Climate Change

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November 6, 2022 In 2020, 559 million children were affected by four to five heatwaves a year; numbers could increase four-fold by 2050, as per a report by UNICEF
Heat-related mortality is four times higher among children under 1 year of age than in persons aged 1–44 years (Image: Taqver, 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)
July 29, 2022 New study from the University of East Anglia challenges the widely held view that restoring areas such as mangroves, saltmarsh and seagrass can remove large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere
Mediterranean seagrass (Image: David Luquet, CNRS-Sorbonne University)
July 10, 2022 People in India fleeing disasters like drought more likely to have experienced trafficking or modern slavery than those fleeing floods or cyclones
The country's climate change assessment suggests things are only going to get worse (Image: Saurav Karmakar, India Water Portal Flickr)
July 8, 2022 Indian rivers are experiencing rising temperatures, which can lower the oxygen carrying capacity of their waters and spell doom for living organisms, small and large living in the waters.
The Karamana river in Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala (Image Source: India Water Portal)
June 15, 2022 The River Front Development project planned by the PMC is nothing but a cosmetic makeover for the already choked Mula Mutha river in Pune, argues Dr Gurudas Nulkar while speaking to the India Water Portal.
The highly polluted and encroached Mula Mutha river in Pune (Image: Alexey Komarov via Wikimedia Commons)
Human activities reduce catchments’ climate resilience
A study finds that only over a third of human-dominated catchments in India are resilient to climate warming. Posted on 10 Dec, 2018 01:04 PM

The impact of global warming on the hydrological cycle should be of paramount concern to all because global warming affects rainfall patterns in various ways like triggering more extreme rainfall events. Unpredictable changes in runoff make it difficult to plan infrastructure to manage water resources such as dams.

River Krishna at Wai, Maharashtra (Image Source: India Water Portal)
The tragic tale of Erai
The polluted Erai river needs to be restored before it completely dies and leaves the people dependent on it searching for drinking water. Posted on 30 Nov, 2018 10:56 AM

The Erai river, the main tributary of the Wardha river, is the lifeline for the people of Chandrapur in Maharashtra. It primarily supplies water to the Chandrapur city and Chandrapur super thermal power station (CSTPS). Since 1984, after the initiation of operations of M/s CSTPS and Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), the river has begun to get polluted and is now gasping for breath.

The Erai river (Source: India Water Portal)
Two states and a river: More power or more water?
The latest addition to India’s interstate river water conflicts, the Mahanadi will soon go water deficit if Odisha and Chhattisgarh don’t control their hunger for coal-fired power. Posted on 25 Nov, 2018 12:26 PM

A new study, Mahanadi: Coal Rich, Water-Stressed sheds light on how both Odisha and Chhattisgarh have locked horns over the distribution of waters of the Mahanadi river. The 851-km-long river originates in the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh, flows through the state and then Odisha before joining the Bay of Bengal at Odisha’s coast.

The Hirakud dam (Image: Makarand Purohit, India Water Portal)
Himalayan State Regional Council constituted
Policy matters this week Posted on 18 Nov, 2018 06:34 PM

Himalayan council constituted for sustainable development of the Himalayas

A view of the Himalayas. (Source: IWP Flickr photos--photo for representation purpose only)
New data shows Indian landmass warming
The warming of Indian landmass has been confirmed through past climate records captured in depths of the earth. Posted on 14 Nov, 2018 02:40 PM

Scientists are literally looking into the ground for clinching evidence of climate change. A new study of geothermal records across India has shown that the country has experienced about one degree of warming over the baseline mean temperature of the 19th century.

Researchers collect geothermal data through boreholes. (Pic: ISW)
The unique Himalayan wetlands
The Himalayan wetlands are under threat due to unregulated urbanisation and unsustainable tourism. Urgent attention at the policy level is the need of the hour. Posted on 03 Nov, 2018 08:33 AM

Wetlands are very important and productive ecosystems that support a wide range of plants and animals and provide livelihood opportunities to local communities in India.

A view of the Himalayas. (Source: IWP Flickr photos--photo for representation purpose only)
Few districts in the country drought resilient: Study
News this week Posted on 31 Oct, 2018 10:40 AM

Human activities are taking a heavy toll on country's resilience to drought

Parched land during drought in India. (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
New sturdy rice variety developed
Scientists develop transgenic rice that can grow under high salinity and drought. Posted on 29 Oct, 2018 10:44 AM

A group of researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and University of Illinois have developed transgenic rice that promises to generate high yields even under conditions of high salinity, high temperature and drought.

Dr Ashwani Pareek and his team that developed the rice. (Photo: ISW)
‘Organic farming brought huge profit for me’
Farmer Renupada has taken it up as a mission to make more farms organic by training fellow farmers on the sustainable practice. Posted on 25 Oct, 2018 09:59 AM

At the age of 70, Renupada Bagdi of Doniapur village in Birbhum district of West Bengal is on a mission to convince his fellow farmers to take up organic farming just like he did a few years ago. He knows from his experience that chemical fertilisers do not yield crops as big companies make it out to be.

Renupada Bagdi in front of his thatched house. (Photo: Gurvinder Singh)
Green Climate Fund aid for coastal communities
Policy matters this week Posted on 23 Oct, 2018 10:47 AM

Fund approved to boost climate resilience among coastal communities

Coastal communities in India (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
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