Month: June 2026

This summer the district of Banda in the drought prone Bundelkhand region recorded some of the highest temperatures in the country, with mercury repeatedly crossing 47°C and approaching 48°C during May. While climate change has intensified heatwaves across India, experts say another factor is making the crisis even worse: the steady loss of groundwater and traditional water systems. According to a recent study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), rising temperatures and shrinking water resources are creating a dangerous cycle that is increasing vulnerability in rural communities. As groundwater levels fall and ponds dry up, the land loses its natural cooling ability, causing temperatures to rise even further. For generations communities in Bundelkhand survived harsh summe...

Scientists have discovered that thawing permafrost may trigger a natural geological process capable of removing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, partially counteracting greenhouse gas emissions released from melting frozen soils. The findings published in the journal Nature challenge the widely held view that thawing permafrost acts solely as a source of climate warming emissions. Researchers from Umea University in Sweden and East China Normal University in China found that as frozen ground thaws, it can accelerate rock weathering a natural process that absorbs atmospheric carbon dioxide. Permafrost which stores vast quantities of ancient organic matter, is thawing rapidly due to rising global temperatures. When frozen soils melt, microbes decompose long preser...

More than 2.8 million trees on forest land across India were approved for felling or were already recorded as felled between July 2023 and May 2026, according to an analysis of official forest diversion records. The findings, published by environmental magazine Down To Earth (DTE), are based on minutes of meetings of the Advisory Committee constituted under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. The committee reviews proposals seeking the diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes. The analysis identified 288 unique forest diversion proposals considered during the three year period. Of these, 242 projects received approval, resulting in an approval rate of more than 80 percent. The approved projects led to the diversion of over 22,000 hectares of forest land ac...

The Delhi government has announced a new Proactive Winter Air Quality Management Framework aimed at reducing air pollution during the city's most challenging months. The framework, notified on June 19, lays out a series of measures that could be implemented between November and February if pollution levels begin to rise. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the plan is intended to provide advance notice to residents and businesses so they can prepare for restrictions and avoid disruptions during the winter season. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government is taking early action by clearly communicating the steps that may be required to manage worsening air quality. Valid PUC Certificate Mandatory for Fuel Purchase One of the key measures under the framework is the enforc...

A polluted lagoon in Portugal is showing remarkable signs of recovery after scientists successfully restored underwater seagrass meadows that had been destroyed by decades of industrial contamination. The restoration effort took place in Largo do Laranjo, part of the Ria de Aveiro lagoon, where mercury and arsenic pollution had severely damaged the ecosystem. Researchers say the project demonstrates how nature based solutions can help clean contaminated environments and bring degraded habitats back to life. According to the European Commission, the area was once covered with dense meadows of Zostera noltei seagrass. However, years of industrial pollution poisoned the sediments, leading to the disappearance of the underwater vegetation. Although water quality improved after stricter e...

A powerful mass of hot air moving north from Africa is set to trigger an intense heatwave across Spain and France, with temperatures expected to soar above 40°C in several regions and potentially reach 45°C in the hottest areas. The heatwave is forecast to begin this weekend and continue through Tuesday, June 23, coinciding with the start of the summer season. Meteorologists warn that the event could become one of the most significant early-summer heat episodes in recent years. According to climate monitoring service Copernicus, temperatures will begin rising sharply across western and central Europe before spreading further across the continent. Spain is expected to be among the hardest-hit countries, while large parts of France will also experience exceptionally high temperatures. ...

Amazon announced on June 19 that its operations in India have become "water positive," meaning the company now replenishes more water to communities than it consumes across its facilities, including data centres, warehouses, and corporate offices. The announcement comes as major technology firms face increasing scrutiny over the environmental impact of rapidly expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure. Data centres, which support cloud computing and AI services, are often criticized for their high energy and water consumption. According to Amazon, the company achieved its India water positive target one year ahead of schedule through a combination of water saving measures and community based conservation projects. These efforts include watershed restoration, rainwater harvesti...

In the high altitude region of Ladakh where farming depends on a short growing season and melting glaciers a new technology is helping communities cope with climate change and shrinking water supplies. For generations, villages such as Sakti relied on small Himalayan glaciers that stored winter snow and released meltwater during spring. However, rising temperatures have caused many low altitude glaciers to disappear, leaving farmers without enough water when crops need it most. To address this problem, local communities began creating artificial glaciers known as "ice stupas" in the early 2010s. Water from mountain streams was piped downhill during winter and sprayed into freezing air, forming towering cones of ice. These structures slowly melted in spring, supplying water for crops....

A new study has found that an unusual patch of cold water in the North Atlantic Ocean known as the "cold blob," may be altering the Indian summer monsoon and affecting rainfall patterns across South Asia. Researchers discovered that since 1999, rainfall distribution during the monsoon season has shifted significantly. Northwestern parts of India now receive about 25% more rainfall than before, while the fertile Indo Gangetic Plain receives around 4% less rainfall. These changes have increased flood risks in some areas while creating drought conditions in others, posing challenges for agriculture and food security. The study links these changes to the Atlantic cold blob, a region southeast of Greenland where ocean temperatures have remained unusually cool despite global ocean warming....

Heat waves are playing a much larger role in fueling wildfires across the western United States than previously understood, according to a new study that examined wildfire activity from 2001 to 2024. Researchers found that although heat waves accounted for only 12% to 15% of warm-season days, they were associated with 42% of the total area burned by wildfires during the study period. The findings highlight the growing connection between climate change, extreme heat and wildfire activity. The study, conducted by a team of fire and climate scientists, analyzed two decades of wildfire data across the western U.S. and quantified the impact of heat waves on fire behavior for the first time. Researchers defined a heat wave as a period of at least three consecutive days with temperatures ra...