls short in addressing the environmental toll of war
International legal advocates and states are campaigning to add "ecocide" as a fifth core crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (I...
What it takes to move heat action plans from advisories to mandates
India's Heat Action Plans (HAPs) have been criticised for remaining voluntary advisories rather than legally enforceable mandates — limiting their effectiven...
Most models predict El Nino may last until January 2027: IMD
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that most global climate models predict El Niño conditions will persist until January 2027, making the 2...
Storage in over 50% of India’s major reservoirs drops below 40% of capacity
Central Water Commission (CWC) data shows storage in over 50% of India's 150+ major reservoirs has dropped below 40% of live storage capacity. Total live sto...
Four years to zero hunger deadline, more than 1 billion Africans unable to afford healthy diet: Report
A new FAO-led report released on May 1, 2026 warns that more than 1 billion people — approximately 66.6% of Africa's population — were unable to afford a hea...
Rain check! A dry economic switch may add to Indians' war-led shocks
India's 2026 southwest monsoon season is forecast to be below normal — the first below-normal monsoon in three years — driven by a return of El Nino conditio...
Why India’s heat is getting harsher in 2026: Early heatwaves, below-normal rainfall, El Niño risk and rising human cost
India is experiencing an early onset and historically intense heatwave season in 2026, with 98 of the world's 100 hottest cities located within India's borde...
Mines Ministry deems 58 companies eligible to participate in critical minerals recycling scheme
The Ministry of Mines has approved 58 companies as eligible participants under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling, a flagship c...
Align food system to hydrological realities
The World Bank released its flagship report "Nourish and Flourish: Water Solutions to Feed 10 Billion People on a Livable Planet" in March 2026, warning that...
India’s first green methanol plant to turn Kutch’s most invasive weed into marine fuel
India's first green methanol plant is being set up to convert Prosopis juliflora — an invasive weed that has devastated the Banni grasslands of Kutch, Gujara...
Expert Explains | Why the collapse of the AMOC ocean ‘conveyor belt’ could disrupt the Indian monsoon
Scientists and climate researchers have highlighted growing evidence that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) — often described as the oce...
West Asia crisis poses supply shock risk, if recovery delayed inflation may spread across economy: Finance Ministry
The Finance Ministry's April 2026 Monthly Economic Review warns that the West Asia conflict has already created a visible supply shock in India's economy, wi...
From surplus to strain: World rice supply threatened by Iran war, El Nino
Global rice production is expected to decline in 2026 as farmers across major exporting nations — Thailand, Vietnam — reduce planted acreage and cut fertiliz...
Draft rules on 100% Ethanol: Not all vehicle makers are gung-ho about it
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a draft notification to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, formally proposing the introduction ...
Government proposes E100 fuel approval
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a draft notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules to formally incorporate E85 ...
Rain and hailstorm pound Bengaluru’s Central Business District as city records 78 mm
On 29 April 2026, Bengaluru received 78 mm of rainfall in just 30 minutes during an intense hailstorm — the highest April rainfall recorded in the city in te...
Adani Green targets 15 GWh annual storage, Rs 25,000 crore investment as India eyes 411 GWh by 2030
A major private renewable energy developer has announced plans to deploy over 10 GWh of battery storage in 2026, scaling to 15 GWh or more annually from 2027...