Research Papers

Replacing rice will improve India’s climate resilience
A study calls for solutions that can benefit farmers and the environment and positively impact India's nutrition indicators. Posted on 11 Dec, 2019 11:50 AM

A new study finds that introducing coarse cereals such as millet and sorghum could improve India’s national food supply in many ways.

Rice field in Karnataka (Image: Guldem Ustun, Flickr Commons, CC BY 2.0)
India’s tryst with climate change
Dr. Aradhana Yaduvanshi, a hydro meteorologist at WOTR, talks to us about what current research on global warming shows, and possible adaptation and coping mechanisms. Posted on 06 Dec, 2019 04:23 PM

Global warming has given rise to unprecedented extreme events such as cyclones, floods, heatwaves and droughts in India. Why are these threats increasing?

Flooding in Mumbai during the monsoons (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Looking back into history to understand droughts
The 2015­-2018 drought, the longest, but less severe of droughts experienced by India raises alarm on the negative effects of future droughts on water security in the country. Posted on 04 Dec, 2019 02:53 PM

Droughts in India: types, causes and effects

Droughts are greatly feared in India, impacting food production, the economy and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. 60% of India’s population is engaged in agriculture.

India will see more droughts in the future. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Wind energy development and policy in India
A study highlights the barriers to harnessing India's potential for wind energy. Posted on 02 Dec, 2019 12:55 PM

Wind energy is a renewable, inexhaustible, non-polluting and popular alternative source of clean energy. India stands fourth in the world in wind energy conversion and utilization, with an installed capacity of about 34,605?MW as of September 2018.

Windmills in Karnataka, India. Picture credit: India Water Portal
Shoddy impact assessments, mining and ruin in Goa
A study finds that weak environmental assessment reporting on the adverse impacts of mining has spelled doom for Goa’s environment. Posted on 22 Nov, 2019 03:40 PM

Development and its impact on the environment has long been a contentious issue in India, where lack of adequate monitoring and control mechanisms have led to severe degradation of land, water and forest resources. Mining activities in Goa have not only poisoned its land and water, but also affected livelihoods by negatively impacting agriculture, fisheries and forests.

A mining site in India (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Jaipur’s wastewater conundrum
A report by NIUA brings to light the chinks in Jaipur's sewage system and suggests some solutions. Posted on 21 Nov, 2019 12:29 PM

A major area of concern currently for India is the proper disposal of wastewater in urban areas. The huge increase in supply of potable water to cater to the needs of modern urban households has correspondingly increased the quantum of wastewater.

Routine check done by the sewage treatment plant staff in Delawas, Jaipur. The plant is part of the ADB best practices projects list. (Image: Asian Development Bank, Flickr Commons)
The poisoned landscapes of Punjab
Excessive and unregulated pesticide use has not only poisoned the soil, water and environment in villages in Punjab’s Malwa region – it has also increased health risks for the people. Posted on 21 Nov, 2019 12:18 PM

Punjab, riding high on pesticides

Farmer spraying pesticide (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Climate change may reduce water available to cool power plants
A study finds that India may run out of water to cool power plants in the near future. Posted on 14 Nov, 2019 03:03 PM

Climate change and over-exploited river basins may leave developing countries in Asia, such as India and China, without enough water to cool power plants in the near future, according to a study.

Tuticorin power plant in Tamil Nadu (Image: Ram Kumar, Wikimedia Commons; CC BY-SA 2.0)
Climate shocks and gender vulnerabilities in the Upper Ganga basin
Study points to vulnerabilities faced by women in the mountains and plains of Uttarakhand, which is likely to only increase with climate change. Posted on 11 Nov, 2019 10:40 AM

Socially constructed notions of the different roles and responsibilities of men and women have a huge bearing on access to and control over resources, and subsequently on their vulnerabilities. More often than not, this leads to vulnerabilities that are skewed towards women, more than men.

Ganga's riverflow at Rishikesh in Uttarakhand (Image courtesy: Ankit Singh; Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
300 million people will be vulnerable to annual coastline flooding by 2050
The number of people vulnerable to floods triggered by climate change by 2050 is triple that of previous estimates, according to a new study. Posted on 06 Nov, 2019 12:28 PM

A new research study by Climate Central, a US-based non-profit research group has projected that 300 million people could face annual coastal flooding triggered by climate change by 2050.

Aerial view of Chennai during floods 2015 (Image: Veethika, Wikimedia Commons, CC-SA 4.0 International)
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