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New Delhi, June 9: The Union government has introduced stricter environmental standards for caustic soda manufacturing units, making it mandatory for wastewater from plants using membrane cell technology to pass a fish survival test before being considered environmentally safe. Under the new standards notified through the Environment (Protection) Second Amendment Rules, 2025, at least 90 percent of fish must survive after being exposed to 100 percent wastewater for 96 hours during laboratory-based bioassay testing. The requirement aims to determine whether industrial effluent remains toxic to living organisms even when it complies with individual chemical limits. The new rule represents a shift in pollution monitoring by focusing not only on chemical concentrations but also on the ov...

Study shows artificial intelligence can predict how biochar affects phosphorus in soil, helping farmers reduce fertilizer waste and improve crop productivity. Artificial intelligence may soon help farmers make smarter use of biochar, a carbon rich material made from burnt plant waste that has gained popularity as a sustainable soil amendment. A new study has found that AI can accurately predict how biochar influences phosphorus availability in soil, potentially reducing fertilizer waste and improving agricultural productivity. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but crops typically absorb only 15 to 20 percent of the fertilizer applied during a growing season. Much of the remaining phosphorus becomes chemically trapped in the soil or washes into rivers and lakes, ca...

Artificial intelligence may soon help farmers make smarter use of biochar, a carbon rich material made from burnt plant waste that has gained popularity as a sustainable soil amendment. A new study has found that AI can accurately predict how biochar influences phosphorus availability in soil, potentially reducing fertilizer waste and improving agricultural productivity. Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but crops typically absorb only 15 to 20 percent of the fertilizer applied during a growing season. Much of the remaining phosphorus becomes chemically trapped in the soil or washes into rivers and lakes, causing harmful algal blooms and water pollution. Researchers from Sun Yat-Sen University in China analyzed 534 observations from 32 previous studies to better u...

New Delhi: The Himalayas are becoming noticeably greener as vegetation spreads to higher altitudes, but scientists caution that this apparent sign of growth may actually signal deeper environmental changes linked to climate change. A new study led by researchers from the University of Exeter found that alpine vegetation has been steadily moving uphill across several Himalayan regions between 1999 and 2022. Researchers examined the alpine vegetation line, which marks the highest elevation where continuous plant growth occurs, across six regions stretching from Ladakh in India to Bhutan. The study found that plants are expanding into areas that were previously too cold and snow-covered to support sustained vegetation. In Nepal's Manthang region, the vegetation line advanced by nearly 22.8...

New Delhi: Strategic urban greening could become a powerful tool in Delhi's battle against air pollution, with environmental experts highlighting that scientifically planned plantations can reduce dust, absorb harmful gases and cool urban temperatures. According to environmental planning specialists, planting the right trees in the right locations is not merely an aesthetic exercise but an important public health measure for one of the world's most polluted cities. Research cited in the study shows that trees, shrubs and grasses help capture airborne particles on their leaves, branches and bark, reducing the amount of pollution inhaled by residents. Vegetation also stabilizes exposed soil, limiting dust resuspension a major contributor to Delhi's particulate pollution. In addition, plan...

In a rare and remarkable event, the usually dry Pennar River is flowing with water in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district even before the official onset of the Southwest Monsoon. The unusual development has brought excitement and hope to farmers across the drought prone Rayalaseema region. The river, often associated with water scarcity and locally referred to as "Peenigula Penna," witnessed a significant flow near Kalyanadurg following gusty winds and continuous pre-monsoon rainfall in parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Residents gathered along the riverbanks to witness the uncommon sight, describing it as something they had never expected to see during peak summer. The Pennar originates from the Nandi Hills region of Karnataka and enters Andhra Pradesh through Parigi mandal bef...

Across Indonesia's Wallacea region one of the world most biologically rich marine areas coastal communities are successfully reviving centuries old customary conservation practices to protect marine ecosystems from overfishing, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss. Highlighted in the documentary Jejak Wallacea these community led initiatives demonstrate how local knowledge and traditional governance systems can play a crucial role in environmental conservation. The efforts span four provinces East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and Central Sulawesi where residents are combining cultural traditions with modern conservation goals. In Solor, East Nusa Tenggara, communities have established protected marine zones known as "marine granaries" (kebang lewa lolon) t...

The Amazon rainforest may be revealing a new warning sign of climate stress. Scientists have discovered that trees in the world's largest rainforest released previously undetected chemical compounds into the atmosphere during and after the record breaking drought of 2023–24 suggesting that extreme climate events are altering the forest's natural processes in unexpected ways. The findings come from researchers at Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, who monitored air samples above the Amazon canopy and found that trees began emitting rare chemical compounds known as sesquiterpene alcohols. These molecules had never before been recorded in the air over a tropical rainforest. Researchers collected air samples at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory, located northeast of Manaus. By tracking ...

The world's growing plastic waste crisis is creating an environmental and public health problem far beyond the countries where the waste is generated. New research suggests that a significant portion of plastic waste exported for recycling is ultimately being burned in lower income countries releasing dangerous pollutants into the air and increasing health risks for local communities. According researchers found that large volumes of plastic waste shipped from wealthier nations are ending up in countries where waste management systems are often inadequate. In many cases, open burning has become a common method of disposal, exposing millions of people to toxic emissions. The findings come as global plastic waste production continues to surge. If current trends continue, experts warn t...

The Global Zero Waste Forum held in Istanbul, Turkey from June 5-7, 2026 has emerged as an important platform for discussing sustainable waste management and climate action. With participation from governments, United Nations agencies, businesses, researchers, and civil society organizations, the forum aims to showcase practical zero waste solutions and mobilize investment for waste reduction initiatives worldwide. For India, the event carries particular significance as the country faces a rapidly growing waste crisis. Experts argue that waste management can no longer be viewed solely as a sanitation issue but must also be recognized as an environmental, public health, and climate challenge. According to the article, India current approach has largely focused on visible cleanliness t...