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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/by/nandhini-somasundaram/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:51:29 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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					<title>Study identifies rare case of moth and lichen association</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/study-identifies-rare-case-of-moth-and-lichen-association/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/study-identifies-rare-case-of-moth-and-lichen-association/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Oct 2026 15:19:26 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Arathi Menon]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[lichens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moths]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/08145759/7979f652-7be7-40eb-91e7-d31b07a381f2-scaled-e1791452511429-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animal Behaviour, Biodiversity, Conservation, Ecology, Forests, Himalayas, Insects, Mountains, and Trees]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new paper documents the first known record of a moth using the umbilicate lichen, Lasallia pertusa, as a camouflage background. Published in the journal Arthropod-Plant Interactions, the observation was made in July 2025 at Duggi, in Kugti Wildlife Sanctuary, Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, at about 3,200 m elevation. Lichen-associated camouflage has been documented before, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new paper documents the first known record of a moth using the umbilicate lichen, Lasallia pertusa, as a camouflage background. Published in the journal Arthropod-Plant Interactions, the observation was made in July 2025 at Duggi, in Kugti Wildlife Sanctuary, Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh, at about 3,200 m elevation. Lichen-associated camouflage has been documented before, including in moths. In this case, however, the association involves an umbilicate (attached to its substrate only at a single point), foliose (with flat, leaf-like lobes) lichen, rather than the more commonly documented crustose or bark-growing lichens. The finding, therefore, expands the range of lichen growth forms known to potentially participate in insect camouflage. It also points to the fact that a seemingly inconspicuous lichen can be an important part of an animal’s visual environment and survival strategy. One of the authors, Sanjay Kumar Unniyal, informs Mongabay-India that though there have been similar observations of moths mimicking lichens in the past, this particular lichen species has been documented for the first time. “This might have an evolutionary consequence which can only be understood through further studies,” Unniyal shares. L. pertusa has a large, perforated and highly irregular thallus (vegetative body), providing a particularly complex visual background, reports the paper. The moth that belongs to the family Noctuidae, was found resting directly on the lichen growing on exposed rock. The moth’s identification was based on photographs and expert examination. The paper reports that the moth species couldn’t be identified due to the absence of a specimen.&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/study-identifies-rare-case-of-moth-and-lichen-association/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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					<title>Deep Sea Dreams</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/specials/2026/10/deep-sea-dreams/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/specials/2026/10/deep-sea-dreams/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Oct 2026 13:18:28 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Supriya Vohra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[S. Gopikrishna Warrier]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[artisanal fishing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oceans]]></category>
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Deep Sea Dreams]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Goa, Gujarat, India, Indian Ocean, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, South Asia, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Fish, Fishing, and Oceans]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India is promoting deep-sea fishing with the promise of better incomes for the country’s traditional fishers. Government schemes have sought to accelerate this transition by providing financial support for deep-sea fishing vessels. Yet the move into deeper waters has proved far more complicated than policy documents suggest. Across the coastal states of India, fishing communities [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India is promoting deep-sea fishing with the promise of better incomes for the country’s traditional fishers. Government schemes have sought to accelerate this transition by providing financial support for deep-sea fishing vessels. Yet the move into deeper waters has proved far more complicated than policy documents suggest. Across the coastal states of India, fishing communities are raising concerns about whether the economics of deep-sea fishing are actually feasible for India’s fishers. In several major fishing states, the government-backed schemes to promote deep-sea fishing have struggled to attract takers. This series follows the 2020-2025 phase of India’s deep sea fishing scheme and examines the country’s ambitions, the boats designed to make it possible, the growing focus on high-value species, and, most importantly, the realities faced by fishers being asked to invest in an uncertain future. Through months of field reporting and conversations with communities across India’s coastal states, Right to Information replies and Lok Sabha reports, Mongabay-India examines what it will take to keep India’s deep sea dreams afloat. This series was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting Network.This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/specials/2026/10/deep-sea-dreams/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>India’s deep-sea fishing dreams are struggling to stay afloat</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/indias-deep-sea-fishing-dreams-are-struggling-to-stay-afloat/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/indias-deep-sea-fishing-dreams-are-struggling-to-stay-afloat/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Oct 2026 13:12:45 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Supriya Vohra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[artisanal fishing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deep seas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fishing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oceans]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/07235506/LEO_0725-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41448</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Deep Sea Dreams]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and South Asia]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Fish and Fishing]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This story is the first in a series on deep-sea fishing in India, produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting Network. The first story examines India’s Deep Sea Fishing Vessel Scheme and finds a mismatch between its ambitions and the realities of fishing. Shaju Antony, a traditional fisherman from Kerala, was encouraged by [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This story is the first in a series on deep-sea fishing in India, produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting Network. The first story examines India’s Deep Sea Fishing Vessel Scheme and finds a mismatch between its ambitions and the realities of fishing. Shaju Antony, a traditional fisherman from Kerala, was encouraged by his parish priest to apply for a government scheme in 2020 that provided financial assistance for deep-sea fishing vessels. He gathered about ₹7.2 million for his part of the contribution for a boat under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), a central government scheme. He received the boat three years later, in December 2023. But the boat started showing signs of trouble as soon as he started using it. Antony and his crew spent another ₹3 million repairing the boat. Finally, after months of sending petitions to the state government to look into the matter, he gave up. “If they are building boats for fishermen, why aren’t they consulting the fishermen?” he asks. About 1500 km further up, on the west coast of India, Kiran Koli, a traditional fisherman and leader of a fishers&#8217; union from Maharashtra, had also applied for the same government scheme in 2017-18 when it was under the government’s Neel Kranti (Blue Revolution) Mission. In 2020, when the scheme became Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Koli was the first person on the list, he says. In June 2026, nearly a decade after he first applied, Koli received his boat. But&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/indias-deep-sea-fishing-dreams-are-struggling-to-stay-afloat/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>A changing climate is reshaping India’s infectious disease risks</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/a-changing-climate-is-reshaping-indias-infectious-disease-risks/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/a-changing-climate-is-reshaping-indias-infectious-disease-risks/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Oct 2026 11:49:28 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Rupsy Khurana]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[disease]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environment and health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pathogens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[zoonoses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Zoonotic disease]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/08104600/AP26222296060420-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41482</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Cities and Towns, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Science, Drought, Environment, Extreme Weather Events, Floods, Global Warming, Health impacts, Human Rights, and Impacts of Climate Change]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[When extreme weather events occur, the damage is usually measured in collapsed buildings, damaged roads and flooded homes. But the aftermath also brings a less visible threat. Heatwaves, droughts, erratic rainfall and flash floods, in combination or alone, also reshape the ecology of diseases. They can affect how long pathogens survive, change the distribution of [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[When extreme weather events occur, the damage is usually measured in collapsed buildings, damaged roads and flooded homes. But the aftermath also brings a less visible threat. Heatwaves, droughts, erratic rainfall and flash floods, in combination or alone, also reshape the ecology of diseases. They can affect how long pathogens survive, change the distribution of disease-carrying insects and bring people, animals and pathogens into closer contact, increasing the risk of outbreaks in new places at unexpected times. The latest assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that heatwaves and extreme rainfall events are projected to increase in the coming years. A 2025 study by IPE Global, an international development consultancy, and Esri India, a GIS mapping company, warns that extreme weather could become more severe by 2030, with heatwaves projected to double in major cities and extreme rainfall events expected to rise by 43% across the country. Health experts state that we need to factor in and prevent climate-related outbreaks rather than simply responding to them. Health risks during monsoons and droughts The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) reports that the past decade has witnessed some of the worst floods on record. India, too, has experienced devastating floods, including those in Mumbai in 2025 and Kerala in 2018. “Heavy rainfall and flooding create ideal conditions for the emergence and spread of infections,” shares Surya Prasad, a consultant physician at Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru. “Floodwater overwhelms sewage systems and mixes human and animal waste into water sources, while warmer&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/a-changing-climate-is-reshaping-indias-infectious-disease-risks/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>The giants with one horn</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/the-giants-with-one-horn/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/the-giants-with-one-horn/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>07 Oct 2026 15:25:42 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Team Mongabay-India]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
															<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/06021738/harrier-1-768x512.png" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Species File]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Conservation efforts have re-established the greater one-horned rhinoceros in Assam’s Manas National Park. The species had once been wiped out from the park but was brought back through wild-to-wild translocation and rhino rehabilitation programmes. A recent study of the re-established population offers encouraging signs of adaptation in its restored habitat. The greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Conservation efforts have re-established the greater one-horned rhinoceros in Assam’s Manas National Park. The species had once been wiped out from the park but was brought back through wild-to-wild translocation and rhino rehabilitation programmes. A recent study of the re-established population offers encouraging signs of adaptation in its restored habitat. The greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) is the largest of the three rhino species found in Asia. It is identified by a single black horn, about 8-25 inches long, and grey-brown hide with skin folds that give it an armour-plated appearance. It&#8217;s about half the weight of an elephant, going up to 2,700 kilograms and is around 6.5 feet tall. Despite its size, the rhino is a good swimmer and spends considerable time in wetlands and grasslands. It mainly feeds on grasses, leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants. The greater one-horned rhino now numbers at around 4,075 individuals found only in the grasslands of India and Nepal. The IUCN Red List classifies the species as vulnerable, which means it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. In India, it receives the highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and is listed in Appendix I of CITES, which bans international trade. Rhinos play an important role in shaping grassland and wetland ecosystems. However, habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species and human-animal conflict remain major threats to the species. The rhino has also faced illegal hunting for its horns. In a&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/10/the-giants-with-one-horn/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Humid heat challenges India&#8217;s conventional heatwave thresholds</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/humid-heat-challenges-indias-conventional-heatwave-thresholds/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/humid-heat-challenges-indias-conventional-heatwave-thresholds/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>07 Oct 2026 14:46:04 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heat]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/07104002/Female_workers_at_a_tea_Garden_of_Assam-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Assam and India]]>
						</locations>
					
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Every summer, as Central and Northwest India temperatures rise above 45°C,  the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues heatwave alerts. Assam, in the northeast, rarely appears on the national heat map, despite high temperatures recorded across the state. Across Assam, several stations have recorded maximum temperatures above 37°C and, in some instances, reached or exceeded 40°C [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Every summer, as Central and Northwest India temperatures rise above 45°C,  the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues heatwave alerts. Assam, in the northeast, rarely appears on the national heat map, despite high temperatures recorded across the state. Across Assam, several stations have recorded maximum temperatures above 37°C and, in some instances, reached or exceeded 40°C in recent years. In September 2023, Guwahati recorded  38.2°C, 6.4°C above normal, while Silchar recorded 39.4°C, 7.4°C above normal. On May 25, 2024, Guwahati recorded 40.1°C,  at least 8°C above normal. Later that year, the city recorded 39.3°C in September, breaking its all-time temperature record for the month. More recently, in July, maximum temperatures in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Dhubri were around 4-5°C above normal for which the IMD issued a rare yellow alert. These recordings highlight a challenge Assam continues to face: temperatures that do not always meet India’s conventional heatwave criteria can still produce significant heat stress. Urban heat assessments of the state’s three major cities between 2020 and 2025 by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning show that land-use change, shrinking water bodies, loss of greenery and unplanned development are altering the cities’ thermal landscapes. Guwahati’s heat islands are expanding into larger heat corridors. Dibrugarh is seeing intensifying heat in its densely built core, while Silchar is emerging as the fastest-warming urban centre, with a sharp rise in critical heat-risk zones. Recent district-level precautionary advisories have included  school closures or revised timings and restrictions on outdoor activities. Guwahati, Assam. Urban heat assessments&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/humid-heat-challenges-indias-conventional-heatwave-thresholds/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Forgotten vegetables could help make our diets more resilient</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/forgotten-vegetables-could-help-make-our-diets-more-resilient/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/forgotten-vegetables-could-help-make-our-diets-more-resilient/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>06 Oct 2026 15:06:04 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sharmila Vaidyanathan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/06005737/KJK3139-2-scaled-e1791228498437-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Conserving Agro-biodiversity]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture and Agroecology]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The clove bean is fondly known as mookuthi avarai in Tamil, an ode to its nose-pin-like appearance. Clove bean belongs to the same family as the morning glory, perennial fast-growing vines that are known for their brightly coloured flowers, and is not a true bean species. Once a common vegetable in south Indian kitchens, clove [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The clove bean is fondly known as mookuthi avarai in Tamil, an ode to its nose-pin-like appearance. Clove bean belongs to the same family as the morning glory, perennial fast-growing vines that are known for their brightly coloured flowers, and is not a true bean species. Once a common vegetable in south Indian kitchens, clove bean now remains immortalised in S. Meenakshi Ammal’s iconic cookbook Samaithu Paar (Cook and See in Tamil), first published in 1951. Today, clove beans are a rare, if not impossible sight in vegetable markets and seem to have completely disappeared from India’s culinary landscape. However, in one small farm in Bengaluru, landscape architect, natural farmer and founder of Hariyalee Seeds, Prabhakar Rao, continues to conserve the seeds of this and other long-forgotten vegetables. As Rao walks around his farm’s undulating land, pointing to heirloom vegetables like the Yerengere white long eggplant or various tomato varieties, he laments how vegetable markets today are dominated by hybrids. There was a time when the Yerengere white long eggplant was the only brinjal variety that went into the making of vangi bath or brinjal rice, says Rao. “People are all eating the same few vegetables, and the loss of vegetable biodiversity has not received a lot of attention. Why would it? Every vegetable that you use at home is available in abundance,” says Rao. Yerengere white long eggplant at Prabhakar Rao’s farm. Image by Sharmila Vaidyanathan. In a recent perspective article for PNAS, researchers warn that vegetable biodiversity is&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/forgotten-vegetables-could-help-make-our-diets-more-resilient/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>India needs a just adaptation agenda [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/india-needs-a-just-adaptation-agenda-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/india-needs-a-just-adaptation-agenda-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>06 Oct 2026 14:19:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ishan KukretiSarada Prasanna DasSony R K]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/06100254/1-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41415</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Commentary]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Climate impacts in India are becoming increasingly visible. As parts of the country, including Assam and Bihar, faced floods, drought was declared in Maharashtra, while others like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are facing drought-like situations. Even India&#8217;s cities have not been spared by these climate impacts. The Reserve Bank of India has [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Climate impacts in India are becoming increasingly visible. As parts of the country, including Assam and Bihar, faced floods, drought was declared in Maharashtra, while others like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are facing drought-like situations. Even India&#8217;s cities have not been spared by these climate impacts. The Reserve Bank of India has warned that extreme heat and humidity could put up to 4.5% of India’s GDP at risk by 2030 through lost labour hours. While these disasters differ in geography and hazard, together they underscore a common reality. Climate change is no longer a future environmental challenge. It is reshaping India&#8217;s economy, infrastructure and development in real time. At the same time, the Indian government has been taking steps towards adapting to these challenges. Six of the nine missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change focus on adaptation, and 34 states and Union Territories have prepared State Action Plans on Climate Change. The latest Economic Survey tabled in January, classifies spending equal to 5.6% of GDP in 2021–22 as “adaptation and resilience-related”, up from 3.7% in 2015–16. While these investments and interventions are necessary, some fundamental questions receive far less attention: adaptation for whom and how? And who gets to make these decisions? These questions become particularly important as India prepares its first National Adaptation Plan (NAP), a roadmap that will shape public investment in climate resilience over the coming decades. This makes it worth examining how India should adapt to climate change and which&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/india-needs-a-just-adaptation-agenda-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Protests over dam heat up as crackdown on activists continues</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/protests-over-dam-heat-up-as-crackdown-on-activists-continues/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/protests-over-dam-heat-up-as-crackdown-on-activists-continues/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Oct 2026 17:45:48 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/05140635/WhatsApp-Image-2026-10-05-at-13.42.52-1-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41375</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Arunachal Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Activism, Dams, Hydroelectric power, and Rivers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Protests against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh have turned violent after more than a year of peaceful demonstrations. On October 4, protesters resisting the project  were allegedly lathi charged by police and paramilitary forces in Uggeng village. The police action comes days after protesters attacked an MLA&#8217;s house and allegedly set [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Protests against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) in Arunachal Pradesh have turned violent after more than a year of peaceful demonstrations. On October 4, protesters resisting the project  were allegedly lathi charged by police and paramilitary forces in Uggeng village. The police action comes days after protesters attacked an MLA&#8217;s house and allegedly set vehicles on fire during a scheduled visit to the region by Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Residents of the Siang and Upper Siang districts have consistently opposed the 11,000 megawatt dam project and blocked all efforts to carry out a Pre-Feasibility Report study (PFR) to determine its viability. Khandu planned to meet with residents of the area reportedly to have a dialogue about the project, and persuade them to allow feasibility studies to be carried out in the area. “People don’t want the PFR to take place because they don’t want the dam at all,” said Christina Pangam, a resident of Yingkiong and a local news reporter. Protests intensified on September 14 when the state government deployed hundreds of police and paramilitary forces to the villages of Uggeng and Komkar — among the three proposed sites of the dam. Residents blocked roads into the area to prevent the PFR from taking place. &#8220;There has been a lot of misinformation that has been creating anxiety about the PFR going through,&#8221; said Pangam. In June, Khandu said the government had obtained support to carry out the PFR from 110 families after signing a memorandum with them. According to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/protests-over-dam-heat-up-as-crackdown-on-activists-continues/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Climate change may increase the ibisbill’s habitat range, but other pressures loom</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/climate-change-may-increase-the-ibisbills-habitat-range-but-other-pressures-loom/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/climate-change-may-increase-the-ibisbills-habitat-range-but-other-pressures-loom/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Oct 2026 11:12:18 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Hirra Azmat]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[habitat degradation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[urbanisation]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/02174717/Ibisbill-tagged-and-fitted-with-satellite-PTT-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41360</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and Jammu and Kashmir]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Birds, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecology, Forests, Himalayas, Impacts of Climate Change, Mountains, Rivers, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii), an elusive bird confined to the boulder-strewn mountain rivers of the Himalayas, has long remained one of the region’s least-studied species. Researchers have now produced the first detailed climate-based assessment of the bird in North-Western Himalayas, identifying where its suitable climatic conditions exist today and how they may shift under future [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii), an elusive bird confined to the boulder-strewn mountain rivers of the Himalayas, has long remained one of the region’s least-studied species. Researchers have now produced the first detailed climate-based assessment of the bird in North-Western Himalayas, identifying where its suitable climatic conditions exist today and how they may shift under future warming. Listed as least concern in the IUCN red list, the ibisbill occurs across the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. However, it  remains one of the most elusive riverine birds in the Himalayan region, restricted to specific habitats and with no conclusive population estimate from India, says Ankita Sinha, a wildlife biologist and researcher at Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center, Frankfurt. “Because of their limited sightings and ranges restricted to remote uninhabited areas, knowledge on their ecology and behaviour is limited,” she says. The ibisbill is a high-altitude bird restricted to fast-flowing mountain rivers with gravel bars and often braided rivers. Image by Khursheed Ahmad. These specialist birds are restricted to fast-flowing high-altitude rivers, particularly ones with gravel bars and ones that are braided. Their long, curved bills are adapted to feeding between stones and under gravel, where they mainly feed on aquatic insects, larvae and other invertebrates. They also nest directly on gravel bars, making them highly dependent on intact river habitats. Its habitat, particularly near the towns and valleys, is also occupied by people, shares Asad Rahmani, an ornithologist and the former director of Bombay Natural History Society. As boulders are required&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/climate-change-may-increase-the-ibisbills-habitat-range-but-other-pressures-loom/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Unclear records leave villages in limbo over irrigation project displacement</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/polavarams-missing-map-leaves-villages-in-limbo/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/polavarams-missing-map-leaves-villages-in-limbo/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>02 Oct 2026 12:04:56 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ayushi Sharma]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[floods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rivers]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/10/01194159/Polavaram-2-768x425.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41333</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Flood and drought]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Dams and Rivers]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Manglu Dorla’s house stands where the forest opens into the Sabari river in Konta, a village in the Sukma district of southern Chhattisgarh. Dorla&#8217;s family has farmed the land for generations. The forest supplies the fuel, fodder, and food. Now, he fears that he may be forced to abandon his home, along with other residents [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Manglu Dorla’s house stands where the forest opens into the Sabari river in Konta, a village in the Sukma district of southern Chhattisgarh. Dorla&#8217;s family has farmed the land for generations. The forest supplies the fuel, fodder, and food. Now, he fears that he may be forced to abandon his home, along with other residents of the village. This fear stems from a dam being built more than a hundred kilometres downstream on the Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh. Will that project affect his village? He and other residents of Konta are unsure. “None of us wants to leave our home,” Dorla said. The Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP), is located on the Godavari river near Ramanayyapeta in Polavaram mandal, Andhra Pradesh. It is about 42 kilometres upstream of the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, where the river emerges from the Eastern Ghats and enters the coastal plains of Andhra Pradesh. The elevation of the structure is 45.72 metres or 150 feet. Sabari, a tributary of the Godavari river, originates in the Eastern Ghats in Odisha, forms part of the boundary between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, and later enters Andhra Pradesh before joining the Godavari. The Polavaram project The Polavaram Irrigation Project&#8217;s construction began in 2004, after decades of interstate negotiation stretching back to a 1980 agreement signed when today’s Chhattisgarh was still part of Madhya Pradesh. The project aims to create irrigation potential for 2.91 lakh hectares, generate 960 MW of hydropower, supply drinking water to 28.5 lakh people in 540 villages,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/polavarams-missing-map-leaves-villages-in-limbo/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Maharashtra formally recognises women farmers regardless of land ownership [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/maharashtra-formally-recognises-women-farmers-regardless-of-land-ownership-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/maharashtra-formally-recognises-women-farmers-regardless-of-land-ownership-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>01 Oct 2026 12:25:56 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Soumya Swaminathan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/01002543/IMG_20260924_221913_Mahesh-Maske-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41235</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Maharashtra]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental Law, Environmental Politics, Food, and Organic Farming]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On October 2, Maharashtra is set to begin issuing the Women Farmers Certificates (WFCs) under the newly enacted Women Farmer’s Empowerment Act 2026. The certificates will formally recognise women engaged in agriculture or allied activities as farmers, even when they do not own the land. The WFC will open doors for lakhs of women who [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On October 2, Maharashtra is set to begin issuing the Women Farmers Certificates (WFCs) under the newly enacted Women Farmer’s Empowerment Act 2026. The certificates will formally recognise women engaged in agriculture or allied activities as farmers, even when they do not own the land. The WFC will open doors for lakhs of women who sow, tend, harvest and manage our agri-foods systems, as well as livestock, poultry and fisheries, but are often left out of the formal definition of a farmer. Maharashtra has shown political will and a clear sense of urgency in bringing women farmers’ needs into the spotlight and leading by example. Feminisation of agriculture  We have been witnessing feminisation of agriculture for some time now. As men move to non-farm jobs, women have increasingly taken up the role of managing and maintaining the agricultural lands. But this has often meant more responsibility without a corresponding rise in control, assets or decision-making power. Without land titles, they also struggle to access critical resources such as credit, water, technology and extension services, reducing them to labourers in a sector they largely sustain. Nationally, women make up close to 60% of the agricultural workforce as reported by the Periodic Labour Force Survey and shared by the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Ramnath Thakur recently in Parliament, but they hold less than 15% of land titles. In Maharashtra, 82% of the rural female workforce is engaged in agriculture, yet women hold only about 15.5% of operational farmland. Empowering women&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/maharashtra-formally-recognises-women-farmers-regardless-of-land-ownership-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Legal system fails to keep pace with India’s growing exotic pet industry</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/legal-system-fails-to-keep-pace-with-indias-growing-exotic-pet-industry/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/legal-system-fails-to-keep-pace-with-indias-growing-exotic-pet-industry/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>01 Oct 2026 11:52:13 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Arathi Menon]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/30223805/African_Grey_Parrot-3-The_regent_hill-yercaud-salem-India-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41302</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[From the Wild, For Trade]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Birds, Environmental Law, Law Enforcement, Pet Trade, Primates, Reptiles, Wildlife, Wildlife Protection Act, Wildlife Trade, Wildlife Trafficking, and Zoos]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This is Part 4 of a series on exotic pet trade. The series looks at the health impacts, legal challenges and the ecological consequences of keeping exotic wild animals as pets. Part 1 explores how the trade enables zoonoses; Part 2 observes how India is emerging as a link in the global primate trade; and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This is Part 4 of a series on exotic pet trade. The series looks at the health impacts, legal challenges and the ecological consequences of keeping exotic wild animals as pets. Part 1 explores how the trade enables zoonoses; Part 2 observes how India is emerging as a link in the global primate trade; and Part 3 raises the animal welfare and ecological concerns of abandoned or escaped pets. Jose Louies has witnessed India’s wildlife pet trade scene change dramatically over the last decade and a half. The CEO of the non-profit Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), he calls himself an “old hand in the business”, having relentlessly tracked the trade over the last two decades. In the early years of the millennium, Louies recalls, colourful birds and large parrots such as sulphur-crested cockatoos and macaws were mainly seen in circuses. “Even zoos had very few exotic animals,” he says. Some of the ultra-rich may have kept a parrot or two in their farmhouses, while pet markets at Jama Masjid, Crawford Market in Mumbai and markets in Kolkata had budgerigars, cockatoos and other small exotic birds. “The markets were quite discreet and there were hardly any exotic mammals,” Louies says. Native species such as Alexandrine parakeets and Indian hill myna were seen in illegal markets, while goldfish were mostly preferred as pets. Forest departments and organisations such as PETA and People for Animals (PFA) were also quite active in monitoring or cracking down on illegal trade, he recalls. Louies observed&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/10/legal-system-fails-to-keep-pace-with-indias-growing-exotic-pet-industry/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>The visiting grassland gardeners</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/the-visiting-grassland-gardeners/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/the-visiting-grassland-gardeners/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>30 Sep 2026 14:19:42 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Team Mongabay-India]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[raptors]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/30122053/harrier-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=41201</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Species File]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Birds, Grasslands, Migration, Research, Wildlife, and Wildlife Protection Act]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Species File: Exploring India&#8217;s biodiversity, one species at a time. Flying thousands of kilometres circumventing the mighty Himalayas, harriers arrive in India&#8217;s grasslands around July every year, when winter sets in across their breeding grounds in Central Asia and Russia. Mated pairs perform a suave mid-air food pass, with the male dropping prey for the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Species File: Exploring India&#8217;s biodiversity, one species at a time. Flying thousands of kilometres circumventing the mighty Himalayas, harriers arrive in India&#8217;s grasslands around July every year, when winter sets in across their breeding grounds in Central Asia and Russia. Mated pairs perform a suave mid-air food pass, with the male dropping prey for the female to catch during flight. They hunt by the day, circling low and in zigzag patterns to find small mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. In addition to controlling their prey populations, a recent study found that two harrier species — the pallid and Montagu&#8217;s harriers — are surprisingly also grassland gardeners; they consume seeds carried inside their prey&#8217;s gut and later expel them unharmed. Of the 16 harrier species found worldwide, six visit India — Montagu&#8217;s, pallid, hen, pied, and the Eurasian (western) and eastern marsh harriers. Unusually for raptors, they nest on the ground, and roost communally in large numbers with other harrier species — the world&#8217;s largest such roost documented so far was at Velavadar National Park, Gujarat. Most harrier species are listed as least concern by the IUCN, except the pallid harrier, which is near threatened due to a global population decline. In India, harriers receive the highest legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Long-term monitoring by Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment’s Harrier Watch programme found that the number of harriers roosting together had declined between 1985 and 2015, driven largely by the&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/the-visiting-grassland-gardeners/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>New toad species described in northeast mountain tops</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/new-toad-species-described-in-northeastern-sky-islands/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/new-toad-species-described-in-northeastern-sky-islands/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>30 Sep 2026 14:12:22 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Divya Kilikar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[eastern himalayas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toads]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/28102153/Screenshot-2026-09-28-000301-e1790571133998-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=41273</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Almost Famous Species]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Mizoram]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Amphibians, Animals, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered species, Endemic species, Himalayas, New species, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A May 2026 study describes a new species of toad (Duttaphyrnus phawngpui sp. nov.) from Phawngpui National Park, located in southeastern Mizoram along the border with Myanmar. Researchers studied two individuals found at the hilltops. The species was named after Phawngpui, Mizoram’s highest mountain peak at 2,157 metres above sea level. True toads of the [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A May 2026 study describes a new species of toad (Duttaphyrnus phawngpui sp. nov.) from Phawngpui National Park, located in southeastern Mizoram along the border with Myanmar. Researchers studied two individuals found at the hilltops. The species was named after Phawngpui, Mizoram’s highest mountain peak at 2,157 metres above sea level. True toads of the Duttaphyrnus genus occur as many species in varied habitats in South and Southeast Asia — often even in polluted areas. However, the newly described species and its closest relatives, D. stuarti, D. chandai and D. dhara, are largely restricted to the higher ranges of the eastern Himalayas, according to Jayaditya Purkayastha, a co-author of the study. Morphological and DNA analyses of the two specimens collected helped identify distinctions from the previously known species. Researchers encountered D. phawngpui sp. nov. individuals among leaf litter on the forest floor along the edge of a trail leading to the summit of Phawngpui at above 2,000 masl. The area was abundant in dense ground cover in the form of shrubbery as well as bamboo patches, and had relatively low human disturbance, hinting at the toad’s preferred ecosystem features. D. phawngpui and its relatives are facing the immediate threat of habitat loss, as the tops of mountains (sky islands) that offer ideal conditions, shrink in size. “They are habitat specific, not generalists, meaning they can only survive in certain conditions. D. phawngpui is a ground dwelling frog that requires grassy patches, high humidity and forest streams, especially for breeding,” says&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/new-toad-species-described-in-northeastern-sky-islands/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/new-toad-species-described-in-northeastern-sky-islands/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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					<title>India’s coking coal push needs a methane plan [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/indias-coking-coal-push-needs-a-methane-plan-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/indias-coking-coal-push-needs-a-methane-plan-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>29 Sep 2026 15:45:29 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Purva JainSaumya Nautiyal]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Green Steel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[methane]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steel Industry]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/29115811/pexels-vikashkr50-17971796-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41285</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Carbon emissions, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Coal, Energy, Environment, Fossil Fuels, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Industry, Pollution, Sustainability, Technology, and Villages]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India is preparing to double its coking coal output by 2030, especially to meet its steel manufacturing needs. While carbon emissions from coal use are well known, coal mining also produces methane emissions, which warrant early attention. If monitoring and abatement measures are not incorporated at the planning stage, it could lock in higher emissions [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India is preparing to double its coking coal output by 2030, especially to meet its steel manufacturing needs. While carbon emissions from coal use are well known, coal mining also produces methane emissions, which warrant early attention. If monitoring and abatement measures are not incorporated at the planning stage, it could lock in higher emissions in mining operations for decades. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas and is formed in coal mines during the coalification process. It remains trapped within the coal seam and is released when mining disturbs or exposes the seam to the atmosphere. These emissions are called coal mine methane (CMM) and occur during multiple stages of the mining cycle, including extraction, drainage, and ventilation, as well as post-mining activities such as coal processing, storage, and transport. Coking coal mining is particularly methane-intensive, with around 50% higher methane intensity than non-coking coal. When heated in the absence of air, coking coal converts into coke: a strong, porous material, low in ash and moisture and free of volatile matter. Coke’s use as a fuel and a reducing agent in steel production sets it apart from non-coking coal, which is primarily used for energy generation. Why is India planning for more coking coal? In the absence of good-quality domestically produced coking coal, India imports around 90% of the coking coal required by its steel sector, which needs low ash and sulphur content and caking properties. India&#8217;s domestic coking coal production is still falling short. It mined 66.8 million tonnes&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/indias-coking-coal-push-needs-a-methane-plan-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/indias-coking-coal-push-needs-a-methane-plan-commentary/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Isolated island tribes should choose their own destinies, says Manish Chandi [Interview]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/isolated-island-tribes-should-choose-their-own-destinies-says-manish-chandi-interview/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/isolated-island-tribes-should-choose-their-own-destinies-says-manish-chandi-interview/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Sep 2026 13:12:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Latoya Abulu]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marine Fisheries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marine wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tribal communities]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/26224219/q.-Shompen-2-of-the-27th-Km-EW-road-1997-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41246</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Andaman and Nicobar Islands]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Community based conservation, Conservation, Fish, Fishing, Forests, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Islands, Mangroves, Oceans, and Tribes]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[From above, the North Sentinel Island tribal reserve in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is a thick, unbroken patch of dark green — starkly surrounded by the shimmering coastal blue waters of its buffer zone. On these shores, Sentinelese people, who live in voluntary isolation protected by a strict government no-contact policy, spear fish, hunt [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[From above, the North Sentinel Island tribal reserve in India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago is a thick, unbroken patch of dark green — starkly surrounded by the shimmering coastal blue waters of its buffer zone. On these shores, Sentinelese people, who live in voluntary isolation protected by a strict government no-contact policy, spear fish, hunt turtles and collect mollusks in shallow reefs surrounded by mangroves. The coastal reefs are intact ecosystems rich in fish life, say biologists. “I have seen them [groups of men, women and children] foraging and collecting these food resources during low tide on several occasions,” says Manish Chandi, a tribal expert who has watched the island from afar. “The Sentinelese are aware of these as nutritious and sparsely available resources in such [mangrove] habitats, which are very few on and around the island.” Like other tribal reserves on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in the southeast of mainland India, North Sentinel Island is a biodiversity hotspot; and, like other tribal reserves, the isolated people who live there have attracted influencers and misunderstandings, says Chandi. “Curiosity and ignorance regarding the islanders is quite high and understandably so amongst outsiders and [government] bureaucrats who have little association with the islands,” he tells Mongabay in an interview. The giant trees along the North Sentinel Island coastline are its first natural defence against storms and hold its coastal soil together. The shore is lined with sandy beaches and rocky shores, while the foreshore is dotted with coral reefs and mangroves&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/isolated-island-tribes-should-choose-their-own-destinies-says-manish-chandi-interview/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Maharashtra declares drought as El Niño deepens</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/maharashtra-declares-drought-as-el-nino-deepens/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/maharashtra-declares-drought-as-el-nino-deepens/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Sep 2026 11:53:44 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[agricultural drought]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drought]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[El Niño]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/28111400/Running_Black_Bucks_Marathwada_Maharashtra_India_2016-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?post_type=short-article&#038;p=41276</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Flood and drought]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Maharashtra]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture and Drought]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The Maharashtra government has declared drought in 265 of the state&#8217;s 358 talukas, along with a slew of relief measures. Based on conditions during the 2026 kharif season, the government order issued on September 26 identifies 265 talukas as drought-affected. These talukas are spread across 32 districts, including Beed, Latur, Nanded, Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Nashik, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The Maharashtra government has declared drought in 265 of the state&#8217;s 358 talukas, along with a slew of relief measures. Based on conditions during the 2026 kharif season, the government order issued on September 26 identifies 265 talukas as drought-affected. These talukas are spread across 32 districts, including Beed, Latur, Nanded, Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Nashik, Dhule and Gadchiroli. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division has the highest number of drought-hit talukas, at 74, followed by Amravati (56), Nashik (49), Nagpur (39) and Pune (35). The state government has issued instructions to begin water conservation works and to plan for drinking water and livestock water needs. It has also announced several concessions, including exemption from land revenue, restructuring of crop loans, a moratorium on recovery of agriculture-related loans, exemption from current electricity bills for agricultural pumps, and waiver of exam fees for school and college students. The government statement said it will also provide fodder for livestock. As per the order, district collectors will immediately begin panchnamas (on spot damage assessments). The order asks district officials to submit photographs of crop conditions with GPS coordinates to the government. The CM office said it will announce assistance for crop losses of drought-affected farmers through a separate government resolution after completing the prescribed procedures. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the state will study the impact of El Niño, which could peak by the end of February. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecasted below-normal monsoon rainfall during the Kharif season, saying it will be affected&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/maharashtra-declares-drought-as-el-nino-deepens/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/short-article/2026/09/maharashtra-declares-drought-as-el-nino-deepens/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>From the Wild, For Trade</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/specials/2026/09/from-wild-for-trade/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/specials/2026/09/from-wild-for-trade/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Sep 2026 17:21:24 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Team Mongabay-India]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mongabay Editor]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[exotic species]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pets]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/25171634/Bayi-Orangutan-Sumatera-di-SRA-2-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?post_type=specials&#038;p=41228</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Pet Trade, Wildlife, Wildlife Protection Act, Wildlife Trade, Wildlife Trafficking, and Zoos]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[From the Wild, For Trade examines India’s growing exotic pet trade and the hidden costs of turning wildlife into pets. The series traces how animals move from forests and breeding facilities through international trafficking networks, dealers and online markets into Indian homes. It investigates the demand for unusual species, the legal frameworks governing their trade [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[From the Wild, For Trade examines India’s growing exotic pet trade and the hidden costs of turning wildlife into pets. The series traces how animals move from forests and breeding facilities through international trafficking networks, dealers and online markets into Indian homes. It investigates the demand for unusual species, the legal frameworks governing their trade and ownership, and the gaps in enforcement and monitoring. It also examines the risks of zoonotic disease, invasive species, animal welfare and abandonment, while looking at what happens when exotic animals are seized, surrendered or released. Through case studies and expert voices, the series asks what happens when wild animals become commodities.This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/specials/2026/09/from-wild-for-trade/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/specials/2026/09/from-wild-for-trade/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>NGOs call for permanent moratorium on animal imports to Vantara</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/ngos-call-for-permanent-moratorium-on-animal-imports-to-vantara/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/ngos-call-for-permanent-moratorium-on-animal-imports-to-vantara/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Sep 2026 17:14:27 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/09/25151638/13353495075_e4b2bdfa0d_4k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=41206</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Animals, Biodiversity, Conservation, Endangered species, Environmental Crime, Environmental Law, Law Enforcement, Wildlife, Wildlife Protection Act, Wildlife Trade, and Wildlife Trafficking]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A group of 27 global conservation organisations have written to Vantara calling for a permanent halt on wild animal imports to the facility. The letter was written in response to Vantara’s own statement announcing a temporary moratorium on animal imports till June 2027.  Vantara is a private zoo and animal rescue centre owned by India&#8217;s Ambani [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A group of 27 global conservation organisations have written to Vantara calling for a permanent halt on wild animal imports to the facility. The letter was written in response to Vantara’s own statement announcing a temporary moratorium on animal imports till June 2027.  Vantara is a private zoo and animal rescue centre owned by India&#8217;s Ambani family. If Vantara seeks to establish itself as a leading institution, it should “adopt the most rigorous and precautionary criteria for wildlife transfers,” the conservation groups say. A one year moratorium “may signal to exporters that imports will resume thereafter. It risks creating further demand, leading to the stockpiling of animals by wildlife traders and traffickers in anticipation of its expiration.” On August 19, Vantara announced it would pause all animal imports till its own internal due diligence systems were in place. A 2025 report by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat had raised serious concerns about the origin and scale of wild animal imports approved by India, for transfer to Vantara. Many of these animals did not have a history of being captively bred, the CITES report found. Vantara has said in a statement that it would shift its focus to in-situ conservation within range states, and set up a three-tiered mechanism to vet future animal acquisitions. Each import proposal will be passed through an internal Due Diligence Committee, an Advisory Board, and a Governing Council, chaired by former secretary general of the CITES, John&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/09/ngos-call-for-permanent-moratorium-on-animal-imports-to-vantara/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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