More than a fifth of the world's migrating species are at risk of going extinct as a result of climate change and human encroachment, according to this report by the United Nations. Migratory species globally are facing critical challenges, with nearly half in decline and over 20 per cent threatened …
Europe's ecosystems face increasing pressure to stay healthy amid rising pollution, exploitation, urban sprawl, and the effects of climate change, according to the findings of a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published on Monday. The EEA report looks at eight broad ecosystem types in Europe and assesses the pressures and …
Europe’s ecosystems face increasing pressure to stay healthy amid rising pollution, overexploitation, urban sprawl and the effects of climate change. These are the findings of a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published which takes stock of the condition of Europe’s ecosystems. The EEA report ‘Mapping and assessing the condition of …
Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations go unabated in Kerala even after a quarter century of introduction of the law. The coastal areas of Vembanad Lake continued to be the hotbed of violations with the authorities pointing out over 5000 cases of “land modifications” a couple of years ago and most …
Plastic pollution in the marine environment is a “critical problem” for global ecosystems and for human health as microscopic pieces of waste enter the food chain, an Australian Senate inquiry has been told. The warning came as Guardian Australia learned the federal health minister has the power to instantly ban …
New research published in the journal Nature reaffirms that key regions of the globe that have been a source of major climate worry to researchers - such as the Amazon rainforest and the forests of the global north - are exquisitely sensitive to swings in climate. And it also identifies …
The identification of properties that contribute to the persistence and resilience of ecosystems despite climate change constitutes a research priority of global relevance. Here the researchers present a novel, empirical approach to assess the relative sensitivity of ecosystems to climate variability, one property of resilience that builds on theoretical modelling …
This brochure summarizes the interim results of UNDP’s work in protecting human health and the environment from mercury in support of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, illustrates linkages with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and charts the way forward. UNDP currently supports 42 countries with a GEF mercury portfolio of $22 …
The adoption of the Paris Agreement on 12 December by 195 governments is a major turning point in the global fight against climate change. To date, 190 governments have committed to specific actions to reduce their national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, covering over 95% of total global emissions. While these …
Panaji: Impact of concretization of lakes, nullahs and water bodies by state agencies under beautification and flood protection schemes needs to be studied, as it adversely affects aquatic life, ecosystems and a natural process of cleaning pollutants in water. Crores of rupees have been spent on construction of walls along …
Global climate change is affecting biodiversity and ecological processes. We coupled a general circulation model that uses global datasets with terrain-based analyses to identify potential climate refugia in two conservation landscapes in Nepal for climate changeintegrated conservation planning. The results indicate that lower and mid-montane forests are vulnerable to climate …
JAIPUR: The Lake Development Authority of Rajasthan would have to form a State Wetland Authority as the union minister of environment, forest and climate change, Prakash Javadekar said that the regulatory framework to save the country's wetlands needs to be strengthened. This spells hope for Sambhar Salt Lake, a Ramsar …
Trees do wonders when it comes to cooling Earth. They suck planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, locking it into their trunks, leaves, and roots to the tune of about 2.4 billion metric tons of carbon each year. But a new study has found, somewhat counterintuitively, that more trees might …
Can the fragile ecosystem of Chamundi Hills in Mysuru absorb more concrete constructions being proposed under the guise of “development”, while ignoring its environmental imperatives? The question is doing the rounds among citizens of Mysuru, who have come together to save the hills from what they described as destructive development …
The government is working out a package of incentives for solar power plants having generation capacity of 3,000 MW or more and an announcement pertaining to this is likely to be made in the forthcoming Budget on February 29. An inter-ministerial committee headed by the Department of Industrial Policy and …
Droughts may be getting worse in the United States, and may impact our forests and rangelands. The U.S. Forest Service has revealed that some regions of our country may become drier in the next few years, and could threaten ecosystems. "Our forests and rangelands are national treasures, and because they …
A new U.S. Forest Service report, edited in partnership with Duke University, projects that drought will have far-reaching impacts on U.S. forests and grasslands in coming decades. While the effects have been most pronounced in the West, this new assessment finds virtually all U.S. forests and grasslands are now experiencing …
KANNUR: Lateritic landscapes, wasteland which are rich in biodiversity and indiscriminate mining could lead to destruction of the unique eco system of these areas, says a study conducted by the scientists of the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Peechi. "It is a misconception that lateritic landscapes are wasteland. So large-scale …
The theme of World Wetlands Day this year is ‘Wetlands for our Future – Sustainable Livelihoods’. The Union government has begun revising the existing regulatory framework on wetlands across the country in a bid to enable a greater role and ownership by State governments in their management. In a statement …
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today launched the Rs 310 crore Himachal Pradesh Forest Ecosystem Climate Proofing project at Satobari. The project aims at minimising and mitigating the effects of climate change. It will also enhance the adaptive capacity of local communities. It is being launched with German collaboration and funding …
DEHRADUN: The counsel of Social Action for Forest and Environment visited areas adjoining Ganges to verify the state government's affidavit filed before NGT on January 15. The affidavit states that no permission for any beach camp was granted by the forest department nor has any company installed any rafting camp. …
