Climate Change

Households in India, Asia-Pacific regions vulnerable to El Nino shocks: S&P

Asia-Pacific economies, like India, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, are seeing a surge in prices, with households remaining highly vulnerable to further weather-related supply shocks, including those triggered by the El Nino, S&P Global Ratings has said. S&P said the effects of the El Nino period starting in 2026 will reach Asia-Pacific mainly through weaker rainfall and climate disruption, and the macroeconomic impact is likely to be manageable. Key transmission channels include reduced agricultural output, higher food inflation, diminished hydropower generation, and vegetation fires and haze. S&P said many economies have expanded food buffer stocks, improved import planning and strengthened market management mechanisms to cushion supply disruptions. At the same time, investments in reservoir management, irrigation infrastructure and water governance have strengthened resilience to periods of reduced rainfall. "In India, strong food and grain buffers for affected .

Best of BS Opinion: India must hold the line on climate action

Today's opinions examine India's climate diplomacy lessons, vaccine resistance amid medical advances, AI's real-world limitations, RSS outreach to Gen Z and the growing threat of cognitive warfare

Island nation's golden passport: $90,000 buys access to 85+ nations

Naoero's citizenship scheme promises global mobility while helping finance the country's climate change response

The economics of survival in an era of worsening climate extremes

The fact is that green technology is now making inroads into countries not for climate mitigation but because it makes more energy and economic sense

Shadows on the snow: A film turns the spotlight on Himalayan climate crisis

As extreme weather becomes the new normal, filmmaker Shankar Borua's Blue Ocean uses a crime thriller to question the cost of unchecked development in the Himalayas

India needs $2.4 trillion to build future-ready cities by 2050: Report

India's cities are expected to contribute 75% of GDP by 2050, yet weak municipal finances threaten the investment needed to support rapid urbanisation

Extreme heat morphs into a major economic shock for an unprepared Europe

The region, where temperatures are rising at a pace that's roughly twice the global average, can no longer afford to ignore the economic impact of global warming

Climate 'black swan' risks: Why investors are preparing for the worst

Climate risks are no longer just an environmental concern. Large investors are now studying whether climate tipping points could trigger sudden losses across financial markets

Pension funds try to come to grips with scariest global warming scenario

Pension funds are assessing climate tipping points as a major investment risk, warning irreversible global warming could trigger rapid asset repricing

Europe's early heat wave led to spike in deaths, may have killed over 10K

Heat that hit Europe exceptionally early and hard this year appears to have led to a spike in deaths, with well over 10,000 more people dying at the height of the heat wave than would normally have been expected, according to figures that are still emerging across the continent. Measures of what researchers call "excess mortality" - the difference between the normally expected number of deaths and the actual number - spiked in late June, when parts of Europe experienced record temperatures. Experts caution that it takes a while for a full picture to emerge, and that many heat-related deaths will never formally be recorded as such. For example, a heart attack, which can be triggered by extreme heat exposure, especially in people who are older or have underlying health issues, may be listed on a death certificate simply as a heart attack. It's an alarming start to the summer. Several heat waves have killed thousands of people in the past few years in Europe. Still, 2003 stands as the

Bonn lights the fire for COP 31? Antalya summit faces the real climate test

Climate science was another bone of contention At Bonn with some nations denouncing attacks on it by "fossil-fuel interests"

Chinese mercantilism has dealt the global economy the mother of all shocks

Chinese mercantilism has been more globally consequential than any other economic shock or policy choice in reshaping the world this millennium

Climate-driven heatwave worsening cost-of-living crisis, says report

Workers in agriculture and construction sectors in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nigeria are already losing 20 working days or more every year to heat stress, leading to loss of income especially for families already struggling to make ends meet, according to a new report. The report based on an analysis by adelphi global is the first of its kind to trace a direct link between the physical health tolls of climate change and the resulting strain on already strained family budgets and national economies. Spanning eight diverse economies - Bangladesh, Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Nigeria, and South Africa - the research bridges the gap between climate science, public health, and economic analysis. Extreme heat is being made more frequent and intense by climate change, primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas. This year has already seen some of the worst heatwaves ever recorded, some virtually impossible without the influence of climate ...

Rising thermal hotspots threaten productivity, public health: IIT study

Researchers warn expanding heat hotspots driven by industrialisation and land-use change could threaten public health, productivity and long-term economic growth without targeted climate adaptation

The Genius of Trees: Decoding the science behind the secret life of trees

When it comes to trees, ignorance casts a shadow too wide to ignore the science behind them. This book explains how trees shape the world

Weather helps curb India's emissions growth to record low in 2025

India recorded the slowest growth in carbon dioxide emissions among the world's three largest polluters in 2025 as milder weather and higher renewable energy generation curbed electricity demand

Business responsibility in practice: Lessons from leaders on ethical growth

An anthology by experts explores responsible business practices through well-argued essays and lived experiences

Mercury rising: Fossil-fuel dependence is powering heatwaves in Europe

Europe's deadly heatwaves expose the dangers of fossil-fuel dependence, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate the transition to renewable energy worldwide

No respite from deadly heat in Europe as 'hot' spots now shift East

Eastern Europe is bracing for record temperatures and red alerts after a deadly heat wave that claimed lives in western Europe moved eastward

A failure to cool: Heat, smog and ignored public-health emergencies

In India, it is possible that so much more is on the ballot in every election that there is little space for issues such as public health