Breaking News

  New Delhi, Aug 2: Countries across the world are strengthening efforts to tackle climate change, improve waste management, conserve biodiversity, and prepare for increasingly frequent extreme weather events through innovative policies and scientific solutions. A major breakthrough in plastic recycling has emerged from researchers at the University of Manchester, who have developed a "super enzyme" capable of breaking down tough polycarbonate plastics into their original building blocks. Scientists believe the technology could pave the way for a truly circular plastic economy by enabling high-quality recycling while reducing dependence on crude oil for new plastic production. Climate scientists have also warned that tropical ecosystems are facing unprecedented risks. A recen...

Aug 2, 26 : Strong environmental laws, effective institutions and accessible justice systems are essential for achieving a fair and inclusive transition to a greener economy, according to a new report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Released on the first anniversary of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) landmark advisory opinion on climate obligations, the report highlights the environmental rule of law as a key pillar of a "just transition." It stresses that public participation, access to justice, rights-based governance and equitable financing are crucial to ensure vulnerable communities are not left behind during the shift to sustainable economies. The report comes as countries continue negotiations on just transition frameworks under global c...

Aug 2: Chemical recycling is emerging as a promising technology to tackle hard to recycle plastics but experts say its future depends on stronger policy support, clear regulations and improved economic viability. An opinion published in Chemistry World noted that despite improvements in overall recycling rates, more than 70 per cent of plastic waste in Europe and nearly 90 per cent in the United States is still either incinerated or sent to landfill. Chemical recycling, also known as advanced recycling, breaks down plastic waste into raw materials that can be used to manufacture new plastics. Technologies such as pyrolysis and depolymerisation offer potential solutions for recycling mixed plastics and soft packaging that cannot be processed through conventional mechanical recycling. ...

  Aug 2: Scientists have identified a resilient Mediterranean sea sponge that could help restore polluted harbour ecosystems after a transplantation experiment demonstrated remarkable survival and self replication in contaminated waters. The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, showed that the chicken kidney sponge (Chondrosia reniformis) survived for 455 days in Spain's Marina Palamós, with 91.7 per cent of transplanted specimens remaining alive while naturally producing mobile clones. Researchers from the Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes in Girona transplanted 42 sea sponges from five Mediterranean species into the polluted marina to evaluate their potential for ecological restoration. Four species either failed to establish or died within mo...

  Leh, Aug 2: Climate change is transforming the architecture of Ladakh with increasing rainfall forcing residents to replace centuries old mud roofs with corrugated tin sheets and reinforced concrete. While these changes help protect homes from water damage, conservationists warn they could gradually erase the region's unique architectural heritage. For generations, Ladakhi homes were built using sun dried mud bricks, thick earthen walls and flat mud roofs supported by wooden beams. These structures were well adapted to the region's cold, dry climate, providing natural insulation during freezing winters and cool summers. However, residents say weather patterns have changed significantly in recent years. Rainfall, once rare and brief has become more frequent and intense, caus...

July 30: Traditional sal leaf plates handcrafted by tribal communities in eastern India are gaining popularity across Europe as an eco friendly alternative to single use plastic, creating new livelihood opportunities while reviving an age old indigenous practice. Made from naturally fallen sal (Shorea robusta) and siali (Bauhinia vahlii) leaves, the plates have long been used across Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal for community feasts, temple offerings and street food. Unlike plastic or thermocol, they are fully biodegradable, chemical-free, compostable and decompose naturally within weeks. Growing demand from environmentally conscious consumers has led restaurants, hotels and retailers across Europe to adopt the handcrafted tableware. Online marketplaces are selling ...

  July 30: Scientists are developing "super-enzymes" that could revolutionise plastic recycling by breaking down difficult to recycle plastics into their original chemical building blocks, enabling them to be reused for making new high quality plastic instead of lower grade products. A 2026 study by researchers at the University of Manchester focused on polycarbonate, a durable plastic widely used in safety glasses, electronics and machine parts. The team engineered an enzyme capable of rapidly digesting polycarbonate back into its original components, opening the door to a more circular recycling process. Unlike conventional recycling, where plastics are melted and remoulded into lower value products before eventually ending up in landfills or incinerators, enzyme based recy...

  July 30: Villages surrounding Tsomgo Lake in Sikkim have sustained a community-led waste management and conservation initiative for nearly two decades, helping preserve one of the state's most popular tourist attractions despite rising visitor numbers. Located about 38 km from Gangtok at an altitude of nearly 3,780 metres, the glacial Tsomgo Lake, also known as Changu or Tsongmo Lake, attracts between 300,000 and 500,000 tourists annually. Revered as a sacred lake by local communities, it also supports rich biodiversity, including the endangered red panda. To tackle increasing waste generated by tourism, the Tsomgo Pokhri Sanrakshan Samiti was established in 2008. The committee comprises 250 families from the villages of Changu, Chipsu and Thegu, with a nine-member executiv...

  July 30: Human induced climate change could transform tropical vegetation by 2050 on a scale comparable to 3.3 million years of natural ecological change, according to a new study published in the Journal of Biogeography. Researchers from the Remote Sensing Center at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, reconstructed the distribution of tropical forests, savannas and deserts over the past 3.3 million years using satellite data, paleoclimate records and machine learning. They then projected how these ecosystems may change under future climate scenarios. The study found that tropical ecosystems have historically changed gradually over hundreds of thousands to millions of years, allowing species time to migrate, adapt and evolve. However, projected climate ch...