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Forest loss in the tundra reduces South Asian monsoon rain harder than loss in the tropics

The monsoon in South Asia is impacted five times more severely by deforestation the tundra than in the tropics, says a new study

Large-scale deforestation in mid- and higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere impacts the South Asian monsoon far more than local deforestation does, and could cause an 18% decline in monsoon rains over India, a new study says. It urges inclusion and careful…Read more

Every sign that Paris summit will go down to the wire

The Geneva round of negotiations for a Paris climate deal, as well as subsequent pronouncements by key governments, indicate that the Paris summit this December will be bogged down by the usual bickering, and end up with a treaty too weak to combat global warming

Every time bureaucrats sit down to draft a climate deal, the draft balloons with more square brackets – the UN euphemism to indicate lack of…Read more

Obama’s climate diplomacy: the dangers of bilateralism

The climate bilateralism Obama pursues sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the multilateral framework under which the world seeks a meaningful global treaty on climate change

While it was not the first time a US President visited India, nor the first time Barack Obama came calling, the saturation coverage of his visit was unprecedented. Readers of national dailies and viewers of news channels were…Read more

Zero sum diplomacy cannot save world from climate change

Global problems call for global collective action and climate change is no exception. The need of hour is statesmanship rather than pursuit of narrow interests

The danger posed by global warming is only matched by our blatant disregard of it. A scan of news headlines demonstrates our preoccupation with short term crises as the planet inexorably heads towards an apocalyptic tipping point caused by unabated emissions of heat trapping…Read more

India’s solar dream: does the country have enough water?

Narendra Modi’s ambitious solar energy expansion may be scuppered by lack of water, particularly in arid regions where the biggest solar farms are planned

Enthusiasm for solar energy has grown recently with the dramatic fall in prices of solar photovoltaic equipment and the global drive to switch to ‘cleaner’ energy sources. In India, the government hopes to establish the country as a leader…Read more