Once the lifeline of villages, ponds in Haryana turn into garbage sites
The history of Haryana’s 7,356 villages is as old as its ponds and wells. It is said that people settled wherever they found water storage capacity for human and cattle…
India has high proportion of priority areas for tree conservation and restoration, says study
An international team of scientists has confirmed that current environmental protections in South and Southeast Asia fail to safeguard tree species and their valuable seed sources. The team studied the…
A bird sanctuary’s survival is being threatened in Uttar Pradesh
Any construction within an eco-sensitive zone of a protected area, whether a national park or bird sanctuary, is always a contentious issue but what is the way forward when a…
Sri Lanka’s economic crisis will hit country’s environment and conservation hard, experts warn
All over Sri Lanka, vehicles are queuing up in long lines for what's left of the high-priced fuel in beleaguered gas stations. Among them are a few Department of Wildlife…
Fish famine, livelihood loss because of upcoming Vizhinjam port, say fishers of south Kerala
“Vizhinjam was once known as the harbour of pro-creation,” Father Michael, parish priest of Lady of Good Voyage Church in Vizhinjam, Kerala, told Mongabay-India. But today, the reality is different.…
[Commentary] Is expansion of aquaculture in the Indian Sundarbans an ecological threat or a pathway to sustainable development?
Aquaculture is a rapidly expanding sector globally, with India being the second-largest producer of aquaculture resources and contributing approximately 6.3% to global aquaculture production. The state of West Bengal, with…
Himalayan medicinal plants under threat due to climate change
Medicinal plants in the Himalayas are under threat due to climate change, which calls for reviewing current conservation strategies, including protected parks in the mountain ranges, new research shows. The…
Tamil Nadu opposes high-profile neutrino observatory, citing potential threat to national animal
More than a decade ago, India embarked on a journey to establish a world-class scientific project, the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO), a particle physics research project, in Tamil Nadu. But…
[Explainer] What are urban heat islands?
Urban heat islands or UHIs are metropolitan areas that are significantly warmer than the surrounding rural areas. The occurrence of a UHI was recorded as early as 1810 by Luke…
One year of Similipal forest fire: The hits and misses
The Similipal biosphere reserve in the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha was ravaged by devastating forest fires last year in February-March, affecting close to one-third of the area of the Similipal…
[Commentary] A city on marsh: Why Indian coastal cities need to design and build with nature
Leaving Panaji, Goa's capital city, for the airport, one drives past a large swathe of lifeless bare trees standing in a shallow black water swamp. This was once a verdant…
A decade on, India’s first solar park has many promises left to fulfil
“You should come here during the monsoon to see how big our gauchar (grazing land) was,” reminisces Nanu Rabari, 60, as she breaks pods of Prosopis juliflora, called gando bawal…
Will making banks obligated to invest in renewables help India’s energy transition?
India needs at least twice the amount of its current investment in clean energy, to meet its targets by 2030. Considering this, a parliamentary committee has recommended tools to facilitate…
India dangles carrots to promote green hydrogen
The government of India recently notified its national green hydrogen policy announcing a series of measures to promote the use of hydrogen produced through lower emission techniques, including a waiver…
India should focus on procuring minerals crucial for powering EVs: study
Batteries are a crucial requirement for electric vehicles (EVs) and minerals such as cobalt and lithium are crucial for making these batteries. Even as India is aggressively pushing for the…
[Explainer] Where the plastic things are: unexpected plastic products in our lives
Plastics are the Anthropocene era’s ultimate convenience. The more mundane uses of plastics in our lives range from kitchenware, storage containers, and packaging materials to toys and small tools that…
Environmental conflict threatens iconic Auroville
At a time when India’s standing forests are under threat – with 14 percent of the country’s tree cover being lost in 2019-20 alone, according to Washington-based Global Forest Watch -…
Pavagada solar park busts notions of renewable energy as inherently good
This is the second article in a two-part series on the impact of the solar park in Pavagada, Karnataka that is experimenting with a new model of leasing land from…
Given land for power, Pavagada residents now powerless
This is the first article in a two-part series on the impact of the solar park in Pavagada, Karnataka that is experimenting with a new model of leasing land from…
Environment ministry pursues ‘ease of business’, one office order at a time
Over the past few months, India's Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has proposed amendments to two key legislations – the Wild Life Protection Act 1972 and the…
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?
