Environment

Highlights from the issue

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DTE Staff

Sunita Narain's Desk: Breaking the coal taboo

Decarbonising thermal power plants could lead to emission reductions as large as those from two other hard-to-abate sectors: iron and steel and cement

Cover story: Forged consensus

Illustration: Yogendra Anand / CSE

At least seven states are offering financial incentives to panchayats that elect candidates by consensus. What does this mean for India's local governance?

Column: A failure at core

The percentage of village panchayats opting for Samras Gram Yojana is gradually declining, says Madhusudan Bandi of Gujarat Institute of Development Research

Column: Uncontested elections undermine principles of democracy

Mani Shankar Aiyar was the first Union Minister for Panchayati Raj from 2004 to 2009

While uncontested elections may not undermine the letter of the Constitution, the same cannot be said if state governments financially incentivise uncontested elections, says former Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Mani Shankar Aiyar

Special report: A statutory order, not an opinion

The International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion that countries driving climate change are committing a crime against humanity reiterates the principle of common but differentiated responsibility

Column: Beyond carbon and emission

In one stroke, ICJ has freed climate change discourse from the narrow confines of ‘carbon’ and ‘emission’ to the larger domain of ecosystem, says environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta

Special report: Micro menace

Scientists have released a damning report highlighting the health impacts of plastics on humans

Special report: Soft targets

A power transmission tower lies damaged on way to Zojilla pass due to heavy snowfall during winter period.

India’s largest renewable energy park risks displacing Ladakh’s nomadic herders and their prized pashmina goats

Civil Lines: Fewer farms, older hands

Farmers pulling agriculture equipment to level soil.

The world is losing farms and farmers, raising urgent concerns about who will grow food

Interview: ‘Window to avoid worst climate scenarios is rapidly shutting’

Illustration: Yogendra Anand / CSE

Planetary Boundaries are under strain due to global warming, bringing us closer to irreversible climate tipping points, says Johan Rockström of Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research