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What questions and debates in Parliament say about India’s climate change priorities

In the first nine months of 2025, as many as 4,064 lives were lost to extreme weather events in India, a 48% rise in deaths over the past four years, according to a joint report by the Centre for Science and Environment and Down To Earth. These events also affected 9.47 million hectares of crops, destroyed nearly 100,000 houses, and killed approximately 58,982 animals. The human and economic toll was not confined to a handful of isolated disasters: at least 18 states and Union Territories recorded their highest number of extreme-weather days since 2022.

India's Biogas Bet Gets A Push, But Feedstock, State Policy Hurdles Remain

Eight years after India first invited private investors to build compressed biogas (CBG) plants, the sector has plenty of registrations and very little gas produced. The Rs 23,731 crore Galvanising Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme, which took effect on September 1 this year, is the government's attempt to change that. It mandates buyers and sets a price for CBG, whereas the earlier policy offered purchase agreements that did not translate into steady offtake. However, whether the government can achieve its target of a tenfold expansion in CBG production still depends on feedstock aggregation, state-level regulations, and on-ground execution, where the scheme helps only partially. Why India Wants CBG India imports about half of the natural gas it consumes, a dependence that raises energy security concerns, especially given the ongoing West Asia crisis. CBG offers a way to reduce that dependence. Produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic materials such as cattle dung, agricultural residue, food waste and municipal waste, it has properties comparable to those of compressed natural gas (CNG) and can be used as its substitute. CBG can be injected into city gas and natural gas pipelines. It also yields organic fertiliser, cuts methane emissions and has the potential to create rural jobs. What The First Push Could Not Deliver The first national push for CBG came in 2018 with the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative, which invited private entrepreneurs to build CBG production plants and sell the gas to oil and gas marketing companies. It set a target of 5,000 plants for the production of 15 million metric tons (MMT) per annum of CBG by FY24. However, the target fell short. As of August 6, 2026, government data shows 1,908 CBG plants registered across the country. Only 217 of them, about 11%, have been commissioned, and together they produce roughly 0.4 million standard cubic metres a day (MMSCMD). And even the operating plants are struggling. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has reported that several run at only 20% to 60% of rated capacity, leaving them with losses and maintenance costs they cannot sustain. Only 17 of the 207 plants were connected to a pipeline by April this year. “There has been a significant gap with respect to the number of operational plants to registered plants,” Shobhit Srivastava, programme officer at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), told The Core. Moreover, the operating failures were consistent across CBG projects. Developers had trouble securing feedstock, raising finance, finding assured buyers, meeting quality norms, moving the gas and keeping plants running near capacity. SATAT laid the groundwork, but it left each of these risks with the developer. That is why the Union Cabinet approved the new scheme in August, folding SATAT and similar interventions into a single framework. Dr KR Kaushik, former deputy director general of the Association of City Gas Distribution Entities, noted that going forward plants should be judged on how much gas they actually produce, not on installed capacity. A large plant on paper may deliver far less on ground because of downtime, feedstock shortages, seasonal swings and weak supply chains. “Policy evaluation should incorporate such indicators,” he told The Core. What GOBARdhan Aims To Change Until now, the CBG ecosystem was spread across four ministries. GOBARdhan brings it under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG). According to Srivastava, the new framework integrates different aspects of the sector, and a good number of registered plants can be expected to become operational. However, he also cautioned that registration counts should no longer be the yardstick. The focus must be on quality implementation and actual production. The GOBARdhan scheme aims to work on both supply and demand. On supply, it offers capital assistance of up to Rs 2 crore per tonne per day (TPD) of installed capacity for greenfield projects, credit guarantee support and pipeline infrastructure. It also sets an administered price of Rs 2,110 per million British thermal unit, or about Rs 105 per kg of CBG. Dr Kaushik noted that the capital subsidy alone will not draw private investors. “CBG projects need heavy upfront spending and take a long time to pay back, so policy stability matters just as much.” He further pointed out that one financing model will not fit every plant. A small rural biogas unit, a medium-sized dairy-linked plant and a large commercial CBG project carry very different risks and need different amounts of capital. Support, whether credit guarantees, blended finance, viability-gap funding, concessional loans or public-private partnerships, should be matched to a project's size and feedstock, he added. On the demand side, city gas distributors (CGD) are now bound by a blending obligation that was voluntary until FY25. It became compulsory only in FY26. In that first mandatory year, they met the 1% target for their CNG and household piped natural gas (PNG) sales. The obligation now rises to 3% in FY27, 4% in FY28 and 5% from FY29. The 3% starting point reflects “a cautious step from the government’s side,” Gaurav Kedia, chairman of the Indian Biogas Association (IBA), told The Core. A higher obligation would be welcome, but with offtake still low, it is being raised in a phased manner, he added. Meanwhile, a district-level component in the scheme tries to address ground realities. Under the CBG Ecosystem Challenge Fund, district administrations are responsible for mapping feedstock and running awareness drives on collection and stubble burning, with cash rewards of Rs 5 crore and Rs 2 crore for the best performers. The Feedstock Gap A CBG plant needs a steady supply of biomass through the year, which makes aggregation one of the biggest factors in whether it survives. Where collection systems are weak, transport costs rise, plants run below capacity, and the economics fall apart. “Right now, the CBG plants themselves bear this cost (of collection and transport of feedstock),” Srivastava said. He added that the plant-level subsidy and district facilitation under GOBARdhan aim to soften the burden, but whether that moves the needle for scattered, low-value residue will depend largely on how seriously districts use the Challenge Fund. “Beyond the plant, aggregation logistics remain very much a local-level problem.” Moreover, agricultural residue is available only for a short window after harvest and needs specialised machinery to collect, bale, shred, transport and store. Without that chain, it is usually burned in the field or left to decompose. Vaibhav Dange, founder director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy (IFSE), expects a market for aggregation to emerge through farmer producer organisations, private companies or cooperatives, much as cooperatives operate in the sugar industry. Because that market does not yet exist at scale, Dange cautioned that developers rushing in for the scheme's incentives could be caught out. CBG is capital-intensive, he said, so feedstock supply contracts, collection and aggregation should be planned at the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage, not after commissioning. Municipal waste is another potential source. However, mixed municipal solid waste cannot be digested efficiently without extensive preprocessing, because plastic, glass and metal damage equipment and lower the quality of the digestate. Where segregation is weak, plants end up with contaminated material and higher operating costs. Dr Kaushik suggests the scheme should urge municipal corporations to collect waste at a single point and be paid for the service. This could be on contracts that set measurable quality standards and not just tonnage commitments. Meanwhile, the by-product is an issue that still needs the most emphasis. Along with the CBG, a plant produces fermented organic manure (FOM) every day, and the industry is "still not sure how we will take care of it,” Kedia said. Developers should assess demand for it at the feasibility stage, before choosing a site. The government could bring in a SATAT-like scheme for fertiliser marketing companies, he suggested. Until then, plants near large cities could give it to farmers under contract farming and sell the organic crops instead. "This is where the real money lies, though it is a very local phenomenon." From Plant To Buyer A plant may produce good CBG and still struggle commercially if it cannot get the gas to the buyer. Where there is no pipeline over long distances, gas has to be carried hundreds of kilometres in mobile cascades (bundles of high-pressure gas cylinders), and the transport cost erodes margins. Infrastructure planning should align plant locations with network expansion schedules, Dr Kaushik said. PNGRB noted that pipelines can cut reliance on mobile cascades, bring down logistics costs, limit gas losses and enable continuous transfer of larger volumes. Cascades, however, may remain necessary for small and remote plants. With only 17 of 207 commissioned plants connected as of April 2026, infrastructure readiness is a critical gap. Srivastava said GAIL (Gas Authority of India Limited) needs to move faster on forming plant clusters and building trunk pipelines. Many producers will depend on them in places where city gas distributors cannot take their gas. A Patchwork Of State Policy Below the Centre, policy still remains fragmented. Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, among a few others, have framed CBG or bioenergy policy. Many other states have yet to frame one, and those that have often offer no clear incentives and no simple approval process. "Decentralisation is a problem because policy is fragmented and the regulatory landscape differs from state to state," Dr Kaushik noted, adding that state-wise targets for CBG plants lack transparency. And because land is a state subject, developers often struggle to secure land approvals, with the rules varying from one state to the next. Some states may be waiting to see how others fare, Kedia suggested, but "sooner or later, this will come to all the states”. Until that happens, there are other steps the government can take. Srivastava suggests that states can set up single-window clearances to cut the time taken for consent to establish, consent to operate and land approvals. They can make real use of Challenge Fund allocations to map feedstock and build collection infrastructure, rather than treat the money as a one-time compliance exercise. And they can build demand for the by-product FOM and its liquid form by using them in government departments and promoting them locally. “Moreover, state nodal agencies need to handhold entrepreneurs in the CBG sector through consultation and discussion. It is also important for the state governments to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of different local authorities to support the upscaling of the sector within states,” he added. With price and demand now locked in, the test for CBG has moved from the policy table to the on-ground execution. Meeting the ten-fold production target will need local administrations to support feedstock supply chains, all the states to spell out their regulatory framework, and the Centre to hold its policy steady long enough for projects to recover their investment.

Urban India is Heading Towards Gridlock

Indian cities are increasingly trapped in congestion that wastes time, worsens air pollution and damages quality of life. Travel times routinely rise sharply during peak hours, while vehicles crawling through traffic burn fuel inefficiently and increase exposure to harmful pollutants. The problem is no longer confined to India’s biggest metros; smaller and million-plus cities are following the same trajectory. An analysis of mobility patterns across more than 40 cities by Down To Earth reveals a striking contradiction. Walking and cycling remain fundamental to urban mobility, with nearly half the population in several major cities depending on these modes. Non-motorised transport accounts for 42 per cent of commuting in Delhi, 47 per cent in Mumbai and 48 per cent in Kolkata. In cities such as Varanasi, Singrauli and Visakhapatnam, its share exceeds 50 per cent. Yet most urban roads remain poorly designed for pedestrians and cyclists.

Home Ministry moves out 3 of 5 officers from division hit by bribery allegations

In 2016, on the MHA’s complaint, the CBI had raided the residence of a Home Ministry official Anand Joshi for his alleged role in corrupt practices and walking away with the files pertaining to foreign funds violations by social activist Teesta Setalvad. The accused issued a notice arbitrarily to environmentalist Sunita Narain’s Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in November 2015. A CBI official said Mr. Joshi came under scanner after he arbitrarily issued standard questionnaires to 20 odd NGOs, the first step to probe foreign funds violations under the FCRA.

If Nepal's mountains are fragile, so are Arunachal's

Every monsoon, the Himalayas deliver the same lesson in mud, water and rubble: fragile mountains do not forgive careless development. Floods, landslides and other extreme events are no longer distant warnings but recurring disasters, and the voices urging caution are growing louder. Among them is Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), who has repeatedly argued that climate change can no longer be treated as an abstract threat, and that disturbing fragile ecosystems in pursuit of an aggressive development model carries a heavy price. That argument raises an uncomfortable question for India itself: are the same environmental principles being applied consistently to development projects at home?

नया फोन आया, चार्जर गायब! कंपनियों ने बॉक्स छोटा किया या ई-वेस्ट का संकट बड़ा हो गया?

कंपनियों का तर्क है कि ज्यादातर घरों में पहले से चार्जर मौजूद है. इसलिए हर फोन के साथ नया अडैप्टर देने की जरूरत नहीं. छोटी पैकेजिंग से प्रोडक्डट और ट्रांसपोर्ट कम हो सकता है.जो इनवायरमेंट के लिए ठीक होगा. लेकिन सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट में इंडस्ट्री एंड रिन्यूएबल एनर्जी प्रोग्राम डॉयरेक्टर निवित कुमार यादव का कहना है कि इसे सिर्फ पर्यावरण बचाने का फैसला मानना सही नहीं होगा. इसके पीछे मार्केट इकोनॉमिक्स भी बड़ा कारण है. निवित यादव मानते हैं फोन की कीमतें बढ़ रही हैं और चार्जर अलग से खरीदना ग्राहक की लागत बढ़ाता है. अच्छे चार्जर की कीमत करीब 1,500 रुपये तक हो सकती है. सस्ता लोकल चार्जर लेने पर चार्जिंग में ज्यादा समय लग सकता है. यानी फोन सस्ता नहीं हुआ, बस चार्जर बॉक्स से बाहर हो गया.

पेरिस समझौते के दस साल बाद संसद में पर्यावरण को लेकर पूछे गए सिर्फ़ 3.3% सवाल: अध्ययन

उन्होंने सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट और डाउन टू अर्थ की एक संयुक्त रिपोर्ट, जिसमें बताया गया था कि इन खराब घटनाओं ने 9.47 मिलियन हेक्टेयर फसलों पर असर डाला, लगभग 1,00,000 घर तबाह हो गए और लगभग 58,982 जानवर मारे गए, का भी ज़िक्र किया है.

Odisha Governor Asks Youth to Lead Climate Action at Gen C Conclave

On the occasion, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, was felicitated. Economic growth and environmental protection are not competing goals but partners, Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati said on Friday, calling on the young generation to drive a clean, smart and climate-resilient development model. Speaking at the third Earth Again Conference 2026, organised by the Sambad Group at the Utkal University auditorium on the theme “Gen C – Generation Climate”, the Governor said climate change has moved from distant warning to present reality. Irregular rainfall, rising temperatures and extreme weather are already affecting agriculture, water resources, health and livelihoods across the state. He urged students and young professionals to become ambassadors of climate-friendly action and to adopt greener habits in everyday life. Combating climate change, he stressed, is not the task of any single institution or section of society. It requires a joint effort by government, educational institutions, industry, media and ordinary citizens. Industry remains essential for jobs, livelihoods and economic growth, the Governor noted, but it must advance with greater environmental responsibility. He called for wider use of technologies that cut pollution, conserve energy and water, reduce waste and protect natural resources. Pointing to practical steps already underway, he highlighted the 635-kilowatt solar power plant at Lok Bhavan and the introduction of electric vehicles in the Governor’s convoy. He advised young people to choose electric vehicles and cleaner transport, and asked universities to install solar units on campus, offer free electric-vehicle charging to students and staff for at least one year, and promote the RESCO model for renewable-energy projects. Dr. Kambhampati also called on every university in Odisha to pursue Green Certification and encouraged year-round tree plantation under the principle that each person plants one tree. He cited Lok Bhavan’s IGBC Green Certification, expanded green cover, safer spaces for birds and animals, and water-harvesting projects as examples worth replicating. Such measures, he said, strengthen the country’s energy security, reduce dependence on imported crude oil and save foreign exchange. He also referred to government subsidies available for clean-energy adoption. “The first step to save the Earth must begin at home,” the Governor said. He praised the Sambad Group for building environmental awareness through print, television, radio and digital platforms, and for initiatives such as Climate Panchayat, Green Campus, Youth Engagement and Environment Assembly. On the occasion, Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, was felicitated.

Delhi's free-pass for mid-size electric trucks finds no takers

Delhi’s bid to shift medium-sized goods vehicles from fossil fuels to electric by exempting electric trucks from the city’s ‘no-entry’ restrictions has found no takers so far. Nearly three months into the new electric vehicle (EV) policy, not a single mid-sized, or N2, e-truck has been registered in the capital, government portal Vahan’s data showed, raising questions over whether an entry exemption alone is enough to push a switch to the way pricier electric option.

Climate change demands development in harmony with nature: Sunita Narain at Earth Again Conference

Bhubaneswar: Climate change has emerged as a major challenge, and development should happen in harmony with nature, said Sunita Narain, Director General of the Centre for Science and Environment, today at the three-day Earth Again Conference 2026 organised by Sambad at Utkal University in Bhubaneswar. Narain said recent landslides in Nepal and the changing conditions in the Himalayan region are among the visible signs of climate change. She stressed that while development is necessary, protecting the environment must receive equal priority. “Development cannot happen by ignoring nature. We have to move forward and develop in harmony with nature,” she said, underlining the need for governments to rethink the way development projects are planned and executed. Referring to the Himalayas, Narain said the recurring natural disasters in the region indicate that nature is under stress. Construction of roads, houses and bridges near the Himalayan region may be considered development, she said, but it is important to examine whether such development is compatible with the environment. She also pointed to extreme weather events such as cloudbursts, landslides, flash floods and cyclones, saying climate change is contributing to their increasing intensity and frequency. Narain praised Odisha's disaster management system, saying the state has been able to manage natural disasters effectively and protect lives. She said government initiatives in disaster management deserve appreciation. However, she cautioned that climate protection cannot be the responsibility of Odisha alone. “The entire country has to work towards protecting the climate,” she said. Highlighting the growing problem of water pollution, Narain expressed concern over the condition of the Mahanadi. She said the expansion of industries and the discharge of waste into water bodies are among the major causes of increasing water pollution. She also appreciated Sambad's initiative to create awareness about environmental protection, saying the conference reflects the importance being given to environmental issues in Odisha. Narain further said abnormal changes in weather patterns are disrupting the natural balance, with rainfall, drought and cold occurring in increasingly intense forms. She stressed the need to build cities that are designed for the needs and well-being of all sections of society. “Many small solutions can together prevent major weather-related disasters,” she said, calling for practical and sustainable measures to address the growing challenges posed by climate change.

ଏବେ ବର୍ଷକୁ ୬ସାଇକ୍ଲୋନ୍‌ ଆସିପାରେ | Sunita Narain Says India Could Face More Cyclones In Coming Years

ପିକ୍‌ଚର ବାକି ହେ...ପୂର୍ବରୁ ସାଇକ୍ଲୋନ୍‌ ବର୍ଷକୁ ଥରେ ହେଉଥିଲା । ବର୍ଷକୁ ବର୍ଷ ଏହାର ସଂଖ୍ୟା ବଢ଼ିବ । ଏହା ହିଁ ଜଳବାୟୁ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତନ : ପରିବେଶବିତ୍ ସୁନୀତା ନାରାୟଣ

New Report Reveals What India’s MPs Asked (and What They Didn’t) on Climate, A Decade After Paris Agreement

“The findings of the report are startling because just in the first nine months of 2025, 4,064 lives were lost to extreme weather events in India, marking a 48 per cent rise in deaths over the past four years. These events also affected 9.47 million hectares of crops, destroyed nearly 100,000 houses, and killed approximately 58,982 animals, according to a joint report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down To Earth. The human and economic toll was not confined to a handful of isolated disasters: at least 18 states and Union Territories recorded their highest number of extreme-weather days since 2022”, said Hajira Puthige, author of the report.