Ecology and Environment

Featured Articles
December 16, 2022
Healthy soil critical to human health and for achieving SDGs
Soil research must focus both on technology development and implementation
The ability of soils to support soil functions or services is decreasing (Image: Katrin Park/International Food Policy Research Institute)
November 25, 2022
Categorising watersheds for freshwater ecosystem conservation in India
These maps at the watershed scales have been made to not only ensure inclusion of different freshwater ecosystems, their connectivity and hydrological processes, but can also provide a spatial context for conservation decisions.
A stream at Anini, Arunachal Pradesh (Image Source: Roshni Arora)
November 16, 2022
Improving community resilience in ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction in India
Adoption of hybrid solutions - grey and green structures appropriate for resilience building
Healthy wetland ecosystems help in reducing disaster risks and managing climate risks (Image: Pxhere)
October 30, 2022
Slow disaster: Political ecology of hazards and everyday life in the Brahmaputra valley, Assam
This book by Dr. Mitul Baruah presents a fascinating, ethnographic account of the challenges faced by communities living in Majuli, India, one of the largest river islands in the world, which has experienced immense socio-environmental transformations over the years, processes that are emblematic of the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. This is an excerpt from the book.
Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
October 6, 2022
Deteriorating landscapes and threatened ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir
Rapid urbanisation and faulty land use policies are rapidly destroying forests, grasslands and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir, India and the ecosystem value services they provide. Can these valuable ecosystems be saved?
Deteriorating ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir, India (Image Source: tkohli at Flickr via Wikimedia Commons)
July 14, 2022
Ichamati: River of poetry is dying a slow death
The river is faced with the dual problem of flood plain encroachment and growing levels of water pollution
Illegal transverse check dams (Badhals) built on Ichamati near a village in Basirhat (Image: Prithviraj Nath @ TheWaterChronicles)
Workshop on Environmental Flows, Aaranyak and River Research Centre (Kerala), May 6, 2012, Guwahati
Posted on 06 May, 2012 12:31 AM

Organisers: Aaranyak and River Research Centre

Venue: Indian Institute of Bank Management,
             Khanapara,
             Guwahati

Aaranyak

The state and fate of Himalayan glaciers - A paper published in the magazine Science
This paper published in the magazine Science highlights the importance of the Himalayan glaciers, the current uncertainties in relation to the status of glaciers, their implications for water resources in the region and the prevailing public and scientific debate around them. Current evidence indicates that most Himalayan glaciers are losing mass at rates similar to glaciers elsewhere, except for emerging indications of stability or mass gain in the Karakoram.
A Kääb
A Kulkarni
C Huggel
F Paul
H Frey
J G Cogley
J. S. Kargel
K Fujita
M Scheel
M Stoffel
S Bajracharya
T Bolch
Posted on 05 May, 2012 06:21 PM

The paper argues that there is a poor understanding of the processes affecting the Himalayan glaciers in the context of the diversity of climatic conditions and the extremes of topographical relief within the region, making projections speculative, which can have a significant impact on the future of water resources in the area. It is thus important to have more information on the status of the glaciers in the Himalayan region.

The Supreme Court and its directions on Interlinking of Rivers (ILR): India and her people will be greatly benefited by its implementation
The Supreme Court has recently given direction to Government of India to implement Inter Linking of Rivers (ILR) within a time frame as it brings many benefits to our people. Many feel that ILR has some inherent problems including reluctance of the States. But Supreme Court wants the net working of rivers (NWR). This article by J Prabudoss looks into the issue.
J. Prabudoss
Posted on 03 May, 2012 07:03 PM

Author : J. Prabudoss
Viability of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects in India: Study of Chanju CDM project in Chamba district,Himachal Pradesh
The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is introduced by US government as flexibility mechanisms under Kyoto Protocol and allows developed countries to meet their emission reduction commitments by promoting clean development in developing countries. As a policy mandate, it aims to design project-based mechanisms to reduce emissions. These reductions are produced and then subtracted against a hypothetical baseline of emissions which are predicted to occur in the absence of a particular CDM project. India as a signatory of this protocol have been registered 2313 projects up to August 2010, out of these, 64 projects are of hydro power generation and Chanju power project of 36 MW is one of the CDM project in India. Dr Mohinder Kumar Slariya in this article showcases the primary data research based view point, which he presented in the "International Scientific Conference" at Hohenheim University, Germany.
Dr. Mohinder Slariya; Post-doc Fellow
University of Turku
Finland
Posted on 03 May, 2012 06:30 PM

The present paper is an attempt of the researcher to make a comparative analysis between the expected benefits received by the executing agency under CDM and the actual benefits people are expected to receive from Chanju-I Hydro Electric Project.
Importance of protecting and improving ecosystems for reducing disaster risk - A report by NIDM
Evolution in the paradigms of disaster management concept and framework from ‘response and relief’ to ‘mitigation and preparedness’ has brought in the light four major approaches, namely – (1) Engineering based solutions, (b) Community based disaster risk reduction, (c) Ecosystem approach to disaster risk reduction, and (d) Externality based response and relief approach. This report by National Institute of Disaster Management deals with this.
Anil K Gupta
Posted on 03 May, 2012 02:53 PM

The interception of ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approach manifests conflicting situations in ground despite of visible synergies in top level policies. ‘Sustainability quest’ is the emerging concern in disaster management as a consequence of improved understanding of ‘disasters’ as environmental processes or rather as ‘environmental extremes’.
Climate-change adaptation in rural areas of India
Climate change is already taking place. Rural areas will be particularly affected as it impacts water resources, agriculture, overall biodiversity and ecosystems like forests and coastal zones, as well as human health. This report by GIZ - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit deals with the issue.
Anil K Gupta
Posted on 03 May, 2012 02:33 PM

The report suggests that -
Environmental knowledge for hydro-meteorological disaster management: Capacity development in disaster risk management
Hydro-meteorological disasters particularly floods, drought, desertification, cyclone, extreme weather events, pest attack, forest fire, man-animal conflict are inextricably linked with environmental systems, resources and ecosystems. Environmental challenges and their complexities have been growing with the advancement in human development and economic stewardship. This report by National Institute of Disaster Management deals with this issue.
Anil K Gupta
Posted on 03 May, 2012 02:27 PM

Poor understanding of the environment – its structure, function, resources, especially at the level of planners and policy makers, have resulted in increasing frequency and intensity of hazards in nature. Understanding of the environment, its processes and resources are important for the early detection of hydro-meteorological hazards, prediction of disaster risk and scenarios and in evolving m
Workshop in Mumbai, India Against Corruption, SANDRP, on May 4, 2012, Mumbai
Posted on 01 May, 2012 09:26 AM

Organiser: India Against Corruption, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, & People (SANDRP)

Venue:  Karnataka Sangh Hall,
             Vishweshwaraya Smarak Mandir,
             Moghul lane, Station Road,
            Matunga West,
            Mumbai -400016

Adaptive sustainable agriculture: Crop system intensification in Andhra Pradesh
Along with the soil and water conservation programmes, promotion of agricultural techniques and practices is equally important in sustaining the livelihoods of the people in the long term. All too often, market considerations exert undue pressure on the agricultural practices, which in turn affect the production base and cause irreversible imbalances in the eco system. This report by WOTR deals with the issue.
Chandrasekhar Nemani
Posted on 30 Apr, 2012 07:01 PM

WOTR has been extensively promoting sustainable agriculture practices as part of its adaptive sustainable development approach.  The objective is to promote low external inputs, increase land productivity, use of indigenous seeds, and reduce cost of cultivation.
The original Jungle Book: A visit to Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
A recent trip to Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh in search of the elusive wild tiger was an eye opening experience. Note to fellow travellers and wildlife enthusiasts: never go to a national park or game sanctuary hoping to see wild animals (especially big cats) on a long weekend. Other than that though, Kanha itself is a spectacular forest with a teeming ecosystem - deer, samba, chital, bison, peacocks, jackals, wild dogs, civets and birds. The forest itself is surprisingly well maintained, a far cry from some of the forest reserves in South India.
Priya
Posted on 28 Apr, 2012 12:37 AM


KanhaKanha

Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Subscribe to Ecology and Environment
×