Still in the Woods
The second Intergovernamental Panel on Forests discussed a lot of issues, yet remained more of a warm up for the final session
Green puzzle
A cross-section of opinions in response to 'Dark truths and lost woods' (pages 31-41) by ANIL AGARWAL
From turtles to elephants
Riddle of the Ridley and Lai Lai the Baby Elephant by Shekar Dattatri Wildlife Protection Society of India Delhi and Tulika Publishers, Chennai
Less than a quarter of emission targets from Paris climate agreement met in 7 years
World is not on track to achieve forest goals of ending and reversing deforestation by 2030
Is new-age environmentalism narrowing down to planting saplings?
Planting saplings is undoubtedly a good idea, but considering it as the panacea to all our environmental woes is dangerous
The Yellow River has been known as ‘China’s sorrow’. Now we know who was responsible
Deforestation, erosion on the Loess Plateau caused the Chinese to construct levees to tame the river, in turn, worsening the risk of flooding
What Aarey case means for forest land classification
The question of classification of the land as forest or revenue isn’t relevant in the matter due to the SC order in the TN Godavarman …
Road expansion, deforestation shrinking wildlife in Congo Basin: Study
Accelerating deforestation could also leak carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect
Kerala floods: Government was warned long back, but it chose to ignore
Ignoring experts’ recommendations on protecting fragile ecology of Western Ghats, Kerala had chosen development over environment
Deforestation rate slowed down: FAO
The pace of loss of forests has slowed in recent years even though the world’s forest area decreased from 31% to 30% between 1990 and 2015
Dust storms to become more intense if degradation of Aravallis continues
Withering of Aravallis, mainly due to erosion of forests along the northern and central tracts, is making dust storms more intense
Planting problems
Forest development corporations fell rich forests to raise plantations, undermining people's rights and biodiversity. It's time India introduced …
The seeds of trouble
Privatisation of tea and rubber plantations has endangered the flora and fauna in southern Sri Lanka
There's more to trees than timber
New thinking on forestry management calls for reducing the emphasis on sustainable timber production and concentrating instead on the protection …
Kerala brick industry taking over rice fields
The fast-expanding brick industry (in Kerala) is causing irreversible damage to paddy-fields in a state that is already beset by an acute rice …
Wood substitutes threaten plywood industry
A CPWD proposal to ban use of timber in construction has generated friction between manufacturers of wood substitutes and plywood, with each side …
Dying repositories of the world's biodiversity
Rich in flora and fauna, rain forests are nevertheless ecologically fragile. Their loss due to human depredation could result in environmental …
Court ruling on tree felling worries officials
A dispute over a plot demarcation has highlighted the problem of protecting privately owned forests in Himachal.
The nature of human health
It's high time that we invested wisely in a robust environment, a prerequisite for public health
Wisdom from an obscure archipelago
In Down To Earth's first Country Report, ANIL AGARWAL and SUNITA NARAIN look at Papua New Guinea, its short but volatile transition to the market …
Fights for space
Once harmonious, the human-elephant relationship has taken an ugly turn. Faulty forest policies and nationwide destruction of elephant habitats …
Barren continent
After the destruction of Europe's conifers, it took millions of years for the regeneration of forests
More than 75% of Amazon rainforest near tipping point, may transform into dry savanna: Study
Researchers say it is not too late to act; reducing deforestation will protect the forest’s threatened parts and boost Amazon rainforest …
Brazil lost rainforest the size of Jamaica in 2019-2020: Institute
There was a 9.5 per cent jump in deforestation of the Brazillian Amazon since 2019, in line with President Jair Bolsonaro’s anti-…
Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (July 6, 2023)
Down To Earth brings you the top environmental cases heard in the Supreme Court, the high courts and the National Green Tribunal