Climate and Weather

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December 12, 2022 Study looks at behavioral biases in crop insurance adoption
Adoption rate of crop insurance low in India despite government efforts (Image: PxHere, CC0 Public Domain)
September 13, 2022 Heavy rains and floods have battered Bengaluru yet again. Uncontrolled and unregulated development and concretisation of the city that pays no heed to the ecology and hydrology of the region needs to stop!
Urban flooding in Bangalore (Image Source: Thejas via Wikimedia Commons)
August 11, 2022 This could lead to water quality crisis reinforcing the need for basin-specific management strategies
Around the world, more than a fifth of nitrogen released by human activity ends up in aquatic ecosystems (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
May 14, 2022 Climate change is real. What are its implications for India? This book presents a first of its kind national forecast on the impact of global warming on climate in India.
Climate change is real. What does it mean for India? (Image Source: Robert Hensley/Wikimedia Commons)
March 29, 2022 The intensity and duration of heat waves is predicted to increase in India and human induced anthropogenic changes are to blame.
A man sits under the scorching heat of the sun in front of Amer fort in Jaipur (Picture courtesy: Prabhu B Doss, Flickr Commons: CC-By-NC-ND-2.0)
Experts say cold desert regions need special attention
Desertification at high altitudes increasing due to melting of glaciers, causing concern and a push to devise preventive adapation strategies. Posted on 06 Sep, 2019 10:38 AM

Greater Noida, September 5 (India Science Wire): Degradation of land, which leads to the process of desertification, is not limited to arid and semi-arid areas but is also visible in high altitude regions that get very little rainfall and are known as cold deserts.

A view of cold desert in Ladakh (Photo: Annu Anand)
Water Talk Series at TISS, Mumbai on 7th September 2019
A one day event on "The Discourse of Flood and Drought in India - The Question of Life, Livelihood and Ecology."
Posted on 04 Sep, 2019 02:30 PM

Team Malhar, students of Water Policy and Governance (WPG) and alumni of Tata Institute of Social Science, Mumbai in partnership with RRA Network proudly present the third annual session of "WATER TALK SERIES" on 7th September, 2019 at TISS, Mumbai

India to restore 5 million hectares of degraded land by 2030
News this week Posted on 04 Sep, 2019 11:04 AM

Ahead of UNCCD COP14 in Delhi this week, India pledges to restore 5 million hectares of degraded land by 2030

India urgently needs to address increasing desertification. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Monsoon set to abate: SkyMet Weather
Rainfall likely over central, western India; Mumbai & Chennai to receive no rains; light to moderate rainfall in Delhi this week; no extreme weather events expected across India. Posted on 28 Aug, 2019 11:49 AM

Since the 25th of July, there have been four consecutive weeks of surplus rainfall which have compensated for the delayed onset of monsoon and the deficient rains recorded in June and early July.  July had ended with a countrywide deficit of 9%, but vigorous Monsoon conditions took the rains to a surplus of 1% as on August 25.

Picture for representational purposes only. Picture courtesy India Water Portal on Flickr
Vanishing water bodies behind Ahmedabad’s warm climate
A study shows how the open space on the western bank of the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad acts as a heat sink. Posted on 28 Aug, 2019 10:48 AM

A study published in the Journal of Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, analyzing the cooling effect of the city of Ahmedabad’s water bodies, has thrown up some interesting findings. The east bank of the Sabarmati river, which flows through Ahmedabad, was found to be significantly cooler than the west bank, witnessing a greater drop in temperature even during summer.

Silverbill enjoying the cool feeling of breeze on the wet feathers in the scorching heat (Image: Koshy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)
Heavy rain and floods hit North India
News this week Posted on 22 Aug, 2019 12:00 PM

Rains wreak havoc in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab

Following the southern states witnessing heavy rainfall and floods this monsoon, the northern parts of India are now also experiencing incessant rains.

Gori river in Uttarakhand in spate during 2013 floods (Source: Chicu Lokgariwar, India Water Portal)
Government to spend Rs 3.5 trillion to provide potable water
Policy matters this week Posted on 21 Aug, 2019 11:14 PM

Government to spend Rs 3.5 trillion under Jal Jeevan Mission: PM Modi

Women filling water from a tap (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Hydropower in the Himalayas: Potential and risks
Study highlights significant hydropower opportunities in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Posted on 21 Aug, 2019 11:01 PM

Worldwide, the demand for energy has risen significantly and quickly, leading to serious impacts on environmental sustainability and hindering global efforts to mitigate climate change. Hydropower, a leading renewable option has the additional benefits of water storage for agriculture and other uses.

Hydel project near Kullu (Image: Nadir Hashmi, Flickr Commons)
In photos: How temple tanks are helping Chennai conserve rain water
During the monsoon, temple tanks in Chennai fill to the brim with water, helping in groundwater recharge. Posted on 21 Aug, 2019 03:05 PM

Besides showcasing the architectural expertise and aesthetics of their time, temple tanks also play an extremely important role as water storage systems in Chennai.

Parthasarathy temple in Triplicane has the biggest tank. Recently, volunteers belonging to the Central Industrial Security Force cleaned the tank. Pic: Laasya Shekhar
When crocodiles roamed city streets: The real reason behind Vadodara floods
Urban flooding in Gujarat has led to some strange developments in recent weeks. Posted on 21 Aug, 2019 01:30 PM

The videos were all over the Internet and social media. Expectedly so, because you don’t often see crocodiles swimming in flooded urban streets, sneaking up on strays. But that’s precisely what happened shortly after news of ‘urban floods’ in Vadodara hit headlines in early August.

Flash floods following extreme rainfall left Vadodara inundated in Early August. Pic: Concerned Citizens of Vadodara
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