This week’s environment and conservation news stories rolled into one.
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[Commentary] Did the budget miss the bus for building climate resilience for agriculture?
Mongabay-India managing editor S. Gopikrishna Warrier examines the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to climate change and explores whether the 2019 budget has provided support for resilience.
Why the city that never stops comes to a standstill when it rains
Razing of mangroves and tree cover, pollution and interference with rivers and unsustainable construction have reduced the city’s natural defences against floods.
Southwest monsoon plays truant in Kerala
Kerala dams are near empty because of poor rainfall. The state has had a rain deficit of around 35 percent during June and the situation hasn’t changed so far in July either.
Elephants form unusual all-male groups to survive human landscapes
Adolescent male elephants in south India are adapting to human-dominated landscapes, by teaming up with adults, probably to learn how not to get killed by people.
Environmental issues zoom out of focus in the budget
While environmental issues were highlighted in the interim budget in February, they were not adequately addressed in the full budget presented this week.
Kutch’s Wagad or Kala cotton: Back from the (almost) dead
The ‘by default organic’ Wagad cotton now has an organic certification and was branded as Kala Cotton in 2010-11. It has since been used to make sustainable, modern-day goods.
Seabird poop may enhance coral reef recovery after bleaching
Nutrients in seabird droppings may speed the recovery of reefs following bleaching events, according to a study on the Chagos archipelago in British Indian Ocean Territory.
Snowmelt is a major driver of runoff in the Chhota Shigri catchment
Located in Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh, Chhota Shigri is a well-studied glacier that contributes to the Chandra River, a tributary of the Indus River Basin.
India yet to prepare a roadmap for the SDGs, states the CAG audit report
An audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to examine India’s preparedness for implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has found several gaps that could hold back India from achieving the goals by the 2030 target.
What is preventing the widespread adoption of biopesticides in India?
In India, the cost and the long-drawn-out process involved in the registration of biopesticides are among the reasons deterring their widespread adoption.
