Environment

According to the World Bank, an additional 68 to 135 million people could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to the climate crisis and associated risks, disproportionately impacting the poorest countries and most vulnerable communities. As one navigates the challenges of climate change and its varying degrees of impact across different economic layers of a population, it becomes critical that a collaborative effort towards climate-resilient urban development involves the participation of vulnerable communities. For instance, Bengaluru has witnessed a significant rainfall deficit and a sweltering couple of months this year, and as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru…

India is working hard to find cleaner ways to produce energy. In response to the escalating daily surge in carbon emissions and the shift from conventional thermal energy generation to environmentally sustainable and green energy sources, various renewable energy projects, including wind energy, solar energy, tidal power, hydroelectricity, and more are in the works. One notable addition to this green energy portfolio is the concept of green hydrogen. This technology is poised to attract substantial investments worth millions of rupees, all over the country in the not-so-distant future. It holds the potential to assume an important role in meeting the…

[In part three of this series, Citizen Matters spoke to urban hydrologists and researchers, Rashmi Kulranjan and Shashank Palur, about how Bengaluru can reduce dependence on external water sources, like Cauvery, and become water resilient.] In this interview, the researchers say that the first step towards achieving the goal of resilience is to understand water usage by building a water balance for the city. About the researchers Rashmi and Shashank work at the Urban Water Programme at WELL Labs, where they study water flow patterns in urban water systems, especially lakes in Bengaluru. Rashmi is also a PhD scholar at…

This three part series examines rainfall patterns in Bengaluru and the lessons we can learn about water resilience. Part 1: Over 100 years of Bengaluru rains decodedPart 2: Can a little boy affect Bengaluru's rains?Part 3: Deluge or drought: Water researchers explain how Bengaluru can build resilience As I write this, we have entered a wet and 'thunderstormy' October, but please forgive me dear reader if the weather is bright and sunny when you read this. As we found in our analysis of rainfall patterns in the city, rainfall is becoming unpredictable in Bengaluru. As early as February 2023, government…

The release of the BBMP Street Dog Census 2023 on October 4th has generated significant attention in the media, primarily focusing on the survey methodology and the decrease in street dog numbers. However, beyond the headlines, the survey has implications for citizens and animal lovers. Census results The census shows a 10% drop in the street dog population from 3.1 lakh in 2019 to 2.9 lakh. While this number is adequate, and the reduction quite a relief, it could be much better with a more aggressive, effective and compassionate ABC (Animal Birth Control) programme. It is quite heartening to know…

As the 10-day Ganpati festival got over with much fanfare, we delve into its environmental impact and explore some of our stories related to the festival - city's preparations for the festival, the push for eco-friendly Ganpati celebrations, and snapshots from this year's festival, capturing the emotional farewells by devotees. According to civic officials from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), over 39,000 idols of Lord Ganesh were immersed in various water bodies on the last day, and more than 2,05,722 idols were immersed across Mumbai over ten days. The Ganpati festival is commonly linked to significant environmental consequences. The idols are…

Sudden, heavy downpours after hot and humid days have been a frequent occurrence over the past two months in Chennai. Such rainfall during the lesser southwest monsoon season is a deviation from the norm for the city. The northeast monsoon season is the most critical period for rainfall in Chennai, as it provides more than 50% of the city's annual rainfall. The southwest monsoon season, on the other hand, provides only around 20% of the city's annual rainfall. However, this year, the city experienced an early and abundant southwest monsoon this year. What do these high numbers mean for the…

"I have a vivid memory from my childhood when I was about 8 years old. My grandfather took me to the Hanging Gardens, and I was absolutely thrilled. The trees, the open spaces to run, the panoramic views from the top – it all convinced me that no other garden could possibly be as beautiful as this one. This was in the 1980s, and my grandfather passed away not long after that. But the dearest memories I have with him are of those moments in this garden, playing around while he watched from a distance." "I hadn't thought about that…

As the curtains fall on this year's monsoon season, let's take a moment to examine Mumbai's rainfall performance this year. Due to worries of El Nino, a climate pattern indicating abnormal Pacific Ocean warming, officials anticipated rain deficit. However, contrary to expectations, the weather systems aligned in such a way that Mumbai not only received substantial rainfall but also surpassed its average expectations, experiencing an abundance of rain during the past four months. Mumbai has received a remarkable 2956.4 mm of rainfall so far, with July marking an all-time high at 1,770 mm. However, the month of August was mostly…

Stalin Dayanand is an environmentalist who has spent two decades building citizen movements to protect wetlands and forests in Maharashtra. Environmental litigation, environmental education, and ground-level conservation are the planks of his activities. The director of Vanashakti—a conservation nonprofit in Mumbai—Stalin has been at the forefront of several environmental campaigns. These include the Save Aarey movement, the protest to protect Sindhudurg’s forests from mining, the Save Ulhas River project, and the pushback against constructing an international airport on wetlands in Navi Mumbai.        Stalin spoke to India Development Review about what it takes to build a people’s movement, why such movements…