In this issue

Majuli is the world's biggest river island in the Brahmaputra River, Assam, and in 2016 it became the first island to be made a district in India. In this article, Namrata Gulati Sapra says that unfortunately the river island of Majuli is facing an existential crisis as we stand the risk of losing this biodiversity heritage site due to large-scale industrialization and the perils of climate change. But, she further says that there is a ray of hope as the government is leaving no stone unturned to conserve Majuli and if things go as planned, India will have its first ever carbon neutral district in the form of Majuli. She also highlights the societal efforts at spreading awareness and impacting change as there is a realistic chance of it being granted the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in the near future.

Ascending The Learning Curve With GRIHA

The Rise And Ensuing Developments. Prof. Ian Jacobs, Vice Chancellor and President, UNSW and Dr Ajay Mathur, President, GRIHA Council recently announced that the 10th edition of the GRIHA Summit will be co-hosted by UNSW and GRIHA Council in December, 2018 at New Delhi, India. In this article, Namrata Mahal and Shabnam Bassi discuss the increasing significance of GRIHA Council’s work as the year 2018 marks the 10th edition of the GRIHA Summit. GRIHA has been acknowledged as a national tool to evaluate reduction in emissions intensity through habitats, as part of mitigation strategy for combating climate change in India's NDCs submitted to the UNFCCC. The authors also discuss other instruments that GRIHA uses to further ascend the learning curve.

4 mins

Climate Change Is Wreaking

On the Delicate Relationship between Orchids and BeesHavoc The first definitive demonstration of climate change upsetting the vital interdependent relationships between species has been revealed, thanks to a study led by the University of Sussex.

3 mins

Biodiesel From Animal Fat

An Environment-Friendly Alternative to Conventional Fuel Animal fats and oils are lipid materials derived from animals. This includes beef tallow, pork lard, and chicken fat. Animal fat is currently added to pet food and animal feed, and used for industrial purposes such as soap making. In this article, Dr S Talukder, Dr Arvind Soni, and Dr Sagar Chand discuss that animal fats are attractive feedstocks for biodiesel because their cost is substantially lower than the cost of vegetable oil. Animal fat feedstocks can be made into high-quality biodiesel that meets the standard specifications for biodiesel. The authors also briefly discuss the process of biodiesel production from animal fat while also highlighting the drawbacks and challenges to using animal fat feedstocks for producing biodiesel.

7 mins

Climate Finance

For Helping India’s Clean Energy SectorA consultant with Climate Policy Initiative’s India office, Charith Konda supports the India Innovation Lab for Green Finance. He speaks to Sapna Gopal for TerraGreen on why it is the need of the hour.

5 mins

The Disappearing River Island Of Majuli

Is There a Glimmer of Hope? Majuli is the world's biggest river island in the Brahmaputra River, Assam, and in 2016 it became the first island to be made a district in India. In this article, Namrata Gulati Sapra says that unfortunately the river island of Majuli is facing an existential crisis as we stand the risk of losing this biodiversity heritage site due to large-scale industrialization and the perils of climate change. But, she further says that there is a ray of hope as the government is leaving no stone unturned to conserve Majuli and if things go as planned, India will have its first ever carbon neutral district in the form of Majuli. She also highlights the societal efforts at spreading awareness and impacting change as there is a realistic chance of it being granted the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in the near future.

10 mins

Is Farming A Curse For Indian Farmers?

Potential Ways to Find Solutions India is predominantly an agrarian economy but our farmers have to deal with extremely distressing conditions of poverty, extreme mental pressure, and the subsequent suicides. Poor return on cultivation and absence of non-farming opportunities are indicators of the greater socio-economic illness in rural India. Moreover, the increasing cases of farmers’ suicides are symptomatic of a larger crisis, which is evident in the Indian society today. In this article, Dr Arvind Bijalwan and Dr Manmohan J R Dobriyal have discussed the ordeal that Indian farmers have to go through, the things that plague the agriculture sector in India today, and the possible ways to find solutions to this national problem.

7 mins

Pench Tiger Reserve

Memoirs of the Mowgli’s LandPench National Park or Tiger Reserve is one of the premier tiger reserves of India and the only one to straddle across two states—Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Here, Dr Chandra Prakash Kala reminiscences his visit to the tiger reserve and shares his experiences with us.

4 mins

Rhinos Find A Second Home At Dudhwa National Park

Three female and one male greater one-horned rhinoceros have been introduced to a rehabilitation area in Dudhwa National Park by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department, in partnership with WWF-India. Keep reading to know more…

2 mins

Is It Worth It?

Maneka Sanjay Gandhi says that when you eat meat, you are actually consuming vast amounts of water and polluting the rest. You need to reduce your water footprint and becoming vegetarian is the first step.

4 mins

Navigating Uncertainty Today For A Better Tomorrow

We live in a world of great political, economic, and environmental flux.

5 mins

Read all stories from TerraGreen

TerraGreen Magazine Description:

TerraGreen is one of the most respected monthly magazine dedicated to informing and enlightening its readers on issues of environment, energy, and sustainable development. Launched in 2004, TerraGreen has made an indelible impression on the minds of readers, both in India and across the world. Today, it enjoys a readership of over 40,000 and a subscriber base of close to 5,000. Helping the magazine along in its endeavour to take issues of absolute importance to the people is the fact that it is the only publication of its kind in the market; not only does it inform and educate, it does so in a subtle and reader-friendly manner. After all, the aim is to reach as many people as possible!

Table of contents
• News • Comments • Worldview • Features • In Conservation • Red Alert • Cover Story • Special Reports • Perspective • TerraYouth • Wild Wonders • Green Product • Pioneer • Breakthrough • Review
• Environmental Research • Green Events • Wake-up Call