Month: August 2025

A women-led farmers collective from Karnataka has been named among the ten global winners of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Equator Prize 2025, one of the world’s most prestigious community awards for protecting nature and tackling climate change. Announced on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the award recognises Indigenous peoples and local communities using nature-based solutions to improve livelihoods, safeguard biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience. This year’s theme, Nature on Climate Action, highlighted projects led by women and young people. India’s winner, Bibifathima Swa Sahaya Sangha SHG, works across 30 villages in Karnataka, supporting over 5,000 farmers. The group promotes millet cultivation through mixed cropping, con...

For the first time, scientists have found medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) drifting through the air over Lamont, Oklahoma a startling discovery with major environmental and health implications. The study published in ACS Environmental Au marks the first detection of MCCPs in the Western Hemisphere, challenging assumptions about where these pollutants occur and how they travel. From Sewage Sludge to Sky Researchers believe the source may lie in biosolid fertilizers nutrient-rich sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants often spread over farmland. When applied to fields, fine particles laced with MCCPs can be lifted by wind or released as gases in warm sunlight, entering the atmosphere and traveling over long distances. Daily temperature swings appear to influence M...

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Sangareddy, Medak, Khammam, and other central Telangana districts, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall from Wednesday through Friday. The alert warns of more than 20 cm of rain within 24 hours in the worst-hit areas. Hyderabad and Surrounding Regions on Watch Additional alerts have been issued for Hyderabad and nearby districts, where rainfall is expected to range from 11 cm to 20 cm. The IMD cautions that the state should be prepared for prolonged downpours and possible flooding in low-lying areas. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy convened an urgent meeting with senior officials to coordinate disaster preparedness. Measures include advising IT companies to consider work-from-home arrangements and cancelling all of...

Southern Europe is grappling with a fresh wave of wildfires, with at least three more deaths reported in Spain, Türkiye, and Albania as flames continue to spread after weeks of extreme heat. Outside the Greek port city of Patras firefighters spent the night defending the city perimeter. Flames ripped through olive groves, threatening homes and agricultural facilities. Overhead, water-dropping planes and helicopters joined the fight, while residents armed with buckets and cut branches tried to halt the fire’s advance. Aircraft rotated between multiple danger zones the western Greek mainland, Patras, and the island of Zakynthos. Athens also dispatched aid to Albania, joining an international effort to curb dozens of blazes across the region. In Albania an 80-year-old man was killed ...

Rampur district officials have confirmed the presence of Avian Influenza H5 at a poultry farm in Sehor village, leading to the death of more than 15,000 chickens. The discovery prompted immediate containment measures to prevent the virus from spreading further. Strict 21-Day Ban Enforced In an emergency meeting, District Magistrate Jogendra Singh ordered a 21-day ban on the sale and transport of poultry products. All chicken retailers and eateries have been shut down, and poultry movement within and beyond the district is prohibited. Control rooms have been set up in Rampur and Bilaspur to monitor the situation. The Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) confirmed the virus in collected samples, and additional biosecurity protocols are being implemented at nearby research facil...

Taiwan has shut schools and government offices ahead of Typhoon Podul’s arrival, as officials prepare for possible structural damage and disruptions. The move comes amid warnings from the Central Meteorological Agency about the storm strength and trajectory. Although heavy rain has yet to fall, large waves and strong gusts have already been recorded along Taiwan’s eastern coastline. Podul was clocked at 155 km/h early Wednesday, with landfall expected in southern Taiwan later in the day. Authorities are especially concerned about the storm’s potential to damage cash crops and cause flooding in farming districts. Several domestic and international flights have been delayed or cancelled as a safety measure. Once inland, Podul is forecast to lose strength as it crosses the Central Mo...

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has registered a petition calling for the rejuvenation of five major rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej to ensure they are free from pollution. The case, filed by Noida-based environmentalist Abhisht Kusum Gupta, highlights severe ecological and health threats caused by unchecked contamination. Union and State Authorities Made Respondents The petition names the Union Jal Shakti Ministry, state governments of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, the Central Pollution Control Board, and the respective state pollution control boards as respondents. It also includes deputy commissioners from 25 districts, with 10 from Punjab alone, including Ferozepur, through which these rivers flow. According to Gupta, district administrations...

On Wednesday evening a magnitude 4.9 earthquake shook the lower North Island, with the epicenter located about 20 km south of Hastings in the Hawkes Bay region, GeoNet reported. The quake struck just before 6 PM local time at a depth of 30 km. Thousands Feel the Shake Nearly 6,000 residents across the region reported feeling the tremor to GeoNet, describing the shaking as brief but noticeable. Despite its moderate strength, there have been no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage. Hawkes Bay is no stranger to earthquakes. The area was devastated in 1931 by a massive quake that claimed 256 lives. Situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” New Zealand experiences frequent seismic events as tectonic plates grind beneath its islands. Prepared but Vigilant Authorities conti...

Dubai evolution from a fertile settlement to a modern desert metropolis tells a story of human resilience but also of environmental decline. Now under the UAE National Food Security Strategy 2051 the city is seeking to restore its agricultural heritage using cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices to confront climate change, desertification and its heavy reliance on imports. From Green Oasis to Desert City Archaeological evidence shows that around 7000 BCE, Dubai was a lush, mangrove-rich landscape capable of sustaining early communities. By 2500 BCE, date palms flourished, marking the region’s early agricultural success. Yet its location in the arid Arabian Peninsula meant water was scarce and temperatures extreme. Over centuries, desertification driven by drought over-ir...

Once choked by sewage and urban encroachments stretches of the Yamuna floodplains are showing signs of life lotus ponds glisten, dragonflies skim the surface, and migratory birds return. Over the past two decades, 11 restoration projects between Wazirabad and Okhla have sought to revive the riverbanks balancing ecological conservation with public access. Yamuna Biodiversity Park: A Model of Wild Restoration Spread over 457 acres in Wazirabad, this park was established in 2002 by the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). It restores wetlands, grasslands, and forest mounds to simulate native Yamuna basin ecosystems. Wildlife has rebounded even leopards have been recorded in camera traps. Dr. Faiyaz Khudsar, who wo...