Climate Change

An IGCC report warns Earth could cross the 1.5 degree Celsius warming threshold within four years as heat accumulation in the climate system reaches record levels

Earth's climate system is accumulating heat at an accelerating rate as human activity pushed global warming to 1.37 degrees Celsius last year, with the figure projected to surpass the Paris Agreement threshold of 1.5 degrees in about four years, strong and consistent evidence shows, researchers have said. Record-high greenhouse gas (GHG) levels, combined with a continued drop in sulphur aerosols -- thereby unmasking a part of the GHGs' warming effect -- are driving human-induced warming, which remains at an all-time high of around 0.27 degrees Celsius per decade, an international team of more than 70 scientists from 56 institutions across 17 countries, including the UK, the US, India and in Europe, said. There is evidence that carbon dioxide emission growth is slowing, but society needs to massively increase decarbonisation efforts during this critical decade, the researchers said. They added that the rate at which heat is accumulating in the Earth system suggests high levels of ...

The 140-year-old concept known as district cooling is taking root in Singapore, where temperatures are rising twice as fast as the global average and sharpening the focus on climate adaptation

Hot and humid conditions prevailing during India's monsoon season could extend the duration of uncompensable heat stress of the summer season under a global warming of 2 degrees Celsius, a study has found. Findings published in the journal American Geophysical Union (AGU) Advances highlight a "surge of UHS (uncompensable heat stress) during the monsoon season (July-October) as the climate warms". Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar and the US' Stanford and Purdue universities said long-lasting uncompensable heat stress across both the seasons -- summer and monsoon -- could pose critical challenges to public health, labour productivity, and climate resilience in densely populated and vulnerable regions. Uncompensable heat stress occurs when one's body is unable to cool down through sweating or other mechanisms due to extreme heat and humidity. A sustained accumulation of heat can endanger human health, including causing heat-related illness, organ .

World Environment Day 2026 calls for a new environmentalism that links sustainable growth with inclusion, climate resilience and stronger governance

A nostalgic journey to Kalpa, Mane and Sangla reveals how climate change is remaking the landscape

Relentless night-time heat puts billions at risk in growing megacities

Extreme heat across north and central India is pushing electricity demand to record highs, exposing supply gaps and testing the resilience of the power system

India has expanded heat action plans and cooling pilots, but weak funding, uneven building-code enforcement and poor city data keep many responses in advisory mode

The report said it is very likely that the global mean near-surface temperature will temporarily exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 average levels for at least one year between 2026-2030

The ongoing extreme heat across large parts of India is primarily driven by worsening climate change caused by the massive burning of coal, oil, and gas, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said on Wednesday. He also highlighted the severe human and economic impact of the heatwave, particularly on people living in homes without cooling facilities and those working long hours outdoors. "These extremes drive home the importance of measures to adapt to climate impacts, globally," said Stiell, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in a statement. His remarks came as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said heatwave to severe heatwave conditions were likely to persist over central and northwest India for the next two to three days. The soaring temperatures have also led to a record-breaking power demand across the country. Peak power demand touched 257.3 GW on May 18, 260.4 GW on May 19, 265 GW on May 20, and a record

Indian cities are warming faster at night, turning homes into heat traps and exposing gaps in housing, planning and cooling access as AC demand rises

Higher heat means increased power consumption, and India has seen demand driven to repeated records, not only during the day but at night, resulting in occasional shortfalls

Extreme heat and erratic weather fuel sharp rise in demand for parametric insurance covers

A study using AI, machine learning and GIS tools has identified coastal districts and major river basins in Odisha as highly vulnerable to flooding

Scientists warn that one of the strongest El Nino events on record could intensify global heat, disrupt agriculture and trigger extreme weather events

India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly resolution calling on countries to comply with their obligations on climate change, voicing concern that the draft "undermines" the "sacrosanct architecture" of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The resolution was adopted in the 193-member General Assembly on Wednesday with 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions, including by India. India said it had engaged constructively during negotiations on the resolution and clarified its concerns and positions at every stage. "We are therefore disappointed that our concerns were not addressed, despite our best efforts to find common ground," it said. In the Explanation of Vote, First Secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN, Petal Gahlot, said adoption of the resolution by the General Assembly does not create binding commitments for India. "Our obligations arise only from outcomes adopted under the UNFCCC process. Hence, in line with our sta

From climate change to concrete heat traps, rising night-time temperatures are reducing cooling hours and making heatwaves more dangerous across Indian cities

Calls for quick action in developing new varieties; highlights slow progress in clean plant programme

Researchers found nearly 72 per cent of landslides in the Western Ghats occurred within one kilometre of roads, highlighting the impact of human-induced terrain changes