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Forests and Economies: Time to Stop Treating Them as Separate
By Deepu Sivadas, IUCN CEM South Asia Regional Chair, on 21 March 2026. Forests aren’t just trees. They’re the quiet workhorses behind clean water, steady food supplies, fertile soil, and livelihoods for millions—especially in places like South Asia where communities lean on them daily. This year’s International Day of Forests theme, “Forests and Economies,” nails… Read more
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From Spoil to Soil: Scaling Nature-Based Solutions in the Singareni Coalfields
By Mohan Chandra Pargaien, Commission Member IUCN CEM, on 31 December 2025. Mining landscapes often conjure images of barren, lifeless stretches – scars left behind after the relentless quest for energy. But in the heart of Telangana, the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) is rewriting this narrative, proving that coal mining and ecological restoration can… Read more
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Innovative Solutions for Himalayan Sustainability: NMHS Grant Empowers Graphic Era (Deemed to be University) to Tackle Invasive Species
The project “Sustainable Utilization of Invasive Plant Biomass for Biochar Production and Bioactive Compound Recovery in Uttarakhand” has been awarded to Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, India, and is generously funded by the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India. This initiative is… Read more
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Stakeholder Engagement Workshop on Developing an Ecosystem-based Adaptation Feasibility Tool for Indian Cities: A Case Study of Bengaluru
On 25 June 2025, the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) hosted the first Stakeholder Engagement Workshop in Bengaluru for the project Developing an Ecosystem-based Adaptation Feasibility Tool (DEFT). Supported by the Global EbA Fund, DEFT aims to empower Indian cities with data-driven planning tools that prioritise Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) for climate resilience. The pilot study,… Read more
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From Land to Sea: How the Plastic Crisis of World Environment Day Becomes the Greatest Challenge of Ocean Day
By Manika N., Commission Member, IUCN CEM, on 08 June 2025. Just three days ago, we observed World Environment Day, highlighting the urgent issue of plastic pollution. Today, as we celebrate World Ocean Day, we confront an uncomfortable truth: the plastic crisis that we recognised on land has become the ocean’s most pressing existential threat.… Read more
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Human Convenience: We Can’t Be -and Won’t Be-the Cause of Another Ecosphere or Extinction Event
By Deepu Sivadas, IUCN CEM South Asia Regional Chair, on 05 June 2025. We live in an era of extraordinary possibility—and immense responsibility. Plastic, once regarded as a miracle material, has brought us convenience, safety, and innovation. But that same invention now floods our oceans, contaminates our soils, and infiltrates even our bodies. This World Environment Day 2025, with its powerful call to “End Plastic Pollution”, we’re presented with more than just a warning – it’s an opportunity. A chance to rethink how we live, consume, and care for the world. To reject a sense of inevitability. To say: we won’t be the generation that chooses comfort over the future. After all, human convenience doesn’t have to be a curse. It can be a catalyst for change. Plastic: everywhere, useful – but… Read more