Articles & Op-Eds

As the climate crisis intensifies, experiments to “cool the planet” by reflecting solar radiation proliferate. Without proper global and national regulation, they will worsen the crisis. Deliberately reflecting sunlight into space to cool the planet—solar radiation modification (SRM)—is now under serious exploration/investigation as a solution to the climate crisis. In [...]

As can be seen from the case of Maharashtra, planning is essential for a just transition One only has to read the newspaper headlines to realise that climate change is no longer a distant threat. For instance, a headline from January this year announced, “Mumbai experiences its hottest January day [...]

COP28 took a realistic approach to transitioning from fossil fuels. India’s argument that only coal can’t be a climate villain won. But the rich world still isn’t forking out enough cash. As the gavel struck, albeit a day later than the deadline, to mark the agreement at COP28, it signalled [...]

These countries have historically drawn a red line, refusing to recognize the necessity of phasing down oil and gas to address the climate crisis. It was perhaps preordained that an agreement on reducing fossil fuel production and consumption should have happened at the COP28 climate negotiations in Dubai, presided over [...]

The 28th conference is a milestone event where the international community must confront the harsh truths about our collective (and differentiated) efforts to combat climate emergency. There is always a hype built around the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. Every Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations [...]

So, what can Dubai do? COP28 will really test rich nations’ commitment to climate finance. Big Oil & Big Gas will be under severe scrutiny There is always a hype built around the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. Every Conference of the Parties (COP) is projected as a do-or-die [...]

About 48% of these emissions come from the use of biomass, such as fuelwood and dung cakes, for cooking and heating. Air pollution is a pan-India problem. In 2022, the average PM2.5 levels across the country were 10.7 times higher than the WHO standard. This means that almost the entire country [...]

Dust aside, biomass burning contributes most to PM2.5-led air pollution countrywide. Households are bigger emitters than farmers. Industry emissions come next. Air pollution is a pervasive issue in India, with the Indo-Gangetic Plain suffering the most severe consequences. The severity of this problem is underscored by recent rankings that place [...]

Article The transformative potential of decarbonisation is that it can meet socio-economic goals better than current development pathways. The Paris Agreement that India signed alongside 195 other countries in 2015 came into effect on 4 November 2016. Article 4.1 of the Paris Agreement refers to the goal of achieving ‘Net Zero’ through a “balance [...]

The year 2023 has witnessed significant upheavals in the Himalayas. The Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in Sikkim that swept away humans, houses, bridges and a dam was the latest in a series of unsettling reports throughout the year. First came the sinking of Joshimath but it was soon overshadowed [...]

In a world marked by the rivalries of great powers and the urgent need for collaborative action, the G20 has become a stage where realpolitik unfolds in real time. And yet, this forum—which accounts for 85 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of trade and an overwhelming majority [...]

Cities get flooded by heavy rain mostly because authorities don’t do a few simple things. Delhi’s plight last weekend was thanks to the state government rejecting a drainage plan from IIT. As deluges subside and our cities revert to normal chaus, we ask ourselves how we got here. Like in [...]