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		<title>Mongabay India</title>
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		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/list/clean-energy/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:15:05 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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					<title>Supporting infrastructure is the missing link in India&#8217;s ethanol push</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>24 Jul 2026 12:39:02 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethanol blending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petrol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petroleum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vehicles]]></category>
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biofuels, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Fossil Fuels, Green Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Industry, Sustainability, and Technology]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This is the second part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil’s decades-long experience shows that producing ethanol is only half the challenge. This story examines the real test which lies in procurement, storage, transport and quality control, the systems that decide whether ethanol actually reaches the pump reliably. The first part [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This is the second part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil’s decades-long experience shows that producing ethanol is only half the challenge. This story examines the real test which lies in procurement, storage, transport and quality control, the systems that decide whether ethanol actually reaches the pump reliably. The first part looked at what that difference means for vehicle owners in both countries. At a petrol pump in Bhopal’s Katara Hills, a 40-year-old pump attendant smiles when asked whether customers talk about ethanol-blended petrol. “People come and joke, ‘ganne ka juice bhardo’ (Fill sugarcane juice),” he says, referring to E20 petrol, a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. In India, sugarcane is one of the main feedstocks used to produce ethanol. The sarcasm reflects the public conversation that has followed the rapid expansion of E20. Videos and posts circulating online have raised questions about the colour and quality of the fuel, its compatibility with older vehicles, and possible changes in mileage or performance. Government agencies and automobile manufacturers have disputed several of these claims. The debate has nevertheless brought attention to how ethanol is transported, stored, blended and tested before fuel reaches a petrol pump. Brazil’s ethanol mission seems to have inspired India to a great extent as the South American country often comes up in India’s ethanol debate, usually as a success story of higher blends. Interactions with people who run Brazil’s ethanol system bring out some crucial lessons for India. For Brazil, where&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/supporting-infrastructure-is-the-missing-link-in-indias-ethanol-push/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>The hidden burden of rural air pollution</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-hidden-burden-of-rural-air-pollution/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-hidden-burden-of-rural-air-pollution/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>17 Jul 2026 16:07:29 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Himanshu Praveen]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brick industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brick kiln]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rural India]]></category>
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Bihar]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Health impacts, Human Rights, Industry, Pollution, and Villages]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the peak of summer, villages around Koilwar and Arrah in Bihar&#8217;s Bhojpur district are often hit by dust storms. By midday, strong winds sweep fine soil across agricultural fields, leaving crops and rooftops coated in dust. But the dust seen in summer is only the beginning. For local communities, air pollution typically worsens after [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the peak of summer, villages around Koilwar and Arrah in Bihar&#8217;s Bhojpur district are often hit by dust storms. By midday, strong winds sweep fine soil across agricultural fields, leaving crops and rooftops coated in dust. But the dust seen in summer is only the beginning. For local communities, air pollution typically worsens after the monsoon into the winter months when temperatures plunge, and ground-level wind speeds drop to near-stagnation. It prevents dust and emissions from industries and households from dispersing easily. As a result, pollutants accumulate near the ground, causing air quality to deteriorate. Vishwanath Pratap Singh, a local social activist based in Bhojpur, says, “During the summer, we somehow manage the heat and dust storms, which are challenging but still manageable. But the real disaster unfolds during the winter months when a strange heaviness grips the village air. &#8220;Persistent eye irritation and chronic throat infections have now become a daily reality for our children and the elderly,” he adds. Aamod Kumar, a resident of Koilwar, says the air becomes unbearable in winter. &#8220;Once the brick kilns start operating, the whole area fills with smoke, especially in the mornings. Ash settles on our crops, affecting the harvest. Stepping outside feels like breathing smoke instead of fresh air.&#8221; The concerns expressed by Aamod and Singh are not an isolated experience. It is supported by findings from a study conducted by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur. Under the project named the AMRIT (Ambient Air Quality Monitoring over Rural areas using&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/the-hidden-burden-of-rural-air-pollution/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>What India’s ethanol push can learn from Brazil’s long ethanol journey</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/what-indias-ethanol-push-can-learn-from-brazils-long-ethanol-journey/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/what-indias-ethanol-push-can-learn-from-brazils-long-ethanol-journey/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>16 Jul 2026 14:30:51 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Shailesh Shrivastava]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[agriculture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bioenergy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethanol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petrol]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[petroleum]]></category>
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					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=39353</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Energy, Fossil Fuels, and Green Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This is the first part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil has run on ethanol for decades, with drivers choosing from different blends of ethanol in petrol at fuel stations. India is moving through E20 as the default fuel blend, with far less consumer choice. This story looks at what that [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This is the first part in a series comparing India and Brazil’s ethanol transitions. Brazil has run on ethanol for decades, with drivers choosing from different blends of ethanol in petrol at fuel stations. India is moving through E20 as the default fuel blend, with far less consumer choice. This story looks at what that difference means for vehicle owners in both countries. At Posto Dallas, a fuel station in northern Brazil’s Belém city, a car pulls in. The driver checks the price board, then picks a fuel. The 27-year-old station attendant, John, sees this happen all day. “Mostly flex-fuel vehicles come here,” he said. “People see the price and ask us to fill the fuel in their tanks accordingly.” Posto Dallas fuel stations are supplied by the state-owned energy company Petrobras and operate under the brand. In Brazil, customers can choose between different percentages of ethanol blends or pure petrol depending on the price and usage. Most cars sold here are flex-fuel vehicles, built to run on different petrol-ethanol blends. Brazil has offered this choice for decades. In another part of the world, nearly 15,000 km away, at a petrol pump in Bhopal’s Katara Hills, the scene looks similar. Vehicles come and go, attendants fill tanks, customers decide fast. But one thing is different: the choice on offer. In India, the government made 20% ethanol blended petrol, called E20, the default fuel across all fuel stations under its ethanol blending programme. For Nicola Pamplona, a vehicle owner and a&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/07/what-indias-ethanol-push-can-learn-from-brazils-long-ethanol-journey/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Rethinking India’s climate plan through equity, delivery and intent [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/rethinking-indias-climate-plan-through-equity-delivery-and-intent-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/rethinking-indias-climate-plan-through-equity-delivery-and-intent-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Jun 2026 14:15:53 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Mohana ManimaranRavi Shankar Prasad]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate justice]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wind Energy]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/23131848/AP24052670530069-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38776</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Carbon emissions, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Industry, and Sustainability]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The concept of &#8216;ratcheting ambition&#8217; now shapes global climate action. However, ambition is often measured using a single, uniform metric: comparing all countries against a common temperature goal. This approach overlooks countries&#8217; unique circumstances, development needs, shortage of climate finance, and historical responsibility. India released its third nationally determined contribution (NDC 3.0) in March. It [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The concept of &#8216;ratcheting ambition&#8217; now shapes global climate action. However, ambition is often measured using a single, uniform metric: comparing all countries against a common temperature goal. This approach overlooks countries&#8217; unique circumstances, development needs, shortage of climate finance, and historical responsibility. India released its third nationally determined contribution (NDC 3.0) in March. It is the climate pledge each country under the Paris Agreement files and is expected to ratchet up with every cycle. The latest NDC is for 2031-2035 and has been subject to a convoluted reading. A set of forward-looking commitments, with deliverable outcomes, and aligned with the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, has been characterised as moderate by many observers. Applying one standard to measure ambition contradicts the Paris Agreement’s principle of equity. Article 2.2 emphasises common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, meaning all nations must act, but those with the most historical emissions and greatest means should do more. Criticism of India’s new plan as &#8216;moderate&#8217; overlooks this principle and ignores India&#8217;s record of delivering on commitments. As the second Global Stocktake (GST2) is set to commence later this year, it is important to assess ambition in its broader context — taking into account equity, historical responsibility, the delivery of past commitments, and the overarching, holistic long-term vision to combat climate change. Viewed through this lens, India&#8217;s NDC 3.0 signals stronger ambition than many assessments suggest. Taking into account legacy emissions Cumulative CO₂ emissions data from the Global Carbon Project reveals a stark&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/rethinking-indias-climate-plan-through-equity-delivery-and-intent-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Bonn talks signal a new energy transition narrative, even as old divides persist</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/bonn-talks-signal-a-new-energy-transition-narrative-even-as-old-divides-persist/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/bonn-talks-signal-a-new-energy-transition-narrative-even-as-old-divides-persist/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Jun 2026 12:30:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Finance]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/19113743/Raichur-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38743</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Climate Finance]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Energy, Green Energy, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The annual two-week Bonn climate conference ended on June 18, exposing familiar fault lines over climate finance, trade and ambition while also highlighting a new push to accelerate the energy transition through electrification. The mid-year meeting is an annual affair under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) where parties negotiate the technical [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The annual two-week Bonn climate conference ended on June 18, exposing familiar fault lines over climate finance, trade and ambition while also highlighting a new push to accelerate the energy transition through electrification. The mid-year meeting is an annual affair under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) where parties negotiate the technical and scientific aspects of climate negotiations. It helps shape the agenda of the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC. At the beginning of the conference, the host of the next climate summit proposed increasing the global electrification target to 35% by 2035, up from the current target of just over 20%. COP31 President-Designate Murat Kurum called it a flagship initiative of the COP31 Presidency&#8217;s Action Agenda, &#8220;calling for a major acceleration in the shift from direct fossil fuel use to clean electricity across buildings, transport and industry.&#8221; The proposal comes alongside the COP30 Presidency&#8217;s work on a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels (TAFF) in energy systems. On June 12, the COP30 Presidency presented progress on the roadmap, which is expected to be shared ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. Together, the electrification initiative and the TAFF roadmap suggest an emerging effort to frame energy transition discussions around deployment of clean energy systems rather than explicit fossil fuel reduction targets. The proposal has particular significance for India. According to a recent International Energy Agency (IEA) report, the country&#8217;s electrification rate stands at around 19%, slightly below the global average of 21%. At&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/bonn-talks-signal-a-new-energy-transition-narrative-even-as-old-divides-persist/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Efficiency mandates can build India’s clean tech sovereignty [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/efficiency-mandates-can-build-indias-clean-tech-sovereignty-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/efficiency-mandates-can-build-indias-clean-tech-sovereignty-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>15 Jun 2026 16:17:46 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Ajay Mathur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmental technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[innovation]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/15092043/AP23313788200798-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38647</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Carbon emissions, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Commentary, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Green Business, Green Energy, Industry, Renewable Energy, and Technology]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[For decades, India’s approach to advanced technologies has followed a predictable, high-stakes pattern. Each time a global technology goes through a generational shift, a mad scramble ensues to import the latest machinery, components, or manufacturing lines. We saw it in the early phases of thermal power automation, witnessed it during the electronics boom, and today [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[For decades, India’s approach to advanced technologies has followed a predictable, high-stakes pattern. Each time a global technology goes through a generational shift, a mad scramble ensues to import the latest machinery, components, or manufacturing lines. We saw it in the early phases of thermal power automation, witnessed it during the electronics boom, and today we are seeing it play out acutely in the clean energy transition. While importing technology serves as a necessary jumpstart, relying on it as a permanent strategy creates a fragile foundation. In an era defined by geopolitical volatility, trade barriers, and fractured supply chains, the strategy of continuous imports is no longer just economically draining, but also a risk to national energy security. To build a truly resilient, low-carbon future, India must pivot from being a passive consumer of global technology to an active creator of indigenous innovations. The key to unlocking this shift does not lie in blunt import bans or open-ended subsidies alone. Instead, it lies in a regulatory mechanism that India has already proven. Anchoring long-term procurement frameworks to progressively tightening, non-negotiable efficiency standards can work. By announcing these escalations well in advance, India can compel industry players to move away from quick-fix imports, invest heavily in domestic research, development, and demonstration (RD&amp;D), and forge deep, lasting linkages with local academia. The fragility of the import trap India’s climate targets are among the most ambitious in the world, requiring the deployment of hundreds of gigawatts of renewable energy over the next few&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/efficiency-mandates-can-build-indias-clean-tech-sovereignty-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Solar energy supports healthcare in outage-prone hilly districts</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/solar-energy-supports-healthcare-in-outage-prone-hilly-districts/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/solar-energy-supports-healthcare-in-outage-prone-hilly-districts/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>31 Mar 2026 16:22:34 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Jyoti ThakurPratik Chakarborty]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hospitals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[public health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panel]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/03/31131513/signal-2026-03-31-130858_002-e1774947811953-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Meghalaya]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Energy, Extreme Weather Events, Green Energy, Health impacts, Human Rights, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[When Evelyne Nongkseh’s newborn daughter developed jaundice in August 2023, her family of six was in panic. Nongkseh, then 30, had delivered her third child just two weeks earlier. She rushed to Gnanamma Healthcare Centre in her village Jaidoh in the West Khasi Hills, in India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya, hoping to get immediate treatment. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
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							<![CDATA[When Evelyne Nongkseh’s newborn daughter developed jaundice in August 2023, her family of six was in panic. Nongkseh, then 30, had delivered her third child just two weeks earlier. She rushed to Gnanamma Healthcare Centre in her village Jaidoh in the West Khasi Hills, in India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya, hoping to get immediate treatment. But when she arrived, there was no electricity at the centre and phototherapy unit that treats neonatal jaundice by breaking down excess bilirubin in an infant’s blood, was also not functioning. “I was worried sick,” Nongkseh recalls. “There was no electricity, and it was raining heavily. I had to go back home that evening.” The next morning, the health centre’s administrator, Sahay Lily, suggested keeping the infant in the morning sunlight until a vehicle could be arranged to take them to a hospital in the nearest town, Nongstoin. The town, despite being located only 10 kilometres away took nearly two hours to reach because the heavy rains had damaged the roads. At Nongstoin&#8217;s hospital, Nongkseh’s daughter received the necessary treatment and recovered. “The electricity problem is common in our village. Not just me, many parents have faced similar problems,” Nongkseh says. Her experience was once an everyday occurrence for healthcare workers, with frequent power cuts disrupting healthcare services in the region. Doctors in the West Khasi Hills of Meghalaya spoke of challenges faced in previous years to deliver safe healthcare services, owing to frequent power outages. Facilities across the state struggled until solar energy emerged&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/solar-energy-supports-healthcare-in-outage-prone-hilly-districts/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>India&#8217;s updated climate plan targets 47% emissions cut and 60% clean power capacity by 2035</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/indias-updated-climate-plan-targets-47-emissions-cut-and-60-clean-power-capacity-by-2035/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/indias-updated-climate-plan-targets-47-emissions-cut-and-60-clean-power-capacity-by-2035/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Mar 2026 13:14:03 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carbon sink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate resilience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate targets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emissions intensity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy transition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[net zero 2070]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[non-fossil fuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paris Agreement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UNFCCC]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/03/26101531/AP23082468378694-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37476</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Climate Finance]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Environment, Environmental Economics, Environmental Politics, Fossil Fuels, Impacts of Climate Change, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India has announced its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the period 2031-2035, setting revised climate targets to reduce emissions intensity, increase non-fossil fuel-based electricity and increase forest and tree cover. NDCs are voluntary national climate action plans by countries under the Paris Agreement. India&#8217;s updated targets include reducing the emissions intensity of GDP by [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India has announced its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the period 2031-2035, setting revised climate targets to reduce emissions intensity, increase non-fossil fuel-based electricity and increase forest and tree cover. NDCs are voluntary national climate action plans by countries under the Paris Agreement. India&#8217;s updated targets include reducing the emissions intensity of GDP by 47% from 2005 levels by 2035, increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity capacity to 60%, and creating a carbon sink of 3.5 to 4.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2035. India’s original climate commitments, submitted in 2015 under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), set targets for 2030 to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35% (emissions per unit of GDP) and achieve a 40% share of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity. In 2022, India updated its NDCs, raising the ambition to a 45% reduction in emissions intensity from 2005 levels and a 50% share of non-fossil energy capacity. The union cabinet approved the targets on March 25 and are to be communicated to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Railways and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a media briefing that the targets were approved in line with the five-year cycle under the Paris Agreement. “The current goals are for 2025 to 2030. Now the targets up to 2035 have been approved through this Cabinet decision,” he said. The decision is aligned with India’s long-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, according&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/indias-updated-climate-plan-targets-47-emissions-cut-and-60-clean-power-capacity-by-2035/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>A 700 km-long foot march to save sacred groves from solar projects</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/villagers-set-on-a-700-km-long-foot-march-to-save-sacred-groves-from-solar-projects-in-rajasthan/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/villagers-set-on-a-700-km-long-foot-march-to-save-sacred-groves-from-solar-projects-in-rajasthan/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>19 Mar 2026 11:41:10 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manu Moudgil]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cattle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livestock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Orans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pasture land]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[protest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sacred groves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panel]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/03/19092221/1.-A-flock-of-sheep-at-Raghwa-village-in-Jaisalmer-district-where-a-2700-MW-solar-park-has-been-earmarked.Image-by-Manu-Moudgil-scaled-e1773892629160-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37346</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Rajasthan]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Energy, Environment, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Rights, Renewable Energy, Tribes, and Villages]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[It was February 27. A herd of around 20 cows drank from the Biprasar pond, while a flock of sheep grazed nearby. Around 13 camels straddled in. “Every day, thousands of animals, birds, and humans come to quench their thirst here. And this water is two years old because there was not much rain last [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[It was February 27. A herd of around 20 cows drank from the Biprasar pond, while a flock of sheep grazed nearby. Around 13 camels straddled in. “Every day, thousands of animals, birds, and humans come to quench their thirst here. And this water is two years old because there was not much rain last year. Even when the seasonal rainfall is low, the vast aagor (catchment) helps us collect it here,” said Lal Singh, spreading his arm to indicate the extent of the land before growing sombre. “There is a proposal to set up a 400 MW solar energy park in the catchment. Where will all these animals go? How will we survive without water?” Growing up in Ramgarh village of Jaisalmer district, Singh has imbibed the language of the desert ecosystem where people thrive on an average annual rainfall of around 100 mm spread over just eight days. This region has some of the lowest intensity of rainfall. For comparison, the average annual rainfall in India is around 1200 mm. People here use traditional wisdom to harvest this little water from ponds, shallow and deep wells, and khadeens, and to rear animals on desert grasses and shrubs in orans (sacred groves) and gochars (pastures). But a growing number of large solar power and mining projects in the region are now taking over these traditional community lands, threatening the traditional way of life and sparking conflicts that have grown into a broader movement in the last five years. Camels&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/villagers-set-on-a-700-km-long-foot-march-to-save-sacred-groves-from-solar-projects-in-rajasthan/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Old kilns, new blocks, uncertain futures</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/old-kilns-new-blocks-uncertain-futures/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/old-kilns-new-blocks-uncertain-futures/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Feb 2026 11:40:36 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Tanvi Bhatia]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brick industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brick kiln]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[construction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihoods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[manufacutring]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/02/26101535/AP20081304327460-e1772081488710-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37042</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Uttar Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Carbon emissions, Clean Energy, Coal, Energy, Environmental Economics, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Industry]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[With expanding cities, rising housing demand, and large-scale infrastructure projects, India is witnessing one of the world&#8217;s fastest construction booms. Under the government&#8217;s urban housing scheme, over a period of 10 years, 11.8 million houses were sanctioned, 11.4 million grounded for construction, and over 8 million completed as of 2024. Meanwhile, under the rural housing [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[With expanding cities, rising housing demand, and large-scale infrastructure projects, India is witnessing one of the world&#8217;s fastest construction booms. Under the government&#8217;s urban housing scheme, over a period of 10 years, 11.8 million houses were sanctioned, 11.4 million grounded for construction, and over 8 million completed as of 2024. Meanwhile, under the rural housing scheme the government plants to construct 20 million houses by 2029. Every year, the country constructs millions of buildings, reflecting both the scale and pace of this growth. The construction sector is a critical contributor to climate change. According to the World Green Building Council, buildings and construction together account for 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions, with materials and construction alone contributing 11%. The growing construction demand has increased the demand for bricks and the brick industry is growing. India is the world’s second-largest producer of bricks, after China. Yet, much of the sector is unorganised, widely dispersed, and largely informal. Traditional brick-making methods rely on coal-fired, energy-intensive kilns, resulting in higher emissions from fired clay bricks used in construction. The brick industry is one of the largest (coal) energy users and a source of GHG emissions from India. But it also employs some of the largest workforces in India, after agriculture. Kanpur, an industrial city in Uttar Pradesh, has a well-established brick manufacturing industry. Its peripheral regions host numerous traditional brick kilns that fuel the city’s rapid construction growth. At the same time, several enterprises here are experimenting with low-carbon alternatives such as&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/old-kilns-new-blocks-uncertain-futures/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>India-E.U. agreement promises trade growth but could face green regulatory barriers</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/india-e-u-fta-makes-big-promises-but-leaves-key-questions-unresolved/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/india-e-u-fta-makes-big-promises-but-leaves-key-questions-unresolved/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>06 Feb 2026 15:11:43 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Clean tech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Free Trade Agreement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FTAs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Intellectual Property Law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MSME]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[World Trade Organisation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WTO]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/02/06110950/AP37310785476-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36764</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Environomy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Mitigation, Environment, Environmental Politics, Green Business, Industry, and Politics]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India and the European Union signed a trade agreement on January 27 that&#8217;s been projected as a major breakthrough “in a tumultuous time for global trade and supply-chain realignment,” as Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal described it. The free trade agreement aims to boost trade and investment between India and the European Union by [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India and the European Union signed a trade agreement on January 27 that&#8217;s been projected as a major breakthrough “in a tumultuous time for global trade and supply-chain realignment,” as Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal described it. The free trade agreement aims to boost trade and investment between India and the European Union by reducing tariffs and trade barriers. The two major economies together account for about 25% of global GDP and nearly one-third of global trade. Both sides have presented the agreement as a win. India said in a press statement that almost all Indian exports will gain preferential entry into the E.U. Sectors such as textiles, leather, marine products, engineering goods, and agri-processed foods will benefit from the lower tariffs. It added that tea, coffee, spices, fruits, vegetables, and processed foods will strengthen their position in global markets, while sensitive sectors that are linked to several domestic livelihoods, such as dairy, cereals, poultry, and soymeal will be protected from foreign competition. India said that the trade agreement will open new opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), create jobs for women, artisans, youth, and professionals, and boost exports worth ₹6.41 trillion ($75 billion). The E.U., meanwhile, has said the deal will remove or reduce tariffs on its exports of agri-food products, opening up a large market to European farmers. It also said that sensitive sectors linked to jobs in the E.U., such as beef, chicken, rice, and sugar will be excluded from liberalisation. At the same time,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/india-e-u-fta-makes-big-promises-but-leaves-key-questions-unresolved/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Budget signals a shift in India’s climate and energy priorities</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/budget-signals-a-shift-in-indias-climate-and-energy-priorities/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/budget-signals-a-shift-in-indias-climate-and-energy-priorities/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>03 Feb 2026 14:06:13 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adaptation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Annual budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Climate Finance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Critical Minerals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[electricity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy storage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Municipal Bond]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rural economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Supply chain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Urban area]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/02/03113134/AP25247548851789-scaled-e1770098800708-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Climate Finance]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change Mitigation, Coal, Energy, Environmental Politics, Green Energy, Hydroelectric power, Industry, Politics, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In her ninth consecutive Union budget speech on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention “climate” even once. She mentioned “environment” but in the context of infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail and dedicated freight corridors. This reflects the overall thrust of the budget, which focused more on infrastructure expansion, reducing import dependence, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In her ninth consecutive Union budget speech on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not mention “climate” even once. She mentioned “environment” but in the context of infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail and dedicated freight corridors. This reflects the overall thrust of the budget, which focused more on infrastructure expansion, reducing import dependence, and strengthening domestic manufacturing, while remaining muted on environmental concerns. Experts say external factors, including climate finance constraints, economic conditions, and geopolitical tensions, may be influencing this tone that the budget has taken. A similar tone was also seen in the Economic Survey tabled on January 29, which analyses the state of the economy and sets the context for the budget which then announces the government&#8217;s actual spending and policy proposals. The Survey noted that capacity constraints and a widening gap between ambition and operational reality have marked the global climate agenda. It highlighted climate finance as a key challenge and said India should approach the transition as part of a broader energy system strategy linked to growth and security. Rohit Azad, Assistant Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, said external constraints, such as climate finance, cannot justify inaction. “Climate change is going to affect India far more than the Global North, given our tropical climate and high levels of poverty. Livelihoods will be impacted, and disasters will become harder to manage. It is in our own interest to act,” he said. Azad also pointed to global political shifts. “There is&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/budget-signals-a-shift-in-indias-climate-and-energy-priorities/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Residential rooftop solar grows under government scheme, but gaps persist [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/residential-rooftop-solar-grows-under-pm-surya-ghar-yojana-but-gaps-persist-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/residential-rooftop-solar-grows-under-pm-surya-ghar-yojana-but-gaps-persist-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>15 Dec 2025 12:35:38 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Gaurav UpadhyayPrabhakar Sharma]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decentralised energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Decentralised renewable energy (DRE)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decentralised solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PMSGY]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rooftop solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Rooftop]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/15121734/AP24052670530069-cropped-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36058</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Gujarat, India, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[India’s rooftops are increasingly dotted with solar panels, marking a new chapter in the country’s clean energy story. The central government scheme, Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGY), launched in February 2024, has brought residential rooftop solar into the mainstream after years of slow uptake. As of July 2025, India had installed about [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[India’s rooftops are increasingly dotted with solar panels, marking a new chapter in the country’s clean energy story. The central government scheme, Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGY), launched in February 2024, has brought residential rooftop solar into the mainstream after years of slow uptake. As of July 2025, India had installed about 11 gigawatts (GW) of residential rooftop solar capacity, of which, about half, 4.9 GW, has been added under the PMSGY. For a country that depends heavily on imported fossil fuels, the idea of turning every roof into a small power plant carries both economic and environmental value. The scheme aims to make rooftop solar more affordable and accessible for households across India. And in its first year itself, it is clear the scheme has sparked widespread interest. However, in our recent analysis, we find that while early results are encouraging, the programme’s on-ground implementation faces several hurdles, including financing bottlenecks, supply chain gaps, limited awareness and procedural delays. Early successes but uneven progress Before PMSGY, rooftop solar uptake in India was largely limited to commercial and industrial consumers. For households, factors such as high upfront costs, complex processes, and low awareness acted as barriers. The government sought to change this by standardising capital incentives and simplifying procedures to bring solar energy within the reach of regular families. Numbers reflect the scheme&#8217;s transformative impact. With a financial outlay of around $8 billion, the scheme targets 30 GW of residential rooftop solar capacity and coverage of 10&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/residential-rooftop-solar-grows-under-pm-surya-ghar-yojana-but-gaps-persist-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>LPG adoption correlates with higher green cover, finds study</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/lpg-adoption-correlates-with-higher-green-cover-finds-study/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/lpg-adoption-correlates-with-higher-green-cover-finds-study/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Dec 2025 17:24:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Simrinsirur]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[firewood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[liquefied natural gas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LPG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rural India]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/05170937/Rajasthan_carrying_firewood-e1764934835586-768x476.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35916</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Jharkhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Conservation, Ecology, Energy, Environment, Forest Fires, Forests, and Green Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the forested state of Jharkhand, switching to liquified petroleum gas (LPG) could have inadvertently driven a trend of greening across the state, a new study based on satellite data, and ground surveys says. LPG has long been touted as a tool to prevent deforestation by reducing dependence on firewood for fuel. The study from [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the forested state of Jharkhand, switching to liquified petroleum gas (LPG) could have inadvertently driven a trend of greening across the state, a new study based on satellite data, and ground surveys says. LPG has long been touted as a tool to prevent deforestation by reducing dependence on firewood for fuel. The study from Jharkhand presents a state-wide snapshot of this potential benefit, showing that green cover rose significantly with the proliferation of LPG, despite environmental drivers remaining stable. The study, published by researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, suggests the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) government scheme had a “noticeable effect at the provincial scale, emphasizing that such beneficial schemes are not only helpful to people but also promote responsible ecosystem stewardship.” The scheme provides free LPG connections and subsidised refill cylinders for rural households below the poverty line. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Trees, Forests and People in September, the study builds on other research that has found LPG use to decrease firewood dependence. Correlations in green cover and LPG use Jharkhand was chosen as the study site because of three main reasons: Most of its population lives in rural areas, it has a high percentage of forest cover (approximately 30%, according to the Forest Survey of India), and its rural population has low LPG use compared to other states. “I’ve been in touch with the Jharkhand forest department since 2015, and what sparked my interest in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/lpg-adoption-correlates-with-higher-green-cover-finds-study/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>Clean fuel mandate pushes Mumbai’s traditional pav bakeries away from coal</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/clean-fuel-mandate-pushes-mumbais-traditional-pav-bakeries-away-from-coal/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/clean-fuel-mandate-pushes-mumbais-traditional-pav-bakeries-away-from-coal/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Dec 2025 16:37:10 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Esha Lohia]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AQI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biogas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[liquefied natural gas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LPG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mumbai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[natural gas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[urban areas]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/05155654/signal-2025-12-05-153649_002-e1764930442936-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35875</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Maharashtra]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Cities and Towns, Clean Energy, Energy, Environmental Law, Food, Fossil Fuels, Green Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Pollution]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Mumbai runs on its crowded local trains, but mornings here are mostly fuelled by a soft bread, referred to as pav. The pav, born from the Portuguese pão in the 16th century, is more than just food; it’s a daily ritual that brings the city’s workers, vendors, and families together. Pav is traditionally baked in [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Mumbai runs on its crowded local trains, but mornings here are mostly fuelled by a soft bread, referred to as pav. The pav, born from the Portuguese pão in the 16th century, is more than just food; it’s a daily ritual that brings the city’s workers, vendors, and families together. Pav is traditionally baked in wood-fired ovens, after it is kneaded, rolled and placed together to rise. Mumbai’s air is thick with the scent of yeast and wood smoke. When trays emerge from the oven, the golden ladi pav carries with it a warmth and flavour, one that dominates the city’s street food. This familiar aroma has now become a point of contention in Mumbai’s fight for clean air. Following a suo moto public interest petition (PIL) on rising air pollution in Mumbai, the Bombay High Court in January 2025 ordered all bakeries to abandon coal and wood-fired ovens for less-polluting fuels such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Piped Natural Gas (PNG), or electric within six months, by July 28. According to a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) statement referred to in a media report, as of November 28, 2025, 209 bakeries in the city were already running on cleaner fuel, and 57 have made the switch recently. “In the last six months, 75 bakeries have taken the initiative for this change, and another 88 bakeries have applied for Mahanagar Gas,” the BMC, Mumbai&#8217;s governing civic body, noted. Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) is a public company that supplies piped gas. Some&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/clean-fuel-mandate-pushes-mumbais-traditional-pav-bakeries-away-from-coal/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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						<item>
					<title>Rooftop solar consumers face uncertainty in Maharashtra</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/rooftop-solar-consumers-face-uncertainty-in-maharashtra/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/rooftop-solar-consumers-face-uncertainty-in-maharashtra/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>04 Dec 2025 17:08:13 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Abhijeet Gurjar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decentralised energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decentralised solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[renewable policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rooftop solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Solar Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar panel]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/04124131/RE_3-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35897</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Maharashtra]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Carbon emissions, Clean Energy, Energy, Green Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Maharashtra’s solar energy plans are facing a policy clash. The central government’s PM Surya Ghar Yojana aims to expand rooftop solar by offering households up to 300 units of free electricity each month, while the state government is considering a night-time tariff hike to manage its power distribution costs. Many consumers who turned to solar [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Maharashtra’s solar energy plans are facing a policy clash. The central government’s PM Surya Ghar Yojana aims to expand rooftop solar by offering households up to 300 units of free electricity each month, while the state government is considering a night-time tariff hike to manage its power distribution costs. Many consumers who turned to solar power to cut their electricity bills now worry that new rules will make clean energy less affordable. “We currently only pay ₹130 a month, but we have no idea how much they may charge us in the near future,” says Chandrakant Shelke, a 49-year-old farmer from Shelkewadi. “With new laws, who can predict how the government will tax us and modify the tariff?” Shelkewadi is a 100% solar-powered village in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district. It is a model village, self-sufficient in solar energy, progressive, and known for its clean energy status. However, the villagers are now worried with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board’s (MSEB) proposed changes in time-of-day (ToD) tariffs. They worry that these charges could undo their years of efforts in clean energy. This uncertainty is not just confined to one village. Across Maharashtra, many consumers with rooftop solar, small-scale resellers and commercial users are confused about the state government’s shifting strategy and new charges. Industrial and commercial rooftop solar (RTS) consumers are struggling with no offset benefit, prolonged payback periods and heavy upfront investment for renewable energy. A building in Shelkewadi, Kohlapur district, Maharashtra, with rooftop solar. The 106 homes in the hamlet, panchayat office,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/rooftop-solar-consumers-face-uncertainty-in-maharashtra/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>India, China step into leadership vacuum at climate meet as the West retreats</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/india-china-step-into-leadership-vacuum-at-climate-meet-as-the-west-retreats/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/india-china-step-into-leadership-vacuum-at-climate-meet-as-the-west-retreats/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>21 Nov 2025 11:30:08 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Soumya Sarkar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate action]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COP30]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India climate policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paris Agreement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Unilateral trade measures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wind Energy]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/11/21103532/54929826572_f74d585e98_k-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35701</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Climate Change Mitigation, Coal, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Renewable Energy, and United Nations]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The room had barely settled when an Indian negotiator joked that the tense climate-finance session felt like “mandatory therapy.” A Chinese delegate quickly added, “Not just therapy. We need yoga and a massage.” According to a delegate present at the meeting, the light-hearted exchange drew laughter and softened the mood. It also revealed something deeper. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The room had barely settled when an Indian negotiator joked that the tense climate-finance session felt like “mandatory therapy.” A Chinese delegate quickly added, “Not just therapy. We need yoga and a massage.” According to a delegate present at the meeting, the light-hearted exchange drew laughter and softened the mood. It also revealed something deeper. India and China often coordinate at climate summits, but their easy camaraderie at the climate talks in Brazil (COP30) carries new weight because the world’s traditional climate leaders are no longer steering the process. With the United States again pulling back from the Paris Agreement under the second Donald Trump administration, and the European Union distracted by the economic and political pressures of the war in Ukraine, the leadership vacuum has made India and China’s familiar alignment unusually influential in Belém this year. What was once a routine partnership has become a central force in holding together a summit that feels unanchored. Old partnership in a new world Inside the negotiating rooms, India and China have been echoing each other’s positions with a smoothness that even veteran observers did not expect. For years, both countries have pushed for the same broad demands that hinged on more reliable financial support from wealthy nations, fewer trade barriers that hurt developing economies, and fairer expectations for poorer countries trying to cut emissions. None of that is new. What is new is the context. With Washington now outside the UN climate process and Brussels struggling to maintain diplomatic momentum,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/india-china-step-into-leadership-vacuum-at-climate-meet-as-the-west-retreats/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Status report shows methane emissions rising despite policy progress</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/global-methane-status-report-shows-methane-emissions-rising-despite-policy-progress/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/global-methane-status-report-shows-methane-emissions-rising-despite-policy-progress/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Nov 2025 13:44:31 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COP26]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[COP30]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[G20]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[landfill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[methane]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paddy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[waste]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/11/20102849/Agriculture_in_India_tractor_farming_Punjab_preparing_field_for_a_wheat_crop_without_burning_previous_crop_stalk-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
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											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Global and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Carbon emissions, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Science, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Impacts of Climate Change, and Waste management]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[A new assessment released on the sidelines of COP30 in Belém has warned that global efforts to cut methane remain off track, while highlighting gaps in India&#8217;s approach to methane emissions in its climate plans. The Global Methane Status Report 2025, produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), reviews progress under the Global Methane Pledge, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[A new assessment released on the sidelines of COP30 in Belém has warned that global efforts to cut methane remain off track, while highlighting gaps in India&#8217;s approach to methane emissions in its climate plans. The Global Methane Status Report 2025, produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), reviews progress under the Global Methane Pledge, which commits participating countries to work toward a collective reduction of at least 30% in global methane emissions from 2020 levels by 2030. The Global Methane Pledge was launched at COP26 in 2021 by the European Union and the United States. This year, 2025, marks its halfway point. As of April 2025, 159 countries and the European Commission had joined the pledge, together accounting for 57% of global emissions. The report finds that global anthropogenic methane emissions have risen by a few percent since 2020. Agriculture accounts for the majority, 42%, of these emissions, energy for 38%, and waste for 20%. Although current legislation and policy shifts mean projected 2030 emissions are somewhat lower than earlier forecasts, they are still expected to be higher than in 2020 unless countries fully deploy available control measures. The report says that three of the top five are yet to commit to the GMP. India is one of them and is identified as the world’s third-largest methane emitter in absolute terms. The report notes that India “does not identify action to reduce emissions from its largest source, agriculture, within its NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions).” The Global Methane Status Report&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/global-methane-status-report-shows-methane-emissions-rising-despite-policy-progress/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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						<item>
					<title>Solar-powered cold storage empowers smallholder farmers</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/solar-powered-cold-storage-empowers-smallholder-farmers/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/solar-powered-cold-storage-empowers-smallholder-farmers/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>14 Nov 2025 13:29:46 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Kavitha Yarlagadda]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cold storage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Decentralised renewable energy (DRE)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[decentralised solar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farm waste]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[farmer producer organisations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food loss]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/11/14121914/AP24094531116916-scaled-e1763104541964-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35570</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Andhra Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy and Renewable Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“When we used to take our vegetables to the market, we often had to sell whatever was left at throwaway prices to avoid spoilage,” says Routhu Bharathi, a farmer from Badangi village in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh. “But with the solar cold storage facility starting in 2021, we now have the confidence and assurance that [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“When we used to take our vegetables to the market, we often had to sell whatever was left at throwaway prices to avoid spoilage,” says Routhu Bharathi, a farmer from Badangi village in Vizianagaram district, Andhra Pradesh. “But with the solar cold storage facility starting in 2021, we now have the confidence and assurance that we don’t have to discard or undersell our produce.” Sambi Reddy, a 53-year-old farmer from Kollipara village in Guntur district, shares a similar experience. At dawn, he stacks bundles of pulses and chillis into a humming solar-powered cold storage unit. Just eight years ago, he would have had to race against the tropical heat. India has had a cold storage scheme since 2008. However, these farmers&#8217; experiences suggest that they received little help due to a lack of affordable and reliable infrastructure. This meant Reddy often lost nearly a third of his crop to spoilage. Now, he stores his produce and also buys from a group of organic farmers who are part of a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO). He stores their crops and sells them later as by-products. The 10-tonne cold storage unit cost ₹12.5 lakhs (₹1.2 million), of which ₹9.37 lakhs (₹0.9 million) was subsidised by the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and paid directly to EcoFrost, the manufacturer and implementing company. The Shreshta Farmers Producer Organisation (the FPO, of which Sambi Reddy is a part) covered the remaining amount. “This is very convenient and useful&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/11/solar-powered-cold-storage-empowers-smallholder-farmers/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
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					<title>The invisible fallout of thermal power plant closures on local economies</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/the-invisible-fallout-of-thermal-power-plant-closures-on-local-economies/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/the-invisible-fallout-of-thermal-power-plant-closures-on-local-economies/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>31 Oct 2025 16:00:51 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Roli Srivastava]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Air Pollution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coal Mining]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy transition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health impacts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Just Transition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[just transitions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[livelihoods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thermal Power Plants]]></category>
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					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35291</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
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											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Odisha]]>
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											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Air Pollution, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Climate Change Mitigation, Coal, Energy, Fossil Fuels, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Mining, and Pollution]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Roadside shops selling steaming hot chai and samosas were among the first to down their shutters. The lull then spread gradually across this bazaar, located in front of a major thermal power plant in eastern India, with shop after shop winding up business after their sole customer base, the plant’s workers, were forced to leave [&#8230;]]]>
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							<![CDATA[Roadside shops selling steaming hot chai and samosas were among the first to down their shutters. The lull then spread gradually across this bazaar, located in front of a major thermal power plant in eastern India, with shop after shop winding up business after their sole customer base, the plant’s workers, were forced to leave after the plant’s closure four years ago. “This road was a thoroughfare,” said Nrupati Jena, 65. “Workers thronged my shop through the day; I had a daily business of ₹4,000.” Jena still sells biscuits, cigarettes, and paan (betel leaves) at the wide gate leading to the old plant, his shop the only one standing amidst shuttered ones. “For three years now, my income has dropped to less than half,” he told Mongabay-India. “Nobody has asked us how we are surviving.” The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), India’s largest power company, retired its 460-MW Talcher Thermal Power Station (TTPS) in the mining hub of Odisha in March 2021. The move was fiercely contested by worker unions in court, as worker unions cited insufficient notice — of less than a month — given to the contractual workers who lost their jobs. The court finally allowed the plant’s closure in October of the same year, NTPC officials said. While NTPC employees were transferred to other projects of the power giant, and nearly three-quarters of the contractual workers who lost their jobs have since been reinstated at the new under-construction plant, the invisible collateral damage was the approximately 120&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/10/the-invisible-fallout-of-thermal-power-plant-closures-on-local-economies/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
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