Environment

● With a rise in sea surface temperatures on account of climate change, heavy rainfallareas extend to greater distances (>300 km) around cyclone centre● Ocean warming has not only altered SSTs but also their pattern● El Nino indices (Nino 3.4) have crossed 2°C for the first time since February 2016,after the super El Nino of 2015● 2.9 million people in Andhra Pradesh are vulnerable to cyclones as 3.3 million peopleare located within 5 km distance from the coastline.● In the past 40 years, there may not have been a single year when Andhra Pradeshdid not experience either a storm, a…

Part 1 looked at the details of the Bengaluru Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP), its objectives, focus areas, resource planning, etc. The Government of Karnataka has tasked Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) with the primary leadership and responsibility for this initiative. While plans on paper seem comprehensive, the ground reality, however, leaves much to be desired. The challenges are many. The government needs to put in place a governance structure to execute them, considering that BBMP, entrusted with the primary leadership responsibility, hasn’t had an election for over seven years! What does sustainable and healthy living-an objective of BCAP-mean for…

As Chennai citizens are slowly trying to get back to normalcy after the destruction from floods following Cyclone Michaung, another disaster is unfolding in North Chennai. A few days ago, locals in the Manali area of the city, which was flooded following heavy rains, reported finding high amount of oil residue in the waters in the region close to the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL). A viral video has since been circulated that shows volunteers who went to distribute food and essentials to families in Ernavoor, wading through flood waters that was totally contaminated by an oil spill. While local…

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) announced the formation of the Bengaluru Climate Action Plan on November 27th with WRI India as knowledge partner. This is as a result of Bengaluru being a signatory to the C40 cities. Citizens wholeheartedly welcome the BCAP initiative and what it sets out for Bengaluru in the long term. This article breaks down BCAP’s objectives and highlights some of the serious concerns of citizens regarding the city's fragile governance mechanism. BCAP and its objectives Objective: Make Bengaluru carbon neutral or achieve net zero carbon footprint by 2050. The entire initiative is based on delivering sustainable…

COP28 emerges at a crucial juncture for global climate action amid escalating temperatures and unprecedented climate-related events. It is placed historically – as per the UN's global stocktake synthesis report - to align with the Paris Agreement's goals and address numerous issues, steering the world towards a more sustainable trajectory.  COP28 includes the inaugural global stocktake, a pivotal mechanism for evaluating progress under the Paris Agreement, putting into action the loss and damage fund from COP27 and figuring out a plan for the global goal on adaptation in the Paris Agreement. Also, parties are discussing aspects like a switch to…

“Launching a roadmap for climate action is a strategically significant step for the state of Karnataka. Bengaluru will not only emerge as a lighthouse for other cities in Karnataka and India but will also serve as a global example of inclusive climate action. Over the next few years, the BCAP will be implemented as a multi-sectoral collaborative effort, drawing participation from various departments of the Government of Karnataka, civil society and the private sector.”DK Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) launched the Bengaluru Climate Action and Resilience Plan (BCAP) on November 27th at…

When a nature group heard that stately banyan trees, many planted before independence, would be chopped to expand a highway out of Hyderabad, its members pleaded with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to modify the route to spare the trees. When that failed, a small group of citizens went to court, where they called out the NHAI’s false claims about the lack of bird and animal life, the inability to modify the route and the number of trees. How they did it is a lesson for other citizen groups nationwide trying to save roadside trees. Asiya Khan remembers…

It has become a norm now. We go all out for festivals. We need to fulfil our desires to celebrate and conform to practices laid down by ancestors or traditions that simply happened over time. And then, in hindsight, we take stock of everything - the money we spent, the bills we ran, junk we ate and the waste and pollution that we contributed to. We promise ourselves every year to do better next time. Until the cycle repeats over and over. This Diwali was no different. Not to mention the World Cup fever that only added to the feelings…

For birdwatchers, naturalists or concerned citizens curious to know more about the wildlife in their neighbourhood lakes, parks, and gardens, a new tool offers an exciting opportunity. Mapping Your Neighbourhood Avifauna or MYNA, a data exploration tool, allows users to visualise birdlife in green spaces around their neighbourhoods. MYNA is a data exploration tool created by the State of India’s Birds team. The State of India’s Birds (SOIB) is a report that assesses the status of over 900 bird species in the country, using citizen science data. The data comes from hobby birdwatchers or citizen scientists, who record their observations…

Several leopard sightings were reported in the city this month. A leopard wandering around Kudlu Gate in South Bengaluru was caught after a five day search. Unfortunately , the animal passed away in the veterinary hospital in Bannerghatta biological park after it was shot when it attacked a veterinary doctor.  This is not the first time that leopards have been sighted in the city. In 2016, an eight-year old male leopard had  entered Vibgyor High in Marathahalli. Wildlife conservationist, Sanjay Gubbi, was called to rescue the leopard. He had sustained serious injuries when the leopard attacked him. However, the leopard…