Carbon Copy A freshly passed amendment to the Forest Conservation Act has created a stir among ecologists, parliamentarians and stakeholders. With several contentious provisions, the amendment reveals an afforestation push where rights and justice take a backseat to commercial interests. This week, amidst a raucous monsoon session, the Indian Parliament saw the passage of several consequential pieces of legislation in quick succession. Among them was the contentious amendment to the Forest Conservation...

-Down to Earth Over 100 doctors across India submit letter to PM Modi warning of health concerns Doctors across India have come together to express their concern against the plantation of genetically modified (GM) mustard crops, which recently received the Centre’s go-ahead for its environmental clearance. A letter has been submitted by 111 doctors across various fields to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding immediate uprooting of the trial plantations of the genetically modified...

-Outlook India/ With PTI inputs The UAE and Indonesia launched the MAC on the sidelines of the UN climate summit COP27, being held in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt from November 6 to 18. The collaboration aims to strengthen the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems worldwide. India, Australia, Japan, Spain and Sri Lanka have joined it as partners. At the 27th session of the COP, Mangrove Alliance for Climate (MAC) was...

-The Hindu Coffee cultivation is becoming an increasingly loss-making proposition in India. Already weighed down by the high cost of inputs and production as well as labour shortage, the industry is now also affected by changes in climate patterns, reports  Mini Tejaswi from Karnataka’s coffee heartland Bose Mandanna was devastated when torrential rains in September thrashed the coffee plants in his plantation and left tender berries and leaves strewn everywhere. The plants...

-India.Mongabay.com * The allocation of lands for new commercial coal mines is likely to renew issues related to the creation of land banks in Jharkhand. * Common lands that people use have been transferred to land banks over the years, and physical surveys to record actual rights aren’t complete yet. * Lack of effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act 2006 on forest land (also part of land banks) has been a major...