As the world grapples with extreme weather events and climate change becomes the buzzword of contemporary times, author Amitav Ghosh says the crisis has been in the making since the 17th century and it is imperative to take into account history before beginning to tackle the issue.
Some of the World Bank's suggestions to hold back the predicted tide of fresh poverty appear to run counter to the economic policies of Narendra Modi's government
India poses a "bigger problem" than China when it comes to fighting climate change, particularly on reducing carbon emissions, Democratic presidential aspirant and former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has claimed. During his maiden appearance on a Democratic presidential primary debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Bloomberg said it was "ridiculous" of the Trump administration to take the US out of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, as he outlined his approach to tackling climate change.
The developing countries fear that the mysterious draft prepared by Denmark would be sprung upon hours before the high-level segment of climate talks begins, making it difficult for any world leader to oppose.
'This is a message to the whole world about those responsible for climate change and its repercussions -- whether intentionally or unintentionally -- and about the action we must take,' the Al Qaeda chief said.
'This is no longer a single-hazard problem; it is a cascading, multi-hazard problem. A landslide never occurs in isolation. This entire chain is the cascading effect of what looks, at first, like a single disaster.'
Attributing to three studies on agriculture, energy and migration, the ADB said on Wednesday the impacts of rising temperatures in Asia would fall disproportionately on the region's poor, and rural women from developing countries would be among the most affected groups.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told developed countries which powered their way to prosperity on fossil fuels that it would be "morally wrong" if they shift the burden of reducing emissions on developing countries like India.
"An absolutely clear imperative is that developed countries walk the talk on green house gas reductions. Developing countries are playing a part in the international action on mitigation, especially through the flexibility mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol," the top Indian delegate said.
A top US delegate at Copenhagen summit denied the possibility that hacked e-mails had made the case for sceptics stronger and said the incident would not affect the fate of climate change bill in the American Senate.
A senior Geological Survey of India official warns that the Himalayas are vulnerable to cascading disasters, where one high-altitude event can trigger a chain of destructive events downstream, as evidenced by Nepal's recent floods. He stresses the need for integrated monitoring using satellite data and ground investigations to identify high-risk areas and improve preparedness in the Indian Himalayas.
'The Paris Conference is a decisive meeting on climate change.' 'Negotiating an agreement between 196 countries is indeed a challenge.' 'If we go beyond 2°C, the consequences will be extremely difficult to deal with.'The poor are the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.'
A committee formed by West Bengal's BJP government is considering proposals to rename several prominent roads, bridges, and public places in Kolkata, including those named after communist leaders Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, and Ho Chi Minh. This move has sparked sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress and CPI(M), who view it as "vendetta politics" and an attempt to disrespect differing ideologies.
As the fourth-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, India has an important role to play in the global response to climate change.
Nobel laureate Rajendra Pachauri, who is head of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, on Tuesday made an impassioned appeal to over 100 heads of states and governments to act urgently to mitigate green house gas emission in order to save the planet.
Scientists at the University of Rochester, the University of Alabama, and the University of Virginia have said that the observed patterns of temperature changes over the last 30 years are not in accord with what greenhouse models predict. These observations are in conflict with the conclusions of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and also with some recent research publications based on essentially the same data.
Tata Motors has launched the Sierra Legend Series, a new line of its iconic Sierra mid-SUV, designed to democratize premium features across all variants. This strategy, dubbed "Luxury, From The Base," aims to challenge traditional industry norms by offering high-end comfort, refinement, and technology even in entry-level models, ensuring the Sierra remains a benchmark in the competitive Indian automotive market.
India's Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran stated that the country's balance of payments (BoP) pressure is expected to remain a continuous challenge due to rising imports, commodity dependence, high global interest rates, and intense competition for capital.
The G-8 nations have failed to agree on the issue of climate change. According to G8 leaders' Declaration on world economy, climate change, development and Africa issued on Wednesday, the rich and the most industrialised nations of the world have reaffirmed the importance of the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and notably of its Fourth Assessment Report, which constitutes the most comprehensive assessment of the science.
'When a glacier collapse or a major flood event does occur, the water will simply reclaim its original path, and anything built in that path will be swept away.'
Easing Gyanesh Kumar out would create a hazardous political precedent because forcing out a top official, due to public pressure, projects an image of reactive, defensive governing. Furthermore, making a high-level official like the CEC to hand in his papers would validate Opposition claims that Constitutional referees have been compromised, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
NAS invites scientific write-ups on climate change by December 31, 2007
Foreseen climate changes are likely to affect food production in the country, cutting it down by 10-40%.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said that he "really wanted" Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in a crucial climate change summit in New York next week to mobilise political will for a universal and meaningful climate agreement.
The melting of polar ice, he said, had nothing to do with man-made carbon dioxide. They come off due to the physics of ice and the flow of ice, Plimer said.
The study revealed that 83 per cent of Indian business leaders believe to have fair to good understanding on the issue of climate change. However, just under half of these respondents stated they have a clear strategy in place to respond to these issues. There is a significant gap between good intentions and action as only 21 per cent have measured their current carbon footprint, which is one of the first steps in defining a strategy to deal with the issue, the study noted.
There is a strong opinion within the BJP in Punjab that the party must now stand on its own two feet and dump the badly compromised SAD baggage.
A major tragedy was averted in Assam's Hojai district on Wednesday when forest personnel alerted the Rajdhani Express after spotting a large herd of elephants crossing a railway track, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Britain on Friday became the world's first country to publish a landmark climate change legislation setting out legally binding targets to tackle climate change for the next 50 years.
'The number of deaths attributable to warming is likely to rise in the future.'
The devastating floods in Nepal have brought back memories of two major disasters in Uttarakhand in recent years, the Rishiganga tragedy of February 2021 and the Dharali disaster of August 2025, which caused extensive loss of life and property and left thousands struggling to rebuild their lives.
A group of experts has voiced significant concerns regarding India's ethanol-blended fuel policy, citing potential negative impacts on land-use, agriculture patterns, food security, groundwater levels, and household incomes. They recommend a return to E10 fuel and a review of the policy's overall benefits versus costs to consumers and the environment.
Global warming could cause the death of a quarter of a million children next year as a result of natural disasters causing an increase in injuries, water-borne diseases and starvation.
BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors have called for increased representation of emerging-market and developing economies in the IMF and World Bank, while also criticising unilateral tariffs and trade measures, as the expanded bloc aims to bolster financial cooperation amidst global fragmentation.
A new study published in AGU Advances reveals that extreme heat events are becoming more frequent and expanding beyond traditional summer months globally. This expansion is asymmetric, occurring earlier in spring in regions like western Europe and northwestern India, and later into autumn in areas such as the western US and eastern China. Researchers highlight the challenges this poses for human acclimatisation and community preparedness, as existing infrastructure like cooling centres are built around historical summer calendars.
Other measures being considered for 'geo-engineering' the Earth's climate include producing lighter coloured crops and using iron filings in the world's oceans, The Guardian reported, citing leaked papers from the UN science body.
When it comes to climate, change and promise may only be in the eyes of the beholder.
On Saturday, Environment Ministers from these countries -- called BASIC group of nations -- will meet in Chennai to review the decisions taken at last year's Doha climate conference and plan future steps for taking the global process for an ambitious and equitable agreement under the Durban Platform, official sources said.
With the weaker-than-expected agreement at the recent Climate Change Conference at Lima, there is an urgent need to highlight endeavours in civil society and business for a sustainable global economy with grassroots empowerment, say Rajni Bakshi.
India needs to spread irrigation and do so against a backdrop of rising water scarcity and depleting groundwater resources
