Climate Change - Question of Cities

The Himalayan disasters point to reckless construction, not merely climate change

As Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab struggle to recover from the widespread devastation this monsoon, it is futile to only blame climate change. The ground situation and studies point to reckless construction – even over-construction – in the…

Dehradun: Infrastructure development or the
ghost of greed?

The aggressive push for infrastructure projects – specifically the Char Dham Yatra road, Dehradun’s airport expansion, and an elevated corridor to Mussoorie – threaten the fragile ecology of the Himalayan region. Despite studies advising caution, the government pushes ahead with…

Will nature send an invoice to booming Goa?

Eco-sensitive zones, private forests, paddy fields, orchards, natural greens, sacred groves, khazan lands, kulaghars, plateaus – all of Goa’s undulating land and rich ecology have been under assault for ‘development’. Almost every village has land deals and land conversions aided…

Giving rivers room to move: Rethinking flood management for nature and people

The idea of allowing rivers to reclaim space on their floodplains is not new. There have been programmes such as the ‘Room for the River’ in the Netherlands since the mid-1990s and the ‘Making Space for Water’ strategy in England.…

Climate language: How to bridge the gap with local, people-centric communication

The languages, forms and methods used to communicate climate change often fail to connect policy and official reports with people’s lived experiences. Climate communication excludes the very people it affects the most. For it to make a difference, it must…

When climate communication takes creative and non-news forms

Practitioners of creative forms such as theatre, indie films, installations, poetry, stand-up comedy, and card or board games are engaging with the complex and layered information and reports about climate change to present it to their audiences in a new…

Five issues missing from our conversations on heat

The rising temperatures and heat waves are taking a toll on people across India. Last summer, at least 733 heat-related deaths and more than 40,000 heatstroke cases were recorded in 17 states between March and June, a report showed. Temperatures…

Climate’s sizzling frontier: Northeast heats up, must plan with nature

Summer temperatures have risen to record highs and, importantly, nights have become warmer in Guwahati with the rapid urbanisation. People have taken to air conditioners and cold drinking water. Guwahati is not alone. From Shillong’s hills to Aizawl’s ridges to…

‘Coping with heat isn’t an individual problem, it’s a systemic challenge’

The unequal impact of heat on the marginalised in India’s cities is no longer in question. The chasm is deepening between those who can escape heat stress and those forced to work despite extreme heat. Apekshita Varshney, founder of non-profit…

How Delhi’s poor and homeless beat the heat on their own

The country’s capital recorded this year’s first heat wave in early April, with temperatures touching 40.2 degrees Celsius. With summer making an early and harsh onset, the most vulnerable people – the homeless – have only themselves to rely upon…