Month: October 2025

A growing reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS) across Asia could backfire, potentially adding nearly 25 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to a new report by Climate Analytics released on October 6, 2025. The study warns that while CCS aims to reduce fossil fuel emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from power plants and industrial facilities and storing it underground, its widespread deployment could undermine the Paris Agreement and expose economies to financial and environmental risks. The report assessed current and prospective CCS efforts across key Asian economies including China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia, which together account for more than half of global fossil fuel use and emissions. I...

Plastic pollution continues to choke our planet, with billions of single-use bottles ending up in landfills, rivers, and oceans every year. In Europe alone, each person consumes hundreds of bottles annually, creating waste that can take centuries to decompose and introducing microplastics into soil, water, and even the food chain. Despite awareness campaigns and recycling efforts, single-use plastics remain a persistent global problem. Enter Ooho!, the edible water bubble developed by Skipping Rocks Lab and promoted by London-based startup Notpla. These innovative capsules made from brown algae extracts, offer a revolutionary alternative to bottled water. Using a technique called sphérification, the water is encased in a thin, flexible, biodegradable membrane that can either be eaten or...

The short film 'My Responsibility,' directed by structural engineer Devegowda, is gaining international recognition for its message on the mindful disposal of plastic waste. The film, which was shot in a single day and cost over 1.2 lakh was inspired by the crucial, yet often overlooked role of rag-pickers in the environmental ecosystem. Film Core Message and Setting The movie is set against the backdrop of a World Environment Day celebration at a government school. The plot features a rag-picking child who walks into the school amidst competitions and debates. He highlights the stark contradiction between the students' theoretical discussions about the environment and the actual, indiscriminate plastic disposal that occurs in reality. Devegowda stated that the film is an attempt ...

In a major environmental cleanup, the Jammu and Kashmir government has started removing over 11 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste from the Achan landfill, Srinagar’s largest dumping ground that has long caused distress to nearby residents. Officials say the waste, piled up over three decades, will take around two years to be fully cleared. Spread across nearly 75 acres and located eight kilometres from Srinagar commercial centre, the landfill has been a constant source of foul smell that made daily life unbearable for those living nearby. The stench led to distress sales of property and a rise in diseases, forcing many families to relocate. 30 Years Of Waste, Now A Scientific Cleanup Set up in 1985 as an open dumping site close to SKIMS Soura, Anchar Lake, and several residential...

Pioneering research at Texas A&M University is leveraging the speed and computing power of artificial intelligence to revolutionize disaster management, aiming to save lives and significantly reduce the impact of hazardous weather events in Texas and across the nation. Dr. Ali Mostafavi a professor of civil and environmental engineering views Texas a frequent site of hurricanes, flash floods, wildfires, and tornadoes as "ground zero for natural disasters" and Texas A&M as "ground zero for solutions." He highlights that expediting the prediction of a flooded neighborhood by even 30 minutes can save hundreds of lives. Researchers at his UrbanResilience.AI Lab, in a new partnership with Meta are developing AI systems designed to augment situational awareness and resilience acros...

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report highlighting the alarming rise in ground-level ozone pollution across India's major cities, according to an order dated September 26. The tribunal quoted a reply from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) dated September 25, which primarily links the elevated ozone levels to emissions from the transport sector, power plants, and industrial activities all significant contributors of nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere. The CPCB specifically reported that Delhi-NCR and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region showed higher exceedances of ozone concentration compared to other regions. The report further noted that while human activities are the main cause, ozone precursors can also arise from natural sources, inc...

UTTARAKHAND, INDIA – October 7, 2025 – Traditional water systems, which are the lifeblood of rural communities in Uttarakhand's mountainous regions, are facing an unprecedented crisis. A comprehensive survey has revealed that 76% of the springs across the state are showing a decreasing discharge trend over the last decade, severely threatening water security for thousands of households. The study highlights that the iconic Naulas (stone-lined groundwater reservoirs) are particularly prevalent in the Kumaon region more so than in Garhwal due to Kumaon’s geology, which allows better water percolation, and a history of greater community autonomy in managing these traditional systems. Despite their cultural and ecological importance, the springs are rapidly failing. A striking 81% of spr...

As cities worldwide grapple with extreme heat and the escalating "urban heat island" effect, new research is refining the strategy for using trees to cool urban environments. While urban forestry is booming driven by reports from networks like C40 Cities where extreme heat is reported as the main risk scientists are warning that simply planting "any tree in any location" is insufficient and may even be counterproductive at night. Trees cool their surroundings through three primary mechanisms: providing shade, emitting water via evapotranspiration (similar to human sweating), and altering airflow. A new comprehensive global assessment from the University of Cambridge, which analyzed 182 studies since 2010, found that urban trees can lower pedestrian-level air temperature by up to 12°C . ...

While artificial intelligence (AI) models like GraphCast and FourCastNet have dramatically improved the speed and accuracy of weather forecasting, their internal workings remain largely opaque, offering little scientific insight into atmospheric processes. However, new pioneering research has demonstrated an AI algorithm that could bridge this gap, translating vast datasets into understandable mathematical equations. Traditional physics-based models are limited to short-term forecasts (typically less than two weeks) due to the "inherently chaotic" nature of weather and the exponential growth of tiny inaccuracies. These models rely on estimated parameters that represent physical processes, such as wind or temperature factors. In contrast, modern AI models achieve superior performance but...

New Zealand government has announced a major economic initiative committing over $42 million across seven years to establish a Biodiscovery Platform. The platform is designed to convert the nation unique natural biodiversity into high-value export products, including natural pharmaceuticals cosmetics, functional foods, and advanced bio-based materials. Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr. Shane Reti announced the investment, emphasizing that the initiative is an "economic growth initiative" aimed at increasing New Zealand’s global market share in a rapidly expanding sector. The global bio-based products market is forecast to exceed $300 billion by 2027, with natural pharmaceuticals identified as one of the fastest-growing segments. The effort will be led by the newly forme...