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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has taken a major step towards promoting gender equality across its global activities. The Executive Council recently approved an updated Gender Action Plan designed to integrate gender considerations into weather, water, and climate services. This plan aims to ensure that climate warnings, disaster responses, and scientific services are inclusive and reach all sections of society. The new plan focuses on three main areas: improving planning by including gender-sensitive goals and data; ensuring fair representation of women in leadership roles, with a target of at least 40% female participation in decision-making bodies; and building skills by offering training and leadership programs for women and young girls interested in science and technol...

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Anglo American Crop Nutrients have begun a global initiative to reclaim salt-affected soils as part of efforts to fight drought and land degradation. This project was announced in line with the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought and aims to tackle a major threat to global food security. Around 10% of the world’s irrigated and rain-fed farmlands are affected by salinization a process where excessive salts build up in the soil, preventing plants from absorbing water and essential nutrients. This leads to falling crop yields and unproductive farmland. Causes include the use of salty irrigation water, climate change-driven dry conditions, rising sea levels affecting coastal lands, and misuse of fertilizers. If left unchecked, sa...

A new global study has revealed that research into photocatalytic degradation of microplastics has sharply increased over the past two decades, offering hope for addressing the growing threat of plastic pollution. The analysis reviewed 204 scientific articles published between 2005 and 2024 and highlighted the growing role of light-driven nanomaterials in breaking down microplastic and nanoplastic waste. Photocatalysis involves using materials that, when exposed to light, produce reactive oxygen species capable of breaking apart plastic polymers. This method is considered environmentally friendly because it requires no harmful chemicals and operates under mild conditions using sunlight or artificial light. China has emerged as the leader in this field, accounting for nearly 42% of th...

A new survey conducted by Greenpeace and Oxfam, released at the Bonn Climate Conference 2025, shows that a vast majority of Indians support imposing taxes on oil, gas, and coal companies for the environmental harm they cause, such as floods, droughts, wildfires, and health-related impacts. According to the findings, 80 per cent of Indian respondents believe that fossil fuel corporations should bear financial responsibility for the damage linked to their operations. More than half of the participants said that the taxes should specifically target oil and gas companies. Meanwhile, 23 per cent suggested businesses in general should pay, 13 per cent recommended levies on consumer goods, and 10 per cent said working individuals should also contribute. When asked who should be primarily re...

High above the beaches of north Cornwall, the rocky cliffs at Godrevy quietly hold secrets about Earth’s ancient climate. These cliffs, carved and shaped by waves more than 100,000 years ago, show where the shoreline once stood several metres higher than today. Similar raised beaches can be found along other parts of Cornwall’s coast, including Bream Cove near Falmouth and Porth Nanven near Land’s End. These old shorelines tell an important story about the planet's past. During warm periods like the one more than 100,000 years ago, huge ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica melted, pouring water into the oceans and raising sea levels around the globe. But figuring out exactly which ice sheets melted and how much remains a mystery that scientists are racing to solve. When ice forms o...

In a bid to promote sustainability and urban renewal, a luxury beverage brand has partnered with the Centre of CSR & Sustainability Excellence (CCSE) and Shri Ramuchit Memorial Foundation to launch the second phase of its environmental project in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. The initiative was announced on World Environment Day and focuses on planting and maintaining 450 native trees in one of the city’s heavily polluted areas. The plantation drive includes species such as Ficus, Canna, and Kaner—chosen for their ability to withstand urban pollution. Urban ecologists were consulted to select trees that would thrive in Delhi’s challenging air quality conditions, ensuring long-term survival and ecological impact. The event drew support from local officials, including the South ACP of De...

  Pakistan is struggling to meet its water needs during the ongoing kharif cropping season due to consistently low water levels in its dams. This situation has been triggered by India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and is expected to worsen in the coming years as India moves forward with multiple projects on the Indus river system. With agriculture forming the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, the impact of this water shortage could be severe, potentially causing widespread economic damage. India has begun implementing a broad plan to optimise the use of the Indus river waters, including inter-basin water transfers. One of the key projects under this plan is a proposed 113-kilometre-long canal designed to redirect surplus water from Jammu and Kashmir to the states of Punj...

In a fresh boost for both environmental sustainability and farmer welfare, the Uttar Pradesh government has extended its Carbon Credit Scheme to the farmers of Prayagraj, offering them a new way to earn while helping combat climate change. Under this initiative, farmers can generate tradable carbon credits simply by planting trees that absorb carbon dioxide turning their fields into green assets. The scheme, already in operation across 13 forest divisions of the state, has now been rolled out in Prayagraj and surrounding areas. “We are promoting fast-growing species like poplar, melia dubia, semal, eucalyptus, and neem, which are ideal for absorbing carbon dioxide,” said Arvind Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Prayagraj. For every tonne of carbon dioxide absorbed, farmers ea...

Professor Gerhard Adrian of Germany has been awarded the prestigious International Meteorological Organization (IMO) Prize, the top honor of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to weather science, international cooperation, and data policy reform. At the award ceremony, Adrian reflected on five decades of transformation in weather forecasting. "In 1975, we questioned if forecasts beyond two days were reliable. Today, seven-day forecasts are as accurate as one-day predictions were fifty years ago," he said during his lecture titled “Following 50 Years of the Evolution of Numerical Weather Prediction from my Personal Perspective.” Transforming Forecasting and Global Data Policy Adrian’s leadership has spanned national and global ...

A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in Uttarkashi’s Mori area early Friday morning when the wall of a house collapsed, killing four members of the same family. The incident occurred around 2 AM in the Gujjar colony of Odata village. According to the Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Office, the victims were asleep when the wall gave way. Emergency teams, including personnel from the administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), quickly reached the remote site located about one kilometre uphill from the main road to carry out rescue and relief operations. Rescuers recovered the bodies of all four family members: Ghulam Hussain (26), his wife Rukma Khatoon (23), their three-year-old son Abid, and ten-month-old daughter Salma. Officials suspect that either the recen...