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Climate migration set to rise sharply by 2050 as climate stress intensifies, says report

Recurring droughts have forced pastoralist communities in Turkana, Marsabit and Garissa to move in search of pasture and water, while devastating floods along the Tana River and in Budalang’i have displaced families time and again. A new report warns that these local experiences reflect a wider continental crisis. The State of Africa’s Environment 2025 report projects that by 2050, up to five per cent of Africa’s estimated two billion people—nearly 100 million—could be forced to migrate due to climate stress. Released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in partnership with Down To Earth magazine, Alliance for Science–Ethiopia and Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture, the report shows that Africa’s youthful population, averaging just 19 years, will face unprecedented climatic disruptions where migration becomes the new normal. Global data from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) revealed that disasters triggered nearly 265 million displacements between 2015 and 2024, with 90 per cent linked to floods and storms. Africa, the report noted, has been among the hardest hit. “Internal displacements have tripled in the last 15 years and climate-related disasters alone have driven a six-fold increase in forced movement. Floods account for over 75 per cent of Africa’s disaster displacements, while droughts contribute about 11 percent,” it showed. In Kenya and across eastern Africa, most climate-related displacements occur during rainy seasons. IDMC data showed that the March–May 2024 long rains displaced over 500,000 people between October 2023 and January 2024. By the end of 2024, around 185,000 people remained in internal displacement, 131,000 of them due to drought. Experts describe this phenomenon as “climate mobility,” where migration becomes both a coping mechanism and an adaptation strategy. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that while migration can help households adjust, outcomes depend heavily on social, economic and governance factors. “For most Africans, migration is not across borders but short distances within their own countries, often to nearby towns or safer rural areas,” the report explained. “Cyclones Idai and Freddy, repeated droughts in the Horn of Africa, and worsening floods across Kenya and Nigeria highlight what lies ahead.” By 2050, the International Organization for Migration projects as many as 200 million additional “environmental migrants” worldwide, with Africa at the epicentre. Sunita Narain, director general of CSE, stressed that climate migration is no longer a distant scenario but a lived reality. “The question is not whether millions will move, but how governments and communities can prepare to manage this inevitable human mobility,” she said. “Each year, each month, extreme weather is breaking a new record. I call this the revenge of nature. But we have no option except to stay on course.” Instant Analysis

Green Concrete

bout 200 years ago, in 1824, Joseph Aspdin, a British bricklayer, invented the earliest form of Portland Cement, the principal element of concrete, in his kitchen. Since then and even today, concrete has been one of the most widely used materials in construction, largely characterising the architecture of the 20th century globally. The material has lent itself to countless forms, allowing architects and construction professionals to achieve unique works that skilfully express their creativity. But what has pushed us now to rethink our concrete practices? While concrete has significantly shaped our built environment, it also accounts for over 7% of the total greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. This massive carbon footprint has driven us to redefine our construction practices and look for greener alternatives, without compromising the functionality and integrity of our infrastructure. In an online interaction organised by ACE Update, acclaimed architects and industry experts discuss how innovative alternatives, such as autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) and recycled aggregates, are making traditional concrete greener, as well as the importance of carbon capture and the need for upskilling and a change in mindset. How are AACs changing the game? AAC blocks are made from raw materials like cement, fly ash, sand, lime, water, and expansion agents. These blocks are not only lightweight but also offer high strength and excellent thermal insulation properties. AACs have emerged as a preferred green construction alternative due to their strong insulation, fire resistance, durability, and low carbon footprint. While AAC blocks are gaining traction, their high water absorption rates and the eventual expansion and contraction that occur when water is absorbed and then lost are raising concerns about their adoption. Rajdeep Chowdhury, Business Head – VAP & AAC – TPO, Biltech Building Elements, breaks the myth, explaining how AAC blocks are completely durable. “This is not true. When you pour water on an AAC block, there is immediate suction. But, because the pore structure is not continuous in these blocks, there is no capillary suction and the water does not travel like it does in concrete.”, explains Rajdeep. The larger surface area of these AAC blocks also prevents water from seeping inside. Rajdeep also explains how AACs can be used in external walling, as well as with appropriate plastering/rendering. “Sealing the joints appropriately and plastering the surface meticulously is important. AACs can serve as ideal candidates for walling applications, both internal and external. Not only this, AACs can be used in large-scale infrastructure as well.”, comments Rajdeep. Concrete can itself act as a “carbon sink” While the carbon emissions associated with cement production are a debated topic, what is often overlooked is the use of concrete itself as a carbon sequestration source. Concrete can act as a carbon sink by reabsorbing the carbon dioxide produced during the production of cement. Dr Sanchit Gupta, Senior Research Associate in the Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Indore, elucidates this. “Calcium hydroxide released during the production of cement can be used to absorb the CO2 released during the cement production process. This carbonation process not only controls the release of CO2 into the atmosphere but also enhances the properties of concrete.”, comments Dr. Sanchit. Awareness, upskilling, and more Decarbonising concrete need not be focused only on finding greener options. Reducing dependency on concrete should also be considered. Ar. Sugeet Grover, Programme Manager, Sustainable Habitat, Centre for Science and Environment, emphasises the need to explore alternative methods of construction and also the importance of spreading awareness and upskilling workers. “Apart from low-carbon concrete, it is also important to re-examine our construction methods. Engineered timer, fly ash, and recycled aggregates top the list. Consider designs that carry loads more efficiently by reducing the overall concrete volume and allowing for thinner concrete sections. High-strength concrete, design minimisation/optimisation, prioritising reusable elements, geopolymer concrete, and adopting circular economy principles are the need of the hour!”, opines Ar. Sugeet. Dr Priyanka Kochhar, Chief Executive Officer of The Habitat Emprise, emphasises the importance of upskilling and creating awareness. “Upskilling is important. Developers and construction professionals should take that effort to educate and upskill their workers, and show them the path to embrace alternate methods of construction.” Dr. Sanchit also adds his thoughts. The compendium of technologies released by the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) clearly indicates the house design material selections for different parts of the country. It sheds light on the material selection available, technologies, and other options for sustainable construction. But what impedes the adoption is the lack of awareness and appropriate upskilling.”, comments Dr. Sanchit. What governs the standardisation of recycled aggregates? Dr Sanchit highlights three key pathways: “First is at the source, like when people give the necessary information on the waste generated, the users can get an idea of the strength and substitution level when the material is used in concrete. The second should be from the recycler. When the quality of waste is unknown, the recycler should make an effort to produce an end product of the same standard quality/properties. The third aspect is the training/awareness that is to be given to the construction agencies. These should always conduct the standard tests stipulated by the codes, e.g., IS383.”

High-voltage debates, big annou and awards: All eyes on ET Energ Leadership Summit 2025

Adding to the policy discussions, Sunita Narain, DG, Centre for Science and Environment, will deliver a keynote on “Energy Futures for Development, Clean Air and Climate Change" The agenda also includes a fireside chat with Girish R Tanti of Suzlon Energy on the role of wind, while the AI x Energy panel will bring together LKS Rathore from Ministry of Power, Pankaj Sharma from PPAC, Naveen Srivastava of Power Grid Corporation, and Prashant Atreya of NHPC Ltd. MNRE minister Pralhad Joshi's remarks are expected to highlight the government’s latest policy measures and investment outlook for achieving the 500 GW non-fossil energy target by 2030. Delhi. With the theme “Leadership Strategies for a Susta Future” , the two-day event promises to bring together to global energy leaders, and corporate heavyweights at a t energy transformation is being closely watched across th A high-powered ministerial line-up The summit begins with a keynote by Srikant Nagulapall Secretary, Ministry of Power, followed by the much-anti ministerial address of Union Cabinet Minister for New an Energy and Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribut Joshi. His remarks are expected to highlight the governm policy measures and investment outlook for achieving th fossil energy target by 2030.

'Real world moving faster than politics': Experts reject Trump's dismissal of climate change

Avantika Goswami, head of the climate change programme at the Centre for Science and Environment, said that as the second largest emitter and a petrostate controlling the dollar, the US regression on climate is harmful for global goals. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday called climate change "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world", a dismissal that experts say must not shake countries' resolve to fight the crisis, since action is overtaking political posturing in the real world. Experts warned that Trump's speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) may complicate diplomacy in the run-up to the UN climate change conference in Belem, Brazil, but they insist that momentum lies in the policies countries adopt. Trump's rhetoric, whether calling climate change a "hoax" or a "con job", is a "reckless assault on our shared future", said Harjeet Singh, climate activist and founding director of Satat Sampada Climate Foundation Avantika Goswami, head of the climate change programme at the Centre for Science and Environment, said that as the second largest emitter and a petrostate controlling the dollar, the US regression on climate is harmful for global goals. "But this should not weaken the resolve of other countries," she said, urging nations to use COP30 to reinforce commitments on scaling down fossil fuels and pursuing green industrial policy. Shailendra Yashwant, senior advisor at Climate Action Network South Asia, said Trump's address "comes as no surprise as he has been desperately trying to prop up the dying oil and gas industry in the face of record-breaking renewable energy uptake across the world". Citing a recent IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency) finding that solar is now 41 per cent cheaper than fossil fuels, he said, "The real world is moving faster than politics." Yashwant also emphasised that the real significance lies in how leaders show up at COP30, invoking Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's message that

Parking Puzzle: Dire Need to Unlock the Parking Game

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report states that - 30% of traffic congestion in Indian cities is caused by vehicles searching for parking. And, all of those who have played musical chairs with cars around Connaught Place in Delhi, MG Road in Pune, Fort area in Mumbai or Hazratganj in Lucknow, will tend to agree. Urban India is facing an acute parking crisis as rapid vehicle ownership outpaces available infrastructure. With nearly 3.9 crore registered vehicles nationwide and only limited designated parking spaces. Delhi, for instance, has over 1.5 crore vehicles but fewer than one lakh registered spots and the situation has become chaotic. Tier-2 cities are equally strained, with residents forced to park on streets due to inadequate off-street options. Traffic congestion, wasted time, safety concerns, and frustration are daily realities for commuters, business owners, women, and senior citizens. As cities grow, intelligent, inclusive, and technology-driven parking solutions are becoming an urgent necessity to restore order and efficiency. First let’s take a look at some facts: As of August 2025, India has about 27,544 parking lots nationwide. And there are ~8,214 public parking spaces catalogued in major cities (public parking = officially designated spots) Total registered vehicles in India (as of early 2025) is 389.771 million (i.e. ~3,897.71 lakh) as per a most recent data. The rapid increase in vehicle ownership, coupled with limited land availability, has led to chaotic street parking, traffic congestion, and frustrated commuters. For example, Delhi has over 1.5 crore registered vehicles but less than a lakh of registered parking space. Same goes with Mumbai with estimated 47 lakh registered vehicles and less than 70,000 authorized parking spots. No better are smaller cities like Nagpur with ~21 lakh vehicles but only 43 authorized on-street parking spots and Kolkata with ~37.6% of car owners keep vehicles parked on roads (rather than off-street) due to lack of alternatives. Musical Chairs with Cars The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report states that - 30% of traffic congestion in Indian cities is caused by vehicles searching for parking. And, all of those who have played musical chairs with cars around Connaught Place in Delhi, MG Road in Pune, Fort area in Mumbai or Hazratganj in Lucknow, will tend to agree. “To ease the time taken for circulation in locating a parking space, car parks have to be located in convenient locations and be easily accessible. Relevant traffic studies have to be conducted to ensure this. Unnecessary circulation increases congestion, wastes time as well as fuel. Car parks also need to be well lighted, ventilated, secure and with rest rooms as many ladies and elderly use these facilities. Time taken to enter a car park, find a space and exit needs to be minimal, not more than 10 minutes. Municipalities and urban authorities are not structured to build and maintain parking facilities. This is not their core competency. This is best achieved by collaborating with private developers in public, private, partnership mode (PPP), said Arvind Mayar, Chief Executive Officer, Secure Parking. Parking Chaos: Burden on Time & Health The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in a report on urban mobility last year estimates that drivers in Indian metro cities spend up to 20 minutes per trip looking for parking. Cumulatively, that amounts to 7.5 days per year spent in search of a parking spot. The most impacted by this daily grind are The mid-income care owners, who live in buildings with inadequate parking arrangements Small shop & business ownerswho face business losses as customers shy away from visiting the place Womendrivers cite safety concerns, especially due to illegal and unauthorized parking agencies Senior citizensvisiting hospitals/medical facilities have tough time due to lack of adequate parking facilities Gig workerslike cab drivers, delivery agents and ride-sharing partners often face fines due to poor parking availability. Emergency servicessuch as ambulances and fire engines are frequently delayed due to indiscriminate parked vehicles blocking roads and narrow lanes. The Reality Check Under the "smart cities" initiative, cities are to develop smart parking systems using IoT sensors and AI to identify empty slots, reducing congestion and increasing parking revenue. Then there is the recent case of Nashik city, where parking woes persist, despite being part of the Smart City Mission. The Smart City corporation handed over the parking spaces to the civic body, but it is yet to be executed even by NMC. As per Sumant More, CEO, Nashik Municipal Smart City Development, the contractor concerned refused to operate on-street and off-street parking facilities at 32 locations, demanding extension of contract period and waiver of annual royalty amount. And even after three years, the parking issues remains unresolved. Kolhapur, a designated smart city, celebrated the inauguration of Bombay High Court’s Kolhapur circuit bench, meant to be a milestone for the city. Instead, it turned into a case study of inadequate planning. Traffic snarls have paralyzed nearby areas, vehicles are stuck for hours, and the lack of designated parking for litigants, advocates, and officials exacerbate the chaos. Far from being a celebration of progress, it has highlighted glaring gaps between infrastructure promise and reality. Puzzle Parking for Parking Puzzle Automated systems can achieve a much higher parking density, and in congested market places or business areas, they eliminate the need to drive around searching for a spot, significantly reducing traffic congestion in parking areas and surrounding streets. Noida Authority is planning to build its first automated puzzle parking in Sector 63. Designed by Orionn Architects, the four-level facility to be managed through RFP will have a capacity of 100 vehicles (25 per floor) and will use a sensor-based mechanism to automatically shift vehicles between floors in 3–6 minutes, offering faster, safer, and space-efficient parking. As per General manager SP Singh the facility is designed to ease parking woes in places where space is limited with poor parking conditions." Tower car parking systems too offer a compelling alternative by maximizing the use of vertical space and automating the parking process. These systems installed in quite a few commercial buildings, retail hubs, and office towers in Mumbai can accommodate up to 100 cars in the space required for just 2-6 surface parking spots. While, automated car parks are ill suited for public use or market places, they are best for residences and offices, says Arvind Mayar. On a positive note, he adds, “There are several success stories specially in many cities including Delhi and Mumbai, of public car parks developed by municipal, metro or urban development authorities. Many of these have some retail attached to improve customer convenience.” For instance, to address the chronic menace of traffic congestion, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation in May this year has introduced 100 on-roadside parking spots across several key areas in the city. Additional municipal commissioner Pankaj Shrivastava said the survey identified 74 existing parking locations that were closed after the revision of urban parking rules, which prohibited roadside parking. "Basic amenities like drinking water, toilets and shade will also be developed at these parking sites as per govt directions," he added. Decoding the Urban Parking Dilemma The National Urban Transport Policy 2006 (NUTP) advocates the imposition of parking fees commensurate with land valuation costs, establishing park-and-ride facilities at transit nodes, a tiered system of parking fees, and creating multi-level parking structures in urban cores. Many cities across India such as Surat, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Chandigarh, among others, have formulated parking policies for their respective urban areas. But on a closer look the multiplicity of governing bodies from police to municipals, outdated building codes, commercialization of streets by vendors and incoherent urban land use guidelines have left the parking directives not aligned with desired objectives An inclusive, intelligent urban planning is the need of the hour, that may include multi-level parking systems, community parking bays, digitized mapping, and incentives for off-peak travel to ease this urban menace. It is imperative, solutions must consider not only vehicle volume but also human experience.

When the sun becomes a threat

It was just 12 p.m. in Accra, but the streets already shimmered under a punishing sun. At the bustling Accra New Town, Hawawu Abdul Karim, a journalist in her mid-30s, wiped sweat from her forehead as she drank from a bottle of water. “Last year, the heat was too much,” she sighed. “I drank a lot of water, but it did not help—it only kept me dehydrated. How do we survive if every year is hotter than the last?” She was compelled to keep bottled water in her fridge at home. Miss Hawawu, who was then working with Voice of America (Hausa) from Ghana, was required to produce quality stories for publication. This meant she had to hunt for stories via public transport under a scorching sun. “Sometimes, I got home so tired, and my room was always so warm that I could not produce stories on time,” she said. Hawa added that she had sleepless nights, drenched in sweat, because of the heat. The situation became even worse when there was a power outage at night or during the day when she was at home. Hawawu’s story is one of millions across Ghana and Africa, where rising heat is fast becoming a silent crisis. According to a new review by the India-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), Africa is warming at 0.3°C per decade — nearly 1.5 times faster than the global average. In 2024 alone, the continent recorded an average temperature anomaly of 0.87°C above normal. For Elias, a 36-year-old entrepreneur and farmer in Jirapa, the problem is no longer just the daytime heat. “Sometimes, I feel pain in one side of my neck with off-and-on headaches. Later, the neck pain became so severe that I could not even turn my neck to that side. The heat was really unbearable—imagine sleeping in a room with as many as six people,” he said. CSE’s review shows that night-time land surface temperatures across Africa have risen sharply, with cities like Cairo, Lagos, and Accra recording alarming increases. For families living in informal settlements with poor ventilation, the risk of heat-related illness grows each year. Cities turning into heat traps In Kumasi, Ghana’s “Garden City,” green spaces that once cooled the urban environment are shrinking. Dr Alex Nti-Kani, an environmental economist with Centre for Climate Change & Food Security (CCCFS), explained that rapid urbanisation means people are cutting down trees and paying for every open space.

Delhi braces for rising air pollution as winter nears

With the onset of cooler weather, Delhi is once again preparing for the seasonal surge in air pollution that has become a recurring public health crisis. Capital’s air quality could deteriorate sharply in the coming weeks as emissions from vehicles, industry, and stubble burning combine with stagnant weather conditions. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows that pollution levels begin climbing in late September, peaking between October and January when low wind speeds and temperature inversion trap pollutants close to the ground. Last year, Delhi recorded “severe” air quality on multiple days, forcing school closures, flight disruptions, and restrictions on construction and traffic. One of the biggest contributors remains vehicular emission. According to Kalyani Tembhe, Deputy Programme Manager, Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi’s own pollution is very high and within that around 50 per cent pollution is getting contributed through vehicular emission. Despite repeated crackdowns and subsidies for alternative methods, crop residue burning in neighbouring Punjab and Haryana add to the toxic mix. Meanwhile, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that the government will conduct a study on titanium oxide-based ‘smog-eating’ coatings that can be applied to roads to curb the air pollution in the city. He said that if the study confirms that the technology is effective and cost efficient, the department will move the proposal for implementation. Health experts caution that even short exposure to polluted air can aggravate respiratory illnesses. With hospitals already stretched, the coming months are expected to test the city’s resilience once again. “You should try to avoid outdoor activities as much as possible. Even when somebody is moving out, they should use a mask. A face mask is a must. In case of any respiratory ailment or such problem, it should not be taken lightly, ” Dr. Ajay Swaroop, ENT Surgeon, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital had told Tehelka earlier. The minimum temperature in the city was recorded at 23.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with the weather office predicting a mainly clear sky. The maximum temperature is expected to settle around 35 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Stubble burning begins with 64 farm fires in Punjab, Haryana and UP

Experts note that the early numbers are not significant enough to affect Delhi’s air quality. “Since the fire counts are currently low, the impact on Delhi’s air is negligible. But preparations must be in place, as October usually marks the peak of the burning season,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment. The stubble burning season has officially begun, with 64 farm fire incidents recorded in neighbouring states of Delhi between September 15 and 21, 2025, according to satellite data compiled by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). While experts say the current numbers are too low to impact Delhi’s air quality, trends indicate a sharp spike in farm fires from October onwards, coinciding with the withdrawal of the monsoon from northwest India. Punjab leads in early farm fire cases Of the total 64 reported cases, Punjab alone accounted for 56, while Haryana recorded three, Uttar Pradesh four, and Rajasthan one. Within Punjab, Amritsar topped the list with 35 cases, followed by Patiala with seven and Tarn Taran with five. Interestingly, despite flood-related challenges this year, Punjab has already reported slightly more cases than the same period last year (56 in 2025 compared to 52 in 2024). Negligible impact on Delhi air quality for now Experts note that the early numbers are not significant enough to affect Delhi’s air quality. “Since the fire counts are currently low, the impact on Delhi’s air is negligible. But preparations must be in place, as October usually marks the peak of the burning season,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment. She also stressed the importance of providing farmers timely access to crop residue management machines and ensuring proper collection of waste stubble, especially in flood-affected areas where logistics pose additional challenges.

Bad air season begins in North India; Delhi’s air still clean, but experts say don’t relax

The stubble burning season has quietly begun in north India, with 64 farm fires reported in neighbouring states of Delhi between 15 and 22 September. While these early incidents remain low in number and have not yet affected the capital’s air quality, experts warn that the real surge is usually seen after the monsoon withdraws from the region, typically around late October. According to satellite data compiled by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) under the 2021 standard protocol set by the Commission for Air Quality Management, Punjab has recorded 56 fire incidents so far, Haryana three, Uttar Pradesh four, and Rajasthan one.

Foul air season: Farm fires startin north India; impact onDelhi negligible so far

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment, said, "While early interventions are needed to upscale implementation of the key strategies to prevent stubble burning, be also prepared to address the special challenges this year. Giving all farmers timely access to crop residue management machines and ensuring collection of waste stubble from the fields to provide feedstock and raw material to the industry are likely to face barriers in the flood-affected area Stubble burning has commenced in Delhi's neighboring states, with 64 farm fires recorded so far this season. Punjab leads with 56 cases, followed by Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan. While the impact on Delhi's air quality is currently negligible, experts warn that crop burning typically intensifies in October after the monsoon's retreat.

When the Ganga Flows Again, Shattering the Rocks

As Sunita Narain has cautioned, hundreds of hydropower projects in Uttarakhand can dewater Bhagirathi (up to ~80%) and Alaknanda (~65%) across stretches, if run without ecological guardrails. At dusk upon this sullied couch, O Ganga— With what sorrow are you, sob by sob, lulling to sleep The tender longings of your heart? What fathomless anguish surges within, so restless? Under what grievous burden has your current turned still? These lines, penned by national poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’ in 1931 (Pāṭaliputra ki Ganga), ring word-for-word true nearly a century later. The ache in that verse still “groans and groans” before us, voicing a reality once popularised in Raj Kapoor’s song, “Rām terī Gaṅgā mailī ho gayī, pāpiyoṅ ke pāp dhote–dhote”—that the river born to wash away sin we have spared no effort to defile. Bhagirath brought Ganga to redeem his forebears, to wash their sins; for ages she has washed ours. But the methods of defilement that took shape in the late 19th century, and the pace of urbanisation in the 20th, crossed a line—so much so that the water once said to purify sin is, at many stretches, no longer even fit for ritual sipping. Ganga is India’s most consequential river—flowing some 2,510 km through India and Bangladesh, from the Himalaya to the Sundarbans, cradling an immense swath of land. She is not merely a natural asset, but the people’s emotional and spiritual wellspring. Over her 2,071 km in India and on into Bangladesh, with her tributaries, she renders nearly a million square kilometres fertile. But if the name “Ganga” summons only statistics, one has missed the point. As the national river, Ganga does not merely carry water; she carries a civilisation’s literary, spiritual and human consciousness. From the Ṛgveda, Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa and Purāṇas onward, Ganga is puṇya-salilā, pāpa-nāśinī, mokṣa-dāyinī—life-giver and liberator. Sanskrit poet Jagannath’s Śrī-Gaṅgā-Laharī hymns her; the early Hindi epics Pṛthvīrāj Rāso and Vīsaldev Rāso invoke her; Jagnik’s Ālhā-khaṇḍ extols the Ganga–Yamuna–Saraswati confluence as sin-destroying; Tulsidas, Vidyapati, Kabir, Jayasi, Ras Khan and Rahim all sing her flow and force. Few rivers on earth are so revered across the bodily, worldly, and spiritual planes. Statesmen and scholars at home and abroad have all invoked her. Ganga holds the oar of life—and the ferry to release. What, then, have we given her? For decades, an estimated tens of millions of litres per day of polluted discharge—industrial effluent, sewage, plastics—have been her daily ration. Civilisations rise where rivers run; the very towns and city-belts that grew fat on Ganga’s banks have poisoned her most. A World Bank analysis once suggested that ~12% of disease in Uttar Pradesh stems from contaminated Ganga water. India’s National Cancer Registry Programme has reported elevated cancer incidence along the river corridor—arsenic, fluoride and heavy metals leaching from waste streams into the water; gallbladder cancer rates are especially high, and India ranks among the world’s worst-affected. Skin diseases are more prevalent too. Scientists at the Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (Lucknow) found E. coli with virulence traits in Ganga—traced to untreated human and animal faecal flows. CPCB samples from Rishikesh to West Bengal historically showed few sites meeting Class A (drinking) standards; many urban stretches barely met bathing or irrigation norms. Rishikesh often hovered at “bathing only”; by Haridwar quality slipped further; Buxar, Patna, Munger, Bhagalpur fared no better. Varanasi, Kanpur and Allahabad/Prayagraj frequently reported water fit only for cattle. Plastic load worsened the picture. Treatment plants and laws existed—on paper more than on the ground. The present picture (2024–25): claims, gains, and gaps Over the past decade, Namami Gange has poured large investments into sewage treatment and interception–diversion of drains. On the main stem, STP capacity reportedly rose from ~1,200–1,400 MLD to ~3,500 MLD+; basin-wide sanctioned capacity exceeds 6,000 MLD. Discharges from 180+ major drains have been intercepted/treated. Government dashboards often show stretches at Haridwar, Rishikesh, Prayagraj and Varanasi meeting BOD < 3 mg/L and DO > 5 mg/L frequently, with faecal coliform at or under 2,500 MPN/100 ml at many stations. Yet monsoon vs. lean flows, city-specific operations, and up/downstream variability swing those readings. Critically, tributaries—Kali, Hindon, Ramganga—and the Kanpur–Unnao belt still dump substantial loads. The environmental flow (e-flow) norms notified in 2018 (releasing 20–30–30% of average flows in lean/normal/monsoon) give a policy spine to aviral (uninterrupted) flow, but compliance on river lags paper. Bottom line: many main-stem segments have improved, but a clean + continuous Ganga is not yet reality. Declaring Ganga a National River (2008) was meant to anchor urgency. Long before that, the missionary Duff, who came in the 18th century, wrote: “I will lay my bones by the Ganges that India might know there is one who cares.” We were too slow to care. As Sunita Narain has cautioned, hundreds of hydropower projects in Uttarakhand can dewater Bhagirathi (up to ~80%) and Alaknanda (~65%) across stretches, if run without ecological guardrails. A CAG review once warned: sustain the project spree, and at Devprayag—where the two unite to become Ganga—there may be too little water left to form the river. The 2006 power policy even allowed up to 90% diversion to turbines (global practice tends to cap near 75%). Arresting the aviral flow dulls water quality; lentic pools breed disease, deoxygenate, and starve aquatic life. When rock–water abrasion ceases, trace copper/chromium/thorium that once leached naturally and kept microbial balance no longer do so. We celebrated “renewable power,” rarely asking what the river lost. Ganga’s “self-purification” has a scientific basis—bacteriophages that cull harmful microbes; an unusual capacity to maintain dissolved oxygen. But when oxygen falls and loads rise, even that natural buffer fails. Historically some dense urban segments recorded BOD ~6 mg/L, not the ≤3 bathing norm. Some now read better, but variability persists. If Ganga fails, a civilisational thread frays. We, the media, are not blameless. We love to report “Ganga is polluted,” or “crores spent, nothing improved.” We seldom report how floodplains are encroached, what altering the river’s path invites, why citizens must not dump plastic or idols, what each city’s Nala X discharges, which STPs run, which are down, what the e-flow actually is, or how tributaries are the force-multipliers of filth. In the 1980s we launched Ganga Action Plan, spent big, and withdrew—having under-built (e.g., Varanasi once sent ~350 MLD sewage, with ~100 MLD treatment), under-ran (frequent plant downtime), under-watched (few audits), under-flowed (low e-flow). Today capacity is up, but e-flow, polluting tributaries, and O&M discipline are the three large holes still to be plugged. The media awakens after tragedy or court orders—Kedarnath (2013), NGT/HC directives. Yet our job is to forewarn, not only postmortem. We are quick to boosterise the Ganga Expressway as a miracle of hours saved between Noida and Ballia, slower to examine the floodplain and hydrology it slices. We prefer motor-speed headlines to river-speed truths. As children we tossed copper coins into rivers; copper purifies. Now we toss brass-plated tokens and plastic garlands that scar. Small cultural corrections never seem sexy enough to warrant a prime-time slot. In the last century, pilgrim counts alone tell a tale: between 1906–2012, kumbh and ardh-kumbh at Allahabad/Prayagraj saw roughly 356.7 million bathers; the last full kumbh drew ~100 million. If even a fraction of those 200 million hands that rose in homage rose also to remove the trash they had cast, a Bhagirath-like citizens’ effort would move mountains. After the Kumbh (2020–25): Prayagraj, Varanasi, Haridwar–Rishikesh retained many permanent assets post-festivals—STPs, drain diversions, ghat sanitation. Several stations now frequently meet bathing norms (BOD/DO/faecal-coliform). Still, downstream Kanpur–Unnao and segments in Bihar report recurrent breaches. The mantra is simple: Aviral + Nirmal + Janbhāgīdārī—uninterrupted flow, clean water, and citizen stewardship. Enforce e-flows, treat the tributaries, protect floodplains, and reset civic behaviour. Only when these four pillars stand together will “Ganga phir bahegi—ṭoṛkar mazbūt chaṭṭāneṅ”—the river will flow again, shattering the rocks.

Ethiopia faces historic drought and climate crisis

Ethiopia is grappling with the worst drought it has experienced in 70 years—an unprecedented climate crisis marked by extreme weather and a deepening food insecurity situation. The country, impacted by five consecutive failed rainy seasons, finds itself at a crossroads, balancing urgent humanitarian needs with a prominent role in continental climate diplomacy. According to the recent “State of the African Environment 2025” report released in Addis Ababa, the Horn of Africa region, which includes Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, suffered a historic drought in early 2023. This event was the most severe in seven decades, driven by prolonged rainfall deficits exacerbated by a strong El Niño in 2024, which also severely affected southern Africa. The report, a joint production by New Delhi’s Down to Earth magazine and the Center for Science and the Environment, highlights that the period from 2021 to 2025 is the deadliest in Africa’s recent history regarding climate-related human casualties. Ethiopia has borne a substantial share of this burden, with effects rippling across its population and economy. The drought’s impact on water availability is acute. Groundwater reserves for emergency use are rapidly depleting, while river flows have dwindled, and agricultural productivity has suffered greatly. Prolonged dry conditions have caused reduced crop yields and lower livestock milk production, particularly in the country’s mountainous regions. Millions of Ethiopians are confronting dire shortages of food and drinking water. Rising temperatures compound the crisis. An analysis by Climate Central found that between December 2024 and February 2025, Ethiopia experienced 74 days of extremely high average daily temperatures, underscoring the severe influence of climate change. Food security—a preexisting challenge—has worsened significantly. The World Food Security and Nutrition Report 2025 reveals that a large proportion of Ethiopians lack consistent access to sufficient nutritious food. Alarmingly, 37% of children under five suffered developmental disabilities linked to malnutrition in 2023. The report also warns of shrinking food baskets as African crop systems face unprecedented stress, with sharp declines in production anticipated in the near term. Ethiopia’s mountainous regions, home to some of Africa’s highest populations outside Asia, face unique yet understudied climate challenges. In January 2025, a study published in Nature Climate Change uncovered a troubling reduction in fog—a vital water source for plants—in ten mountainous African locations, including Ethiopia’s Bale region. Farmers in these areas report worsening conditions: diminished river flows, crop and livestock yield reductions, increased soil erosion, rising plant and animal diseases, and deteriorating human health. The broader implications for global food systems are dire. A global analysis published in March 2024 in Nature Food warns that nearly half of the world’s crop production in the Northern Hemisphere risks becoming unviable if global temperatures rise beyond 1.5°C, underscoring the urgency to contain climate change. Despite these immense domestic challenges, Ethiopia is emerging as a leader in global and African climate diplomacy. The country hosted the second African Climate Summit (ACS-2) in Addis Ababa from September 8 to 10, 2025. Themed “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Resilient and Green Development in Africa,” the summit underscored Ethiopia’s dedication to positioning Africa at the forefront of global climate action. At the summit, African leaders endorsed the Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action, reaffirming the continent’s commitment to sustainable development and climate resilience. A flagship response from Ethiopia is the Green Footprint Initiative—a mass tree-planting campaign that has seen the distribution of over 32 billion seedlings across the country over the past five years. Impressively, the survival rate of these seedlings is approximately 90%, making the initiative a continental model for nature-based solutions and a cornerstone of Ethiopia’s Climate-Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy. The CRGE initiative is ambitious: it aims for Ethiopia to achieve middle-income status by 2025 while building a green economy and buffering itself from the impacts of climate change. Plans include generating electricity primarily from hydropower, supplemented by wind (20%) and geothermal (10%) renewable sources within the same timeframe. However, Ethiopia’s environment and economic prospects are closely intertwined with broader regional stability. The World Bank estimates that countries grappling with conflict or instability, including Ethiopia, harbor a disproportionate share of the world’s poorest people and are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. Conflict and climate disasters often form a vicious cycle that severely erodes the population’s capacity to survive shocks. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) highlights that three-quarters of the estimated 120 million forcibly displaced globally reside in countries most affected by climate change, Ethiopia among them. While confronting alarming food shortages, escalating displacement, and extreme weather, Ethiopia also demonstrates strong political will and leadership. Its national initiatives and active representation in international climate negotiations showcase a commitment to both mitigating and adapting to climate risks

Five new monitors soon in Gurgaon to boost real-time AQI checks

Gurgaon: In a move to plug the gap in state's air quality network, Haryana state pollution control board has cleared a plan to set up five additional continuous ambient air quality monitoring (CAAQM) stations in the city and one each in Rewari and Jhajjar. Right now, most of the existing stations in Gurgaon are lying defunct, leaving the city, which consistently figures among the country's worst polluted, effectively blind to real-time air quality data. "Each station will cost around Rs 2 crore. We will float a tender for the project next week and locations for these stations will be finalised after that. These will track key pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone, feeding data to the pollution board's portal. This will help the administration both in designing interventions and in enforcing restrictions when air quality dips," said JP Singh, senior environment engineer, HSPCB. Experts have long argued that Gurgaon needs a denser monitoring grid because of its rapid urbanisation, heavy traffic, and the industrial belt along NH8. Without reliable data, authorities struggle to enforce the graded response action plan (GRAP), which kicks in every winter to control smog across NCR. According to central pollution control board (CPCB) guidelines, areas with populations between 1,000,000 and 5,000,000 should have a minimum of five CAAQMs and three manual monitors to ensure comprehensive air quality assessment. The district, with a population of over 1.5 million as per 2011 census, has five CAAQMs and no manual monitors. "The current number of monitors is insufficient for a city of this size and population density. The city needs at least eight monitoring stations to track and manage air quality effectively," said Shubhansh Tiwari, research associate at Centre for Science and Environment.Moreover, according to experts, the monitoring stations in the city are not properly distributed and lead to inaccurate air quality data. "Gwal Pahari, Sector 51, and Teri Gram monitoring stations track data from one side of the city while Vikas Sadan is the only one to get data from the old city. The stations are not ideally located. More stations should be set up where most people live to check the pollutants they are exposed to," Tiwari added. The monitoring station at Gwal Pahari is run by India Meteorological Department, while the stations at Vikas Sadan, Teri Gram, Sector 51, and Manesar are under HSPCB. These stations, however, do not give an ideal picture when calculating the data as they do not cover all district zones. Meanwhile, Rewari and Jhajjar, where the new stations will be set up, are smaller cities but also pollution hotspots because of industrial activity and crop-residue burning that takes place in the surrounding areas.

Climate change could displace 100 million Africans by 2050 – Report

By 2050, up to 5 per cent of Africa’s population—about 100 million people—could be forced to move due to the impacts of climate change. This warning is contained in the State of Africa’s Environment Report 2025, released in Ethiopia by the India-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The report presents thoroughly researched data and analysis on climate-induced migration and related challenges. “Africa, in fact, would have the highest rate of displacement or migration due to impacts of climate change,” the report states.