https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/indonesia-wildfire-crisis-sparks-protests-as-toxic-haze-spreads-across-southeast-asia https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/onfx24az/Air-Quality-and-Active-Fires-Copernicus-on-Windy.png Active fires and its impact on air quality in southeast Asia. https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/8dhh8dfr/Active-Fires-on-October-20-NASA-FIRMS.png Active fires in Southeast Asia on October 20, 2026. https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/k9dk4jvv/Fire-hotspots-and-Burned-Area-Indonesia-Nusantara-Atlas.png Fire hotspots and burned area in Indonesia. https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/25bfho2j/Carbon-Monoxide-Build-up-Indonesia-Fires-Copernicus-on-Windy-October-21.png Buildup of carbon monoxide over the region, reaching the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. downtoearth en 2026-10-21T13:46:00.945Z Indonesia wildfire crisis sparks protests as toxic haze spreads across Southeast Asia Indonesia wildfires, toxic haze, El Niño, Southeast Asia, Jakarta protests, air pollution, wildfire hotspots, peatland fires, school closures, Kalimantan fires, government response, regional health, satellite imagery, fire season, climate impact https://www.downtoearth.org.in/forests/how-2-a-day-is-helping-indigenous-communities-protect-perus-amazon-rainforest https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/e303l4ib/iStock-1127188481.jpg An unconditional basic income of nearly £2 a day improved food security and living standards while supporting forest conservation among Indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon. downtoearth en 2026-10-21T12:28:34.099Z How £2 a day is helping Indigenous communities protect Peru’s Amazon rainforest Forests, Environment, Economy, Governance, Climate Change, Forest Conservation, Food Security, Amazon rainforest, Peru, universal basic income, university of bath, Indigenous communities, Sustainable livelihoods, Cool Earth https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/when-hills-are-sold-who-pays-the-debt-of-dust https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/vf9cnq3e/1000454880.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-21T12:13:39.599Z When hills are sold, who pays the debt of dust? Environment, Governance, Bihar, Environment, Mining, nature, Ecology, Heritage https://www.downtoearth.org.in/environment/daily-court-digest-major-environment-orders-october-21-2026 https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/td7yuhg2/Gavel.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-21T09:39:30.286Z Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (October 21, 2026) stem cell therapy, autism spectrum, wetland conservation, Supreme Court orders, clinical trials, ground-truthing, wetlands rules, environment orders, Union Health Ministry, waterbody protection, regulatory framework, randomised trials, wetland atlas, ethical standards, state compliance https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/yerevan-pathway-the-big-asks-from-and-by-indigenous-communities https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/zq4ilz4f/1000454685.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-21T07:23:49.800Z Yerevan pathway: The big asks from and by indigenous communities Wildlife & Biodiversity, Indigenous, IPLC, NBSAP, Yerevan, Yerevan Pathway https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/daily-weather-tracker-heavy-rain-alert-for-tamil-nadu-thunderstorms-likely-in-north-india-from-october-23 https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/u1j309ph/iStock-1164557064.jpg Heavy rain alert has been issued for southern India, with extremely heavy rainfall expected in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal. downtoearth en 2026-10-21T07:01:33.308Z Daily weather tracker: Heavy rain alert for Tamil Nadu; thunderstorms likely in North India from October 23 heavy rainfall, Tamil Nadu rain, IMD alert, Bay of Bengal, orange alert, thunderstorms, northern India, Kerala rain, cyclonic circulation, western Himalayas, Delhi weather, southern India, fishermen warning, temperature extremes, Rajkot heat https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/climate-resilience-is-essential-to-indias-economic-stability https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/60tdq5lr/extreme-weather.jpg A farmer stands amidst a field devastated by an extreme weather event downtoearth en 2026-10-21T05:47:49.589Z Climate resilience is essential to India’s economic stability climate resilience, economic stability, food inflation, climate adaptation, disaster risk, crop diversification, rural resilience, food security, monetary policy, El Niño, cold storage, buffer stocks, social protection, irrigation projects, climate shocks https://www.downtoearth.org.in/governance/simply-put-sarva-shiksha-abhiyan https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/hwejt32z/Simply-Put-19-Oct-hero-image-copy.jpg https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/t5j4y107/Simply-Put-19-OCTSchool-copy.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-21T05:28:04.471Z Simply Put: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Governance, Education, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Right to Education https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/emissions-gap-report-2026-point-of-no-return-for-the-15c-warming-threshold https://cf-images.assettype.com/down-to-earth/import/library/large/2023-11-21/0.66944300_1700567295_istock-1399215144.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-21T05:21:46.951Z Emissions Gap Report 2026: Point of no return for the 1.5°C warming threshold emissions gap, global warming, 1.5°C threshold, climate risks, fossil fuels, GHG emissions, Paris Agreement, climate emergency, UNEP report, temperature records, mitigation efforts, carbon emissions, clean energy, climate analytics, overshoot scenario https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/himalayan-yak-herders-from-bhutan-india-and-nepal-unite-amid-climate-and-pasture-pressures https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/9pzrcnkd/iStock-2214956140.jpg A herd of yaks against the backdrop of Mount Cho Oyu in the Himalayas. downtoearth en 2026-10-21T04:56:17.298Z Himalayan yak herders from Bhutan, India and Nepal unite amid climate and pasture pressures Himalayan yak, yak herders, climate change, pasture loss, Himalayan network, Indigenous livelihoods, Royal Highland Festival, cross-border cooperation, rangeland degradation, yak population, wildlife attacks, Bhutan yak, Nepal yak, India yak, yak federation https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/england-records-worst-harvest-in-42-years-as-extreme-summer-weather-hits-crops https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-21/r5ul67ye/iStock-2224562534.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-21T04:40:08.400Z England records worst harvest in 42 years as extreme summer weather hits crops worst harvest, extreme weather, crop yields, food security, cereal production, oilseed rape, drought impact, farm incomes, agricultural resilience, wheat production, barley decline, oat yields, climate impact, water management, drought-resistant crops https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/how-penguin-droppings-may-accelerate-snowmelt-in-antarctica https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/v8b4i15t/downtoearth-hindi2026-10-193nkqrmfhI-stock-penguin-pooping.avif Phosphate from penguin droppings helps green algae growing on Antarctic snow thrive downtoearth en 2026-10-20T17:13:13.376Z How penguin droppings may accelerate snowmelt in Antarctica Climate Change, Wildlife & Biodiversity, World, Biodiversity, Global Warming, Climate Science, Ice melt, Antarctica, Antarctic Peninsula, snowmelt, Penguin droppings, Snow algae, Antarctic wildlife, Polar ecosystems, Environmental research, Sea birds, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences https://www.downtoearth.org.in/energy/indian-scientists-develop-new-way-to-extract-lithium-from-seawater https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/m0avphz1/iStock-1348631007.jpg The global shift towards electric transport and renewable energy is driving unprecedented demand for lithium. https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/kidm4l5k/1-s2.0-S0039914026012014-ga1lrg.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-20T09:45:00.448Z Indian scientists develop new way to extract lithium from seawater lithium extraction, seawater lithium, BARC scientists, energy transition, electric vehicles, renewable energy, chemical technique, battery imports, marine resources, clean energy, lithium-ion batteries, cost-effective, environmental impact, India energy, scientific breakthrough https://www.downtoearth.org.in/food/when-india-and-japan-talk-trade-food-waste-deserves-a-seat-at-the-table https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/scn6g0sk/iStock-1456157037.jpg The 2025 Global Hunger Index ranked India 102nd out of 123 countries, with a score of 25.8, placing it in the “serious” hunger category downtoearth en 2026-10-20T09:20:03.397Z When India and Japan talk trade, food waste deserves a seat at the table food waste, India Japan trade, sustainable partnership, food banks, food insecurity, climate goals, SDG12.3, zero hunger, food redistribution, mottainai, Temaedori, Global Hunger Index, food poverty, bilateral cooperation, food recycling https://www.downtoearth.org.in/pollution/inside-the-silence-zone-how-noise-pollution-near-schools-impacts-students-health-and-education https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/oh4v0bzg/iStock-2075583750.jpg Under India’s Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, an area of 100 m around an educational institution may be declared a silence zone downtoearth en 2026-10-20T09:18:47.769Z Inside the silence zone: How noise pollution near schools impacts students' health and education Pollution, India, Pollution, UNICEF, school, noise, Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/three-new-centipede-species-discovered-in-western-ghats https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/6hpn5z0v/downtoearth-hindi2026-10-17jsibiauaI-stock-centipede.avif Although centipedes are small, they play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance downtoearth en 2026-10-20T09:11:56.875Z Three new centipede species discovered in Western Ghats Western Ghats, new species, Rhysida centipedes, biodiversity, Kerala forests, Karnataka wildlife, Zoological Survey, Rhysida quadrispinosa, Rhysida coorgensis, Rhysida neyyarensis, ecological balance, species evolution, microscopic analysis, Chilobase 2.0, forest conservation https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/daily-weather-tracker-heavy-rain-alert-for-southern-india-strong-winds-forecast-over-arabian-sea https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/v3qkfc0m/iStock-2282331911.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-20T08:19:46.642Z Daily weather tracker: Heavy rain alert for southern India; strong winds forecast over Arabian Sea Climate Change, Extreme weather, Arabian Sea, India weather, India Meteorological Department (IMD), IMD Weather Alert, Tamil Nadu Heavy Rainfall https://www.downtoearth.org.in/governance/simply-put-harassment-at-protest https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/60strpna/Simply-Put-20-OCTn-hero-image-copy.jpg https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-10-20/qo7d9y6q/Simply-Put-20-Oct-copy.jpg downtoearth en 2026-10-20T07:50:31.838Z Simply Put: Harassment at protest Governance, police, police brutality, Police atrocities, youth activists, Delhi police, protest, Youth protests, police violence, police sexual harassment