Kerala’s water budget, a step towards effective water management
Year 2018. Kerala, in South India, was battered by torrential rain and a massive flood. Year 2019. Kerala was flooded again, though with a magnitude much lesser than the previous…
Mongabay series: Environomy
"Environomy" is the name we have given to this series of stories on environmental economics. This is a hitherto unexplored area in Indian journalism, where the environment and economics are reported in depth separately, but the intersectionality between the two remains unarticulated. We plan to explore the environmental implications of economic policy decisions and vice versa. We would focus on the economic value of conserving biodiversity, the economics of climate change action, and from the perspective of India's energy transitions.
RBI report examines implications of climate change on economic growth and financial stability
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has focussed on climate change as the primary theme in its Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for 2022-23, a theme-based annual report on…
[Commentary] Facilitating progress towards a successful blue economy
In March 2023, at the second meeting of the Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG), delegates deliberated on the G20 High Level Principles for a Sustainable and Climate Resilient…
Eco-friendly materials add bling to India’s jewellery market
As a teenager living in Odisha, Priyadarshini Das always had an eye for creativity. She would pick up seeds, bamboo branches and any other natural materials available around her house…
India prepares for a domestic carbon market with release of a draft carbon trading scheme
India's carbon market is gradually taking shape with the latest push from the Ministry of Power which released a draft of the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). The draft establishes…
[Commentary] Unleashing the potential of Rhododendrons
The livelihood of forest communities is enriched by the biodiversity found within the forest, providing sustenance and fortitude. The Himalayan forests boast an abundant variety of species, with approximately 40%…
State Finance Commissions in ‘poor’ shape, affecting decentralisation process
This year marks 30 years since India began decentralising governance and empowering local bodies in rural and urban areas through constitutional amendments. As part of this process, one of the…
A centralised power market will help in savings, support green energy producers, hints study
A recent study by RMI, an international clean energy think tank, analysed the potential of India’s proposed centralised electricity market in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and found increased prospects of…
[Book review] Lawscape behind landmarks: India’s history of environmental laws and policies
When I joined The Hindu Business Line newspaper as a young reporter in 1993, I was given environment as my beat of choice. We, the lowest in the food chain,…
Study hints at high climate change risk in India, bats for investment in resilience
India is among the frontrunners in terms of exposure of its infrastructure to the vulnerabilities of climate change, according to a recent global physical climate risk report, prepared by the…
Are cities ‘smart’ enough to leverage municipal bonds?
Indore’s Municipal Corporation (IMC) received an overwhelming response from institutional and corporate investors when it issued a green bond last week. This development set a positive tone for similar resource-scarce…
[Commentary] The green implications of the union budget 2023
The union budget 2023 has been marked by its welfare implications, impetus for consumption-driven growth through personal income tax rationalisations and creating enabling conditions for private investments by increasing the…
[Commentary] Greenspeak in the budget needs to be backed by sustained action, independent of optics
For any government the first budget and the last one before the elections are important milestones. While the first one gives the initial indication as to how the government plans…
Fifty shades of green: The union budget’s environmental hits and misses
Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman reiterated 'green' 23 times and 'sustainable' nine times in her budget speech on February 1. She pegged 'green growth' as one among four opportunities…
India’s push for climate finance in Economic Survey 2023 reflects its stance as G20 President
As the host of the G20 presidency, India makes a strong case for green finance for developing countries through its Economic Survey tabled in the Parliament on January 31. It…
Lack of market support for bio-manure hindering growth of compressed biogas plants
Sanjeev Nagpal owns one of the oldest biogas plants in Chandigarh, where his company converts paddy straw to biogas. He uses this gas to produce power that he sells to…
India, Bangladesh could economically benefit from better management of shared waterways
The river routes between India and Bangladesh carry tremendous economic and geostrategic significance for both countries. However, environmental management issues have rendered most of these routes useless. India and Bangladesh…
[Commentary] Forestry, people and India’s renewed NDC commitments
India is frequently impacted by climate-related disasters and the need for climate adaptation measures is growing. The second biennial update report presented to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate…
Nations adopt Global Biodiversity Framework amid concerns over watered-down targets
After marathon negotiations and a clutch of protests, including a “die-in” by global youth and a walk-out by developing countries over a funding stalemate, nearly 200 nations struck a historic…
From paddy to palm oil: Telangana focuses on water intensive crops
This is the second article in a two-part series on oil palm cultivation in Telangana. Part One discusses the state's ambitious plans to expand oil palm cultivation. B. Bucchaya, a…
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
- As heatwaves projected to worsen across India, do vulnerability assessments and heat action plans suffice?
- Assam’s North Lakhimpur treats 40 years of legacy waste in just nine months
- Varying levels of microplastics detected in sea salt produced across India
- Decline in pollinators linked to half a million premature human deaths every year, shows study
Almost Famous Species
- The gharial attempts a second comeback with help from the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary
- Understanding the role of local communities in the conservation of critically endangered rhino rays
- Citizen scientists help discover a blind catfish species hidden inside Kerala’s aquifers
- Flying is riskier for female katydids, finds India’s first insect radio telemetry study
Eco Hope
- [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 budgets for mangroves and wetlands
- Working with biomaterials to add to the sustainable energy mix
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Experts call for coexistence, sustainable development as tiger population is close to saturation
- Ain’t no mountain high enough: alien invasive plants increasing in higher elevations
- Unplanned, faulty buildings tremble under weather events in the fragile Himalayan regions
- Nourishing soils of Kashmir’s karewas crumble under infrastructure
Beyond Protected Areas
- The art and science of elephant whispering
- Scientists develop a toolkit to identify high conservation-value areas
- Call to save rare snake habitat follows red coral kukri sightings in Bangladesh
- Small cats in big trouble: Why we need to save these elusive endangered species
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- How a drought-prone village in Maharashtra attained agricultural success with millets
- Thirunelly’s seed festival celebrates traditional climate-resilient seeds and farm produce
- [Explainer] Why is 2023 the International Year of Millets? What do we achieve by celebrating such years?
- Nations adopt Global Biodiversity Framework amid concerns over watered-down targets
Just Transitions
- Bauxite mining in Jharkhand is impacting soil fertility, people’s health
- Incentives to boost demand, increase in e-buses in Tamil Nadu’s latest EV policy
- Electricity transition in India’s renewable-rich states needs to accelerate, says study
- [Interview] Ajay Kumar Rastogi on leading India’s first just transition task force
