Bihar to delist solar and thermal projects worth Rs 2.25 lakh crore

Companies have drawn government’s ire after their failure to start nearly 50 approved projects

Population checks will not solve environmental problems: study

Even one-child policy imposed globally would keep population at the current levels in 2100

China’s shrinking population may lead to xenophobia, threaten CCP’s hold on power: Geeta Kochhar

Down To Earth speaks to China expert from JNU on the latest population figures  

COP27: Clean energy investment in Africa lowest since 2011, shows report

Deep in debt, African countries have been pushing richer, more polluting nations to increase climate finance to the continent

Climate change escalates suicide rates among Marathwada farmers

Farmer suicides have increased significantly and doubled in some regions where weather extremities incurred heavy losses

COVID-19 lockdowns may be over but poor still go hungry

At least 4,000 vulnerable and marginalised populations surveyed across 11 states; 2/3 say they eat less now 

Budget push for zero budget farming but contradictions mar Andhra’s natural agri foray

The method was promoted as low-cost investment on part of farmers, but huge amounts are being raised for statewide implementation

Study reveals link between teenage pregnancy and child stunting

Adolescent mothers were more likely to be anaemic compared with adult mothers and anaemia was associated with reduced child growth, find the study

Six-fold increase in forest fires as temperatures rise in many states

The Forest Survey of India’s large forest fires monitoring programme data shows that there are 192 large, active fires in the country today

Experts demand ethical framework and standards for AI systems

Two-day international colloquium on ‘Ethics and Governance of Autonomous Al Systems for a Better World’

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

GM in food: Food regulator mum on illegalities

FSSAI says it will frame a law to regulate GM food, but fails to talk about the prevalent illegal trade and mislabeling

Tribal ministry tells states to stop rejecting FRA claims on invalid grounds

In a letter dated June 27, Leena Nair, the then secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs had written to the chief secretaries of states raising …

Is the government marketing millets right?

India requires policy changes to make millets an effective tool against malnutrition 

Top committee for diverting forests recommends penalties for violating projects

The Forest Advisory Committee has said the environment ministry imposes “inconsistent and arbitrary" penalties

How not to grow trees

Planting a tree is now bound up in so much restriction and red tape that it is not worth the effort

2016, the year that was: health and medicine

Health spent a lot of time in the spotlight in 2016 and it was a major issue in numerous government reviews

Current distress

Six states, 30 villages, 13,000 kilometres. Down To Earth travelled to some of the most remote villages of the country to assess India's progress …

#OddEven Delhi: a ground report

After much debate, the controversial odd-even car restriction policy was finally implemented on Delhi's streets. We went to check if Delhiites …

Villages in Pakistan's Sindh losing their fight with climate change

A survey has found communities to be highly vulnerable with very limited adaptive capacity

Forest conservation receives government recognition

The 14th Finance Commission of India has reinforced the idea of incentivising states for keeping areas under forests

The ultimate justice

By asking lawyers to cycle to work to resolve Delhi’s endemic parking and traffic woes, the Chief Justice of India has shown the way. The …

We have enough water. We only need proper water management

D K Chaddha , chairperson, Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), New Delhi, talks to Jitendra Verma on the state of groundwater in India

Divided over royalty

Should states or private seed companies  regulate price of Bt cotton seed?  

Solar energy not war