On paper

The Green Rating Project (GRP) of the Centre for Science and Environment was conceived as a means to track the environmental performance of India'…

FAO report forecasts spike in wood-based substitutes to non-renewables; expects 1 million new jobs

Fuelwood will remain main sources of energy for households in developing economies through 2050  

Lord! Where will the wood for Jagannath’s chariot come from?

As the forest cover in Odisha decreases, there are apprehensions about the scarcity of wood for making the deity’s chariot for the Rath Yatra

Transparent wood is coming, and it could make an energy-efficient alternative to glass

A new study demonstrates how to make wood transparent using a simple chemical commonly used to bleach hair

COP19: CITES relaxes restrictions on export of Indian shisham products

The export restrictions imposed in 2017 dealt a long-term blow to the country’s furniture & handicrafts industry

Renewable wood-based products can help combat climate change: FAO

Bioeconomy has emerged as a concept for tackling challenges that contribute to climate change

Rosewood fades in India

After putting up a fight at CITES, will India be able to provide an alternative trade regime to rosewood artisans of the country?

Global wood harvests will add 3.5 to 4.2 billion tonnes of CO2 yearly in coming decades: Report

This level of emissions is more than three times the annual emissions from aviation and equals common estimates of the emissions from …

Paper wasps early casteists

Wasps are among insects that live in highly organised colonies with a clear line of authority. But a wasp species studied recently disclosed some …

The axe and human civilisation

The use and abuse of wood is a major theme in the history of humankind according to a new book, A Forest Journey

Cultivating wood for fuel

Faced with food surpluses, farmers in the UK are being encouraged to plant trees on part of their land and sell wood as fuel for heating or …

On troubled grounds

An open invitation to avaricious plantation companies, the proposed Karnataka Land Reform Act amendments will Hurt poor farmers

Kath-Kuni: A young architect brings back the glory of his homeland's traditional architecture

Rahul Bhushan, a 29-year-old Himachali local and alumnus of CEPT is trying to bring back the glory of Kath-Kuni structures

Europe’s biomass problem

Wood-fired power will actually increase emissions over timescales relevant to the Paris Agreement

Community-based natural resource management in Himachal still weak

A host of measures are needed to ensure community-based natural resource management and better provisioning of ecological services for the …

Thais go on logging, despite ban

A UN ban on export of hardwood from Cambodia notwithstanding, Thai loggers continue to exploit loopholes and carry wood across the border.

Loggers, environmentalists at loggerheads

By lifting a ban raw wood export and levying a huge tax on it instead, officials in Jakarta have come under fire from both loggers and …

Making furniture from eucalyptus wood

Though scientists have developed a way to saw eucalyptus wood without cracking or twisting it, furniture makers aren't convinced of its utility.

Plant prospects

The stubborn juliflora, which grows mostly in drylands and wastelands, is now invading arable areas. One still speculates about the repercussions

Mission Hariyali: This man distributes free saplings to bring back fruit trees to the nearly barren villages of Nalanda 

Now, there are at least 4,000-5,000 plants in the villages of Noorsarai block; residents do not just eat the fruits but also sell them for income

Indigenous tree species can meet growing demand for wood

The ever-expanding population requires an enormous amount of wood, which in turn, puts intense pressure on the existing forest wealth of India

Timber trouble

Malaysia is infuriated by Australia's moves to ban logging by foreign companies in South Pacific countries

Indonesia toes ITTO line

Indonesia's decision to comply with the International Timber Trade Organisation's policy on tropical timber, has sparked fears of an adverse …

Clean(er) cooking in India: How solid fuels in rural Indian households contribute to climate crisis

Solid cooking fuel use makes up 13% of India’s national GHG emissions but is unaccounted in the national report

Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (August 11, 2022)

Down To Earth brings you top environmental cases heard in Supreme Court, high courts and National Green Tribunal