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 [...]

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 [...]

El Nino is likely affecting rains. From colonial times, this weather phenomenon has strongly shaped India’s political-economy. How it will impact 2023-24’s many elections will depend on govt response: As forecasts from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) signal the arrival [...]

We shouldn’t panic about summer extremes, because there are well-understood solutions. The trick is to implement them smartly Dear Sir, I write to you from Lucknow, hoping you could answer some of my questions. 1. Are we inevitably headed towards an unlivable India due to heatwaves? 2. Do you believe [...]

This article originally appeared in Manorma Malyalam