Breaking News

The Arctic Ocean's sea ice reached its 2025 summer minimum on September 10 without setting a new record low, a finding that at first glance appears to be a positive development. While the extent of sea ice has not plummeted below the 2012 record, scientists are warning that this recent slowdown is likely just a temporary reprieve from the relentless long-term trend of ice loss driven by human-caused climate change. A 20-Year Slowdown in Ice Loss After a record low winter maximum in March 2025, the Arctic seemed poised for a historic melt season. However, according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), this year's minimum extent of 4.602 million square kilometers ranks as the 11th lowest on record, far from the 2012 low. The current sea ice extent, while still signifi...

In a major environmental achievement, the Parsa East and Kanta Basan (PEKB) coal mine in Surguja, Chhattisgarh, has become the first in the state to successfully revive large-scale plantations of Sal trees, a species notoriously difficult to cultivate outside natural forests. The accomplishment on reclaimed mining land marks a significant step toward sustainable mining practices in a sector often criticized for deforestation and land degradation. A Milestone in Ecological Restoration The project has already resulted in the planting of over 1.5 million trees, including the sensitive Sal (Shorea robusta) variety. The Sal tree is a vital component of Central India's forests, known for its ability to prevent soil erosion, enrich soil quality, and act as a natural carbon sink. Its revival...

An relentless and intense monsoon season has triggered a series of disasters across several Indian states, with landslides, flash floods, and infrastructure collapses reported in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, and Manipur. Authorities are on high alert as rescue and relief operations are underway to help affected communities and restore damaged infrastructure. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand Hit Hardest The Himalayan states have borne the brunt of the monsoon's fury. In Himachal Pradesh, the death toll from rain-related incidents and road accidents since June 20 has tragically risen to 409, with the state reporting a total loss of ₹4,504 crore. A recent landslide in the Nihri area of Mandi district claimed at least three lives, while another massive lan...

Brazil is championing a new global financing mechanism, the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), to be launched at the upcoming COP30 conference. The initiative aims to shift forest conservation from a reliance on volatile foreign aid to a self-sustaining, market-driven model. The TFFF is designed to raise a massive $125 billion to pay tropical forest countries a fixed amount for every hectare of standing forest they maintain, with deductions for deforestation. How the Financial Mechanism Works The TFFF operates as a blended finance fund, combining public and philanthropic capital with private investments to generate returns. Public sponsors, primarily high-income countries, will provide 20% of the initial capital at low interest rates. The remaining 80% will come from market ...

Chennai is taking a monumental step to secure its long-term water supply with the launch of a ₹14,000 crore plan aimed at increasing its drinking water storage capacity more than threefold by 2050. The comprehensive strategy, developed by the water resources department (WRD), seeks to boost storage from the current 11 tmc to a massive 38.73 tmc to meet the city's future needs and avert a potential crisis. A Bold Vision to Avert Crisis The ambitious plan, which is based on a detailed report by consultant Royal Haskoning DHV, includes 704 essential projects that have been approved for execution over the next decade. The initiatives are spread across 12 river basins, including the Chennai and Palar basins, and represent a fundamental shift in the city's approach to water management. Rat...

BENGALURU — A recent analysis has brought to light a growing concern: the scientific community's apparent silence on environmentally destructive projects in the Western Ghats. The article, which highlights the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Project (PSP) and the Hubballi–Ankola Rail proposal as prime examples, argues that while scientists and conservationists may agree on the need for forest protection, their unified opposition often crumbles when faced with specific, real-world projects. The author, R.S. Tejus, suggests that this hesitation and division are weakening resistance efforts, allowing projects to move forward despite warnings from experts and courts. This silence, the article states, is contributing to the fragmentation of the Western Ghats, a vital ecological corridor that is no...

A vast and previously hidden world has been uncovered beneath Antarctica icy perimeter, revealing a network of 332 submarine canyons that are reshaping scientists’ understanding of ocean currents and the pace of global sea-level rise. A new, highly detailed map of the Antarctic seafloor, published in the journal Marine Geology, shows that these immense geological features are key conduits for the flow of water, heat, and sediment, directly influencing the melting of ice shelves. A Dynamic Seafloor Revealed The research, which utilized high-resolution bathymetric data from over 40 international expeditions, identified five times more canyons than had ever been catalogued before. The study found a dramatic contrast between the eastern and western margins of the continent. East Antar...

In a move to address escalating human-wildlife conflict, Kerala's government is considering a controversial new bill that would grant local authorities the power to kill certain animals that stray into populated areas. The proposed legislation, which allows for reclassifying animals as "vermin," is being framed as a solution to the genuine suffering of rural communities facing crop losses and attacks. However, critics warn that the bill risks undermining the state's conservation legacy and could trigger a new cycle of ecological and social problems. A Short-Term Fix with Long-Term Risks The draft bill is a response to immense political pressure from farmers and residents grappling with raids by wild boars and elephants. By empowering local panchayats to sanction the killing of animal...

A private firm, Level9 Biz Private Limited, has denied the Punjab government claim that its report led to the collapse of three gates of the Madhopur barrage, which resulted in devastating floods. The company, which was awarded a ₹14.1 lakh contract, asserts that its scope of work was limited to a "design flood study" and did not include assessing the structural integrity or health of the barrage gates. Disputed Mandate The Punjab Water Resources Department served a show-cause notice to the firm, accusing it of submitting an "inaccurate and misleading" report. However, in its reply, Level9 Biz stated, "It was not my mandate or scope of work to check the strength of the barrage’s gates." According to the company, the contract was only for "design flood studies," which involved computi...

For decades, the Perungudi dumpyard in Chennai was a mountain of waste, but it's now a symbol of urban renewal and sustainable waste management. Through a pioneering biomining process, more than 1.7 million cubic meters of garbage have been cleared from the 96-acre site, transforming it from a toxic landmark into a source of valuable materials. This project serves as a national blueprint for how Indian cities can tackle their growing waste crisis. Innovation at the Core: The Biomining Revolution The transformation was made possible by Blue Planet Environmental Solutions, which has implemented a "Made-in-India" biomining process that guarantees zero pollution and zero waste. The method involves excavating, treating, and segregating every bit of garbage, with nothing sent back to the ...