Spreading myths of money
The US is making a concerted effort to break down India's stand on climate change, with the active support of some Indian ngo s and business groups
Water visions
Past experiences in tackling river pollution have been disheartening. The recent call for recognising this water source as an ecosystem is a …
A mistake of judgment
Pioneering though the work has been, judicial activism has restricted the growth of a responsible and independent bureaucracy
Safe or smug?
The awareness of the looming threat of bioweapons has evoked a serious response from all over the world, except India
When laws make out laws
Everybody's a loser. Forest guards die for laws that cannot be defended. Poor people get exploited. Veerappan rules the jungle. Sandalwood trees …
Watch out for these balloons
Sometimes resplendent, ungainly at other times, frogs are indicators of ecological health
Cut it out
A critique of recent suggestions to hack tusks, horns and other poachers' delights to save endangered animals.
Bickering to conserve
A continual tug of war between various agencies helped the Forest Conservation Act to evolve to its present form.
A change for the worse
Is a state government notification an indication that Gujarat, once considered to be committed to wildlife protection, has now moved industry to …
Chipko's triumphs extend beyond the forest
A look at the achievements and failures of a movement that began spontaneously in the Garhwal region two decades ago to protect trees from human …
Justice remains mirage for Bhopal gas victims
Nearly eight years after the Bhopal gas disaster, the legal battle over a settlement continues. But for the efforts of public interest agencies …
People's risk
Community-based risk assessment and abatement is a must in the age of expanding business opportunities
When the land shouts
Van Gujjars in the Shivalik foothills vociferously claim managing authority of the Rajaji National Park
South Asia: A Trash Can?
It's time South Asian countries took Iaction to tackle the POP menace. To begin with, they should tell the West that South Asia is not a dirty …
In the dumps
Despite international regulations and campaigning by environmentalists, hazardous waste continues to be dumped in India
Politics menus environment
Environmental concern has never been a political issue in India. Is it appropriate to expect a change in the mindset of leaders in the …
Time to act
People in the us should realise that only if they reduce fuel consumption will prices fall
Where's the science?
Lack of a scientific approach towards wildlife management is telling on Indian flora and fauna.
Code of ethics for scientific "eco-tourists"
Most of the world's tropical forests are in the developing world. Guidelines have been suggested for researchers to regulate the flow of data to …
Homegrown experts offered for "sale" abroad
Chakriya Vikas Pranali, a rural organisation, has a unique approach to ecological regeneration based on informed agricultural practices. This …
It's a damp squib
Lack of respect for facts and a strong ideology guided by Judaic-Christian thought dominate the report
A monumental failure
The report on the Sardar Sarovar does not address crucial issues like water-saving technologies, lowering the dam height and reducing the size of …
Sensitive economics
Anil Agarwal's article, "The poverty of Amartya Sen", publised in the December 15, 1999 issue of Down To Earth , has drawn a number of …
Demystifying science
To promote public understanding of science, it is essential not only to initiate openness and dialogue between the scientific community and the …
That 'E' word again
Most Northern groups that dominate the civil society opinion-making process within the climate convention have consistently ignored Southern …