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Prioritise conserving peri-urban wetlands
Study reveals a decline in wetland areas, notably in peri-urban zones, driven by changing land use patterns Posted on 11 Nov, 2023 04:54 PM

Wetlands are multi-functional landscapes between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that provide habitat for wildlife, support groundwater recharge, moderate climate, control flood and fulfill the livelihood of the communities. Covering nearly 12% of the global area, these contribute significantly to ecosystem services, sustaining human well-being.

Wetland ecosystem's health is significantly correlated with land transformation (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Waterbirds, indicators of wetland health
Waterbirds such as Kingfishers play an important role in sustaining the integrity of wetland ecosystems and can be greatly useful as indicators in assessing the health of wetland ecosystems. Posted on 10 Nov, 2023 07:57 PM

Wetlands are unique, complex and sensitive habitats that form a connection between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and provide a range of ecosystem services to humans. They are equally crucial for the survival of birds and provide critical foraging, roosting, nesting, chick-rearing, moulting, stop-over and wintering habitat for migratory and resident waterbirds.

Common Kingfisher in a wetland (Image Source: J M Garg via Wikimedia Commons)
Experts stress responsible land use for India's renewable energy potential
Meeting Paris Agreement targets: Challenges and solutions for India's renewable energy expansion Posted on 10 Nov, 2023 05:51 PM

To meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement, India must install an additional 300 GW of utility-scale solar and wind energy by 2030, with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. However, the land-intensive nature of renewable energy poses environmental and social challenges that need to be responsibly managed.

Socio-ecological conflicts hindering the rapid deployment of renewable energy in India (Image: Rawpixel)
Photoessay: Water insecurity among hill tribes of Tripura
A tale of sacred springs and broken promises Posted on 06 Nov, 2023 01:12 PM

For the indigenous communities of Tripura, officially recognised as 'tribes,' 'tribal communities,' or 'Scheduled Tribes' under Article 342 of the Indian Constitution, and some specific groups like the Reang tribe classified as 'Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups' (PVTG), water holds a sacred and spiritual significance.

Hill tribe women persistently stage road blockades for the third time, demanding access to clean drinking water, while the promises made to them remain unfulfilled. (Image: Thomas Malsom)
Weather-related natural disasters likely to impact sustainability initiatives
Honeywell’s environmental sustainability index, a quarterly index reveals a growing number of organisations globally are boosting annual sustainability investments by at least 50%, and are optimistic about achieving short- and long-term objectives Posted on 05 Nov, 2023 08:28 AM

More than six in 10 organisations globally (62%) say recent wildfires, floods, and storms during 2023 will have a material impact on their environmental initiatives, according to the fifth edition of

Environmental Sustainability Index gauges movement in corporate sentiment and investment on the sustainability front. (Image: Needpix)
Factors affecting the adoption of IoT in the agri-food domain
IoT in the agri-food supply chain helps measure and monitor sustainability indicators like crop productivity, fertiliser usage, and water efficiency Posted on 31 Oct, 2023 07:36 PM

Agricultural developments have played a pivotal role in the emergence of sedentary human civilisation. The agri-food sector remains crucial globally, yet conventional farming methods persist.

Agriculture IoT with rice field background (Image: Rawpixel)
The fast disappearing urban wetlands of Delhi
While Delhi NCR is undergoing rapid urbanisation, what is the state of the wetlands in the region? A study finds out. Posted on 28 Oct, 2023 03:00 PM

Wetlands are valuable ecosystems and urban wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services ranging from food, water, habitat for plants and animals, climate regulation and flood control, tourism and recreation, and supportive services like nutrient recycling.

Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Noida (Image Source: Awankanch via Wikimedia Commons)
Empowering Indian agriculture: Upstream startups and farmtech innovations
India briefly overtook China in agrifoodtech investment, while Southeast Asia demonstrated significant potential with $1.7 billion in funding Posted on 26 Oct, 2023 04:04 PM

As the world's largest region in both geography and population, with a vast network of smallholder farmers combined with dense urban settings and food sovereignty concerns, Asia-Pacific is a hotbed of opportunity for food and agriculture technology startups.

Investment in upstream innovations in Asia-Pacific region – those for the farm and primary production of novel foods – increased 24% year-over-year (Image: CIAT/Neil Palmer)
The plastic siege of rivers and lakes in India
Microplastic pollution in our rivers and lakes is increasing threatening livelihoods and health. More research and evidence is urgently needed to design environmentally sound coping and disposal mechanisms. Posted on 26 Oct, 2023 03:18 PM

Plastic pollution of freshwater ecosystems in India is increasing - particularly that of rivers informs this paper titled 'Microplastics in freshwater ecosystems of India: Current trends and future perspectives' published in ACS OMEGA.

The polluted Ganges (Image Source: Lane via Wikimedia Commons)
A new UN University report highlights the peril of irreversible tipping points for both people and the planet
Interconnected Disaster Risks Report 2023: The looming threat of irreversible tipping points Posted on 26 Oct, 2023 07:54 AM

A United Nations University report released this week finds that drastic changes are approaching if risks to our fundamental socioecological systems are not addressed.

The risk tipping point is when an ecosystem loses key species that are strongly connected, triggering cascading extinctions of dependent species, which can eventually lead to the collapse of an entire ecosystem. (Image: UNU)
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