Climate Emergency

In this episode of "Climate Emergency," host Rakesh Kamal engages in a compelling conversation with Ranjan Panda environmental activist and Convenor at Combat Climate Change Network, India, and Co-Founder, Youth4Water. He discusses the pivotal role of grassroots organizations in the battle against climate change, particularly within the context of international platforms like the Conference of the...

In this episode, Host Rakesh Kamal delves into a conversation with Aakash Raanison – a passionate environmentalist, content creator, influencer, Author and documentary maker. In this episode, Aakash talks about how today's youth can actively engage at COP28 in Dubai. He also shares his experiences and insights on how the younger generation can make a meaningful impact on the global stage, influenc...

In the lead-up to COP28, the call for increased youth engagement in climate negotiations resonates more powerfully than ever. As the world gears up for another critical COP session, the question looms: to what extent will global leaders heed the diverse experiences and perspectives of a generation least accountable for climate change but most susceptible to its repercussions? For this pre-COP epis...

There are videos on social media suggesting that an artificial rain experiment by IIT Kanpur can tackle air pollution and drought and that this artificially induced rainfall is likely to have “no negative consequences on the environment”.  Videos on social media claim this as a “sustainable solution”. However, this isn't the first time that cloud seeding has been suggested as a possible solution f...

India lost one of its most renowned agricultural scientists, MS Swaminathan, on September 28th, 2023. He not just spearheaded the green revolution and pulled the South Asian masses out of a famine, but also contributed immensely to this field by engaging in solution-oriented deliberations and discussions with various stakeholders. He involved farmers into his mission. He involved politicians in hi...

Solar energy has been an important player in India’s energy transition. But how does the growth of solar align with the global targets of reducing emissions and alleviating energy poverty? How do we see the world's transition towards clean energy? How do we eliminate disparities in energy access? How do we make sure that renewables are cost-effective? To delve into this further, Suno India’s Sneha...

On October 4th, a glacial lake outburst event struck North Sikkim, sending shockwaves across the northeastern state. This event unfolded at Lhonak Lake in North Sikkim, causing an abrupt and alarming surge in the water level of the Teesta River. The floodwaters reached the Teesta III Dam in Chungthang around midnight, resulting in the dam's destruction within mere minutes. While initial reports su...

Bengaluru is currently experiencing significant and diverse forms of urban growth. Numerous environmental studies have consistently highlighted the adverse impact of intense urbanization on the city's environment. However, the city is now also gaining attention in discussions about its susceptibility to climate change. Unfortunately, the most severe consequences of this situation are affecting tho...

Bundelkhand region in central India is infamous for its frequent droughts. Due to the lack of water, farmers in this region have either been aligning their farming with seasonal rainfall patterns or are dependent on diesel or electricity operated pumps for irrigation. But the erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts and poor electricity supply have disrupted farming practices, making them riskier.  Pu...

In this episode of the Climate Emergency podcast, Editor and host for this episode Rakesh Kamal speaks with Aditi Tandon, a production editor with Mongabay India and a fact-checking trainer with the Google News Initiative India Training Network. They discuss greenwashing and its role in climate misinformation. Greenwashing is the practice of making misleading or deceptive claims about the environm...

In this episode of the Climate Emergency podcast, host Rakesh Kamal talks to independent journalist and trainer Mayank aggarwal about the importance of climate literacy and the need to train media organizations and journalists in fighting climate misinformation. They explore the role of journalists and media organizations in combating this growing problem and discuss the importance of responsible...

Join Rakesh Kamal, Editor of Climate Emergency Podcast, in this episode as he delves deep into the intricate matter of climate misinformation and its far-reaching consequences for the global north and south. He speaks with Aditi Tandon, production editor with Mongabay India, and a fact-checking trainer with the Google News Initiative India Training Network. She discusses the significance of narrat...

In India, we witness misinformation rampantly on social media platforms. Edited video clips and photographs of politicians/ celebrities without context are unfortunately quite common. During the peak of the COVID pandemic, health misinformation was rampant. And we saw how misinformation spread faster and is very harmful especially during situations of panic when people are willing to believe anyth...

The peril of climate change is not new to Sundarbans. But in recent years, climate disasters, mostly in the form of cyclones,  are occurring all too frequently. What are the reasons for worsening climate change? How does this affect daily life? Must people brace themselves for future disasters? In this episode, Urvashi Sarkar spoke with Pintu Das who shares a first-person account of the 2009 Aila...

Since time immemorial, tigers have killed hundreds of fisherfolk and honey collectors who roam the forests of Sundarbans for a living. While hunting for fish and crabs, fisherfolk often wander into government protected areas for tigers, also known as the core area. No human entry or activity is permitted in these areas. Yet, fisherfolk continue to frequent these areas – for them it is less about d...

In the public imagination, Sundarbans conjures visions of tigers, dense forests and tourism. But not many know, or perhaps care, that this region spread out in West Bengal and adjacent Bangladesh,  is home to over 50 lakh people on the Indian side alone and has its unique history and politics. In this three-part series on the Indian Sundarbans, we look at various factors that are of consequence to...

We all have seen big empty fields with lush green grasses. Those fields are actually called grasslands and they make up a huge chunk of India. Grassland conservation in India is facing a governance crisis due to the lack of proper policies and regulations. The Indian government has not included grasslands in any of its forest policies, and there is no dedicated policy for the management of grassla...

Coral reefs are complex ecosystems made up of tiny coral polyps that provide shelter, food, and breeding grounds for a wide variety of marine life. They are incredibly diverse ecosystems, home to an estimated 25% of all marine species, and are essential for human well-being. However, coral reefs are under threat from human activities such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change. In this expl...

Betel Leaf or “Paan” has been seen across all streets in contemporary India. Paan consumption has continued to be a post-meal ritual for several centuries. Mahoba in Uttar Pradesh is known for cultivating a unique variety of pan called “Desawari”. But extreme weather conditions induced by climate change and rising input costs are making betel cultivation unviable in Mahoba. In this episode, Sneha...

April is when we start to be serious about heat waves in India. But did you know that some sub-nationals like cities, districts and states in India have heat action plans which detail the actions that have to be taken during a heat wave? To talk more about how heat action plans help and about a report that a Delhi-based think tank CPR has produced on heat action plans we talk to Aditya, Associate...

Around the world, the impact of climate change – rising temperatures, shifting patterns of rainfall, more frequent and intense extreme weather, and rising sea levels – will affect all types of infrastructure. Ensuring the climate change resilience of infrastructure will help to protect lives and livelihoods. The government is taking numerous measures like heat action plans to tackle impacts of hea...

We live in a world of food abundance, yet there is widespread food insecurity. The government policies focus on the production side to increase the physical availability of food. However, the patterns of household consumption and the drivers behind them have been poorly understood.  In this episode, host Sneha Richhariya speaks to “India’s Rice Warrior”, Dr. Debal Deb, a renowned scientist, ecolog...

Winters have gone and we all are gearing up to beat the heat this summer season. Heat wave warnings have already started to scare us all. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned of a warming El Niño event developing in the coming months, which is likely to cause extreme heat waves, making 2023 even hotter than 2022.  But what is El-Nino? Why are we hearing about it more often now? What...

Buying clothes has never been easier. 80 billion items are manufactured every year. Millions of tonnes of clothes end up in landfills—it’s one of the fastest-growing categories of waste in the world.  E-commerce and fast fashion have made our desires to own clothes for different occasions easier. But what’s the problem? Fast fashion allows consumers to buy more. But they are wearing these garments...

Millets, the ancient grain family of Jowar, Bajra and ragi, are to come back into India’s foodscape. Millets are not new to India’s culture or kitchens. But in a country obsessed with rice, wheat and pulses, they aren’t widely produced or consumed. Will that now change? What is up with farmers who are already growing millets? Do they have enough incentives? Can the millets make India more food sec...