[Explainer] Why mitigating methane emissions matters
Methane or CH4, is a powerful greenhouse gas. It forms only 0.00017% of the atmosphere, but it is crucial in keeping the earth warm and habitable. Excess methane, however, is…
Tackling food loss and waste for climate and food security
Reducing food loss and waste could improve food security but it may not necessarily lead to expected environmental benefits, according to researchers of a recent study published in Nature Food.…
Behind Punjab’s smoke screen, Madhya Pradesh’s stubble burning problem goes unnoticed
This is the third story in a three-part series, where Mongabay-India examines the reasons for stubble burning in central India, the possible solutions to end stubble burning and also analyses…
Madhya Pradesh farmers burn the stubble from rabi harvest, to grow a third crop before kharif
This is the second story in a three-part series, where Mongabay-India examines the reasons for stubble burning in central India, the possible solutions to end stubble burning and also analyses…
Increasing carbon dioxide is making our food less nutritious
Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels negatively impact key mineral nutrients in plants, reducing the nutrition derived from consuming them, reveals a recent review article in the Trends in Plant Science…
Ruza, a traditional water harvesting system for the water-scarce mountains
"Rainfed agriculture in India is a risky enterprise, owing to uncertainties in rainfall,” reads a World Bank article published in February 2023. More than half of India's net sown area…
[Commentary] How grassroots-led natural farming at the landscape scale can support communities and heal the planet
India's agricultural sector stands at a crucial crossroads today, grappling with numerous challenges that threaten the livelihoods of millions of farmers and the sustainability of the planet. In recent times,…
Community-based natural farming outshines other farming practices in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh's Community-Based Natural Farming (APCNF) defies the popular belief that chemical fertilisers guarantee better yields. According to a comparative study of prevalent farming practices in the state, conducted over…
New report estimates district-wise crop residue potential for bioenergy production
India's potential to produce bioenergy from surplus crop residue is lower than previously estimated, claims a study. It suggests a potential of 1313 petajoules (PJ) (1 PJ= 277778 MWh) of…
[Video] Bihar’s makhana and the wetlands they grow in
A popular snack in India, makhana, is the seed of a water lily species, Euryale ferox, found in south and east Asia. When harvested, it is actually a tough blackish…
High capital investment and poor access to subsidies, a drawback for biogas in sago industry
The whirring of machines stops for an hour in the afternoon. Before heading for their lunch break, V. Kumaran, a worker, checks the PH levels at the biomethanation plants at…
Madhya Pradesh ranks second in India in stubble burning, farmers unaware of government schemes
This is the first in a three-part series, where Mongabay-India attempts to identify the reasons for stubble burning in central India, find out possible solutions to end stubble burning and…
We didn’t start the fire? Speculations over cause of Goa forest fires continue; state plans recovery
With the onset of summer, Goa’s green cover was enveloped in shades of bright orange and red. Forest fires with high flames and smoke lasted for about 10 to 12…
Unseasonal rain, temperature variations affect Alphonso yield and increase prices in Maharashtra
Unseasonal rains and sudden rise in temperatures have affected the yield of the Alphonso mangoes in the state of Maharashtra, leading to an increase in its price compared to last…
Nepal comes next in line to Sri Lanka to debate exporting ‘problematic’ monkeys
At the break of dawn in Taplejung in eastern Nepal, as a rooster crows, two men grab their slingshots and head out to work. They have a long day ahead…
This year’s severe heatwave, a threat to the people and food supply in Bangladesh
The massive heat wave scorching large parts of Asia has swept up Bangladesh. The country is experiencing temperatures among the highest in six decades. Bangladesh's capital city, Dhaka, saw the…
Environmentalists denounce Sri Lanka’s talks of exporting 100,000 crop-raiding macaques
Crop raids by wild animals are increasing in Sri Lanka, and with them, the human-animal conflicts and related discourse. But a fresh debate on wildlife exploitation has arisen in the…
Urban and peri-urban farming can play a small role in reducing carbon footprint
Every few weeks, 53-year-old agricultural entomologist Rajendra Hegde addresses a large gathering in Bengaluru, where he puts forth a proposition: imagine walking up to your rooftops or balconies and foraging…
Malnutrition affects the health and productivity of cattle in Chhattisgarh
Farmer Mahesh Chandrakar from Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district was worried about his cow’s health. The cow had been suffering from fever for many weeks. Chandrakar tried giving all the medicines prescribed…
[Interview] Conservation scientist Joli Rumi Borah on integrating traditional knowledge in research
Armed with the idea that shifting cultivation is primitive and unsustainable, based on a certain narrative she was exposed to in the academic world, Assam-born researcher Joli Rumi Borah had…
Special series
Wetland Champions
- [Commentary] India establishes the largest network of Ramsar Sites in South Asia
- [Commentary] Wetland champions: Promise from the grassroots
- The story of Jakkur lake sets an example for inclusive rejuvenation projects
- Welcome to Tsomgo lake: Please don’t litter
Environment And Health
- Gig workers in India are exposed to highly polluted air and carcinogens, finds preliminary study
- [Explainer] Living with microplastics, is not fantastic
- Residents in Haryana point to stone crushing units for their respiratory troubles and drop in crop yield
- As heatwaves projected to worsen across India, do vulnerability assessments and heat action plans suffice?
Almost Famous Species
- From abundance to endangerment to revival, Kachchh’s guggal comes a full circle
- [Commentary] Why are evolutionary scientists studying the crawlies?
- The silent trade of elusive small cats in Mizoram
- Researchers study the elusive dugongs of the Andamans with help from community stakeholders
Eco Hope
- Green pilgrimage model balances faith and conservation
- [Video] Restoring the perennial Thamirabarani river with people power
- [Interview] Conservation scientist Joli Rumi Borah on integrating traditional knowledge in research
- [Interview] Scientist Ruth DeFries on deforestation: There isn’t one driver, there’s a different context in different places
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Studies reveal impact of land use on species diversity in rock outcrops
- Improved tiger numbers come with hidden messages on invasives, habitat connectivity
- Gymnosperms that are critical for coniferous forest health may be steadily declining in response to climate change
- Experts call for coexistence, sustainable development as tiger population is close to saturation
Beyond Protected Areas
- Megaherbivores could be a potential solution to manage invasive plants, finds study
- Darkness-loving bats are being nudged out of the shadows
- Bioinvasions are a global threat to ecosystems, says IPBES report
- Artisanal fishers wary of coastal aquaculture regulation amendments that legalise past violations
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Excavating farmlands for highways
- Increasing carbon dioxide is making our food less nutritious
- Ecosystem-based adaptation takes nature-based, people-centric approach to agriculture
- [Commentary] How grassroots-led natural farming at the landscape scale can support communities and heal the planet
Just Transitions
- Climate action not on track to meet Paris Agreement goals, says Global Stocktake report
- [Interview] Suravee Nayak on why transformative justice for women, Dalits is key for a just transition
- Promised rehabilitation eludes residents living near one of India’s earliest coal mines
- As e-mobility gains traction, what’s in store for the friendly neighbourhood mechanic?
