Plantation mission may destroy Odisha’s forests and river ecology

The Green Mahanadi Mission would fiercely impact the livelihood of farmers and cattle herders

Consuming consciously is not being miserly

Conscious consumption and 'cheapness' needs to be disassociated

Wild Emergency: From sensational to sensible

The National Board of Wildlife’s recommendation that state governments use Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code while dealing with wildlife emergencies may be useful but is not enough

Balancing trade wars

Livelihood opportunities should take precedence in global trade talks as it is more about employment than anything else right now

Is your footprint green enough?

There is an urgent need for people to focus on sustainable use of resources so that they are available in the long-term, for future generations

The future of the chimpanzee

On the first-ever World Chimpanzee Day, we should consider the ways we can ensure that future human generations can enjoy sharing the earth with our closest living relatives

Tumakuru sets a green example

The hilly and forested district in southeast Karnataka is giving new lessons to the rest of India on responsible forestry

Does poverty trigger extremism?

Two recent developments could precipitate a global debate on whether poverty triggers extremism

Why is there no serious discussion on NOx control in the power sector?

Industry has peddled straw man arguments about primary control technology being not competent enough to control power plant emissions

Outsourcing patent functions

WIPO begins talks on controversial proposal to allow countries to outsource their patent examination processes to another country

Murky science of comfort part 4: If you are poor, then simply tolerate heat

This is the expectation of the National Building Code, which defines standards for ‘comfortable’ temperatures for buildings in India

The story of National Bamboo Mission

While the restructuring of the earlier Mission is good news, there is much more that needs to be done

Gujarat is misusing forest laws under garb of ‘sustainable’ development

Forest lands, over which rights of adivasis have been recognised or are pending recognition, have been usurped for carrying out plantations under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act

A unique dragon

The population of the Southern Flying Lizard of the Western Ghats is fast dwindling and needs conservation

Murky science of comfort part 3: Industry defined standards make us feel uncomfortable without ACs

The Heat, Ventilation and Air Conditioning industry has made sure that we get used to heating and cooling appliances by setting arbitrary standards 

Murky science of comfort part 2: Why we feel suffocated in a building even when it is pleasant outside

Humans are built to get used to local environments but unfortunately industry interests have come to define what ‘comfortable’ room temperature is  

Every drop matters

If water efficiency is the agenda for agriculture, then water recycling has to be the agenda for cities and industries

Is India ready to face the silent disaster?

Heat waves are likely to increase by up to 30 times by 2100; the government needs to focus on the most vulnerable population, including the poor, women, children, elderly and disabled

Self-sufficiency and plastic ban

Imagine a scenario where packaging isn’t easy and cheap. The need would be, then, to create a self-sufficient neighbourhood 

Murky science of comfort part 1: Debunking science behind 'comfortable' temperature

What is a comfortable temperature? The question seems benign on the surface but the answer has far reaching ecological consequences