As a new report reveals a rise in the number of indigenous activists being killed for defending forest and land rights worldwide, Down To Earth poses questions about the situation in India
How alien invasive plant species threatens Western Ghats
Himachal Pradesh’s decision to put wasteland in land bank undermines FRA
Gujarat's Narmada district takes a step forward in forest governance
Villagers win brewing forest rights fight in Odisha
The Odisha government had to scrap a Rs 102 crore brewing project when resolute villagers braved the government and ...
Gadchiroli villages to move SC against Maharashtra forest body
Villagers are challenging the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd’s 2016 decision under which, it felled 385 hectares of ...
A decade on, only 40% of FRA claims approved
The latest status report of the FRA says most claims were rejected by either gram sabhas or district committees
Aarey's Chipko moment
The plan to clear Mumbai's last green cover is facing stiff resistance from citizens and non-profits
After Jairam Ramesh, now activists criticise green fund rules
They raise questions on the implementation of the rules and demand their withdrawal
Forest fires caused due to collection of non timber forest produce: government report
Forest rights activists say that blaming the communities for fires is wrong and often it is forest department's interventions that cause ...
Gujarat government backtracks on granting CFR rights to Maldharis
Despite granting 47 Community Forest Rights in 2015, the government, through a notification dated September 27, has asked for ...
Is PM Modi really a ‘Champion of the Earth’?
Even as the United Nations has selected India's PM for this year's award to honour his role in protecting ...
Indigenous peoples globally being ‘criminalised’ for defending their rights
Physical violence as well as legal prosecution is used to label defenders as ‘criminals’ and the process is becoming ...
Why increase in global tree cover does not call for celebration
Much of it could be due to the increase in planted forests, which are more vulnerable to extreme climatic events
How Brazil can beat the odds and restore a huge swathe of the Amazon
Native seed cultivation could represent a valuable source of income for local communities, boosting both conservation and the local ...
Just 32% tribal children consume healthy diet: expert committee
A report by an expert committee constituted by health ministry shows that malnutrition among tribals is more than among ...
Kenya's struggle to modernise traditional medicine is far from won
In the last two decades, neglect of traditional medicine has been replaced by renewed focus and a raft of policies and ...
Hunger strike for FRA implementation continues in Chhattisgarh; state yet to respond
Government has given land under the Individual Forest Rights titles, which is way less than what people originally occupied
Northeast losing canopy cover at alarming rate: study
The degree of deforestation was greater in Assam compared to Arunachal Pradesh, say researchers from the Indian Institute of ...
Green fund rules must be withdrawn, Ramesh tells Vardhan
The ex-environment minister writes to the current one saying the new rules make for a fit case to move ...
In carbon negative Sikkim, emissions are on the rise
A preliminary report by the Sikkim government suggests the green state is carbon-negative, but emissions are on the rise
Disagreement between Odisha Kendu pluckers union and forest activists
Kendu pluckers union is batting for state collection of Kendu while the activists oppose it
Green fund rules notified: Some hits, major misses
The rules of the Compensatory (Afforestation) Fund Act 2016 are better than the draft but not impactful
Hothouse Earth: our planet has been here before – here's what it looked like
The first Hothouse state last occurred 125,000 years ago, and the risk of a new one was raised by ...
Protecting farmlands, not just forests, can also ensure bird biodiversity: study
A new study shows that species richness of birds was higher in agricultural lands than in the protected area, ...