-Down to Earth Scanty rainfall, heat up to 48°C mar paddy prospects    Punjab has been able to bring only 77,000 hectares (ha) under direct-seeded rice (DSR) through June 30 this year, way below the 1.2 million ha (mha) it targetted. This is also substantially less than last year’s 0.6 mha and 0.5 mha in 2020. High temperatures and deficient rainfall are mainly to blame, said farmers. Other challenges included closed canals, erratic...

The transport sector is important for the smooth functioning of an economy. The supply chains for various products and by-products (both domestically as well as internationally) can work efficiently only if the transportation of raw materials and inputs, and final goods and commodities takes place without disruption.   Due to economic growth, India’s annual CO2 (i.e., carbon dioxide) emission has expanded from 1.19 billion tonnes in 2005 to 2.44 billion tonnes...

-The Wire Science * Solar energy is a rapidly expanding marketplace that should benefit the environment. Solar panels can last for decades if they are properly cleaned and maintained. * But there is a catch. What happens to these panels after they are decommissioned? They go straight to the landfill, where they have significant consequences. * Heavy metals in solar panels such as lead and cadmium have been known to seep out of...

-TheWire.in A lack of financial incentives, absent policy-making and an unorganised trucking industry have stalled progress. Last year, at COP26, India pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070. The transportation sector is responsible for nearly 14% of India’s total greenhouse gas emissions. It is also the fastest-growing greenhouse gas emission sector in India. Road transport, in particular, accounts for over 90% of transport emissions in the country. Therefore, to achieve the...

-NDTV blog A huge part of India - northwest and central - has just experienced its hottest April on record. This is not just another heatwave. This is what scientists have been warning for decades, that global warming will lead to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events. And frequent spells of heatwaves. This time though something seems to have changed. A climate emergency has led to immediate repercussions outside the...