Mongabay series: Flood and drought
Flood is an overflow of water, while a drought is a prolonged shortage of water. India witnesses both and sometimes, at the same time. Unusual rainfall patterns are becoming commonplace now and trigger disasters such as floods and droughts which are related to the timing of the rainfall, rather than the quantum of rainfall. From long dry spells to excessive rainfall, recent monsoons in India have been seasons of extremes. The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR6 predicts that south Asia, including India, will see more extreme weather events in the years to come. The Indian subcontinent could witness more heat extremes and droughts, as well as extreme rainfall events, it says. When weather patterns deviate from the norm, farmers, whose livelihoods are tied to predictable weather patterns, are among the many who bear the brunt. This in turn has ramifications for India’s food and water security. In this series, we will look at the trends of floods and droughts in India and the climate crisis that is exacerbating them.
Why the city that never stops comes to a standstill when it rains
Hope runs dry as groundwater sources in Punjab drop to alarming levels
Chennai water crisis once again exposes the city’s climate vulnerability
The invisible victims of drought-hit Kutch
[Commentary] Back to the Future: Lessons from Cyclone Fani
[Commentary] In Kerala there was nothing “golden” about this missed opportunity
Indian forests may be able to withstand climate change better than feared
Stalagmite chemistry offers clues to northeast India’s rainfall variability
Increasing dry season fires in Kerala spotlight debate around man-made fires
Fixing agriculture a decade after cyclone Aila: A farmer recollects
Politics muddies waters in parched Bundelkhand
Agonising wait for Assam’s climate victims as rivers gobble homes, farmlands
[Video] Climate-resilient agricultural methods help Andaman’s farmers
Usable groundwater depleting in east India despite increasing rainfall, finds study
When forests are not forests at all, can fire be used to better manage them?
Invasive plant species are creeping into Kerala after the floods
Linking Kerala floods to anthropogenic climate change ‘difficult’, finds a study
Kerala coast contains ecologically and socio-economically most vulnerable stretches
[Interview] Kerala agriculture minister: Organic and natural farming will give farmers self reliance and climate resilience
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
- Stitching sustainability amidst climate change challenges
- Gujarat bans exotic Conocarpus tree amid health and environment hazard
- Malaria-carrying mosquitoes shift homes from forests to rice fields
- [Commentary] Neglecting household biomedical waste management can lead to adverse environmental effects
India's Iconic Landscapes
- Saving India’s wild ‘unicorns’
- Indrella ampulla’s genetic tapestry unveils colour morphs isolated across the Palghat Gap
- [Commentary] Up close and personal with the fragility of the Himalayas
- Studies reveal impact of land use on species diversity in rock outcrops
Beyond Protected Areas
- Rehabilitating trafficked star tortoises using genetic intelligence
- [Interview] Richie Mehta on addressing the elephant in the room in ‘Poacher’
- Scientists leap beyond Latin to give local flair to species names
- Deaths in human-animal conflict in Wayanad spark protests and debates
Conserving Agro-biodiversity
- [Commentary] GROW with agroforestry, a step towards sustainable land management
- Millet tradition loses flavour among Madhya Pradesh’s tribals
- A village nurtures traditional food systems in response to climate change
- Rising air pollution impacts India’s crop yields and food security
Just Transitions
- How unplanned coal mine closures in India are affecting dependent communities, especially women
- Green Credit Scheme’s ‘methodology’ doesn’t inspire confidence among experts
- Conflict over critical mineral prospecting in Odisha signals need for better community involvement
- Fuel leak in Manipur raises concerns over water contamination