World Water Day: Drawing to a close

Groundwater level has dipped in almost all parts of India, with the maximum depletion observed in and around Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Telangana, and Maharashtra. This has resulted in widespread groundwater contamination. With drought becoming frequent, farmers are now forced to …

Journey of the Fall Armyworm

Fall Armyworm has infested crops in over 50 countries across two continents in just over two years

SDG remains a distant dream in Sub-Saharan region

Africa's progress is crucial to the world achieving the 37 health-related indicators under the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. But the slow pace of progress in most nations, specially in the Sub-Saharan region, is a cause for concern

We live in a sugar rich and protein poor world

The world over-produces grains, fats and sugar while greatly underproducing fruits and vegetables and proteins. A correction in the imbalance can not only improve nutritional levels, but also reduce the area under farming and global greenhouse gas emissions

Forests can keep our planet cool

Improving our forests and farm practices offers a low-risk path for climate mitigation, while securing the lives of traditional communities

World has already breached carbon emission threshold

Even as nations commit to reduce carbon emissions, global carbon dioxide levels have gone past the safe limit of 350 parts per million and crossed 400 in 2015

Mapping climate change in India

India is the 13th most vulnerable country to climate change. Since more than 60 per cent of its agriculture is rainfed and it hosts 33 per cent of the world's poor, climate change will have significant impacts on the food and nutritional security. Here is a series of maps that capture climate …

Here is a panoramic view of the growing threat to agriculture in India

This map shows the increasing desertification of India’s soil, which is a reason to worry right now with Rabi season fast approaching and monsoon exiting

India's water footprint 200 per cent higher than China

India will need to feed a projected 394 million more people by 2050. What are the agricutural challenges? 

State of farmers' protests

Farmer protests continue to be at the centre stage with farmers in at least 15 states taking to the streets. There are three broad reasons for this growing discontent: government's failure to safeguard farmers against crop loss, fair price for their produce and forceful farmland acquisitions …

State of waste: plastics

India generates around 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste a day, of which Delhi contributes the largest share (689.52 tonnes a day).

India, not yet a safe country for cyclists

On World Bicycle Day (June 3), let's emphasise the fact that cycling as a mode of travel can only pick up in India only when the 'smart cities' develop bicycle-friendly infrastructure, especially dedicated cycle lanes and routes that ensure cyclers' safety.

What's the cost to survive climate change?

While 43 African countries plan to raise 20 per cent of adaptation funds, the remaining needs to be funded by the international community, which has in the past defaulted on aid commitments

Life on Earth at risk

A series of landmark reports show rapid biodiversity loss, land degradation driving species to extinction

On the verge of water crisis

Ten metropolitan cities of the world that are on the verge of an imminent water crisis

What to do on polluted days

Exposure to air pollution can lead to acute lower respiratory infections in children and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults. How do we protect ourselves?

How hard is it to imagine a world free of nuclear weapons?

The idea of global disarmament looks like a far cry with countries continuing to equip their arsenal with nuclear warheads