India conducts fair and democratic elections, where voters exercise free will through constitutionally mandated universal adult suffrage. Voting behaviour and its Voter turnout is closely linked with the attitude of the populace towards voting. It is therefore imperative to understand how the masses respond to voting, which could serve as an impactful indicator to how […]
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In the middle of his controversial demonetisation drive in November 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the occasion to call for a national debate to explore the possibility of public funding of elections and political activities in India. The idea of state funding of politics has gained currency internationally. According to the global democracy watchdog […]
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Forest policy in India during the colonial period was one where forest management was attuned towards the redistribution of economic gains for the benefit of the British Empire. Forest management was mainly state-led and was primarily undertaken in terms of control over resources and people. This involved commercialisation of many forest resources, large scale deforestation […]
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In the last three decades, climate change has introduced alarming water related uncertainties. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is placing scientific projections indicating an increase in the frequency and intensity of droughts, heatwaves and extreme precipitation events. This brings in uncertainty and unpredictability in the water cycle, compounding the challenges of water management. […]
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Environmentalists in India were delighted when India ratified the Paris Agreement on October 2, 2016. This would mean a crystallization of India’s policies for green action and subsequent implementation and fund allotment for the same. India’s comprehensive Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) include: a target to lower the emission intensity of the nation’s gross domestic […]
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After five years of protracted negotiations, and tireless efforts by endurance swimmer and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Patron of the Oceans, Lewis Pugh, the Ross Sea in Antarctica was finally declared a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in October 2016. At the annual meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources […]
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Climate change is an environmental challenge confronting all countries across the globe in varying degrees of intensity. Across Africa, Asia, North and South America and Europe, the adverse effects of climate change have manifested over the years as ozone layer depletion, continental global warming, shower of acid rain, extended fires, melting ice, rise in sea […]
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The Indian summer (southwest) monsoon is referred to as the lifeline of India, as variability in any of its aspects (onset, withdrawal and quantum of rainfall) can greatly influence agricultural yield, economy, water resources, power generation and the entire ecosystem. If variations in monsoon rainfall are known well in advance, it would be possible to […]
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) in its Climate Change 2014 Synthesis Report published in 2015 states that increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions together with other anthropogenic drivers such as aerosols, land cover and solar radiation are extremely likely to have been the dominant cause of the observed warming since mid-20th century. To cater […]
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The Himalayas have been frequently in the news in recent years, due to several major catastrophes. Be it the cloudburst in Leh (2010) or the tragic flash floods of Kedarnath in the Garhwal Himalayas (2013) or the floods in Srinagar (2015). The trail of cataclysmic incidents does not end here. The earthquake in Nepal (2015) […]
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