A common understanding among most people in India is that disasters and accidents are meant for their neighbours and the many unknown people “out there.”No one thinks that calamity may strike them too, for which they need to remain prepared. Climate change has enhanced thefrequency of disasters, and among them, a silent killer is the heatwave, particularly for our country. India is experiencing more frequent, prolonged, and severe heatwaves. These extreme temperatures pose significant risk to public health, infrastructure, and livelihoods, especially in vulnerable regions.

The world warmed to yet another monthly heat record in January, despite an abnormally chilly United States, a cooling La Nina and predictions of a slightly less hot 2025, according to the European climate service Copernicus. The surprising January heat record coincides with a new study by a climate science heavyweight, former top NASA scientist James Hansen, and others arguing that global warming is accelerating. It’s a claim that’s dividing the research community.

Organic waste ending up in landfills is one of the major causes of methane generation which is the second highest contributor to global warming after carbon dioxide. India’s landfills contribute to about 20% of the methane generated in the country.

The world’s mangroves, sea grasses and salt marshes together comprise ‘blue carbon ecosystems.’ They are nature’s most effective carbon sinks.
Current studies suggest that mangroves and coastal wetlands annually sequester carbon at a rate 10 times greater than mature tropical forests. They also store three to five times more carbon per equivalent area than tropical forests.
A recent report titled Blue Carbon and its role in Carbon Sequestration revealed that mangroves alone have the capacity to store more than 1,000 tons of carbon per hectare.