Climate

Delays in net zero will make heatwaves hotter, longer and more frequent

Heatwaves could be hotter, more prolonged and frequent, the longer countries delay in reaching net zero emissions, a balance between greenhouse gases emitted and those taken out from the atmosphere, according to a modelling study. Trends published in the journal 'Environmental Research: Climate' also indicate that heatwaves do not start to revert towards pre-industrial conditions for at least a millennium even after achieving net-zero targets. Regions in the Southern Hemisphere are projected to experience heatwaves of significantly increasing severity when net zero was modelled to occur by 2050 or later. Lead author Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, professor of climate science at the Australian National University, said the work challenges a general belief that conditions after net zero will begin to improve for future generations. "While our results are alarming, they provide a vital glimpse of the future, allowing effective and permanent adaptation measures to be planned and implemente

EU Nations reach deal on 2040 climate goal after key concessions

The agreement - announced after marathon talks among environment ministers in Brussels - was only reached after a number of concessions were made

COP30 unveils roadmap to scale climate finance to $1.3 trillion by 2035

The COP30 presidency on Wednesday released the 'Baku to Belem Roadmap to 1.3 Trillion', a global plan to raise and channel at least USD 1.3 trillion every year by 2035 to help developing countries deal with the growing impacts of climate change and shift to cleaner economies. The report says this level of funding is now "a necessity, not an option" and aims to turn finance promises into real action to help poor and climate-vulnerable nations access money for renewable energy, adaptation and rebuilding after climate disasters. The roadmap builds on the agreement reached last year at COP29 in Baku, where countries had called on "all actors", including governments, banks and businesses, to work together to mobilise USD 1.3 trillion annually by 2035 under the new global climate finance goal. The document does not set new rules or create new funds. Instead, it acts as a guide to align existing institutions such as multilateral development banks, climate funds and private investors to ...

Momentum Capital invests in climate, health startups with Rs 60 crore fund

India is among the world's most climate-vulnerable countries, but attracts less than 4 per cent of global climate-tech VC funding, with most of it concentrated in mobility

Delhi's first cloud seeding trial likely after Diwali, awaiting IMD nod

Delhi's much-anticipated first trial of artificial rain through cloud seeding will be held after Diwali, once the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) gives a green light, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. During a media briefing on Wednesday, Sirsa said that pilots have already completed trial flights over the area where the cloud seeding operation is planned. The aircraft have been fully equipped for the process and the crew is trained and familiar with the region, he added. "The entire setup is ready from permissions to pilot training. The aircraft are fitted with cloud seeding equipment, and pilots have flown over the target areas to prepare. Now, we are just waiting for the IMD's approval," he said. The first trial is expected to take place the day after Diwali or shortly thereafter, depending on suitable weather conditions. The Delhi government's cloud seeding project -- a major commitment by the BJP-led administration -- has been postponed multiple times d

Delhi's air quality 'moderate', temperature below 20 deg C for third day

Delhi is witnessing a gradual rise in the air pollution levels amid a drop in temperatures in the national capital, where the air quality was recorded in the "moderate" category. The city saw a low of 19.6 degrees Celsius, 1.4 notches below normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature of 19.4 degrees Celsius and on Friday, recorded its first temperature drop below the 20-degree Celsius-mark for the 2025-26 winter season, with a minimum temperature of 18.8 degrees. At 9 am, Delhi's AQI was recorded in the "moderate" category at 162, which was a slight improvement from the 24- hour air quality index of 199 recorded on Saturday. The IMD has forecast mainly clear skies during the day, with the maximum temperature likely to hover around 31 degrees Celsius. The relative humidity at 8.30 am stood at 79 per cent. As per the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered "good", 51 to 100 "satisfactory", 101

Climate finance 'make-or-break issue', India needs $10 tn by 2070: Yadav

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday said climate finance is the "make-or-break issue for climate action" and stressed that developed countries have a "moral responsibility to support the global south" in its transition to a low-carbon economy. Addressing an event organised by industry chamber FICCI, Yadav said India will require more than USD 10 trillion by 2070 to meet its net-zero target and called for global financial systems to unlock private capital while ensuring transparency, accountability and affordability. "Public money cannot and would not be sufficient to address the scale of the problem at hand. Fiscal space is tight. The role of public budgets and concessional finance is to de-risk, crowd in and set rules that unlock private capital," he said. He said climate finance is development finance. "Clean power, efficient cities, climate-smart agriculture and resilient infrastructure are not add-ons; they are the foundation of energy security, food security

Funding in climate-tech startups cools but VCs signal a greener future

Funding in India's climate-tech startups fell from $2.4 billion in 2022 to $1.5 billion in 2024, with capital needs, scale issues and slow adoption posing key challenges

New India Assurance to launch parametric insurance for climate risks: CMD

State-owned New India Assurance will this month launch a parametric insurance product, which will provide a financial safety net to its retail and business customers against climate risks, said chairman and managing director Girija Subramanian on Tuesday. Parametric insurance refers to losses arising out of calamities including heavy rainfall, high speed wind and flood/drought. Unlike traditional insurance policies, the payout in case of parametric insurance products depends upon triggering of pre-defined parameters, thus allowing for quicker claim settlement. "Parametric insurance is a use and file product, which is allowed by the regulator IRDAI. We have got it already registered on IRDAI so the product is ready and can be used across both retail and business groups. We are ready with that in a big way," Subramanian told PTI. Asked about the timeline for launch of the product, she said: "We will be launching it by the end of this month." Subramanian said the parametric insurance

Growth capital firm Playbook Partners targets 2025 to raise $250 mn fund

Playbook Partners aims to invest in 12-15 companies in two years, with an average ticket size of $20 million

Traditional VC model not enough for deep science: Social Alpha founder

Manoj Kumar, the founder of venture development platform Social Alpha, says that deep science is all about impact first, rather than return first, making it harder to find typical venture funding

US key to COP30 despite Trump's pullout from Paris Agreement, says Brazil

The United States remains central to climate negotiations and can make a crucial contribution to the preparation and execution of COP30, even after its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, Brazil has said as it prepares to host this year's UN climate conference in Belm. COP30 President Andre Correa do Lago told journalists during an online briefing that there is no intention of ignoring the US, even if the Trump administration does not participate in climate negotiations. "No, there is no idea of ignoring the US because the US is the key country for this exercise. The US government may limit its participation, but the US as a country, as a place with such amazing technology and innovation, can contribute in a very important way to the preparation of COP30 (and) during COP30. So, the US is a central country for these discussions and solutions," Correa do Lago said in response to a question from PTI. Brazil's Environment and Climate Minister Marina Silva told journalists during her ..

NOAA layoffs could impact forecasts, cyclone tracking in India: Scientists

Scientists and policymakers have voiced concern over the layoffs at the US climate agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), saying any reduction in observation data could affect monsoon forecasts and cyclone tracking in India. Hundreds of weather forecasters and other federal NOAA employees on probationary status were fired last week. These included meteorologists who do crucial local forecasts in the national weather service offices. "We are worried. If NOAA reduces observations, there will be implications on weather forecasts. When ocean observations reduce, there is less data to assimilate. Hence predictability will reduce," M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, told PTI. Climate scientist at the Indian Institute for Tropical Meteorology Roxy Mathew Koll termed the NOAA layoffs as a global crisis that could impact climate science. NOAA provides data and models that support weather-climate monitoring, forecasting and disaster preparedness .

India only G20 nation to achieve climate goal before time: Bhupender Yadav

India only G20 nation to achieve climate goal before time: Bhupender Yadav

BS Manthan: Bhupender Yadav to discuss India's climate policy in new era

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, is slated to address the role of India's climate actions amid a 'new climate order' at Business Standard Manthan on Feb 27

President Trump creates uncertainty for world's most cited climate report

US government scientists participating in the IPCC's global assessments were issued a stop-work order from the Trump administration, according to media reports late last week

Four days, countless headlines: How Donald Trump changed the game again

In four days, Donald Trump signed major orders, changed key US policies, and announced decisions that caught attention at home and around the world

Experts call for systemic change in accounting, ESG to reflect true value

Income statements in the US haven't changed since maybe 1920

Moment of decision missed in 2024 at UN climate summit but all's not lost

2024 is set to end as the hottest year on record and the first with a global average temperature 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It will also be remembered as the year developed nations had their last big chance to prevent the world from permanently crossing this critical threshold by funding climate action in the Global South -- and they blew it. Relentless warming fuelled record-breaking heatwaves, deadly storms, and floods that devastated lives and homes by the thousands in 2024. Millions were displaced, and all eyes turned to the UN climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, hoping for a climate finance package capable of ramping up action in the Global South. A study published in 2023 estimated that developed countries owe around USD 170 trillion for their excessive emissions, having consumed 70-90 per cent of the total carbon budget since the industrial era. Instead, developed countries -- mandated under the UN climate regime to finance climate action in develop

Here's all about the best climate news you may have missed this year

Averting catastrophic climate change was always going to involve plenty of steps forward as well as steps back