Environment Explained News

All the what, why and how of the environment, explained. In this series, we break down complex concepts of the natural world into simple, easy-to-digest explainers. With our expertise in environment and conservation, we guide you through aspects of the topic that you are curious about and help you make sense of the news around you.

Coral garden nursery tables at Mithapur, Gujarat, established using rescued coral boulders from the intertidal region and attaching them to metal tables. Image by B. M. Praveen Kumar/WTI.

How are degraded coral reefs restored in India? [Explainer]

Neha Jain 26 May 2026

The Indian Ocean along the Sri Lankan coastline. Image by Sarmat Batagov via Pexels.

Why do changes in the Indian Ocean matter? [Explainer]

Bharti Dharapuram 20 Aug 2026

Conocarpus erectus saplings. Representative image by TreeWorld Wholesale via Flickr (CC BY 2.0).

Why is Conocarpus being banned across states? [Explainer]

Nikhil Sreekandan 20 Jul 2026

Coral garden nursery tables at Mithapur, Gujarat, established using rescued coral boulders from the intertidal region and attaching them to metal tables. Image by B. M. Praveen Kumar/WTI.

How are degraded coral reefs restored in India? [Explainer]

Neha Jain 26 May 2026

What are colour aberrations in mammals? [Explainer]

Nikhil Sreekandan 19 Feb 2026

Burning of garbage releases thick smoke in a city. Image by Jaskaran Singh via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Is the world betting too much on carbon removal technologies? [Explainer]

Debdutta Paul, Juhi Chatterjee 16 Dec 2025

What is non-economic loss and damage? [Explainer]

Priyanka Shankar 20 Oct 2025

An aerial view of the Sundarbans, showing the species-wise zonation. Image by Touhid Biplob via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

What is ecological succession? [Explainer]

Phalguni Ranjan 1 Sep 2025

A man rows past a bus partly submerged in flood water in Rishikesh in June 2013. Extreme rain during the monsoon led to flash floods, cloudbursts and landslides during this time in the Western Himalayas. (AP Photo)

What are cloudbursts? Why do they occur and how can cloudburst risks be reduced? [Explainer]

Max Martin 27 Aug 2025

Striped tigers congregate in Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Maharashtra. Image by Dr. Raju Kasambe via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Why are butterflies migrating across the Indian peninsula? [Explainer]

Sandhya Sekar 12 Aug 2025

Field biologists at work, monitoring tropical rainforest tree phenology in the Anamalai Hills. Image by T.R. Shankar Raman via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

What are green jobs? [Explainer]

Aditi Tandon 1 May 2025

A wild dog sunbathing in Kanha National Park. Image by Abhiraj1996 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

What is heat stress? How does it affect animal hormones? [Explainer]

Phalguni Ranjan 18 Apr 2025

An aerial view of fishing activities at Thangassery, Kollam, Kerala. The fisheries sector employs more than 2.5 crore fisherfolk and fish farmers in India. Image by Arunvrparavur via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).

What is blue economy? [Explainer]

Phalguni Ranjan 8 Apr 2025

What are earth observation satellites? How do they support environmental research? [Explainer]

Anusha Krishnan 24 Mar 2025

An indigenous Santhal woman engaged in daily work in West Bengal. While climate finance prioritises mitigation, adaptation—crucial for vulnerable communities—remains underfunded. Image by Soumyabrata Roy via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0).

What is climate finance? [Explainer]

Kundan Pandey 21 Feb 2025

youth engaging in invasive alien plants removal

[Explainer] How are invasive alien plants removed?

Divya Kilikar 10 Feb 2025

[Explainer] What are fish refugia?

Kundan Pandey 24 Jan 2025

[Explainer] What is blue carbon?

Phalguni Ranjan 20 Jan 2025

[Explainer] How did India phase out ozone-depleting substances and what lies ahead?

Kundan Pandey 17 Jan 2025

Claim filing process for the habitat rights in Mayurbhanj district. Image courtesy of Vasundhara (Shyam Sundar Sahoo)

[Explainer] What are habitat rights?

Shuchita Jha 13 Jan 2025

Making sense of the environment: Explainers in 2024

Aditi Tandon 31 Dec 2024

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