Page 2 - Environment

Ecologist Madhav Gadgil calls Wayanad tragedy 'man-made', blames state govt

Gadgil-led Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel in 2011 recommended the entire Western Ghats be designated as an 'ecologically sensitive area' and ban the transfer of forest land for non-forest purposes

Defence forces move in big way in rescue ops in Wayanad landslide

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday that 93 bodies have been recovered and 128 people have been injured after massive landslides

ERF sees no payouts since 2019, fund reaches Rs 1,062 cr: MoS tells RS

Established in 2008 to assist individuals affected by hazardous substances, ERF has remained inactive in recent years. "No funds have been released from the ERF in the past five years," Singh stated

280% surge in projects in wildlife sanctuaries, national parks in 2023-24

India saw a massive 280 per cent increase in the number of projects recommended in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in 2023-24 as compared to 2022-23, according to the data presented in Parliament on Monday. Union Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh also informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 957.25 square kilometers or 95,724.99 hectares of forest area has been diverted for non-forestry use under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 over five years starting from April 2019. The minister said that 71 project proposals were approved in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries across the country in 2019-20. The numbers stood at 85 in 2020-21, 154 in 2021-22, 150 in 2022-23, and surged to 421 in 2023-24. Singh also shared that 8,731 requests for forest land diversion were approved between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2023, amounting to a total of 95,724.99 hectares of forest area being set aside for non-forestry use. Madhya Pradesh saw the highe

Prez Murmu urges people to take smaller, local steps to protect environment

Highlighting the recent spate of terrible heatwaves in India and frequent extreme weather events around the globe, President Droupadi Murmu asked people on Monday to take smaller and local steps to protect the environment for a better tomorrow. In a note on the social media platform 'X' after visiting the seashore in this temple town, Murmu said oceans and the rich variety of flora and fauna have suffered heavily due to pollution but people living in nature's lap have sustained traditions "that can show us the way". "Inhabitants of coastal areas, for example, know the language of the winds and waves of the sea. Following our ancestors, they worship the sea as God," she said, while suggesting ways to protect and conserve the environment. The President arrived in Odisha on a four-day tour on July 6. "There are places that bring us in closer touch with the essence of life and remind us that we are part of nature. Mountains, forests, rivers and seashores appeal to something deep within

Need to increase green cover to tackle soaring summer heat: Minister Yadav

Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Sunday stressed the need to increase green cover to deal with soaring temperatures during summer. The union environment minister joined the ongoing campaign to plant 51 lakh saplings in Indore. Speaking on the occasion, Yadav said humans built concrete cities on the earth but destroyed greenery in the race for development. "This year, we have experienced temperatures soaring to 45 to 50 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country. In the race for development, humans have built concrete cities on earth but destroyed the greenery," he said. The "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on World Environment Day on June 5 is about respecting Mother Earth. According to officials, the plantation drive in Indore will end on July 14. Yadav planted a sapling at a programme organised at the Border Security Force (BSF) campus in the Bijasan area under the campaign "Apne Indore Ke Liye, Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" i

Over 200 investors join forces to push for policy action on nature loss

Spring initiative comes ahead of global talks in Colombia in October that aim to accelerate efforts to protect and restore nature

Here's why EU's ecodesign regulation can hurt export of textiles, footwear

EU's ecodesign regulation mandates rigorous energy performance and environmental sustainability, prohibiting the disposal of unsold textiles and footwear, potentially impacting India's export volumes

Modi govt to continue to balance development, environment protection: Min

The Modi government will continue to balance development with environmental protection and conservation, Bhupender Yadav said on Tuesday after taking over as Union Environment minister. Yadav's role as Environment minister will be crucial as India proposes to host the international climate talks (COP33) in 2028. If accepted, it would be the next major global conference in India after the G20 Summit last year. Listing the major achievements of the Modi-led government, which enters its third consecutive term, he said, "India met the quantitative and qualitative targets set under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - the national climate plan to achieve Paris Agreement goals - nine years ahead of schedule." "Our achievements in emission reduction and the renewable energy sector are significant milestones of the Modi government over the past decade," Yadav told reporters. The minister, who also expressed satisfaction with the progress of the cheetah project, said Prime Minis

Anant Ambani's Vantara launches campaign for World Environment Day 2024

Anant Ambani's wildlife preservation initiative shared a video with a campaign towards environmental conservation. The video features Ajay Devgn, KL Rahul, Kusha Kapila etc

WHO calls for boosting collaboration between health, environment sectors

The WHO on Wednesday called for strengthening collaboration between the health and environment sectors to address shared challenges. It is imperative to advocate for policies that prioritise environmental sustainability and public health, and invest in research and innovation to develop sustainable healthcare practices, Saima Wazed, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia said on the World Environment Day. She urged the public health community to join the efforts towards land restoration, halting desertification and building drought resilience "The worrying reality is that our region records the highest number of deaths from climate change annually amongst all WHO regions. Climate change and biodiversity loss already pose major threats to health, the regional economy and livelihoods across our region," Wazed stated. World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5, after it was established at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. This year the focus is

Kerala govt devising schemes to preserve environment, says CM Vijayan

The Kerala government has been devising and implementing various schemes to prevent land degradation and preserve the environmental balance in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday on the occasion of World Environment Day. In a Facebook post, Vijayan said this year's message on World Environment Day is to prevent land degradation and increase soil fertility. He claimed that as part of the neoliberal economic order, land grabbing, illegal encroachments by private capitalistic forces to serve their self interests and climate change were leading to large-scale degradation of the land. Vijayan said that the degradation of land can be prevented only through extensive planning and interventions in policy formulation and implementation. "It requires public participation also. The LDF government in Kerala has been devising and implementing various schemes for this purpose," he said. Giving examples of steps taken by the government, the CM said that interventions wer

World Environment Day 2024: Date, Theme, History, Importance, Quotes

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5 to pause, reflect, and take action to protect our amazing planet. 2024 will mark the 30th anniversary as per the UN Convention

NCRTC to plant over 250K trees along RRTS corridor from Ghaziabad to Meerut

The NCRTC will be planting more than 2.5 lakh trees along the RRTS corridor from Sahibabad to Shatabdi Nagar in Meerut, a statement said on Wednesday. This initiative aims to contribute to the green cover and sustainable environment, aligning with global environmental protection goals, it said. Half of these saplings are being planted in the median under the viaduct along the 48-km RRTS corridor from Sahibabad to Shatabdi Nagar in Meerut where more than 95 per cent of the tree plantation works have been completed, it said. The remaining half of the saplings have been planted in the RRTS Depot in Duhai, the statement said. Plants planted in the median below the viaduct from Duhai to Shatabdi Nagar include Bougainvillea, Tecoma, Plumeria Alba, Allamanda, Mansoa, Jasmine, and Madhumalati. Known for their beautiful flowers, these plants will make the area along the RRTS corridor green and visually appealing, it stated. At the RRTS Depot in Duhai, about 70-75 types of plants have been

One degree temperature rise could slash global GDP by 12%, warns new study

The study said that the new estimates are higher than previous ones due to the use of new datasets that more accurately reflect changes in global mean temperatures

World Bee Day 2024: Celebration, history, themes, significance and more

World Bee Day 2024: This day is celebrated every year on May 20 to mark the birth anniversary of Anton Jansa. Check dates, history, significance and more

India Greens Party's manifesto pitches for environment, social justice

The country's only 'green' party has fielded candidates for Lok Sabha polls from Delhi, Mumbai and Punjab

Less corporate responsibility? India Inc's CSR spending slowed down in FY23

In FY23, there was only a 5 per cent increase in CSR spending compared to the previous year, due to which, CSR spending as a percentage of net profit fell to a six-year low of 1.87 per cent

NGT seeks response from authorities on deteriorating condition of Dal Lake

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from several authorities, including the Central Pollution Control Board and the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee, on "deteriorating conditions" of the Dal Lake in Kashmir. The green panel was hearing a matter in which it had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a media report that said "...the condition of the Dal Lake in Kashmir was deteriorating because of municipal sewage, pollution and urbanisation and its impact on the lives of Hanji people (those living in houseboats)". A bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member A Senthil Vel said, according to the report, sewage has destroyed the fish in the lake. At one time, people used to drink the lake water but today it cannot even be used for washing faces. "The news item mentions that 70 per cent of the sewage generated in Srinagar city finds its way into the lake and the sewage treatment plants (STPs) are heavily ...

SC halts new mining leases in 4 states to safeguard Aravalli ecosystem

The Supreme Court injunction in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi will not affect existing mining operations