
Mongabay series: Climate Connections
Mongabay-India's Climate Connections project aims to raise awareness about the nuances of India’s climate mitigation actions. By informing the decisions and actions of policy makers, businesses, communities, and consumers, this project aims in order to improve the adoption of environmentally sustainable policies and behaviours. India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and among the world’s biggest markets. These two factors together drive energy consumption and use of fossil fuels. Further, the country is already witnessing a massive impact due to climate change. In such a scenario, the actions planned by the government, industry and communities for climate change mitigation in India are of critical importance for stabilizing the global climate system. In 2015, when India presented its nationally determined contributions it outlined major mitigation goals. By 2030, India had committed to reduce its emissions intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% percent of the 2005 value; generate 40% percent of its power requirement from renewable sources; and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent through additional forest and tree cover. Over the past few years, these commitments have driven the trajectory of India’s growth. India’s commitments underscore the immediate need to mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing its emissions and increasing the sequestration of atmospheric carbon. Germanwatch, an independent think tank, released a report early this year, compiling “Global Climate Risk Index” of multiple countries. India is one of the ten most affected countries when it comes to extreme weather events, in terms of fatalities and economic losses in 2019. For instance, 11.8 million people were affected by the intense monsoon of 2019, with economic damage estimated to be USD 10 billion. While adopting measures to increase resilience is important for future extreme weather events, decisions that would stymie climate change through effective mitigation are equally important. The year 2020 brought in its share of climate-related calamities, including floods in many parts of the country. The impacts were amplified by the coronavirus pandemic. The already slowing economy was thrown into a deep slump. These events prompted a slew of economic reforms by the Indian government, mostly focused on action that would help adapt to the new normal, with a thrust on climate adaptation -- starting with the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan launched in May 2020 and more recently, the 2021-22 budget which that focuses on post-COVID recovery. Studies have shown that well-thought out national-level policies can aid climate mitigation while generating employment, especially rural employment, which is an important component of post-pandemic recovery. At such a time when fresh policies are being formulated, heightened media discourse on mitigation is much needed.


Failure to cut GHG emissions is putting species conservation in eastern Himalayas at risk

[Commentary] Thirty years after the Rio Summit the green report card is not fully in the red

[Interview] Prabhu Pingali on the pathways to minimise tradeoffs between hunger reduction and climate mitigation

The cost of invasive species bears heavy on Indian economy, finds study

Farmers fear low fruit production as Kashmir records decline in precipitation

Can carbon-positive villages pave the way for climate resilience?

[Commentary] Is expansion of aquaculture in the Indian Sundarbans an ecological threat or a pathway to sustainable development?

Himalayan medicinal plants under threat due to climate change

Climate change hits home as increasing heatwave days scorch India

[Explainer] What are urban heat islands?

[Commentary] Speeding up just climate action

Misinformation leads to misperception, polarisation causing delay in climate action: IPCC report

IPCC report shows a greater need for increased climate action

One year of Similipal forest fire: The hits and misses

As the climate crisis deepens, Indian scientists call for the conservation of caves

Mahatma hill’s avian diversity shows the importance of conserving the ‘tekdis’ of Pune

Floods less likely to be severe when cyclones hit dry land before monsoons, finds study

Plan adaptation and mitigation to factor in growing risk of compound extremes, study suggests

[Explainer] What is glacial lake outburst flooding and how does it affect the Himalayas?
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
- Sewing their way to a sustainable menstruation
- Continued fluoride contamination of groundwater is a glaring public health issue in central India
- In a Himachal village, people accuse a waste management plant for contaminating water
- [Commentary] Worsening water quality in Ganga’s lower stretches and what it means for us

Almost Famous Species
- From a life among royals, to fighting for survival
- What do bees see? Developing urban gardens to attract pollinators
- [Interview] Whitley Award winner from Nepal emphasises on crossborder collaboration to protect the red panda
- [Interview] Priyan Perera: Shining a light on the little-studied Indian pangolins in Sri Lanka

India's Iconic Landscapes
- [Commentary] Is expansion of aquaculture in the Indian Sundarbans an ecological threat or a pathway to sustainable development?
- One year of Similipal forest fire: The hits and misses
- Grasses spur mangroves to grow in an erosion-riddled Sundarbans patch
- Scientists raise caution as mangroves erode faster along the Bengal coastline

Beyond Protected Areas
- Tiger movements between India and Nepal become increasingly restricted, even as numbers rise
- Failure to cut GHG emissions is putting species conservation in eastern Himalayas at risk
- [Commentary] Connecting corridors for tigers in Central India
- Trafficked kangaroos rescued in north Bengal en route to Indore turn the spotlight on Indian zoos

Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- Farmers fear low fruit production as Kashmir records decline in precipitation
- Scientists sequence chickpea genome which could inform crop improvement efforts
- [Video Explainer] What is the significance of the Biological Diversity Amendment Bill and why did it face opposition?
- Tackling agrobiodiversity loss in Odisha’s Similipal protected area
