Environment

India-West News DeskNEW DELHI - Tariffs imposed by the United States have brought turmoil to ndia’s solar industry, squeezing export opportunities and adding pressure on domestic manufacturers, according to Reuters. The stricter trade measures have contributed to a sharp contraction

MUMBAI Stand-up star and actor Vir Das started his day with a sharp quip about Mumbai’s worsening air quality, saying he’s reached a point where coughing has become redundant as his lungs have “adapted.” Vir posted a video on Instagram from

MUMBAI -Actress Kubbra Sait is all set for a 12-day rafting expedition on the Brahmaputra River and said that it is going to be a mad experience. The dream of such an adventure started when she first rafted on the Kali

BELEM -Global climate cooperation remains active and resilient despite an adverse political environment, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell has said. "We knew this COP would take place in stormy political waters. Denial, division and geopolitics have dealt international cooperation heavy

DHAMTARI- Nathukonha village in the Dhamtari district has become Chhattisgarh’s first solar-powered village. This achievement is an important step aimed at promoting renewable energy and ensuring electricity access to every household in the remote area. All 27 tribal families residing in the village, which is

NEW DELHI -Researchers led by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) have developed a method to reconstruct the Sun’s polar magnetic behavior over the past century by analyzing historical solar images from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO. Led by Dibya

SANTA BARBARA, CA -SpaceX on November 17 launched NASA’s 'Sentinel-6B' satellite aimed at monitoring sea level change, the US space agency said. 'Sentinel-6B' is an Earth-observing satellite jointly developed by NASA and US and European partners to observe the ocean and measure

BRASILIA — As global leaders converged on Belem for COP 30 with the Amazon at the center of world attention, a small delegation from the Sweden based Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo Pacific Affairs at the Institute for

GABORONE-Beginning a new chapter in India-Botswana cooperation in wildlife conservation, Botswana, on November 13, donated eight cheetahs to India under Project Cheetah. The symbolic donation event took place during the visit of President Droupadi Murmu and her Botswana counterpart Duma Gideon Boko

NEW DELHI -Will developing countries be left behind in the race towards a new, green economy? This is an emerging threat, says a set of new discussion papers by New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) at

BELEM -Amid rising heatwaves and surging demand for cooling, adopting sustainable cooling practices could significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, save trillions of dollars, and expand life-saving cooling access to those who need it, according to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report

India-West Staff Reporter AGRA - Gulam Rasool, one of India’s most renowned marble artisans whose intricate jali (openwork) carvings carried the country’s centuries-old craft tradition to global audiences, passed away at his home here last month. For more than six decades, the

NEW DELHI- Green hydrogen has emerged as a key fuel in the global fight against climate change, offering a path to significantly cut emissions in challenging sectors like steel, fertilizers, shipping, aviation, and road transport, according to an article by

NEW YORK, NY -The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change released its 2025 nationally determined contributions (NDCs) synthesis report, showing improved quality, credibility, and economic coverage. Released ahead of COP30 in Brazil next month, the report covers national climate plans

KABUL- Months after India put the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance in response to Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, now Afghanistan has announced its plans to build dams on the Kunar River "as soon as possible", which is likely to create a troubling unease in

NEW DELHI - Delhi officials said that two attempts to induce artificial rain were made in the capital on October 28 with the help of IIT-Kanpur, and similar efforts shall continue in the coming days. The experiment for inducing artificial rain comes close to a dip in

NEW DELHI - After Diwali celebrations filled the skies with firecrackers and festive smoke, the Commission for Air Quality Management on October 21 reported an alarming deterioration in air quality across northern India. According to the latest Air Quality Index (AQI)

NEW DELHI- Even as the national capital woke up to toxic air on October 20 morning with the Air Quality Index (AQI) falling to the "very poor" category, health experts warned of an increase in respiratory diseases, stroke, and heart attack, among

MUMBAI — Bollywood actress and environmental advocate Dia Mirza has invested in a pioneering startup transforming unrecyclable plastic waste into high-quality circular materials, highlighting a model of inclusive innovation. The startup, Without®, recently launched its first-of-its-kind  demonstration plant in Pune, capable

MELBOURNE- Nearly 100,000 deaths from 2023's unprecedented heatwaves were linked to human-induced climate change, according to an Australian-led global study. The study, released October 7, found that unprecedented heatwaves in 2023 caused an estimated 178,486 excess deaths worldwide, equivalent to 23

SHIMLA -Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley in Lahaul-Spiti district has been recognized as India's first Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's prestigious Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program. With this inclusion, India now has 13 Biosphere Reserves in the MAB Network. This feat has been made possible due to

Photos: Earthshot India-West News Desk AHMEDABAD/CHICAGO — The state of Gujarat has been named a finalist for the prestigious 2025 Earthshot Prize for its groundbreaking efforts to combat air pollution through the world’s first particulate emissions trading market, developed in partnership with

Photo:Boomitra India-West Staff Reporter SAN MATEO, CA - Singapore has become the first country to purchase soil carbon removals under its climate commitments, signing an agreement with California-based climate technology firm Boomitra to acquire 625,000 tons of carbon credits. The credits, sourced from Boomitra’s

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration announced on October 1 that it is canceling nearly $8 billion in federal funding designated for climate-related projects in states led by Democrats. The states affected by the cancellation include California, Colorado, Connecticut,

NEW DELHI- India is emerging as a global leader in the hydrogen industry, with a strong focus on green hydrogen, according to a report. Data compiled by S&P Global indicated that India's potential to become a low-cost hydrogen supplier depends on

CHANDIGARH-In a decisive move towards addressing the concern of stubble burning and fostering sustainable agriculture practices, the Punjab government has unveiled an ambitious Information, Education and Communication plan for Crop Residue Management, state Minister for Agriculture Gurmeet Singh Khudian said on September 28. messages in

HYDERABAD – In Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district, a once-ordinary village has quietly scripted history. Kondareddypally, the native village of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, has become South India’s first—and India’s second—100 percent solar-powered village, a milestone that blends clean energy with

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC – A formal investigation has been launched by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) against Indian solar module manufacturer Waaree Energies, following complaints that the company may have evaded anti-dumping and countervailing duties. The probe comes

Photo:LinkedIn India-West News Desk NEW YORK, NY - Jinali Mody, Founder and CEO of Banofi Leather, has been named a 2025 Young Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Planet A for her work pioneering a plant-based leather

By Navneet S. Chugh When you meet Anna Hainze, Chief of Staff to the Managing Director at One Acre Fund, you immediately sense her passion for farmers. “Our mission is simple but powerful,” she told me. “We want to make smallholder

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, DC — Vantara, the wildlife rehabilitation center in Jamnagar, has been awarded the Global Humane Conservation Certified distinction for its high standards of animal care. The certification, granted by the Global Humane Society, recognizes its commitment to

GENEVA - The rise in global temperatures is likely to cause severe health risks and result in the loss of more than $1.5 trillion in productivity, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum on September 18. The loss

NEW DELHI- On a day when the Supreme Court gave a clean chit to the Vantara wildlife facility in Gujarat’s Jamnagar over alleged lapses, Team Vantara on September 15 called it a validation of the truth and reiterated its resolve

WASHINGTON, DC  -An increasing rise in global temperatures is set to drive cases of dengue by as much as 76 per cent across a large number of countries in Asia and the Americas by 2050, according to a new study. The

MUMBAI -Bollywood star Akshay Kumar participated in a beach clean-up drive at Juhu beach in Mumbai on September 7, the day after Ganpati Visarjan. Videos shared on social media show the actor picking up waste left behind after the immersion and

NEW DELHI – Giraffes, the world’s tallest animals, are no longer considered a single species. A new global review has confirmed that there are actually four distinct species, reshaping how scientists and conservationists understand and protect them. The finding, announced August

MUMBAI - Actor Jackie Shroff, who is known for his work in environmental conservation, tree plantation drives, and fitness, met the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, on September 3.  Both shared pictures from the meeting where the actor is seen gifting

GENEVA- A whopping 2.1 billion people or one in every four people globally lack access to safely managed drinking water, according to a joint report by UN agencies WHO and the UNICEF on August 26. This includes 106 million people who

India-West Staff Reporter WASHINGTON, DC — Californian Priya Talreja, a Fremont native has been named one of just five researchers nationwide to receive the highly coveted 2025 Fulbright-National Geographic Award. The $20,000 fellowship will support her innovative work as an urban

Photo: Wikipedia India-West News Desk NEW DELHI – India’s Supreme Court has ordered an independent inquiry into Vantara, the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation project run by Mukesh Ambani’s son Anant, while stopping short of endorsing allegations of illegal animal acquisitions and mistreatment. The

MUMBAI -Veteran Bollywood star Jackie Shroff, who calls himself a green crusader, has spoken about how plants can lead to a calmer mind and happier vibes. In a conversation about the current climate crisis and how he believes individuals can contribute,

NEW DELHI — India has officially surpassed Japan to become the world’s third-largest solar power producer, marking a dramatic transformation in the country’s energy landscape. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, India generated 1,08,494 GWh of solar power in

SHEOPUR - In a dramatic test of India’s newly established inter-state cheetah corridor, a free-ranging female cheetah named Jwala from Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park trekked nearly 130 km into Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district before being safely rescued and returned.

STOCKHOLM — Military expansion on the Tibetan Plateau is accelerating environmental risks with consequences extending beyond regional borders, according to a new report by the Institute for Security and Development Policy. The report, released August 18, warns that China’s buildup in

MUMBAI- Dia Mirza has urged everyone to pledge to preserve and cherish the natural treasures that help shape our lives in more than one way. Dia wrote on her IG: "Happy Independence Day India 

India-West News Desk WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 13 aimed at cutting down federal oversight of commercial rocket launches, a move that could accelerate private space ventures but also weaken environmental protections. The order directs

LOS ANGELES, CA -Evacuations were ordered for communities near a fast-moving wildfire in a canyon area in Southern California amid a major heat wave. The wildfire, dubbed the 'Canyon fire', broke out near Piru, a small historic town located in eastern

AMARAVATI- Thirty King Cobra hatchlings were successfully released into the Eastern Ghats in what is claimed to be the first-of-its-kind, community-led conservation initiative in Andhra Pradesh. Conservation of King Cobra nesting habitat was taken up by involving local tribal communities in

WASHINGTON, D.C.- In yet another political move attacking climate and Democratic states, US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced that the Federal Railroad Administration will cancel two grants totaling over $26 million for a planned high-speed rail that would link Baltimore,

India-West News Desk BOSTON, MA -Smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada has caused ground delays at Boston's Logan International Airport and triggered air quality alerts across the Upper Midwest and Northeast of the US. The Federal Aviation Administration reported a