Science
Down To Earth
Barely a contrast
WALKING FROM DANDI: IN SEARCH OF VIKAS IS YET ANOTHER HAGIOGRAPHY OF M K GANDHI THAT UNCRITICALLY ROMANTICISES AND MYTHOLOGISES THE HISTORICAL FIGURE
4 min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
'This rocket launch will inspire youngsters to join the space sector'
On November 18, 2022, Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace Pvt Ltd scripted history by becoming the first private Indian organisation to launch a rocket from Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO's) launchpad in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The launch of the rocket, named Vikram-S after Indian space scientist Vikram Sarabhai, was successful. In a conversation with ROHINI KRISHNAMURTHY, Skyroot Aerospace co-founder PAWAN KUMAR CHANDANA talks about the company's plans to establish itself as satellite launcher catering to the international market and the long-term goal of developing resuable rockets to ensure sustainabililty. Excerpts:
3 min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Killed in cold blood
Surveys quantify the impact of crop intensification on frogs and reptiles; say loss of species and farm productivity inevitable
3 min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Battle half won
Lula's return as president speaks of his appeal with Brazil's poorest people. But this time the country is bitterly divided and short on cash
4 min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Planting monopolies in farm sector
The EU free trade deal may force India to jettison farmers’ traditional rights in favour of breeders’ interests
4 min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
DEEP INVASION
Invasive ornamental shrub lantana is altering traits, fast spreading across India's forests
4 min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
Fighting chance
The new framework on biodiversity provides the opportunity for a fresh start, but countries must ensure implementation
6 min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
FAKE FABRIC
The moment you consider polyester just a fabric, it escapes attention as a pollutant. The fact is that polyester is a form of plastic and the second biggest by-product of petrochemicals. Yet only a few countries have regulations to manage the plastic fibre. Time India framed laws to regulate the textile industry and brought it under the extended producer responsibility regime
10+ min |
January 01, 2023
Down To Earth
The Future Of Climate Talks
After three decades of efforts, the world has finally agreed to create a loss and damage fund at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Egypt. Devising a mechanism to manage the fund and delivering aid to deserving countries is likely to keep the negotiators engaged in the coming months, even years. AVANTIKA GOSWAMI, ROHINI KRISHNAMURTHY, AKSHIT SANGOMLA and PARTH KUMAR report from Sharm el-Sheikh on how the agreement on the fund was forged, the parleys between the Parties and the market mechanisms that will be the future of climate talks
10+ min |
December 01, 2022
Down To Earth
CRUNCH TIME
Three decades of discourse to protect the world’s biodiversity and benefit from its use has not achieved much outside of discussion rooms. As the world meets at the 15\" UN Biodiversity Conference in Canada to decide on a new framework for managing nature through 2030 and beyond, it must ensure that indigenous communities benefit from the biological resources they have guarded for generations
10+ min |
December 01, 2022
Down To Earth
EASY TO SWITCH
Low-cost ethnoveterinary medicines can help curb the use of antibiotics in Indian dairy sector and combat the overlooked pandemic of antimicrobial resistance
10+ min |
December 01, 2022
Down To Earth
Burdened beast
A fall in demand as a beast of burden, and illegal meat and skin trade have caused a critical decline in donkey numbers
6 min |
December 01, 2022
Down To Earth
Clean champions
A couple in Himachal Pradesh trains teachers and students to promote zero-waste and sustainable living practices
2 min |
December 01, 2022
Down To Earth
What The Science Says
Attribution studies fix responsibility on historical polluters. But will they be open to the evidence?
3 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
Deny, Distract And Delay
The developed world has so far derailed all discussions on loss and damage. Will this change at COP27?
6 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
‘AFTER FANI, WE FOCUSED ON DISASTER-RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE’
Odisha, one of the most climate-vulnerable states in India, is hit by numerous extreme weather events every year. Cyclone Fani, which devastated the state in 2019, is one such event that forced Odisha to mount a post-disaster needs assessment. This multi-sector assessment on loss and damage provided new insights on building back better, GYANARANJAN DAS, executive director, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), tells SEEMA PRASAD. Excerpts:
2 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
‘SOCIAL STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO INCREASE THE SCOPE OF ATTRIBUTION?’
Researchers have established that the Pakistan deluge was made worse by global warming. But fixing responsibility of such events on historical polluters is not easy, KRISHNA ACHUTARAO, climate scientist at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, tells AKSHIT SANGOMLA. Excerpts:
2 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
'TRANSLATION BETWEEN CHANGE IN WEATHER AND DAMAGES IS NOT LINEAR’
Attribution science has grown leaps and bounds to trace the link between climate change and weather events. But this link does not extend to estimating loss and damages, FRIEDERIKE OTTO, climate scientist at Grantham Institute of Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London, tells AKSHIT SANGOMLA. Excerpts:
3 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
HIDDEN COSTS
Estimations of loss and damage after weather events do not account for non-economic consequences
9 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
‘JOHN KERRY IS SCARED OF FLOODGATES OF LITIGATIONS ON ACCEPTING LOSS AND DAMAGE’
Loss and damage financing has seen little progress since the signing of the 2015 Paris Agreement,according to FARHANA YAMIN, adviser to the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a partnership of 55 countries highly threatened by climate change. In an interview with AVANTIKA GOSWAMI, Yamin, who was also one of the key architects of the Paris deal, explains why rich countries are attempting to linger negotiations on loss and damage. Excerpts:
2 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
POWER OF EVIDENCE
India is transitioning to a robust tool to assess the loss and damage caused by extreme weather events
10+ min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
ONLY TOGETHER CAN WE WIN
At COP27, loss and damage must not to be pushed away with another puny promise of a fund that never materialises but be accepted as a legitimate demand of countries that need climate reparations
4 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
WE ARE NO LONGER MEASURING THIS EMERGENCY ONLY IN TONNES OF CARBON EMISSIONS OR THE GLOBAL WARMING BY DEGREES OF CELSIUS
Here in the Pacific Islands, climate change is an existential threat. It is the single greatest threat to our livelihoods, security and well-being. Our economies routinely suffer damages of more than 50 per cent of GDP from climate extremes, taking us back decades in our goals for sustainable development.
2 min |
November 01, 2022
Down To Earth
‘We need to put down oroblem animals for wildlife conservation’
A VETERINARIAN WHO COMES OUT FROM THE COLLEGE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO SHOOT. HOW IS HE GOING TO TRANQUILISE A TIGER? WE HAVE HAD WORKSHOPS TO TEACH PERSONNEL HOW TO HANDLE A WEAPON, EVEN HOW TO WALK IN THE FOREST. THIS IS TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND CANNOT BE GLEANED FROM INTERNET OR FROM READING A BOOK
6 min |
October 16, 2022
Down To Earth
Organic reinforcement
Direct procurement and cold storages are key to promote organic farming of fruits, vegetables
5 min |
October 16, 2022
Down To Earth
A timely fix
India’s lone home-grown crop simulation model can now forecast climate impact on farm yield in real time
4 min |
October 16, 2022
Down To Earth
Accelerated breeding
Bisohenol A, a chemical used for softening plastics, shortens the mosquito life cycle and leads to population explosion
3 min |
October 16, 2022
Down To Earth
India patently way behind on 5G
Policy blocks and poor vision have held up 5G in India, while China’s breakthroughs are helping to set global standards
4 min |
October 16, 2022
Down To Earth
Evolutionary Thrust
HUMAN EVOLUTION
7 min |
October 16, 2022
Down To Earth
PANDEMIC CONTINUUM
Two livestock viruses have spread across India in an unprecedented manner this year—lumpy skin disease and African swine fever. With changing climate, new infectious diseases will emerge, while existing ones will Ne spread to new areas and sirike with greater severity, like these two have. Such outbreaks have harsh economic and food security implications, and can pose a major threat to human health. The world has not recovered from the previous virus that jumped from animals to humans. A report by SHAGUN from the worst-hit state of Rajasthan and SNIGDHA DAS in Delhi
10+ min |