https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/rural-odishas-pm25-pollution-exceeds-national-standard-even-as-urban-rural-gap-remains-below-10 https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/47ivque9/Odisha-rural-air-pollution https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/d3tenlas/rural-air-pollution https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/44xxdvdx/rural-air-pollution downtoearth en 2026-08-17T12:40:47.541Z Rural Odisha’s PM2.5 pollution exceeds national standard even as urban-rural gap remains below 10% Environment, India, Odisha, Air Pollution, air pollution in rural areas, rural air pollution https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/unccd-cop17-opens-in-ulaanbaatar-with-a-single-demand-enough-declarations-turn-land-pledges-into-money-and-action https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/cd997swf/HPg8qYNbIAACCz1.jpeg downtoearth en 2026-08-17T12:15:58.442Z UNCCD COP17 opens in Ulaanbaatar with a single demand: Enough declarations, turn land pledges into money and action UNCCD COP17, global drought, land degradation, drought framework, land restoration, Ulaanbaatar summit, desertification, climate finance, drought resilience, Mongolia desertification, El Niño droughts, sustainable land, environmental subsidies https://www.downtoearth.org.in/africa/high-risk-human-elephant-conflict-areas-in-southern-africa-could-expand-by-33-100-by-2085-a-new-study-forecasts https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/aqkze9d8/Chobe-Elephant.jpg Tourists in a boat encounter an elephant at the Chobe river between Botswana and Namibia. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T12:02:46.620Z High-risk human-elephant conflict areas in Southern Africa could expand by 33%-100% by 2085, a new study forecasts Africa, Wildlife & Biodiversity, Human-elephant conflict, Southern Africa, African elephants, crop raiding https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/why-upbringing-matters-for-conservation https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/80foeg7c/TheLastSurvivingPopulationofHangul.jpg A herd of Hangul in Dachigam National Park, Kashmir. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T11:47:06.636Z Why upbringing matters for conservation Wildlife & Biodiversity, wildlife conservation, Children, nature, adults, childhood https://www.downtoearth.org.in/air/india-on-e-wheels-gujarat-ranks-16th-in-electric-mobility-index-as-evs-make-up-136-of-vehicle-fleet https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/fw3i0n5t/downtoearth-hindi2026-08-17tep4mpil20250523164644.jpg Few e-rickshaws can be seen on the streets of Gujarat. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T11:18:21.538Z India on e-wheels: Gujarat ranks 16th in Electric Mobility Index as EVs make up 1.36% of vehicle fleet Air, Energy, Gujarat, mobility, Electric vehicles (EV), India on e-wheels, Electric Mobility Index, vehicle fleet https://www.downtoearth.org.in/rivers/tamil-nadus-tamirabharani-or-porunai-river-is-now-a-legal-person-marking-a-milestone-in-indias-earth-jurisprudence https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/uadj2hya/ThamirabaraniRiver.jpg Thamirabarani River flowing across Tirunelveli, southern Tamil Nadu. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T11:17:00.083Z Tamil Nadu’s Tamirabharani or Porunai river is now a ‘legal person’, marking a milestone in India’s Earth Jurisprudence Rivers, Water, Yamuna, Ganga, Madras High Court, whanganui river, Tamirabharani, Madurai Bench https://www.downtoearth.org.in/governance/simply-put-unheeded-warnings https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/ce1qnysz/Tunel-collapse-uttarakhand-cartoon https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/sao5z6c1/Uttarakhand-tunnel-collapse downtoearth en 2026-08-17T10:28:15.696Z Simply Put: Unheeded warnings Governance, uttarakhand, tunnel collapse, tunnel tragedy https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/my-unfinished-agenda https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/ww5vpwee/Editor-July-copy.jpg downtoearth en 2026-08-17T10:21:13.143Z My unfinished agenda Wildlife & Biodiversity, Editorial, Rajasthan, Tigers, Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 2005 tiger task force, Sariska National Park, Madhav Gadgil, Valmik Thapar and H S Panwar, Pugmark, Y V Jhala and Qamar Quresh https://www.downtoearth.org.in/africa/drc-faces-its-deadliest-ebola-outbreak-as-virus-spreads-to-6th-province https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-05-21/oueym927/iStock-1351266625.jpg downtoearth en 2026-08-17T10:11:38.413Z DRC faces its deadliest ebola outbreak as virus spreads to 6th province Africa, Health, virus, ebola, democratic republic of congo, Ebola outbreak, DRC https://www.downtoearth.org.in/rivers/keralas-recent-floods-show-pamba-river-vembanad-kuttanad-wetland-system-under-enormous-strain-experts https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/b5ghfxla/Vembanad-Lake.jpg Vembanad Lake. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T10:08:39.371Z Kerala’s recent floods show Pamba river, Vembanad-Kuttanad wetland system under enormous strain: Experts Rivers, Water, Kerala, Western Ghats, Kuttanad, Lake Vembanad, Pamba river, Floodplain https://www.downtoearth.org.in/governance/major-us-study-finds-undocumented-immigration-does-not-increase-neighbourhood-crime https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/n07oaom3/260810oxford01.png As anti-immigration sentiment rises across the US, federal agencies like US Immigration and Customs Enforcement face growing condemnation for repeatedly violating fundamental human rights in enforcement and detention. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T09:36:30.179Z Major US study finds undocumented immigration does not increase neighbourhood crime undocumented immigration, neighbourhood crime, unauthorised immigrants, property crime, UC Irvine research, robbery rates, Journal of Urban Affairs, immigration enforcement, migrant workers, public safety, crime trends https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/european-cities-plan-to-offset-a-fifth-of-emissions-through-carbon-removal-but-few-have-clear-strategies https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/intigqqg/Carbon-removal Current climate neutrality plans do not include detailed assessments of land availability. Photo for representation. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T08:43:15.328Z European cities plan to offset a fifth of emissions through carbon removal, but few have clear strategies Climate Change, Energy, Europe, Carbon Credit, Emissions, Transport, URBAN, Carbon, TREE, Residual Emission Strategy Robustness Index https://www.downtoearth.org.in/waste/india-must-confront-the-growing-threat-of-abandoned-fishing-gear https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/wurtm97g/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-17-at-12.44.39-1.jpeg Nylon and polyethylene nets dominate India’s mechanised and motorised fisheries. Seen here, fishers in Penthakotta beach, Puri, Odisha. https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/jt1b70at/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-17-at-12.44.38-1.jpeg Lightweight synthetic nets, particularly those used by small-scale fishers, are often cheaper to replace than retrieve. Seen here, fishers handling gear in Penthakotta beach, Puri, Odisha. https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/8n4hh68r/WhatsApp-Image-2026-08-17-at-12.44.39.jpeg Fishers are more likely to return damaged gear when collection points are accessible, when they do not fear penalties and when financial or social incentives are available. Seen here, fishers in Penthakotta beach, Puri, Odisha. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T07:03:49.650Z India must confront the growing threat of abandoned fishing gear Waste, Marine biodiversity, Fisheries, blue economy, fishing nets, marine litter, circular economy, Abandoned fishing gear, abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG), Ghost gear, India coastline https://www.downtoearth.org.in/health/fijis-hiv-outbreak-is-a-public-health-emergency-pacific-neighbours-must-step-up https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/vs5wzx7w/HIV-Aids-fiji HIV prevalence among adults in Fiji is now 1.6%. This means about one in 60 adults lives with the virus. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T06:28:18.767Z Fiji’s HIV outbreak is a public health emergency. Pacific neighbours must step up Health, Health, AIDS, hiv, Awareness, Fiji, Pacific Islands, Western Pacific region, HIV epidemic https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/daily-weather-tracker-heavy-rains-trigger-red-alert-in-bengal-and-odisha-delhi-ncr-among-18-states-under-weather-warning https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/dq378gy2/Odisha-Floods.jpg Flood rescue operations in Odisha. downtoearth en 2026-08-17T05:04:31.997Z Daily weather tracker: Heavy rains trigger red alert in Bengal and Odisha; Delhi-NCR among 18 States under weather warning Climate Change, Odisha, Delhi-NCR, Southwest monsoon, India Meteorological Department (IMD), bengal, Daily Weather Tracker, Southwest Monsoon 2026 https://www.downtoearth.org.in/agriculture/russia-is-cutting-off-ukraines-grain-exports-again-threatening-a-critical-harvest-and-global-food-security https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-17/nwtxubdw/iStock-1289576900.jpg downtoearth en 2026-08-17T05:03:14.573Z Russia is cutting off Ukraine’s grain exports again, threatening a critical harvest and global food security Agriculture, Economy, Food, Food Security, russia ukraine conflict, ukraine crisis, harvest, economic blockade, black sea grain initiative, Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia-Ukraine War, blockade https://www.downtoearth.org.in/natural-disasters/wildfires-have-destroyed-an-area-of-protected-tropical-forest-twice-the-size-of-wales-globally-since-2001-study-reveals https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-16/2jwky1ye/Caiman-Pantanal.jpg A dead caiman in the Brazilian Pantanal after wildfires struck the region in 2020. downtoearth en 2026-08-16T11:12:44.826Z Wildfires have destroyed an area of protected tropical forest twice the size of Wales globally since 2001, study reveals Natural Disasters, Climate Change, Forests, wildfires, Indonesia, Bolivia, Brazil, TROPICAL FOREST, University of Sheffield, wales, Tropical Americas https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/can-the-great-indian-bustard-reclaim-the-deccan-part-of-its-range-yes-provided-traditional-agriculture-is-promoted-says-study https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-16/jbdbrgb2/GIBs.jpg Two Great Indian Bustards at the Desert National Park in Rajasthan, the last stronghold of the species in India. https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-16/s8aj3980/journal.pone.0355780.g002.PNG downtoearth en 2026-08-16T09:00:00.819Z Can the Great Indian Bustard reclaim the Deccan part of its range? Yes, provided traditional agriculture is promoted, says study Wildlife & Biodiversity, Rajasthan, Deccan Plateau, Great Indian Bustard, GIB Conservation, traditional agriculture https://www.downtoearth.org.in/governance/census-2027-to-include-question-related-to-caste-a-first-in-independent-india https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-16/dg84zml1/Census-2027.jpg Select specimen from various Hindu castes, 1874, Imperial Gazetteer of India. From left to right: Konkanasth Brahmin man, Deshasth Brahmin lady, Rajput man, Koli fisherman, Pasi man from Awadh, Vaishnav Brahmin from Allahabad, Komati lady from Telangana https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-08-16/82bjaa5o/CastepercentageofGujaratpopulationin1931.png Caste breakdown in Gujarat in 1931. downtoearth en 2026-08-16T05:27:19.676Z Census 2027 to include question related to caste, a first in independent India Governance, Census 2011, Ministry of Home Affairs, caste, Census 2027, Caste census